HAPPY TUESDAY!!!

WASSUP FAMILY!!!

If you're wondering what happened to Monday's blog, I couldn't post it because I was too busy.. But hey, better late than never, right? DEAR DIARY: Like I said last Sunday, I had an incredible day. When I got to my capoeira class, I found out about the open roda going on that day at the Leimert Park Artwalk in Los Angeles, hosted by CENTROESPORTIVO CAPOEIRA ANGOLA LA.

Now in case you don't know what I'm talking about, A Roda is a circle formed by capoeiristas and capoeira musical instruments, where every participant sings the typical songs and claps their hands following the music. Two capoeiristas enter the roda and play the game according to the style required by the musical instruments rhythm. The game finishes when one of the musicians holding a berimbau determine it, when one of the capoeiristas decide to leave or call the end of the game or when another capoeirista interrupts the game to start playing, either with one of the current players or with another capoeirista.

A roda looks like this:



Anyway, after class, we went down to leimert park to check it out.

Now ladies and gentlemen, it's my pleasure to introduce yo to my new friend, Rachel.

It was her 1st capoeira class in the park, and she was loving it! And, she was pretty good with the berimbau too. Well, she was a lot better than I was when I first tried to play it. I guess the fact that she's a musician who can play several instruments might have something to do with it...

Now you'll be reading more of Rachel in the near future, but now, our teacher Charles Williams of SOLSINMOTION, is going to talk to all of u about the value of giving back.

And speaking of giving back, He's gonna be at Macarthur Park in L.A. this Sunday, giving out food to the needy, and giving a Capoeira demonstration and teaching a workshop.



Now, after this message from Humanity's team, I'll tell you all about our adsventures at the Leimert Park Artwalk.





HUMANITY'S TEAM

Let Us talk of love in My terms. How did Buddha love? How did Christ love? How did all the Great Ones love? How shall We describe it? Their love was there for all to partake of, and yet it was not personal love that is told of.

Their love was not duty-bound. Their love was, and it was there, and the Great Ones served their love.

We could speak of them as servants, as waiters. They served. They gave. They gave noticeable, and they gave without effort. The Great Ones were not attached to their love. We could event say that they thought nothing of it. It was as if I had hired them. They had to serve, and yet were not attached. They gave freely, not to fulfill their conscience or to fill a role. They gave as naturally as they might cast their eye.

--How the Great Spiritual Ones Love by HeavenLetters TM
FROM HUMANITY'S TEAM
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Now like I said, after our Capoeira class in Griffith Park, Charles, Rachel, and Myself got in his truck, picked up a fellow capoeirista, and we all went down to the Leimert Park Artwalk. Here's a small taste of what an Artwalk in Leimert Park is about:



And here's some photos I took of the event. Capoeira roda or not, there are many things to see, do, and buy at the Leimert Park Artwalk. If you get the chance, you should DEFINETELY come down and check it out.

However, WE were there to play Capoeira. Like I said before, this roda was hosted by hosted by CENTROESPORTIVO CAPOEIRA ANGOLA LA. They host a roda every last sunday of the month I think (Don't quote me on that), and it brings together some of the best Capoeira Angola players in the L.A. area.

Here's some photos I took of the roda:

Now Here's Charles playing a beautiful game with Jaelani Ticum Lateef, who teaches Capoeira Angola at CAPOEIRA ANGOLA JOGO DE CINTURA.

I didn't play in the roda, because my knee was really bothering me, and well, I was pretty intimidated... but I did sing, and played a wooden agogo. I felt a huge rush just being part of that circle. I only knew a few people there, but I felt a connection with everyone there.

I promised myself right then and there that the next large open roda I go to, I'm gonna play there, no matter what.

But that day, I did play with Rachel.

We weren't in the roda, but we danced together, moving in synch and with as much harmony with each other as possible, considering my knee was hurting pretty bad at the time. But I think in our own way, what we were doing was almost in the same spirit as what Charles and the others were doing in the roda.

And, she was able to take that positive energy we cultivated, and take it to the drum circle that was going on nearby. I wanted to dance too, but my knee was really acting up, so I watch Rachel go in there and get DOWN, and I watched her from the sidelines, and took these pictures.

And, I wasn't the only one.

It's only natural really, because as long as she was in the circle, I can honestly say that rachel was the BEST dancer there.

O.K., now back to the roda:

I don't know how long the roda lasted, because I had to get home early to go to work the next morning.

I would like to thank James Simmons & Nana Gyamfi from the CENTROESPORTIVO CAPOEIRA ANGOLA LA for hosting the roda, all the Capoeiristas who were there, and to my new sister Capoeira student Rachel, it was a pleasure to meet you, and I truly hope I see you in the park in the coming weeks.

And I would like to give a special thank you to my teacher, Charles Williams, for formally introducing me to this way of life, which is Capoeira.

Speaking of which, here's Charles playing with another fellow student, Ian.



Yes, I can now honestly say, Capoeira, is my life.

Now, I'm gonna end this blog with the most beautiful song in the whole, entire world.


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We only see what we want to see and hear what we want to hear.
~don Miguel Ruiz