Any Catholic Martial Artists?

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Responding to the original post… I just started taking classes in Kempo at a local dojo. The practices are all taught focusing on the physical/natural level with no time given to meditation, chi, channeling or other eastern mysticism. It seems all about physical movement and breathing technique. Very good exercise and good self-defense training. I liked the Kempo style among other techniques because of its history and its defense oriented style. Also, it is a very “beautiful” form of martial art - very natural and flowing. (Think David Carradine in Kung Fu).

Peace,
Robert
 
Yeah. I have found that to be the case with the Dojo of Kyokushin Karate that I go to as well. I think that the whole ‘Buddhism’ thing essentially comes down to whoever yourv teacher is, and wht their personal belief are.
 
Well, I’m not Catholic, but I recently started training in Tang Soo Do and have enjoyed it immensely. My wife is Catholic and she recently began classes. At the point we are both at now, it is more about fitness and basics.
 
What a great discussion! I have been training in Ninjutsu since february of this year, and for someone who has cerebral palsy, the results have been amazing. it is a remarkably humbling experience, and in a way, I view training in Ninjutsu as another sacrament almost: a physical experience that reveals a deeper spiritual reality and connection to God.

The training has brought me much suffering, but as I train, I imagine that I’m suffering with the Lord on his way to Calvary. Now I know that there is a large spiritual aspect to Ninjutsu (there is a whole healing side with chi from what little I know), but I have had to make theological modifications along the way. If in the future I ever use chi to heal someone, it is not me doing the healing, but the Holy Spirit working through me, or Jesus or God. It becomes another encounter with Christ. Ninjutsu has brought me closer to to a sacrimental experience with both the Suffering Christ (and the immense value of suffering) and Christ the Healer. There is another (very traditional, I am not so traditional as he, he perfers a Latin mass, I like the venacular) Catholic who trains with me, and our Grandmaster (Soke) Hatsumi was giving an apostolic blessing by JP2 himself. I have now come to view myself as Jesus’ Ninja, and Jesus as my spiritual Soke. Here is a prayer that I pray before I train:

Prayer Before Training in Ninjutsu

In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.

O Great Soke Jesus, my Lord, Teacher and Brother, I come before You
Today as Your student and Brother. If I have false humility in my
Heart, O Soke, take it from me now.

(pause)

I come to You, attempting honestly to be humble and sincere in my intentions, O Great Soke, so that today You may teach me Your Ways. As I train today, make me aware of my infirmities, of my weaknesses, of my faults, my failures and above all my suffering, so that through them You may make me stronger and draw me closer to You.

O Jesus, my Lord and Soke, as I train today, use my suffering to kill my anger, my pride, my arrogance and my prejudice. Break my heart and make me truly humble. Help me to serve, Lord, not to be served. Help me to love, so that when I train, others may see You in me.

O my Soke, as Your student, teach me to use my knowledge of Ninjutsu for the defence of myself and others. May it never be used for harm. Never for evil, only for good. May I only defend lethally where necessary, and when I fight with intent, help me to control my anger. May my training glorify You continuously. Help me to be a good student, and as I travel on this Journey, Soke, help me to be Your Ninja. I have come to learn Lord, teach me.

I have come to learn Your Strength. May I never stray from that path.

I have come to learn Your Peace. May I never stray from that path.

I have come to learn Your Wisdom. May I never stray from that path.

I have come to learn Your Humility. May I never stray from that path.

I have come to learn Your Patience. May I never stray from that path.

Above all, Great Soke, I have come to learn Your Love. May I never stray from that path.

May I never stray from all the paths which You have set before me, and let me walk on them, no matter how hard the Journey, for the rest of the days of my life.

I thank You, O God, for Your Son, my Lord and Soke, by Whose Death on the Cross You have saved the World, and by Whose Resurrection You have given us Eternal Life.
Thank You for the Mystery of Your Cross and Tomb, Soke Jesus, may I never forget them all the days of my life, and may I always be mindful of the lessons which they teach me.

Soke, as I train as Your student, make me Your Ninja today and be with me as I train.

May God, the Immortal and Holy One, be praised forever.

O Jesus, my Soke, by Your Holy Cross You have saved the World.

Domo arigatou gazaimasu

Amen.
 
I did Shito Ryu for ten years and I love it! I’d love to be back my problem is that I want to go back specifically to Shito Ryu and all I can find in my area is Kempo or Shotokan. I loved the fact that I learned how you can train your brain and muscles by repetion and the discipline. Also, I never saw anything mystic or spiritual in it.
 
marymary1975 said:
I did Shito Ryu for ten years and I love it! I’d love to be back my problem is that I want to go back specifically to Shito Ryu and all I can find in my area is Kempo or Shotokan. I loved the fact that I learned how you can train your brain and muscles by repetion and the discipline. Also, I never saw anything mystic or spiritual in it.
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Never heard of that one! What’s it like?

I don’t have an argument against Tai Chi—but a lot depends on the instructor. Years before I was Catholic I took a Tai Chi class and bailed because of the extreme New Agey stuff the instructor kept bombarding us with.
 
