Recently, my dojo has come under a lot of stress from social pressures. I've been trying to maintain a friendly atmosphere with my neighbors, but the undergoing changes of society has made my concious anxious; I wonder if this is being reflected in my teaching of Hapkido. The past few years, the world has been chaotic with many tragic accidents. It is possible that the world is only mirroring the internal conflicts that people retain.
The art of Hapkido is experiencing a sickness similar to society's. It is constantly being uprooted from its traditional foundations and merged with various, unqualified internet sources. Moreover, the importance of respect, especially respect for the instructor, is sadly overlooked. I've witnessed many blogs and videos online whose claims to Hapkido is sheer mockery of the beautiful martial art. With the continuance of these false teachers, the development of Hapkido is bound to stall and deteriorate.
The world of Hapkido must endeavor to maintain the values of truth and respect, unlike the digital world of the Internet. This is the rightful way of Hapkido: to follow traditional, time-tested paths.
As the saying goes, "do not follow a path that is not present." As martial artists, we must swallow our prides and sometimes, comfort, to withstand the falling into worldly trends. Again, we must remember to keep to the way of the harmonious spirit.
The art of Hapkido is experiencing a sickness similar to society's. It is constantly being uprooted from its traditional foundations and merged with various, unqualified internet sources. Moreover, the importance of respect, especially respect for the instructor, is sadly overlooked. I've witnessed many blogs and videos online whose claims to Hapkido is sheer mockery of the beautiful martial art. With the continuance of these false teachers, the development of Hapkido is bound to stall and deteriorate.
The world of Hapkido must endeavor to maintain the values of truth and respect, unlike the digital world of the Internet. This is the rightful way of Hapkido: to follow traditional, time-tested paths.
As the saying goes, "do not follow a path that is not present." As martial artists, we must swallow our prides and sometimes, comfort, to withstand the falling into worldly trends. Again, we must remember to keep to the way of the harmonious spirit.
So many people want to become a Master or a black belt. Few want to spend the decades in training. As the old saying goes, "Everyone wants to go to heaven, but no one wants to die."
ReplyDelete