Reencounters "Put more trust in nobility of character than in an oath." Solon
"Beyond our personal concerns, beyond our comfortable habits, we have a duty to set a goal above ourselves and strive to achieve it, disdaining laughter, hunger and death. Not only achieve it. A haughty soul, when it reaches its goal, carries it out even further. Not reaching it, but never stopping in our ascension. It is the only means of giving nobility and unity to our life." Nikos Kazantzakis
ife is a huge scenery of reencounters. Budo Masters is a special happening in this regard. With a biannual periodicity, it's outside the normality and so, far from any routine, it gives the chance for an intense and complete tune-up. This year many Masters repeated, others joined the group. All of them shared their experiences with students and with each other; they gave their time and payed their attention to a unique experience, in which egos are set aside, by the way, something unusual in the world of martial testosterone. Perhaps it's the maturity of its components, or the impeccable work of Sifu Paolo Cangelosi in organizing things, maybe it's the common "umbrella" under which all of us take shelter somehow, that banner that shines with its own light for 30 years, and that is the magazine that I proudly run. This idea of placing the emphasis on the positive that is part of the backbone of Budo International's philosophy is not trivial in the result. At the end, you attract what you emanate. It couldn't be otherwise, as the saying goes, within the same plane, equal ones attract each other. So, everything here is a great reunion, even for the new ones, because in one way or another, having appeared in the magazine (or being about to do so) makes up a functional brotherhood that has a life and an identity of its own: that of being a Master of the BUDO MASTERS, and being, or having ever been, part of this unique project in martial history now available in nine languages. As a witty friend of mine would say: "Something has the she-rabbit when she scratches her ear!" When I was interviewed by an Italian radio station and by RAI 2, I highlighted that particular. The radio interviewer asked me: "And tell me ... How does it
feel to be the center of such an important event and with so many Masters from around the world?" Surprised by his approach, I replied to the journalist: "Look ... you, like me, are a mediator; we are not important, we are just media‌ communicators. The really important ones are the Masters who have come here to share their knowledge; they are the real center. I feel proud because the level is very high, and that only reflects the nature of our seriousness as communicators." So it is. Budo International / Cinturón Negro / Cintura Nera / Kampfkunst / etc., is the cement that sticks the bricks, but it's the quality of them what sustains the building, what writes the script of the work that took place in another new BUDO MASTERS edition in Rome, ETERNAL ROME! A point that I consider essential in the BUDO MASTERS, is to be found more in what did not happen, than in what did happened. And you will say, and what was it? Well, the most important thing always relies in that particular point, because things can go one of two ways: either good or bad; and, in addition, they can also come out ... Horrible! But folks ... there were no injuries, there were no bad moods, no arguments; there were no conflicts, bad faces or disagreements. In other words, the essential thing in harmony is... let there be no disharmony! The "harmoniometer" can then climb as high as wanted and everything in Rome was in this sense, fluid and impeccable. As usual, I enjoyed seeing new faces, younger Masters, older ones, each carrying out some task, something that in one way or another was important for their own history and thereby for everyone else's. With the magazine's "classics", those Masters who persist with bolt passion and legendary continuity participating in our pages, the reencounter is
"We only separated to meet again" John Gay "Be nice to people on your way up, because you'll probably meet them again on your way down." Jimmy Durante
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Reencounters always something special. Their affection and availability toward my person and my initiatives is the living proof that there is something more than work among us; complicity, mutual collaboration and commitment, transcend normality in a world in which the norm is that dysfunction and lack of principles brought about by poor education and selfishness. Friendship is woven from those subtle wicks, confidence and commitment, which transcend the changes of life and find a harmonious way of weaving that strong and powerful, at the same time subtle and invisible spider web, which is fraternity. Some came from far away, others from more nearby, but Rome was no doubt the occasion unique to bring together our moments in the nearness on which are founded the most powerful links that human beings can create, that is, love and friendship in mutual cooperation. Everybody told me that they had enjoyed the occasion and celebrated the magnificent organization of the event. Well ... you can say: "And what else could they say knowing that you were the person in charge of organizing everything?" And you'd be right, but the eyes do not lie, and a good example of this can be found by yourselves in this special, because it includes multiple interviews with the protagonists, completely at your disposal and at the distance of a simple click on the window of videos. It wasn't by any means trivial for the success of the event the experience we had accumulated learning from the previous occasion. The sports center was at 10minute walk from the Hotel, certainly an excellent hotel, something that is not always possible to say about Roman hotels. Ease always leads to difficulty, and the fact that in one way or another Rome is always crowded, by its own structural merits (beautiful city!), does not facilitate the discourse and intention that competition and necessity produce to every service work. The magnificently prepared and served dinner (probably a non-central issue, nonetheless important) was held in the very hotel, and the meetings in the
