Survival Skills: "Be Like Water" - a lesson in adaptability
What does survival and bushcraft have to do with a martial arts legend? The thought provoking phrase "Be water, my friend" was first shared with the public in a television show featuring Bruce Lee in the fall of 1971. The iconic phrase was repeated, expanded, and explained in an interview with Pierre Burton later that same year. Bruce Lee’s renowned recommendation to “be like water” was rooted in the art of detachment, something he had been working toward with his instructor, the famous Ip Man. By mimicking the qualities of water, we are encouraged to be flexible, adaptable, and fluid in life. This is very relevant in the wilderness, since adaptability is one of the best tools in our survival toolkit. These are just three of the ways we can use water as an example of adaptation (in life and in emergencies).
Be flexible: Water is a flexible substance. It bends, but doesn't break. We can emulate this by being flexible in our thoughts and decisions, avoiding the trap of rigidity and stubbornness. If we realize that we should move our campsite due to a change in the weather, be flexible instead of stubborn. Move the campsite to a better location. Water will wear away the stubborn rock in the river, and water will wash away your campsite in the flood zone.
Be malleable: Water can change its shape and form. It takes on the shape any vessel that holds it, and it can become ice, liquid, or steam. Water doesn't resist movement or change. This reminds us to adjust to situations instead of trying to change a situation to fit our own ideas. Failing to change is a great way to fail at a task. When your fire won’t light, try a different fuel or ignition method. Don’t waste your last match on a damp ball of tinder that wouldn’t light from the 10 matches you already wasted. Change your approach if you want to change the result.
Be fluid: Water flows around obstacles, so we should flow around obstacles in life. When we face unexpected challenges and changes, we shouldn’t get stuck. Instead, we should find a new path through life’s twists and turns. You could run out of food on a campout. Instead of beating yourself up for this mistake, you could look for wild foods or decide to go on a cleansing fast. Life doesn’t always follow the plans we make. Sometimes it’s better to go with the flow than to fight the current.
Ready for more survival philosophy? Take a class - any class! The mindset of survival and self-reliance is a major component of classes at Advanced Survival Training.
Written by Tim MacWelch