Their meditation would be a problem, but the primary concern is that gaining a discipline like that leads people to desire violence. of course martial arts instructors always say otherwise, but this has been a very consistent observation of mine over the years. The derivation of that desire is of course pride.

Well I have a black belt in TKD also - from 23 years ago. I recently returned to a taekwondo school for fitness, wt loss - and I am finding that the strenuous activity and discipline neeeded to relearn forms and so on are doing wonders for my mental state. There are tremendous stressors in my life rigiht now and coming back to the martial art is just a great thing.

This in no way takes away frpm prayer, mass, CAtholic teaching, or any thing else like that. Nor do I want to be violent -  just the opposite. You must be getting martial arts mixed up wth video games.

Um. My post was addressed to the guest 10/11, 11:37 pm above who commented on violence vis a vis martial arts training, just so you understand that.

Um Yeah,you are absolutely right about the martial arts you mention in your 2nd paragraph, tho there probably are women who would want to do that too. AS a woman myself, I am not interested in those you mention.  I think women are generally drawn more to the ART part rather than the FIGHT part. Maybe those would be best for you, though. I'm not that fond of sparring per se, but ther is the self-defense aspect of it. Plus sparring in a martial arts setting is a game. I can't remember that I ever wanted to knifehand somebody in neck in "real" life; but my tkd training did teach me to hold my head up and face a challenge.

I do not think I have ever actually meditated or prayed or worshipped in a TKD setting. It's more about something else entirely, sort of...finding your best and strongest self through movement and control. However, the forms in classic TKD have meanings, such as Diamond, the one I know now, since I am a 2nd degree, and say, joy, for a lower belt form. Still, even saying that,and going furhter into the philosophy of any eastern type martial art, including Tai Chi or kung fu, you still do run into some "eastern" type philosophy such as tao or such. Philosophy, not religion as such. I do not see a problem with seeking to be my best self, or with calmness and courage.

And then of course with Diamond, as my form meaning now, it is to make one think of value, indestructible strength, beauty, and clarity and all the things a diamond would mean.... characteristics if you will that one aspires to as a black belt.

I think for me, practicing TKD not only does not diminish my Catholic faith or life, it adds to it, since the strenuous exercise as I said before, plus the search for doing a form "perfectly' acts as sort of a vacuum cleaner on negative emotions and fear. Of course prayer works too. But tkd is a hobby, not the basis of my whole life, as my faith is.  :boxer: