Russell Brand has posted a video about his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu philosophies and the impact theyâve had on his overall well-being.
He puts into words what many of us in the community already feel as he describes the symbolism of promotions, âThat purple belt, itâs weird, isnât it? Because itâs just a piece of fabric. But what are symbols? Whether it’s in the Cub Scout movement, or the military, or wherever, you have these symbols that are accolades. Where does the meaning come from? The meaning usually comes from: itâs hard to acquire it. â
He also explains that he feels imposter syndrome after being promoted, âThis is one thing I think as a newly inaugurated purple belt, I donât feel like Iâm as good as the people who were purple belts when I was a white belt. I remember thinking those people were like Jedi from another dimension. But perhaps, I pray at least that itâs like you donât see our own hair grow, you’re not aware of your own changes and growth in the same way as you are of other peopleâs.âÂ
Brand continues about the realization of his own mortality and how thatâs humbled him, âIn the past, Iâve been one of those people who make a lot of noise because of fear. What Iâve learned from jiu-jitsu is how to handle my body. Iâve learned humility. Iâve learned that there are a lot of people that really really know what theyâre doing, and youâd be foolish to enter into a confrontation situation without really knowing what youâre dealing with.â
After his promotion, he called his good friend Ryron Gracie to share the news, and Ryron had some words of advice for the newly promoted purple belt, âWhen I called him to say Iâve got this purple belt, he said, âThe thing I would say at purple belt is: slow down. Now is the time to really slow down in your jiu-jitsu and appreciate it and feel it.ââ
Brand continues with a metaphor about adapting after you lose a position that youâve worked hard to achieve, âIf your opponent immediately stands up when youâre [in spider-guard], much of the utility of that particular guard is no longer relevant. You have to adjust and do a different guard that involves the hips⦠The minute that the person has stood up, you have to accept it. âOh, weâre not in spider-guard anymore. Thatâs over.âÂ
But because some of these [techniques] are so hard to learn.. when the opponent just moves and that opportunity is now suddenly vanquished, personally I feel like, âAw, you should still be in spider guard! Iâve worked really hard to get in spider-guard, would you mind sitting down again?â No. Thatâs gone. Think about how that applies to life.â
He continues, âAll the time, particularly as a parent, my children are changing, my reality is changing, all the time. If i donât adjust, if Iâm like, âoh, no! Iâve prepared for my life to be this way.â Well, life isnât this way anymore. Itâs continually adjusting. Because what is happening in our culture now is our inability to adapt and adjust to changing technological environments or social conditions. We have to learn to adjust and adapt. Human beings are so good at adjusting and adapting, but my problem is- this goes straight into my political beliefs- is that weâre adjusting and adapting to ideologies and conditioning that are not beneficial to the majority of people.â
As Brand is known for being very spiritually connected, he sprinkled a bit of that into his monologue, âSomething like jiu-jitsu means that your spirituality is physical and embodied, not just in your head but in your whole body⦠It teaches you so many life lessons that you can avoid. We can be extracted in life to a position of comfort where weâre not experiencing reality. For me, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is reality… This for me is part of well being, part of spiritual development. I donât want to live in a world where Iâm extracted from the reality of what life is to have a body, to know youâre gonna die, to know there are opposing and maligned forces out in the world. I want to feel like Iâm progressing. I donât want to live in the pathways that have been laid out for me by a culture of commodity and conformity. I want to be as best as I can be. Free to explore myself, to discover myself, to be useful to other people.â
Ultimately, Brand says heâs here to give his gratitude and encourage others to give it a try, âI suppose the point that Iâm making in this video is to express my pride and gratitude. A healthy pride, I hope. Pride in just, sort of continuing to work hard, rather than pride as in, âarenât I a big shotâ. And also, to convey to anyone that if a person like me, or with a background Iâve got with drug addiction, mental health issues, can commit to something like this and can learn from it, then I think that anybody can and lots of you should. â
The entire video is very compelling. I recommend giving it a watch or reading the full transcription below.
âThat purple belt, itâs weird, isnât it? Because itâs just a piece of fabric. But what are symbols? Whether it’s in the Cub Scout movement, or the military, or wherever, you have these symbols that are accolades. Where does the meaning come from? The meaning usually comes from: itâs hard to acquire it.Â
Certainly, the purple belt has meant that Iâve had to change. Curiously enough, and this is one thing I think as a newly inaugurated purple belt, I donât feel like Iâm as good as the people who were purple belts when I was a white belt. I remember thinking those people were like Jedi from another dimension. But perhaps, I pray at least, that itâs like you donât see your own hair grow, you’re not aware of your own changes and growth in the same way as you are of other peopleâs.Â
What this BJJ purple belt means to me is that Iâve changed as a person. I was the kind of person- Iâve done a lot of martial arts actually, like kickboxing at one point, krav maga, boxing, but always at the hobby level. I donât like getting in the ring with someone. I find it intimidating to be in a combat situation. Iâve had fights when I was younger, and Iâve been in confrontation situations as an adult. In the past, Iâve been one of those people who make a lot of noise because of fear.
