Exploring the Philosophy and Spirituality of Capoeira

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Hello,

When most of us begin to learn Capoeira, we see only the kicks, the acrobatics, etc. and that’s what we study.

However, the movements and music only make up one aspect of Capoeira. Remembrance, the spirit of rebellion, tradition and mischief… form an integral part of Capoeira and give it its unique and authentic aspect. It is important to understand the philosophy of Capoeira and to understand the art as a whole, because without these, there would be no Capoeira.

So…

What is the philosophy of capoeira?

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“The Axé is with you it is”.
 
 
 
Well, there is no one philosophy.
 
Capoeira  has a very rich and fascinating history. However, to compare it to say, the oriental martial arts is very difficult, as it developed for different reasons under radically different circumstances.
 
There are many philosophies that guide the movements, music, and rituals of capoeira.  However, given the history of Capoeira and the environment it evolved in, much of the philosophy is shrouded in secrecy… Well, maybe it’s more accurate to say that those who “knew”, only shared it with those very few that they could trust. One thing for certain, is that due to the fact that capoeira evolved under horrible oppression, it’s main philosophy is that of survival.
 
Beyond that, some of the art’s underlying principles are understanding the complexities of human interaction, the importance of being ready for anything, the value of cleverness, and the strength of indirect resistance. These fundamentals are useful not only in capoeira, but also in day-to-day life.
 
 
If you are involved in a Capoeira group, you will inevitably learn capoeira’s philosophy (Well, that group’s interpetation of capoeira philosophy, anyway) but if you’re not, it’s much more difficult, because in capoeira, you don’t learn things just intellectually, but also by experience.  One thing you will hear in every group is “axe” (pronounced ah-SHAY) which basically means “life force” (kind of like “qi”). It can have a very spiritual meaning, or just be a greeting – implying good vibes, fun, and good capoeira practice; or it can be both.
 
However, there are many other terms with more significance, that are more difficult to define.
 
Take the concepts of “Malicia,” “Malandragem” and
“Mandinga” for example…
 
 
 
“Malícia,” “mandinga,” and “malandragem” are the most frequently used words
in speaking about the philosophies of capoeira. One thing that I want to clarify here is the difference, or lack therof, between these three terms.
 
the difference is subtle but present.
 
 
The three words are synonyms inside the context of
capoeira. Outside capoeira,  there is a difference in their meaning and use.
 
 
However, in the context of capoeira, all three words refer to the same idea. Malandragem, is an aggregation of strategies utilized in order to gain advantage in a determined situation, these advantages often being illicit. It is characterized by savoir faire and subtlety. Its execution demands aptitude, charisma, cunning and whatever other characteristics (knacks) which help in the manipulation of people or institutions to obtain the best outcome in the easiest possible way. Together with the concept of jeitinho, malandragem can be considered another typical — but not exclusive — Brazilian mode of social navigation; unlike jeitinho, however, with malandragem the integrity of institutions and individuals is effectively attacked, legally speaking, as malicious.
 
Successful malandragem is gaining advantage under the condition of not being caught. Basically, the malandro dupes the target without them knowing they have been tricked.

Malandragem is characterized in the Brazilian popular imagination as a tool for individual justice. Facing the forces of oppressive institutions, the individualist malandro survives by manipulating people, fooling authorities and sidestepping laws in a way which guarantees his well-being. In this way, the malandro is a typical Brazilian hero. Literary examples include Pedro Malasarte and João Grilo.

Like jeitinho, malandragem is an intellectual resource utilized by individuals of little social influence or by the socially disadvantaged. This does not stop the equal use of malandragem by those of better social positions. Through malandragem, one gains illicit advantages in gambling, business, and in the totality of their social life.

 
Malandragem is the characteristic of the malandro, who was a specific type of person in
Brazilian society. The malandro was known as someone without formal work or
obligations, with a certain manner of dressing – with loose clothing – and a certain
manner of walking – a swaggering, swinging stride.
 
 
 
zepilinimages
 
 
 
Disconsidering logical argumentation, labor and honesty, the malandro presupposes that such methods are incapable of getting him a good outcome. Those who practice malandragem act in the manner of the popular Brazilian adage, immortalized in a catch phrase of former Brazilian soccer player Gérson de Oliveira Nunes in a cigarette TV commercial (hence the name it was given: Lei de Gérson, or Gérson’s law): “I like to get an advantage in everything.”
 
