I Learned My Lessons

Injuries. We all get injuries, we may be an athlete on training or not. To be a better athlete, we go through pain (like injuries) for us to get better.

“The Motto of Champions: … If injured, you can rebound and return bigger and better…and continue to inspire!”  – T.F. Hodge

I was once an athlete, was part of a varsity team. In my sport, injuries is a norm and giving up on the pain is a sign of weakness. I’ve been trained not to show any weakness or else it might be an advantage for my opponent. Of the way of this world, giving up means failure. Well for me, I gained something.

I’ve been fighting for an injury I got 3 years ago. I thought it was fine and “healed” by time until I got my knee snapped 2 weeks ago. This injury is a reminder of my disobedience and stubborness. Disobedience because my mom’s been telling me to stop the sport I truly loves and begin to focus on what is certain and stubborness because I persuade my mom and never seek wholeheartedly the counsel of the doctors. This knee pains and few monetary and time I spent are the results of my wrong choices I made in the past.

“Study the past if you would define the future.”
― Confucius

It takes a whole lot of humility to accept what this knee have become and admit that I’ve made a mistake and these are the consequences. To tell you the truth, I can’t accept and admit it yet. While writing this blog post I’ve got thousands of reasons and people to blame with. Very Stubborn indeed!

Anyways.

Lessons Learned?

1. Humility is a BIG word. And given by Up Above through and by grace.
2. Don’t just forget the past, learn from it! It is wise to learn and never go through it once more.
3. Band-aid solutions ain’t gonna cover the cracks forever.
4. Excuses will never cure the injury.
5. Asking help from family and relatives won’t hurt at all (especially given with a negative answer).
6. No pain, No gain.

Lesson from a Wooden Sword

Wooden swords are commonly used for training in Kendo, the way of the sword.  Kendo, like any other martial arts, provides a medium through which we can learn about ourselves, learn to control and discipline our body and emotions.

Looking to the history of Japan, during the mid 14th century, the bow was replaced by the sword as the primary weapon of the samurai. It gained its utmost status that there was a need to propagate and disseminate the techniques. Many people developed their own techniques, and taught these to eager pupils keen to enhance their chances of battlefield survival.

Because of Japan’s influence to other Asian countries, the way of the sword spread all around the world and today, it is  gaining interest all around the world, and more and more international practitioners are joining.

And some parable actually was made, and again it helped me and encouraged me once more as I was looking for wisdom for my thesis. Funny that, I’ve been digging a lot of old articles and books these days for inspiration.

These parable/lesson is again not of my own but another article written by Mr. Edwin Franz Arcellana. The Article was written for our camp Journal who actually was published by More Than Medals.

Google Image Result for Kendo

Once there was an eager young man in medieval Korea who wanted to learn swordsmanship and martial arts. He approached a master swordsman and asked to be accepted as a disciple. “I’ll train ceaselessly and do my best in the art of swordsmanship! I’ll be your best student and all of Korea will be proud of you and me! How long will it take for me to learn everything?” the student asked.

“At least ten years,” the master replied.

“That’s too long!” the young man objected. “I will work twice as hard as any student and train more than anyone! How long will it take for me to learn?”

“Thirty years.” the masted said calmly.

“What?!” the student protested. “I can’t wait that long. I don’t have that long a time! I’ll do anything to master the art and learn swordsmanship as quickly as possible.”

“In that case,” the master said sternly, “You will need fifty years. A person with no patience and keeps rushing is definitely a poor student.”

The young man was humbled and agreed to do whatever the master told him to do. The master gave him only one rule to follow: he was not allowed to ask about or even touch a sword. For three long years, what the boy has done was to cook, clean the house, wash the dishes, and do errands for the master.

Do you somehow recognize these scenes? I don’t know if you’ve watched Karate Kid but the story is just too similar. For 20 year ago film, it was the wax-in and wax-out I remember. But for the recent movie with Jackie Chan, it was put the jacket unto the holder, drop it, put the jacket unto the holder again, then drop it again. I mean, If I was the student I’d be extremely impatient too, but as what the master said. A person with no patience and keeps rushing is definitely a poor student. 

During these years, there were days when the master would approach the boy secretly and hit him with a wooden sword. Over the course of time, the student developed a keen sense of preparedness. As time went by, he knew and sensed when an impending attack or blow was coming.

Only when he had developed this heightened awareness, or sixth sense, did the master proceed to teach him the art of swordsmanship and the martial arts. The student then made rapid progress, for now he was not in a hurry. He had learned to make friends with time. He became a better person and a better student.

 

The prevalent spirit of the 21st century is doing great things fast, achieving more in lesser time. yet becoming a master swordsman, engineer, architects, designers, musician or doctor requires more than foresight or even passion. Patience and submission are essential prerequisites to greatness.

 

[To my classmates and myself, don’t be in a hurry, be patient. Out time to earn that degree will come (sooner, a few months left) Let’s just relearn everything. We may have less than a week before our deadline, let’s just push our selves more and quitting is not in our option]

The Parable of the Black Belt

Whichever martial arts, there will always be hierarchy. The most vivid idea of hierarchy in martial arts is the belt system. There might be different belt system in each martial arts but the concept of its most ancient tradition is still there. And as I wasbrowsing to different stories of Taekwondo, hoping I could have a concept for my thesis, a story from my 10 year old journal reminded me of the responsibility I carry even though I’m not practicing the art anymore. The title of the article is the title of this blog post.

