It was an exciting Saturday morning, Clio was testing for her first degree Blackbelt in Taekwondo. Clio is nine and joined 43 other students in the testing process, ages ranged from 9 to 51. “There are five core philosophical and ethical principles that guide the practitioners inside and outside the training area. (Dojang) They are established to build noble character, they form the foundation of Taekwondo’s moral education.” The tenants include: courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self control and indomitable spirit. Imagine a generation who live (ye Ui)—showing respect, humility and politeness to all others while maintaining proper etiquette and manners. (Yom Chi) is integrity—the ability to distinguish right from wrong, having the conscience to feel guilt if you err, and standing up for ethical principles. (In Nae)—perseverance is the unwavering willingness to struggle against all odds and relentlessly working toward your goals without giving up. (Guk Gi) is self control—having command over your actions, thoughts, and emotions, especially under high stress situations. Finally an indomitable spirit (Baekjul Boolgool)—having the courage and resilience to stand up for justice and do what is right, no matter how daunting the challenge or setback. The Student Oath commits the practitioner to never misuse the martial art and to champion freedom and justice.
Clio earned her first degree black belt and now has the opportunity to continue her personal journey toward higher levels of mastery. The belts were awarded by two level 9 Blackbelt Masters and Local Master’s Kim and Bae. I am encouraged that multiple generations are fully engaged in the defense of freedom and justice. Together we can overcome the extremists who threaten our 250 year experiment in democracy.
I played a round of golf this week with a new friend. As our game’s were not up to our expectations, we spent some time examining how we cope with the many individual challenges posed by the game. There is a physical part of the game that can be improved with lessons and proper practice. You can become proficient at hitting the ball and still not improve in your scoring. There is an obstacle that exists outside the stance, grip, and swing path-the game is a perplexing mental ordeal. Self imposed pressure or imposed by competition can easily affect your swing cadence. My brother Bob, cleverly called the quick swing, ‘the tempo of doom.’ Course management would dictate smart placement of shots and not taking on risks above your skill level. At the same time you must be aggressive and confident. You often hear, I was afraid I would hit it in the water-out of bounds-in the trap and your fears are generally realized. Memorable advice I received is “no crabgrass in your mental garden.” It goes without saying that taekwondo tenets fit golf perfectly. Using different words the First Tee relies on five commitments. I will not recount them all but ‘building a positive self identity’ and ‘using good judgment-respect the rules of golf and life, being HONEST, and having the courage to do what is right.”
My playing partner asked me to consider the effects of sunlight on a diamond and charcoal. The idea likely comes from a spiritual parable attributed to Paramahansa Yogananda. “The diamond and charcoal lying side-by-side equally receive the sun’s rays; but until the charcoal becomes a diamond, white and clear, it cannot reflect the sunlight.” We have a living example of a person in the Oval Office and most of his regime who are “spiritually dark”, unable to reflect any beauty outward. The Orange Wanna be King fits the definition- he is a self absorbed, hypocritical pretender to piety—a Tartuffe.
Enjoy the picture of Clio at the ceremony to celebrate those who will best represent us into the future.
Mike
Clio
