Victor L. Almeida

My life has been a pursuit of the truth and learning how all things are connected. I use martial arts, yoga, and fine art as the three main ways to implement what I’ve learned. Each discipline brings a new perspective, allowing creativity and awareness to thrive. The medium then becomes the tool, providing an outlet for expression. In that expression, I aim to insert the truths gained through life, incorporating wisdom and sacred knowledge into forms that others can experience and learn from.

Martial Arts Path

I’ve been training in martial arts for 30 years. Taekwondo is my foundation, but over the years I expanded into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Muay Thai, and Haedong Kumdo. I integrate calisthenics and yoga into every practice, creating a balanced approach for the mind, body, and spirit. Through seeking the root of my martial arts, I encountered the core of the martial arts to be Sanatana Dharma which led me to Kriya Yoga.

Martial arts is not about fighting. They are about bringing balance to oneself, allowing calmness, love, and joy to enter. Every class I teach goes beyond kicks and strikes; it’s about unlocking the connection between mind and body to allow further connection to the divine. My students learn how to hold themselves differently, bringing awareness to the breath, and finding the strength to push through the hardest moments. They learn how to learn, building confidence and an unshakable foundation.

The Artist’s Path

In the fine arts, glass, ceramics, oil painting, and digital media are my tools. Glass is immediate, alive, and requires total presence, while some mediums are more patient and reflective. The digital world expands this even further, through animation, video, photography, and sound. Integrating these mediums together reveals their full power.

One of my largest installations, The Beast, is a glass and mixed-media installation that represents the ego. The ego is the real enemy we all face. Seeing it clearly allows the identification with it to dissolve, revealing how small the ego is in the ocean of our existence. When people walk into these installations or watch performances, they are not just spectators; they become part of the process. The art becomes a sacred mirror, allowing them to see themselves.

Yoga - The Unifying Truth

After being initiated into Kriya Yoga and becoming a disciple of Paramhansa Yogananda, my meditation practice skyrocketed into a new level. Increasing awareness of the true self and implementing a level of calmness that elevated clear thinking and decision making, life has become more beautiful. Connecting with the higher truths through energy work and refining focus, the required elements for the path of self realization truly expanded.

In life, we often identify with the body and ego creating limitations for ourselves. When we realize we aren't this body yet the very energy flowing through it, we begin to see the world differently. In this reality, what was once a roadblock or problem fades away like dropping cotton candy into water. The beauty of life shines with a new light expanding our consciousness through lived truths creating ever new bliss--Satchitananda. This is the very core of martial arts, yoga, and the truth of life. Our path towards God and self realization.

Fera Academy

At our school, we train the body through martial arts, calisthenics, HITT, and plyometrics. We train the mind to align with spirit through the practice of Kriya Yoga incorporating breathwork, meditation, and asanas (postures). Unifying these practices to create a truly holistic practice that both sharpens the body and mind while attuning to the divine through our guru.

We also explore the creative outlets through glass, ceramics, painting, and other fine arts. Learning to work with the land through permaculture and sustainable building practices which becomes a form of art when approached creatively. The academy is designed to be a place where people can practice living in truth and freedom, not just talking about it.

Philosophy: Joy, Awareness, and Freedom

The philosophy is simple: self-awareness is the doorway to freedom. When we become aware of how the ego manifests, we grow the ability to change our reactions that were once controlling us. Self-awareness shows us that every interaction, hardship, and joyful experience is teaching us something. It is only us who must learn it and apply it. This allows perspective to grow beyond the ego and connect with a greater everlasting calmness. From that space comes joy, peace, and light and once it rises in us, it naturally spreads outward.

Community and Legacy

At Fera, our goal is to establish land where the academy, studios, and sacred installations can live permanently. This will be a place for training, healing, creation, and most important to further the path of self realization. A place that outlives us, becoming a home for future generations of artists, martial artists, healers, yogis, and truth-seekers.

I am a martial artist, an artist, and yogi; but those are just the outer forms. The deeper truth is that I am committed to seeking truth in myself and spreading light to others, helping them find their own light. This is the work of Fera Academy, a place where discipline, creativity, and sacred knowledge meet to teach harmony, freedom, and joy. We create calmness and peace within ourselves to spread it throughout the world. May we usher in a new era of peace on this earth through instilling it first within ourselves.