Hari-Suthan Sivarajah - September 2008
Taekwondo is not just a physical practice or sport. Taekwondo is a martial art - a whole system of physical exercises, spiritual development and philosophic principles. So it is closely related to the philosophy of the East, and mainly to the dualistic ideal of harmony (Yin and Yang). Nevertheless many people do not or cannot understand the martial arts ideal and consider their philosophy as a type of religioous principles. That is not right, of course. The martial arts, including Taekwondo, have not been formed as a religion for itself. The right understanding of a martial art could be the way of the practitioner to see its own self and/or the rest world, but no more.
The basis of Taekwondo practising is the technique. The training system is an endless repetition and perfectioning of the studied techniques. We mean not only the working out of separate hits, blocks but sparring and forms as well. That striving to skill perfection, body fitness respectfully and the satisfaction which follows is the first component of Taekwondo. That is the so called technical ideal. It is the first step of each beginner.
As it was mentioned, Taekwondo is not just physical exercises but an art as well. The concept of Taekwondo art is the union of mind and spirit aiming at self-perfection. When a man is heartily involved in his self-development, thinks over and analyses his acts, then it comes the real human mature - not only physical but spiritual and moral one.
That desire for self-perfection is natural. But man lives in the surrounding environment, not out of it. That is the reason for the philosophical ideal of Taekwondo as a wish for uniting man and nature through practising Taekwondo. It is a way of living based on the harmony between man and manhood. So if someone works on hit techniques only he will never realise the concept of Taekwondo.
In the modern world Taekwondo develops as a sport and a system of physical education with great success. That is possible only through the union of the three ideals of Taekwondo - the ideal of technical perfection, the ideal of combining mind and spirit in order to help the process of self-perfection and the extrovert ideal - the harmony between man and nature which is the basic one in many Eastern philosophical doctrines. All that could be reached by the constant physical trainings - a main part of Taekwondo practising. The sport aspect of Taekwondo is in the natural human striving to act, contest and conquer. The practitioner aims at developing strength, speed and precision. Those strivings are expressed in sparring competitions.
Taekwondo spirit is in the desire to realise the values of its practising. Because the technique is the basic part of the trainings, the spiritual developmnent is in connection with the technical one. Taekwondo realization is a personal affair. Often the practitioner creates an image of the ideal Taekwondo man who becomes his own ideal. Of course, that is an individual image, formed on the basis of the long training way and is not a real person, because the process of perfection is endless and nobody can be perfect.
In Taekwondo there is a specific etiquette. It teaches in discipline and respect to the others. The etiquette is based on some main philosophic concepts :
- the bow shows respect. It is performed on entering and leaving the training hall (dojang), when asking for permission to turn to someone of superior rank, and at the beginning of each exercise performing;
- silence should be kept in the training hall;
- the practitioner trains barefooted and without watches, jewellery and others;
- no clothes are worn under dobok (with exceptions for lady's underwear);
- the master's (sabumnim) instructions or those of the person who is the trainer at the moment should be followed strictly
There are more regulations, of course, but we consider that these are the basic rules which are valid in each Taekwondo centre.
Taekwondo moral principles are non-violence, humanity, respect to the others, using Taekwondo for self defence only. There are Taekwondo oaths in many schools. There is one variant for example:
- I will follow the Taekwondo principles
- I will respect the instructors and the seniors
- I will never trespass Taekwondo rules
- I will protect liberty and justice
- I will create a world of peace
I think that the conclusion is clear - the spiritual aspect of Taekwondo is not less important than the physical one. Only through their union one would be able to perceive the essence of Taekwondo.