Silat Nevertheless, we shouldn’t think that it concerns only Asiatic or extra-European extravagancies. If we read the ancient Italian treatise on Martial Arts “Fiore di battaglia de Fiore dei liberi”, we can see that the Masters from Friuli – a North Italy region – make reference to four animals from whom man must learn qualities which improve his martial skills: the tiger’s speed, the lion’s audacity, the elephant’s strength and, lastly, the cervino-wolf’s (peculiar wolf species) prudence. The latest discoveries of the brain’s functioning, of the liberalization of the endorphin, of the importance of visualizations and identifications, have revaluated all the practices that we today denominate by the term “chamanian”. This has always made the integrationist disciples of the illustrated trend smile, as they believe exclusively in reason. An affirmation of Doctor Feldenkrais pops out
of my head. (Note: Dr. Feldenkrais was a Nuclear-physics collaborator of Nobel Curie, first black Belt of European Judo and creator of the Feldenkrais theory of the conscience of psychomotor procedures). He contended that imitating the movements and positions of the animals produces an incredible amount of energy and vitality. Any person who has tried, by means of any oriental or occidental practice, introspection senses the existence of inner energies, accessible in moments of great necessity. Nevertheless, we are not conscious of the procedure that puts us in contact with the qualities that, more often, we would like in our daily lives. Perhaps the old school of Harimau Silat is not simply an extraordinary Martial Art but a means through which the human animal gets in touch again with occult interior energies. This through the ancient teachings, which take as an example the incredible natural qualities of the tiger.
“Some years ago, in Indonesia, I met some Masters of Silat Hindu of Bali, the last disciples of ancient Martial and esoteric traditions. I spoke of these personages in articles, books and showed their styles in didactic videos. Nevertheless, I never spoke very much about a particular person, perhaps because I still haven’t assimilated his simple yet profound teachings. This man was Master Malano of the Harimau Silat.”