Vol. 1 Issue No.2 February 2007
Introduction:
Welcome to first subscribers and older members to another issue of our monthly newsletter. We are still busy putting together all the pictures (over “2000”) for the Green sash material to be available on the web site for students and on-line members. The member site is not quite ready but we will notify all who have emailed us as to interest in becoming on-line students.
In this issue we would like to continue talking a little more about conquering the fear issue. In talking with some of the original students it appears that Guru Willy had full contact sparring to see the integrity of each student. What that means was he wanted to see how you could you handle the fear without letting your emotion of anger, like when being hit, overwhelming you? He was always looking inside the student to see what he was made of and usually it would come out in contact sparring. You must remember that Guru Willy was trained in an environment where his life was threatened daily either from hostels or animals. He was taught to deal with these situations by learning the inner power precepts, which he taught to a few of the original students. With this, you could fight with clarity by overcoming your fear. Even today few that train use this way of learning, either they were not taught or they refuse to believe in the mystical portion of this art. Both Nick and I still believe in the old ways and are constantly looking for the answers to this issue. Our students are trained right from the start to conquer fear but they always fall short, as they want to learn the mechanical portion first not realizing the importance of this aspect with an encounter with a true attack.
In some of the readings of different styles of Silat there is mention to having training with inner power to have a feeling of invulnerability. This is strength without measure as when confronted with a life and death situation, your focus must be sharp and where emotions cannot overwhelm you to slow down your automatic response or confuse your thoughts.
Some people believe that in training in this aspect of the arts you conflict with your personal religious beliefs. In that you are relying on some mystical power to gain advantage in confrontations of life and death. The basis of Poekoelan training is and solely putting faith in your God, putting a belief system in place where you will fight for your life or that of a loved one with all the intent you have to be the one who survives. How is this a conflict with your religious beliefs? You are not asked to change your beliefs! You are only to find your way in believing in yourself. Nuff said!
Vol. 1 Issue No.1 January 2007
Welcome back to another issue of our monthly newsletter. We are busy putting together all the pictures (over 2000!) for the Green sash material to be available on the web site for students. The member site is not quite ready but we will notify all who have emailed us as to interest in becoming online students. Please sign up for the newsletter to keep informed. DVDs are now available for the Yellow Sash material (an out-of-stock item). We did not perceive there would be such a demand. Good to know that Silat is fast becoming popular in the martial arts world and we will anticipate more of a demand for the Green Sash DVD so we don't run into the same problem again!
We have had inquiries about our background from numerous people and I would like to briefly tell everyone about that issue. All the instructors and I were trained under the tutelage of instructor Mas Don Haselrig. He was a student of both the late Maha Guru Aeong Willy Wetzel and Mas Roy Wetzel. Also we have trained frequently with Mas Emrick "Sonny" Scarsella who was a second river student of Willy. In our quest for knowledge we have spoken and trained with the following instructors: Mas Bruce Oggle–Mande Muda Silat, Guru William Sanders–Pukulan Cimande Pusaka Silat, Guy Savelli–Huc Chun Kun Tao. These are but a few and I hope no one is insulted if I didn't list their names, I will hopefully include all who were directly related to info or training in the near future!
The first issue we instruct our students is the topic on fear. Without going into depth, we discuss the basics; i.e. what it is, how you view it and what to do with it. It seems that this subject is looked lightly on in other styles and is most prevalent in our style. Our students ask us that they want to get started in the techniques. They realize the importance of learning about fear but want to move on. All the instructors and myself have stressed that you need this basis, without which when confronted would usually lead to losing the confrontation. You may or may not get by on mechanical skills. Fear will slow motor functions, leaving you without your instinctive ability to react. Without doubt fear will destroy everything you want to do, whether in a confrontation or life in general and therefore it is most important to learn what to do with it. The Indonesians were trained to have a feeling like they were invulnerable. Trained this way they had added intent to their movements. Practically everyone was brought up to recognize fear as a thing to be ashamed about but we teach fear as just another emotion. It is a primal emotion that gets you ready to fight or flight. People placed this label of fear with shame but we make it just an emotion. As my son always says, "Fear is just an emotion, just like love is an emotion," and "emotions will dictate motions." Primal man feared for his life when a T-rex was approaching but was not thinking about fear—or shame—as he fought for his life against another tribe. Today we are too concerned with how others view us and have forgotten our primal instincts.
We reach out to our students and instill in them a basis of what fear is and what to do with it, relying on your instincts rather than the mechanics of the body. Without fear all things are possible, with it you confine yourself. In this way of training there is hope. Hope in being able to learn this system and also in how they can apply it to their way of life. Remember that hope is a "good thing" and good things never die.
Mas. Nick Sokolsky 412 773-2202 E-Mail: Mas. Nick |