A malandro is… the cheater who smoothly convinces his partner of his false fidelity; the employer who finds a way to pay his employees less than what he owes; the card player who manipulates his cards and wins the round…
 
 
But, despite this apparent egocentrical lying and malicious nature, the person who makes use of malandragem is not necessarily selfish. He could possibly be lazy, but the malandro is not careless with the people around him. He generally doesn’t make use of malandragem to take advantage of another person intending to harm others, but rather only to find a way out of an unfair situation even if this means resorting to illegal methods. In fictional contexts, malandragem is often a device used to introduce wit, a typical plot device/characteristic of an antihero
 
 
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The title of malandro has become significant to Brazilian national identity as a folk hero. It was (and sometimes still is) used with a negative connotation, and is linked to capoeiristas.
 
Mandinga,  has more of a connection to the religious element, to magic practices, which I’ll talk (type) about a little later.
 
Malícia, in capoeira, is basically the capacity to understand someone’s intentions. (This should not be confused with the english translation of this word, which is malice).
 
The principle of “malicia”  has been described as “a form of readiness for any situation, with the dual components of vision and action”, or “cunningness”, the ability to quickly understand an opponent’s aggressive intentions, and during a fight or a game, fool, trick and deceive him.  Deception, trickery, and cleverness are encouraged in capoeira. It is better to be smart than strong; a good capoeirista is skilled at fooling the other player. Some strategies include faking one kick but doing another, or pretending to be hurt so that the opponent lets down his guard. Floreios (fancy movements) can be used to trick the other player into thinking that one is vulnerable, when in reality one is fully prepared for defense and attack. Players may also distract their partner by looking at or pointing to something outside the roda… the tricks one can use are limited only by one’s imagination.
 
 
While I was researching malicia for this article on the internet, I came across this paper on the meaning of  malicia written by Shayna Mchugh. It’s a very interesting read, particularly the way the 2 mestres interviewed defined this concept, and taught it. You can find it and read it for yourself by clicking HERE .
 

And, I created this small video playlist so you can all see this concept in action, in capoeira games, and in other martial arts.

 
Now although the words I typed above, along with the video playlist defined malicia mostly in terms of fighting strategy, please understand that malicia is a basic element of capoeira, and though it SEEMS to be simple at first glance, it’s in fact VERY deep, and applies to much more.
 

Kinda like this game between Mestre Poncianinho, and Professora Magia.
At Mestre Aranha’s event in Italy.

Under that amazing video, he writes,

 

“Mandinga is to find magic in life”
This beautiful game, has many subtle gestures and movements that enhance the connection and helps to tell a story.

 
 
 
O.K., Now that we’ve covered these particular concepts as best as somebody can cover it on a web page, let’s look at a couple of more philosophical (and physical) fundamentals.
 
 

Here’s a small description of Capoeira’s basic philosophy from Mestre Moraes:

“O ringue de capoeira, cuja forma geométrica facilita a propagação da energia, é uma das representações simbólicas do mundo ‘macro’. Os movimentos que fazemos dentro deste ringue simbolizam as adversidades que encontramos na vida, que muitas vezes não sabemos como lidar. No jogo da vida, nossos adversários, na maioria das vezes, não sabem nada de capoeira, mas possuem movimentos peculiares ao seu próprio jogo, que devemos ser capazes de interpretar e compreender em seu contexto, tomando o ringue de capoeira como ponto de referência. Jogando no ringue, conseguimos estabelecer uma fusão entre elementos lúdicos e respeito pelo outro. Mas o ringue não é a realidade: o mundo é. Se vencermos neste ringue, podemos levar o outro também!”

“The capoeira ring, whose geometric form facilitates the propagation of energy, is one of the symbolic representations of the ‘macro’ world. The movements we make inside this ring symbolise the adversities we encounter in life, which we often don’t know how to deal with. In the game of life, our opponents, in most cases, know nothing of capoeira, but have movements peculiar to their own game, which we should be able to interpret and understand in their context, taking the capoeira ring as a point of reference. Playing in the ring, we succeed in establishing a fusion between playful elements and respect for the other person. But the ring isn’t reality: the world is. If we win in this ring, we can take the other one too!”

Now, allow me to add on to this a little bit.

 

First of all,  Capoeira is a jogo – a game. This means it can be playful and cooperative, intense and competitive, or anywhere in between. A good way to think of capoeira is as a conversation – it could range from a friendly chat to a heated argument. A key element of capoeira is interaction; you can’t have a conversation by yourself! The capoeira game is like a series of physical “questions” and “answers,” and one player ‘wins’ the exchange when he asks a question that his partner cannot answer.

