Yoga at CHOSUN "Your Body, Your Teacher"

September 9, 2015 Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center 62 Main St. Warwick NY   www.chosuntkd.com

"Your Body, Your Teacher" In the practice of yoga, we are really our best teachers. Even though we might participate in a formal class with an instructor in front of us, through diligent practice and attention, we become more and more self-aware. This, in essence is the yoga journey. On the outside, a typical yoga class might consist of executing various poses but if the practitioner pays attention to breath, energy and observes what is happening on the inside, valuable lessons are learned. Join us and engage in self-discovery... Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center 62 Main Street Warwick, NY Class Schedule: Tuesdays     9:30 am Wednesdays     6:30 pm Saturdays     9:30 am First Class is Free $15 per class / $130 for 10 classes

Chosun Sunrise

by Chosun instructor Jake Garrett

The dojang is silent in the early morning light, a student practices poomsae, several others stretch in solitude, another chooses to sit in meditation. If any words are spoken they are in whispers. Students have learned to keep their minds in the morning state of clarity, the time before the mind and body fully engage in the days activities, by maintaining this quiet passive state of mind they are already preparing for the next hour.

The Master steps onto the mat, quickly and efficiently the students line up standing behind meditation cushions. Joombi is spoken by the Master, the senior student brings the class to attention, opening commands are given, the sunrise class has begun. This is not a tale of training in Korea, this occurs every Wednesday morning here at Chosun.

There is something different about training early in the morning, your body is fresh and strong, your mind is calm and receptive, a perfect time to begin a 15 minute meditation. Often, Ki development techniques follow the meditation, and on occasion the Qigong form Eight Brocades is performed as a warm up. This classic and ancient practice of moving meditation is a soft technique providing a balance in Ki development to the hard style techniques yet to come in the early morning training. Poomsae practice is sometimes performed in a slow detailed style with deep breathing accenting Ki, this method allows the student to focus on proper technique, balance, and starting each move from tanjun with relaxation and power. Every Chosun student should experience poomsae in this manner and add it to their own discipline on occasion.

Don't think that sunrise class is always a silent, contemplative, totally Ki oriented class, it isn't. Many times we leave class drenched, from poomsae, kicking drills, Il Su Siks and Ho Sin Sools performed in a deliberate manner under the observation and explicit direction of Master Cook that is allowed in a relatively small class.

We are fortunate to have such a full weekly schedule of classes, the diversity of classes allow a student to experience the many facets of traditional taekwondo. Take advantage of this diversity, attending the same classes all the time isn't providing you with the all around training that is available at Chosun. Certainly, 5:30 in the morning can create family and work scheduling conflicts, however, consider that on occasion altering your schedule could provide you with a unique training experience, that will enhance your outlook and understanding of traditional taekwondo. If it is just a matter of the early morning hour, well on occasion just get out of bed! You will be surprised of the energy  that will stay with you on that day, the day you choose to attend sunrise.

Hope to see you at sunrise. (Wednesdays at 5:30am)

Kamsahamnida,

Instructor Jake Garrett

Invoking the Tigress

by Master Doug Cook

Tae kwon do is frequently described by critics, often disparagingly, as a “women’s sport” largely because so many females participate. Frankly, as a professional instructor, I feel this is due to the fact that the national martial art of Korea is a highly empowering

discipline especially if taught in a traditional manner. Historically, aside from its value to the civilian population, one must recall that tae kwon do was partially created as a method of self-defense for soldiers on the field of battle. Moreover, it was repeatedly proven effective during combat in the jungles of Vietnam and throughout the Korean Conflict. Is it any wonder then why women – who from time immemorial have been convinced of their physical inferiority when compared to their male counterparts – would choose to embrace a legitimate vehicle for nurturing self-confidence that clearly encourages a break with the conventional model of women being defenseless individuals? Subsequently, for this article featuring women in tae kwon do, I have requested several of my adult female students to address this component of their practice through the written word. I hope you find their heartfelt responses inspiring!

Olga Pico/Black Belt 3rd Dan: Traditional tae kwon do has nurtured my self- confidence. I stand up taller and keep my head up. Throughout life we all face different challenges and with experience you learn and feel more confident about handling situations. As a tae kwon do practitioner, it is difficult to learn a new poomsae. However, each time one is mastered you feel a great sense of accomplishment thus increasing your confidence. I apply this life lesson to all my endeavors and it helps me succeed in general.


Jean Bailly-Orlovsky/Black Belt 3rd Dan: Ralph Waldo Emerson once said: “Make the most of yourself, for that is all there is of you.” With this in mind, traditional tae kwon do training has enhanced my self-awareness and given me the confidence to persevere in various situations that I might not have had the determination for in the past. Meditation encourages me to slow my mind and embrace enlightened perspective. The physical training is active meditation, which unifies mind, body and spirit and liberates me to pursue a sanguine life.


