“ I am not going to show you my art.., if I do this all it will

become is an exhibition and in time it will be pushed to the

back of your mind and become lost ..”

 

“ However.., if I share it with you not only will you learn and retain it forever, but I too will improve and continue on my journey of enlightenment”.

 

A “dojang- (Korean term for ‘training place)’ “ can be anyplace. From modern martial art studio, fitness centres, community hall, mountain tops, grass fields and your typical car garage.

 

Each dojang is presided over by a “Sabuum” which  the Korean term means teacher or instructor.

 

The” Dojang” however is a

place where the student can make contact with themselves, their fears, anxieties, reactions, habits.

 

It is an arena of confined and controlled conflict. Here we can confront an opponent who is rather a training partner

in helping us to understand ourselves.

 

We can learn a great deal about who we are and how we

respond to the expectations and pressures of society as the concentration and discipline learned in Martial Arts carries on into our daily lives.

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Training in the Dojang requires the student to constantly try new things hence a “source of learning” and in Zen terms ..” A path to Self-Enlightenment". “Never be afraid to try something new and something different as this is just one way that opportunity can present itself...”

 

Martial Arts refer less to chronological age than to the teachers wisdom and experience. This is quite typical of any martial art system in particular when the leadership of the more experienced training group meets with an intermediate student or a beginner regardless of age.

Age vs Wisdom: in spiritual terms would relate to he or she as an elder (or senior student), thus my teacher.

 

Tae Kwon Do and the Martial Arts Fraternity, does not discriminate between Age, Gender, Race or Religion. When a student comes to learn from their Instructor at the Dojang, they must be willing to put their faith and beliefs into the art that is being taught and their trust into their teacher.

No socio- status is put on any member..., ‘only relevant experience and training’, which is precisely why someone who has 15 years plus and is only 25 years of age ‘CAN’ share their knowledge with an adult in their mid 30s learning for the first time. 

 

The concept of the teacher learning from the lesson is “basic” to any good martial art instructor, hence a “path of enlightenment”!

 

A Tae Kwon Do Instructor is in one way or another.., “a descendant” of the previous Instructors and Masters and hence will still promote the same philosophy, values and skills.

 

He does not sought out the student, nor does he prevent them from leaving. If the student wants to learn and become proficient then they must take care of themselves along the way and understand that it is the teachers function and objective to delegate to the student the tasks in which they are capable of mastering and to leave as much to themselves to discover about their own ability and potential. If a student has the necessary dedication and inspiration.., then the essence of their own training in the martial art will reveal itself to them.

 

Remember quotes such as “ freedom from fear and conflict” The true form of “ZEN” is very different to everyone... We can read about it in books and hear people talk about it, however a verbal description does not give us the sensation. It’s the same if we were asked to “describe the taste of sugar..?” To know the taste ... One must experience it!!

 

Tae Kwon Do is not to be over analysed , mused and intellectualised even though its technical principles are very scientific...”it must be experienced”! Words will only convey part of the meaning.