Article Advise

submitted: Apr 30th 2008 | by: KalynnAmadio | Total views: 4 | Word Count: 505 | |

Does the word art bring mortal combat to mind?

Probably not.

Martial arts have a softer side, an internal side that give them deep rooted philosophical stratum often not understood by non-artists. This is one of the reasons why it is an excellent idea for children to study martial arts.

Parents often believe that letting their child learn a martial art will somehow teach them to be more aggressive and apt to get into fights. The reality is exactly the opposite. There is a core philosophy in martial arts that is the reason why.

Many martial artists refer to their training in two parts. Observe the ancient Chinese symbol of yin/yang which visually tells a tale of everything having an opposite, like hot and cold, earth and heavens, fire and water.

The external side of martial arts is what you see on television and in the movies. It is the hard hitting, violent and sometimes deadly wielding of the power of the body to beat an opponent into submission. But that's Hollywood.

A martial art is never, never taught only at its external, physical root. As with the yin-yang, the martial arts are surrounded by philosophical underpinnings of peace and harmony that form the internal, mental root. Specifically, internal martial arts study embraces the philosophy of Consequentialism or "right action."

The philosophy of Consequentialism is a moral value that says producing the right consequences is the highest calling any person has. Since all actions produce results, martial artists practice choosing the right action. They believe it is their duty to try and always choose the right action to bring the best consequences for the benefit of mankind.

Nearly all martial arts share origins in Asian nations where Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism began. It's not surprising that martial arts instruction adapts itself to the core philosophies of these teachings. These ideals require great patience, insight and acceptance of others.

An ancient Korean proverb states, "Peace within the individual brings peace within the family; peace in the family brings peace in the community; peace in the community, peace in the country and peace throughout the world." as translated by author Doug Cook. It's easy to understand the idea that choosing the "right action" can have a phenomenal affect to not just the individual but eventually the world.

And yet, Consequentialism is just one of the internal philosophical roots of the martial arts. There are different types of kicks and stances, punches and blocks that form external martial arts. Likewise, there are many parts and variations to the internal martial arts.

Children who receive martial arts instruction learn the physical actions of self defense that build strength and increase flexibility. They become more confident and begin to absorb the philosophical ideals of good citizenship. As they learn to know the "right action" combined with this increased confidence, they become fundamentally better decision makers. It becomes apparent that defense is no longer a concern because they know how to avoid the situations that would need defending.

Suddenly, peace throughout the world no longer seems unreachable.

About the Author

Kalynn Amadio is a 3rd degree black belt in tae kwon do. Before starting your child in martial arts, see her website for more on Consequentialism and Kids Taekwondo lessons. Tae kwon do is for the whole family. You can get a unique content version of this article from the Uber Article Directory.

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