 
Now, about the concept of “winning” in Capoeira Angola: My teacher Charles is fond of saying that in Capoeira Angola, actually there are no winners, but there ARE losers, and the loser is the one who loses his cool.
 
Because in a game, if you lose your cool and get angry, then your vision becomes clouded, and what happens is you end up giving all your power to the person you’re supposed to be playing.
 
 
Movement and versatility
 
Capoeira places a high value on movement and versatility. Remember, the basic “stance” of capoeira is not a rigid and immobile one as in some other martial arts, but instead a fluid, swinging movement called the GINGA  (meaning to swing or to sway).
 
 

 
 
 
Capoeiristas should always be moving. This is a multi-dimensional art; its players practice moving in all directions in many different ways. A good capoeirista is adaptable and ready for anything.
 
 
Indirect resistance
 
 
Ideally, strikes in capoeira are dodged rather than blocked. Capoeira teaches one to attack and defend from any position – while standing, while on the ground, while upside down – and with any part of the body, including the head.
 
 

Santo Antônio é protetor

 
 
Santo Antônio é protetor,
 
da barquinha de Noé
 
Santo Antônio é protetor
 
é protetor de todos nós
 
Santo Antônio é protetor
 
protetor da capoeira
 
Santo Antônio é protetor
 
protetor dos angoleiros
 
Santo Antônio é protetor
 
protetor, é protetor
 
 
 
 

Also, although capoeiristas are not required to practice a certain religion or any religion at all, it can take on religious significance.

Capoeira is  loosely connected to CATHOLICISM…

And to afro-brazilian religions like UMBANDA, and CANDOMBLE.

References to both orixás (the deities of candomblé) and Catholic saints appear in capoeira songs…

QUANDO CHEGO NO TERREIRO

Quando chego no Terreiro

trato logo de louvar

louvo a Deus primeiramente

louvo meu pai Oxalá

também louvo o pai Xangó

e a rainha do mar

peço licença Deus de Angola

me dê o salão prá eu vadiar

Câmara…

 
 

Now, I would like to share with you a little bit of information about the ORIXÁS, (also spelled ORISHAS).

The Orixas are the deities worshipped in the Candomblé religion and brought to Brazil by captured slaves, especially the YORUBA people. In Africa, these were kings, queens, mythical heroes and other ancestors raised to the status of gods.

“The Orixás are revelations of the spiritual power of the highest-ranking deity Olorun (Oludumare). They are the mediators between the Supreme Being of Olorun and believers. The Orixás are ancestors as well as forces of nature.”

“Originally every group worshipped its own ancestors in Africa, and every town or city-state was bound to a specific local deity, often an ancestor of the local ruling dynasty, a leader of one’s own clan, or a person who somehow uniquely helped and supported the group.

For example, this video documents a special pilgrimage to the city of osogbo, which is dedicated to the Orixa of OSUN(Also spelled OSHUN).

Because of the changed conditions in the Diaspora, there developed a genuine pantheon of deities, in which a large number of Orixás were concentrated in the same terreiro (like a church) as a mythical space. First and foremost was the maintaining of a symbolic heritage that supported all responsibility for the continuity of the African view of the world in exile.

The Orixás clearly have their weakness and can make errors and mistakes. In his book Orixas Pierre Verger compares the Yoruba deities in Africa and the New World, and he assigns human archetypes to them. Every believer lives his entire life under the protection of his individually chosen Orixá.

The Orixás are closely connected to forces of nature such as air and water, as well as to mountains and animals. In addition, each deity has a specific attribute: a color, a metal, a day of the week, a favorite dish, a certain drumbeat, etc… Several Orixás also have concrete tasks and social functions, for example Xango’s as a warrior, Oxossi’s as a hunter, and Ogun’s as a blacksmith.

In Brazil and other nations of the Americas – as in Cuba with the Santería – the African deities were disguised through their association with Catholic saints in order to practice the religion in spite of it being forbidden.

You see, They were forced by the European slave masters to adopt Catholic practices; however, they used Catholicism as a façade behind which to practice their own religious practices.

For example, each orixá of candomblé was associated with a Catholic saint, so that a slave could say a prayer to a Catholic saint but in reality be praying to an Orixia.

