Instantaneous Adaptation!

A member of Sursuro Inay's Class, "sunmeria", sent me an email today. Part of the email was a link to her old "Filipino Warrior" Blog. I took a moment to read it, and was encouraged. People ask "why eskrima, what makes people come back?" "sunmeria" answered back with her passion for the culture of the Filipinos.
 
For me passion and family history is what started it. Its when you can say "I feel passionate about training Inayan Eskrima" that you begin to get good. So many people just want to learn moves.. "can you show me a move for when (X) happens?" Sure, I can show you that, but it wont be any use. Unless of course you can get that very exact context to occur in a fight. I have had in the last 9 years that my father has been gone the opportunity to be in several real street fights. And the one glaring observation is, fights dont happen like training. I knew that before, but the empirical knowledge seems to carry more weight.
 
Culturally I am so removed from my ethnic heritage, that Inayan Eskrima connects me with my heritage and the traditions of my ethnicity. On top of that, the practical means of fighting inherrent with Inayan Eskrima makes it invaluable. Not only in a fight, but also in just every-day conflict resolution. I can use verbal counterparts to my techniques to diffuse arguments and potential disputes. Martial Arts can be about more than throwing a punch or swinging a kick, or even a knife, stick or sword. The Inayan System, as my father taught me, is a way of approaching life. Culture, history, tradition, philosophy, psychology, physiology and many other related topics have a great deal to do with the way my Father, and by extension my sister and I present our family art.
 
Eskrima means "to Skirmish" or "to Fight", it is not limited by a gentle way or art, or a fist law or emtpy hand or contact combat.. Inayan Eskrima is about prevailing, sometimes you must resist, sometimes you blend. On occasion you will have something in your hand when you do Inayan Eskrima, other times you will only have your hands and feet. Combat is more than just contact, its tactics, strategy, forethought. The weapon is the mind, thats how we look at it in Inayan. Learn the history of the art, its culture, prevalent political climate during its growth and creation to what it is today, pay notice to common religious customs and fashion during the time the art was used, this will give you insight into the purpose, the why, of the art.
 
On one side you have techniques and strength and speed and power, youth.. on the other side you have cunning, deception, intellect, precision, maturity... The way of power and reaction is the way of the opportunist, i.e. not Inayan. Proactiveness, responsiveness, tactical acumen, deception, precision, fighting spirit, and above all adherence to the Inayan Code of Conduct is our way, The Way of the Inayan Eskrimador.