1Dan- Essay from Johannes in Germany

[HAEDONG]

■ Essay from Johannes as a first dan candidate

■ Why do we need to be kind, sincere, and free from anger?

Anger and rage and hate are emotions that are deeply destructive. My anger, rage, and hatred are always directed at someone else, and these negative emotions become more and more concentrated if I do not meet the other person honestly and sincerely.

I have to realize that these negative emotions have primarily to do with myself and not with the other person.

We have to try to see these emotions, perceive them, feel them, and let them go so that we can be more liberated, friendly, and sincere.

So, if I approach the other person in a friendly way, I am already changing the atmosphere of the encounter, and I am signaling to the other person that I am not up to any harm.

This way of dealing with natural energy also transforms the other person.

If I treat my fellow human beings with sincerity, he or she will sense my authenticity and that I take him or her seriously.

If I go into an encounter free of anger and rage, I can perceive the other person better myself because I will be able to act and speak more openly.

If we are friendly, sincere, and free of anger, my posture is also different. I walk upright, stand up straight and keep my gaze at eye level , and look at the other person in the eye.

I automatically feel the center of my body and the tension in my muscles eases.

■ What is the meaning of love, and what is its reality?

For me, love is an encounter.
People live from entering into relationships with other people.

They face the other person with everything they are and everything that makes them who they are.

With everything physical, with everything emotional, with all their charisma and with all their history, that this person has behind them.

I have experienced and felt love when i am sincere with the other and take the other seriously. When you have the feeling and sense, that you are seen and understood.

If I go into a conversation or encounter with empathy, it is important for me to be open-minded and to trust my intuition in order to do the right thing.

You can't prepare for such encounters. Such encounters happen, they happen. When I see the other person with all the injuries he has suffered in life, love happens.

When I see the other person's life experience and wisdom, regardless of age or gender, love happens. When I see the other person in his need to escape the constraints of everyday life and the addiction to recognition, love happens.

But love also happens in the opposite direction. If I am seen by the other person without condemnation, without unloving judgment, only with a participating heart, I am touched in such a way that I can feel the love.

I am seen and accepted as I am.
In my opinion, this event in which two souls are touched is a spiritual event. This is where the spirit connects and forges links without me having any influence over it.

I can not force or command or suppress this energy.
This spirit blows all over the world and is universal and natural.
For me, however, it is possible to get in touch with this spirit, with this energy, by first meditating, without purpose or intention, in order to open the door to the essential.

In a second step, I have to allow these encounters and allow myself to be touched in order to learn to deal with the energy that is within me and around me.

In my opinion, this energy of the spirit can be sensed and experienced in the Kimu. Through this energy work in Kimu, I learned self-acceptance and self-love. Only through this experience can I understand that my counterpart has exactly the same needs and that he is just like me.

■ Can you give your opinion on the effects and significance
of Kimu training?

In my work as a pastor, I have to collect myself and concentrate before every service I hold.

Before I started the sword training of Haedong Kumdo and thus also the training of Kimu, I used to say a prayer to the Holy Spirit before a service to ask for contact with the Holy Spirit and to experience strength and concentration.
I still say this prayer, but I now do my learned Kimu forms before every service.
The movements I perform with Kimus make me more flexible and softer.

My tension eases noticeably, and I can see which parts of my body are tense and immobile.

The twists and movements in Kimu help me to find a good balance.
I center myself and focus on the middle of my body.

This center enables me to put aside all distractions and minimize all obstructive and intrusive thoughts. I concentrate on my breathing on inhaling and exhaling.

By connecting the soft movements and breathing in and out, I notice how the pace of my movements changes without me controlling or consciously directing it. These movements flow and allow me to flow. It is particularly noticeable when the body's momentum or rotation occurs through a small movement in the legs or from the hips so that the whole body follows and moves with it.

As a counselor for older people, I occasionally take part in trips lasting several days. I then offer the option of practicing Kimus with me in the morning and greeting the day with them.

They gladly take advantage of this opportunity.

Kimus is a very good opportunity for me to practice all the movements of Haedong Kumdo in a very small space, to focus and concentrate.
With the Kimus, I have also found a way to come into contact with God and the natural energies, to perceive them, to feel them, and to experience them, in addition to prayers and meditation.

Through this inner balance, I perceive my environment and my counterpart much better, and I can place my negative energies and feelings in God's hands.


Written by Johannes Kuesel
Bonn (Germany), 03. February 2025

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Some comments by Me:

Your dedication to approaching the world with kindness, sincerity, and a heart free from anger is truly remarkable. This commitment not only brings you greater freedom and strength but also creates a positive impact on those around you.

Your journey of self-discovery and love through Kimu training is both inspiring and meaningful. Although this path may not always be easy, the growth and wisdom you will gain are undoubtedly worth every effort. I have great admiration for your perseverance and the depth of your reflections.

Please continue to move forward with an open and sincere heart. Your authenticity and commitment will not only transform you but also bring light and harmony to the world. I am confident that your journey will touch many lives, including your own, in profound and beautiful ways.

I wholeheartedly support you on this path and wish you continued strength, peace, and joy as you continue your practice and self-discovery.

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February 12, 2025
Jinyoung Ssangkum Ryu
Jeong Seong Kim