glad2bhere
Master Black Belt
Dear Brad:
Sometime back there was a very uncomfortable time in the Hapkido community, that made a lot of people ask questions not unlike the one that you are asking. It was an ugly time and caused many people to question what terms like "recognized by...", or "accepted by..." or "certified by..." actually meant. For instance, one very common point was for an organization to say that they were "recognized by the Korean government." This kind of stuff used to drive me up the wall. I've gotten better about this but not because I have ever gotten a good answer. For instance, I know a point that is made with organizations is that a person who joins can "go to any member school in the organization." Sometimes "free of charge" is added. Now, my personal experience having been in the Hapkido community for almost 20 years is that I have NEVER --- not once---- been turned away from an event because I was NOT a member of that organization. I can also say that I have ALWAYS been expected to pay admission excepting those times when I have taught a module at the event. In like manner an organization will always take your money for tests, certification, membership fees and events. Whether you get back sufficent reward for your investment is, of course, your own affair.
The way I have come to look at it, in a kwan, the testing and certification are signs along the road of your particular journey. Since no two people are headed to the same place, those road signs are only going to mean as much to you as is the importance of your destination. People are going to recognize, or not recognize the worth of your paper based on what they see you do and how they are feeling on a given day--- and nothing else. The idea of having a paper and walking into an activity anywhere in the World and having the room go quiet in awe is probably a pleasant fantsy--- but nothing more. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
Sometime back there was a very uncomfortable time in the Hapkido community, that made a lot of people ask questions not unlike the one that you are asking. It was an ugly time and caused many people to question what terms like "recognized by...", or "accepted by..." or "certified by..." actually meant. For instance, one very common point was for an organization to say that they were "recognized by the Korean government." This kind of stuff used to drive me up the wall. I've gotten better about this but not because I have ever gotten a good answer. For instance, I know a point that is made with organizations is that a person who joins can "go to any member school in the organization." Sometimes "free of charge" is added. Now, my personal experience having been in the Hapkido community for almost 20 years is that I have NEVER --- not once---- been turned away from an event because I was NOT a member of that organization. I can also say that I have ALWAYS been expected to pay admission excepting those times when I have taught a module at the event. In like manner an organization will always take your money for tests, certification, membership fees and events. Whether you get back sufficent reward for your investment is, of course, your own affair.
The way I have come to look at it, in a kwan, the testing and certification are signs along the road of your particular journey. Since no two people are headed to the same place, those road signs are only going to mean as much to you as is the importance of your destination. People are going to recognize, or not recognize the worth of your paper based on what they see you do and how they are feeling on a given day--- and nothing else. The idea of having a paper and walking into an activity anywhere in the World and having the room go quiet in awe is probably a pleasant fantsy--- but nothing more. FWIW.
Best Wishes,
Bruce
