My First Soo Bahk Do Essay

The following was the essay I wrote for my first Gup Shim Sa in October of 2009. Typos and mispellings left for chung jik.

What am I learning in Soo Bahk Do Training?

“Don't give up!”

    Frequently in the Do Jang we hear our Sa Bon Nim encourage us with these words. They are simple enough – a command to continue as instructed – but they are so much more. They go beyond the exercise we are struggling with at the moment, encompass our physical and mental stamina and clear a path for us to continue forward with our training. Complacency is the nemesis of our development, both mental and physical. If we are satisfied with our improvements, at any stage, we will forget that every time we train, we can and must perform better than we have before.

    Soo Bahk Do Moo Duk Kwan was developed as a combination of physical technique and philosophy in recognition that one cannot separate one's physical training from one's mental discipline and development. A sharp blade – the technique – must be handled as a surgeon, rather than a butcher – via the philosophy. Likewise, a surgeon cannot perform her duties without the proper tools. In our society, we often forget that the mind and the body are inseparable. Through lessons in Soo Bahk Do, we are trained to bring them back into alignment with each other.

    By observing tradition when we enter the Do Jang, we center ourselves and create a peaceful environment in which we can concentrate on training. By centering our minds, focusing our eyes, relaxing our muscles and breathing properly, we can better perform the movements that form our technique. By clearing our mind of doubt in our abilities, we can apply ourselves fully to each movement, which in turn develops our physical skills and paves the way for constant improvement. Such dedication to each training session ensures that the art of Soo Bahk Do will endure, for each generation of students is responsible for teaching the next. Just as parents want their children to be more successful than themselves, we train harder so that the next generation of Soo Bahk Do practitioners can excel.

    Through the clarity that comes from such focus, we can achieve more. The same discipline can be drawn upon in our daily lives to battle fatigue, distraction and laziness, just as we do in the Do Jang during every class. Because Moo Duk Kwan is a mental discipline, we cannot stop our training when we are dismissed by our Sa Bon Nim. We can strengthen and maintain the inner peace we develop throughout our daily lives and in our personal and professional relationships with others. We must remain focused, avoid distractions and elect to not always choose the path of least resistance. By nourishing this mental development, we will excel both inside and outside of the Do Jang. Carrying our lessons forward into our daily lives reinforces the development of our mental discipline, just as practicing our Soo Bahk Do technique maintains the development of our physical bodies.

    I know that the words, “Don't Give Up!” will be my own personal mantra as I continue my training, well aware that there will never be a time when they do not apply to my practice of Soo Bahk Do. I fully expect that I will have to persevere in my training as a Dan member just as I do today. The reward for this continued struggle and exhausting work will be the satisfaction in knowing that, just as there is no end to the training, there is no limit in what we can achieve when we don't give up!