Healing Anecdotes

Dr. Swami Ramananda Giri Maharaj

2010-03-04T07:08:00Z

Dr. Swami Ramananda Giri Maharaj is the author of BLISS NOW and FROM INDIA WITH LOVE He is also the beautiful voice on WINGS OF THE DAWN, WORLD PEACE CONCERT, and BHAKTI. He had dreams of his guru, SRI ANANDAMAYI MA, since he was a boy of 9 years old. When he went to India in the late 1960s as a teenager, he was picked up by Anandamayi Ma's car in the jungles near Rajport, Himalayas. They developed an inseperable relationship which lasted through Her mahasamadhi in 1987 and still very much today. Swamiji is the youngest Swami and only western swami in direct intiation. He has traveled to India 17 times in service to MA.

Introducing PhysioMeditation - A New Expression of HypnoAthletics: Exercising Your Mind

2010-02-17T14:51:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) This is a very basic and general overview and introduction.
Physio- natural physical functions [from Greek phusis nature]
Meditate exercise the mind in (esp. but not always religious) contemplation. [Latin meditari contemplate]
I have coined and defined the term PhysioMeditation to be:
"exercising the mind and body through natural physical and mental functions"

PhysioMeditationSM. is an integrative practice that utilizes the breathing techniques and static poses of Yoga, the active movements of Mat-Pilates, the dynamic exercises of Capoeira and other combat skills. Many other basic calisthenics such as push-ups, squats, abdominal crunches and jumping-jacks are used. Physiomeditation has been developed by me over many years of dedicated research and study of these methods through active participation and teaching to a variety of persons living many different lifestyles.

in addition to the contributions of Capoeira, Pilates and Yoga, I have also blended my professional experience and education as a Clinical Hypnotherapist, Private Fitness Trainer, Group Exercise Instructor and Metaphysician to create a most holistic and complete program of this unique new discipline. It is at the same time a Martial-Art as much as a Healing-Art. This is in perfect alignment with my goal to formulate my own singular system of Healthy-Living and Self-Defense.

Physiomeditation is the next step forward for the HypnoAthletics foundations of exercise physiology: Alignment, Breathing, Concentration; or the ABC's. See the article Healthy Living and Self-Defense Foundations of Exercise Physiology: Alignment Breathing Concentration at the link below for more information.
http://eym.hypnoathletics.com/2008/04/23/healthy-living-and-selfdefense-foundations-of-exercise-physiology-alignment-breathing-concentration.aspx

Physiomeditation is a complement to, overlaps in many ways and is an integration of my previous innovations of traditional practices including: HypnoAthletics: Exercising Your Mind, Dream Action Yoga(DAY): Exposing the Conditioned Personality, KappaGuerra: The Only War to Wage is Within and Contrology Oriented Mat-Pilates(COMP). My private research organization HypnoAthletics is daily engaged in Independent Research and Strategic Consultation concerning Healthy-Living and Self-Defense.

Methods and Techniques
Physiomeditation simply combines Pranayama, or the Yoga of Breath with the poses, movements and exercises of Yoga, Pilates and Capoeira for a seamless integration of healing and strengthening movement with meditation. Being that the human body generally moves in certain ways according to the laws of physics there are obvious similarities. However, as it is not an attempt to be these practices, it is not limited to the specific structures of the ancient disciplines of Yoga and Capoeira or the traditional movements of Pilates. Physiomeditation is open to the incorporation of all safe and effective body movement, breathing and mental meditations that may be smoothly united for maximum benefit and optimum performance.

Through a coordinated progression of breathing, musculoskeletal and central nervous system activation, Physiomeditation can empower you with motivation, self-improvement, healthy physical fitness, and if you so desire, spiritual unfoldment. You may fully integrate the physical, energetic, mental, intuitive and spiritual realms of existence and learn to be not only an archive of wisdom in a healthy body, but a weapon of self-defense if you choose. One aspect of the Physiomeditation philosophy is focused on changing your frame of mind from "How do I do this movement?" to "When and why would I do this movement?".

The practice of PhysioMeditation consists of intelligently linking your breathing with a fluid transition of poses and movements that may be static, active or dynamic. Many times this is simply a matter of how fast a transition is executed. Other methods take time-honored calisthenics and mediate them with more fluid gestures. Usually, the warm-up phase will last five(5) to fifteen(15) minutes and consist of Pranayama breathing, static poses, or moderate active movements like Yoga and Pilates techniques, depending on the fitness level and conditioning of the person engaging in the workout. Dynamic movement from Capoeira and other such forms may follow this static and active phase but not necessarily and not for everyone.

