Dear Master, Instructors, Black Belts, and Fellow Students, Last Saturday’s black belt test was a remarkable event to close out 2024, a testament to the hard work and dedication each of us has committed to our journeys. This occasion is truly a celebration of everyone’s commitment and growth.
Having participated in countless tests alongside Master Ron, Rusty, and Kha, I’ve come to recognize what truly stands out and what I’ve been seeking all along. While precise techniques and forms are vital, my focus goes beyond physical performance.
Just as a battle’s end may define victory or defeat, a test’s outcome might determine whether you pass or fail. But is that my focus? Absolutely not. I am not bound by winning or losing, passing or failing. Instead, I search for what is born out of the practice of karate—something deeper.
As love arises from a living body, spirit emerges from both movement and stillness. The spirit I seek is one rooted in authenticity, originality, freedom, and independence. Some might question whether it’s fitting for testing students to convey this spirit through their actions, while Masters embody it through their presence and observation.
Could this balance represent Yin and Yang—opposing yet perfectly harmonious? True balance, after all, requires neither extremity nor critique.
I’d like to thank Master Ron and Kha and the rest of the support staff for making the last test as meaningful as it can be.
Congratulations to:
Stephen Pham - Black Belt
Sarah Nguyen - First Degree back belt.
I wish both of you find the depth of your knowledge and experience through self-improvement and slow and deep breathing as Silki (Sieu-Khi) has named them.
I remain,
Master Thinh Nguyen