On the surface Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) is just another martial art. When you dig deeper you will see there is much more than meets the eye. With the right environment and teacher FMA can change your life forever. If martial culture is something you are into then FMA is something you must see. If bettering yourself is of interest to you, keep reading.
Arnis, Kali and Escrima to non- practitioners are just other names of martial arts. To those who do in fact practice those arts it is a way of life. It is a tradition that dates back almost 2000 years. It is a way to learn about the past, deal with the present and prepare for the future.
There are many traditions in FMA which teach the past. Practitioners of FMA learn about the evolution of the arts which can be traced as far back as 800AD. Most of the documents of the Philippine history were destroyed during the Spanish rule. Practitioners are told oral traditions which tell tales about the timeline of not only FMA but the entire Philippine nation as a whole. The moves, weapons, attire, and secrets of the Philippine folk dances are all taught via oral traditions. It is a glimpse of the past which still goes on today. A living history if you will.
The history of FMA teaches the importance of being able to adapt, evolve and to flow. To take what is necessary and throw out what isn't necessary. To utilize what you have to its fullest potential. To be able to take what is taught and learned and making it second nature. The Filipinos have fought with just about everyone in the world as well as each other, so learning to adapt and evolve was a necessity. The ability of the Filipinos throughout its history to be able to adapt and evolve is what secured their very existence. In knowing that, it is not surprising to know that the ability to flow even under extreme circumstances is the epitome of FMA. Practitioners must learn to flow both physically and mentally.
Arnis, Kali and Escrima just to name a few teach more than just self-defense. They teach the history and culture of a people who survived nearly 2000 years of warfare and how it was done. Throughout FMA the concept of the flow is always stressed. In short, to "flow" means to be fully involved with what you are doing and to move about effortlessly. In FMA one learns to flow with in martial arts. That flow, once attained, will transcend into all aspects life thus becoming a way of life. The ability to flow begets more self-confidence, higher self-esteem, a greater feeling of self-empowerment and a form of spirituality. In the words of Grandmaster Robert Castro of ESKABO DAAN, "once you learn how to take a life, you must learn how to preserve life." Which means FMA is not only about self-defense and being able to hurt or even kill if need be. It is also about preserving life, yours as well as others. That is the power of Filipino Martial Arts.
PG Joseph Bautista studies under Grandmaster Robert Castro of Eskabo Daan and is on a continuous life journey by way of Filipino Martial Arts.
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