rooftop pool gave chance to unforgettable moments among all of us, constantly accompanied as we were by a radiant sun and warm temperature, more suited to the summer than the spring. The little trattoria where the Friday before the event I celebrated my birthday surrounded by friends in a surprise party, granted us moments of excellence with the Roman cuisine. Thank you ever so much, my friends, for your gifts and fondness! And as always, I cannot help but stress my gratitude to my friend and companion in these usually complex adventures. I'm speaking of Sifu Paolo Cangelosi and his team. Sifu Paolo is always at the top, both as a Martial Master and as a person; not only because he has an unquestionable natural nobility, but because his behavior has only confirmed that trait that life has given him as a basis for that unquestionable character. They say it's pupils who speak for the Master; well, his have spoken loud and clear about their category; always impeccable, polite and helpful (Thanks Nicola, Fabio and the whole team! Belle signorine, bravi ragazzi!). The same is fair to be said about that magnificent group of Hwa Rang Do students who, captained by the impeccable Marco Mattiuci, left GM Taejoon Lee's flag flying high. Avi Nardia, Mark Kline and Rondy Mackee, in their first year with us, gave the event a category and example of elegance and martial maturity. The successor of the great Chiu Chi Ling (who sent us his blessing live on camera from God knows where!), GM Martin Sewer, honored us with his presence, very well accompanied. From Holland, besides Harry Gorter - that old friend of everyone, who with his own light illuminates everything with joy -, there was the impressive Sijou Van Der Spek (who very soon he will be in these pages with a video!), as well as our old friend author of videos with Budo International, William Paardekooper. From Germany we received those unique Masters of WT Universe whom you can read every month in these pages, the couple formed by
Reencounters Don Alfred Johannes Neudorfer and Simo Donna Ferrante Bannera; also, our Systema friend Andreas Weitzel; Sifu Markus Shinhamme, assiduous in our pages during the last year, and another classic that we miss in our pages: GM Andreas Hoffmann, who promised to return to them shortly. From the USA, Maurice Elmalem, and the dean of the event, dear GM Frank Sanchez, didn't either miss the appointment with us, as well as Shidoshi Jordan, who shared his affection, goodwill and wisdom among all of us. Despite being in a recovery period, we could also enjoy the company of GM Prof. Dr. Juerg Ziegler. On behalf of GM Raúl Gutiérrez, his Italian team, Master Luigi Buccioli and his nice wife Monikid Burgio, also held high their flag. Sifu Geppy Amatto, gave us with his participation a lesson in enthusiasm for the event. China brought for the second year in a row that example of good Shaolin which is Sifu Shi Yan Ti, and the great representative of Shi De Yang in Europe, who appeared in last month's magazine cover, Shifu Bruno Tombolatto, a living example of how a Westerner shines for his pedagogy presenting the Far East classical arts. From France, we had the Jeet Kune Do of our dear professor David Delannoy, who month after month shares his wise reflections in this magazine. Portugal sent us another classic, also recent cover, GM Rui Ribeiro and his team. Bravo Mestre! Valentina Gambar was responsible for introducing for the first time the Toa Kung Fu at the event with her good arts and sympathy, and from Spain, many other friends joined us: Thank you Master Carlos Barrera Tolete and Garrote Canario; Carlos Martín, a classic of Taekwondo in Budo videos; Sifu Salvador Sánchez, a reference in Wing Tsun; Benjamín Reyes, a gentleman, as always!; Jose Luis Montes, a milestone in police defense; GM Juan Diaz, Kaisendo, recent cover of our magazine; Sensei Serafín Jareño and so many others that I do not leave out, it goes without saying that there's no need to mention one by one all the friends, Masters and Instructors who
formed a part of this event, because you will see them all in the following pages. Only a few, who months ago had committed themselves to be part of that "Masters' Olympus" that always configures the poster of this event, failed to attend it, but nobody is free of the avatars that we all know that life can bring us; all "Force majeure" is justified in itself. Some even had the martial elegance of "putting their neck at my disposal", or failing that, they offered to send me, in the old Yakuza style, a piece of the small finger wrapped in white cotton fabric, a gallantry that logically says much about them and that I declined for obvious reasons. It's in these conflicts where real people are distinguished from the sham and opportunist ones. Bravo! Rome was a wonderful occasion for the reencounter, because if, as some say, this life is only the continuity of others, even with the new friends in this their first occasion with us, this was a reunion, a moment to fulfill the dictates of that enveloping force that interweaves the events beyond our will and that we call destiny. The technical quality, the personal success of each one, the size of their schools, all that is nothing compared to the forces that transcend us all, and that, as a matter of fact, brought us together to give continuity, impulse and strength to this important job (and it will be more every day!) which is to educate the new generations in the warrior arts, thus giving way, continuity and relief to styles, traditions and archetypes that make up an eternal activity, that which shapes the essence that has forged our success as a species, that of the warrior who, far from surrendering, learns to stand against difficulties, and to train for the worst, thus becoming available for the best. The spirit of many warriors met in Rome in May 2018 and in harmony gave light, strength and continuity to an event with a vocation for truth. To all the attendees, Thanks! The very fact of having been the
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Schedule: Saturday, May 26, 2018, from 10.30 to 15.30 Sunday, May 27, 2018, from 11:00 to 14.00
EIGHT HOURS OF THE PUREST MARTIAL CULTURE!!! We will travel across the current Martial Arts panorama, going through all Asian styles and completing our program with the new Western combat methods of special forces and international security units. Participant must be provided with their own training outfit and the corresponding sports shoes (for gym use). The seminar is open to everyone. Register as soon as possible! For further information: budo.masters1@gmail.com
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