Recent Boston Globe article, They Live by the Sword and accompanying photos

Shim Gum Do - Mind Sword Path

Shim Gum Do Founding Master Great Zen Master Chang Sik Kim

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.