Integrity

by Gianna Zappier

age 11

Integrity is how someone lives his or her life. Everyday we face choices that only each of us can answer for ourselves. We decide how we run our own lives, and that defines who we are. It's having a set of values and choosing to do the right thing versus the wrong thing.
Merriam-Webster defines integrity as:'
1. firm adherence to a code of especially moral or artistic values: incorruptibility
2. an unimpaired condition: soundness
3. the quality or state of being complete or undivided: completeness

There are many ways to live a life of integrity; however, being honest in what you say and what you do is a big part of it. Speaking up and sharing your opinion can be difficult because when you share your opinion, you share a part of yourself. You are trusting others to respect your opinion, even if it is different than theirs.
Speaking up against bullying is a way to show integrity. It is the right thing to do though it isn't always the easiest. When someone is a victim of bullying, they feel alone because they feel like no one can stop the bullying. I wouldn't want anyone to feel that. I wouldn't want one of my classmates to feel so alone when I could speak up. It's not easy because speaking against a bully makes you a target. I know I have strong relationships with my family and friends, the other kid might not. By speaking up, I can become a part of that kid's support system.
By living a life with integrity, I hope to become a person of courage, honesty and compassion.

The Meaning of Respect and how it Relates to Taekwondo

by Zachary Brescia
age 8

Respect means a care that you carry for people, yourself, places and things. Respect mean listening and following directions. It's allowing what you do to be done. I show respect in my life when going to Chosun. I respect Chosun because it is my Tae Kwon Do school. I show

respect there by bowing to people and wanting to go to Tae Kwon do. I dress in my dobok and never drag my belt; I remove my shoes before entering the dojang and put them away on the shoe rack. I listen to people when they are talking to me, also. Another way I show respect is to myself. I allow myself to be myself and that is a type of respect. I think  everyone should show respect to themselves and other people.

Retrospective

by Julie Cheshire-Gluckstein

     I am amazed that in a few weeks I will be at the halfway point between the white and black belt. I still feel so new. In fact, I am still adjusting to not being in the last row.

      There is comfort in that last row. Comfort in knowing you are the newbie and can make mistakes.  Not that you feel that way at the time, but just as a child fears the expectations of the next grade, there is the anxiety that comes with the added responsibilities of a higher belt. 

     On the other hand, many things come easier. When I tried and failed to do a front kick with a ball of foot as a lower belt, I was told not to worry - that would come later. What do you know?  I did a front kick with a ball of foot last week. Today Instructor Garrett

Steps to the Stone Buddha at Golgulsa

emphasized the importance of a reaching stretch we were doing; he noted that it helps with the ball of foot kicks.  Amazing.  The stretches in class must have enabled my body to make the move.  Slow and steady. Patience. Progress.

     I have also gained confidence in my ability to meet each belt requirement. I now have overcome enough obstacles that I have faith that with hard work, I can and will achieve the next belt. This self-efficacy has allowed me to relax more when I struggle with new movements. It is my hope that as I continue in rank, I will also be able to approach the belt tests with less anxiety.

     The more I learn, the more I realize there is to learn. But isn’t that true of all the most valuable pursuits? Instead of feeling overwhelmed by the sheer amount of knowledge to be mastered, I have gained an appreciation for the endless amount of lessons to be learned (I must admit the Korean language component is still daunting; foreign language has always been my worst academic area).

     I am enjoying blue belt. Besides the fact that it is the most striking color (my favorite), it has also been a time to reflect. Moves are coming a little easier. Connections between previous and present learning are beginning to become apparent. And the poomsaes are relatively short and fun. While I look ahead with trepidation, I also know that is part of the process for moving forward. 

How Taekwondo has Influenced my Life

by Christina Dolan

     Taekwondo has influenced my life in many ways.  It has helped me in mind and in body.  When I signed up four months ago, I expected a life style change.  Taekwondo has not only influenced my life, it has become my life.

Chosun students meditating at Golgulsa Temple

     I grew up in a household where perfection was expected and anything less than perfection wasn't worth doing.  It was either an all or nothing type of lifestyle.  You could only imagine the type of pressure one might feel with this type of mentality.  If I didn't get the highest grades in school, my grandmother would ask why didn't I know whatever it was that I didn't get correct.  I had very little self confidence because, let's face it, you are in school to learn.  If I knew EVERYTHING, than I wouldn't be a student, I'd be the teacher.  Even as a teacher, you don't know EVERYTHING.  There was so much focus on the things that I didn't do or didn't get, there was no room to focus on what I DID accomplish or DID achieve. 

