The path of martial artist

I wrote this essay as part of the requirement for my 4th Dan Taekwondo black belt promotion test in November of 2011 which I wanted to share on my blog.

Essay for the 4^th Dan Black Belt Promotion

The Path of Martial Artist

Michael Yang

October 30, 2011

“Perform actions having abandoned attachment and having become balanced in success and failure”

Bhagavad-Gita

“Our worst weakness is fear! Once we serenely accept that in defending our life we may be killed, we eliminate panic, and we no longer have anything to fear”

Grand Master Richard Chun

1. Introduction

Taekwondo, the Korean art of kicking and punching, is not merely a fighting skill; it is a way of thinking and acting. In order to truly master the essence of the art of Taekwondo, one must learn to master oneself, to be totally committed to the mental as well as the physical discipline demanded.

A true Taekwondo martial artist must exhibit tremendous discipline in his or her own self such as physical fitness, mental and emotional control, as well as strong character as an individual. Furthermore, martial artist must be a good husband, father, son, brother/sister, and friends to his family and friends. Lastly, he or she must treat all people with love and respect, and serve society and others to contribute to the betterment of the society as a whole.

2. Physical

Given the importance of our health and fitness, martial artist must take good care of his/her own body through healthy diet, training & exercise, and avoidance of harmful elements such as drugs, alcohol and nicotine into his/her body. Healthy and strong body is a critical foundation for clear and strong mind and is the basis of being a martial artist.

3. Mental / emotional

Equally important is the health and soundness of our mind including mental and emotional capabilities. A martial artist must have a clear conscience, a proper view of self-identity, and positive attitude. We must rid our mind of fear by controlling our mind. Fear is restricting and therefore must be dealt with head on. Many times we fear for our life, our financial security, and potential failures in life. We must perform actions having abandoned our attachment to things such as life and financial security and having balanced in success and failure. We must empty our minds from worldly desires and accept the fact that failures are part of the process.

4. Character

A martial artist must have strong personal character including traits such as honesty, diligence, integrity, and humility. We must speak truth and not lie to anyone or exaggerate. We must be diligent in our work and responsibilities. We must have integrity in all our dealings so that what we say and do is consistent. We must do things that we will not be ashamed of even if we are at a place that no one sees because that is part of having integrity in our character. Finally, we must stay humble and never become conceited or too prideful. There is a verse in the Bible Proverb 16-18 that says “pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall”.

5. Good husband, father, son, brother/sister, and friend

We as individuals have responsibilities as son/daughter, husband/wife, father/mother, brother/sister and friend. We must take our responsibility seriously so that we are not absent in these relationships and fully enjoy the special family and friend relationships. We must put our relationship in high priority so that we have a good balance between family, work and our art.

6. Leadership in work and society

We must have the servant leader attitude in our work and those around us. A servant leader seeks to help others around them and strives to put the interest of the whole above one’s own interest.

7. Compassion / Love

A martial artist should treat people around them with love and compassion. Ultimately, people are remembered for the love and compassion that they provided to others while they are alive.

8. Contribution to society

We need to use our time, talents, resource, and influence to contribute to the betterment of the society. We must first study and work diligently to obtain the required training to be successful in our careers. After that, we can strategically apply our knowledge, experience, and wisdom to those things that we have a passion for and serve for non-profit motives. The world needs people with conviction to stand up for what is right and right wrong. A martial artist should and must strive to do the right thing all of the time.