Interview with Senior Master Fabio Gomes on His New Book

(O incrível livro do Mestre Senior Fabio Gomes está disponível na Amazon em português 

e inglês nas versões digitais e impressa)

(Senior Master Fabio Gomes' book is avaliable in english and protuguese

on AMAZON in digital or printed versions)

Muita gente acredita que, para realizar grandes coisas, tudo se resume a acordar e decidir: “Hoje eu vou emagrecer”, “hoje eu vou terminar aquele projeto que estava pendente”, sem considerar a influência do ambiente sobre si mesma . Sobre como a disposição das coisas e das pessoas ao nosso redor impacta diretamente a nossa determinação.

Mestre Sênior Fabio Gomes, sob a tutela do Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, inserido em toda a ambiência objetiva e subjetiva comum a muitos de seus irmãos Kung Fu, fazia o que precisava ser feito: quando era necessário virar a noite, ele virava; quando era preciso viajar, ele viajava; quando era preciso praticar por horas, ele praticava. 

No entanto, o que muitas vezes não fica claro para diversos praticantes da Linhagem Moy Yat é que, em muitos casos, não é exatamente você quem possui toda essa disciplina. Talvez, como diz o veterano das Forças Especiais do Exército Brasileiro, Ernesto Reis, seja “o ambiente te carregando nas costas”.

Segundo esse Forças Especiais, quando o ambiente desaparece, quando você tira o uniforme e precisa encarar o mundo real, pode se deparar com uma verdade dura: a disciplina que você acreditava ter, talvez nunca tenha sido realmente sua.

Por isso, quando Mestre Sênior Fabio Gomes decidiu seguir o coração e apresentar seu projeto não apenas para centros de excelência (algo totalmente impensável à época ), mas também para o seu próprio Mestre, e ainda sustentar as condições necessárias para que o trabalho começasse, ele demonstrou algo essencial. Sem perceber, ao manter esse sonho vivo ano após ano, mesmo quando os resultados não eram perceptíveis a todos, Mestre Sênior Fabio Gomes mostrou que sua disciplina já ia muito além das paredes do Mo Gun (expressão cantonesa para “recinto marcial”) e do incentivo direto de seu Mestre.

Este livro, que você conhecerá melhor agora, reúne histórias e percepções sobre um Mestre de Ving Tsun que vislumbrou uma possibilidade real de contribuição para a sociedade por meio de seu sonho. Um sonho que parecia impossível, mas que ele tornou possível (não sozinho. Como ele sempre faz questão de deixar claro), não com uma ideia mirabolante, mas com resiliência e persistência, dignas de seu próprio Mestre e de todos aqueles que o precederam.

O veterano das Forças Especiais Ernesto Reis compartilha, em seu canal, uma fala atribuída ao espírito dos COMANDOS, que traduz com precisão os 25 anos de persistência do Mestre Sênior Fabio Gomes em sua trajetória. É como se, todas as vezes em que pensasse em desistir, um operador de forças de operações especiais decidisse:

“Amanhã eu desisto. Hoje eu aguento.”

 Many people believe that achieving great things is simply a matter of waking up and deciding: “Today I’m going to lose weight,” “today I’m going to finish that project I’ve been putting off”, without considering the influence of the environment on themselves , how the arrangement of things and the people around us directly impacts our determination.

Senior Master Fabio Gomes, under the guidance of Grandmaster Leo Imamura, immersed in the objective and subjective ambience common to many of his Kung Fu brothers, did what had to be done: when it was necessary to stay up all night, he stayed up; when it was necessary to travel, he travelled; when it was necessary to practise for hours, he practised.

However, what is often not clear to many practitioners of the Moy Yat Lineage is that, in many cases, it is not truly you who possesses all that discipline. Perhaps, as Brazilian Army Special Forces veteran Ernesto Reis puts it, it is “the environment carrying you on its back.”

According to this Special Forces man, when the environment disappears , when you take off your uniform and have to face the real world , you may encounter a harsh truth: the discipline you believed you had may never have truly been yours.

That is why, when Senior Master Fabio Gomes decided to follow his heart and present his project not only to centres of excellence (something entirely unthinkable at the time), but also to his own Master, and to sustain the conditions necessary for the work to begin, he demonstrated something essential.

 Without realising it, by keeping this dream alive year after year , even when the results were not visible to everyone , Senior Master Fabio Gomes showed that his discipline had already gone far beyond the walls of the Mo Gun (a Cantonese expression meaning “martial room”) and beyond the direct encouragement of his Master.

This book, which you are about to come to know more closely, brings together stories and reflections about a Ving Tsun Master who envisioned a real possibility of contributing to society through his dream. A dream that seemed impossible, yet one he made possible , not alone (as he is always keen to emphasise), not through a far-fetched idea, but through resilience and perseverance worthy of his own Master and of all those who came before him.

Again, the Special Forces Ernesto Reis shares, on his channel, a saying attributed to the spirit of the COMMANDOS, which precisely captures the 25 years of persistence in Senior Master Fabio Gomes’s journey. It is as if, every time he considered giving up, a special operations soldier chose to say:

“Tomorrow I quit. Today, I endure.”

Entrevista com o Mestre Senior Fabio Gomes sobre seu novo livro:

(Interview with Senior Master Fabio Gomes about his new book):

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

Mestre Fabio Gomes, seja bem-vindo de volta ao nosso blog. Para os leitores mais recentes, o senhor poderia se apresentar brevemente?

Master Pereira’s Blog:
Master Fabio Gomes, welcome back to our blog. For our more recent readers, could you briefly introduce yourself?

(Mestre Senior Fabio Gomes contribuindo com uma instrução de Ving Tsun 

no curso de formação dos COMANDOS e Forças Especiais do Exército Brasileiro)

(Senior Master Fabio Gomes contributing to a Ving Tsun training session
in the Brazilian Army’s Commando and Special Forces Formation Course)

MS Fabio Gomes : Primeiramente quero agradecer por mais este convite, é sempre uma honra participar de seu Blog que possui um público tão seleto.
Sou Mestre em Ving Tsun pela International Moy Yat Ving Tsun Federation, sendo discípulo do Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura.
Estudo o Ving Tsun desde 1° de novembro de 1994. Em 1999 comecei a trabalhar com este sistema marcial chinês, realizando estudos personalizados para o segmento de segurança. Minha jornada profissional com o Ving Tsun teve início no 1° Batalhão de Forças Especiais do Exército Brasileiro, contribuindo com o preparo dos Comandos e Forças Especiais, a elite da Força Terrestre.
Posteriormente, tive a honra de contribuir com os Comandos Anfíbios da Marinha do Brasil, Peacekeepers (ONU), policiais do BOPE do Rio de Janeiro, além de outras tropas e também junto a profissionais do mundo corporativo.

MS Fabio Gomes:

First of all, I would like to thank you for this invitation. It is always an honour to take part in your blog, which has such a select audience.
I am a Ving Tsun Master certified by the International Moy Yat Ving Tsun Federation and a disciple of Grandmaster Leo Imamura. I have studied Ving Tsun since 1 November 1994. In 1999, I began working professionally with this Chinese martial system, conducting customised studies for the security sector.
My professional journey with Ving Tsun began with the 1st Special Forces Battalion of the Brazilian Army, contributing to the preparation of the Commandos and Special Forces, the elite of the Land Force.
Subsequently, I had the honour of contributing to the Brazilian Navy’s Amphibious Commandos, United Nations Peacekeepers, officers of BOPE Rio de Janeiro, as well as other military units and professionals from the corporate world.

(O centro de instrução localizado em Niterói (RJ) onde são realizados os cursos de Comandos e Forças Especiais do Exército Brasileiro chama‑se Centro de Instrução de Operações Especiais (CI Op Esp). Ele também é conhecido formalmente como Centro de Instrução Coronel Gilberto Antônio Azevedo e Silva e fica sediado no Forte Imbuí, em Niterói.)

The training centre located in Niterói city, where the Brazilian Army conducts its Commando and Special Forces courses, is called the Special Operations Training Centre (CI Op Esp). It is also formally known as the Colonel Gilberto Antônio Azevedo e Silva Training Centre and is based at Forte Imbuí in Niterói)

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

Sua primeira entrevista para nossa página aconteceu ainda nos anos 2000. Poderia compartilhar quais foram os fatos mais marcantes e as principais transformações em sua vida e trajetória desde então?