      This sort of "all or nothing" mentality was devastating to my self-confidence.  I was afraid to try anything because I was so afraid of failing.  I was afraid to take chances, I was afraid to take risks, and I was afraid of disappointment.  I learned as a young child that if you didn't achieve perfection, you were a disappointment.  I began to internalize this feeling, and it carried over to adulthood. 

      As an adult, I very rarely stepped out of my comfort zone.  I was afraid of hearing my grandmothers voice saying "why?"  I would not take many chances.  But in 2010, a devastating accident took everything I knew about my life and changed it.  Nothing was in my comfort zone.  I found myself lost and confused and almost everything I did, I was failing.  At least that I what I thought. I entered into a great depression.   

     My children started Taekwondo in 2012.  Through them, I began to see that not everything had to be as perfect as I thought.  They were taught that everyone moves at their own pace.  They were encouraged to make their own mistakes, rather than watch someone else's.  Martial Arts was something out of their comfort zone.  As they continued to go to class, they learned about courage and integrity, self control and perseverance, and spirit.  Their spirit shown brightly with every class.  After giving much thought, I decided to join them in Taekwondo. 

      Taekwondo has influenced my life by giving me self confidence.  I still get frustrated when I don't get my turns correct or when I can't get my arms and feet to move in the right direction.  Instead of giving up when my technique isn't perfect, I want to try harder.  I will work as hard as I can to get my form correct.  The teachers and other students are so patient with me, they never once question why.  Taekwondo makes me want to try new things WITHOUT fear. 

      Taekwondo influenced me to venture out of my comfort zone.  It has given me the courage I need to block the "why isn't it perfect" out of my head.  When I do start to question myself, I think back to my teachers and fellow students words of wisdom.  They often say that it's ok if you didn't get it the first time, or that it took many belt levels to perfect a technique.  The courage that I have building is not just for Taekwondo, but for many others aspects of my life. 

      Taekwondo has been a stepping stone for me to try new things.  I recently joined my community's fire department.  I do not know anything about firefighting, but with training and school, I am learning.  I was so scared the first time I put on a Scott mask.  I knew that I only had 30 minutes of "breathable" air.  I knew that if I let fear overcome me, I would accelerate my breathing and that would only decrease my "breathable air".  I walked around a building and walked up and down stairs and through windows and stairs.  Slowly, other students began to lose their air and had to leave the building.  I continued to concentrate on my breathing and sure enough, I finished the obstacle course WITH "breathable air" flowing through. 

      There was a few times that I questioned myself.  I asked myself "what are you doing?  People run out of burning buildings, and you are running in!"  I have to change that thought to "Look at what you are accomplishing!"  I may not be perfect, and I may not have been able to crawl through a window, but I'm getting there.  I am not putting myself down because I am not able to do something 100% right away.  That change in mindset is a huge accomplishment for me.  Previously, I would have given up, saying that it is too hard for me and if I can't do it right, then I'm not doing it. 

      Taekwondo has influenced my mind as well as body.  I am able to breathe in a controlled manner.  My breathing comes in handy when I'm having a panic attack.  I find that when I am panicking, I'm not able to control my breathing, which often leads to hyperventilation.  Hyperventilating makes a bad situation worse.  When I first joined Taekwondo, I did not like to meditate.  I understood the reason for mediation, but for me, sitting in quiet with my eyes closed was anxiety producing.  It was hard at first, but I kept on trying.  At this point, I'm no longer panicking, but using the skill of breathing in other areas of my life. 

      Mediation or at least concentrating on my breathing was one of the reasons I was able to  finish the obstacle course with "breathable air".  It helps me when I feel anxious.  Instead of hyperventilating, I am able to slow my racing thoughts by slowing down my breaths.  It has taken a long time to get to this point, but I have come a long way.  I still hear the discouraging voice in my head, but I try to overcome it.  I try to replace that thought with "look at how far you've come". 

      Taekwondo has influenced my life in many ways.  It has given me the confidence that I need to find new hobbies.  It has given me the courage to start over again.  Through meditation I am able to control my breathing and that will help in many other areas of my life.  

