Shim Gum Do - Mind Sword Path

The Way of Clear Mind, Clear Thinking and Clear Action

Shim Gum Do - Mind Sword Path


THE WAY OF CLEAR MIND, CLEAR THINKING AND CLEAR ACTION

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Shim Gum Do Founding Master

Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim, was born in South Korea in 1944. When he was thirteen met his teacher Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee. He gave young Zen Master Kim a koan. "A great Zen Sword Master saw the reflection of the moon in a pool of water. He drew out his sword and cut the reflection in half and the two halves separated. How is this possible?" Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee told Zen Master Kim that he could find out the answer to the koan and attain martial art enlightenment if he came to live at his temple and follow his teachings. Following this meeting, Zen Master Kim entered the Hwa Gye Sa temple in Seoul, Korea. At the temple, Zen Master Kim's days were filled with practice. The Dharma was taught through the experiences of the daily life of the temple. Zen Master Kim's temple work of cleaning and cooking symbolized the importance of clearing the mind, taking care of the basic necessities of life and not wasting food or energy. Throughout practicing and working, Zen Master Chang Sik Kim always kept the seed that he would one day attain martial art enlightenment. When Zen Master Kim was 21, his teacher sent him on a 100 day meditation retreat. During this retreat the art of Shim Gum Do was revealed to Zen Master Kim through his meditation and he attained Mind Sword enlightenment.

In 1971, Shim Gum Do Founding Master Zen Master Chang Sik Kim officially introduced Shim Gum Do with the Proclamation of Shim Gum Do. This proclamation is the doctrinal explanation of Shim Gum Do, the Mind Sword Path as a Zen Buddhist practice and path. Zen Master Kim established the Korean Shim Gum Do Association and began teaching Shim Gum Do in Korea. In 1974, Zen Master Kim came to the United States and began teaching Shim Gum Do. In 1978 he established the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association and in 1991 he established the World Shim Gum Do Association unifying all of the worldwide Shim Gum Do Associations.

Currently Zen Master Chang Sik Kim lives and teaches at his temple Shim Gwang Sa, the Mind Light Temple in Brighton, Massachusetts. Zen Master Kim is also accomplished in other Zen arts - the art of calligraphy and of poetry - through which he continues to express the power of the moment. He is a published author of several books: 18 Poetry books that have been translated into six languages and "The Art of Zen Sword, A History of Shim Gum Do" and "The First Star Black Belt Forms of Shim Gum Do Zen Sword, The Manual of Course Material from White to First Star Black Belt."

In 2014, Zen Master Kim was awarded the 2014 International PEN Korean Center's Special Literature Award.  Please Visit our Books Page for a full listing.

Shim Gum Do is an embodiment of Zen and Martial Arts. Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim began formal Zen study and practice by entering the Hwa Gye Sa in Seoul, Korea under the tutelage of Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee at a young age. After several years of practice, Zen Master Chang Sik Kim underwent a retreat, to attempt to achieve enlightenment.

What is enlightenment? To speak in words of something is not the thing itself. 'Enlightenment' is the great Zen experience of attaining the state of all knowing, of elevating the consciousness, of perceiving beyond the senses and the self, attaining complete emptiness, becoming one with all. During this retreat, the forms of Shim Gum Do were revealed to Zen Master Chang Sik Kim through his elevated state and he ultimately attained Mind Sword enlightenment. Zen Master Chang Sik Kim has brought to life a new art form which transcends the traditional forms of Zen and martial arts by bringing together the non action of Zen meditation and action through the Shim Gum Do forms.

Shim Gum Do is a complete system of meditation and action meditation encompassing an entire martial system which includes: Sword, Shin Boep (which translates to mean Body Dharma), Ho Shin Sul (which translates to mean self-defense), Long Stick, Two Sword and Short Stick.

Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim lives and teaches at Shim Gwang Sa, the Mind Light Temple which is located in Brighton a Boston, Massachusetts neighborhood. He is called Sa Bu Nim by his students, which means father teacher. Shim Gwang Sa is home to World Shim Gum Do Association and American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association and offers ongoing classes, meditation sessions and a residential training program.

News & Announcements

New Class Schedule Starting September 7th

New Shim Gum Do Class Schedule

New Shim Gum Do Class Schedule Starting September 7th

We are changing the times of our Shim Gum Do classes.
Beginning on Tuesday September 7th, Sword and Shin Boep Classes will meet on:

Monday – Thursday 6 – 7 PM & 7 – 8 PM
and Saturday at 10 AM.

To preserve the health and safety of our temple and its members during the ongoing COVID pandemic, we are still requiring mask wearing at the temple.