MS Fabio Gomes: Tentarei escrever alguns dos principais, pois tive e tenho a felicidade de estar cercado por uma rede de apoio escolhida a dedo por Deus, sinceramente não tenho outras palavras. Ninguém faz nada sozinho, sou grato a todos que me ajudaram e me ajudam direta ou indiretamente.
Algo que sempre me chamou a atenção foi a oportunidade de, mesmo não sendo policial ou militar, poder realizar instruções sobre Ving Tsun a militares treinados para realizar o impossível. Isso não diz tanto sobre a minha pessoa, mas sobre este legado de sabedoria em movimento que tive o privilégio de ter acesso. Um exemplo disso foi, por mais de uma vez, realizar treinamentos de Ving Tsun para o Curso de Ações de Comandos e o Curso de Forças Especiais do Exército Brasileiro. Para mim, no final dos anos 90, poder ministrar estudos para militares altamente especializados já era uma grande honra, ainda mais quando fui convidado a contribuir com a formação desses profissionais.
Outras situações foram minhas experiências internacionais com o Ving Tsun. Uma delas foi no final do ano passado, onde eu e você, Mestre Thiago Pereira, fomos a Bangkok, na Tailândia, em um evento internacional sobre segurança da aviação civil, onde o tema central era como lidar com passageiros indisciplinados. Na oportunidade dividimos o palco com palestrantes renomados de várias partes do mundo e apresentamos como o estudo do Ving Tsun pode ser útil para lidar com situações desta natureza, não ficando restrito a questões de confronto corporal, ou seja, indo além do óbvio.
Outro momento foi quando comecei a atuar no segmento corporativo. Tive grandes experiências junto a indústria de shopping centers, universidades, hospitais, condomínios e outros setores. Isso mostra a utilidade e a possibilidade do Ving Tsun e, logicamente de outras artes marciais, quando se propõem a trabalhar aspectos cognitivos, emocionais e comportamentais por meio de seus treinamentos. Logicamente esse trabalho não se limita ao combate corpo a corpo, mas pode fazer uso da experiência marcial para transmissão dos conteúdos.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

Your first interview for our page took place back in the 2000s. Could you share the most significant events and the main transformations in your life and journey since then?

MS Fabio Gomes:

I will try to mention some of the main ones, as I have been ,and continue to be , fortunate to be surrounded by a support network handpicked by God. I honestly have no other words for it. No one achieves anything alone, and I am grateful to everyone who has helped and continues to help me, directly or indirectly.

One aspect that has always caught my attention was the opportunity, even though I am neither a police officer nor a soldier, to deliver Ving Tsun instruction to military personnel trained to accomplish the impossible. This says less about me as an individual and more about this legacy of wisdom in motion to which I have had the privilege of access. An example of this was, on more than one occasion, delivering Ving Tsun training for the Brazilian Army’s Commando Actions Course and Special Forces Course. For me, at the end of the 1990s, being able to teach highly specialised military personnel was already a great honour — even more so when I was invited to contribute to their professional formation.

Another defining aspect of my journey was my international experiences with Ving Tsun. One of these took place at the end of last year, when you and I, Master Thiago Pereira, travelled to Bangkok, Thailand, to take part in an international civil aviation security event focused on how to deal with unruly passengers. On that occasion, we shared the stage with renowned speakers from various parts of the world and presented how the study of Ving Tsun can be useful in handling situations of this nature, not being limited to physical confrontation, but going beyond the obvious.

Another important moment came when I began working in the corporate sector. I had valuable experiences within the shopping malls industry, universities, hospitals, residential complexes and other sectors. This demonstrates the usefulness and potential of Ving Tsun  and, naturally, of other martial arts  when they propose to address cognitive, emotional and behavioural aspects through their training. Naturally, this work is not limited to hand-to-hand combat, but rather makes use of martial experience as a means of conveying these concepts.

(Capa do livro em inglês do Mestre Senior Fabio Gomes)
(English version of the book by Senior Master Fabio Gomes)

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

De onde surgiu a ideia de escrever um livro?

MS Fabio Gomes: Com o passar dos anos, várias pessoas começaram a me sugerir isso. Principalmente as que tiveram contatos com artigos que escrevo para revistas internacionais especializadas em segurança.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

Where did the idea of writing a book come from?

MS Fabio Gomes:
Over the years, several people began suggesting it to me, especially those who had come into contact with articles I write for international magazines specialising in security.

Master Pereira´s BLOG:

Para muitos de nós, a primeira vez que ouvimos a expressão “A arte de lutar sem lutar” foi na icônica cena do barco no filme Operação Dragão (Enter the Dragon, 1973), estrelado por Bruce Lee. Na cena, a frase é dita pelo próprio Bruce Lee ao ser questionado sobre qual arte marcial praticava. Por que o senhor entendeu que, 52 anos depois, essa definição ainda é tão relevante a ponto de se tornar o título do seu livro?

MS Fabio Gomes:  Como você sabe, Bruce Lee estudou formalmente o sistema Ving Tsun através do Patriarca Ip Man. O Patriarca Moy Yat, mestre do Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, foi discípulo do Patriarca Ip Man. Isso mostra que fazemos parte da mesma árvore genealógica. Essa foi uma das coisas que me inspiraram.
A outra foi que essa expressão, dita por Bruce Lee, reflete muito as bases do Ving Tsun, que é fundamentado no pensamento estratégico clássico chinês. Essa lógica de pensamento inspirou obras como “A Arte da Guerra” de Sun Tzu, tão utilizada por militares e executivos, mostrando sua atemporalidade.
E ainda tem a relação dessa expressão com a natureza das Forças de Operações Especiais. Mas sobre isso eu sugiro que leiam o livro, pois apresento muitos detalhes a respeito.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

For many of us, the first time we heard the expression “The art of fighting without fighting” was in the iconic boat scene from the film Enter the Dragon (1973), starring Bruce Lee. In the scene, the phrase is spoken by Bruce Lee himself when asked which martial art he practised. Why did you feel that, 52 years later, this definition remains so relevant that it became the title of your book?

MS Fabio Gomes:

As you know, Bruce Lee formally studied the Ving Tsun system under Patriarch Ip Man. Patriarch Moy Yat, the master of Grandmaster Leo Imamura, was a disciple of Patriarch Ip Man. This shows that we are part of the same genealogical tree, and this was one of the elements that inspired me.

Another reason is that this expression, spoken by Bruce Lee, strongly reflects the foundations of Ving Tsun, which is rooted in classical Chinese strategic thought. This way of thinking inspired works such as The Art of War by Sun Tzu, so widely used by military professionals and executives alike, demonstrating its timeless nature.

There is also the connection between this expression and the nature of Special Operations Forces. However, on this point I suggest that readers turn to the book, as I go into considerable detail there.

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

Quais foram as principais dificuldades enfrentadas durante o processo de escrita, especialmente no cuidado de não comprometer, por meio de relatos de experiências vividas com grupos de elite, a discrição necessária em relação ao modus operandi das forças com as quais o senhor trabalhou?

MS Fabio Gomes: Talvez por trabalhar com esses profissionais durante tanto tempo, escrever o livro e ao mesmo tempo estar atento a isso não foi difícil. Isso porque ao longo dos anos vamos aprendendo sobre o que pode e o que não pode ser dito. 
É importante ter a consciência de que este mundo das operações especiais, seja no meio militar ou policial, é algo muito fechado. E por razões óbvias deve ser assim. Eles tem acesso aos melhores armamentos, aos equipamentos mais modernos e a treinamentos muito sofisticados. Eles são a última linha de defesa. São chamados quando ninguém mais conseguiu resolver o problema.
Ser um “alienígena” e poder transitar no território sagrado desses operadores de elite requer muita disciplina e respeito. Desta forma, ao longo do tempo fui aprendendo a como conviver com esses profissionais.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

What were the main difficulties you faced during the writing process, especially in ensuring that, through accounts of experiences with elite groups, you did not compromise the necessary discretion regarding the modus operandi of the forces with which you worked?

MS Fabio Gomes:

Perhaps because I have worked with these professionals for such a long time, writing the book while remaining attentive to this issue was not difficult. Over the years, we learn what can and cannot be said.

It is important to be aware that the world of special operations, whether in the military or police sphere, is extremely closed (and for obvious reasons it must be so). These professionals have access to the finest weaponry, the most modern equipment and highly sophisticated training. They are the last line of defence, called upon when no one else has managed to resolve the problem.

Being an “outsider” and yet being able to move within the sacred territory of these elite operators requires great discipline and respect. In this way, over time, I learned how to coexist and work alongside these professionals.

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

No início da sua jornada levando o Sistema Ving Tsun para forças de operações especiais, houve pessoas que não acreditaram na viabilidade desse trabalho? Na sua percepção, essas pessoas mudaram de opinião ao longo do tempo?

MS Fabio Gomes: No início, antes deste projeto começar, fui até o meu mentor, Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, para pedir sua opinião, autorização e orientação. Até os dias de hoje recebo orientações dele sobre os trabalhos que desenvolvo com o Ving Tsun, e não vejo como ser diferente, pois na vida somos eternos aprendizes e não posso me desligar da minha ancestralidade.
Tudo isso para responder o seguinte, com muita sinceridade, eu não sei te responder se haviam pessoas que não acreditavam neste projeto, acredito que tinham sim indivíduos que por alguma razão pensavam assim. Mas eu estava focado nas possibilidades, em como fazer o trabalho dar certo mesmo com grandes desafios. Por isso sou muito grato a Deus e a toda rede de apoio. 
Acredito que prestar atenção na solução ao invés de ficar preso ao problema fez toda a diferença.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

At the beginning of your journey bringing the Ving Tsun System to special operations forces, were there people who did not believe in the viability of this work? In your view, did those people change their opinion over time?

