Aparigraha & Wu-Hsin (nongrasping)

John Little was one of Bruce Lee's students and one of the foremost experts on Lee and his martial art of jeet kune do. Among Little's many outlets of sharing his knowledge on martial arts and fitness, he also authored The Warrior Within: The Philosophies of Bruce Lee.

Lee believed one must work with the energy of their opponents and use it to their own benefit. John Little describes this as the absolute necessity for human beings to bend with adversity and adapt to circumstances. You've probably heard some of Bruce Lee's famous quotations or part of them. Move like water. And, Be soft, yet not yielding. Be firm, yet not hard.

In Bruce Lee's work, this is named wu-hsin, not to be confused with the person Wu-Hsin. This concept is one of many of Lee's teachings that integrate with Yoga. This adaptability is like being pliable. It's seen in the bending of a willow tree from the air or snow. It's even seen in electricity and following the path of least resistance. When you hit resistance, you must be pliable. Adaptable. Think of the ways that you can take the physics of the resistance and use it for yourself.

Little's book takes directly from Lee's personal files. He wrote:

This capacity to yield (Yin), while often considered a "feminine" quality, is by no means a sign of weakness. In fact, it is instead a sign of great strength (Yang)--a quality traditionally considered masculine.

In short, to have strength (Yang), you must have pliability (Yin). This brings us to the Chinese principle of wu-hsin (or, in Japanese, mushin).

The concept of wu-hsin does not mean an empty mind that is devoid of all emotion, nor is it simply quietness of mind. As Bruce Lee explained the concept:

Although quietude and calmness are necessary, it is the "nongraspingness" of the mind that mainly constitutes the principle of "no-mindedness."

The mind should function without the ego in the way. It should grasp nothing to avoid interference. It is the disappearance of effort in order to let go.

If you're a Star Wars fan, maybe you remember Master Yoda teaching Luke Skywalker:

Do or do not. There is no try.

Patanjali's Yoga's philosophies include its own jewel of nongrasping called aparigraha. Many people stick to one interpretation of this meaning letting go of materialism and greediness. When you look at the bigger picture, the Yin and the Yang, it also includes the mind just as Bruce Lee learned from previous masters like Lao-tzu.

How many meditations have you sat through internally reprimanding yourself? "I'm sitting here thinking of how not to think! I can't do this!"

You must release the effort. This is also a deep concept in Yin Yoga. Release the effort in a posture. Let the body + gravity move you to find your edge. Breathe.