Sam Jae and Eum/Yang

The philosophy of Taekwondo also is related to the principles of Sam Jae and of Eum/Yang. Sam Jae (Three Elements) refers to Cheon (the Heaven), Ji (the Earth), and In (the Man) and the principles uniting them. In oriental philosophy, these principles explain the changes of everything in the world.

In the orient, Sam Jae is central principle that explains the changes of everything in the world. Sam Jae and the changes of Eum/Yang constitute the Eight Trigrams for Divination in the Book of Changes. The principle of Eum/Yang maintains that everything has a good and bad side. Taegeuk (the Great Absolute) represents the ultimate claim that Eum and Yang are actually one and the same.

At the core of this philosophy is the concept of duality in nature. Duality refers to the interaction of opposing forces, the Eum/Yang. The principle of Eum (the negative or darkness) and Yang (the positive or the brightness) maintains that everything has an opposite side and that the two work in harmony with opposing forces distributed equally. If one force dominates, the result is discord. For example, to defend against an aggressive hard attack, one should use a yielding soft defense to bring the situation into harmony. Taekwondo students learn to coordinate their actions and reactions with the forces of nature so they can overcome anything they encounter in life. By centering oneself and balancing the dual forces, students may begin to achieve the true goal of the aspiration to and application of perfection.

This principle explains various forms of changes. It comes from Taegeuk (the Great Absolute), which represents the ultimate claim that Eum and Yang are the one and the same thing. Sam Jae and the changes of Eum and Yang constitute the "Eight Trigrams for Divination" in the "Book of Changes."

Taekwondo is defined and the way of kicking and punching. Students begin Taekwondo training for various reasons, such as fitness, weight loss, discipline, and self-defense. Many stop their training when they think they have achieved their reason for initially beginning the training and others stop before ever reaching this point. If students continue training until they reach the "do" phase of Taekwondo training, then their initial reason for beginning the training is irrelevant. At this point, they continue training because the basic principles of Taekwondo have become an integral part of their lives. Through kicking and punching, they have achieved the way.

In today's society, there are relatively fewer chances to encounter a life-threatening situation. To spend several years of your life practicing Taekwondo would seem a high price to pay for the chance to defend yourself in the not-so-likely event of a deadly attack. Therefore, the spiritual part of Taekwondo is what should motivate everyone to practice Taekwondo.

Today's Taekwondo Philosophy

Today's Taekwondo Philosophy is best summarized by the tenets of Taekwondo that are recited at the beginning of most Taekwondo classes. Most students recite the tenets by rote without thinking about their meanings. If some thought is given to the tenets while reciting them, students would find many correlations between each tenet and what they have learned during their training and how it has affected their lives. Taekwondo philosophy is not preached at each class, instead, it is something the subtlety affects the thoughts and behavior of students over time and makes them better members of society.

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