MS Fabio Gomes:

At the very start, before this project began, I went to my mentor, Grandmaster Leo Imamura, to seek his opinion, authorisation and guidance. To this day, I continue to receive his guidance regarding the work I develop with Ving Tsun, and I see no other way it could be. In life, we are eternal learners, and I cannot detach myself from my ancestry.

All of this is to answer, very sincerely, that I cannot say for certain whether there were people who did not believe in this project. I believe there were indeed individuals who, for one reason or another, thought that way. However, I was focused on the possibilities , on how to make the work succeed despite major challenges. For this reason, I am deeply grateful to God and to my entire support network.

I believe that focusing on the solution rather than remaining trapped by the problem made all the difference.

Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

As pessoas que tive a oportunidade de conhecer nesses grupos de elite, e que foram seus alunos nas instruções ou acompanharam sua trajetória, além do profundo respeito pelo senhor, costumam relatar episódios marcantes de resiliência e perseverança na luta pela consolidação desse projeto junto às Forças de Operações Especiais. Ainda assim, o senhor demonstra uma postura constante de incluir outros praticantes do Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safeguard Group e da Linhagem Moy Yat em seus projetos. Em um mundo tão voltado à autoria individual, como o senhor explica essa sua postura aberta e colaborativa diante de conquistas tão significativas?

MS Fabio Gomes: Porque eu sempre tive claro em minha mente que este projeto é de nossa organização, ou melhor, de nossa Família Kung Fu. Este trabalho é maior do que a minha pessoa. Arrisco a dizer que hoje ele faz parte da história de nossa Linhagem do Ving Tsun, mas não por mérito próprio, não é porque estou a frente deste projeto, mas graças a um grande trabalho de equipe.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

The people I have had the opportunity to meet within these elite groups, who were either your students during training or who followed your journey, in addition to their deep respect for you, often recount striking episodes of resilience and perseverance in the struggle to consolidate this project within the Special Operations Forces. Even so, you consistently demonstrate a commitment to including other practitioners from the Moy Yat Ving Tsun Safeguard Group and the Moy Yat Lineage in your projects. In a world so focused on individual authorship, how do you explain this open and collaborative stance in the face of such significant achievements?

MS Fabio Gomes:

Because I have always been clear in my mind that this project belongs to our organisation ,or rather, to our Kung Fu Family. This work is greater than myself. I would even venture to say that today it forms part of the history of our Ving Tsun Lineage, but not due to any personal merit, nor because I stand at the forefront of the project, but thanks to truly strong teamwork.

Master Pereira´s BLOG:

O senhor poderia compartilhar como funciona a orientação do Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura para projetos dessa natureza? Essas orientações se transformaram ao longo das décadas?

MS Fabio Gomes: Como disse anteriormente, desde antes do início houveram essas orientações. E como nosso trabalho com o Ving Tsun está imerso na cultura chinesa, que possui como um dos seus principais pilares a adaptação, logicamente as orientações foram se ajustando, se moldando aos contextos que surgiam.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

Could you share how Grandmaster Leo Imamura’s guidance works in projects of this nature? Have these guidelines changed over the decades?

MS Fabio Gomes:

As I mentioned earlier, this guidance has been present since before the project began. And as our work with Ving Tsun is deeply immersed in Chinese culture , which has adaptation as one of its fundamental pillars , the guidance has naturally adjusted and evolved in response to the contexts that emerged over time.

 
Master Pereira´s  BLOG:

Como é possível adquirir o seu livro? Existe também uma versão em inglês?

MS Fabio Gomes: O livro está a venda no site da Amazon, disponível na versão digital nos idiomas português e inglês. Já a versão impressa pode ser adquirida somente em português, por enquanto.

Master Pereira’s Blog:

How can your book be purchased? Is there also an English version?

MS Fabio Gomes:

The book is available for purchase on the Amazon website, in digital format in both Portuguese and English. The print version, for now, is only available in Portuguese.

Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux: Sixty Years of a Kung Fu Journey

(With Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux and his sons. 
On the left, Si Fu Ulisses, and on the right, Si Fu Markinhos.)

Recentemente tive uma oportunidade muito especial: estar ao lado do Grão-Mestre Marcos Hourneaux, de seus familiares e de sua Família Kung Fu, por ocasião da celebração de seus 60 anos de Jornada Kung Fu.

Na mesma ocasião, ocorreu também o lançamento do livro O essencial em artes marciais, de autoria do Professor Rogério Tadeu Poian.

Além de tudo isso, pude estar acompanhado de meu discípulo Daniel Eustáquio, entendendo que aquela seria também uma excelente oportunidade para que ele presenciasse um momento tão significativo para um praticante de artes marciais.

Essa oportunidade nasceu de uma conversa com o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, durante um retorno de carro após um almoço em São Paulo. Comentei com ele que vinha reassistindo entrevistas de profissionais das artes marciais chinesas de São Paulo em podcasts, com o objetivo de obter uma compreensão mais clara das pessoas que compõem essa comunidade. Enquanto destacava trechos que julgava particularmente interessantes, o Grão-Mestre Leo, meu Si Gung, me interrompeu e perguntou se eu estaria em São Paulo no dia 06.

Respondi que sim, em razão de uma prova que realizaria no dia seguinte. Foi então que ele me perguntou se eu gostaria de representá-lo naquela celebração, uma vez que precisaria estar nos Estados Unidos devido às comemorações do aniversário de Madame Helen Moy, sua Si Mo, além de todos os demais compromissos que orbitam essa data tão significativa, na qual sua presença era esperada.

Aceitei prontamente o convite. Dias depois, seguimos então, eu e Daniel, no carro em direção a Santo André . Daniel, como de costume, adormecendo quase imediatamente ao iniciar uma viagem mais longa. Chegamos mais cedo do que o previsto e aproveitamos para nos sentar em um local agradável, onde tomamos um café tranquilamente até o horário do evento. 

Recently, I had a very special opportunity: to be alongside Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux, his family, and his Kung Fu Family, on the occasion of the celebration of his 60 years of Kung Fu journey.

On the same occasion, the book The Essential in Martial Arts, authored by Professor Rogério Tadeu Poian, was also launched.

In addition to all this, I was accompanied by my disciple, Daniel Eustáquio, understanding that this would also be an excellent opportunity for him to witness such a meaningful moment in the life of a martial arts practitioner.

This opportunity arose from a conversation with Grandmaster Leo Imamura during a car journey back after lunch in São Paulo. I mentioned to him that I had been rewatching interviews with Chinese martial arts professionals from São Paulo on podcasts, with the aim of gaining a clearer understanding of the people who make up this community. As I highlighted excerpts that I found particularly interesting, Grandmaster Leo, my Si Gung, interrupted me and asked whether I would be in São Paulo on the 6th.

I replied that I would, due to an language exam I was scheduled to take the following day. It was then that he asked whether I would like to represent him at that celebration, as he would need to be in the United States for the birthday celebrations of Madam Helen Moy, his Si Mo, in addition to all the other commitments that surround such a significant date, at which his presence was expected.

I promptly accepted the invitation. A few days later, Daniel and I set off by car towards Santo André city. 

Daniel, as usual, fell asleep almost immediately once the longer journey began. We arrived earlier than expected and took the opportunity to sit in a pleasant spot, where we enjoyed a coffee calmly until the time of the event.

(With Daniel, shortly before the event began.)

Eu havia almoçado com Daniel e com seu irmão Lucas antes de partir para Santo André. Em determinado momento, Lucas me perguntou a razão daquela viagem. Eu poderia oferecer inúmeras explicações, mas acredito profundamente que, quando não somos verdadeiramente apaixonados pelo que fazemos, acabamos buscando razões racionais para justificar cada passo. Quando amamos aquilo que fazemos, seguimos o coração.

Amo as artes marciais desde criança, e estar ali representava uma honra dupla: presenciar uma data tão significativa para uma lenda das artes marciais chinesas no Brasil e, ao mesmo tempo, representar o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura.

Sentado ao lado de Daniel, por vezes me perdia em pensamentos. Em um desses momentos, me lembrei de quando, ainda entrando na adolescência, comprei duas revistas sobre Bruce Lee em uma banca qualquer de Rocha Miranda, no subúrbio do Rio de Janeiro, e voltei para casa folheando as páginas animadíssimo.

E agora eu estava ali: um Mestre ao lado de seu discípulo, representando o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, em um marco tão importante da trajetória do Grão-Mestre Marcos Hourneaux.

Em momentos assim, a vida parece simplesmente incrível.

