The Philosophy of Hapkido

Hapkido was founded by Grandmaster Yong Sul Choi (1904 – 1986), who returned to Korea after World War II, having lived in Japan for 30 years.  It is believed in the post Japanese colonial period of Korea that Grandmaster Choi and his prominent students Seo Bok-Seob, Ji Han-Jae, Kim Moo-Hong, Myung Jae-Nam and Myung Kwang-Sik all contributed to the birth of modern Hapkido.

The philosophy of this Korean martial art can be explained in the translation of “Hap-ki-do”:

合 hap means "coordinated" or "joining"  

氣 ki describes internal energy, spirit, strength, or power; body & mind coordination

道 do means "way" or "art"

It is most often translated as “the way of coordinating energy”, “the way of coordinated power” or “the way of harmony through body and mind coordination”.   The cornerstone of the Hapkido philosophy is the concept of balance through “full circle wholeness” ~ mental, physical and spiritual. 

The mental aspect refers to the mind, to emotion and thought (choices).  The physical aspects refer to the physical body.  The spiritual aspect has no religious meaning, rather refers to using your opponents “energy” against them, applying physics by using circular movements; spiritual also refers to the person, who you are.

The keys to achieving balance in the three aspects above can be seen in the three principles of Hapkido:

• Non resistance ("Hwa", 화 or 和) → (화 Hwa  和 Harmony)
• Circle principle ("Won", 원 or 圓) → (원 Weon  圓 Circle)
• The Water/Flexible principle ("Yu", 유 or 柳) → (유 Yu 流 Flow)

Theory of Hwa – Physics/Non-Resistance, Harmony

The most important element one should strive to achieve through their training is Harmony.  The learning of Hapkido is accomplished through the continuous creation of harmony between mind, body, techniques, and environment.  

Every technique learnt through Hapkido training has its own special 'control center' inside the brain.  Each time we perform a technique, connections are made between the brain and the muscles which control the movements of the technique. We practice what we are shown countless times so that our body and mind will eventually act as one unit in response to a confrontation.  Practice is the key to ensuring your mind has "learned" a new technique, as well as the body.

The next requirement, after one achieves harmony within himself, is to harmonize with one's opponent.  The Hapkido student will find it quite easy to control the movements and energy of an opponent when they accomplishing this harmony.  The words "non-resistance" are often substituted for harmony in defining the theory of Hwa.  Non-resistance is simply the act of remaining relaxed and not directly opposing an opponent's strength.  For example, if an opponent were to push against a Hapkido student's chest, rather than resist and push back, the Hapkido student would avoid a direct confrontation by moving in the same direction as the push and utilizing the opponent's oncoming force to fuel the defending motion to throw him, acting in a circular manner.

Following this, learning to harmonize with one's environment is the next stage. The final task is blending the harmony that one has developed with himself, his opponent, and the environment, with that of the techniques.

Theory of Won – Geometry, Circle

As discussed in the theory of Hwa, Hapkido does not meet an opponent's force with direct force.  Instead, in Hapkido, an oncoming force is met in a circular motion, deflecting it, so as to minimize its effect.  Therefore, the force ends up being redirected back onto the opponent against himself.  We should think of this circle as a form of least resistance; always moving (active), and therefore difficult to hold or grasp.  A circle represents the perfect geometric figure.  Every person has his or her own circle that we seek to protect, otherwise known as "private space."  An opponent's attack should be met with a graceful, circular defensive motion.  

The Hapkido student learns to view an attacker as an "energy entity" rather than as a physical entity.  The bigger the person is, the more energy a person has, and the better it is for the Hapkido student.

Immediate advantages are gained in several ways because the student of Hapkido chooses to deflect an attack in a circular manner.  

1. Injuries are less likely to occur to the defender when the attack is not met squarely.  
2. The defender sets up the opponent for a powerful, nearly unavoidable, counter-attack.  
3. The opponent’s balance, the very thing he needs most, is destroyed.  
4. The opponent’s body position is controlled so as to allow the defender the option of a much more devastating, continuous, circular combination of counter-techniques.

During joint manipulations, the circle theory is applied by bluffing the attacker into a motion that is overcome by the defenders counter-circular force.

Theory of Yu – Water, Flow, Flexible

The last principle of Hapkido is the theory of Yu – the concept that Hapkido displays similar properties to that of water.  Both are “soft” in that they do not rely on physical force alone, and exhibit tremendous patience and adaptability.  Both are free flowing, and have principles of conformity.

If a stream comes upon a rock in its downhill flow, it merely goes around it.  If this rock is too large for the water to go around, the water will be patient, collecting until it rises to a level which allows it to flow over or around this obstruction.  Similarly, as we "go with the flow" in the execution of our techniques in Hapkido, when we are pushed, we pull; when we are pulled, we push. In comparing an opponent’s defences to this rock in the stream example, it should be noted that although the water can simply flow over or around the obstruction, it also eventually permeates every pore and completely engulfs the obstacle.  This type of counter-attacking 'mind-set' is practiced in Hapkido through the very nature of the techniques and combinations which we train with every day.  Although this is a demonstration of a keen ability to adapt, it is important to realize water never changes itself.  The Hapkido practitioner must learn to adapt in this same way.

"As the flowing stream penetrates and surrounds its obstructions and as dripping water eventually penetrates the stone, so does the Hapkido strength flow in and through its opponents."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hapkido#Principles