Silvia’s Journey

My journey into martial arts began in my mid 20s. After kicking a few addictions that had held a tight grip on me for far too long, I remained lost in my ways. In search of a plan to get my life on track, I decided to explore martial arts. I needed structure, but I also wanted an experience that would make my heart sing.

Two years later, and after searching the entire continent, I discovered Poekoelan. With its authentic and fierce fighting tradition, rich commitment to compassionate balanced action, and culture of valuing all people, men and women as both students and teachers, I felt right at home.

Sure enough, my heart sang, my soul soared and I finally began to feel right in my own skin.

From my first sweaty class, I flipped big guys over my back, kicked pads with a strength I didn’t know I possessed and yes, I started to believe in myself.

I thought, “If only I can stick with this thing for three months, I’ll know I can keep a commitment.” And here I am, 30+ years later, on a journey that has led me to places I never even imagined.

From the beginning holds, I learned body mechanics and gained muscle memory to defend myself against attackers who are bigger than I. Through practicing forms, I learned precision and the importance of breath control. While fighting, I learned that I can hold my own with a fierceness that no one can take away.

Jeff’s Journey

I was a long shot to even learn a martial art. As a teenager, I played golf and never had a single physical fight. My claim to fame was winning best smile in high school.

When I took my first Poekoelan class at Lewis and Clark college I didn’t even think it was a martial art. The vibe was so different than my stereotype. I grew up on Bruce Lee and Chuck Norris.

My first goal was to attend the twice weekly class. A modest goal indeed but for a 21-year-old going on 16, I had to apply myself.

Luckily, I found a martial art that allowed me to learn self-defense and a lot about myself in the process! Initially my objectives were learning how to defend myself and increasing my personal discipline. The best surprise was being forced to grow emotionally and to explore a spiritual path.

Though I had a religious upbringing, I hadn’t yet had a spiritual awakening. In Poekoelan what I see as spiritual is hard to express. For certain, my spiritual life is connected to the physical one.

So much of martial arts is physical and needs to be. We learn how to hold ourselves, to breathe calmly, and strike with proper alignment. The spiritual journey begins as we learn the limits of the physical abilities we possess. Once you hit the physical walls because you are tired and spent, you are forced to find another way.

I have learned to develop my mental and emotional attributes. In Poekoelan we engage in a lot of physical contact. We are thrown to the ground, and physically challenged over and over again in both fighting and self-defense. In the face of these challenges, I learned to stay calm and move quickly. Essentially, I had to grow emotionally to keep my anger, frustration, and self-doubt from boiling over.

Mental growth is akin to being cool under pressure and seeing self-defense as a chess game. “Smarter not harder” and “less is more” are key mottos in our art. It is easy to believe muscle and aggression will protect you, but we know better! The physical training is critical, but the emotional, mental, and spiritual training are equally important parts in my Poekoelan journey.

One thing is for sure, I wasn’t born knowing martial arts. Teaching what I was taught and continuing to explore movement in my own training, I continue to learn about the art and myself, and I am so grateful.