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The Taeguek and Um and Yang instruct us that life is cyclical (no beginning and no ending). It is the continuous and energetic alternation of opposites (sky and earth, man and woman, light and darkness, good and evil and so on).
This is the philosophical dimension and rationale for the colors of the ranking belts (white, yellow, green, blue, red and black). These represent the cycle of life of animals and plants (birth, growth, maturity and death). Thus, death is not an ending, but another beginning. The cycle repeats itself, never ending and so has generated all the phenomena of man and the universe.
Listed below is the Philosophy behind each Belt Color:
White Belt: White light gives the appearance of purity and brilliance, but when directed through a prism, we can see that it is composed of all the colors of the spectrum.
Therefore, it is the beginner whose vision is pure and immaculate. When this vision is directed through the prism of training with sincerity and consciousness efforts, we can see the essence of his/her potential. The White Belt student is the seed hidden beneath the winter’s snow.
Yellow Belt: This represents the warmth of the winter’s sun that melts the winter’s snow and allows the seed to germinate. This is the birth of conscious and purposeful action.
Green Belt: This is the color of the sprout and represents the spring when growth and activity flourish.
Blue Belt: This is the color of the heaven toward which the plant matures into a towering tree. It is symbolic of truth and dignity of purpose as we progress in our Tae Kwon Do training.
Red Belt: This color represents the summer’s sun that overheats with the intensity of the flowering arts.
Black Belt: This is the color of mastery. No color added to this color can change or improve it. This completes a cycle that is now begun again.
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