Levels in Yellow Bamboo
Level 1
The overall objective of Level 1 is to introduce Yellow Bamboo to the students, and enable the students to grasp the idea and belief that Yellow Bamboo can help them and to enable them to contact the power of the universe and draw that power inside them.
The student receives an initiation from the teacher, is taught 2 mantras to accompany breathing techniques (pranayama) to receive, develop and store energy, and a set of 5 exercises (latihan) to be repeated 10 times each session. The 1st Level is to strengthen the body and to harmonise body, mind and spirit. The student is taught healing and protection techniques. To advance to the next level usually takes at least 2 months of serious practice.
Level 2
2 more mantras are given to bring in more power and strength. The stress is on building a big, strong, powerful and formidable body, mind and spirit, with super self-confidence. At this level the spirit can leave and re-enter the body. The power at this level is associated with the spirit of legendary Majapahit warrior Gajah Madah, who confers the gifts of healing and of protection from physical harm, as well as the power to capture the spirits of people who try to harm the student. In addition, the one learns to contact and draw one’s ancestors closer to assist in one’s life and to protect oneself.
Some Yellow Bamboo groups expect the students to be able to test their power by protecting themselves at a distance against an enraged attacker. The attack may will fall to the ground in a trance. However, there is no necessity for this requirement, as Yellow Bamboo is not an art of self defence, but a spiritual path.
At this level, one builds and develops a very hot fire in the body in order to be able to burn or annilate any toxins, sickness, black spells or spirits. One also learns how to push away undesirable energies or attract desirable energies, to contact others at a distance (telepathy), to see at a distance (telesight), and to see into the future.
2 more mantras are given, as well as a new set of exercises aimed at developing the forces of magnetic repulsion and attraction, in order to draw people or repel them. The mantra and pranayama exercises also aim to develop a hot burning energy in the body for protection and healing. There is no Pendekar spirit at this level.
Level 4
Level 4 teaches how to draw in universal energy (Cosmic Fires, God, and the spiritual world) through the navel.
Techniques of striking over a distance are taught for protection purposes. Level 4 is studied for some time until a vision is received.
Energy can be drawn in from nature, and also from people that wish to harm the student (to deprive them of the power to cause harm). This energy is stored in the abdomen. Nature energy comes up from below and spiritual energy descend through the crown of the head, meeting in the abdomen.
Levels 5
At this level, one purifies and strengthens the body, mind and spirit further and invokes the aid of God and the spiritual realm to grant knowledge and power in order to enable oneself to bless and teach others so that they may return to God. The 3rd art of perspiration is taught. The practitioner bases his pranayama on a long mantra, using this to acquire the power of blessing and imparting initiations. One learns how to use the long mantra to effectively make holy water for blessing, empowerment and exorcism. (be more efficient than in lower levels in empowering water). One also learns how to put energy into people or objects (different from protection in lower levels).
Level 6
Level 6 is to draw in the energy of the universe and unite with Nature.
One learns how to absorb energy from Nature, the Sun, Moon, stars, mountains, lakes, oceans, valleys, trees etc and become one with them. One learns to listen to Nature, to communicate and enquire from Nature. One also begins to learn how to make one’s body as hard as steel and be impervious.
At Level 6, the student also begins to learn how to be more effective in self-protection, and the protection of people, and objects. One begins to acquire a brighter and bigger aura, which black magicians/sorcerers can perceive. Because of constant communication with Nature, a proficient Level 6 practitioner will begin to acquire the knowledge of healing herbs, which may either come in dreams or arise intuitively. For a very proficient practitioner, the healing energy of medicinal plants may be drawn into the body to be stored and released during healing. Energy of other objects, such as the Sun, may also be drawn in for similar purposes.
Level 7
The aim of Level 7 is to learn how to cleanse one’s body and soul in order to draw the knowledge and power of God into oneself and to unite with God.
Level 8
The aim of Level 8 is to make God an integral part of one’s life. God is already present, but one must allow God to live within oneself. One unites God who is above and God who is below in oneself, in both the masculine and feminie aspects. One learns to remain calm with God within oneself and to be confident that one is able to automatically and spontaneously protect oneself and perform feats of healing etc. One also learns how to influence other people for their own good.
Level 9
To make one’s body big, strong and hard, so that it is impervious to harm.
Level 10
To identify with God and the universe, lead a holy life, be determined (not waver), and be able to withstand attacks.
Level 11
One learns how to make oneself invincible and unsurpassed, how to receive the powers of the monkey god hanuman and to with him. One also learns to draw in love, fill oneself with love, and to make others love and be kind and amiable oneself in a positive way (ie. not to take advantage of others in a parasitic way)
Level 12
One learns how to draw one’s “brothers/sisters at birth” closer to oneself in order to help and protect oneself in one’s endeavours to practise the spiritual path, promote one’s business, promote harmony in one’s relationships etc.
One also learns how to call upon
the 3 dragons associated with
Note:- There is a Javanese belief about one’s “brothers/sisters at birth”. This is a higher secret of Kejawen that Adam Chew and John Chow are not allowed to divulge beyond what Yellow Bamboo teaches. Please excuse us.
Level 13
John Chow has no information about this level which was recently introduced to yellow Bamboo curriculum.
Please excuse.
The above
is only a part of what is taught and once a student is ready to learn and be
taught, then
the master will indeed appear to offer the teachings.
I acknowledge that what is written above to describe the levels in Yellow Bamboo is based only upon my limited understanding of Yellow Bamboo since I am only a mere beginner in Yellow Bamboo. If there are any ambiguities or mistakes, kindly email me to inform me of the defects and I will try to investigate the matter further to improve the information.
May God bless you.
Written by John Chow, while most of the material are from the official Yellow Bamboo course and “other sources”, a bit of it is Paul Terrell of UK, and John Chow feels it only ethical if the credits are respectfully given.
17 October 2004. Modified on 2 November 2004.
To be updated later, with more details, and more levels.