I had had lunch with Daniel and his brother Lucas before leaving for Santo André city. At a certain point, Lucas asked me the reason for that journey. I could have offered countless explanations, but I deeply believe that when we are not truly passionate about what we do, we end up searching for rational reasons to justify every step. When we love what we do, we follow our hearts.

I have loved the martial arts since childhood, and being there represented a double honour: witnessing such a significant date in the life of a legend of Chinese martial arts in Brazil and, at the same time, representing Grandmaster Leo Imamura.

Sitting beside Daniel, I would occasionally drift into my thoughts. In one of those moments, I remembered when, as I was entering adolescence, I bought two magazines about Bruce Lee at an ordinary newsstand in Rocha Miranda wild neighborhood, a suburb of Rio de Janeiro where I was born, and returned home excitedly flipping through its pages.

And now I was there: a Master beside his disciple, representing Grandmaster Leo Imamura, at such an important milestone in the journey of Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux.

In moments like these, life simply feels incredible.

Fiquei sentado em um lugar de honra, ao lado de outros dignatários, e fui anunciado pelo Si Fu Marcos Hourneaux(filho), a quem a comunidade marcial carinhosamente chama de “Markinhos”.

Sentado ali, pude assistir a um vídeo profundamente emocionante que retratava a trajetória do Grão-Mestre Marcos Hourneaux. O material reunia momentos e relatos de seus sessenta anos de jornada. O Grão-Mestre virou sua cadeira para acompanhar a exibição, e a sala permaneceu em absoluto silêncio durante todo o vídeo.

Em diversos momentos me emocionei , e sei que outras pessoas também se emocionaram, entre elas o próprio Daniel, que posteriormente me compartilhou esse sentimento. No meu caso em particular, aquele vídeo despertou uma sensação muito clara de como a vida passa em um piscar de olhos. Me dei conta disso ao imaginar o que poderia estar passando pela mente do Grão-Mestre naquele instante. Talvez ele já tivesse assistido àquelas imagens muitas vezes, mas certamente nunca naquela configuração e naquele contexto específico. Ali estavam reunidos amigos, familiares, discípulos e convidados, todos presentes para celebrar uma história na jornada kung fu.

Lembro agora de algo que o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura havia compartilhado comigo recentemente, durante uma caminhada até uma loja para comprar chocolates para seus pais. Ao nosso lado estava o Mestre Senior Washington Fonseca. Naquele momento, teria comentado o Grão-Mestre Leo: “Se for para escolher, o processo é muito mais importante…”

Ele se referia ao fato de que, muitas vezes, praticantes buscam de forma desenfreada títulos, certificações e alcunhas. Não que esses títulos não tenham seu valor , eles têm , mas o processo, o dia a dia, a construção silenciosa e constante, é o que verdadeiramente sustenta uma jornada.

E sentado naquele sofá, assistindo àqueles registros em vídeo de uma vida inteira dedicada às artes marciais, fui profundamente tocado. Aquela experiência me marcou e me inspirou ainda mais a não desistir. Quando eu piscar os olhos, se estiver vivo, talvez seja eu a recordar minha própria jornada de sessenta anos… quem sabe.

Por isso, é preciso fazer valer cada dia.
Um dia. Uma vida.

I was seated in a place of honour, alongside other dignitaries, and was introduced by Si Fu Marcos Hourneaux, son of the Grandmaster with the same name, whom the martial community affectionately calls "Markinhos" (Little Marcos in portuguese).

Sitting there, I was able to watch a deeply moving video portraying the journey of Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux. The material brought together moments and accounts from his sixty years of practice. The Grandmaster turned his chair to follow the screening, and the room remained in complete silence throughout the video.

On several occasions I found myself deeply moved, and I know that others were as well, including Daniel, who later shared this feeling with me. In my particular case, that video awakened a very clear sense of how life passes in the blink of an eye. I became aware of this as I imagined what might have been going through the Grandmaster’s mind at that moment. Perhaps he had already watched those images many times, but certainly never in that configuration and within that specific context. Friends, family members, disciples and guests were all gathered there to celebrate a life devoted to the Kung Fu journey.

I am now reminded of something Grandmaster Leo Imamura had shared with me recently during a walk to a shop to buy chocolates for his parents. Senior Master Washington Fonseca was with us at the time. On that occasion, Grand Master Leo would remarked, “If one has to choose, the process is far more important.”

He was referring to the fact that practitioners often pursue titles, certifications and distinctions in an unrestrained manner. It is not that such titles lack value, they certainly do have it, but it is the process, the daily practice, the silent and constant construction, that truly sustains a journey.

And there I was, seated on that sofa, watching those video records of an entire life devoted to the martial arts, and I was profoundly touched. That experience left a lasting impression on me and inspired me even more not to give up. When I blink my eyes, if I am still alive, perhaps I will be the one recalling my own sixty year journey. Who knows.

For this reason, every single day must be made to count.
One day. One life.

Na oportunidade, antes do início do evento, tivemos total atenção do Grão-Mestre Marcos e do Professor Rogério Tadeu (foto acima). Eu e Daniel pudemos ouvir suas considerações a respeito do cenário das artes marciais no Brasil ao longo dos tempos.

O Professor Rogério, que lançava seu livro naquela tarde, fez questão de presentear o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura com um exemplar. É importante destacar que algumas páginas da obra fazem menção à trajetória do Grão-Mestre Leo. Por esse motivo, fiz questão de compartilhar a novidade com os membros do Grande Clã assim que retornei a São Paulo.

On that occasion, before the beginning of the event, we received the full attention of Grandmaster Marcos and Professor Rogério Tadeu(photo above). Daniel and I were able to listen to their reflections on the martial arts landscape in Brazil over the years.

Professor Rogério, who was releasing his book that afternoon, made a point of presenting a copy to Grandmaster Leo Imamura. It is important to note that some pages of the work make reference to the journey of Grandmaster Leo. For this reason, I made sure to share the news with the members of the Grand Clan as soon as I returned to São Paulo.

(Si Fu Markinhos and I)

Gostaria de destacar também o momento em que finalmente conheci o Si Fu Markinhos Hourneaux. Eu já conhecia seu irmão, Ulisses, mas com Markinhos foi a primeira vez que nos vimos presencialmente, após mais de vinte anos de interação pelas redes sociais.

Me lembro do Grão-Mestre Marcos Hourneaux ter comentado algo com o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura, durante uma entrevista ao canal Kung Fu Life, que o Grão-Mestre Chiu Ping Lok (carinhosamente conhecido como Mestre Lope), ao executar uma forma, realmente incorporava o animal em questão durante a performance. Ele teria dito algo nesse sentido. Após ouvir esse relato, passei a buscar seus vídeos com outro olhar e fiquei profundamente impressionado com sua elegância e o quanto ficava compenetrado.

Da mesma forma, fiquei muito impactado ao assistir aos vídeos dos irmãos Hourneaux(filhos do Grão-Mestre Marcos), que sempre realizam demonstrações de grande intensidade e presença. À primeira vista, Markinhos parece mais reservado do que Ulisses, mas quando ambos se apresentam, fica evidente o trabalho ímpar desenvolvido pelo Grão-Mestre Marcos com seus filhos.

No retorno, chamei a atenção do Daniel para esse ponto: é fundamental sermos capazes de representar bem aquilo que estudamos a qualquer momento. Muitas vezes, o praticante se permite treinar por anos em um nível mediano ,ou até abaixo disso , fazendo apenas o mínimo necessário. Não devemos nos contentar com isso. Quando chega o momento de chamar o nosso Kung Fu, se ele não tiver sido devidamente cultivado, nada virá.  

I would also like to highlight the moment when I finally met Si Fu Markinhos Hourneaux(photo above). I already knew his brother Ulisses, but meeting Markinhos in person happened for the first time after more than twenty years of interaction through social media.

I recall Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux commenting to Grandmaster Leo Imamura during an interview on the Kung Fu Life channel that Grandmaster Chiu Ping Lok, affectionately known as Master Lope, when performing a form, truly embodied the animal in question during the performance. He said something to that effect. After hearing this account, I began to watch his videos with a different perspective and was deeply impressed by his elegance and by how focused and absorbed he appeared.

In the same way, I was greatly impacted when watching videos of the Hourneaux brothers, the sons of Grandmaster Marcos, who consistently deliver demonstrations of great intensity and presence. At first glance, Markinhos appears more reserved than Ulisses, but when both of them perform, the exceptional work carried out by Grandmaster Marcos with his sons becomes unmistakably clear.

On the return journey, I drew Daniel’s attention to this point. It is essential to be able to represent well what we study at any given moment. Many practitioners allow themselves to train for years at an average level, or even below that, doing only the bare minimum. We should not be satisfied with this. When the moment comes to call upon our Kung Fu, if it has not been properly cultivated, nothing will emerge.

