TAE KWON DO Philosophy Essay - Mu Han Martial Arts

2ND DAN ESSAY
Jenifer Agosti

Tae Kwon Do philosophy is a difficult topic to write about.  I like to think that I live my life based on this philosophy, but it is still so hard to put into words.  When most people hear the word “philosophy,” their eyes glaze over and they think about thick textbooks and confusing definitions.  But because I live my life based on Tae Kwon Do philosophy, I didn’t have to study definitions in big books or research what other people say it is; I just looked into my heart to try to explain all the teachings that have been passed down to me.  In my life, Tae Kwon Do philosophy is made up of three main parts:  first, the way I see myself; second, the way I treat others; and third, the way I view the world.  Let me tell you what I mean.

The Way I See Myself - At the start of each class we recite the school code of conduct together and say “…with courage, patience, and self-confidence.”  This is the way I see myself.  No matter where I find myself or what I do, these three words remind me who I am.

I don’t only practice my courage, patience, and self-confidence here at the do jang when I’m testing; I practice them all the time.  I practice my patience when I’m stuck in traffic; when things at work are moving more slowly than I would like; and when I’m helping a student who is having a hard time understanding what I’m trying to teach.  I practice my courage when I decide to try something new; when I speak up for myself in a big meeting; and every time I stand up strongly for what I believe in.  And I practice my self-confidence every moment of every day – from the time I wake up until the time I fall asleep.  Self-confidence is not about putting other people down or showing off or being better than someone else; to me it simply means that I know I can accomplish anything when I put my heart and my mind into it.
 
But focusing on one’s self is not enough in Tae Kwon Do.  A student who only practices these three traits and only sees himself does not understand Tae Kwon Do philosophy.  A large part of Tae Kwon Do that also takes practice, both inside and outside the do jang, is how we treat others.

The Way I Treat Others - It’s no accident that before we talk about “courage, patience, and self-confidence” in the school code of conduct, we talk about how we treat others: with “…loyalty and respect.”  We are loyal to and we show respect for our teachers, our school, our families, our friends, and ourselves.  But what does this really mean?

To me, loyalty means that I will stand up and fight for what I believe in.  I will put my own self-interests aside.  I will place a great deal of trust in those who have faith in me.  And I will do all this regardless of how hard it may be at times.

Respect means that I look for people’s strengths, not their weaknesses, and give them credit for who and what they are.  I do not judge them or criticize them.  I do not try to change them to do things more like I do or to think more like me.  I respect people for working hard and for trying – not just for getting the highest score on a test.  I respect people for having the courage to challenge themselves, even if they are not successful.  I respect people for not giving up – for taking six tries to break during testing, but going through that board because they refuse to quit.  I respect people for being humble – for letting their confidence come through in their performance, not in their words.  Why do we bow so much when we are here in the do jang?  It is not just a custom – it is a way that we all can show each other how just much we respect what we are each trying to accomplish in our Tae Kwon Do training.
 
The Way I View the World - The last part of Tae Kwon Do philosophy to me is how I view the world.  I like to see the positive and the opportunity in everything I encounter.  Instead of fighting hard to make sure that things are my way or no way and that I’m in control of everything, I like to work with other people and encourage them use their strengths so that together we can work to make the world a better place.  I do this in my job; I try to do this here at the school; and I like to think that I live this in my life.  Like the water principle in Hap Ki Do, it is important to make the best of any situation by gaining your power from working with it and using its strength rather than fighting against it.  In Taoist beliefs there is a saying that: “Nothing in the world is more yielding and gentle than water.  Yet it has no equal for conquering the resistant and tough.  The flexible can overcome the unbending; the soft can overcome the hard.”   I try to be the water, not the rocks.  I try to see opportunity in every challenge.  With loyalty and respect for others and courage, patience, and self-confidence, along with a positive mind, I know that I can accomplish anything.