Category Blog That Sacred Place - The Dojang
| That Sacred Place - The Dojang |
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| Written by Ma'am Tina |
| Monday, 12 January 2009 21:18 |
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For serious students of Hapkido the Dojang will become your second home, your home away from home, and in some cases, maybe more like your first home than your actual home - a sanctuary, an island, a place of peace and calm in a hectic world. When you enter through the Dojang door, you leave all your cares and troubles outside, for in the Dojang you are not a builder or a teacher, you're not a lawyer or a high-school student, in the Dojang you are a student of Hapkido just like everyone else around you, with no status except the one you earn by training hard and progressing through the belt ranks. Whether your Dojang is simply a floor, ceiling and 4 walls, or a modern school with mats, full length mirrors and change rooms, the Dojang will become a place of special significance to you, increasingly so as you progress through your training. One of the traditions of the Dojang is that the place be kept immaculate. The Dojang is a sacred place, and what makes it special is the hard work and respect of the students who train and sweat there, day after day, year after year. Even the newest student will usually sense how special the Dojang is, and you will often see new students together with more senior students cleaning the mirrors or vacuuming on a Saturday after class. This is a great lesson in humility and also shows respect for your Dojang. Before entering the Dojang, make sure you take off your shoes. Everyone from the newest student to the highest ranked Black Belt instructor shows his or her respect for the Dojang by taking off their shoes. Once your shoes are off, and before entering the Dojang, make sure you bow to the Dojang as a show of respect for your place of training. Also remember to bow when exiting through the Dojang door. Inside the Dojang you will notice that one of the walls is covered with flags: the Korean Flag on the right, the Australian flag on the left and the AHG flag in the middle. Before stepping on the mats you must bow to the flags as a sign of respect for the country of Hapkido's origin, the country we live in, and the organisation we are members of and train under. If you are unsure of the bowing protocol, speak to a senior student or the instructor who will be more than happy to explain the rules to you. |
| Last Updated on Tuesday, 20 January 2009 13:30 |