(Daniel and Grandmaster Marcos Hourneaux)

Aquela tarde foi muito importante para mim , e também muito emocionante. Eu, que ainda estou recomeçando a minha jornada, pude presenciar o belo trabalho construído pelo Grão-Mestre Marcos, com seus filhos e netos presentes, algo que naturalmente me levou a refletir sobre que tipo de futuro desejo construir.

No entanto, mais importante do que qualquer outra coisa naquela tarde, foi ter comigo o meu discípulo Daniel (foto acima). Gostaria, é claro, que todos os demais estivessem presentes, mas a presença de Daniel teve um significado especial. Um rapaz de Barbacena que passa todos os dias comigo e que, nos últimos três anos, vejo mais do que a minha própria mãe. Daniel iniciou sua jornada aos oito anos de idade, e quis muito que ele pudesse ver de perto alguém que começou ainda mais jovem do que ele, e que atravessou, com firmeza, todos os percalços do caminho.

Quando estamos tão no início da jornada quanto Daniel, é natural que surjam questionamentos: se não estaríamos “perdendo tempo”, deixando de viver como outras pessoas da mesma idade, em vez de nos dedicarmos com tanta profundidade à jornada do Kung Fu. Quis que Daniel estivesse ali naquela tarde para ver pessoas que se mantiveram apaixonadas pelas artes que praticam ,não por uma semana ou um mês, mas por décadas.

Ao final, Daniel estava empenhado em voltar a São Paulo para, em seguida, retornar ao Rio e estar presente no aniversário da avó da família de sua namorada. Afinal, a vida precisa de equilíbrio.

 O que Daniel aprendeu naquela experiência, eu ainda não sei dizer. Mas, na viagem de volta, ele não dormiu no carro , como costuma sempre fazer.

That afternoon was very important to me and also deeply emotional. I am still restarting my own journey, and being able to witness the beautiful work built by Grandmaster Marcos, with his daughter and sons and grandchildren present, naturally led me to reflect on what kind of future I wish to build.

However, more important than anything else that afternoon was having my disciple Daniel with me, as shown in the photo above. Of course, I would have liked all the others to be present as well, but Daniel’s presence held a special meaning. He is a young man from Barbacena city (deep countryside of Brazil) who spends every day with me and whom, over the past three years, I have seen more often than my own mother. 

Daniel began his journey at the age of eight, and I very much wanted him to be able to see up close someone who started even younger than he did and who, with firmness, overcame all the obstacles along the way.

When we are as early in the journey as Daniel is, it is natural for doubts to arise. We may wonder whether we are wasting time, choosing not to live as others of the same age do, instead of dedicating ourselves so deeply to the Kung Fu journey. I wanted Daniel to be there that afternoon to see people who have remained passionate about the arts they practise not for a week or a month, but for decades.

In the end, Daniel was keen to return to São Paulo and then travel back to Rio in order to be present at the birthday of his girlfriend’s grandmother. After all, life requires balance.

What Daniel learned from that experience, I still cannot say. But on the journey back, he did not fall asleep in the car, as he usually does.

การกลับมาของสาย Moy Yat สู่ BOPE เมือง Rio de Janeiro

   

เมื่อวันที่ 8 พฤศจิกายน ที่ผ่านมา ภายใต้คำเชิญของ Senior Master Fabio Gomes และด้วยความเห็นชอบของ Grandmaster Leo Imamura ผมได้เข้าร่วมงานสนับสนุนการฝึกของหลักสูตร 44th Tactical Actions Course (CAT II/2025) ที่จัดขึ้นที่หน่วยปฏิบัติการพิเศษ BOPE ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในศูนย์ความเป็นเลิศด้านยุทธวิธีที่ได้รับการยอมรับมากที่สุดในโลก ตั้งอยู่ในเมืองรีโอเดจาเนโร ประเทศบราซิล

ทีมของพวกเรายังประกอบด้วย Commando Marcelo Alves ผู้มากประสบการณ์จากกองพันปฏิบัติการพิเศษที่ 1 ของกองทัพบกบราซิล เราได้รับการต้อนรับด้วยความเป็นมืออาชีพ ความเคารพ และความอบอุ่นอย่างยิ่งจากทั้งเจ้าหน้าที่และผู้เข้าร่วมหลักสูตรทุกนาย

การได้มีส่วนร่วมในกระบวนการฝึกภายในหน่วยที่เป็นสัญลักษณ์ของความเป็นเลิศ วินัย และความกล้าหาญ ถือเป็นประสบการณ์ที่ทำให้ผมภาคภูมิใจในเส้นทางอาชีพของตนเองอย่างมาก แต่ผมอยากแบ่งปันมุมมองเพิ่มเติมเกี่ยวกับประสบการณ์ครั้งนี้

ตามที่ Grandmaster Leo Imamura เคยอธิบายไว้ ในวัฒนธรรมจีนดั้งเดิมมีหลักคิดว่า “1 = 3” หมายความว่าอย่างไร?
หลักการนี้สะท้อนว่า กิจกรรมหนึ่ง ๆ เช่น การนำเสนอ Ving Tsun System สาย Moy Yat ในบริบทพิเศษเช่นนี้ จำเป็นต้องมีการเตรียมตัวอย่างลึกซึ้ง ดังนั้น “ช่วงเวลาเดียว” นี้จึงขยายออกเป็น “ก่อนเหตุการณ์”

ด้วยแนวคิดเช่นนี้ ผมได้ประชุมล่วงหน้าหลายวันกับ Senior Master Fabio Gomes และศิษย์ของผม Daniel Eustáquio เพื่อวางแผนอย่างละเอียดสำหรับงานที่จะดำเนินการในช่วง 4 ชั่วโมงของการฝึกกับผู้เข้าร่วม CAT II/2025 ที่ BOPE

พื้นฐานของงานทั้งหมดอยู่บนแนวคิดเรื่อง “Noi Lik” (內力) หลายคนตีความคำนี้ว่าเป็น “พลังภายใน” แต่แนวทางของเราคือการอธิบายว่าเป็น ความสามารถในการรับพลังจากภายนอกเข้าสู่ภายใน และใช้พลังนั้นอย่างชาญฉลาดเพื่อให้เกิดประโยชน์สูงสุด กล่าวคือ การใช้พลังงานที่คู่ต่อสู้ส่งมาให้เป็นประโยชน์ของตนเอง

“คำว่า ‘ศิลปะ’ ในคำว่า ‘ศิลปะการต่อสู้’ หมายถึงอะไร? หมายถึงการจับ การใช้ และการจัดวางทุกองค์ประกอบผ่านการเคลื่อนไหวเพื่อสร้างประสิทธิภาพในทุกรูปแบบที่เป็นไปได้”

ด้วยเหตุนี้ เป้าหมายของเราจึงเป็นการส่งเสริมให้ผู้เข้าร่วมมีทัศนคติที่เหมาะสมต่อสิ่งที่ไม่คาดคิด — ซึ่งเป็นองค์ประกอบที่เกิดขึ้นอย่างต่อเนื่องในการปฏิบัติการที่มีความเสี่ยงสูง

คำถามที่ยังคงอยู่คือ: หลักการนี้จะถูกนำไปใช้ในทางปฏิบัติได้อย่างไร?

ก่อนที่จะกล่าวถึงวิธีการทำงานของเรา ผมอยากแสดงความขอบคุณอย่างจริงใจต่อ Grandmaster Leo Imamura ผู้ซึ่งด้วยความมุ่งมั่นของเขาได้นำ Ving Tsun System สาย Moy Yat มาสู่บราซิลในปี 1988 ความริเริ่มอันมองการณ์ไกลนี้ทำให้ผู้เชี่ยวชาญอย่าง Senior Master Fabio Gomes — รวมถึงตัวผมเอง — ได้มีโอกาสสำคัญเช่นครั้งนี้

ระหว่างรับประทานอาหารกลางวันก่อนเริ่มกิจกรรมหลัก เราได้ข้อสรุปว่าจะใช้ Ving Tsun Experience Programme เป็นพื้นฐานด้านวิธีการสำหรับงานในครั้งนี้

Ving Tsun Experience เป็นโครงการที่ได้รับแรงบันดาลใจจากวิสัยทัศน์ของ Patriarch Moy Yat ออกแบบมาเพื่อให้ผู้คนจากหลากหลายสาขาได้สัมผัสระดับสูงของระบบกังฟู ข้อเสนอนี้ตั้งอยู่บนคุณลักษณะสำคัญของ Ving Tsun System โดยคำนึงถึงลำดับขั้น รูปแบบ และประเภทของความชำนาญ จึงเป็นประสบการณ์ที่ค่อยเป็นค่อยไป เข้าถึงได้ง่าย และยังคงยึดมั่นในประเพณีศิลปะการต่อสู้แบบดั้งเดิม

