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.