The wisdom of the ART

[terryl965]

What wisdom have you found by taking the Art of TKD, and how has this helped in your everyday life?

What soul purpose are you training you mind for as well as your body?

 

[Chizikunbo]

What wisdom have you found by taking the Art of TKD, and how has this helped in your everyday life?

What soul purpose are you training you mind for as well as your body?

Well I study Tang Soo Do, but in the past I was involved with WTF TKD. Anyway, for me, I was quite struck by the profound meaning and philosophy behind the concept of Mu. The hanja for this word is made up of two other kanji one meaning "to stop" and the other "a spear/halbred". So , this implies that Mu Do, or the so called" Martial Arts" are actually meant to stop conflict. I interpret this with the DO as in Tae Kwon DO, Tang Soo DO, and Mu DO as meaning a path to stop or avoid conflict, in all aspects of our lives. Full understanding of this concept guides you to act with harmony with all things, trying not to create conflict, and doing our best to avoid it. All bad things in our lives are generally caused by conflict, or disharmony. When we can foster harmonious relationships with all things, then we can walk ever further toward the somewhat elusive human goal of hapiness.

In my understanding the whole of a studnets growth in tang soo do or tae kwon do relies on the constant understanding, cultivation, and implimentation of the Shim Gong, Neh Gong, and Weh Gong concepts, Spiritual Power, Internal Power, and Physical Power...the mind body and spirit. When all of these act in unison we reach a harmonious state of being within ourselves. In short TKD and TSD both are methods to enhance the qualitiy of our lives, but also give us the power to develop the skills to protect them. Human life is valuable and should be protected. For me, TSD and TKD are a constant striving for me to be the best person I can be, it is a method to truly come to know myself. Mu is a path of wisdom, and understanding. Within every mahk ki, cha ki, and kong kyuk there is always a place to improve, there is always a place to better understand, to better apply, and to better execute. It is a path leading to the mastery of self.

We live in a world of instability, almost everything around us is temporary, as it life itself. Mu can be a constant, our anchor in the storm if you will. To sum up, Tae Kwon Do/Tang Soo Do are what you decide to make of them, what you put in you will also get out.
Just MHO,
--Josh

 

[Callandor]

What wisdom have you found by taking the Art of TKD, and how has this helped in your everyday life?

I learned that by persevering, I could now kick above my waist. I also learned patience. These helped me deal with things in life a little more easier than I did before.

 

[Shaderon]

I have learned that with effort and with patience and training I can control my own body better than I thought I ever could. I've also learned that getting a technique wrong can hurt, to me this translates into other things, get it right and it all flows smoothly, get it wrong and things don't work as well.

 

[CF'er]

I have learned that I am stronger than I thought I was both physically and mentally. I have learned that if you perservere you will be rewarded. Even in my darkest times of TKD that too passes and eventually I get my reward (new belt).

 

[Kacey]

I learned that it's not always the natural athletes who are good at everything, and that I could learn to do something I thought was hard - or even impossible - if I was willing to work hard enough to do it.

I learned that I enjoyed teaching - enough so that I chose teaching (school, not TKD, although I do both) as my career.

I learned that setting goals, and meeting them, make me feel better in the long run than drifting through life.

I learned that everyone deserves a chance, no matter how unlikely success seems to be when they start.

I learned to treat every person as an individual, no matter how similar one person seems to be to the person next in line.

I learned that nothing worth having comes for free, whether the payment is in time, effort, money, or something else.

I could go on... but I have to get back to work soon.

 

[Balrog]

I have learned that perseverance is vastly underrated in our modern society, as are courtesy, respect, honor and integrity.

 

[RED]

I'm ADHD, and almost 40. I took the meds, they all have thier draw backs. TKD has helped me with the impulsiveness that comes along with ADHD. I'm more aware of what my hands and feet are doing at any given time. (I tap and fidgit less.) Mentally I still drift from one subject to another. But I control it better now. The meditation aspect of TKD has helped me to recognise when I drift therefore I can stay focused on the topic better than I used too. I don't take any meds for ADHD now. There are other things that TKD has done for me too, confidence and fitness are just a few.