ดังนั้น เราจึงเสนอให้ผู้เข้าร่วมใช้สิ่งที่เราเรียกว่า Strategic Foundational Configuration หรือก็คือ ทุกกิจกรรมในวันนั้นจะเริ่มต้นจากการจัดวางเชิงยุทธศาสตร์ขั้นพื้นฐาน ฝึกเป็นคู่ เพื่อให้แต่ละคนสามารถคำนวณล่วงหน้า — อย่างแม่นยำ — ถึงปัจจัยทั้งหมดที่เกี่ยวข้อง และจัดการสถานการณ์เพื่อให้ปัจจัยเหล่านั้นเป็นประโยชน์กับตนเองมากที่สุด

ผลลัพธ์คือ ชัยชนะไม่ได้เป็นจุดหมายปลายทาง แต่เป็นผลลัพธ์ตามธรรมชาติและคาดการณ์ได้จากความเสียสมดุลของคู่ต่อสู้ ซึ่งเกิดขึ้นจากการกระทำเชิงยุทธศาสตร์อย่างมีสติ

หลังจากรอบแรก ๆ ผ่านไป ก็มีสัญญาณสำคัญที่บอกว่าเราอยู่บนเส้นทางที่ถูกต้อง ในช่วงหนึ่ง ผู้เข้าร่วมคนหนึ่งสามารถดึงแขนของตนออกจากสถานการณ์ในการฝึกที่กำหนดไว้ แสดงให้เห็นถึงความใส่ใจไม่เพียงต่อขั้นตอนเชิงยุทธศาสตร์เท่านั้น แต่ยังรวมถึง — ดังที่ Senior Master Fabio Gomes เน้นในเย็นวันนั้น — ความตระหนักรู้ต่อผู้อื่นด้วย

ด้วยความประหลาดใจ เขาอุทานว่า:

“มันง่าย!”

ปฏิกิริยาโดยธรรมชาตินี้ — การเปลี่ยนสิ่งที่ยากให้กลายเป็นสิ่งที่ง่าย — มีการกล่าวถึงไว้แล้วในตำรายุทธศาสตร์จีนโบราณ ซึ่งระบุว่า ผู้วางแผนที่แท้จริงจะได้รับแต่ชัยชนะที่ง่ายเท่านั้น

อย่างไรก็ตาม ต้องเข้าใจก่อนว่า “ง่าย” ไม่ได้หมายถึงปราศจากความท้าทาย แต่หมายความว่า เมื่อถึงเวลาที่ความสำเร็จเกิดขึ้น มันไม่จำเป็นต้องใช้กลวิธีอันซับซ้อนหรือความพยายามของมนุษย์อย่างหนักอีกต่อไป เหมือนผู้นำที่แม้จะประสบความสำเร็จ ก็ไม่ได้รับเสียงปรบมือ เพราะคุณสมบัติด้านยุทธศาสตร์ที่แท้จริงมักมองไม่เห็นในสายตาคนทั่วไป

ในช่วงเวลาเรียบง่ายนั้น การที่เขาเอ่ยความรู้สึกของตนเองออกมา ทำให้ผู้เข้าร่วมได้สัมผัสแนวคิดดังกล่าวผ่านร่างกายของเขาเอง เป็นช่วงเวลาที่ทำให้ผมรู้สึกประทับใจอย่างลึกซึ้ง — และอดไม่ได้ที่จะยิ้มต่อความกระจ่างที่เกิดขึ้นจากท่าทางเล็ก ๆ นั้น

 

ในเย็นวันนั้น ผมได้สัมผัสไม่เพียงแค่เหตุการณ์สำคัญในเส้นทางอาชีพศิลปะการต่อสู้ของตัวเองเท่านั้น แต่ยังเป็นช่วงเวลาแห่งการเปลี่ยนแปลงในฐานะมนุษย์คนหนึ่ง ผมรู้สึกขอบคุณอย่างลึกซึ้ง เพราะตั้งแต่เริ่มฝึกเมื่ออายุสิบห้าปีมาจนถึงขณะนั้น — ในวัยสี่สิบสองปี — ผมได้เดินบนเส้นทางที่ยาวไกลและมีความหมายอย่างยิ่ง

งานทั้งหมดที่ทำร่วมกับผู้เข้าร่วม ไม่ได้ตั้งอยู่บนคุณสมบัติส่วนบุคคลของทีมเรา หรือความสามารถในการต่อสู้ แต่ตั้งอยู่บนสิ่งที่ผมเข้าใจว่าเป็นสิ่งที่ Grandmaster Leo Imamura เรียกว่า “ความสอดคล้องอันลึกซึ้ง” (profound coherence)

พวกเราทุ่มเทอย่างหนักในการออกแบบแต่ละกิจกรรม และสร้างแต่ละขั้นตอนเชิงยุทธศาสตร์ โดยตรวจสอบให้แน่ใจว่า หากวิธีแก้ไขปัญหาใดในช่วงหนึ่งละเลยคู่ต่อสู้ วิธีนั้นจะใช้ไม่ได้ผลในขั้นต่อไป — เปิดโอกาสให้ผู้เข้าร่วมค้นพบด้วยตนเอง โดยไม่จำเป็นต้องได้รับการแก้ไขโดยตรง กระบวนการเช่นนี้ก็เป็นสิ่งที่เราวางแผนไว้ล่วงหน้าอย่างรอบคอบเช่นกัน

ความตั้งใจของเราคือให้ผู้เข้าร่วมสามารถเคลื่อนไหวในฐานะ “นักวางยุทธศาสตร์” — ผู้ที่สามารถใช้ศักยภาพที่ซ่อนอยู่ในสถานการณ์ให้เกิดผลลัพธ์สูงสุด ด้วยการใช้พลังงานน้อยที่สุด

ผ่านการเคลื่อนไหวเหล่านี้ เราต้องการสื่อว่า ปัจจัยชี้ขาดไม่ได้อยู่ที่ความตั้งใจดีของแต่ละคน แต่อยู่ที่ “แนวโน้มตามธรรมชาติ” ที่เกิดขึ้นจากวิธีการจัดโครงสร้างของสถานการณ์ต่างหาก ด้วยเหตุนี้เอง ผู้เข้าร่วมจึงสามารถตีความใหม่การใช้แขน ขา และร่างกายของตนเองตามตรรกะของ Ving Tsun System และสัมผัสศักยภาพที่ค่อย ๆ ปรากฏขึ้นจากการจัดวางเชิงยุทธศาสตร์เบื้องต้น — หรือ Strategic Foundational Configuration

หลักการนี้เปรียบได้กับการปล่อยก้อนหินกลม ๆ จากยอดเขา: เมื่อการเคลื่อนเริ่มต้นขึ้นแล้ว เส้นทางตามธรรมชาติย่อมนำไปสู่ผลลัพธ์อย่างหลีกเลี่ยงไม่ได้
ด้วยเหตุนี้ เมื่อผู้เข้าร่วมตระหนักถึงสิ่งที่เกิดขึ้นด้วยตนเอง เขาจึงอุทานว่า:

“มันง่าย!”

ประโยคเรียบง่ายนี้ได้ถ่ายทอดอย่างลึกซึ้งถึงประสบการณ์ที่แท้จริงของแนวคิดที่เราต้องการสื่อ

สิ่งสำคัญที่ควรกล่าวถึงคือความมุ่งมั่นของ Senior Master Fabio Gomes (ตามภาพด้านบน) ผู้ซึ่งตลอดเกือบสามทศวรรษที่ผ่านมาได้เผยแพร่ Ving Tsun System ในสภาพแวดล้อมที่มีความเป็นเลิศสูงและมีความเฉพาะทาง ผลงานของเขามีส่วนโดยตรงต่อการเสริมสร้างชื่อเสียงของ Ving Tsun System ภายในบริบทที่ต้องอาศัยความเชี่ยวชาญทางเทคนิคและยุทธศาสตร์ — ผลลัพธ์ของความซื่อสัตย์ต่อวิสัยทัศน์ส่วนตัว และเส้นทางที่กำหนดด้วยความทุ่มเทและมุมมองระยะยาว

ตลอดช่วงเวลาสี่ชั่วโมงของกิจกรรม Master Fabio ได้แสดงให้เห็นถึงภาวะผู้นำที่โดดเด่น นำทางทีมของเราอย่างมีความเชี่ยวชาญยิ่ง อย่างไรก็ตาม ย้อนกลับไปยี่สิบห้าปีก่อน ผลลัพธ์ที่ปรากฏชัดในวันนี้ยังดูห่างไกลมาก เส้นทางนี้เตือนให้เราตระหนักว่า ในศิลปะของยุทธศาสตร์ “วิธีการ” และ “ผลลัพธ์” ไม่ได้ถูกกำหนดไว้อย่างชัดเจนเสมอไป แต่เป็นแนวคิดเรื่อง “แนวโน้ม” และ “ความมีประสิทธิผล” ต่างหากที่มีบทบาทสำคัญที่สุดในกระบวนการพัฒนาระดับสูงใด ๆ ดังที่ Master Fabio มักกล่าวไว้ว่า:
“จงเชื่อมั่นในกฎเกณฑ์ของสิ่งทั้งหลาย”

