One United Mind and Body

In Tang Soo Do, we study many concepts, including the idea of Chung Shin Tong Il, which literally translates to One United Mind and Body.  This concept explores the value of concentration.  However, it looks at it from a different perspective relating to solving conflict within ourselves.

The central concept of Tang Soo Do is Moo Do, or Martial Way.  It represents the philosophy that we, as human beings, should strive to solve conflict internally, which will lead to peace in the outside world.  We use the 8 Key Concepts and 10 Articles of Faith to guide us in our training and in our daily lives. One United Mind and Body is one of the 8 Key Concepts.

By looking at the concept of Chung Shin Tong Il this way, it suggests that in order to concentrate, we have to have alignment between our mind and body.  This means no conflict between our spirit, intellect, and heart.

This is a tall order.  It requires dedication to personal growth and discipline over a long period of time.  In much the same way that financial investments work, building your personal presence and achieving peace requires time, energy, and sacrifice.  It also requires concentration over a long period of time. The key here is that we concentrate better when our hearts and minds are on the same page.  Having internal conflict makes it very difficult to concentrate on the things we need to accomplish externally.  Without clear internal guidelines, the external world becomes very cloudy, and creating sound decisions is, to say the least, challenging.

The other important element of Chung Shin Tong Il is the emphasis on the word body.  It suggests that we need to create a space in our lives where taking care of our bodies is more of a priority.  After all, we live in a country where our cars, houses, and bank accounts tend to be more important and take up more of our time than proper diet and exercise.  We all know what it’s like to be sick, and how our body ‘talks loudly’ to us when we are ill.  You may have noticed how difficult it is to concentrate when our bodies are in pain.

 Seek guidance from the people you trust and respect to help solve any internal conflicts you may have.  You can also find peace in exercise, a good book or conversation, or an afternoon at the park with your family.  Once these are put behind you, your ability to concentrate will improve because you will have Chung Shin Tong Il, a United Mind and Body.

All the best,

David Alvas