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True to the philosophy of yin and yang, the complementary side of
the martial arts is the healing arts. For one, the Shaolin monks of
yore can kill or heal. They were revered not only because of their
fighting prowess but also because of their healing skills. Unknown
to many, Chinese acupressure has a dark side. It was known as the
fabled dim mak, which literally means “death touch.”
Many traditional kung fu masters, in addition to
teaching martial arts also work as an herbalist and bonesetter. A
fighter’s acquisition of a healing skill is a logical step
considering it would definitely come in handy in an event of an
injury, whether to himself, his training partner or his student.
The dual purpose of a martial artist being a
fighter and healer is not unique to Chinese martial arts but is
present in other martial tradition in Asia as well like the
Japanese, Indonesian, Indian and Filipino. The Filipino martial arts
have in it ranks renowned fighters and healers among them are the
late grandmaster Antonio “Tatang” Ilustrisimo—the most revered
persona in Manila’s arnis circle and US based arnis master Sam
Tendencia, a practitioner of hilot (the Filipino art of therapeutic
massage and bonesetting). Though now a vanishing breed, many
practitioners of hilot in the olden days were also adept in the
martial art of arnis de mano.
My personal encounter with a martial artist that
is both a fighter and a healer occurred in the person of the late
Guro Rene Capampangan, an expert in Baraw Sugbu, a Cebuano knife
fighting system. My initial impression was that he was a stern man
but I found out later on that he was such a gentle being. On one
gathering of martial artists, he noticed my nasal congestion and
volunteered to apply healing on me. I learned that he practiced
pranic healing, a method of therapeutics employing nature’s
energy. Capampangan was brutally murdered in early 2000s.
Knowing how to heal will complete our education
as martial artists. Besides, easing the suffering of a fellow human
being is a noble act. Much noble than thrashing some punks on the
street just to show you’re the toughest fighter in town.
For comments e-mail: malayanganyo@yahoo.com
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