The weapon of karambit

The Karambit

The Karambit is a remarkable utility knife that was born in the Indonesian archipelago with roots in Malaysia and the Philippines. Akin to the Swiss Army knife of today, this was the "pocket knife" of ancient villagers. This extraordinary little personal tool was first documented to be carried around the early 11th century AD and to this very day can be seen in various remote locations throughout the Indonesian islands, parts of Malaysia and the Southern Philippine islands.

 Although rumored to have been brought to America around the late 1800's, the Karambit was "officially" introduced to the United States sometime in the late 1950's and made popular, especially with martial artists, through the late 1970's and 1980's. Virtually unknown in the secular community, by the mid-1990's it was predominantly recognized as a martial arts training element derived from the heritage of Indonesian Pencak Silat, Malaysian Pencak Silat and Filipino Kali.

Tiger claws

Since before recorded time, different cultures around the globe developed different tools based on their needs. Some developed superior fishing tools, while others developed tools for planting crops. Tool design and application are a direct result of era and geography. A seaside dwelling tribe would develop different tools than would a mountainous or plains tribe. When various peoples migrated from one geographical location to another they brought with them their tools and way of life - sometimes peacefully, as in migration, and other times by war, as in the case of conquest.

According to my masters and the oral tradition that was passed down from master to student for centuries, prior to 1280 AD, most of West Java was part of the indigenous Pajajaran kingdom. The Badui tribe of West Java, the aboriginal people of Sunda, considered to be the ethnic group of the Pajajaran, lived relatively peacefully until the coming of the Majapahit empire (circa 1351 AD). At that time the Badui tribe quickly migrated to the rugged mountainous regions of the west, brought their weapons with them and remained self-governed.

The predominant uses of the Karambit in ancient times were similar to the uses of the European pocket knife: field work, including cutting twine or rope; chopping fruits and vegetables; and, in some rare cases, as an exceptional personal safety knife.

Karambit modern

In modern times as the Karambit (now much smaller in size than its battlefield-sized ancestor) is now recognized internationally as a traditional weapon of Pencak Silat. Read more

When a fighter unsheathed a battlefield Karambit in ancient times, the cutting edge was almost always smeared with some type of deadly poison, which acted almost instantly upon entry into the bloodstream via laceration of the flesh. Even the smallest cut was enough to usher the poison into the bloodstream. Knowledge and use of poisons derived from various species of poisonous frogs, snakes, scorpions and spiders were considered an essential element of a warrior's arsenal of close-quarter combative skills. These poisons rapidly accelerated death and were mostly feared for their nearly instantaneous killing power.

As a martial-arts implement, it is an extraordinary ancient artifact that permits the accomplished practitioner grace, style and freedom of creative movement. Very much akin to dance-like movements, the true art of the Karambit is like ballet.

The personal Karambit (smaller version of the battlefield Karambit) was primarily designed for targeting the nerves and joints. As a result of such a small cutting surface, most cuts cannot be made deep enough to kill someone. That is why the Karambit can be considered a personal self-defense tool. In contrast, the blade of the Karambit Besar (larger or battlefield version of the personal-sized Karambit) is longer and thus permits deeper cuts. According to the ancients, the battlefield Karambit was preferred not only for its superior length but for the fact that you could, as a result of the lengthy cutting edge, "spill the entrails of your enemies onto the ground." However, as it was in the West, with the advent of battle-worthy and functional firearms, bladed weapons became obsolete on the battlefield and relegated to the utilitarian uses of knives that we see today.

Specifically designed as a close-quarter self-defense weapon, the Karambit of old was additionally quite difficult to see in the hand due to its method of deployment and cover of the fingers. Doubly menacing was that it could not be disarmed as a result of its forefinger-grip design. It was unique to any other blade at the time as it could be used for both a medium and close fighting ranges without changing distance of the striking arm. It was also the only blade used in battle that could cut twice with a single arm stroke. All other blades of that era need one motion for one cut. The ancient battlefield Karambit was unique because:

    It could not be easily seen.
    It could not be easily disarmed
    It could change ranges without body movement
    It could deliver two strikes in a single arm motion.

Martial Arts Video: 

Kerambit is dangerous weapon in silat

The Aura and The Chakra in Silat

AURA is your psychic energy body- it's the energy produced by your life force, and it emanates all around you. A lot about your mental, emotional and physical state is reflected in your aura. This can be percieved in the predominant color of your aura.... but please keep in mind, the aura is constantly changing in color, shape and size. Also, the strength and integrity of your aura will have a strong effect on your overall wellbeing.