เช่นเดียวกับความมุ่งมั่นของเขา ความเคารพที่ Master Fabio มีต่อแต่ละขั้นตอนเชิงยุทธศาสตร์เพื่อให้บรรลุเป้าหมายก็มีความสำคัญไม่ยิ่งหย่อนไปกว่ากัน การปฏิบัติตามขั้นตอนเหล่านี้ด้วยวินัยเป็นเงื่อนไขจำเป็นของความสำเร็จ แต่สิ่งที่ทำให้เขาแตกต่างอย่างแท้จริงคือ “คุณค่าภายใน” ที่ปรากฏในทุกการตัดสินใจและทุกการกระทำ

ดังที่ศาสตราจารย์ François Jullien ยกตัวอย่างไว้อย่างชัดเจนว่า:

“แม้ก้อนเมฆจะหนาทึบเพียงใด หนอนก็มิอาจใช้มันเป็นที่พึ่งเพื่อบินได้ — แตกต่างจากมังกร”

ด้วยเหตุนี้ เราจึงเข้าใจว่า Senior Master Fabio Gomes เป็นผู้ที่มีความเหมาะสมอย่างแท้จริงกับงานลักษณะนี้ — ผู้ซึ่งเส้นทางชีวิตไม่เพียงสร้างแรงบันดาลใจ แต่ยังสะท้อนจิตวิญญาณเชิงยุทธศาสตร์และแก่นแท้ของ Ving Tsun System สาย Moy Yat อย่างแท้จริง

ผมชื่อ Thiago Pereira และผมขอถ่ายทอดประสบการณ์ของตัวเองอย่างถ่อมตน ทั้งก่อน ระหว่าง และหลังช่วงเวลาพิเศษนี้ รวมถึงกิจกรรมหลังการฝึกที่จัดขึ้นร่วมกับ Master Fabio Gomes และ Mr Marcelo Alves

A new disciple for GM Leo Imamura and Prof. Vanise Almeida.

Cheguei com a Srta. Nan Satornlug, com o GM Leo Imamura e com os pais dele ao restaurante China Lake, onde o Gino Ribeiro aguardava na entrada junto da Mestra Cristina Azevedo. Naquele momento, Gino era candidato ao discipulado com o Grão-Mestre Leo Imamura e com a Professora Vanise Almeida, as lideranças do Grande Clã Moy Yat Sang. Ele nos conduziu até uma sala reservada nos fundos do restaurante, onde havia uma mesa preparada para nós.

Havia também uma porta de vidro de correr e, do lado de fora, uma singela mesinha com alguns bancos feitos de um material que lembrava porcelana, um pouco de vegetação em um jardim e o meu clima favorito: nuvens negras e céu cinzento. O vento aumentou e, de repente, começou a chover, o que tornou o ambiente da sala ainda mais acolhedor.

A Professora Vanise Almeida estava a caminho, acompanhada da esposa do Gino, a Sra. Andrea Ribeiro O convite para que eu estivesse naquela mesa havia ocorrido alguns dias antes. Recebi uma mensagem — do agora Si Suk Gino — enquanto eu estava a caminho de São Paulo. Preferi não responder imediatamente, pois queria aproveitar a oportunidade para tirar algumas dúvidas com o GM Leo Imamura antes de aceitar.

Naquela mesma noite, enquanto nos acomodávamos na nossa querida pizzaria Zi Tereza com a família do Mestre Sênior Paulo Camiz, o GM Leo comentou algo como: “Parece que o Gino mandou uma mensagem para você sobre o almoço.”
Respondi prontamente que havia visto, mas que ainda não tinha respondido. Quando ele perguntou o motivo, expliquei que queria falar com ele antes.

Assim, apenas na tarde do dia seguinte, enquanto o Grão Mestre estacionava o carro em frente ao restaurante Golden Plaza, ele me perguntou sobre o que eu queria conversar. Fiz uma pergunta inicial, mas o que realmente importava era o que se desdobrava dela:

“...Tendo exatamente isso em vista, qual seria a minha contribuição lá (no almoço)?”

I arrived with Miss Nan Satornlug, Grandmaster Leo Imamura, and his parents at the China Lake restaurant, where Gino Ribeiro was waiting at the entrance together with Master Cristina Azevedo. At that moment, Gino was a candidate for discipleship under Grandmaster Leo Imamura and Professor Vanise Almeida, the leaders of the Moy Yat Sang Grand Clan. He led us to a private room at the back of the restaurant, where a table had been prepared for us.

There was also a sliding glass door and, outside, a small table with a few benches made of a material that resembled porcelain, a bit of vegetation in a small garden, and my favourite kind of weather: dark clouds and a grey sky. The wind picked up and, suddenly, it began to rain, which made the atmosphere in the room even cosier.

Professor Vanise Almeida was on her way, accompanied by Gino’s wife, Mrs Andrea Ribeiro. The invitation for me to be at that table had come a few days earlier. I had received a message — from the now Si Suk Gino — while I was on my way to São Paulo. I chose not to reply immediately, as I wanted to take the opportunity to ask Grandmaster Leo Imamura a few questions before accepting.

That same evening, as we settled into our beloved pizzeria, Zi Tereza, with the family of Senior Master Paulo Camiz, Grandmaster Leo said something like: “It seems Gino sent you a message about the lunch.”
I promptly replied that I had indeed seen it, but had not yet responded. When he asked why, I explained that I wanted to speak with him first.

Thus, only on the following afternoon, as the Grandmaster parked the car in front of the Golden Plaza restaurant, did he ask me what I wanted to talk about. I began with an initial question, but what truly mattered was what unfolded from it:
“...Keeping exactly that in mind, what would my contribution be there (at the lunch)?”

(GM Leo pede que eu compartilhe um pouco sobre do que se tratava 

aquele almoço com seus pais e a esposa do Si Suk Gino)

(GM Leo asks me to share a bit about what that lunch
was about with his parents and Si Suk Gino’s wife.)

Nesses dias, pude conversar com Si Gung sobre como eram os convites de Baai Si no passado e sobre o momento em que ele tomou consciência da importância de não convidar alguém a fazer o Baai Si, mas sim de criar as condições para que a própria pessoa pudesse fazer o pedido. Assim, enquanto andávamos de carro, pude compreender um pouco mais de como as coisas eram antigamente, das necessidades e dos equívocos daquela época, e de como isso acabou gerando certos mal-entendidos sobre este tipo de convite, em um momento mais recente.

Ao estacionarmos o carro em frente ao Golden Plaza, Si Gung comentou que apenas o fato de eu estar presente no almoço já era importante — ou, pelo menos, assim eu entendi. A conversa não avançou muito naquele instante, mas voltando ao almoço para o convite do Si Suk Gino, sentado ali à mesa, naquele momento tão significativo. Posso afirmar sem sombra de dúvida que aquele foi o ponto alto da minha viagem e um dos três momentos mais marcantes de todas as viagens que já fiz. Em meio a um clima que alternava entre leveza e sobriedade, a comida ia chegando, e então o GM Leo Imamura pediu que a Mestra Cristina fizesse a abertura na condição de apresentadora formal (Gai Siu Yan) do Si Suk Gino Ribeiro(Foto seguinte)

Acredito ser importante destacar a escolha da Mestra Cristina, pois o Si Suk Gino teve contato com muitos outros Mestres — eu incluso — e poderia ter escolhido qualquer um de nós, mas fez questão de escolhê-la. A Mestra Cristina é alguém que tenho tido a oportunidade de conhecer cada vez mais e, em todas as nossas interações, sua atenção está sempre voltada para o todo, com um cuidado especial voltado ao zelo. Humildemente, considero que essa foi uma escolha muito acertada da parte do Si Suk Gino. Ele já parte de um ponto favorável ao ter alguém como ela oferecendo suporte em sua trajetória.

In those days, I was able to speak with Si Gung(Grandmaster Leo) about how Baai Si invitations were handled in the past, and about the moment when he became aware of the importance of not inviting someone to do the Baai Si, but rather creating the conditions for the person themselves to make the request. Thus, as we drove, I was able to understand a little more about how things used to be, the needs and misunderstandings of that time, and how this eventually led to certain misinterpretations regarding this type of invitation in more recent times.

When we parked the car in front of the Golden Plaza, Si Gung remarked that the very fact that I was present at the lunch was already important — or at least that is how I understood it. The conversation did not progress much at that moment, but returning to the lunch itself, regarding Si Suk Gino’s invitation, sitting there at the table in such a meaningful moment, I can say without a shadow of doubt that it was the highlight of my trip, and one of the three most remarkable moments of all the journeys I have made. Amid an atmosphere shifting between lightness and sobriety, the food arrived gradually, and then Grandmaster Leo Imamura asked Master Cristina to begin the proceedings in her role as the formal presenter (Gai Siu Yan) of Si Suk Gino Ribeiro (next photo).

