bruce lee and being green

This is a fairly silly but fun piece on Discovery's Planet Green site about how the teachings of Bruce Lee can be applied to rethinking and relearning one's green choices. The key is to unlearn -- "empty your cup": How Bruce Lee Can Help Unleash the Green Dragon Inside You.

"Do you realize you will have to unlearn all you have learned and start over again?" Bruce asked him

"No," I said.

He smiled and placed his hand lightly on my shoulder. "Let me tell you a story my sifu told me," he said. "It is about a Japanese Zen master who received a university professor who came to inquire about Zen. It was obvious to the master from the start of the conversation that the professor was not so much interested in learning about Zen as he was in impressing the master with his opinions and knowledge. The master listened patiently and finally suggested they have tea. The master poured his visitor's cup full and then kept on pouring. The professor watched the cup overflowing until he could no longer restrain himself. 'The cup is overfull, no more will go in.'

"'Like this cup,' the master said, 'you are full of your own opinions and speculations. How can I show you Zen unless you first empty your cup?'"

Bruce studied my face. "You understand the point?"

"Yes," I said. "You want me to empty my mind of past knowledge and old habits so that I will be open to new learning."

"Precisely," said Bruce. "And now we are ready to begin your first lesson."

This does not mean that Bruce prevented me from applying a critical mind to his teaching. In fact, he welcomed discussion, even argument. But when challenged too long on a point, his reply was always, "At least empty your cup and try."

Of course, the 'empty your cup' philosophy could probably be applied to a lot of causes and choices. Still, it's the first time I've ever seen Bruce Lee invoked in a discussion about doing your part to save the environment.