A Meditation on Growth: Midway Between White and Black Belt

by Taylor DiMeglio

     I’ve been thinking about our butter knives. We keep them in the horizontal section of our silverware organizer in an allocated drawer. Like the dinner and dessert forks and serving and table spoons, they have their place. Everyone agrees to store them in standard fashion with the handles facing south and the tips facing north. Yet, when it comes to the butter knives no such concord exists.

Cheonggyecheon in Seoul, South Korea

     I use the law of common sense: handles should face east. After all, in our family everyone is right handed; this should make things easier, more natural. It’s a minority opinion. Still, I wage a silent war, returning the knives time and again to their “natural” position, despite knowing the very next time I pull out the drawer, west-facing handles will stare at me with unabashed mocking and converts will follow until order is wholly abandoned. Should I stage a protest? Post signs? Hand out pamphlets declaiming the benefits of handles facing right (No smudged blades! No hyperextended wrists!)? Forget it. I’ll ban butter knives altogether—and extend the battle to include the marauding crumbs who invade every nook and cranny.

     Kidding aside, it’s not really our butter knives I’ve been thinking of, but how they relate to a central tenet of the um-yang: the acceptance of constant change, how change is inevitable, even in the silverware drawer, and how closing yourself off to change closes yourself off to possibilities, to openness itself. If a knife handle faces left, my left hand is available. My youngest daughter easily points this out. Ah, I think, beginner’s mind, infinitely open. And, it’s true. I have two hands; I may as well use them.

     Change one part of your life and you change in myriad others. It’s been nearly a year since I crossed the threshold of the dojang floor. From the outside I look about the same, though, perhaps, I’m a little more toned. I remember doing ten push ups that first morning all belts class. It took me so long. From the dazed looks of the other students’ faces when I’d finished I had the feeling they’d been watching me for quite some time. Nevertheless, I’m used to push ups now and can roughly keep pace for twenty to thirty in a set.

     Meditating on constant change is natural, as with every belt level change marches forth with a strong, sequential cadence: new kicks, strikes, self-defense techniques and poomsaes—and the challenge to build the whole of them into a integrated repertoire. Doing well requires focus, intention, practice and a willingness to be loose, flexible, adaptive. In other words, being willing to grow. I have always been willing, but I have never taken growth so seriously as I have in taekwondo. To the contrary, I have often lived my life like a leaf in stream, perceptibly content to either flow swiftly with the current or ensnare myself in the debris of a bend.

     It’s been only a year. Change manifests itself subtly and overtly. I’m more engaged in life, more relaxed, more willing to surrender ego in the service of a broader confidence, less anxious and less likely to become entwined in the emotional vortexes that arise from within and without. My ability to focus has increased. I’m faster in the kitchen, faster with domestic chores, more efficient overall. When I toss something in the trash, I often hit the basket. In the dojang, I’m comfortable among fellow students, comfortable with the hierarchy and routines, more willing to learn through mistakes and failure. Beyond this, I sense within myself an opening, a deeper understanding and appreciation of life’s flowing nature.

     Taekwondo inspires within me a reckoning. What are my intentions? Am I present with them? Fulfilling them? Ignoring them? Taekwondo keeps me, if not on, then mindful of the path, and the path is life itself. If life is a river, I need not be a leaf but a tree, deeply rooted in the stream, withstanding the gush of wind and rain, contemplating stillness and calm, accepting the changes that come and go. I suspect the further I go with taekwondo and the sincerity of my practice has much to do with the perspective through which I approach all of life. What I do within the dojang, and the consequent contemplations of my mind flows outward into everything else. In-class meditations inspire me to learn about and meditate on my own; sporadic interest is manifesting itself into a routine, focused practice.

     Some kicks require jumping. Yop chagi (side kick) requires a torque of the hips unnatural for many my age, myself included. Knife hand, executed properly, is entirely foreign. Yet, having an open mind and a willing spirit, I know I will persevere. Physical changes, physical challenges. When you change something outside, it changes something inside. Physical challenges induce resilience and strength. Between inner and outer life, there is no distinction. One mirrors the other. I may not be the fireball of reckless daring I once was—recklessness is a folly of the young!—but my spirit remains; it burns strong. I can kick. I can jump. I won’t just persevere. I will succeed in all the ways it’s possible. One thing flows into another; change is with us always. Crisscrossed knives, missing forks, the rosebud spoon of unknown origin. Accept change here and you can accept it elsewhere. You won’t need to stop and wonder what silverware has to do with taekwondo. You’ll already know. Nothing. Everything.

