To Pendekar Sanders and fellow PCP practitioners world-wide,

 This is a letter on behalf of the Russian group to express thanks to Pendekar Sanders for an excellent seminar this Summer Solstice in Vladimir, the ancient capital of Russia. May the art be reborn into a new era of fulfillment and knowledge for everyone involved!

 I have had the privilege of training with Pendekar Sanders (and a privilege it is) since 1995, when we did the big demonstration in Chicago. I can’t remember how many seminars I have had with him since, but ALL of them are alike in one respect- they leave me filled with an extraordinary spirit and energy. There is a term, “Semangat” which indicates the unique spirit of an aliran. In our style, Pukulan Cimande Pusaka, this spirit is strongest after training with the Grandmaster- and without a connection to him, I doubt this spirit can live for very long.

 The Pendekar is our “talari karuhan” or ‘line to the ancestors’. It is through him that the power flows. For whatever reason, my Silat gets better just by having him around. By the end of the day, I’m not tired as you would expect- I am energized, my movements are more vicious, and I want to move and spar.

 I remember first feeling this power in Chicago, the day after our training. I was positively electrified. As we waited to take our turn on stage, an Indonesian approached me, and his eyes were what can only be described as ‘glowing’. It looked like that old TV series The Incredible Hulk, when Bill Bixby was first turning into the monster. He looked at me with these eyes, as if scanning my spirit, then asked ‘where did you get your power from’. I wasn’t able to answer him at the time, but I know now that I was tuned into our ‘semangat’ strongly that day.

 All of you who have really studied our art know what I’m talking about. Other people notice something special in the way we move, something distinctive. And they also notice its absence…

 Mas Jud Ular

 It is our honor in Russia to be the first school to see the Mas Jud family secret techniques- the Ular. The snake is extremely rare in Silat, and Mas Jud considered these techniques to be the special pusaka for only close family. The fire element, expressed by the snake, gives rise to so many concepts that need to be understood.

 This material connects smoothly with what we already have, but adds levels of nuance and viciousness which really bring the snake to life. There are special nerve strikes to drop the opponent instantly, shocking bites to terrorize, fast evasive footwork, and an extended range of standing and ground weapons. We actually learned to fight with the snake from the ground!

 I’m so glad that my students and I have paid such close attention to the Sera Depok jurus for the last year, because so many lessons come from those jurus which are then expounded in the Mas Jud animals. We needed it to prepare for the Ular, because it uses many of the same ideas. Instead of just learning the strikes, we learn strategies to employ them in a fast moving combat situation, utilizing footwork and manipulating the awareness of the opponent. It is truly a step towards the Naga, where we fight completely on our own terms. Since really focusing on the Mas Jud materials, I have learned more about strategy, timing, footwork and body mechanics than I had in all my previous years of training combined. The snake really helped reinforce and consolidate this new understanding.

 Not everyone can ‘get it’, but for those of us who can, it is an invitation to a totally new level. After fifteen years in this art, new horizons keep on opening.

 Energy

Pendekar gave us new ways to warm up and develop our energy. We now have more options in cultivating our energy and circulating it, by means of breathing, posture, movement and self-massage. Very powerful stuff which you can feel immediately. We learned how to draw the water and fire elements on opposite sides of our body, then bring them together for an explosion of energy. The force bathes you from head to foot, then you are able to concentrate it wherever you need to in your body.

 In addition, we now have new stretching and self-massage techniques to help us prepare for training. We learned points and meridians which allow us to activate and energize different areas in the body.

 The Irish Stick

Pendekar Sanders is also constantly reaching for new horizons. Martial Arts for him has been ‘merantau’, an important journey of transformation. We all know of the twelfth principle, following the thread.

 When you want to follow the path to knowledge, you choose a guide who you trust. You choose someone who catches the flavor of that same thing that you want, and is further down the path than you are. Then you trust their leadership.

This is why I was open to the idea of learning the Irish stick- if Pendekar Sanders thought there was something to it, it must be good. I went into it with no expectations, and I’m happy to say that my trust and openness were rewarded handsomely- the shillelagh is bar none THE BEST stick work I have ever seen. It is fresh and combative- naturalistic, with no taint of dojo surrounding it. The walking stick is a weapon still being used and cultivated against urban predators and aggressive dogs, part of an underground society still using it for fights.

 I myself am Irish-American on my father’s side (yes, Walls is an Irish name), and it felt good in my blood to do these strikes. We owe a HUGE debt of gratitude to Pendekar’s teacher in Ireland, John, who was open to sharing his family’s art with us. If you read this John, ‘go raibh maith agat’ (hope I got that right). Something about doing these movements makes you feel free and powerful.

 The size of the stick is perfect, and it is the only long weapon which can realistically be carried; therefore available to use at any time. I feel a tremendous advantage having it on the street against multiple opponents, or situations with a knife attack. Feral dogs are a problem in Russia too, and the stick makes me feel much, much safer.

 It is such a powerful, free flowing system, and the culture behind it is fascinating. I don’t understand why anyone living in Ireland would choose to waste time on Arnis, waving around light sticks you have to hit a million times with. One good ‘swoop of the hawk’ from the blackthorn, and that’s it- game over. Using the 39 thorns, I feel that I could blast through any of the kali I learned in the past. The culture surrounding the Irish stick can be shadowy and intimidating, as it invokes violence, thuggery, faction fighting and resistance. So I guess that, plus the fact that those who know it aren’t that eager to teach it, means that some people are scared off. It’s a shame. The Irish have a system as sophisticated and developed as anything out there, and its time it got its respect. I’m positive that anyone who begins training it will agree.

 I will definitely be carrying forward with the blackthorn as my primary weapon art, together with the kancing and knife. These three are my favorite, and flow together seamlessly. Thank you Pendekar, for having the courage and vision to follow your own thread, against people’s expectations, and bringing this to us.

 Ted Walls

 Moscow, June 23, 2009

From Pendekar Sanders

I want to post this letter and show my thanks to Guru Besar Ted Walls and the entire Russian student base for the great dedication they have shown in their desire to learn real Pukulan Cimande Pusaka.

It was so refreshing to find a group who puts the Art first with total respect and no other agendas gripes or demands. These students are truly the type a teacher can transmit the real art to without having to constantly explain why this and that needs to be learned. Ted is a great asset to the system, again with his main desire to put the art first and learn all of the material without question, his skill, knowledge, feel for the art and understanding of the entire picture has now, in my opinion, blossomed far beyond others in the past, in his position that I have trained up till now.

I want to also commend Slava who I appointed four years ago to lead the Vladimir group when Ted was in Moscow and Slava has done a most outstanding job of keeping things together and progressing himself as well. All of the students only want to learn the material exactly as I present it and that is such a relief. After I got home I got letters of appreciation and thanks for what was shown. This shows a group that truly wants to learn the real system that I have developed and not only the parts they can get.

I believe this art has been reborn and we are on a new road with real dedicated students. Ted is now a part of our distance learning program as well and will be the first Guru Besar to actually have his rank backed by a real rigorous test he will take under me. The Russian group was also very happy with the Irish stick and as far as I know this is the first time it was ever taught in Russia openly. Russia will now spread the word of An Maide Bata also.
I also want to welcome all of our new students in France, Italy, Africa and Australia.

The art is now finally growing in its full form.