CHAKRA is a Sanskrit word meaning "spinning wheel of energy". These energy centers within our bodies receive and transmit energy, and each is situated at a major endocrine gland, and nerve bundle within the physical body, called a plexus. Each chakra is connected and associated with a different part of the body. Understanding and using your chakras can promote physical, emotional and spiritual healing, and can lend energy to your manifestational work.

The Chakras

The chakras

The chakras are whirling masses of subtle energy which act as “control centers” for the energy meridians throughout our body, and which receive, store and transmit vital energy.
The word chakra translates from the Sankrit word “wheel” or “vortex.” There are 7 chakras located on a "power line" which runs down the center of the body from the top of the head to the base of the spine. These chakras are whirling masses of subtle energy which act as “control centers” for the energy meridians throughout our body, and which receive, store and transmit vital energy. They are shaped like a "funnel" which is narrowest where our spine is, and which widens as it faces outwards.

Through the energy meridian system, the chakras metabolize and supply vital energy to the various systems and organs of the entire body (similar to how food is physically metabolized). Each chakra resonates at a different frequency and corresponds to a specific color, bodily system, and personality aspects. The chakras also store experiences which have had an emotional impact on us during our lives, with various types of emotions corresponding to each chakra.

An energetic imbalance in one chakra can affect the energy balance within surrounding chakras. The amount of energy flowing through each chakra, as well as the clarity of the color, can indicate an imbalance either within that particular chakra or within the energy meridian assoicated with that chakra. The faster a chakra spins, the more energy it can receive and transmit. When a chakra stops functioning properly, the intake of energy will be disturbed and energetic imbalance will result. The organs and systems related to that particular chakra will reflect this imbalance by inhibiting the immune system in that area of the body, evenually resulting in weakness or illness. Fear-based emotions and situations may also manifest.

A clear, balanced flow of energy within the chakras is important for healthy functioning of the body. The clearer and more uninhibited the vital energy flow between the body, the more health and well-being will be experienced.

Each of the chakras represents a different level of consciousness, and the same issue perceived from the perspective of each chakra would be experienced differently. The chakras each function at their own frequency, the higher its location within the body, the higher the frequency.

At a certain frequency, the seven chakras begin to unify into a single chakra. This unified chakra functions at a much higher frequency. The fields of energy which surround the body also merge into one, and resonate to this much higher frequency. Tony Stubbs, author of An Ascension Handbook, presents a wonderful and simple method of experiencing the unified chakra.

The Aura

Energy Body

The aura is the energy field (also known as the energy body) which extends from all living things, and which is constantly interacting with the surrounding energies in our environment. Many people consciously perceive this energy field. Others perceive it unconsciously (for example, when you feel anger or tension emanating from someone, or you have a vague sense of their personality, or feel a sense of peace and comfort around them).

The aura protects the body from harmful energies by filtering out unhealthy energies and energies it does not resonate with, and absorbing energies that are needed and which it does resonate with. When we feel excited, happy, optimistic, and self-assured, our aura emanates frequencies matching this emotion, and attracts to us other people and situations matching this frequency. Likewise, when we feel depressed, unhappy, pessimistic, angry, or frustrated, people and situations which resonate to these frequencies will be attracted to us.

The visual state of this energy field provides important information on the health and well-being of the body. The aura can be multi-colored or may have one or two colors which predominate. These colors relate to health of the chakras and meridians throughout the body. Auras which are clear and which have bright colors indicate a healthy energetic system. Dark, “muddy” auras, or areas of the aura that are blotchy, can indicate emotional, psychological, or physical issues which have been "frozen" within the energy field.

With a little bit of practice, everyone can learn to consciously see the aura with their naked eye, although some individuals are able to naturally see the aura without any practice or training. These individuals have naturally expanded their sensory perception beyond the five physical senses and are often clairvoyant (able to see things others cannot), clairaudient (able to hear things others cannot), and clairsentient (able to feel things others cannot). When we learn to physically see the aura, we then begin the process of expanding our sensory perception and awareness of other dimensions of consciousness. The subtle information which the brain normally filters out will then become fully accessible to us.

The “glow” of the aura can also be photographed using a special type of photography called Kirilan photography. If we focus on a specific thought forms or color, these thoughtforms will be energetically displayed as color swirls and patterns in a Kirlian photograph, as will a haze of whichever color was focused on. Kirlian photography shows us that we can interact with the human energy field and regulate it simply by using our intent. Our thoughts are energy, and energy has a direct impact on our bodies and our surroundings.

What is the relationship Aura and Chakras in silat martial arts?
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