For Example:

  • Oxalá (supreme father and creator of the world) – Jesus
  • Iemanjá (goddess of the sea and mother of other orixás) – the Virgin Mary
  • Oxóssi (hunter god) – Saint George and Saint Sebastian
  • Xangô (king, god of thunder and justice) – Saint Peter, Saint John the Baptist, Saint Francis of Assisi
  • Oxumaré (god of duality, movement, perpetual renovation) – Saint Bartholomew
  • Ogum (explorer of paths) – Saint Anthony
  • Nanã (old goddess, co-creator of the world) – Saint Anna, mother of Mary
  • Iansã (warrior goddess) – Saint Barbara
  • Obá (goddess of suffering) – Saint Catherine, Saint Joan of Arc, Saint Martha
  • Obaluaiê (god of life, death, sickness, health) – Saint Lazarus
  • Ibeji (twin gods representing dualities) – Saints Cosme and Damien
 

And in reference to how the orixas relate to Capoeira, well…

I found this post that was posted a few years ago on a facebook group named CAPOEIRA: JOGO DE BOCA. 

Awo Fasegun

IFA and CAPOEIRA ORI – Your own personal style. (Expression) 

ORUNMILA- The infinite wisdom of the game.(Intuition) 

ESU-Your ability to be unpredictable and tricky.(Infinite choices)

OGUN- Your ability to cut through your opponents defense without hesitation. (Strength & explosion)

OSOOSI – Your ability to find your target with speed and accuracy. (Stealth, stalking, persistence)

SANGO – Your ability to lead and aggressively control the game. (Extreme confidence)

OYA – Your ability to adapt to sudden unexpected change. (Adaptive change)

OSUN – Your ability to refine and beautify the game. (Technical perfection)

YEMOJA – Your ability to nurture & develop your game. (Birth of movement)

OBATALA – The wisdom, maturity and ethics of the game. Coolness in the heat of the battle. (Creativity)

EGUN – The collective spirit of those who have come before you. The creators, custodians, teachers. (Innovators)
By Awo Fasegun

Now, there is a lot more to it than this very basic understanding, but I think it’s good for us all to start with.

Now one mestre who is  known for his elaborate philosophy derived out of African spirituality is Mestre Moraes. If you want to read a small example of his philosophy,  check out the interview translated by Shayna McHugh on her website, Capoeira Cpnnection. Just click HERE to read it.

 
 
 
 

And Now, I want to show you all this symbol.

This symbol represents a living system of the BAKONGO people that recognizes, embodies and utilizes the universal vital force and it’s relation to nature, man, and ancestors.

This cosmogram was a core symbol of the KONGO CULTURE, which was taken to the americas by enslaved africans during the slave trade. An ideographic religious symbol, the cosmogram was called dikenga dia Kongo or tendwa kia nza-n’ Kongo in the KIKONGO LANGUAGE. Ethnohistorical sources and material culture demonstrate that the Kongo cosmogram existed as a long-standing symbolic tradition within the BaKongo culture before European contact in 1482, and that it continued in use in West Central Africa through the early twentieth century. In its fullest embellishment, this symbol served as an emblematic representation of the Kongo people and summarized a broad array of ideas and metaphoric messages that comprised their sense of identity within the cosmos. It was, and still is a complete science, much of what we study in school today.

Below, I posted a playlist which shows some of the history of the cosmogram, and how it’s used.

 

Now y’all might be wondering right now, “What does this pattern have to do with capoeira?” Well, you can always go out, LEARN THIS ART, and find out for yourself.

As capoeira spreads around the world, I’m sure in the future, they’ll be Jewish groups, Hindu groups, Buddhist groups, Taoist Groups, etc. as capoeira interacts with different cultures. As far as I’m concerned however, as long as the african roots of the art is not lost, IT’S ALL GOOD.
 
 
 
 
 

Now, About Mandinga…

SOLTA MANDINGA E

Solta mandinga e

solta mandinga

solta mandinga e capoeira, solta mandinga

Solta mandinga e

solta mandinga

solta mandinga e capoeira, solta mandinga

Se voçe năo tem mandinga

entăo năo sabe jogar

é preciso tem malícia

é preciso improvisar

Solta mandinga e

solta mandinga

solta mandinga e capoeira, solta mandinga

Brincar leve, jogar solto

ou tambem saber entrar

enganhar o jogo do outro

e saber movimentar

Solta mandinga e

solta mandinga

solta mandinga e capoeira, solta mandinga

 
 

“All advanced forms of martial art have their magical aspect. The Taoist practitioners are deeply involved with magic, Shinto has its sophisticated magical aspect as does Islam. The Animists practice ritual magical martial arts, the Hindu and the Buddhist cultures have practices and traditions of martial magic. All the European arts have long ties to magical practice, pre and post Christian era. Everybody does magic ….”

