The Making of a Black Belt

         In his poem Salutation to the Dawn, the poet Kalidasa wrote: “the bliss of growth the glory of action, the splendor of beauty…”  This is how I view my Black Belt test, when I tested for my first Dan (degree).  It was a day where the actual testing is the glory of action.  It was the high point of many years of training.
September 21, 2007 was an unusually hot day for late September.  The air inside Unlimited Success Martial Arts was cooled by the air conditioner.  The training floor was neatly swept; the perimeter lined with chairs for the family and friends who would be watching the upcoming test.  The late afternoon sunlight streamed in through the freshly cleaned window, reflected on the mirrored wall which had encouraging words written on it by the instructors.  At the front of the room, where the examining board would be sitting, boxes filled with boards for breaking were stacked up against the wall.  The room was silent until the spectators arrived.  Belt candidates and higher ranked belts (Dans) gathered on the training floor in small groups, talking quietly and stretching. 
              Master St. James and Mr. McGee arrived at the dojang (school) at five fifty-eight p.m.  At six o’clock, they entered the training hall.  All the students were lined up, according to rank,          standing at ease.  Very little conversation took place as it had been stressed that we should remain quiet when Master St. James entered the room.  My heart fluttered as I saw them enter the dojang.  When Mr. Berger gave the command to come to attention and face the door  when  Master St. James and Mr. McGee entered the room I felt a bit nervous.  It was actually real!  I bowed in with the rest of the class after they had been seated.  Mr. McGee thanked Master St. James for attending the test.  A moment of silence followed for us to reflect on the coming test.  The only thought going through my head was, “I hope I don’t look like a fool!”.  Mr. M reminded all of us that this was OUR test. 
        All existing black belts lined up in the front row, followed by the black belt candidates.  The row I was standing in had me standing behind Mr. Brooks and in front of one of the kids. I believe I heard Mr. McGee say this was one of the largest belt tests our school had put on.  The room was packed with the candidates as well as the observers.  The youngster behind me swung wildly on every technique.  He appeared determined to have the highest kick and the hardest punches.  I was hard pressed to avoid being hit by his kicks!!
             Technique was the first hurdle to get over.  In the midst of kicks, punches and combination techniques, we were instructed to perform one hundred jumping jacks.  Each candidate had to count by tens as they jumped.  I managed to gasp out the count and kept up with the rest of the testing group.  I knew that in this trial, I would not be looked favorably upon if I stopped.  The jumping jacks were to test stamina.  Once the jumping jacks were completed, Mr. McGee called out a different technique.  I had very little time to get myself adjusted to the change.  I felt certain that I was going to trip and fall on my face at one point.  I looked at the stamina testing as a “rest period”. 
             Once the techniques were performed satisfactorily, each candidate performed a series of forms, which showcased the various techniques that had been previously demonstrated singularly.  The forms were fairly easy to me up until I got to one called “Bassai”.  It literally means “Fortress” and the movements were nothing short of a mental challenge.  I loved performing Bassai and the forms below it during class.  I stumbled several times, but didn’t stop, as Mr. McGee had warned me it would be unwise.  Once the Cho Dan Bos (Black Belt Candidates) demonstrated their knowledge of the forms, we were allowed to sit down while the Dans performed higher forms.  During this time, when we should have been observing, one of the younger candidates behind me was busy chatting with a companion.  I turned to him and asked him to please remember that we were testing and to show respect. 
             After the techniques had been completed, all candidates were sent off the floor to put on their sparring gear.  Grabbing my head piece, “hands” and “feet” (protection), I raced back into the room and sat down.  When the Dans finished their forms, all candidates were then allowed to stand up.  All candidates were arranged into sparring (fighting) formation for one-steps.  The one-step is another demonstration of how to evade a blow or a kick, while in turn defending oneself from such.  All one-steps were performed at the same time.   
             Ho Sin Sul (self-defense techniques) followed one-steps.  The Ho Sin Sul can be difficult.  It required falling at times in response to an opponent’s blows.  My partner, Holly, was unable to perform the falls correctly.  I had to perform defensive maneuvers, which meant falling.  During class, more than once, my instructors reminded me that I needed to fall on my forearms and slap out with my hands.  It really stings when you slap a floor with the full force of your weight!  Once the Ho Sin Sul was completed, we demonstrated the practical knowledge by sparring.  Sparring is a controlled fight, where each person attacks and defends as if they were in a street battle.  I am not a fan of sparring.  It’s my least favorite thing, but in order to get through this test, I had to spar.  I had to manage not to get hit by an opponent, while scoring hits on my partner.  Each match lasted about three to four minutes each.  My sparring partners were Susan T., Ben W., Holly and a couple of other people.  It was vastly different sparring in this situation.  I had to spar with Black Belts in addition to other candidates.
             Board breaking was the grand finale.  Prior to testing, we were to write down our breaks on an index card and give it to Mr. M.  I performed a front snap kick, elbow break, side kick, ridge hand (from above the board, straight down, hitting with the outside of my hand) and an axe kick (coming down on top of the board, using my heel to actually break the board).  I was able to break almost all of my boards on the first try.  The side kick tried to kick me back—I nearly fell when I broke that board, but I did it!  I felt immense satisfaction as my foot went through that board!
             Once testing was completed, all who tested lined up in belt-rank order.  As I listened  to Master St. James talk to the class about “spirit”, I was near tears.  He told us that we showed “incredible spirit during the test”.  Once                     
Master St. James finished speaking, we observed another moment of silence or “muk nyum”.  This was to allow us to reflect on the test and our performance.  Once we were released, we bowed out—first to Master St. James, then to the other black belt and finally Mr. McGee. We bowed to the second and third Dans and the first Dans who had tested with us.  At last, we turned and bowed to our parents and friends.  Once that was done, we were dismissed.
             I stayed around after the test to ask Mr. McGee and his son to sign the boards I’d broken.  Those are a symbol to me of my achievement.  When I think of “Salutation to the Dawn”, especially the lines “But today well lived makes every yesterday a dream of happiness and every tomorrow a vision of hope.  Look well, therefore, to this day!” I am reminded of the energy and the sense of accomplishment I feel from that punishing evening.  For four hours on September 21st, 2007, I believe “made every yesterday a dream of happiness”.    I truly feel that it was a case of “Look well, therefore, to this day!”