Here is an excerpt from my book, Seven Steps to Inner Power:
“When you honor a country’s flag, you honor the spirit of the nation. We could say that a flag is the face of the people, a symbol representing each individual who with many others form the spirit of the country. So, in the dojang, when you honor your country’s flag, or another person, you honor yourself and the self in others who create the nation.
And all gestures of courtesy and respect (such as bowing) honor the self in others in a most tangible and peaceful manner.
If you wish, you may regard your physical martial arts training as a comprehensive symbol of your life training. The mental and physical overcoming and strengthening that you demonstrate in the dojang represents the same overcoming in every other aspect of your life as well.
So, in martial arts training, we value symbols because it is a way to observe the real ideas the symbols represent.”