In the martial arts, the most mysterious and controversial subject is whether
the phenomenon known as ki power (internal energy) actually exists. Is the search
for ki power a hopeless journey, much like Ponce de Leon's fruitless quest for
the "Fountain of Youth," or the Cursaders' endless search fo the Holy
Grail? Or, could it be that ki power has simply not yet been discovered by mortal
men?
The search for ki power might as well begin with the art of hwarang-do. In the
following interview with hwarang-do grandmaster Dr. Joo Bang Lee, one discovers
the path attaining maximum human potential. Lee, one of the foremost authorities
on the development of ki power, has dedicated his life to the propagation and
advancement of the ancient Korean martial and healing art of hwarang-do.
Black Belt: Is ki power fact or fiction?
Dr. Joo Bang Lee: Ki power is invisible and cannot be seen, and what
we cannot see, we usually do not believe. However, some of the most important
things in our lives are those which have no shape or form, but still exist as
a major driving force. Ki exists in all living things as it sustains life and
maintains movement of matter.
BB: What exactly is ki, then?
Lee: At the beginning of the universe, there was nothingness, and in
this nothingness, there was ki-pure energy. As ki began to move, it developed
two polar dichotomies, um and yang. To every element, there is
an equal opposing element: um ki-invisibility, black, female, darkness, moon;
and yang ki-visibility, white, male, brightness, sun. As these opposing energies
moved faster, it created noise, then color. Ultimately, at its fastest speed,
it created matter. The matter was divided into five elements: wood, metal, fire,
water, and earth. As ki moves and controls the elements in the universe, so
does it also control those in the human body. The human body is a small microcosm
of the universe and is governed by the same laws. Ki is the invisible force
which gives us the power for mobility and intellectuality. It is the life-force
which dwells in all human beings and all other living creatures on Earth.
BB: Does ki power work through faith or belief?
Lee: Not so much in the sense of religon, but belief is crucial in developing
ki power. The belief or confidence in one's physical ability is important in
developing shin ki (mental power), which is necessary in order to achieve
a balance.
BB: Are there different kinds of ki power?
Lee: Well, I guess you can call it different, but in essence it is really
one which serves to develop different aspects of our human potentials. There
are three points in the human body which generates ki power: sang dan jun
- the point between the eyes called in dang where shin ki is developed;
joong dan jun - the point where jung ki (physical ki power) is
developed called dan joong; and ha dan jun, where yuk ki
is cultivated and divided into three points: ki hae (ki ocean), kwan
won (the best), and suk moon (stone gate).
BB: What is dan jun, and what is its importance?
Lee: Dan jun is often known as the "red field" which lies three
inches below the naval. Its importance lies in the fact that matter (yu)
was created for nothingness (moo). In order to understand the significance
of this, we must go back to the conception of human life. The egg (negative
force) and the sperm (positive force) are created by jung ki and unified into
a single being which creates a new human being. It is a fact that the egg always
lodges itself at the same point every time, where it remains until it is born
as a human. This point is one of the points of dan jun. The first thing a fertilized
egg develops is an umbilical cord which attaches to the mother. Through this
umbilical cord, the fetus receives nutrients and energy from the mother for
the next nine months. This is how the baby receives ki from the mother. After
nine months in the mother's womb, the baby comes out to the external world and
the first thing it does is take in air. This clears out the baby's lungs and
starts ki circulaion. The most important thing in the universe is air, which
develops ki internally in man. As we grow to be adults, we all forget the importance
of our belly button. The dan jun was the point in which energy entered to give
us life, and it maintains its importance as it continues to be the umbilical
cord to the universe. In order to have a healthy and strong body, one must increase
the level of ki through the utilization of the dan jun, which works as a manufacturer
of ki power.
BB: What would be the ideal state for the
development of ki power, or what goal should one try to realize?
Lee: The ultimate goal is to unify the three different dan jun as one,
where all three areas are equal. If we were to say that we all possess 100-percent
potential ki power, in our life span we only utilize 30-40 percent of it. However,
some are born with more ki power than others; an intelligent man might be physically
weak, just as a physically strong man might be mentally weak. Most people have
an imbalance, and the goal for every person should be to try to create a balance
between the three points of ki development: sang dan jun, joong dan jun, and
ha dan jun. When one has attained this level, we call it sam we il chae.
BB: How long does it take for one to acheive
this level of ki power?
Lee: It is different for every person, but it usually takes three months
to three years.
BB: If that is so, there must be many people
who have attained this advanced level of ki power.
