Purification of Self

I have a question for everyone here:

Was it your self-purification that lead you to the martial arts, or vice-versa?

I, personally, would have to answer this question with a "vice versa". I am going to be very honest about my who development. I started training in the martial arts seriously to learn to kill a man.

My father used to beat me up a lot, and I hated him for it. I can honestly say I wanted him dead by my hand. To this day, I have trouble being near him in any way, shape, or form. I started learning the combative arts to end his reign of terror over my life. He and I have never come to blows, but the heat has been there many times. Since I have left his house, the martial arts have not left my being.

I can even see [in hindsight] in those years of tourment that I was helping to make myself better even then. It has progressed, and I have even gotten to the point that I no longer hate him. I may even visit him this X-mas.

That is my story....what is yours?

Do it now, before you change your mind. An old chinese saying goes -- the longer the night, the more dreams / nightmares there are.

Hmm, lol, ButterflyPalm, were you suggesting that he goes and beats up his father or that he goes and visits him for Christmas?

I see you noticed that I left the options wide open

I think for me it was a way of getting some self-discipline and proving to myself I could actually stick at something. Interestingly, I found many of the things I sought I already had in some form. I just didn't know how to activate them.

Quote:

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I see you noticed that I left the options wide open

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LOL

I think that MA will (are) bring(ing) me to self purification. But it`s far away still I think. I guess it also depends on what you mean by self purification.