Looking Ahead to 2025

[진영]

In Korean 국문 번역
https://m.cafe.daum.net/enlightenment-k/dcM5/386?svc=cafeapp

2025년도를 바라보면서

■ Looking Ahead to 2025

The year 2025 is just around the corner. After the challenges of COVID-19, the past year was a whirlwind of activity, making up for lost time by traveling almost every month for international events.

In the first half of the new year, I plan to launch an online course.
Additionally, starting in January, I will begin teaching former masters and instructors who wish to continue their training.

How would they react if I told them that, despite 15 to 20 years of training in Haedong Kumdo, they have yet to fully master even the first or second stage? Haha.

For example, the training frequency in Korea is incomparable to that of other countries. While Koreans train five or more days a week, in places like the U.S. or Europe, training is typically just once or twice, or maybe three times a week.

■ As Above, So Below

(What happens in the heavens is mirrored on earth—a universal principle.)

The workings of the universe are cyclical, as are the principles of heaven.

I, too, have come to realize that I am destined to return to where I began.
This means that the universe operates under a single, universal law, and the will—or principles—of heaven is already manifest here on earth.

This does not occur through prayer or wishes but simply because the natural order of things is inherently so.

This universal law governs human life and can be likened to the roots of a tree—the unseen foundation essential for growth.

Though the roots hidden in the soil are not visible, with effort, one may become aware of them. However, fully comprehending the countless phenomena above ground—the flowers, branches, and leaves—is impossible. This is the limitation of human understanding.

The English phrase "As Above, So Below" helps convey this idea.
By understanding this fundamental principle and applying it to daily life, one can live rightly, striving moment by moment, and enjoying a life of ease and fulfillment according to their efforts and desires.

■ The End Point of Martial Arts Training and Human Life

When one understands the beginning and end of martial arts training, as well as their own life, they can better navigate relationships with others through words, thoughts, and actions.

They can grow in understanding, become more considerate, and cultivate greater tolerance.

This perspective also enables deep reflection and the ability to approach situations from a third-party viewpoint.

This is the essence of a life of realization—cultivating love and belief.

The more love and belief one accumulates, the less hardship, difficulty, and pain they experience, and the more they can enjoy a life of abundance and ease before returning to nature.

This understanding reflects the principle by which life flows smoothly.

No matter how knowledgeable or renowned a person may be, or how skilled and swift a martial artist might become—even at the pinnacle of mastery in Haedong Kumdo (whether in sword forms, sparring, cutting, or sword dance)—when viewed in the grand scheme of life, they are merely enjoying their journey in their own way, comforting and supporting one another, and living with pride and dignity.

This is akin to the saying:
"Beyond the fast runner is the one who flies."

Recognizing this is a form of self-reflection, an acknowledgment of the limitations of being a "frog in the well."

This is not to diminish the techniques of Haedong Kumdo but to place them in perspective as one among many martial arts disciplines and a small part of human life.

Through martial arts training, if one reflects on themselves, corrects shortcomings or mistakes, and strives for physical and mental growth, they can achieve rapid development and mature growth.

Failing to grasp the beginning and end of life (or martial arts) risks overreliance on religion or entrapment in mystical, superstitious, or unrealistic beliefs.

Many spend their entire lives without recognizing that their reality stems from ignorance and greed.

■ Why We Must Love Ourselves and Others

Throughout life, we must change our thinking, understand and care for others, and love both ourselves and those around us.

This is the key to living less burdened, less troubled, and less pained, while enjoying a more abundant and fulfilling life.

Understanding the beginning and end of life does not mean knowing everything about existence.
It means simply acknowledging human limitations and realizing one’s true nature (roots).

The purpose of martial arts training is to cultivate both the sword and the pen, understand life’s principles, and achieve a better life than before.

This principle is the foundation of all things and the source of all life.

The fundamental principle is neither abstract nor mystical—it is simple and clear.

Without this understanding, things may seem complex and difficult. But once realized, one comes to see that it is all about "energy flow."

■ Basic Truths and Principles of Life

Since the beginning of the human history, any form of meditation, breathing practice, religion, philosophy, or humanities study aimed at bettering human life must include the following:

Empty Yourself
Let go of your ego.
Clear your mind and soul.
Surrender your sense of self.
Humble yourself.
Release your attachments.

Forgive Others
Find repentance within yourself.
Love your enemies.
If struck on the right cheek, offer the left as well.

Regain Clarity
Step back and reflect.
The mountain is simply a mountain, and the river is simply a river.
Know your place and understand your limits.


These expressions, often found in daily life, serve as profound reminders to rediscover our true nature.

They embody the fundamental actions and perspectives necessary for enlightenment—clear, straightforward, and free of unnecessary complexity.

If life and martial arts training deviate from these principles, one risks wasting time on misguided paths, potentially falling into unrealistic or mystical traps.

Many never realize they remain at a lower stage of understanding, confined to their "well."
This realization applies not only to myself but also to those around me.

For 2025

I hope for a year where body (physical self) and mind (spiritual self) are aligned—a year of robust health and open pathways for communication and achievement.

December 31, 2024, Midnight
Looking Toward 2025

United World Haedong Kumdo Federation
Jinyoung Ssangkum Ryu
Kim, Jeong Seong