CHO GI IL KWAN
THIS ARTICLE WAS ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED WHEN WE LEFT THE ITF.
MESSAGE FROM KWAN JANG NIM
As everybody knows, we recently “went independent”. This means that we have no governing body to guide us in what to do in our Dojang. This is a tremendous responsibility. We must keep to the traditions that were taught to me by Grandmaster Hwang Kee, Master Kim, and Master Lee.
One evening in Pittsburgh, Master Kim told us instructors, in our meeting, about the principle of cho gi il kwan. This means to go back to the beginning to achieve enlightenment. This principle was certainly in effect when I moved to North Carolina and opened our Dojang. I regained a whole new outlook of what makes a Martial Arts School work from the ground up. This is also in effect today. I hope that we all learn from this experience, and accept the challenges that are ahead of us.
I am very proud of all of you (our students), and especially the instructors and senior Blue Belts. You have been a source of great support at this time. I hope to be worthy of your confidence.
I would like all of you to think about cho gi il kwan, and what it can mean to all of us. If you go back to the roots of all that you do, you will find your inner self looking back at you, and you can never lie to that inner self. This is truth in its purest state. Humility must follow, and also awareness of responsibility.
Thank you all for being involved with Noble Tang Soo Do.
Sa Bom Nim