Niagara Falls 2007

Lovely Mind Melting Our Cold Wintery Weather

It has been almost 20 years since I met Jack and Chris. I taught Tae Kwon Do class in the local Sei-jong school for the Korean American children and one Saturday Chris brought her adopted son, Eric, to one of my weekend classes and asked if Eric could watch and participate in a tryout. Certainly I said. Jack and Chris had no children- they decided to adopt infants Eric and Ben from Korea. Ben was born with cleft lip; Eric was adopted later through the Halt adoption organization. The two boys were not related. After their adoption they became good brothers possibly because of their similarities. Jack and Chris had spent extraordinary effort and expense in order to adopt two boys from Korea.
Ben was shy during his youth, possibly because of his appearance. Jack and Chris took Ben for a surgical procedure to correct the cleft palate. Now, there is no sign of his past facial difficulty. His personality changed-he blossomed to one who is much more social than before. Ben attended the Rhode Island Architectural College for five years and he now is a talented designer. Eric had a small frame, somewhat shorter than his class mates. He was concerned about his size than others of his age group. Eric had taken TaeKwon Do lessons from me for almost five years and he successfully achieved black belt status. He continued to mature in a positive way which and broadened his role as a leader and motivator, bringing him closer to the many friends that surrounded him. Eric understood his identity and appreciated his adopted parents.
When Eric and Ben were young, Jack and Chris re-visited the Halt adoption center in Korea. They spent nearly a month to see if they could find both childrens' natural parents. Unfortunately they could not locate them. They were disappointed, but never regretted the time they spent.
Jack and Chris are typical of the American middle class. Both of them worked hard to raise two children. Jack changed his job several times to find a better life and Chris worked nights to provide care to an elderly person at home. Chris was at home during the day to make herself available for her two children. Both of the children attended catholic schools until they graduated from high school. Ben went to an out of state college and Eric is taking Sociology at a local university. Eric wants to be a social worker following graduation.
When I first met Jack and Chris, they were in their late 20’s. They were high school class mates. They have now just passed the mid-century mark. Ben and Eric have become grown men, and may both be married in the next 2-5 years. All of sudden Jack and Chris saw retirement galloping toward them at a full run. Their faces now show the lines they both earned. Grey is replacing the color of their youth. For one, I appreciate their sacrifice and their effort spent to raise two great citizens. They deserve our respect. Jack and Chris’s dedicated life is a role model. I am sure the two young men will be successful in their careers and will return happiness to their parents. Both Jack and Chris’ lovely minds and warmth melt our needy families to and around us in this difficult time.

Ki and Breathing Technique

Why breathing is so important? We must breathe to survive. We breathe 24 hours without rest, roughly 13,500 times every day. We can go for weeks without food or water, yet we must breathe to survive. From the oriental philosophy, one of man's goals is to be in harmony with nature. This consists of cheon (sky), gee (earth) and in (human being).

Man, being in harmony with himself and nature, often takes time to learn. Through serious concentration and Dan-jun breathing, this harmony within can be acquired. What is Dan-jun breathing? Dan-jun breathing is a certain breathing technique you can learn to create more internal power, strength and control. We normally breathe through our nose and lung. Dan-jun breathing is different and takes time to practice in getting more control of our body.

Ki (inner power) is the fundamental power gained when a person is born. When a person is born, he or she receives Ki from the universe and Ki leaves when a person dies. Dan-jun means the concentrated place of Ki. The central lower area of the stomach is where power is stored. Every person has three areas of Dan-jun. They are: Shang, Jung and Ha Dan-jun. Shang Dan-jun is the place of the spirit, which is considered the head section. Jung Dan-jun is the place of heart, which is the center section. Ha Dan-jun is the place of Ki, which is located in the lower stomach.

The following are two examples of how Ki affects your body: when a person is very angry, Ki rises within the body as the face turns red from the blood rapidly moving to the head. Same when a person is scared, Ki is lower and one’s power will not be as strong.

Why do martial artists use breathing? Martial artists and Tae Kwon Do masters use Dan-jun breathing to control Ki in their body. While in training, a clean body and mind are aimed to be developed. As you practice, you will begin to feel Ki build within yourself and it is at this point when you must learn how to control it. When you are in control, your mind and body are in harmony as one. Martial artists also emphasize internal fruitiness, which is mental confidence and the controlling of Ki. When one combines inside and outside (mental and physical), he/she controls Ki and the ability to have your own superpower. You are learning to combine universal Ki and one’s own Ki.

Martial artist and Tae Kwon masters usually train all their lives to gain this super-power and control, and never give up until they reach their goal. The goal is to keep practicing long enough to build Ki from within. When one control one’s mental and physical state of mind, he/she can handle the many daily life of problems with the right healthy attitude.

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SangSoon Koh, Ph.D.
Grand Master
cell (734) 775-9675