#BruceLeeMoment Feat. TORY ELENA?!

#BruceLeeMoment

This week our #BruceLeeMoment is from Tory Elena:

Hello Shannon, Sharon and the Bruce Lee Podcast Team! I grew up practicing martial arts with my family and my father and I shared a love for Bruce Lee’s films. I remembered finding the Tao of Jeet Kune Do on his bookshelf and flipping through it, some of it went way over my little 10 year old head, but some of his words were planted as seeds in my mind, lingering inside, only to bloom later on in my life.

Now, many years later I find Bruce Lee’s philosophy and spirit has become an ever present guiding inspiration in my life. I’ve rekindled my passion for martial arts and studying the philosophy and words Bruce left behind for the world. (I carry “Striking Thoughts” in my purse everywhere I go!) I find so much of his approach to martial arts can apply to my approach to my creative path...

As a professional creative I use the JKD motto as a mantra in my life, “Using no way as way. Having no limitation as limitation.” I am a drummer, vocalist, composer and one half of the rocknroll band Sea At Last, a board member of an independent record label GYPSYPOP RECORDS and also a freelance artist, illustrator, painter, and writer… and that’s just the nutshell version of it! There were many times early on in my life when I felt the pressure to “choose one path” to choose either my music, or my art. There are many challenges that women face in the male dominated music industry, and also I’ve found that being a “renaissance man” is more accepted in our society than a “renaissance woman”.

Thankfully, I never believed this limiting idea that I could only pursue and be successful in one thing as a career. Bruce’s words really helped motivate me to work hard to dissolve those limiting beliefs inside myself. Now I welcome the challenges as an opportunity to get to know myself in a deeper way and strengthen my passion for my work. I feel all my creative endeavors are just different expressions, different colors and sounds coming from the same source inside me. It’s all one big synesthetic experience, and I love sharing it with the world!

I also really love Bruce’s quote: “Art is the music of the soul made visible. Behind every motion is the music of his soul made visible. Otherwise, empty motion is like an empty word; no meaning. Postures without proper channeling of your emotions, behind them are dead movements.”

I am continually inspired by Bruce’s discipline and dedication to the many things he loved. He has really taught me to value my time here on earth! Thank you so much for doing this podcast and continuing to share his legacy with the world in a good way. I look forward the new episodes every week and play it while I work on art in my studio! All the best, Tory Elena