The Meaning of Perseverance in Taekowndo

by Chosun Student Dr. Herb Green

Belt Promotion Essay May 17, 2015

      Miriam Webster’s dictionary defines perseverance as “the quality that allows someone to continue trying to do something even though it is difficult: continued effort to do or achieve something despite difficulties, failure, or opposition.”  

My life has been, at times, an awkward balance between perseverance and complacency.  I remember in my senior year at High School how I would cut classes because I was bored and defiant, not to mention that you had to be there at 6:37 in the morning. But, on a memorable winter morning, in the midst of a blizzard, I knew what I had to do—get to school.  And I did, somehow trudging my way through the streets for 2 miles until I arrived. I felt exhilarated.  That is the feeling I get with Taekwondo!

     What does it mean to me to persevere in Taekwondo?  It means doing the small things in warm-up like trying to stretch just a little bit further than the last time, reaching for my toes. It means going to classes, even when it would be easier to stay at home, particularly on a bitterly cold winter day. I do hear that inner voice that you so poignantly described in one of your articles saying, “you’ve worked too hard today…miss this one class…it doesn’t matter.”   Oh, I’ve succumbed to this voice more times than I would like to admit.  Afterwards, on those occasions that I can recall, I felt bad:  empty, anxious and unsure.       

     On returning from our 2014 training tour in Korea, I promptly wrenched my back, herniating another lumbar disc, developing weakness in my left leg. My neurosurgeon said I was through. No longer would I have to concern myself with proper form and technique in Poomsaes or Basic Motions #1. Ashamedly, I thought “Ok, one less thing to worry about.” A sense of relief pervaded me.  Complacency had won out. That didn’t last for too long. As the days rolled into weeks, I would sneak a peek at my Dobok uniform and my yellow belt, and my eyes would fill with tears. I missed Taekwondo at Chosun. I needed to come back. I took lessons from a personal trainer, went to physical therapy, became stronger. With my wife Roberta at my side, my neurosurgeon surprisingly said, yes, I could return to Taekwondo.

Master Cook, by example and words, you have taught me and others how to persevere. This quality, deemed a core element by General Choi Hong-hi, makes for true pride.

The Value of Traditional Taekwondo Training

by Chosun student Julie Cheshire
Belt Promotion Test essay - May 17, 2015

     Traditional taekwondo training focuses on self-defense and “the way” of living a life of virtue. It is in traditional taekwondo that my interest lies.  While I respect the competitive sport of Olympic Taekwondo, it is the traditional martial art that I seek for myself and my children.

      The traditional art includes il su siks and ho sin sools, essential self-defense movements. These are empowering moves that if studied, provide practical ways to save yourself and others from a violent attack. The mere knowledge of these moves provides confidence and power within.  This internal strength can be enough of a force to prevent an attack from happening in the first place.

      Internal strength results not only from knowledge of moves, but also in an understanding of “ki”. Ki development is another focus of traditional taekwondo that enables students to tap into and harvest their internal energy.  While this is a new concept for me, I have experience firsthand how using techniques to harvest its power enable me to perform my breaks successfully.

      It is this focus on the internal that attracted me to taekwondo in the first place. The five tenets provide virtues that will prepare my children to become successful and benevolent. For adults, revisiting the tenets helps focus our daily lives and provides the inner strength to incorporate them. The tenets are not merely recited, they are experienced and promoted through example and lessons at Chosun.  Newcomers are welcomed, patience is extended, and children are expected to treat each other kindly.  Many sports focus on character development, but one is hard pressed to find a sport that emphasizes character development to the same degree I have experienced at Chosun.  Athleticism is nothing without strong character.  In fact, it can be dangerous, especially when a student has become proficient in defense skills.

     Meditation is another traditional component that I find invaluable.  While I still feel like a newcomer to meditation, I have improved. Western cultures have begun embracing meditation for its benefits for health and mind.  Quieting the mind has never been an easy task for me.  My mind is awash with responsibilities and concerns.  Ironically, using time to quiet the mind is often more constructive than trying to get ahead (or catch up) with thoughts of productivity.

