Taekwondo poomsae is composed of the connected series of a man or woman’s motion. Comparing its component motions to human skin, we can also conceive of the muscles and sinews that fill such skin or the skeleton that gives it support and structure. No living body can be composed of skin alone without flesh and frame. That which corresponds to flesh or skeleton is called either “Sseuim-sae” or “Sseuim-nal” , or more briefly, Sae or Nal.

Sseuim-sae is the technique or method of subduing the opponent with a protective movement, i.e. the principle of organizing motion in poomsae. This is the underlying meaning and mission of each motion in poomsae. Just as a knife’s blade must be sharp if it is to cut, the motion of poomsae requires power if it is to fell and suppress the opponent as you perform the motions in the way of Sseuim-sae. This power is Sseuim-nal. Though you learn poomsae, unless you know its Sae you can neither use your skilled motion nor think of using them when needed. Unless you have Nal in your poomsae you will fail to fell or subdue the opponent, even if you succeed in hitting your target. Although you practice and make a series of similar motions, unless you have Sseuim-sae or Sseuim-nal, it cannot be poomsae. Though a balloon may be shaped to resemble a man it cannot be one.

Ultimately it is the Taekwondo-Een’s mind that controls the motions of poomsae, full of both Sseuim-sae and Sseuim-nal. Since Sseumin-sae, Sseuim-nal and mind correspond to the Samjae (three materials) of Haneul (Heaven), Tang (Earth) and Saram (Man) respectively, every motion achieves perfection when comprised of these three. In this manner, every Taekwondo movement, which constitutes the perfect poomsae, never veers from the three ways of Haneul, Tang and Saram. Thus, each motion of a skilled man includes the harmony of center, rhythm, breath and meaning, impressing observers with its natural beauty, while an unskilled man can only imitate its appearance without achieving its meaningful motions. The perfection of the complete motion reaches even to the harmony of an art form, and this is why we call the perfect martial skill Muyae, reflected in the English term “martial art”. .

Because Taekwondo and art are thus related, it is only natural that in its essence poomsae resembles dance. For this reason the best dance is smooth, powerful and energetic without losing its flexibility. It sometimes reveals knots and linked strong and sharp movements, at other times demonstrating a smooth and graceful flow. In the same manner, Taekwondo poomsae is not only strong and sharp but also smooth, rhythmical and energetic when performed in the correct manner and with meaning. What then is dance and what Taekwondo?

Dance and Taekwondo can be the same because there is a non-distinctive Do behind what we know as distinctively dance and Taekwondo. This non-distinctive Do alone is what makes their distinction possible. The Do of both dance and Taekwondo is that of motion. Further, center, rhythm, breath and meaning all have their inner Do. Do is one and has neither part nor entirety, it is the shapeless form behind all. Thus, each thing when perfect makes all the others complete in its perfection, while if but one is faulty the whole fails. Everything has Do while nothing is Do.