Jung SuWon - young warriors at testing

As you know now, at Jung SuWon, Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim doesn't just give out new belts just because you have been training for a while, or because you paid a certain amount of fees, or because you are "just a kid." There is actually no such thing here....no matter who you are, what gender, what age...you will be pushed to whatever your own limits are - and discover new strengths in the process.

No, at Jung SuWon you get your new belts the old fashioned way: you earn them! Whether old or young, you have to show that you have improved, and not just inside the Do Jang, but also in whatever you do.

This applies to even the youngest warriors. Not only do you have to perform physically, but warriors of all ages need to hand in a written test, which consists of questions and essay questions. For the younger ones this could mean drawing a picture....

And here you see some examples from our last testing....these young warriors and artists are all around 7 years old....

Jung SuWon Testing - testing even when you didn't sign up

So, back to the testing we had at Jung SuWon. Like I might have mentioned before, with Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim you never quite know how testing will go. "Expect the unexpected!" And, one of her most favorite sayings also is, "You are always testing." When you train at Jung SuWon, you test every single day, every class. That is the real test. When you come to the scheduled testing, Grandmaster Kim explains, it's more like a performance of things you have already accomplished. It is sort of putting a stamp on who you are.

So naturally, it wasn't so much about doing everything correctly, or whether or not these students executed their kicks perfectly, although of course you do need to fulfill some of those requirements as well. It was all about heart, about spirit, about internal energy. About going beyond what you think you can do.

First thing, Grandmaster Kim called up the oldest student of Jung SuWon. He wasn't on the testing list, but he ran up front, attention bowed, and, in the true warrior spirit, was ready for everything and anything.

Don is 75 years old, and has earned his black belt several years ago. His body might be 75, but his mind, his spirit, are a lot younger than that. He is a wonderful example of what is truly means to walk your talk. He may be retired from "normal" work, but he works very hard. His wife has been very sick for many years, and the past 5 years has been completely confined to her bed, unable to do even the most basic things for herself. Don does everything for her.

When asked why, at his age, he still trains in the Martial Arts, he will tell you that it keeps his sanity, it helps him be strong, and do what is needed.

Watch this short video as to what happened at Jung SuWon, about a week ago.....

Jung SuWon Testing at its best!

Well, we had the most exciting testing at Jung Suwon last week, and I love testings! Why? Because they always stretch my mind to its limit, whether I am officially testing or not. I am sitting at the edge of my seat, and again, it doesn't matter who is testing, whether a tiny tot white belt or some advanced belt, each person is tested to their limits. This excites and energizes me. Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim has always something new going on at testings, and no two testings are ever the same!

But, for more details - stay in tune. I don't want to write about it before I have the video to go with it. Just wanted to let you know - good stuff is coming. So hang in there and come back tomorrow! Thanks for your patience!

In honor of 9-11-2001

Even I am a day late, I cannot just ignore this day. I want to pay respect to the wonderful, beautiful country of ours, and to all the people that have made it the great nation that it is. I want to thank everyone who stood up to the terrorists that day, from the President to every person who started to fly a flag to show they are ready to fight terror.

I remember the day it happened so well. I got a phone call in the early morning from Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim - she had already watched it happen and shared the news with us and suggested I turn on the TV and watch. I remember the horror of the day unfold.

And yet, amidst all the reports coming in and amidst death, destruction and despair, a new energy started to emerge. A spirit of togetherness, of unity, of something uniquely American. There was pride in being a US citizen. There was pride in our country.

That night, we had a very special class at Jung SuWon. Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim gathered us together and talked about what happened. Each person got a chance to express their feelings and deal with their emotions. Some of our students had relatives in New York and had just faced incredible losses. And yet, through meditation and prayer, a new peace started to develop - a very fragile inner peace, that would give rise to new hope. There were heart felt tears, there was outrage, there was anger, just about all emotions were there....each person dealt with their feelings differently. And yet each person had their chance to express and share.

The class ended with a beautiful candle ceremony, led by Grandmaster Kim, with each student lighting a candle in honor of all those that had suffered so much that day, whether victim or rescuer... With lit candle in our hands, we formed a circle and meditated. It was a beautiful expression of how we all felt.

Celebrate Life!

Today I would like to take a minute and write about my mother. She passed away August 31st, 2006. She was healthy, happy and full of life! She was one of those rare people that can always find the positive in any situation.

Her passing was completely unexpected. She was gone from one moment to the next, just as she had always hoped it would happen. She was kind, compassionate, and helpful. She loved to cook and made the best meals she could, even when we were so poor we only had bread..she found a way to make it "new" every day..... She was an awsome mother, a wonderful grandmother, and an all around great person. Even after she retired from her business, she couldn't sit still and started volunteer work with the mentally retarded. She even received an award from the President of Austria for her work with the mentally challenged people!

I was shocked when I got the news that she was gone. It was hard to swallow. It was hard to digest the fact that this person, so bursting with gusto for life, was now gone. But Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim really helped me get through this. Yes, of course I had my family to fall back on and we encouraged each other, but sometimes it is very helpful to have someone that is not directly involved with the pain that goes along with this sort of thing. I resorted to reading her book, "The Silent Master" and found a much needed peace of mind and heart.

"We do not have the feeling from day to day that eventually we are going to die, or that our time here is limited. We don't live from moment to moment with the awareness that we could die at anytime. Even if we ask a question like, "Am I were I want to be?" its all too easy to reply "Well, I'll get there some day," and drop the matter right there. We tend to put off the fulfillment of our real goals to "when I retire," or, "when the kids are out of the house," or "when I have time."

"Someday" is never going to come. The only time there is, is now. When "someday" comes, it will be now. So what you think and do right now is what will happen on the mythical "someday."

Unfortunately, death seems to mysterious, baffling, horrible, and final that we don't want to consider it in our daily lives. But we must have the courage to look squarely at the limited time frame death gives us, and act accordingly. You don't know when death will come. The "someday" you wait for may never come, simply because you won't be here to experience it!

Of course, in reality what is really you will never die. Your Silent Master consciousness is eternal; only your manifestations - including your present body and life - come and go from your consciousness. So we're talking now about the death of your physical manifestation, and not of your eternal true self.

I am at peace. I know my mom is too.