Vol. 5 Issue 1

Happy New Year__________

Wow, what a great time of year! If you know anything about me, you know that I love to set goals. Really, the part I like even more than setting goals is accomplishing them. Some of you may have heard me talk to the younger students about, "Are you a leaf or a jet fighter?" Without going into great detail, the bottom line is, without goals we are nothing more than a leaf which is blown from place to place. Whereas with goals, we are more like a jet fighter which soars to its destination.

January is a great time to reflect on how you are doing personally, professionally, financially, and socially. You owe it to yourself to take some time and truly reflect on the past year. Are you where you wanted to be? Did you accomplish the things you set out to? If you are like most people, you probably succeeded, but not as often as you would have liked. Why not make this year different?
I would like you to grab a piece of paper and a pencil and lock yourself away in a quiet place. Now, on your sheet of paper I would like you to write down the following headers:

• Personal
• Professional
• Financial
• Social
  

In the Personal section, I would like you to consider your family goals, your physical/health goals, and your life changing goals (such as breaking a bad habit or habits). In the Professional section, you should consider goals related to work or education. In the Financial section, you should consider goals related to controlling your financial health as opposed to letting it control you. Finally, under the Social section, you should list goals indicating ways you can help others. Remember, when writing goals, they must be specific, measurable, and obtainable.

Once you have your sections filled in with your goals, I would like you to write down two more things. First, indicate how you are going to accomplish your goals. Second, identify a specific date in which you plan to accomplish your goals. Without these last two items, you may find yourself looking back in January of 2003 and wondering why you were not a successful as you would have liked.
If you are married, I would encourage both you and your spouse to participate in this exercise. I would suggest doing your lists separately and then comparing them once you are finished. Then you should create a combined list for the family.

Remember, your list is only good if it is used. You need to place your list somewhere you will be able to find it and refer to it. Prior to making decisions, you should refer to the list and verify that your decision brings you closer to your desired outcome. If it does not, then you either need to modify your goal or make a different decision.

This year, don't let best intentions and excuses get in the way of successfully reaching your goals. Hop on board that jet fighter and soar to your destination. Have a great flight!

- Kwan Jang Nim Kijek

Fall 2001 Hwa Rang Do® Black Sashes
Jo Kyo Nim Gerardo Jimenez
Jo Kyo Nim John Willems

Winter 2001 Tae Soo Do® Black Belts

Did You Know? - Flag Etiquette

Q: Are you required to destroy the flag if it touches the ground?

A: Flag Code section 176b states that the flag should not touch anything beneath it such as the ground. This is stated to indicate that care should be exercised in the handling of the flag, to protect it from becoming soiled or damaged. You ARE NOT required to destroy the flag when this happens. As long as the flag remains suitable for display, even if washing or dry-cleaning (which is acceptable practice) is required, you may continue to display the flag as a symbol of our great country.

Hwa Rang Do 101__________

All virtues are physiological conditions;
Our most sacred convictions
are judgments of our muscles . . .
Perhaps the entire evolution of the spirit
is the question of the body;
It is the history of the development of the higher body
that emerges into our sensibility.
(Nietzsche)

Hwa Rang Do (the way of flowering manhood) and Tae Soo Do (Way of the Warrior Spirit) comprise the world's most comprehensive martial art, incorporating many aspects of both the martial (Moo Sul) and healing (In Sul) side of the traditional arts. Students of Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do learn a wide variety of physical, mental and spiritual techniques including kicking, punching, grappling, joint manipulation, throwing, redirection of energy, the practice of 108 traditional weapons, meditation and the development of inner (Ki) power. Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do are unique in that they embrace and blend a traditional hard/linear martial style with a soft/circular emphasis. The art is founded on the principles of Um (soft) and Yang (hard), the driving forces of nature that exist in balance and harmony with one another. A synthesis of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, Hwa Rang Do and Tae Soo Do have their roots in the four Confucian Classics and other ancient eastern classics. They are a true martial system producing modern warriors that are today's leaders and tomorrow's future.

The origins of Hwa Rang Do can be traced back over 1,800 years to ancient Korea and the Silla Dynasty. Modern Hwa Rang Do, however was founded by Supreme Grand Master Dr. Joo Bang Lee in 1960 and brought to the United States by his brother, Joo Sang Lee in 1968. Supreme Grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee and his brother were trained in the traditional ways of the ancient Hwa Rang warriors from childhood in the mountains of Korea by their master, Suahm Dosa. When Suahm Dosa passed away in 1969, the title of Hwa Rang Warrior was passed to Joo Bang Lee, continuing the unbroken line of succession from the original Buddhist Master Won Kwang Bopsa to present. Supreme Grand Master Dr. Joo Bang Lee founded Tae Soo Do in 1990 as an undergraduate program for progression into Hwa Rang Do.

Today, Supreme Grand Master Dr. Joo Bang Lee has taken the Korean title of Do Joo Nim (Owner of the Way). He is solely responsible for sowing the seeds of modern Tae Soo Do and Hwa Rang Do throughout the world. Many of these seeds have found fertile soil and taken root. The active growth and spread of Hwa Rang Do is quickly gaining momentum today largely because of its leadership and the incredible depth and diversity its martial syllabus.

- Don Waldrop