Once again, the innovation of Physiomeditation does not lie in its specific techniques. There are no new movements because as I have mentioned, our human bodies are governed by the laws of physics. Many of the movements are the same as or similar to the traditional and tested applications of its parent disciplines. The philosophy or perspective of Physiomeditation is where it stands apart. I see the movement of the body to be taken through all ranges of motion from static, active and dynamic as a progressive system of total body movement rather than separate specialties to be practiced in isolation. A practitioner has the empirical understanding from application that many movements are all quite the same with the difference being when and why it is used which determines whether the movement is static, active, dynamic or some combination of these. With the complete set of skills, a practitioner has the option of moving through these phases if they would like to and are physically able but will not be limited because of a lack of understanding.

Many analogies are used to give visual understanding to some of the exercises. One breathing method is explained using a tube of toothpaste for a visual model. Imagine rolling a toothpaste tube up from the bottom to shorten it as a compensation for there being less paste from previous use. You can also roll the tube to expel the paste for use by decreasing the space and creating pressure. In the same way, when you bend over to touch your toes or are executing an abdominal crunch, you would exhale because there is less space. The breath being like the paste that comes out of the spout, your mouth and/or nose, and your body being the tube rolling up. Naturally this exhaling relieves the pressure inside your lungs, diaphragm and other internal organs.

Another movement can be visualized using a spring or a Slinky toy. Imagine a Slinky or spring descending a flight of stairs. Its coils stack themselves one at a time upon itself and it does so in a very even series of smooth motions. In the same way, a person standing up from a forward bend would imagine their vertebrae this way, moving them one at a time, stacking upon each other as they lift up smoothly into a standing position.

This has been a brief introduction to the multifaceted practice and experience of the emerging new discipline of Physiomeditation that I am offering. It has been so far an empowering healing journey for myself and many hundreds of people I have shared it with over more than fifteen(15) years of its development. To learn more or to experience it for yourself contact me for the location of my next session or for a private consultation. I would be grateful and joyful for the opportunity to share it with you as an individual or your organization to enhance your Healthy-Living and Self-Defense interests and goals.

Fatrocities are Killing the World but the Fitopia Will Save Us

2010-01-21T06:49:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) At 10:pm on National Geographic Channel (NatGeo), a rare television watching event for me, I witnessed a show called "Taboo". It was recommended to me by my friend and fellow researcher ShadowMyth-KLG. It reinforced many of my previously researched data on the "Globesity" issue and revealed a few others.

Big Problems and Simple Solutions

According to my Oxford American Dictionary and Thesaurus, atrocity is defined as "an extremely evil or cruel act, especially one involving physical violence or injury". I personally regard the misleading of people into lifestyles of ignorant neglect that results in the physical injury of being fat and obese to be an extremely violent, evil and cruel act on mankind; a Fatrocity!

Big Problems

Malnutrition and Lack of Exercise
I am sure you have heard it before. But obviously it must be repeated as much as the crap to the contrary, because if you are overweight, you have fallen prey to the negative hypnotic programming that has led to your undesired condition. It was suggested on the NatGeo episode of "Taboo", that many food manufacturers and establishments intentionally produce and market foods they know to be unhealthy to the masses simply for profit. These are the sweet, fatty foods and extra calorie loading soft-drinks that taste so good and do the body so much harm.

The "obesogenic" or obese producing environment is said to be partially responsible for this. That is, an environment where technology makes life less active and calories more accessible - factors that tend to make people fat. The result is less calorie and fat burning activities combined with more calorie consumption. An obvious imbalance. But as has been emphasized, this does not excuse one from the responsibility of intelligently managing one's own health.

1.6 billion women, men and children in the world are overweight or obese. A body mass index or BMI of 25 is overweight and a BMI of 30 or more is obese. 1/3rd of the U.S. is overweight and another 1/3rd is obese which means 2/3rds, or about 200 million people the U.S. is in this unhealthy category. Even though the healthcare costs have doubled from the year 1999 to 2009 to treat overweight related diseases, organizations like NAAFA, the National Association for the Advancement of Fat Acceptance, say there is nothing wrong with being fat. They even claim it is desirable, and have many so-called Fat-Admirers backing this claim.

In reality, obesity has negative effects on every system in the body, including the central nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine, musculo-skeletal, and of course the digestive system. Being overweight creates a higher disease risk for clogged arteries, diabetes, heart-failure and structural damage and pain. A person can become so fat that they will lose their ability to use the bathroom by themselves and not be able to enjoy sex because of prohibitive slabs of flesh developing around the genital area.