“The individual warrior has his own personal magic. He may ‘quest’ or seek visions or dreams. He will make sacrifice, perform personal rituals and take on his talismans of power. He will appeal to his personal guardians, familiars, ancestors or such. The private practice of the warrior is the purest preparation for meeting God that there is in any spiritual practice.”

“The spiritual study of the warrior is more important than the physical in many ways. Combat is far past the physical abilities of any man; he acts in exhaustion, deafness, pain and privation. The cultivation of the indomitable intention is done in a posture of effecting magic. He ‘calls the tiger’ or eats the heart of his enemy or of the Bear, collects the heads of defeated enemy or his weapons and artifacts, in order to subjugate his opponents spirit. He pursues the ritual combat in times of peace; gaming, caravan or expedition, hunting, arts and letters, and imbues them with the same importance as the combat experience.

The warrior will weaken his enemy by magical projections and ritual against him. He will seek to understand the intention of the enemy and confuse it, to break his timing and focus. The warrior seeks to control the weather and the environment against the enemy, to cause him sickness, foul his supplies and sabotage him. He will seek to dominate the enemy with a cloud of despair.”

“All through the ages and in all cultures, people have practiced martial magic; magic in aid of prevailing over enemies, magic of healing, magic of preparation for death of ourselves. How much was pointless and how much was a manipulation of power not yet understood by Science is conjecture, but what is not conjecture is that the field of study may yield something that saves your life some day.If you choose to fight with only science, you will ignore a body of knowledge garnered over millennia by people whose lives depended on it. If you wait for Science to explain it, you may wait for a long time. How do you measure Taiji Quan, how does Pa Qua work? Is the Ketchak dancer heavier or lighter during the trance, what’s a trance? Does mushin mind cause synapses to fire more quickly, then why isn’t cha-no-yu done ‘quickly’? Obviously, martial magic has answers for which Science has no questions and questions for which Science has no arbiter.”

 

FROM KUNTAOSILAT.COM – Click HERE to read the whole article.

 

 
Mandinga can be translated “magic” or “spell”, but in capoeira a mandingueiro is a clever fighter, able to easily trick their opponent. Mandinga is a tricky and strategic quality of the game, and even a certain esthetic, where the game is expressive and at times theatrical, particularly in capoeira Angola.
 
 
 
The roots of the term mandingueiro would be a person who had the magic ability to avoid harm due to protection from the spirits.
 
 
 
Capoeira Angola masters often used charms, known as patuas, that were believed to bestow upon the wearer certain supernatural abilities, such as the ability to fly, to walk invisible, shape shift, or having corpo-fechado (closed body), which means in this context, a body impervious to blows, cuts, or even bullets.
 
patua-em-couro-e-cristal-d_nq_np_734746-mlb26329209686_112017-f
 

Patua are only one example of the ritual incantations of the mandingueiros (spiritu-ally protected capoeira Angola fighters).

These patuas were commonly made by sorcerors called feiteceiros, some of whom were capoeira masters themselves.

The use of mandinga and patua are enshrined in a popular line found in a number of capoeira Angola songs, “Quem nao pode com mandinga, nao carrega patua” (Who cannot make with incantations doesn’t carry a patua).

The importance of charms and conjure in capoeira can also be seen in the case of Besouro Manganga, a historic capoeira fighter from the city of Santa Amaro who has been elevated to almost mythic status. He is considered the greatest capoeira adept of all time and is called Besouro Manganga because people believed he was unbeatable due to his charms.

“Manganga” means a powerful medicine man and appears to derive from nganga, the Kongo-Angolan term for a ritual specialist.ao It is believed that Besouro’s powers allowed him to best all his enemies, other capoeira fighters as well as armed policemen. He was finally killed by a knife made of ticum wood, believed to have been specially treated with certain rituals to counteract his charms.

 
 

If you look up his story,  you’ll find an incredible story involving the Orishas and all sort of magic, and messages confronting systems of oppression. The video I posted below, is for a trailer for a brazilian movie about Besouro that came out a few years ago.

(of course this recent MOVIE about him says very little about his actual life. Click HERE to watch this documentary with actual facts about his life, the trailer of which I posted below)
 
 

Now I said that there is no one philosophy when it comes to Capoeira. It’s different things to different people. I once read somewhere that Capoeira is like a vast sea, and everyone steps into it’s waters from a different spot on the beach.

There ARE some basic things that are part and parcel to capoeira philosophical ideas which I presented to you above,  but beyond that, just like the physical skills, everything is left for the individual capoeirista to interpret for him/herself how this philosophy impacts their lives, and how they choose to impact others.