What Iâve learned from jiu-jitsu is how to handle my body. Iâve learned humility. Iâve learned that there are a lot of people that really really know what theyâre doing, and youâd be foolish to enter into a confrontation situation without really knowing what youâre dealing with. In fact, let me clarify that you shouldnât enter into those situations at all. You should never be looking to physically dominate or intimidate anybody in any area of your life. As Iâve learned to use my own body differently, I feel more certain of that. I feel more at ease with myself. I donât feel so edgy and afraid…Â
I really want to give special mentions though to Ryron and Rener Gracie, who are masterful teachers. Very relaxed, very fluid, very loving, very generous. Iâm friends with Ryron in particular, when I called him to say Iâve got this purple belt, he said, âThe thing I would say at purple belt is: slow down. Now is the time to really slow down in your jiu-jitsu and appreciate it and feel it.â
What I like about jiu-jitsu⦠For example, today, when I was with my teacher, I was working on my spider-guard⦠and if your opponent immediately stands up when youâre [in spider-guard], much of the utility of that particular guard is no longer relevant. You have to adjust and do a different guard that involves the hips. Now, sorry to be esoteric there for a moment, because the philosophical point that Iâm trying to make is this: the minute that the person has stood up, you have to accept it. âOh, weâre not in spider-guard anymore. Thatâs over.â But because some of these [techniques] are so hard to learn.. when the opponent just moves and that opportunity is now suddenly vanquished, personally I feel like, âAw, you should still be in spider guard! Iâve worked really hard to get in spider-guard, would you mind sitting down again?â No. Thatâs gone. Think about how that applies to life.Â
All the time, particularly as a parent, my children are changing, my reality is changing, all the time. If i donât adjust, if Iâm like, âoh, no! Iâve prepared for my life to be this way.â Well, life isnât this way anymore. Itâs continually adjusting. Because what is happening in our culture now is our inability to adapt and adjust to changing technological environments or social conditions. We have to learn to adjust and adapt. Human beings are so good at adjusting and adapting, but my problem is- this goes straight into my political beliefs- is that weâre adjusting and adapting to ideologies and conditioning that are not beneficial to the majority of people.
Something like jiu-jitsu means that your spirituality is physical and embodied, not just in your head but in your whole body, and feeling stuff like, âOh my God, this is what itâs like to feel crushed, this is what itâs like to feel powerful, this is what itâs like to have to teach another person or be patient with another person, this is what itâs like to feel dominated by another person.â
It teaches you so many life lessons that you can avoid. We can be extracted in life to a position of comfort where weâre not experiencing reality. For me, Brazilian jiu-jitsu is reality.
What I feel like from doing this sport, from doing this martial art, is that Iâve changed myself. As a person with a lot of mental health issues(particularly in the past), addiction issues(particularly in the past), how do you change? How do you become a person who isnât addicted to drugs anymore? That isnât dominated by certain values and tendencies? You have to do things differently. And to do things differently, you really need belief and faith.
What I feel I have, is Iâve become a different person. Iâm a changed person. Even if itâs not about, like Iâm gonna go through life as a vigilante, grabbing potential jewel thieves and wrestling them to the floor. Itâs more like, I walk differently, I feel differently, my mental health is different. Iâve proven to myself that if I commit myself to something, I can change. For me, itâs sort of just one step. I’m still a beginner, the same way as I consider myself a beginner in recovery with 8 and half years one day at a time clean and sober from drugs and alcohol.
This for me is part of well-being, part of spiritual development. I donât want to live in a world where Iâm extracted from the reality of what life is to have a body, to know youâre gonna die, to know there are opposing and maligned forces out in the world. I want to feel like Iâm progressing.Â
I donât want to live in the pathways that have been laid out for me by a culture of commodity and conformity. I want to be as best as I can be. Free to explore myself, to discover myself, to be useful to other people…
As soon as I start thinking about myself and my ego, which I do pretty regularly, disappointment happens, failure happens. So for me, Iâm still just thinking about, âOkay, just keep going forward. Just try to improve my jiu-jitsu. Be aware of the areas where I need to improve: fighting bigger, heavier people, how to get out of guard when someone is super heavy and itâs grueling, working on stand-up.â I suppose the point that Iâm making in this video is to express my pride and gratitude. A healthy pride, I hope. Pride in just, sort of continuing to work hard, rather than pride as in, âarenât I a big shotâ. And also, to convey to anyone that if a person like me, or with a background Iâve got with drug addiction, mental health issues, can commit to something like this and can learn from it, then I think that anybody can and lots of you should. â