The Path
The goal is the pursuit of a higher level of consciousness; martial skill arises as an inevitable outcome.
About the Warrior Program
The Warrior Program is the path of the art beyond the foundation. It is rooted in Filipino martial arts. Specifically the Balintawak Eskrima founded by Great Grandmaster Anciong Bacon and carried forward by Great Grandmaster Bobby Tabimina, under whom Master Jojo Ygay trained. Within this tradition, the practitioner learns close-range stick fighting, where the goal is attaining higher level of consciousness through immersion on psychological and physical stimulation of senses to produce real time adaptation and enhancing combat experience.
The full path is taught in five stages. Stage One, the Empty Mind, is the Healing Program. Open to anyone. The foundation. Stages Two through Five, the Awakened Mind, the Decisive Blade, the Dual Current, and the Ouroboros, are the Warrior Program. Open to students who have completed the Empty Mind.
The Empty Mind
This stage centers on exploring human physical and mental capabilities by understanding their limitations through exposure to what I term the "human template." While each individual is unique and responds to stress differently, combat scenarios reveal predictable human reactions to specific stimuli. These predetermined responses are then reshaped into effective reactions by introducing tailored stimuli at random intervals, gradually increasing in complexity as the student adapts and refines their responses. The prerequisite of these calibrations is the attainment of the zero mind state. In this state, reactions are spontaneous, allowing practitioners to respond with unparalleled speed and accuracy. Defensive reactions with built-in offensive capabilities are installed in this state because reactions are faster than actions. Unknowingly, the student develops a solid defense with a devastating counter attack. This is also where the healing process begins. The teachings show you the vulnerabilities every human carries, and in facing them you realize that all of us are created equal, and that the goal is to go beyond your ordinary limits. The zero-mind state, typically achieved through meditation, is attained in Balintawak through a chaotic state. This latter approach is more effective, embodying the principle that “only through chaos there is peace.” Within this organized chaos, motor skills are instilled with the emphasis of developing a strong defense. As Great Grandmaster Bobby Tabimina emphasizes, “A strong defense can easily diminish an opponent.”
The Awakened Mind
This stage centers on cultivating the human mind's potential through the practice of heightened consciousness. Achieving this state requires first reaching a zero mind state. The sweet spot, where heightened consciousness emerges, lies in the balance between full consciousness and this zero mind state. Great Grandmaster Anciong Bacon refers to this as “Kahayag,” meaning light. If the zero mind state is the void, heightened consciousness is the radiant light that illuminates it. Heightened consciousness is defined as an enhanced state of awareness where perception, intuition, and mental clarity are amplified. In this stage, students will develop their offensive skills while simultaneously strengthening their defensive capabilities at a secondary level. A core objective is mastering the ability to assert their WILL, enabling them to act and move with deliberate intent. Deliberate actions create threats, which provoke stress responses, leading to nervous system adaptations.
The Decisive Blade
Having been exposed to both the zero mind state and heightened consciousness, the student learns to shift seamlessly between them increasing the combat awareness. In this stage, the student becomes resolute, ending conflict swiftly and directly. The student's offensive capabilities are further sharpened, with the aim of eliminating all hesitation in order to neutralize a live, resisting opponent. This is possible because students can instantly identify their opponent’s weaknesses and exploit them through split-second decision-making. The hallmark of this stage is the student learns to refine the two gears of being in a zero mind state and heightened consciousness, shifting between them with fluid speed. In this refinement emerges a deeper truth: Being hit is inevitable; mastery is found in how you absorb and react to it.
The Dual Current
In this stage, students learn to merge Zero Mind State and Heightened Consciousness, achieving duality, the unity of opposites. Through repeated, rapid switching between calm emptiness and vivid awareness, the boundary between the two dissolves until both modes operate at once. In practical terms, this is the integration of intuitive, non-patterned, spontaneous, perception with deliberate, analytical control, often described colloquially as the “right and left brain” working in concert. The outcome is steady nervous system regulation and precise body control under pressure, clarity without tension, speed without haste. The students also learn deception which is an integral part in teaching and combat. Sun Tzu once said, “All warfare is based on deception.” When you learn deception, you will be able to tap one’s soul. Whether you uplift or demoralize the soul, the choice is in the palm of your hands. It is a double-edged sword and should be used with extreme prejudice or with extreme caution.
The Ouroboros
In this stage, the student sees learning as a linked chain—each link strengthening the next. By deepening the understanding of the basics, the chain that binds all levels is reinforced. Nothing is incidental; every movement is purposeful and deliberate. Revisiting the fundamentals with a different mindset and perspective solidifies the foundation and makes the whole system resilient. In Great Grandmaster Bobby Tabimina’s words, quoted from the Bible, this stage is “The first will be the last, and the last will be the first” After returning to the origin comes integration of the zero mind state, the heightened consciousness state and the full conscious state. The goal is the pursuit of a higher level of consciousness; martial skill arises as an inevitable outcome.