Catholicism and martial arts.

[damooster]

I have had a desire to learn kung fu for a long time now and I am ready to begin. However, I've read that there is a lot of inner spirituality that is tied in with kung fu and so I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with this. I want to make sure that the beliefs don't contradict or interfere with Catholicism.

[Rosarium]

I have had a desire to learn kung fu for a long time now and I am ready to begin. However, I've read that there is a lot of inner spirituality that is tied in with kung fu and so I was wondering if anyone here has any experience with this. I want to make sure that the beliefs don't contradict or interfere with Catholicism.

There is much imagery and traditional explanations in some forms of martial arts. It need not be used literally (if at all).

For example, a very straight foward martial artist (he was special forces in the USSR) used eastern martial artist methods with different explanations for various things. He didn't really care why it worked (although, he did, but the important thing was that certain imagery, breathing patterns, etc did actually have a real biological effect (and origin)), only that it did. The human mind is very complex and how it interacts with the body is not fully known. Some things are very simple as well.

The actual beliefs would contradict and be forbidden to accept, however, most martial artist communities don't have actual beliefs in that.

Wǔshù has its origins in actual combat, so training with this primary tradition would exclude any spiritualism that would be a problem.

But remember, if you are uncomfortable or unsure about something, reject it until you are sure it is ok.

[mom]

My children take taekwondo. Their instructor is a born again Christian and there is ZERO Eastern spirituality involved in their instruction.  The main school they compete against is also run by a BAC and they pray before tournaments.

It all depends on the school and instructor.

[Clare Brigid]

You are wise to look before you leap, grasshopper.

 

[Magdalene]

Although I no longer practice karate as my time needs to go for other things, I was once a Nidan, second degree black belt. I loved it!  There was no spirituality involved in the Shorin Ryu style as I pursued it.  It was wonderful exercise.  I used to teach women some basic self defense too.

[TradCathYouth]

My children take taekwondo. Their instructor is a born again Christian and there is ZERO Eastern spirituality involved in their instruction.  The main school they compete against is also run by a BAC and they pray before tournaments.

It all depends on the school and instructor.

I took Tae Kwon Do some years ago, too. I got to black belt, then stopped when I had to go away for college.

[Benno]

Martial arts are very useful.

[WhollyRoaminCatholic]

It will depend a lot on your instructor.  Get Tulkas involved, he's probably the resident expert on the subject.

[Benno]

Keats would be good too, without all the exercise. 

[devotedknuckles]

what is your goal?

what i sattracting you to kung fu? have u looked into a certain style? southern or northern? internal? external? avid anything that is wu shu thats just nonsense if your looking for traditional.

i trained in chen tajiquan but the rest of my training wa sin traditional Japanese martial arts, Philippine kali/arnis and Israeli krav mag (with much dabbling in jeet kune do(everybody loves bruce!). but i am very similar with Chinese kung fu. have you ever explored Vietnamese fighting systems or the knife and stick  systems of Indonesia or Philippines?

anyway the first qustion u should answer is whats your goal. and ta kwon do i don't consider a martial art but i'm biased as i thing its bullshit