Pay Attention

Prior to being a student at Jung SuWon Academy of Martial Arts, and prior to being a student of Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, I just lived each day as it came.  I really didn't think much about what was going on.  I just got up, and faced each day as it came.  Whether things were good or bad, and I never questioned anything.  If I felt like doing something, I would just do it.  I would call friends that of similar thinking and we would hang out together.  I wasn't shaping my world.  I was more or less, just existing, and letting outside forces determine my destiny.  I didn't have any direction, and I went any direction the wind was blowing.

I really respect Dr. Tae Yun Kim.  As I read about her life and her challenges growing up in a 3rd world country, during the Korean War, and being born into the Asian culture as a girl, I feel like I had it very easy.  Probably too easy.  The hardships and challenges she faced, help to mold her into who she is today.  She is very successful, brilliant, a great teacher, and yet has a large loving heart.

When I first met her, I was just dust in the wind.  But as I studied under her guidance, and she showed me I had great potential and abilities.  I didn't know my potential, and I didn't know how to realize that potential.  First I had to add some discipline and structure to my life.  I started training in the martial arts regularly.  I started to feel stronger and healthier.  She constantly pumped us with positive energy and positive thoughts, like, that we can accomplish many great things in our life, if we only believe, and go for it.  We regularly shouted out after each class, "He can do, She can do, Why not me!".  After a while it started to sink in.

She also taught us to meditate.  She often pointed out to us what would happen if we didn't take showers regularly.  Why do you shower, she would ask?  And after some thought, we would realize that if we didn't shower, we would smell, and be covered with dirt and bugs, and it would be a grave health concern.  So we shower regularly because it is good for us, but what about our minds, Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim would ask? When and how do you wash your minds?  I never thought about that.  Wow, what have I been missing all this time?  What kind of gunk have I been collecting?  I never even thought about washing my mind.  But as I learned more and more about it, and as I practiced meditating regularly for months and months, I started to gain a greater awareness of the world around me, its influences, and my inner dialog.

Great Grandmaster's powerful message to us, was to pay attention.  Pay attention to your surroundings.  How are they effecting your thoughts and feelings?  Are you surrounding yourself with things that generate good and positive thoughts?  or negative and ugly thoughts.
What about the people you surround yourself with.  Are they helping you to support you with positive energy, or are they holding you back?  Or worse yet, are they a negative influence on your life?  So Dr. Tae Yun Kim would say "Pay Attention".  That is part of one of the Seven Steps To Inner Power, called "Truth". So by paying attention, you can discover the truth about what is affecting you, either good or bad.  Only then can you do something about it.

Thank you Great Grandmaster Tae Yun Kim, for you incredible teachings and guidance.  These things have had a great positive effect on my life.  I am now very happy and successful.
With appreciation and honor, your student.  :)  Jung Su!