Mary Dacchille-Sulesky/Black Belt 3rd Dan: Self-confidence is something that starts out as a small seed inside your head. If the seed is watered, given sun, care, and allowed to grow, it will transcend your body and become a part of the way the world sees you. Traditional tae kwon do has allowed me to use my body in a way I would have never thought possible. Our master, Doug Cook, is fond of saying that there is no elevator to the top floor of tae kwon do; it is a walk-up. We all started at white belt and worked our way up earning our belts as we progressed. I did not start with a lot of confidence, but I was nurtured in a traditional environment at my dojang. Like a seed that is properly cared for, I have grown and now I walk with my shoulders back and my head high. I know that if I am willing to practice the martial art of tae kwon do, I can achieve so much in my life.


Pamela Roeloffs/Black Belt 3rd Dan: At the start of a new belt level, I have “beginner’s mind”. This is an expression of innocence as dictated by Buddhist teachings, but it is frequently accompanied by confusion and frustration. Chosun Taekwondo Academy’s exceptional instructors help build my confidence by encouraging the techniques that I perform correctly and demonstrating those that need improvement. By the end of each belt or stripe level I feel comfortable and confident with my techniques. It is a repeating cycle that I journey through as I progress in my traditional tae kwon do training. It is a process that manifests itself in my daily routine thus providing empowerment and a quiet sense of self-confidence.


Amy Fitzpatrick Smith/Black Belt 3rd Dan: My father used to tell me to walk like I was carrying a gun. This gave me an air of confidence, of being unapproachable. Had I been attacked by a strong man, what would I have done, exactly? As a black belt studying traditional tae kwon do, I know the answer to that: learn authentic self-defense. This gives me true confidence. I still walk like I’m carrying a gun, but being empty handed has a whole new meaning for me now.

Pamela Pyke/Black Belt 3rd Dan: Practicing traditional tae kwon do instills in me strength, dignity and poise. My confidence has been nurtured and challenged throughout my entire journey
over the ranks. Finding the strength and stamina to train has done nothing
less than thrill me. What a joy it is to be so aware of one's physical
body. I am slowly discovering who I am as a martial artist. I take great
pride in knowing I can defend myself and even others if need be.


Linda Taylor/Black Belt 2nd Dan: At 21 I was attacked on the street by teenage girls. I remember my fear, and my flailing, ineffectual attempts to hit back. I'm now very confident that I can do a far better job of defending myself. Fighting doesn't come easily to most women. Tae kwondo has taught me to be disciplined, strong and confident in the power of our techniques. Today, walking down the street, I feel proud, powerful and much safer.


Nancy Bree Garrett/Black Belt 3rd Dan: Sometimes when I see someone my age struggle to climb the stairs to my art studio, I think, ‘that’s not me’. When I see women who are fearful, I think, ‘that’s not me’. When I walk down the street feeling my body strong and upright, my legs moving free and easy, and my breath coming strong and steady, I marvel that I feel this way. The strength of mind, body and spirit that my tae kwon do training brings me - That’s me!


Terrie Wynne/Black Belt 4th Dan: Self-confidence is a funny thing. It sneaks up on you. After years of traditional training I have learned thirty-three forms. I never would have said I had the confidence to teach, but as I learned the forms, the confidence grew. So much so, that I am now an instructor, passing on and instilling self-confidence in others. Additionally, it is now a humorous fact that when my husband and I travel, he claims to feel safer with me at his side. Confidence!


Master Doug Cook, a 6th dan black belt, is head instructor of the Chosun Taekwondo Academy located in Warwick, New York, a senior student of Grandmaster Richard Chun, and author of four best-selling books entitled: Taekwond-Ancient Wisdom for the Modern Warrior, Traditional Taekwondo - Core Techniques, History and Philosophy, Taekwondo–A Path to Excellence and his most recent contribution, Taekwondo Black Belt Poomsae- Original Koryo and Koryo, co-authored with Grandmaster Richard Chun, all published by YMAA Publications Inc. He can be reached for lectures, seminars or questions at www.chosuntkd.com or info@chosuntkd.com.

Yoga @ Chosun "Dynamics and Dimension"

Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center 62 Main St. Warwick NY www.chosuntkd.com

"Dynamics and Dimension"   One of the gifts that yoga brings us is learning how to work with our bodies in a dynamic way. But what does that mean? The other word most closely associated with dynamic is energetic. But that word alone does not tell the story. It is the quality of the energy and how it is used that offers us a path toward positive change. By learning how to access our core, grounding, and then distributing the energy in a deliberate and direct way, we become conscious of  our body's dimensions. In our standing class this week, we will test this vital principle in the posture, Utkatasana or chair pose.  join us and move dynamically! Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center 62 Main Street Warwick, NY Class Schedule: Tuesdays     9:30am Wednesdays     6:30pm Saturdays     9:30am First Class is Free $15 per class / $130 for 10 classes NEW YEAR SPECIAL YOGA OFFER! $30  for one month of yoga classes Take as many classes in a month as you want! Purchase at www.chosuntkd.com or contact Chosun Taekwondo Academy at: info@chosuntkd.com  or 845 986-2288

Learning to Climb

by Mark McNutt

 (Blue Belt - A Retrospective of My Training Midpoint to Black Belt)

            Halfway up the mountain.  But this is only the first mountain in a vast chain where every mountain is higher than the one previous.  In that sense Blue Belt, hardly seems like a midpoint.  At Chosun Taekwondo Academy, achieving 1^st Dan black belt is described as ‘the beginning’, so

actually, though I have climbed half a mountain, I have not yet completed the first step, I have merely raise one foot in preparation for it.  This is a small movement when compared the whole journey ahead, yet I believe it has a value in it that goes beyond anything it will ever lead to.  The belts white, yellow, orange, green and blue have introduced and familiarized me with the core aspects of taekwondo, and that is something higher belts can reemphasize, but never replicate.  

