Rayners Lane Taekwon-do Academy

1. Be willing to go where the going may be tough & do things that are worth doing even though they may be difficult.

2. Be gentle to the weak & tough to the strong.

3. Be content with what you have in money & position but never in skills.

4. Always finish what you begin, be it large or small.

5. Be a willing teacher to anyone regardless of religion, race or ideology.

6. Never yield to repression or threat in pursuit of a noble cause.

7. Teach attitude & skill with action rather than words.

8. Always be yourself even though your circumstances may change.

9. Be the eternal teacher who teaches with the body when young, with words when old, and by moral precept even after death

The following text is taken from the Taekwon-do manual (known as
the bible of Taekwon-do) & was worded by General Choi, the founder
of Taekwon-do:

The ultimate purpose of Taekwon-do is to eliminate fighting by
discouraging the stronger's oppression of the weaker with a power
that must be based on humanity, wisdom, justice, morality & faith, thus helping to build a better & more peaceful world.

It is my sincere hope that through Taekwon-do anyone can garner enough strength to become a guardian of justice, to challenge social disunity & to cultivate the human spirit to the highest levels attainable. It is in this spirit, I am dedicating the art of Taekwon-do to the people of the world.

The philosophy of Taekwon-do is based on ethical, moral & spiritual standards by which men can live together in harmony, and its art patterns are inspired by the ideals & exploits of great men from Korean history. Korea's military & civil leaders who in nearly five thousand years of Korean history have never invaded their neighbour, yet who fought bravely & made great self-sacrifices to defend their homeland against enemies. I also include the names of patriots who willing gave up their lives to regain Korea's freedom & independence from the Japanese occupation.

Each Tul (pattern) of Taekwon-do expresses the thoughts & the actions of these great men, so the students of Taekwon-do must reflect the true intentions of those who name each tul bears. Therefore, under no circumstances should Taekwon-do be used for selfish, aggressive or violent purposes, either by an individual or group.I have set forth the following philosophy & guidelines which will be the cornerstone of Taekwon-do & by which all serious students of this art are encouraged to live by.