     Traditional and sport taekwondo are two separate but related practices, both worthy exercises. However, traditional taekwondo is the only one that meets my personal and parental goals. I have little interest in competitive sport. I find value in the focus on “the way” set forth by the guiding principles, ki development and meditation.  I find value in the empowerment that self defense furnishes. It is the traditional aspects of taekwondo that I value most.

The Benefits of Meditation in Taekwondo

by Chosun student, Brian Parkinson
Belt Promotion Test Essay May 17, 2015

        
     Taekwondo can be literally translated as the way of smashing with the hands and feet.  Although the ultimate goal of Taekwondo is to imbue the practitioner with the skills necessary to defend oneself, the sheer brutality of some of the techniques taught to that end cannot be mistaken for anything other than what they are: a means to inflict serious physical harm on another.  What role can a passive and tranquil activity such as meditation have in the practice of a martial art?  The answer stems from the last part of the name Taekwondo: Do or The Way.

        Do or The Way refers to the moral part of Taekwondo.  At the end of every class we recite the five tenets: Courtesy, Integrity, Perseverance, Self-Control, and Indomitable Spirit.  These are not simply words to be painted on a wall and recited with the hollow ring of rote memory but instead denote an overarching value system to the practice of

Students meditating at Chosun 

Taekwondo.  Without these values guiding our actions our training would have no other goal than to imbue the practitioner with the ability to do harm.   Meditation helps us cultivate this aspect to our training.  By forcing us to quiet our minds and learn to discipline our thoughts we are cultivating more than the ability to do physical harm, we are cultivating the wisdom required to know when to use force.

         Meditation does much more than to aid in our moral development as marital artists.  There are many physical benefits associated with the practice of meditation.  Anxiety and tension are greatly reduced as a state of deep relaxation pervades the body during meditation.  The regular practice of meditation has been shown to have profound and long lasting positive effects on one’s overall health and well-being.  In addition to the immediate and long term physical benefits of meditation, it also aids us in our training.  Our daily lives are fraught with distractions of every kind.  A distracted mind cannot focus wholly on the tasks at hand.  One of the main goals of meditating before class is to clear these distractions from the mind, allowing yourself to become wholly absorbed in your training and thus amplify your technique.  For me, this is the most vital reason to meditate.  My mind is constantly racing in opposing directions.  It is only through the sincere practice of meditation before class that I am able to purge my mind of all these competing thoughts, leaving a clarity I otherwise would not have.    

        Last summer I was fortunate enough to travel to South Korea as part of the Chosun Korea Tour.  One morning after some training on the hotel’s rooftop, we proceeded to a Buddhist temple just around the corner from the hotel.  I am not a Buddhist and had never entered a temple before.  I felt more than a little out of place as the morning practitioners filled the temple.  I didn’t want to miss this opportunity though and was very glad I didn’t allow my trepidation to interfere.  As I sat there on a blanket with my legs crossed and the smell of incense filling my nostrils, I could feel the intensity of the place and the sincerity of those within it.  I forced myself to purge all thought and focused only my breathing.  It reminded me of an experience I had at the beach many years ago.  While floating on my back, I dipped my ears beneath the water and focused on nothing but the sound of the ocean.  It was a very transcendent experience.  I felt a part of the water and of all of the life around me, dissolving into the sea affecting a complete dissolution of self.   Meditating in the temple that morning I had the same feeling.   I might as well have been a wisp of incense smoke for all the thought process that was occurring in my mind.

         Certainly anyone could learn the physical components of Taekwondo without meditation.  Punches, kicks, stances and blocks have little to do with the physical benefits associated with meditation and can be learned simply through repetitive practice.  This would reduce the study of Taekwondo to a purely physical activity and would rob it of the do component so crucial to the maturity of a marital artist.  The benefit of mediation in Taekwondo simply stated then is:  to bestow the practitioner with clarity of mind enabling improved technique, to improve the physical health of the practitioner and to provide a vehicle of self-discovery whereupon the Do aspect of Taekwondo can be cultivated and explored.  

