The Philosophy of Tae Kwon Do
Most people assume that Tae Kwon Do is training in self-defense, punching and kicking. It’s also much more than training in physical and mental coordination. From the art, an individual can carry on the spirit into other aspects of life. A person can secure a peaceful and stable life by finding harmony between nature and oneself.
Do in a Korean word means that “way of life”, “path” or “art”. It’s the culture of the universe. The philosophy of the art goes as far back as numerous religious beliefs throughout history. The basic principles can be traced back to Buddhism, especially the Mastery of life aspect introduced in China around 347 A.D. That influence has helped spring up the Korean martial arts.
The basic focus of the art is the way in which a person rids himself/herself of the discriminating mind to find the harmony that exists in the universe. At the core, the duality concept exists. It refers to the harmonious existence of opposing forces. It can be achieved when the two opposing forces are distributed equally thereby causing the desired balance.
If one of the forces dominates, there is a lot of discord. Take an example where an adversary initiates an attack using positive energy. The defender, on the other hand, should use negative energy by stepping aside, letting flow harmlessly. Therefore, the hard attack from the assailant becomes soft while the defender’s soft passiveness becomes the hard response. Therefore, balance returns.
Tae Kwon Do basically seeks to bring everyone to the present. However, that can only happen if a person is completely in tune with nature and oneself. As a result, any actions and reactions are in perfect coordination with all the outside forces regardless of the setting.
If that’s the case, nothing can upset such an individual, regardless of how bad it might be. The true masters of the art have been known to have the most serene personalities. Basically, they have enough experience living in the present time and have mastered the tricks to finding harmony in the universe.
Every person has the ability to gain these tricks, to become a true master of Tae Kwon Do. With enough training, a person can find the right way to coordinate the inner forces as well outside ones to be at peace with oneself. The trick is centering yourself and finding a balance for the dual forces in nature. That’s why living in the Present time is important.
Of course, the fascination of Tae Kwon Do for most people is the fighting, kicking and all that. However, to find inner peace, existing as one with the universe is a good idea. Find the balance, learn how to co-exist and understand how the opposing forces exist.