 

Shim Gum Do is Reopening on Monday July 12!

Reopening July 12!

 

Shim Gum Do Classes Resume on Monday July 12!

The Shim Gum Do Temple is opening up again. Visitors are welcome during our scheduled class time.

Sword and Shin Boep classes meet on Monday – Thursday 6 – 7:30 PM and Saturday at 10 AM.

To preserve the health and safety of our temple, we are still requiring mask wearing at this time.

Today is Sa Bu Nim’s 47 Anniversary of Arriving in the USA

Happy 47th Anniversary Sa Bu Nim!Happy 47th Anniversary Sa Bu Nim!

June 25 was always one of the most important dates for Sa Bu Nim to celebrate. Sa Bu Nim arrived in the United States of America on June 25, 1974. We remember Sa Bu Nim today and will always be grateful to Sa Bu Nim for bringing the Universal Light and Wisdom of Shim Gum Do to us.

Here is Sa Bu Nim celebrating this important anniversary last year.

We love you Sa Bu Nim!

Shim Gum Do Honored Sa Bu Nim at Brighton AAPI

Sa Bu Nim

 

Honoring Sa Bu Nim at Brighton AAPI

Sa Bu Nim, who established the Mind Light Temple in Brighton in 1981, was honored on Saturday at the Allston Brighton AAPI event at Sisters of St. Joseph’s in Allston. To introduce who Sa Bu Nim was to those at the event, Chong Kwan Jang Nim read the poem Sa Bu Nim wrote for the Brighton Bicentennial on February 24, 2007 and one of his favorite poems, The Chickens Cry For Peace. This was followed by a short demonstration of Shim Gum Do

Celebrating the Allston Brighton AAPI Community

Brighton Honors AAPI

Honoring Sa Bu Nim

On Saturday May 22nd, Shim Gum Do joins the Allston Brighton Community to celebrate Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders.  Chong Kwan Jang Nim and members of the Shim Gum Do community will be honoring Sa Bu Nim with a demonstration and poetry reading. For 40 years, Sa Bu Nim reached and influence so many through his teaching at his Shim Gwang Sa, Mind Light Temple. His legacy will always be a part of Brighton history.

 

Come celebrate with us!

We Honor Sa Bu Nim

Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim passed away peacefully at Shim Gwang Sa on Friday March 12, 2021.

Known as “Sa Bu Nim” (father teacher) he was the creator of Shim Gum Do (Mind Sword Path), an integrated practice of Zen martial arts and meditation. With branches in Italy and Korea, Shim Gum Do’s world headquarters, Shim Gwang Sa (Mind Light Temple), is in the historic 1894 First Parish in Brighton stone church on Chestnut Hill Avenue in Brighton, Massachusetts.

Sa Bu Nim was born in a small farming village in Korea in 1944. When he was 13 he entered the Hwa Gye Sa temple of the Jogye Order of Zen Buddhism and began his formal Zen training under Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee, Dae Seon Sa Nim. Dae Seon Sa Nim gave him the precept’s name “Won Gwang” (Universal Light).

When he was 21, Sa Bu Nim underwent a 100-day meditation retreat and during that time attained Mind Sword enlightenment. Following his retreat he began teaching his path, emphasizing compassion and meditation through the practice of his martial arts. He always said that Shim Gum Do training was about developing a clear mind, clear thinking and clear action. He came to America in 1974 and became a United States citizen in 1985.

In addition to his teaching, Sa Bu Nim was an accomplished calligraphy artist and poet. He has written more than 83,000 poems, some of which are published in his 18 poetry books beginning with The Pillow Head Collects Your Dreams in 1996. His work has been translated into Korean, French, Spanish, Persian and Japanese. In 2014 he was awarded the International PEN Korean Center’s Special Literature Award for his book Great Nature: Poems for All of Nature. He has also written two books about Shim Gum Do.

He is survived by his wife, Shim Gum Do Head Master Mary Jeanette Stackhouse, a large extended family, and by the worldwide Shim Gum Do Family of Heroes.