               

Belt Promotion Test Essays by Young Chosun Students

Indomitable Spirit
by Chosun student, Aidan Morrison 
Chosun Belt Promotion Test May 17, 2015
     In Taekwondo, indomitable spirit grows in students as they move up through each belt level. The more forms and techniques and discipline a student learns, the more unconquerable they feel.
     When I earned by blue belt, I felt unconquerable because blue belt is the first

intermediate belt. At that point I knew I would make it to black belt. Having indomitable spirit lets a taekwondo student have perseverance.
In school I try to have indomitable spirit so I can persevere at schoolwork. When I grow up, indomitable spirit will help me be successful in going to a good college and getting a well-paying job that I really like. That is the meaning of indomitable spirit and how I apply it in my life.


The Meaning of Perseverance and How I Apply it in  my Life
by Chosun student, Gregory Saucedo 
Chosun Belt Promotion Test May 17, 2015
     An important tenet of taekwondo that I am learning to apply in my everyday life is perseverance. Perseverance means to never give up and to have a set of goals in mind that one wants to achieve. Without perseverance, one would not be able to overcome the everyday challenges that are present in life. Learning to persevere through challenges teaches us that we can achieve anything that is really important to us. Perseverance helps us continue to try to do something even though it may be very difficult at times. 
     Some examples of how I apply perseverance in my life include the following. In school, I am able to complete my schoolwork by focusing and setting goals that allow me to deal with my challenges. I have patience and I ask questions if I don't understand something. I study and work hard to maintain my excellent grades.  Most importantly, I always try to finish what I start.  I do not give up if something hard presents itself.
     At home, I practice playing my saxophone several times per week. Sometimes I would much rather go outside and play, but I try my best to focus on persevering so that I can become much better at playing my instrument. I also practice all the skills and techniques that I am learning during my Taekwondo classes. It takes much practice and determination as I know that at time goes by I may be faced with some challenges in improving my technique and applying everything that I have learned thus far. Through perseverance, however, I know I will continue to strive and achieve all of my goals.
     Perseverance is the path to success in life. As long as you are determined and willing to never give up you can achieve whatever you set your mind to do. My mom and dad always remind me that if you fall, you must get up and dust yourself off and try again. Once a person learns to persevere through hard times it only becomes easier to pick yourself up and become successful.

Chosun Black Belt Essays by Lisa Ehrenreich and Elissa Maynard

The Unbreakable Chain of Taekwondo Knowledge and Wisdom

Excerpt from 4th Dan Black Belt Essay by Lisa Ehrenreich

"From the moment I stepped in front of a class it felt good, it felt right, it felt like I had to do it - for myself, for the students, for Chosun and for the future of Taekwondo.   It was a huge responsibility but one I had to take on.  My goal as an instructor is not only to learn the entire curriculum (still working on that), and not just to teach good technique - but also to share how Taekwondo can become a metaphor for life at every turn. I want to share how the focus, patience and perseverance needed to execute a proper low block (ari maki), a knife hand (sonnal) or a front kick (ap chagi) can be the same focus, patience

Path to the Stone Buddha Golgulsa Temple

and perseverance needed to achieve all your greatest desires and dreams. I believe we must make a concerted effort in our lives to live in the present moment, which is really all we have.  So often our minds are reliving the past or contemplating the future.  Traditional Taekwondo allows us the practice of being fully present."

The Difference Between Practicing Martial Art and Martial Sport

Excerpt from 2nd Dan Black Belt Essay by Elissa Maynard

"By removing some of the dangers that self-defense driven Taekwondo training offers, sport Taekwondo produces fast, natural, reflexive movement by emphasizing speed, technique, and completion of techniques which can help in self-defense situations. In this controlled and competitive environment, the practitioner learns how to react in difficult unpredictable circumstances. These situations can prepare the martial artist for similar situations in real life and enable them to realize and expand their potential as martial artists.

It is important to understand that sport Taekwondo competition is not the same as a fight in the CVS parking lot but is closer to a combat situation than any other style of training. These benefits only hold true and are effective if the practitioner doesn't lose sight of the true goal, which unfortunately is most often the case. When that happens, winning and losing becomes too important and interferes with the training process. In addition, as a result of point driven competitions, techniques that are deemed “ineffective” are soon abandoned and the focus shifts to skills that can procure points. This is a major downfall to the sport side of Taekwondo because so many useful skills are left behind."

