How to master, manipulate one's inner power

How to master, manipulate one's inner power

By Christiani S. Tumelap and Johannes Simbolon

JAKARTA (JP): Good health is said to be the most precious
treasure in one's life. Myriad different exercises have been
invented to help people develop a healthier and better-shaped
body.

However, for some people, a healthy body is not enough. They
want power -- not only of the muscular variety but also the
invisible inner power believed to be able to make one more
powerful.

As a result of obtaining this additional force they are able
to beat off uninvited intruders without having to resort to
physical contact at all, thanks to the capability to manipulate
the inner power.

Many martial arts clubs here provide their disciples not only
with unique and delicate yet omnipotent movements but also the
technique to master and manipulate the inner power. Below are a
few examples of the sports and clubs.

Sin Lam Ba, founded in 1958, contact person: Sumardi Harun on
829-9707.

Claim: Having a developed inner power will help you more to
heal wounds related to blood depletion, breathing-related
illnesses like asthma, and can also enable pregnant women to
undergo a smoother delivery.

Technic: It offers a more spiritual way to develop the inner
power which its advocates believe exist naturally in every
person's body. The guidance and practices to develop the inner
power are, however, especially designed for people of a Moslem
background.

The instructions and methods are very deeply influenced by
Islamic ethics and values. Soon after registering, one has to go
through spiritual rituals supervised by Sumardi himself to help
one get the energy out of your body in order to develop it at a
later stage.

He will guide you to do the syarekat rituals in each of the
seven consecutive sessions of at least 10 minutes each. Sumardi
will then test whether the power has been properly developed in
your body by having you undergo some tests after you have
completed the seven basic sessions. After that, you will continue
developing your power and start learning the traditional Sin Lam
Ba martial arts.

Requirement: The club prefers to take students over 16 years
old. Younger students will be encouraged to master not only the
inner power but also the traditional silat techniques while
students over 40 concentrate on developing the inner power.

Perisai Diri, founded in 1955, contact person: Limonu Katili
on 727-2557.

Claim: It prefers to stay low profile and not claim anything
"powerful" about what its inner power technique can do. It only
says that working on your body properly and routinely will
certainly give you not only a healthier body as the heart will be
working better but a fresher mind as well.

Technique: The techniques to learn and develop the inner power
will be given only after a student has completed the basic and
initial programs for the club's exclusive movements. You will
first concentrate on the movements -- which focus mainly on
physical strength -- for about four years before learning the art
of inner power.

The club believes that one should first be flexible and in
good physical shape before learning inner power techniques. These
are embedded within the club's 16 movements. Students are
required to master the code of conduct and strengthen their
mental faculties by praying whenever they begin or finish a
session.

Requirement: The club takes students as young as seven years
old. However, it believes it would be better if the person has
been akil balik or about 13 years old so that he/she is already
able to judge between good and bad.

Bangau Putih, founded by late grand master Subur Rahardja in
December 1952, headquartered in Bogor, West Java, one of the
country's leading pencak silat (local martial arts).

Contact person: first chairman Rahmat Dandanggula O251-323856.
The school also has an Internet homepage at
www.bogor.indo.net.id.

Claims: It is among the first schools to introduce pencak
silat to the rest of the world.

It now has tens of thousands of students across the globe. In
Germany alone, the school has 5,000 students in seven centers.

Students include public figures, thugs, university students
and workers.

Bangau Putih, which literally means white crane, features
martial art movements developed on the basis of Indonesian
tradition and resemble the movements of animals like the crane,
tiger, dragon, monkey. buffalo, wild chicken.

According to Rahmat, Subur named his school "White Crane"
because he was impressed by the animal's character. Cranes love
to live in groups and dislike quarrels. They also love to fly but
never fly too high. And they are able to adjust themselves to all
climates and locations.

Bangau Putih also teaches mentality and spirituality to its
students.

Seni Napas Indonesia (SNI), which literally means Indonesian
Breathing Arts, was founded by Tardiyanto and the school's
current grand master Mufti Nokhman in August 1995.

Contact person: secretary-general Wiyatno on 725-5931

Claims: SNI now has between 10,000 and 12,000 students across
the country, including about 7,000 students in the greater
Jakarta area. Most students are office workers aged above 30.

SNI's teachers believe humans have an inner power against
illnesses in their bodies called electrical power. If the power
is weak, human bodies will remain weak and be strongly
susceptible to illness.

All people can awaken or strengthen their electrical power by
developing a proper breathing method as taught at the SNI.

SNI's training can help fight common illnesses such as fever
and more serious ailments like asthma and kidney problems.

SNI students who have developed their electrical power can
also heal ailing persons with their power from a remote place.

Requirement: SNI does not accept pupils aged below 15 because
of fears that the hard training may affect their physical growth.