Due to the COVID Pandemic, no public gathering is scheduled at this time. All are invited to join virtually in a ceremony to honor Sa Bu Nim on Saturday March 20th @ 11 AM EST via a live feed through Facebook and Instagram

In lieu of flowers, donations in his honor may be made to the American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association:



February 2021 Shim Gwang Sa COVID Update


February Shim Gwang Sa COVID Update

It is Winter here in Boston and Shim Gwang Sa continues to be closed. It is hard to believe that it has been more than a year of living in the COVID Pandemic. We are more hopeful now that the COVID vaccination program is moving forward in Massachusetts. It is still too early to know when we will be able to resume any of our activities. We will keep posting updates about how things are progressing. If you would like to receive email updates, please contact us here: CONTACT US

Sa Bu Nim has now written 83,000 Poems

83,000 Poems!
Though 2020 was a challenging year, remarkable things still happened. On December 29th, Sa Bu Nim wrote his 83,000th poem.
Sa Bu Nim teaches us through his actions the importance for all of us to keep focused on our goals.
As 2021 begins during the ongoing COVID pandemic and civil discord in our country, it is important to continue to take time to focus on why we train Shim Gum Do:
For a clear mind, clear thinking and clear action.

Happy New Year 2021!

Happy New Year 2021

Happy New Year 2021!

Let us all pray for a great healthy New Year that will bring great changes and growth to everyone on our planet.

Congratulations to Sa Bu Nim for 28 Years!

Congratulations Sa Bu NimToday, December 27, 2020 Sa Bu Nim reached the milestone of training Shim Gum Do every day for 28 years:
You are the great bright star.
Your Mind Sword Enlightenment brought Shim Gum Do to our planet.
Your energy is so clear and straight, you point the way
with a bright lantern for us today and for those in the future.
You are a great teacher.
You demonstrate to us clear mind, clear thinking and clear action,
which are the most important in the sky and earth.
Congratulations on completing
28 years of your retreat of training Shim Gum Do every day.

 

Shim Gum Do Temple Temporarily Closed Again


Shim Gum Do Classes are Temporarily Cancelled Again

As the COVID cases continue to rise in Boston and across the United States, Shim Gum Do classes and other end of the year temple activities are cancelled. Keeping the temple safe and healthy is our main concern during this time.

We are planning a virtual New Year Ceremony.  Stay tuned for updates here and on our social media platforms.

Dae Seon Sa Nim

 

Dae Seon Sa Nim

Sa Bu Nim’s teacher, Great Zen Master Seung Sahn Lee – passed away on November 30, 2004.

Today we remember Dae Seon Sa Nim on the 16th anniversary of his funeral.

Sa Bu Nim wrote a memorial to his teacher on hearing of his passing:
Memorial to Great Zen Master Seung Sahn

December 4th and January 1st Dharma Talk Cancellations

 

December 4th and January 1st Dharma Talk Cancellations

Given the continued increasing numbers of COVID cases and deaths we are cancelling our free Friday Meditation and Dharma talks sessions scheduled for December 4th and January 1st. The health and safety of our Temple continues to be our priority. We encourage all of our followers to continue to follow the health and safety guidelines during these difficult times.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving
We are thankful to have all of you in our Shim Gum Do community. This has been an incredibly challenging year that has tested all of us in many ways. We urge everyone to persevere, with extra vigilance, to following the recommended practices for safety and health during Thanksgiving and throughout the upcoming holiday season.

Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim and Chong Kwan Jang Nim

Help Support Shim Gum Do

NEW RELEASES

  • New Book Available Now!
    Day and Night:
    Selected Poems from 1990 - 2016

    Other New Books:
    The Nature of Life and Death:
    A Volume of Zen Poetry

    The Sound of Life:
    A Volume of Zen Poetry
  • Sa Bu Nim's award winning poetry book:
    Great Nature: Poems for All of Nature
    2014 Recipient of International PEN Korean Center's Special Literature Award
    • 'The First Star Black Belt Forms of Shim Gum Do Zen Sword
    The Manual of Course Material from White to First Star Black Belt'
    Please enter Books section for more information.

    Calendar

    September 2021

    Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
    1
    • Shim Gum Do Class 6-7:30 PM
    2
    • Shim Gum Do Class 6-7:30 PM
    3
    4
    • Shim Gum Do Class 10 AM
    5
    6
    • No Classes Today Due to the Labor Day Holiday
    7
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    8
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    9
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    10
    11
    • Shim Gum Do Class 10 AM
    12
    13
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    14
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    15
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    16
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    17
    18
    • Shim Gum Do Class 10 AM
    19
    20
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    21
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    22
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    23
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    24
    25
    • Shim Gum Do Class 10 AM
    26
    27
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    28
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    29
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM
    30
    • Shim Gum Do Classes 6 - 7 PM & 7 - 8 PM

    Contact Us

    World Shim Gum Do Association, Inc.
    American Buddhist Shim Gum Do Association, Inc.

    203 Chestnut Hill Avenue
    Boston, Massachusetts 02135 USA
    Telephone: (617) 787-1506
    Fax: (617) 787-2708
    Contact Form

    Map

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