Lessons from Kung Fu Panda 2

Renee Lehman

(2/2017) Several years ago, I wrote an article entitled, Lessons from Master Oogway. This article dealt with the life lessons found in the movie, Kung Fu Panda. Have you seen the movie, Kung Fu Panda? If not, I highly recommend watching it, along with the movies, Kung Fu Panda 2 and 3. I love these movies! These are a series of animated martial arts movies about a clumsy, chubby panda bear, Po, who becomes an unlikely kung fu hero. He is chosen as the Dragon Warrior (who protects the Valley of Peace) by Master Oogway, and then undergoes martial arts training by Master Shifu. In Kung Fu Panda 2, Po must fight Lord Shen, who has created a secret, unstoppable weapon to conquer China and destroy Kung Fu. In this movie, Po must look deeply into his past and uncover the mystery behind his origin. Only when he completes this introspection, and finds inner peace, will he be able to unlock the strength that he needs to protect China and Kung Fu from destruction by Lord Shen.

In Kung Fu Panda 2 there are several wise lessons that are timeless, and from which we can all learn.

Saying #1: "You are the master of your destiny: No one and nothing can come in between you and your destiny except you. Take destiny by the horns and have fun." – Kung Fu Panda

You are who you are and where you are right now because of all your own decisions and actions. No one can decide how you live your life and no one can force you to do things if you don’t want to. If you believe that you are not living the life that you want to live, it is your own thinking that is holding you back. You are stopping yourself from moving forward and change. When you understand that you are in control of your life, nothing can come between what you and what you want, except you. Recognize your gifts. Have fun and enjoy creating the life that you want for yourself.

Saying #2: "Your story may not have such a happy beginning but that does not make you who you are, it is the rest of it – who you choose to be." – Soothsayer

This is another meaningful quote from Kung Fu Panda 2. There will be times in your life when you will face challenges and uncertainties. You may have difficult times; however, they don’t have to define you. When you are having difficulties in life, it doesn’t mean that it is the end of the world.

The strength that it takes to overcome challenges make us strong, and it is how we perceive the future that makes us who we are. Extraordinary people such as Steve Jobs, Warren Buffett, J.K Rowling, Nelson Mandela, and many other men and women have gone through tough times. The challenging situations did not stop them. They each overcame the obstacles and chose to thrive!

Saying #3: "Don’t push past memories deeper inside of yourself. Let those memories breathe and let old wounds heal." – Kung Fu Panda

When Lord Shen (the villain) reminded Po that he had killed Po’s parents and almost killed him, Po told Lord Shen that in order to move forward, he had to let go of the past. The lesson is that holding on to pain from the past keeps you from moving forward. Your past does not equal your future. How can you grow and move forward in life if you are stuck in your past and keep believing negative things. You have to choose now to process your past events, and let go of the things that hold you back.

Saying #4: "Remember…anything is possible if you have inner peace." – Master Shifu

"You don’t need to meditate for hours and hours to attain inner peace and enlightenment. You need only see, feel, and act from the heart. Let the heart guide you to your peaceful enlightenment." – Kung Fu Panda

Lord Shen was not happy, therefore, he spent his entire life trying to make everyone else unhappy. In the beginning of the movie, Po was miserable because he discovered that his parents were killed, and that the father that he knew was not his biological father.

When Lord Shen meets Po, he is in awe of how peaceful Po is. Lord Shen seemed to have everything, and Po had nothing. How could Po be so peaceful? By the end of the movie, Po had processed his past, and had begun to listen to his heart and intuition. By trusting his heart and intuition, Po became comfortable with who he was. He found inner peace. This then helped him to prevent Lord Shen from destroying China and Kung Fu.

By listening to your heart, trusting your intuition, and acting from your heart, anything is possible! Even finding inner peace. From inner peace, comes inner strength.

Finally: "Embrace your awesomeness." – Kung Fu Panda

Dream your biggest dream. Have faith that anything is possible. You are here on earth to fully enjoy your life! Believe, and you will achieve! You are awesome!

So, if you have not seen the Kung Fu Panda movies yet, please watch them! AND, if you have already seen it and are a fan of the movie like me, go ahead and watch them again to discover many other words of wisdom that you may have missed!

Renee Lehman is a licensed acupuncturist and physical therapist with over 25 years of health care experience. Her office is located at 249B York Street in Gettysburg, PA. She can be reached at 717-752-5728.