All martial arts schools are defined by specific philosophical ideas that govern how the art is both taught and practiced. The left hand menu provides access to various published articles, some theory behind the Hapkido principles and will let you explore some basic information on ki.
The essential purpose of Hapkido is expressed through it's name:
- Hap: the coordination of mind and body.
- Ki: the inner energy that is created and manifested through "Hap".
- Do: the self-controlled and disciplined life necessary to create "Hap" and "Ki".
Hapkido therefore is a korean martial art of self-defense that unleases inner power through the coordination of mind and body.
Mastering any art is not purely about being proficient at physical movements, but also being master of your mind.
Imagine you are learning a new skill, perhaps a new kick. When something goes wrong in the execution it can be quite easy to start judging yourself. Perhaps a little frustration swells up or the thought, “I’ll never get this; maybe I’m not built that way!”
Master Chang often says: << Excellence is not an action, it is a habit. >>
His lectures often seek to remind us that we must take responsibility for our unconscious mind. The unconscious mind is like a small child – it doesn’t negate – it accepts everything it hears. It is said that we act in a particular way because we have habitually repeated a thought, a statement or perspective to ourselves over and over again.
External dialogue, “bleep! I missed it again”, is one overt way that the instructor can notice a student's progress; refining the language you use in class, however, isn’t enough. What is more important is the state of our minds. In other words, we must clean up our thoughts, our internal programming, the language we feed ourselves.
Through long time Hapkido practice, students become more and more aware of the immense power we all have to change our own reality.
<< We are today what we did, said and thought repeatedly. >>
Mastering Hapkido, or simply learning to fall properly or perform a new kick, is not only about body awareness and physical technique – the first and most important step is to liberate your mind.
ChangsHapkidoAcademy.co.uk © 2005