A Retrospective of my Training in Taekwondo

Excerpts from five Black Belt Candidates' essays
First bi-annual Chosun Black Belt Test of 2015
officiated by martial arts pioneer, Grandmaster Richard Chun

"When I earned my Brown belt, I practiced even harder than before. I learned my new requirements and I earned my stripe.  Then we started practicing our breaks. After I tried out my break, I talked with Mrs. Pyke. She said that she thought I was ready to break a one inch thick board using a "palm heel strike." She encouraged me to do it. I was really nervous about this, but I talked to Master Cook before the test and he told me to speak with Instructor Garrett. Instructor Garrett held for me. I broke the one inch board with a palm heel and earned my High Brown belt. I was so excited."
by Julius Radakovits, First Dan Black Belt

"When I got my yellow belt it was great but that wasn't the only thing I got. I also made a new friend and his name is Sean. He was the greatest friend I ever knew. I sometimes pick him for Il su sik and sparring. This was a great day."
by Jose Martinez, First Dan Black Belt

"Knowing now that the black belt test is about a month away, I feel nervous that one of the biggest days of my life is coming so quickly. When I come to class I work hard and try to make my forms the best as they could be. I think the hardest part of being a bodan is that you need to remember all of the previous requirements and forms, but I know with practice you can make that easier. In my opinion the best part of being a black belt will be that I know now that I am strong enough to protect myself and others around me. Also I will be proud that I have received this high rank. I will know that if I put my mind to something I will be able to accomplish anything I work hard for. I look forward to going deeper into Taekwondo and seeing the true meaning of "foot-hand-way."
by Jonathan Vargas, First Dan Black Belt

"Now that I  am a bodan, testing to be a black belt, I am proud of myself and the work I have done to get here. I am also proud to be testing in front of Grandmaster Chun on the 60th anniversary of taekwondo. Someday, I hope to get my 9th Dan black belt, just like Grandmaster Chun. To do that, I must first get my 1st Dan. That is why I am so happy to be testing today. I would like to thank Grandmaster Chun, Master Cook, all my instructors, my dad, Instructor Klugman, my sister, Olivia, my mom, and my twin, Ella. They have all supported me and I love them all very much."
by Noah Klugman, First Dan Black Belt

" My favorite memory of all, so far, was when I got my trophy for Outstanding Achievement for the May 19th, 2013 belt test. I was a green belt, testing for my blue belt and I sparred with Sammy. I was scared when my name was called because everyone was staring at me. I feel taekwondo teaches me to not be a bully but to know how to defend myself against bullies. Taekwondo has taught me to not give up, keep on going and don't stop trying."
by Amelia Barravecchia, First Dan Black Belt 
   

A Retrospective of my Training Midpoint Between White and Black Belt

by Ed Boller

Blue Belt Essay

Looking back at the person I was 1 ½ years ago I am forced to remember a person who was just surviving in his life.  Being a fireman who on his days off cares for 3 children I was struggling to find time to complete my daily chores; never mind finding time to properly nurture my spiritual, physical, and mental needs. It was not until I decided to walk through the dojang doors that I was given a second chance to put all of these things in balance. Taekwondo has given me a place where I can meditate, workout and use my mind to better myself and the lives of the people around me.

Buddha at Golgulsa Temple

I have always considered myself a spiritual person. There was even a time in my life when I considered being a priest. When I moved away from the town that I grew up and had established roots and moved to Warwick I found myself without a spiritual home. I found that meeting new people and making new friends can be difficult as an adult. Finding Chosun Taekwondo Academy has given me a place to go where I feel accepted for who I am. Even though everyone that trains does not follow the same religion I have found that the time we spend meditating together brings us all together with the common purpose of relaxing the mind, focusing on our breath and the life force within us. I can honestly say that nothing has given me more peace in the wake of my mothers death than this time we spend. In all of the years I spent learning prayers I have never experienced a greater sense of peace. I often meditate picturing my mother’s loving face hovering over me and encouraging me the way that she did when she was well. I thank you so much for this gift.

The physical benefits of Taekwondo are extremely palpable in my life as a fireman. I find myself getting injured less because of my increased flexibility. I have never been so self aware of my body.  I feel confident in placing punches and kicks inches away from the target areas. My core strength has improved greatly from throwing kicks and punches. I also feel that I have more energy after practicing Taekwondo to tackle life’s challenges.

I am more mentally acute then I have been in a long time. I find myself more confident than I have been in years. Knowing that if a situation arises that I have the know how to defend myself and others is empowering. The memorization of techniques and poomsae has improved my memory.

All of these things combined has made me into a better person, better husband, better father, and a better fireman.