Honestly, what could be cooler than Cossack sorcerers? Well, it seems they did really exist!
A while ago I happened across this extended article from Ancient Origins, which is well worth a look:
I don’t want to add too much to this, as you can read the articles for yourself. The first part is largely context and historical background. The second part goes into more detail about the training methods that these ‘Sorcerors’ used. Most of it is practical – but there are hints at more interesting psychological techniques.
This will be of little interest to those only concerned with the ‘First Aspect’ of Systema, which I wrote about recently. However, to those who wonder whether systema’s combat aspects form part of a larger system, in the way that various kung fu styles have traditionally been connected to Traditional Chinese Medicine, qigong, etc, there are many ideas to explore here.
Image Credits: The Flying Carpet, by Viktor Mikhailovich Vasnetsov, uploaded by belygorod.ru to Wikimedia Commons. Public Domain.