To Illustrate this, I have posted some videos here of capoeiristas of different styles, who have dedicated their lives to this way of life, and live this philosophy in their daily lives.

 
 
First up, is a man who I can personally tell you, is an awesome capoeirista, and an incredible human being.
 
Ismail, Contra-Mestre Versatil of Capoeira Batuque, tell us in this video interview, how Capoeira has helped him learn so much, and has expanded his ability to become a better human being.
 

Click HERE to watch a playlist of the full interview.

And check out his web sites:
www.temjogo.com

Freemovementfest.com

 

next up, we have one of the world’s most renowned Capoeira Angola practicioners, MESTRE COBRA MANSA, along with a couple of his students, explaining a bit of their journey in Capoeira Angola, and how it has impacted their lives.

 

Check out his main website at ficamundo.org

 

Next up, we have a talk about capoeira and philosophy of life between Mestre Agostinho and Mestre Jacob. It covers some of the core values in capoeira, that are emphasized and practised in the teaching in their capoeira group, Grupo Ginga. It was recorded in november 2014 during their 10th annual batizado and graduation ceremony in Copenhagen. The event also celebrated Mestre Jacob’s 20th anniversary in teaching capoeira.

You can find them here at their websites:
www.grupoginga.com.br

www.ginga.dk

 

Next, we have for you this TED talk called Renegotiating Body Politics via Capoeira, where Mestre Poncianinho and his student Beatrice, will play Capoeira in a very small space, which we call Jogo de Dentro (Inside-Outside Game), and then Beatrice will share some of her ideas on how to tackle the challenges of sexism, racism, homophobia, ableism and ageism, through capoeira…

Ponciano Almeida was born and raised in Guaratinguetá, Sao Paulo, Brazil where he was completely immersed in the capoeira life and community. He is the son of MESTRE ZE ANTONIO, and started his studies in capoeira and Brazilian dances at an early age. In 2000 he moved to the UK and began work on his capoeira school, now called Mojuba capoeira. This venture has thrived and celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2010. for more information about Mestre Poncianinho and his work, please go to his website @
https://www.mojuba.co.uk/

Dr. Beatrice Allegranti is an award winning dance movement psychotherapist (UKCP reg.), choreographer, capoeira practitioner, feminist researcher, writer and educator. You can find her here @ www.beatriceallegranti.com

 

Next up, we have Dr. Ọbádélé Kambon being interviewed by Dr. Juan Diego Diaz Meneses on his personal philosophy of Capoeira.

You can find him at his websites:

Obadelekambon.com

Abibtumi.com

 

And last, but certainly not least, we have Mestre Xuxo.
Mestre Xuxo is a bodyweight movement specialist with a background in capoeira. In this video clip, he discusses capoeira, body weight movement, breakdancing and his current works.

You can check him out here @https://www.facebook.com/Enjoyyourself.movementCulture/

 
 

Like I said in the beginning of this page, There is no one philosophy in Capoeira. Of course, there are commonalities that everyone has in philosophical ideas in Capoeira, which I tried to convey to you. But beyond that, there are differences in each person’s interpretation of Capoeira’s philosophy, which is why I posted the videos above, to show you that, though you may see some… philosophical differences, they’re all doing Capoeira, and all of their philosophical ideas are valid.

So, what have I learned walking down this path so far?

Well…

I don’t know when, but sometime on this path, I realized that there is so much more to life than I ever thought there was. During training, sometimes what I believe I can do and what I can’t do gets tested, and I get that graphic reminder that we are not bound by anything else but our own beliefs. And those times when we do fall short, that doesn’t mean that you cannot get up and try again. And again.

When I’m under the berimbau about to play a game, even though it seems that the whole world is raging around me, I find peace and serenity deep within.

While I watch a video of old Mestres like Curio, Joao Grande, Acordeon, etc. I see that age is nothing but a number… that this art is timeless, as we are. what you feel is what you bring to your reality.

By learning, and being a part of the history of Capoeira, I see that no matter what happens… You WILL feel whole again. It is in our nature, in our DNA to regenerate, replenish, and restructure our lives, even when the damage is almost absolute.

Today… right here… RIGHT NOW is the Time.

Truly, there realistically is no tomorrow. You are Alive. Now.

Well, these are some of the things floating in my head now when I think of Capoeria. Most likely, what I think of this art, and what I learn from it will change in time. However, this is where I’m at with it right now.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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