And I am glad someone brought this back up - I have stopped taking part in Eastern Meditational practices - I was wrong and am greatly humbled. Thank you.
 
Sailor_Kenshin said:
Never heard of that one! What’s it like?

I don’t have an argument against Tai Chi—but a lot depends on the instructor. Years before I was Catholic I took a Tai Chi class and bailed because of the extreme New Agey stuff the instructor kept bombarding us with.
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It is one of the three original traditional styles from Karate Do in Japan. The three traditional styles from Japan were Shotokan, from the South, Goju Ryu, from the North, and Shito Ryu from the Center. It is very similar to shotokan but some positions are not as streched or wide as Shotokan.
 
BryanW said:
I know your out there. I’m interested in hearing how you feel the Art has made you a better Catholic, or maybe you feel it doesn’t.

I feel that the Martial Arts is mostly about the human virtues. A firm and habitual disposition to do good.

I also feel that the MA is one of the few things left in this secular society that recognizes that we are a composite of Body and Soul, the Physical and Spiritual.
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Stay intune with your beliefs. It has actually strengthened mine. There is a Spiritual aspect to the Martial Arts, have strong faith in yours and you will be O.K. The reason it h as strengthened mine is due to its Virtues. They are similar to Christian Virtues.👍
 
It is interesting how we practice in Mass some of the postures and movements of the body that have been practiced by people for many years to keep the body healthy. Genuflection, kneeling, bowing. What I call “the prayer posture”. Placing the hands together in a prayerful manner. I remember going to Mass with my wife, at that time my friend and dance partner. She said that I could cross my hands and receive a blessing by joining the processional during the Liturgy of the Eucahrist. I politely declined all the while thinking that she was trying to make a joke by having a Baptist Boy go to the front and perform a tai-chi posture “cross hands”.
 
Interesting thread.

I trained in Hapkido and then Uechi-Ryu when I was younger.

Then I switched to surfing. Now I would like to get back into martial arts; however, I want to find an art that is good for older folks as I am now 55.

The comments about Arnis are interesting as we have a large Filipino community here. I think there is an Arnis school. There is also a Tai Chi school and a Wing Chun school.
I wish we had a good Kendo school since I am also a Musashi fan.

I don’t understand the problem with meditation. I have a book on my Kindle by a Catholic priest that talks about meditative prayer. I thought meditation was just training the mind to live in the present moment (which is good). So many people hurt themselves because they don’t pay attention to what they are doing. It seems like training the mind would be good, as long as you don’t chant to some Eastern statue.

I should probably watch some classes to see what school looks best.
 
I enjoy the Liturgy of the Eucharist when the priest raises the host. The deacon can be seen standing on either side. It reminds me of the opening of Kanku Dai. My adrenaline kicks in when I see this. I think to myself… “TAKE HIM OUT FATHER!!!” (not cool when I am singing in the choir standing in front of the microphone). Mass is fun when you know the next move!
 
We enrolled a year ago our 5 year old son in Wing Chung. The main factor in choosing this style was the Sifu (teacher) is a very devout Catholic as our mostly all the students are. It has been a wonderful experience for our family. Once I am done with an LA Fit membership I am enrolling; will have to nudge the wife to make it a family affair.

It is refreshing not to be in enemy territory for an activity during our ongoing culture wars in this county.

Anyone interested in this in the South Jersey area can feel free to drop me a line and I can pass on information about this wonderful Wing Chung academy.

God Bless
 
Ohhh, I’ve been thinking of finding a school. Let me know how that goes.
 
I wish there was a martial arts school that was like a boxing gym.

Then you could just show up, work out, and get good instruction appropriate to your level.

That was the way it was when I started.

Such a gym could be profitable if it charged a membership fee and paid an instructor with a particular style to cover 1 - 2 evenings a week. Then the gym could offer a several different styles. For example, even if I were to study Wing Chun, there are training techniques in traditional boxing that I think would be very helpful.

Also, people could ease into training without feeling pressure to show up 3-4x a week until it becomes part of their lifestyle. Of course, when I went to that kind of gym, I went every day because I was in high school.

It seems that having to make a class at a certain time, several times a week, is a barrier.
 
dedo said:
It seems that having to make a class at a certain time, several times a week, is a barrier.
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It can be a barrier, but overcoming it leads to great rewards. Just getting to class twice a week for a few months established a new discipline in my life that began my journey to black belt. It is worth the trouble. :nunchuk:
 
Count me in. I’ve taken various styles over the years, but have been studying traditional Chinese marital arts over the last 4 years. I start my black sash training (which will last 18 months) in November.
 
ValPal said:
Count me in. I’ve taken various styles over the years, but have been studying traditional Chinese marital arts over the last 4 years. I start my black sash training (which will last 18 months) in November.
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Well done! Stay focused, and it is yours. The day I earned my black belt is one I will never forget. Your life is forever changed, and many things once thought difficult will seem far easier.
 
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