What is the Ultimate Purpose of Warrior Training?

[Beynu Osagyefo]

I am employed as a "movement" instructor for a charter school in southwest Baltimore. The physical education program I utilize is based on rudimentary elements of my Neo-Ngolo training. That is segments of Bando forms, boxing drills, Capoeria drills, and Bando meditation exercises.

Today as I was leaving the gym two of my fourth grade students were in the hallway trying to get another student to calm down. Now this brother (I will call him K) is extremely reserved and quiet at most times. As I instruct in movement under the African construct of Neo-Ngolo, there are many times I discuss the reality of how we (Afrikans) have come to this point in America. I give them real talk! K in the past has expressed that he thinks of death often because sees it in the reality of his neighborhood. The young brother is very aware.

Now tears were falling from K's face like a waterfall and he could hardly breathe he was so upset. I thanked the others for their assistance and sent them to where they needed to be. K and I worked the concentration meditation drill we use every class. As we worked the drill he began to control his breathing and could muster out some words (he actually could not even speak for about five minutes).

Prior to his friends leaving they told me he attacked another brother for no apparent reason. K yoked him by his shirt slammed him against a locker, and then picked up the other kids book bag and begin to beat him with it. All of the brothers were basically in shock because K is usually so quiet and laid back. K observed one brother start physically picking on another brother and he went off on the bully in the situation.

What K finally was able to tell me was this... "Sometimes I just get SO MAD! I have these memories...these bad memories and they just hit me...All of a sudden I am just so, so mad...It's just these memories."

I asked K if he wanted to talk about them and he immediately just kept sayong "No" over and over again. Realize the whole time the tears are still flowing like a faucet from this brother. I told the young brother I am always here for him, he can talk to me, he can talk to Mr. X (another brother in the school), he can talk to his friends, family member he trusts, he can talk to himself out loud in private, he can write or rap about it...but the memories will always be there so we must learn to deal with them and let out the pain. This whole time we have not stopped working the mediation drill. We closed the drill and I gave the brother a hug and told him I love him and he can talk to me if he needs to.

The words he used still hurt. At 9 years old this brother has articulated the pain of the Afrikan existence in America...I have these bad memories and they just hit me...It's just these memories

The martial system under which I train is Neo-Ngolo which entails elements of Bando expressed through Afrikan physiology. My exposure to Bando history, philosophy, and discipline has made me aware of the past existence of the Bando Meditation Center. This center was established to "provide...services to...(those) who suffered from battle fatigue, shell shock, traumatic stress, depression, disorientation, paranoia, and other psychological traumas resulting from (the chaos of) war...

"Bando meditation...was introduced , not as a religious or spiritual practice, but as a functional and workable method of self-recovery, self-rehabilitation, and self-healing of the emotional wounds of war. Bando meditation was presented as "a technique to combat intruding, invading, and recurring visions of traumatic expeiriences of war; a system of defense against strong negative thoughts and feelings directed towards persons, objects, and events which were associated with war; and a method of self-discipline to develop mental concentration to restore emotional, mental, and physical stability".

It is to be noted that this center was not established by a governmental agency, medical doctors, or psychological professionals. It was established by concerned people with the desire, will, and ability to serve their community.

Unfortunately some may express, or incorrectly believe that such a conception is an Asian phenomena. Afrikan spirtual systems dealt with this reality in profundity and laid the foundation for all energy systems of the world.

The teachings of Bambi Baaba speak to “The Golden Advent of Ansenserenica on Planet Earth”...

“The earth is engulfed and permeated by both physical and subtle energies. The immediate subtle field around the Earth is called “Nakayonga” by the mystical adepts of Africa, and the etheric layer as well as noosphere (which) are contemporary western and Russian (scientific) terms, respectively. This etheric field, by constantly emitting subtle energy which permeates the physical Earth, not only influences and molds mental activity (of its inhabitants) and (the) physiology of the earth, but also influences natural phenomena such as rainfalls, hurricanes, and earthquakes.

Therefore, it is evident that much of the present chaos and pollution in our physical environment stems from the negatively affected etheric and mental environment. Through years of viceful thinking and behavior, human beings have released harmful negative physical and subtle vibrational energies that have caused pollution of the etheric layer. The continuous pollution of the etheric layer has reached a threshold that has created a terrible negative etheric energy called “Mikankanico”. This energy in turn now causes a fallout of harmful currents that have distorted the mental, biological, and physical environment of the Earth. These harmful currents are responsible for the aggressive, selfish, destructive thinking and actions, as well as the resulting hostile biological and physical environment we experience today. It is a vicious cycle…A self-entrapment which can only be broken if the existing etheric polluted condition/environment is re-established and positively amplified.

In the Neo-Ngolo system re-establishing one's balance and energy is known as Dikitisa Ngolo; "similar in principle to Chi Kung in China or Min Zin in Burma (Bando). Though dissimilar in many ways, all three methods share a common root system in which the world is seen as a realm inhabited by natural and spiritual forces that can be utilized by human beings for the purpose of empowerment.

In African wrrior systems, these forces are utilized to stimulate vitality and enhance the power of body (nitu) and mind (ngindu). In these practices, which are the core of combat systems, the practitioners endeavors to refine the function of the senses, vital organs and motor skills. The refined physical motions, when practiced consistently, cause ngolo (energy) to flow throughout the body-mind and increase the self-healing power known as funda dia ngolo.

