Taegeuk Il-Jang
First: Creativity and Constructive Energy
The Keon principle of Palgwe is embodied in the first of the Taegeuk form. This first form is symbolized by the concept of Heaven or the image of light. According to the I-Ching, there is the realm 0f Heaven, the realm of Earth, and the realm of man as the intermediary between the two. For the creative energy of Heaven to be made manifest on the Earth, it must be realized through the actions of human beings. Additionally, just as light reveals all creation, the Keon principle encourages us to create, construct, and discover more about the world and ourselves.
Keon Principle
Keon Principle
"First: Meaning Heaven"
Artist's Statement:
This poem was inspired by an idea in Richard Chun's Tae Kwon Do (1975) where he alludes to the fact that accepting martial arts as a journey is to accept your own mortality. The more you learn about the techniques of violence, the more you realize your own fragility. Acknowledging death is, therefore, the first step towards becoming enlightened. It's also one way to become more conscientious about human frailty as well as to understand the power you have over others. This form, to me, is about beginning to struggle with some of those realizations and it sets the stage for creating a new person from your former, less mature, self.