Those we love don't go away,
They walk beside us every day,
Unseen, unheard, but always near,
Still loved, still missed and very dear.
- Anonymous
Well, it's Memorial Day! For most, it's the unofficicial first day of summer, a day of celebration and Barbeque. But we must remember the brave men and women who put their lives on the line for us every day, and especially, those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for us.
Let's start the day off with this video below i post this video every memorial day, because it pretty much sums up what I think about when I think of Memorial Day.
Now even though I fully believe that Warfare itself in our modern day IS A RACKET, I have total respect for the American Soldiers, especially those who gave their lives defending ours.
Watch this amazing video about the "Common Soldier"
I hope everyone out there has a wonderful and safe holiday with your loved ones while paying tribute to our fallen Military service men and women. If you're looking to make a Memorial Day donation, Soldiers Angels provides help for wounded vets: http://soldiersangels.org/
Have a Happy Memorial Day Everyone!!!
What you leave behind is not what is engraved in stone monuments,
but what is woven into the lives of others.
- Pericles
Head Coach Ras of ATACXGYM CAPOEIRA does it again!
Check out his latest video below:
I love how he not only shows and explains the technique shown, he has the "attacker" explain what happens to him when the technique is executed properly from his perspective, and how lately, he's been adding Spanish and Portuguese language explanations to his videos.
This video, like others that Head Coach Ras has made, like this one
Shows and proves this undeniable fact, one that I said before on this blog.
One of the primary reasons, if not THE primary reason to learn and play Capoeira is for self-defense. If you're not training for SELF-DEFENSE, then YOU'RE NOT PRACTICING CAPOEIRA, PERIOD!
I also said this before on this blog, and I want to repeat it:
There are some of you out there who are all PEACE AND LOVE, who don't practice Capoeira primarily for self defense(even though you should).
Hey, I know where you're coming from. I GET IT.
When you play capoeira in the roda, or watch it being played in the roda, you feel the Axe, the comradeship you have with your fellow players, and you feel joy, compassion, and LOVE. Capoeira is everything the mouth eats, it's ALL THE GOOD THINGS IN LIFE!
Yes, I GET THAT. But, if you believe that capoeira is a reflection of the fullness of life, then you must accept the fact that just like in life, you can't have joy, compassion, love, and friendship, without fear, violence, treachery, hate, and revenge. And not to mention, pride, self-respect, forgiveness, and humor. All of these things are part of living, part of LIFE.
And besides, if you learn a Martial Art, something that's supposed to teach you how to defend yourself, and you CAN'T defend yourself with it, then how much of the REST of your training is a bullshit lie?
For any of you capoeiristas out there reading this, No matter what style you practice, or what school you're learning from, or teaching in, I sincerely hope you're all learning, practicing, preserving, and passing on this beautiful art of Capoeira IN ALL IT'S ASPECTS. The rodas, the music, the philosophy... And yes, the SELFDEFENSE skills as well.
NEVER forget where Capoeira came from.
We Capoeiristas are WARRIORS, before we're anything else.
NO MATTER WHERE WE COME FROM.
If anybody wants to know more about what Head Coach Ras is all about, click "HERE" to go to his web site.
I just saw this TED video which will absolutely BLOW YOUR MIND.
check it out!
If you've never heard of Ron Finley Project, you are in for a BIG treat. I got to spend some time with Ron last night at a small foodie event with friends. He's amazing. To say inspirational isn't even cutting it. He plants urban gardens in food desserts in South Central Los Angeles and encourages the community to grow their own food. And that doesn't event describe it. You MUST watch! Are you inspired by Ron? Have any words you would like to share with us? Thanks for watching and sharing!!
I thought I'd start a new blog called "Mindless Monday" (It's a working name), where I put up prank videos, people being caught in stupid moments, etc.
Mother is the name for God
in the lips and hearts of little children.
- William Makepeace Thackeray
At 6 yrs "Mommy, I Love You."
At 10 yrs. "Mom, Whatever."
At 16 "Mom is so annoying."
At 18 "I wanna leave this house."
At 25 "Mom, you were right."
At 30 "I wanna go to Mom's house."
At 50 "I don't wanna lose my Mom."
At 70 "I would give up everything
for my Mom to be here with me."
Yeah, that's usually how it goes, doesn't it? Well, I'm not seventy yet, but everyday I wish I could see my Mom again. Just one more time... I wish I could hug my mother just one more time.. I would never let her go.. never.. you people out there with mothers are so lucky.. tell them you love them and appreciate them every day.. because when they are gone it is forever.
Today, we honor those who served.Watch these soldiers reunite with their moms and have yourself a good cry.
O.K., all week long I wanted to make a spectacular blog about my weekend... maybe next weekend. But now, I found out about this amazing video.
I think everyone should watch this, so I'm sharing it with everyone I can.
Are we ready to open our minds and hearts?
Published on Jun 1, 2013
Unveiled and Lifted, a new documentary experience from Lifting the Veil with Cari-Lee, fuses music, art and insight to create an engaging assessment of the current problems facing humanity along with potential solutions for pro-active alleviation. Focusing on self empowerment, self rule, individualism and 'being the change', Unveiled and Lifted offers thoughts from an eclectic array of authors, filmmakers, artists and freethinkers on government, schooling, parenting and the non aggression principle, religion and spirituality, agorism, anarchism, and other relevant topics and concepts that need to be addressed and expressed during these changing times.
