In all areas of study and practice there is an inevitable desire to crystallize, standardize, and otherwise encapsulate that which was once free, fluid, and in a constant state of evolution, into a definable and easily digestible product by imposing boundaries and limits. Gradually over time, The Way is mistaken for The Truth and becomes a mold which individuals are expected to conform to.
In the case of the art of Jeet Kune Do, I believe that a form of this process began out of necessity; There was a legitimate need to protect the integrity of the original teachings from those who sought to profit from the celebrity of Bruce Lee and the rarity of informed practitioners and teachers. We absolutely must have a foundation from which to educate and pass on the tools and tactics of JKD. Should the principles of daily decrease, simplicity, and directness be lost, then one can no longer claim to teach Jeet Kune Do. We must do everything within our power to live up to the high standards set by first and second-generation instructors like Dan Lee, Bob Bremer, Ted Wong, Tim Tackett, and others in keeping the flame of JKD burning bright.
What we must never do is allow ourselves to become arrogant and complacent in the belief that our expression of JKD is a finished product, no longer in need of refinement and innovation. We have a responsibility to continue to create new and enhance existing methodologies for training and teaching our core material and principles. No one should attend a JKD seminar and feel that “we just work the same stuff over and over”. We should focus on offering fresh perspective on the techniques and strategies that comprise our expression of JKD and the many different ways they can be practiced and applied. Jeet Kune Do must remain a living art, free from the limitations of ‘style’ but always maintaining the integrity of Bruce Lee’s original teachings.