The parable is not my own, it was written by Mr. Edwin Franz Arcellana, who back then was our mentor, coach, and the mind behind the More Than Medals. In between the parable are my personal notes and lessons.

The Parable of the Black Belt

There was once a martial arts student who, after years of training, felt that it was time for him to receive the black belt, the most coveted rank in his sport. When he approached his master, the old skillful and wise man looked the student straight in the eye and said, “Before granting the belt, you must pass one more test.”  

“I am ready,” the young student confidently answered, expecting perhaps one final round of sparring to prove his worth.

“You must answer the most important question,” the master said, “What is the true meaning of the back belt?”

This somehow reminds me of what I’ve been facing right now. Before granting me the degree I’ve been really attaining with hard work and so much patience, I have to pass one more test. To prove to my mentors that I am worth the degree. But I just realized, what happened to my first defense last march was like this. My mentors asked me the true meaning of the black belt architecture, of being an architect, just like the master in the parable.

The student thought for a moment and then answered, “The end of my journey, a well-deserved reward for my hard work.”

The master didn’t answer, apparently waiting for more. But no more came. Dissatisfied, he spoke, “You are not yet ready for the black belt. Return in one year.” 

What happened after my defense, my mentors actually told me to redo the plans, or I might consider other matters in my design problem. I have to go back next semester. Meaning, my graduation is postponed for another semester. Parents, family, and relative were already expecting that I could make it but I ended up failing them. I was in complete distress that I cried the entire two days and skipped some of my classes. It really did hurt me but I have to relearn everything. Despite all the negative feedback from almost everybody, I have to return as what my master told me.

The following year, the student anxiously knelt again in front of his master assuming that, perhaps, he had already proven to his master that he deserved the black belt. Again, the master asked the same question, “What is the true meaning of he black belt? The master still dissatisfied with the answer of the student, he again told the student to come back for another year.

The student slowly then realized that his master was trying to show him that he had a lot more to learn than sparring and skill. He had to learn about life and character. During the third year, he opened his heart to every thing that could teach him about life. He obeyed his parents, tried to understand his siblings, and listened to his school teachers.

Before he knew it, the year had already passed. With reverence and humility, he knelt before his master again.

Again the master asked, “What is the true meaning of the black belt?” 

With a quiet calm that gave him the confidence and wisdom he needed for the occasion, he answered, “The black belt represents the beginning-the start of a never-ending journey of discipline, hard work, and the pursuit of an ever higher standard.”

“Yes,” his master said. “You are now ready to receive the black belt. Go! Begin your journey. Work hard and pursue your mission.”

Now heading for the final phase of the documentation, the last week of hurdle before the deadline and defense, thankful about the delay for the awaited graduation, thankful that I have to redo. Because if I did passed last time, I may not understand architecture as what I have understood now. I may not love architecture more if I passed. I may not be able to learn from the people around me if I was able to graduate. I may be boastful, I may be arrogant now. Just so much to be thankful for, and I thank my mentors in advance on how they’ve taught me (even unknowingly) the value of the profession, of the art, of life. Though a lot of emotional, physical, spiritual and sometimes psychological ups and downs.. I’m straining towards the end. I will definitely finish this race. Finishing it right. 

Martial Arts (Architecture) are not about fighting and hurting (gratification and limelight),   but about learning how to live. Fast-paced living and instant gratification often lead to an undisciplined and unruly life, but sports teach us perseverance, focus, and discipline.

The Taekwondo Origins

Taekwondo, is a martial art that teaches us discipline and many values. It originates from Korea. Korean history tells us that even as early as 4th centruy A.D., where the Korean Peninsula was divided into three kingdoms namely, Koguryo, Paekje and Silla. The martial art of using the fist and the foot had been already widely practiced, particularly by the Hwarang warriors of the Silla Kingdom.

The Hwarang were a group of aristocratic young men who gathered to study, play and learn the arts of warfare. Though the Hwarang were not part of the regular army, their military spirit, their sense of loyalty to the king and nation and their bravery on the battlefield contributed greatly to the power of the Silla army. They were highly literate, and they composed ritual songs and performed ritual dances whose purpose was to pray for the country’s welfare. They involved themselves directly in intellectual and political affairs. Most of the great military leaders of the Silla dynasty had been Hwarangs, and one of them was the famous General Kim Yu Shin.

General Kim Yu Shin was leading the armies of the Silla Dynasty to victory against the Koguryo and Paekje Dynasties during the battle for governance and authority of the Korean Peninsula in medieval times. He was the Silla Dynasty’s greatest military leader, and may well be the most famous leader of all time. Kim Yu Shin achieved his status because even as young man he understood what true dedication meant.

 

When he was 15, Kim chose to be part of Hwarang and by the age of 18, he’s already a master swordsman. It was during this impressionable age as a Hwarang that he fell in love with a famous entertainer named Ch’ung Wan. The relationship diverted him of his mission and purpose why he became a Hwarang. His mother, knowing his escapades, reminded him of his call and compelled him to end the relationship.

 

Out of reverence, he obeyed, choosing his obligation over obsession. Cut all the links that could hinder him, even killing his own horse. He then went to Jiri Mountain  to continue his training in seclusion for the next seven years. 

Knowing General Kim Yu Shin, a very great Hwarang, I could be more prouder as a Taekwondo Jin (and maybe other jins too!).

Only that one who knows where he comes from, knows where he goes to!

A Korean proverb

Related Articles:

Remembering the Taekwondo Origins (milobee.blogspot.com)