            The personal history of my climb started as an indecisive white belt.  I entered reluctantly through the gift of an introductory pack to Chosun Academy and spent a few months training with one foot in and one foot out of the school.  Despite this lukewarm state of mind, I managed to learn some valuable lessons, like how to move about on the dojang floor, how to interact with other students in simulated confrontations, and how to listen properly to teachers.  I also learned the five tenants of taekwondo, which began to point to the spiritual side of the art.

I graduated to yellow belt without having made a concrete decision to stay.  But here I had a brush with bit enlightenment that helped settle my mind.  I became intrigued with the Korean warrior known as the Hwarang whose distinct martial attitude had a major effect upon taekwondo.  It was their diversity that appealed to me: the fact that they sought to develop themselves in spiritual, artistic, and social ways that went beyond their study of pure martial arts.  Here was an idea that I could lock into, that of being a multifaceted martial artist, where all facets come together to create one life as a whole.  When I attempted to put this into practice, I quickly discovered that, yes, I could live a lifestyle that was multifaceted and balanced, but only if I set my own pace and resisted the influenced of those around me who had a more singular focus.  When dealing with martial arts, I told myself that taekwondo was a lifestyle and not a race.  Therefore, it didn’t matter when I got to any particular place, as long as I got there.  My only obligation was to keep moving forward and not to retreat.  That changed everything for me.  It was a way of life I could live with.  Belt tests come up every three months – but I spent six months as a yellow belt before testing for orange; the advantage of that was that at no point did I feel like leaving.

            Orange belt was the cementing of the lifestyle I had forged as a yellow belt.  I took it leisurely, though that’s not saying that I took it lightly.  The slower pace helped me keep up with business outside of taekwondo, while at the same time giving me a deeper appreciation of the art form.  I took more time to read, finishing up and even taking some notes from Master Cook’s A Pathway to Excellence.  I signed up for the annual TKD awards dinner.  In other words, I had time to take in the whole picture of Chosun Taekwondo Academy rather than just the pieces that would get me through the next belt test.  The slower pace allowed my spiritual side to grow on par with my physical abilities.  I spent six months as an orange belt and graduated to green belt with little difficulty.  At green my patterns of training evolved as my abilities grew and my tendency to be intimidated by tasks this particular martial art set before me hardened; my attendance increased.  Suddenly six months seemed too long and with a slight push I successfully tested at three months to achieve blue belt. 

            Now, something close to three months later, I find myself with a purple stripe on my blue belt and a mind set for testing.  I am midway on the mountain between white belt and black belt; I can clearly see my destination from here and am already starting to feel like I belong up there.  I know that as a blue belt I am not yet up to ‘warrior’ caliber; nevertheless, I feel like a martial artist.  From where does that feeling come?  Well, perhaps it comes from the knowledge that no martial art, no matter how formidable, can ever scare me away again, because no martial art can ever again challenge me as a pure novice.  Going halfway up the mountain has taught me how to climb and has gotten me used to being a ‘climber’.  Once a person learns to climb, all mountains become accessible.

Chosun Yoga - YOUR BODY, YOUR TEACHER

"Your Body, Your Teacher"

 
In the practice of yoga, we are really our best teachers. Even though we might participate in a formal class with an instructor in front of us, through diligent practice and attention, we become more and more self-aware. This, in essence is the yoga journey. On the outside, a typical yoga class might consist of executing various poses but if the practitioner pays attention to breath, energy and observes what is happening on the inside, valuable lessons are learned.

Join us and engage in self-discovery...


Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center
62 Main Street Warwick, NY

Class Schedule:
Tuesdays     9:30am
Wednesdays     6:30pm
Saturdays     9:30am

First Class is Free

$15 per class / $130 for 10 classes

HOLIDAY SPECIAL YOGA OFFER!
$30  for one month of yoga classes
Take as many classes in a month as you want!
Purchase at www.chosuntkd.com or contact Chosun Taekwondo Academy at:
info@chosuntkd.com  or 845 986-2288
Makes a GREAT GIFT for you or someone you love!

Happy Holidays from the
Chosun Taekwondo Academy & Hatha Yoga Center!

 

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For more information:
(845)986-2288 or info@chosuntkd.com

Beginners Welcome!   Bring a Friend!



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Chosun Yoga News                                                                                             December 10, 2014