Healing Arts Center Chennai

The school

Black Belt Society

The black belts of the Healing Arts Center, Chennai — students who have walked the colour belts through to the end, and now hold the standard set out below.

The black belts of the Healing Arts Center, Chennai, with Master Thirumoorthy Gunasekaran at the centre
The Black Belt Society of the Healing Arts Center, Chennai, with Master Thirumoorthy Gunasekaran (centre).

Lineage

This school is in affiliation with the Healing Arts Center, Fremont, California, under Grand Master David Bell. Master Thirumoorthy is listed in that lineage’s Black Belt Society, alongside its black belts in the United States and India.

Black Belt Society at Fremont Tang Soo Do

What the belt means

Being a black belt, and wearing one

Written by Master Thirumoorthy Gunasekaran

I have been asked these questions many times, by different people who don’t know about karate.

  1. Is black belt the highest in karate?
  2. How many people can you fight?
  3. Can you break bricks, wood and so on?
  4. Will you be able to teach people?

People who have practised karate have a different set of questions, or opinions.

  1. How many push-ups or sit-ups can you do?
  2. How many forms or katas do you know?
  3. How many competitions have you participated in?

This small write-up is to clear those questions, with my understanding and my experience.

There is always a mystery about martial arts. Very few masters and grand masters have tasted the essence of it. Others got stuck with either their physical strength or their ego. Ego is like a virus, and it is never acceptable for a black belt.

The colour belts

Typically, in almost all styles of karate, new students start with a white belt. They have to practise consistently and sincerely for four to five years before reaching black belt level. The class gives a very nice structure to follow, and discipline to their character. In that process, their growth is measured at different belt levels.

Students go through seven or eight stages of growth before getting a black belt. Each level is denoted by a colour belt, which signifies the understanding, the experience of techniques, the overall balance of oneself, and the responsibility to maintain that knowledge and experience. An instructor or master measures the growth of the students at each level, and gives them the necessary inputs and training to grow to the next level.

In this process, the emotions, behaviour, and physical and mental stamina of the students are thoroughly tested and refined, to make them overall balanced human beings. This is the art of man-making, or character building, which helps the students to meet real life challenges with courage and clarity.

It is such a beautiful system, where the student knows each step of his or her growth.

Why it matters

Typically, in our academic education system, we train our intellect to understand and dissect things. Most of the time, we neglect our body and our emotions. Hence it leads to an imbalanced way of living. We remain handicapped if our emotions shoot up. We take pills if our body aches.

If we give proper awareness to our mind, body and spirit, we can eliminate most of these complications in our life. It will help us to understand who we are, rather than spending all our energy to prove to society how we are perceived. The profound sense of self-worth will flourish, and we can develop a deeper appreciation for life.

In our day-to-day life, most of the time we operate out of memory. Our minds are busy with something, and we don’t pay attention to what we do. This greatly affects the quality of our living. The art helps us to break this pattern, and keeps us real. Being real, and paying attention to life’s lessons, will help us to gain the wisdom in life. This wisdom is more precious, like a diamond, and it greatly enhances the quality of our living.

Master Thirumoorthy Gunasekaran (left) with two fellow black belts in the training hall at the Healing Arts Center, Fremont, California
Master Thirumoorthy (left) at the Healing Arts Center, Fremont, California.
Being a black belt and wearing a black belt are two different things.

Being a black belt will reflect in all walks of our life. It is a different calibre — a high class in character.

The character

Thirty-three marks of a black belt

Here are some of the composites of that character — what black belts are, in all walks of their life.

  1. They are very structured and disciplined.
  2. They stand up for themselves and for others.
  3. They always maintain a high level of respect for themselves and for others.
  4. They love and care for everybody. Their love is their own choice, and is not bound by other people’s behaviour.
  5. They are pretty committed to themselves and to their people.
  6. They see past people’s emotions, look for the best in them, and will try to bring that out.
  7. They see a real life situation as it is, without any emotion, and dissect it.
  8. They are strong and humble.
  9. They are truthful, honest and straightforward.
  10. They are very patient and tolerant.
  11. They carry themselves very well, with a high level of balance between mind, body and spirit.
  12. They are very attentive in all their actions and conversations.
  13. They choose not to live in fear or anger.
  14. They are aware of their emotions, and lead their life with a logical mind, in consciousness.
  15. They are unselfish, and always look for everybody to win in a situation.
  16. They keep themselves in a better place, and lift their people to a better place if those people wish to go there.
  17. They value integrity over money, status and position.
  18. They believe in themselves, and in existence.
  19. They always look forward to learning from people and from life.
  20. They remain strong, clear and positive in dealing with life’s challenges.
  21. They share their best, and wish the best to everybody.
  22. Their strength and their presence will comfort their people.
  23. They are unmoved within themselves, but can move at will.
  24. They are calm, serene and peaceful — but if the situation demands it, they will step up and deal with whatever it takes.
  25. They will not allow anybody to do any foolishness with their life. But they understand and accept people for who they are, and respect the choices others make for their own life.
  26. They are highly dependable and trustworthy.
  27. If they make a mistake, they will apologise and correct it as quickly as possible. They will not beat themselves up. Once they learn better, they will do better.
  28. They value their time, their energy and their life. They do not indulge in foolish or negative conversation.
  29. They do not give excuses. They get things done.
  30. They will not worry about the future. They stay disciplined and clear, and let life unfold.
  31. They will not allow anybody to question their existence in this world. They believe their existence is meaningful here.
  32. They will always appreciate what they have been given in their life.
  33. They always look at the big picture in life, and act accordingly.

Related

The path described here is the one Master Thirumoorthy walked himself, over twenty-eight years and four black belt degrees.

Read his story

Begin where you are

Every black belt started at white. Classes run Monday, Wednesday and Friday evenings in Thailavaram.

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