I believe it is important to highlight the choice of Master Cristina, as Si Suk Gino had interacted with many other Masters — myself included — and could have chosen any one of us, yet he made a point of choosing her. Master Cristina is someone I have had the opportunity to get to know more and more, and in all our interactions her attention is always directed towards the whole, with a particular care for diligence and refinement. Humbly, I consider this a very well-made choice on Si Suk Gino’s part. He already begins from a favourable position by having someone like her offering support along his journey.

Nem o GM Leo Imamura nem a Professora Vanise tentavam preencher os momentos de silêncio à mesa com algum tipo de conversa para entreter ou cativar. Muito pelo contrário: em determinado momento, enquanto fazia uma pausa para comer, o GM Leo perguntou: “E você, Andrea, tem alguma dúvida que gostaria de perguntar a mim ou à Professora Vanise?” — disse ele, dirigindo-se à esposa do Si Suk (no canto esquerdo da foto acima). Naquele instante, interpretei que o GM Leo estava dizendo algo como: “Estou disponível para você; se ainda assim preferir não perguntar nada agora, estarei disponível novamente em outra oportunidade.”

Dessa forma, o almoço seguia sem grandes acontecimentos extraordinários. Ali, ao vivo, pude perceber todo o excelente trabalho da Mestra Cristina como Gai Siu Yan, mas também o trabalho de mais de um ano realizado pelo GM Leo, pela Professora Vanise e pelo próprio Si Suk Gino, que, com o suporte de sua esposa, souberam cultivar todas as oportunidades oferecidas pelas Lideranças do Grande Clã até chegar aquele momento. Tudo havia sido construído de maneira tão cuidadosa nos períodos que antecederam o almoço que talvez tenhamos vivenciado exatamente aquilo que a Professora Vanise sempre nos alerta: tratar esses encontros no transevento como momentos de celebração.

Tudo parecia harmônico. Em certo ponto, a Professora Vanise começou a contar sobre quando aprendeu a fazer bolos e passou a prepará-los para os aniversários dos filhos. Andrea a ouvia com um sorriso no rosto, assim como a Mestra Cristina. Si Gung comia em silêncio, assim como o Si Suk Gino. Ao meu lado, o pai do Si Gung ouvia o que sua esposa lhe dizia. A Srta. Nan colocava mais pimenta na comida. Observando tudo aquilo, percebi que tudo estava tão em harmonia, tão apropriado, que, sinceramente, não havia nada mais a ser dito naquele momento que não uma simples conversa sobre bolos.

Assim, o “fantástico”, o “emblemático”, o “histórico” tornavam-se desnecessários… e eu podia ali presenciar um Je Si Yi, que, em uma explicação breve, é como chamamos esse tipo de refeição dentro da Dimensão Kung Fu.

Neither Grandmaster Leo Imamura nor Professor Vanise made any attempt to fill the silent moments at the table with conversation meant to entertain or captivate. Quite the opposite: at a certain point, while pausing briefly from eating, Grandmaster Leo asked, “And you, Andrea — do you have any question you would like to ask me or Professor Vanise?” — he said, addressing Si Suk’s wife (on the left-hand side of the photo above). In that moment, I interpreted Grandmaster Leo as saying something like: “I am available for you; and if you still prefer not to ask anything now, I will be available again on another occasion.”

In this way, the lunch unfolded without any great or extraordinary events. There, in person, I could perceive not only the excellent work of Master Cristina as Gai Siu Yan, but also the work of more than a year carried out by Grandmaster Leo, by Professor Vanise, and by Si Suk Gino himself, who, with the support of his wife, had cultivated all the opportunities offered by the Leadership of the Grand Clan up to that moment. Everything had been constructed with such care in the period leading up to the lunch that perhaps we were experiencing precisely what Professor Vanise always reminds us of: treating these encounters within the event itself as moments of celebration.

Everything felt harmonious. At one point, Professor Vanise began telling the story of when she learnt to bake cakes and started making them for her children’s birthdays. Andrea listened with a smile, as did Master Cristina. Si Gung ate quietly, as did Si Suk Gino. Beside me, Si Gung’s father was listening what his wife was saying to him. Miss Nan added more chilli to her food. Observing all of this, I realised how harmonious and appropriate everything was, to the point that, honestly, there was nothing more fitting to be said in that moment than a simple conversation about cakes.

Thus, the “fantastic”, the “emblematic”, the “historic” became unnecessary… and I was able to witness a Je Si Yi, which, to put it briefly, is what we call this kind of meal within the Kung Fu Dimension.

Quando nos demos conta, já era hora de nos despedirmos, e o GM Leo, junto da Professora Vanise, deu por encerrado aquele almoço. Todos se despediram; abracei a Si Taai, cumprimentei os demais e, já no carro, enquanto a chuva caía lá fora, me atrevi a perguntar ao GM Leo Imamura como ele se sentia, depois de vinte e cinco anos, ao ver o resultado do Programa Ving Tsun Experience naquele nível, materializado na jornada do Si Suk Gino até aquele almoço.

“Por que 25 anos?”, ele perguntou.

Comentei que estava apenas arredondando para dar um tom dramático. Ele respondeu apenas: “Ué…”.
Então completei dizendo que estava realmente impactado pela simplicidade do almoço e pelo fato de não haver qualquer necessidade de uma fala ou frase marcante da parte de Si Gung. Não sei se você, que está lendo, consegue captar plenamente o espírito da coisa, mas coloquei propositadamente fotos muito parecidas neste artigo para que você pudesse ter um pouco da sensação que eu tive: um cenário no qual quase nada é evidenciado, e ainda assim tantas coisas acontecem — ou se revelam como resultado.

Minha empolgação era tamanha que comentei que o Si Suk Gino encontraria não apenas Programas amadurecidos, como bem pontuou a Si Taai, mas também um Si Fu e uma Si Mo muito mais amadurecidos, conforme eu compreendo. Disse ainda ao Si Gung sobre a importância de instrumentos do Programa — como os Seminários de Tutorização, os Encontros sobre o Domínio e a Visita Oficial — ocorrerem com ele, e não comigo. Dessa forma, meus alunos poderiam ter contato com um Si Fu já amadurecido através de sua pessoa, sem precisarem aguardar o meu amadurecimento. 

Na verdade, ao terem contato com o nível de Provimento de Vida Kung Fu promovido pelo GM Leo, sempre utilizando o Sistema Ving Tsun como substrato, eles poderão inclusive me ajudar a receber, de maneira ainda melhor, os futuros membros da nossa Família — e esses, por sua vez, farão o mesmo no futuro.

Foi realmente um momento muito especial. Desde segunda-feira, volto a ele com frequência. Minha capacidade de escrita não alcança plenamente aquilo que vivenciei ou acredito ter compreendido, mas foi uma oportunidade única de enxergar até onde pode chegar um trabalho bem feito. E esse trabalho ainda está apenas começando.

Estes são dias de grandes aventuras.

When we realised it, it was already time to say our goodbyes, and Grandmaster Leo, together with Professor Vanise, brought the lunch to a close. Everyone took their leave; I hugged Si Taai, said farewell to the others and, already in the car while the rain fell outside, I ventured to ask Grandmaster Leo Imamura how he felt, after twenty-five years, seeing the result of the Ving Tsun Experience Programme at such a level, embodied in Si Suk Gino’s journey up to that lunch.

“Why 25 years?” he asked.

I explained that I was simply rounding it up to give it a more dramatic tone. He replied only with, “Well…”
So I went on to say that I was genuinely struck by the simplicity of the lunch and by the fact that there was absolutely no need for any significant speech or impactful phrase from Si Gung. I don’t know if you, reading this, can fully grasp the spirit of it, but I intentionally included several very similar photos in this article so that you might have a little of the sensation I had: a setting in which almost nothing is highlighted, and yet so much is happening — or being revealed as a result.

My enthusiasm was such that I remarked how Si Suk Gino would encounter not only programmes already matured, as Si Taai had pointed out, but also a Si Fu and a Si Mo who were themselves far more mature, as I understand it. I also told Si Gung about the importance of the Programme’s instruments — such as the Tutorship Seminars, the Meetings on the Domain, and the Official Visit — taking place with him, and not with me. In this way, my students would be able to come into contact with an already-mature Si Fu through his person, without having to wait for my own maturity.

In fact, by coming into contact with the level of Kung Fu Life Provision promoted by Grandmaster Leo, always using the Ving Tsun System as its foundation, they will even be able to help me receive the future members of our Family in an even better way — and those, in turn, will do the same for those who come after them.

It was truly a very special moment. Since Monday, I keep returning to it. My ability to write does not fully reach what I experienced or believe I understood, but it was a unique opportunity to see how far well-executed work can go. And this work is only just beginning.

These are days of great adventures.