Ben's Blog

My first Batizado, my first Capoeira Belt!

 
Last year, at a loss for what to do on a Monday night, I decided to give this thing called Capoeira a try. Did a search and found Acer Capoeira. I knew little about it, other than it was a Brazilian marshal art, that's part fight, part dance, part music. After the lesson, my body ached all over, but it was a good pain, I'd really enjoyed myself and decided to stick with it.

Time flies and ...boom, it's been 10 months. Last Saturday was the Batizado, my first ever grading. I passed and was awarded my belt. I am so proud of myself and fellow Capoeiristas who shared the day with me.  It was the first time in my life that I really worked to achieve something. I would not call it hard work, it was too enjoyable, even with the blisters, bruises and sprains.

We continued the party at a local pub in South Wimbledon, where we had an unplanned Roda and Maculele. I'm not exaggerating in saying that it was one of the most enjoyable moments of my life. Myself, forming a part of the circle, looking around, in that candle lit pub, seeing my friends, my chosen family, feeling, contributing and connecting to the growing energy of the Roda. It was amazing to be a part of something so special, so energizing, so lucid.

After it was over I spoke to a friend saying how special it felt, she turned to me and said with a smile on her face, "Yes, it makes you feel alive doesn't it?". I couldn't put it better.

A non definitive dump of things that make me happy

• My imagination
• My Foster Allen shoes
• My Vibram five fingers running shoes
• Travelling
• improving my Capoeira
• Singing in the Roda
• hanging out with friends
• Lost
• Music
• Concerts
• My thick blue Icelandic jumper
• The Tango
• Reading old letters
• Being loved
• Being in Love
• My friends
• my family
• Remembering my grandparents.
• Taking photos
• Making a mix tape.
• Skating
• Lending a helping hand
• Spontaneity
• intimacy
• Laughing so much it hurts
• cycling
• telling a story
• Cooking
• Eating
• running
• meditation
• green tea
• hot buttered toast with Marmite
• learning new things
• the smell of cinnamon
• Security
• Safety
• predictability
• Thrill of the new
• Orange juice
• health
• routine
• Being on top of things
• a sense of accomplishment

Singing, Dancing and Camping: The Key To A Long Life

Brian Eno has just written a great article about the joy of singing. Capoeira came to my mind while reading it.

At the heart of Capoeira is the Roda and a key part of that is the music. The Roda is a circle of people, with two people competing in the middle and everyone else singing and clapping in time around them. The music gives the fighters strength, they aim to make their moves in tune to the rhythm of the song. It's uplifting feeling a part of something like this.

Brian sums up the way I feel about Capeira  songs and the Roda:

When you sing with a group of people, you learn how to subsume yourself into a group consciousness because a capella singing is all about the immersion of the self into the community. That's one of the great feelings — to stop being me for a little while and to become us. That way lies empathy, the great social virtue.

You can read the full article here

Eight minutes ago

Sunlight is just over eight minutes old by the time it reaches us here on Earth. Or to put it another way, if there's a brief flare on the surface of the Sun, it would have already been and gone by the time our scientists get to watch it.

There is roughly 150 million kilometres between the Sun and Earth. Sunlight takes about three and a half minutes to fly past Mercury, Venus in six minutes, then us at eight. Light from our nearest star Proxima Centauri takes over 4 years to arrive.

So, why am I writing all this? Well it got me hypothetically thinking, it works both ways. Everything we do here on earth is bouncing back out to space.  It's not just light that gets sent out into the vacuum either, it's radio waves too, consisting of mobile phones, TV, internet chat sessions, emails, video calls, earth is a noisy place. There is nothing in the way to stop our broadcasts from going on forever.

And here's my main fantastic point, If I was 150 million kilometres from Earth with a really powerful telescope and computer to process it all, then I could witness life on earth eight minutes ago.

Providing we are at the right distance from Earth one could re-witness any moment at any time in history. You could witness your Grandparents' picnic in the park on a sunny day. Or relive any cherished personal moments, imagine seeing yourself re- fall in love again for the first time.

I'm sure a Physicist would find fault with my thinking, but I don't care. I like the thought that everything is recorded and locked into this universe, nothing is lost in time. It gives meaning and weight to every moment.