An insufficient amount or an abnormal flow of ngolo can cause depression, illness, or death. Human beings who have been subjected to traumatic experiences often suffer from a depletion of ngolo which disrupts the kinenga or balance of mind and body, ultimately causing damage to vital organs, psychological damage, or even death (Maasi. Shaha Mfundishi. Essential Warrior. p19-20).

"...The purpose of warriorship is to develop an enlightened being who is a human vortex of positive energy, having attained the core of perfect harmony, known as lufulu iwa kinenga. It must be understood that too merely train in and develop fighting skills is not the apex of warriorship. To become a true warrior one must become "nkwa ki moyo", a vitalist, one who heals the ills of the people (Massi. Shaha Mfundishi. Essential Warrior. p.36)

'Self-healing power must be viewed as the fundamental power of each family which intensifies within the clan pattern (community). Fu-kia Bunseki states in Self-Healing Power and Therapy... that "Self healing power should be understood not only in terms of physical and mental health, but as a concept that includes all aspects of life: economy, education, industry, culture, and politics."...The crises of the Afrikan comunity is rooted in its failure to honor and venerate those systems that increase ngolo and provide harmony and balance within the relationships that provide harmony and balance in group functions (Maasi. Shaha. Essential Warrior. p 115)!

As I reflect on my experience with K, and too many similar experiences I have had with young brothers and sisters, I must ask myself and anyone reading this why do we train? The ability to martially end a confrontation is a skill that may be required in one's lifetime. However, the reality is that possibility is not probable in most of our lives. Even security professionals will seldom have an opportunity to exercise their martial skill. But every day we are in the cacophony of America. Everyday, if not moment our consciousness is challenged, confronted, and attacked by circumstances and situations of life. Does the system in which one trains directly address this reality. Looking at the purpose of the earlier mentioned Bando Mediation Center, I question why haven't we done this, can we do this? Do Afrikans in America feel as though there is nothing from which to heal?

The MAAFA, the genocide of African people upon which the western world has been built, inflicted deep wounds in the psyche of our people and continues to do so. No government agency, grant, non-profit program, or medical system will address the cause and root of Afrikan dysfunction in America. Our burden is our burden. We have always been well-skilled at physical applications; but are we aware how we have forsaken the psychological, spiritual, social, and cultural function of our traditional warrior arts. I have heard it mentioned that martial arts has no political function. Tell the Japanese that; a people who utilized the Samurai culture to re-vitalize their function in business and industry to become a world power with a minuscule standing army and scant natural resources...they utilized their traditional warrior practices to re-focus the energies of their nation towards mental combat with the western world. All we do, all behavior has a socio-cultural, a political function; either our behavior is working to empower our culture or destroy it...There is no middle ground.

Beynu Osagyefo

[MWALIMU MKUU JUMA MSHABAZI]

PEACE RESPECT MY REASON 1960S FOR THE ART WAS SURVIVAL. BUT AS I GOT OLDER AND THERE WAS LESS DUE TO THE NEWER CULTURE OF THE GUN. REASON. ITS STRESS REDUCTION. IN MY YOUTH I FELT SOFT STYLIST OF THE NON JUJITSU TYPE WERE INSAINE BECAUAE MY GOLD WAS NEVER TO BE BEAT. BUT MY FEELING NOW IS TO EACH THERE OWN. I DIDNT PROMOTE MYSELF OR SYSTEM JUST TRAIN AND TEST MY SKILLS. ( I DO SO KNOW BECAUSE OF HEALTH AND AGE ) TO THE POINT WERE THAT THOSE HAVE A FRACTION OF MY FEATS ARE FAMOUS TODAY AND I AM NOT. SO MUCH SO THAT THOSE NOT IN THE KNOW CHALLANGE ME. NOT KNOWING I AM A DO OR DIE. AND AM STILL HERE! PEACE RESPECT BRO. JUMA

[Kamau R]

This is a great piece. I think that it aptly captures the purpose of warrior training.

[Abraham Hardy]

Very deep my felow warrior. I have always believed the true purpose of training in the warrior arts is to unify what i call the triangle of power or the mind, body and spirit. I like how Asian martial arts ( like those i have studied) all claim to od this , but instructors focus more on sport application or something shallow than to focus on the true purpose. Those are what i call "martial arts". Whati do i consider "Warrior Arts" cause it focuses on the true aspects. I can tell by how you speak and your concepts, that you are awake to this. The example i use alot is that you can go to school and learn for thr mind, hit the gym for your body, and go to church for your spirit. True warrior arts though encompass and combine all these aspects. For me in my warriror arts, what i consider a modern form of African martial arts, I teach all the aspects i have knowledge of that i feels make a warriors training. From the physical aspects of combat, taught in a effective, progressive fasion only teaching what is effective, to the science and concepts of fighitng and these skills. Although i focus on modern style combatives, i do not leave out thing like learning control of breath, and knowledge of internal energy and how to use it, and modern healing. In fitness i teach excercize and how to build and condition the body for he rigors of warriror training and for better health. I teach the aspects of proper nutrition too. In knowledege for the mind, i teach warrior history, starting with the original culture in Africa, and branching out into the others. I also trach Warrior philosophy to instill the right mindset and proper mental attributes befitting a warrior. In the end, i feel the purpose of warrior training is to wholistically develop the individual inside and out to reach their highest level of being. Peace be upon you - Nubinawarrioking , Abraham Hardy of HCW