Warning: This Documentary contains flashing images.
Available in HD
This is a non profit found footage documentary. All images found via Vimeo and Youtube. All rights/ownership of the images and music contained therein belong to respective creators/owners.
Copyright Disclaimer Under Section 107 of the Copyright Act 1976,
allowance is made for fair use for purposes such as criticism,
comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research.
Fair use is a use permitted by copyright statute that might otherwise be infringing. Non-profit, educational or personal use tips the balance in favor of fair use.
Music
"Underbelly" by The Slow Waves (Google Play • eMusic • iTunes • AmazonMP3)
Artist
Throwing Snow
Category
Nonprofits & Activism
License
Standard YouTube License
Ans now, as always, I'm gonna end this blog with the most beautiful song in the whole, entire world.
When we consider the span of eternity and the entire history of humanity, our life is over in a mere fraction of time. How will we choose to spend it? What will we invest our energy in?~don Miguel Ruiz
Well, here we are, starting another weekend. And it promises to be another awesome one!
Today, I'm going over to a friend's house to watch the very HIGHLY ANTICIPATED boxing match between Mayweather and Pacquiau...
The way they're hyping up this fight, I hope it goes down as one of the great ones.
As Always, I started my Saturday with Capoeira class at The Agape International Spiritual Center. There, Charles gave us a really good lesson on Capoeira Music.
Music is a very important part of capoeira. A Capoeira player not only has to learn to fight, but he must also learn to sing, and play several different instruments, especially in capoeira angola.
Here's an overview of the instruments played in Capoeira:
And here's how it sounds when you put them all together:
I'll go more in depth about the music at a later date.
After class, I planned to go to the
Brewery Artwalk and Open Studios in the Lincoln Heights section of Los Angeles, but before that, I took a "detour", and went out to Hollywood & Highland, and saw this real cool Texas tourism event going on. I only took 2 pictures because I was very apprehensive about taking pictures, but they had games, trivia, etc.
It was pretty fun.
Anyway, from hollywood, I went to the artwalk.
Here's some photos I took over there...
It was really cool up there, that is, until it started raining... That's when I knew it was time to go.
> Now on Sunday, it was back to Agape, because The Capoeira Collective had a Capoeira demonstration in the parking lot. The purpose was to let people learn more about the Capoeira classes, and what is taught there, and hopefully get more people interested in joining the class. I don't have any pictures of us playing capoeira, but here's some pictures of the drum circle that followed:
And yes, I danced too, but you don't any pictures of that either, because I can't dance and take photos at the same time. Anyway this was one of the best times I ever had, and I hope we more things like this in the future.
Now, an interesting thing happened to me on the way home...
At my last bus stop, I noticed that they blocked off a few streets, so I went over to check out why...
And I found myself right in the middle of a free concert! There were lots of vendors, beautiful mariachi and Norteno music, crowds of happy people... What a wonderful way to wait for the bus!!!
I wish I could have stayed longer, but I only stayed about a half an hour or so, because like I said, I was waiting for the bus, and I wanted to go home.
Well, that's how my last weekend went, I hope this one goes just as great!
Now, I'm gonna end this blog with the most beautiful song in the whole, entire world.
He is the founder and Grandmaster of an amazing martial art called PENCAK SILAT PUKULAN CIMANDE PUSAKA SANDERS (PCPS for short). It is a modern form of Pencak Silat which ia a variation of an old style of Pencak Silat named CIMANDE.
PCPS Silat is a martial art that works in all ranges. It includes fighting while in a grounded position, grappling, fighting multiple opponents, the use of several unique edged and impact weapons, unique animal styles, and a whole system of meditation and metaphysical development which includes internal energy development exercises, and many spiritual techniques designed to draw the four elements (water, earth, fire, air) into the body for various combative and spiritual purposes.
Here is Guru Peterson Menezes demonstrating some aspects of this art.
Now there aren't many students of PCPS Pencak Silat compared to other silat systems, but there are students of this art around the world:
Pendekar William Sanders began his training in the Indonesian martial arts in 1972 from GURU JOHN MALTER, a top student of one of, if not THE first authenic Indonesian martial art teachers to teach in America, Guru Willy Wetzel.
After studying for many years with Guru Malterer, Pendekar Sanders began a quest to find and study with many top instructors in Pencak Silat, especially Cimande. This eventually led to a student, teacher, and friendship with Pendekar SURYADI "EDDIE" JAFRI, the then official representative to the USA from the Indonesian Martial Art Association(I.P.S.I)
Pendekar Jafri eventually invited Pendekar Sanders to Indonesia to have his art refined, and study with the best available physical and spiritual teachers of silat in the villages of West Java. Here, Pendekar Sanders art and skill were tested, examined, and refined to the ultimate recognition, an appointment by the highly respected PERSATUAN PENDEKAR PERSILATEN SENI BUDAYA BANTEN INDONESIA, as Pendekar.
Since he has recieved the title of Pendekar, he has been continuously developing, researching, and refining his art.
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