 

[cali_tkdbruin]

What wisdom have you found by taking the Art of TKD, and how has this helped in your everyday life?

What soul purpose are you training you mind for as well as your body?

In terms of the tenets of Taekwondo:

• Courtesy
• Integrity
• Perseverance
• Self-Control
• Indomitable Spirit

and how they play into this subject, IMHO, I found that they go by the wayside with many (me included), although not all, but a good amount of TKD practitioners. If anything, my TKD training has reinforced my perseverance, never stop trying to achieve your goals.

 

[bluekey88]

Welp, it looks like a lot of folks covered some good stuff. Let me just add a few thoughts.

in TKD I;ve learnd the following:

--Good training partners, like good friends, are like gold. Treat them well and appreciate them when you have them.

--guys, ALWAYS wear your cup. Seriously, don't ask how I know this.

--Live in the moment. Don't woryy too much about what has passed (use it) and worry even less about what is to come (it's coming wether you like it or not). Just go with the flow.

Peace,
Erik

 

[Bret Hinds]

I Have learned though the art that the tenets of tae kwon do,can change on how one takes on the problems of life. The tenets are also a fighting plan on how to deal with issues that come up. Courtesy at all times just because someone is being a jerk that does mean that you have to come down to there level. Integrity, when you tell someone you are going to do some thing do it don't lie or put it off. Indomitable spirit, show your problem that it will be taken on not just given in to a weaker mind set. Modesty, do I need to say more? And course Perserverance (what can we learn from a woodpeckers goal one tree at a time) And last Self Control, what I say to my students(It's your mind telling your body what to do ,not your body telling your mind what to do.) All the best in the arts

 

[Sukerkin]

Altho' I'm not a TKD student, one thing about the art has become apparent to me through my aquaintence with some of you here at MT and others on {whispers} other fora.

I have found that the students of TKD, despite the dubious 'history' of the art and the flak it sometimes takes because of that, appear to have taken to heart more than most some of those tenets of MA that are most important to me.

I don't know if I'm just fortunate in those of you that I've met but I have not yet come across anyone (of you) who was not polite, open to ideas, willing to discuss background and application and most important, as has been stated by many above, readily accepts that studying a martial art is first and foremost about improving yourself rather than learning to kick someones teeth out.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the core philosophy that the various sensei you fellows have are doing a grand job of passing on good virtues to their students.

Sorry to interrupt with an 'outsiders' voice

:Sensei rei:.

 

[terryl965]

Altho' I'm not a TKD student, one thing about the art has become apparent to me through my aquaintence with some of you here at MT and others on {whispers} other fora.

I have found that the students of TKD, despite the dubious 'history' of the art and the flak it sometimes takes because of that, appear to have taken to heart more than most some of those tenets of MA that are most important to me.

I don't know if I'm just fortunate in those of you that I've met but I have not yet come across anyone (of you) who was not polite, open to ideas, willing to discuss background and application and most important, as has been stated by many above, readily accepts that studying a martial art is first and foremost about improving yourself rather than learning to kick someones teeth out.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the core philosophy that the various sensei you fellows have are doing a grand job of passing on good virtues to their students.

Sorry to interrupt with an 'outsiders' voice

:Sensei rei:.

Very nice input and from a TKD guy Thank you very much

 

[exile]

Altho' I'm not a TKD student, one thing about the art has become apparent to me through my aquaintence with some of you here at MT and others on {whispers} other fora.

I have found that the students of TKD, despite the dubious 'history' of the art and the flak it sometimes takes because of that, appear to have taken to heart more than most some of those tenets of MA that are most important to me.

I don't know if I'm just fortunate in those of you that I've met but I have not yet come across anyone (of you) who was not polite, open to ideas, willing to discuss background and application and most important, as has been stated by many above, readily accepts that studying a martial art is first and foremost about improving yourself rather than learning to kick someones teeth out.

I suppose what I'm saying is that the core philosophy that the various sensei you fellows have are doing a grand job of passing on good virtues to their students.

Sorry to interrupt with an 'outsiders' voice

:Sensei rei:.

Very nice input and from a TKD guy Thank you very much

Make that, Thank you very much from two TKD guys, Mark