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darren_strangerEarlier this year, i visited a different taekwondo club for a technical seminar. It's always interesting to see how they do things differently in other clubs. At this place, they have a practise of reciting the old 'taekwondo oath' before the class, which goes like this:
"I will always give respect and loyalty to the Association, the instructors and my club. I will endeavour to maintain a high standard of physical fitness and develop my character and personal integrity. I will approach others in a spirit of friendship and heed social ethics at all times."
Despite the stuffy wording and parochial tone of some bits, there are some good principles in there. One bit that particularly stood out to me was the part about "character and personal integrity", as good words to describe my thoughts on the way trying to live with a bit of honesty and ethics often seems to be equated as some kind of weakness, when in fact it's actually more about strength of character and integrity, which is the type that really counts (see also my 'dishonesty' rant from the early days of this journal).
It got me thinking (just for a change) about my own values, and what i aspire to. i decided on an adaptation for my own version, which at the moment goes something like this:
"I will always give respect by default and loyalty where deserved. I will endeavour to improve upon weaknesses, learn from mistakes and develop my character and personal integrity. I will try to make a difference where possible, live my life by my standards and refuse to feel ashamed for it. I will approach others in the spirit of friendship and consider courtesy and ethics at all times. "
May develop with time, but it'll do for starters.
And if you don't like it, you can get f***ed. :)
"I will always give respect and loyalty to the Association, the instructors and my club. I will endeavour to maintain a high standard of physical fitness and develop my character and personal integrity. I will approach others in a spirit of friendship and heed social ethics at all times."
Despite the stuffy wording and parochial tone of some bits, there are some good principles in there. One bit that particularly stood out to me was the part about "character and personal integrity", as good words to describe my thoughts on the way trying to live with a bit of honesty and ethics often seems to be equated as some kind of weakness, when in fact it's actually more about strength of character and integrity, which is the type that really counts (see also my 'dishonesty' rant from the early days of this journal).
It got me thinking (just for a change) about my own values, and what i aspire to. i decided on an adaptation for my own version, which at the moment goes something like this:
"I will always give respect by default and loyalty where deserved. I will endeavour to improve upon weaknesses, learn from mistakes and develop my character and personal integrity. I will try to make a difference where possible, live my life by my standards and refuse to feel ashamed for it. I will approach others in the spirit of friendship and consider courtesy and ethics at all times. "
May develop with time, but it'll do for starters.
And if you don't like it, you can get f***ed. :)
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no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 03:59 am (UTC)All true and good. But how does one "Develop" one's integrity? I mean, you can Retain it, and possibly Regain it if you've misplaced it . . . but generally speaking, your integrity would be something you'd most be concerned to Defend.
Proactive integrity, anyone?
no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 04:32 am (UTC)Depends on how you're using the word.
If you take it in terms of honesty and staying true to principles, that's something that takes work to get the hang of. Being self-serving and slimy takes no strength of character.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 04:42 am (UTC)To say that integrity cannot be developed prevents people of low integrity from learning and becoming nicer people. I'm sure that many people don't do this, but it doesn't mean that they can't.
I think it's a really important part of the oath, to be honest.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 04:07 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 05:11 am (UTC)i know the name. One of the agp folk?
no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 07:14 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 04:21 am (UTC)j/k - Tis a good oath to stand by.
no subject
Date: 2004-08-20 04:34 am (UTC)Philosophy
Date: 2004-08-20 11:23 pm (UTC)I want to get the symbol tatooed at some time because it means so much to me.
Another thing I decided a few years ago was that I am not going to 'decide' on my spiritual views (other than a basic karma, Mother Earth view) because it shouldn't be a decision. So many people have it down pat already. Not that there is anything wrong with that - just a different approach. But I think it should be open, as you grow and change. Or maybe that's just an excuse coz I haven't thought about it enuff, and need to go read some Nietsche! (sp?)
Speaking of which, how is your not-quite-happy-with tattoo going? Have you had any rework done on the leaves??
Re: Philosophy
Date: 2004-08-22 06:27 am (UTC)Interesting idea with the spiral - i can sort of see how it works, though i'll have to think more on it to get my head around it.
Not deciding 100% on your views is a good idea, one reason why organised dogmas like Christianity or Marxism don't appeal to me - no room to change opinions on anything other than interpretations. Plus i'm always sceptical of anything that promises all the answers in one neat package. i do tend to have 'general' views on things that i don't expect to change, though i guess i'm open to even that if a better idea comes along (hopefully it wouldn't be something that i'd had tattood though).
i did have a little more work done to that tattoo - just a little colour on the shade of the ankh (the shadow highlighted in red to recreate an effect when it was first done and the shading bit was red and irritated). Not much can be done with the leaves, but this has made it at least a little 3D and reduced the 'flattening' effect of their re-drawing.
Congraulations on the new flat. Are you all settled in and rested?
Re: Philosophy
Date: 2004-08-23 12:10 am (UTC)From someone's sig in Holisticat Digest this morning
"If you can see your path laid out in front of you step by step, you
know it's not your path. Your own path you make with every step you
take. That's why it's your path."
- --Joseph Campbell
Now, if my books weren't in a complete mess, and I had only unpacked about 4 boxes anyway so far, I could scrounge through the Wiccan ones (not that I particularily claim to be a Wiccan), from which I probably got the Spiral Symbol philosophy, and explain it properly, so you understood better. Then again, the gods know where it came from.
The movers considerately stacked all the boxes of books very neatly in front of the backroom power point, so apart from power in that room currently running on a lead from the lounge for the moment, I am nicely settled, thankyou.
Still stuff to do, but daily living has been enabled.