Lee: No, there are not that many who are at this level. One must follow
a rigorous plan of ki power development exercises. Attaining sam we il chae
is only the beginning; it is necessary for enhancing the intensity of ki power.
BB: When this level is attained, what are
some of the things one is capable of?
Lee: This level is a means to realizing the maximum physical and mental
potentials of the individual. The things one can do are almost endless. Physically,
one would be three-to-five times stronger than normal, have better stamina and,
mentally, one's level of awareness and confidence will increase drastically.
BB: How does one know when one has acheived
this level in training?
Lee: One should not expect to change physiologically, but one will change
mentally as well as physically. One will feel better, stronger, and healthier.
BB: In what ways can one know that he or
she has progressed in ki level?
Lee: That is what demonstrations are for. It is an external, visible
way to test one's ki power.
BB: What kind of ki power "tests"
can one perform?
Lee: After one has attained sam we il chae, one can test himself
in the following four areas: kyung ki (lightness)- being able to jump
higher, land softer, quickness and speed; jung ki (heaviness)- being
heavy so that one cannot be picked up or thrown; chul ki (hardness)-
being able to make any part of the body hard as steel; and ma ki (numbness)-
being able to control pain so that one can perform under great strain and gain
extraordinary powers.
BB: How does one go about increasing one's
level of ki power?
Lee: There are four different ways to increase one's level of ki power:
dan jun ho hup bop - breathing exercises; yak cha/yak ki - herbal
medicine (hwarang-do believes that if one has the ability to kill or maim, one
should also know how to save and cure); soo cha/soo ki - drinking water
while one exercises breathing techniques; and chul cha/chul ki - taking
proper amounts of minerals.
BB: What are some of the specific ki-developing
techniques one can practice?
Lee: The most applicable and simple exercises are dan jun ho hup bop.
These are divided into two categories: um-jung (passive ki power development
exercises), and yang-dong (active ki power development exercises). There
are five meditative positions in accordance with the five elements in the universe-wood,
steel, fire, water, earth. All of these um-jung exercises must be done by concentrating
on shin ki and breathing through the nose deep into the lower dan jun and not
so much into the lungs. While one is breathing, the dan jun and the anus must
be held tight. There are two ways to breathe: breathing in for five seconds,
holding for five seconds, and breathing out for five seconds; and breathing
in for five seconds and breathing out for five seconds. One can increase the
time cycles all the way up to ten seconds or more. These different positions
help to develop the correlating organs in the body. The difference between um
ki power development and yang ki power development is that in the latter, one
must tighten the entire body from the fingertips to the toes. There are many
types of active ki power development: jung myun bal ki - it develops
jung ki (whole body), which will enhance ta ryuk (hitting power);
sa myun bal ki - it too develops jung ki, which promotes ta ryuk; sang
boo bal ki - it develops joong ki (heaviness); ha boo bal ki
- it develops kyung ki (lightness); pyung myun bal ki - this will
help to develop ma ki (numbness) to endure and control pain; and gi
boo bal ki - this will develop wrist strength and knife hands. There are
also ki power exercises especially for kyuk pa (breaking) techniques.
The things to remember when practicing breaking are: the easiest break is when
one strikes the board or brick; and the most dangerous technique is pak sul
(breaking with the head).
BB: When is it best to practice these ki
power development exercises?
Lee: When the sun is red; either sunrise or sunset.
BB: What feats have you accomplished through
your ki power?
Lee: I have done numerous things, but let me first explain the different
kinds of ki power demonstrations: jung do - this is the "right way"
or "straight way" which is the demonstration of ki after proper training
and time for maturation; as sa sul, which are tricks for the eyes. These
demonstrations might seem impressive, but people who do not train properly will
end up suffering long-term injuries which will surface later in their lives.
It is very important that one first receives proper training in any aspect of
ki power development before attempting to perform any power demonstrations.
I was the first one in the United States to cut five watermelons on five people
while blindfolded. I remember a time when a Japanese instructor was trying to
copy my demonstration and ended up cutting his student almost in half. Other
examples of sa sul are gluing broken boards and bricks together and breaking
them over again; breaking ice blocks which are stacked high with large spaces
in between them, making it almost as easy as breaking one block of ice; and
breaking bottle necks which have been slightly precut.
BB: Is this all there is to it? If one follows
this path, will he or she attain the desired level of ki power?
Lee: By no means is the quest for knowledge and betterment a finite endeavor.
The study of ki power is the most important aspect of martial arts training,
and most instructors today overlook it significance. However, I try to teach
my students the importance of ki power development for maintaining their health
and realizing their maximum human potential. If one desires to truly grow in
this aspect of the martial arts, then finding the right master is the "key."