Some examples include a man of 650 pounds who can no longer support his own body-weight and therefore can not walk. His entire body failed him, he was hospitalized, required surgery; and a six-man team had to man-handle him back into his home on a stretcher. He is confined to his bedroom that he and his wife call his prison. On the show both the 650 pound man and his dedicated spouse were in tears. They have not been able to have sex for almost 20 years! Being fat effects everyone, not just the overweight person. This is personally, environmentally, economically and globally.

In Mauritania, in West Africa, overweight women are prized as having higher status and are more desirable for marriage. Besides the fact that it is ridiculous to conform to social norms, just to be acceptable to a patriarchal society that dominates and controls women whom should be regarded as Goddesses; this is a profane ideal. Even so, woman routinely and legally force-feed their daughters when they can't fend off this abuse. Many of these young girls die from metabolic disorders and from drowning or choking on their own vomit. In addition, even some of the woman who have become fat and married tell of the literal heart-ache, breathing difficulties and joint pains that result. But they endure it just to be accepted.

In the United States, the opposite is seen as the higher status, more successful body-type. Although many times this American ideal is also ridiculous, such as the emaciated super-model look, many women develop other eating disorders such as bulimia-nervosa and anorexia-nervosa. With this stark contrast present in the U.S. society, many overweight people suffer psychologically because they are so far removed physically from this ideal. Remember 2/3rds are fat. They are also routinely ridiculed and alienated by insensitive persons. And perhaps this also contributes to the heavily burdened central nervous system which may already be under threat of overweight related dementia.

Simple Solutions

Proper Nutrition and Exercise
The human body is a highly adaptable organism. It readily adapts to the conditions we impose upon it. When the body is starved, the metabolism slows in order to store calories for an expected future famine. This is one of the ways our bodies' have been conditioned throughout civilization. The human body more readily stores fat than it burns or sheds it off.

However, this has a simple epigenetic (nurture over nature) remedy. By eating small meals more frequently, we can reprogram our metabolism to speed up and eliminate stored calories. The extra energy we obtain from a higher metabolism can then be used for moderate to intense exercise depending on our disposition and current fitness level. By exercising, we also condition our bodies' to activities that require us to be more fit, lean, balanced and agile. This body type does not need to be super-model skinny. We can be voluptuous and athletic, or thin and athletic; as long as we are physically fit and nutritionally healthy.

In addition, the source of food we use may make a great deal of difference. Many foods that people eat are processed in health-harming ways with toxic additives. A first rule would be to consume fresh foods such as fruits and vegetables. I like to call fruit 'nature's candy'. This may seem troublesome or time consuming, but I doubt it is as bothersome as some of the diseases and damage caused by overlooking this deceptively simple practice. I have personally felt the heart-break of witnessing the health-deteriorating effects of overweight in the majority of people close to me. Cook your own foods and stop eating pre-packaged junk with ingredients that require chemical, medical and science dictionaries to decode!

Here are a few health sustaining and restoring tips:

Take short walks often. Anywhere from 5 minutes to 60 minutes each day depending on your current fitness level
Get plenty of rest and take naps often to restore and rebalance as often as you can
Eat organic foods because they do not contain as many toxins that may contribute to obesogenic conditions
Drink plenty of fresh, clean water to flush out bloating water-retaining symptoms and fat
Join a fun, local sports team or league in your spare time
Practice deep breathing meditation and constructive fitness visualization
Pre-plan and prepare your meals for work and school the night or week before
Surround yourself with supportive fit people who will accept you as-is and encourage your healthy lifestyle
Get a gym membership and / or personal trainer and commit to a program
Use Self-Hypnosis or a Hypnotherapist to enhance healthy behaviors and habits

Obviously there are just as many reasons for you to be fat, depressed and diseased as there are to be fit, healthy and happy. The choice is yours, and there are many options available. If it is not obvious, I choose to be nutritionally healthy and physically fit. My life experiences are so much more vibrant, rich and sensational because of the choices I am making daily. The beauty and joy I want for myself I want for everyone else and therefore encourage you to do the same. I have come to understand that I am one of the supportive fit people who will accept you as-is and encourage your healthy lifestyle.

Begin today by making the decision to take a small step to improve your health, or encourage someone else to do so for themselves. In this way we will improve our global environment, economy, and contribute to a sort of "Fitopia" or similar idea or movement that will raise the level of everyone's consciousness to constructive, life-affirming actions.

America's First Nationally Accredited College of Hypnotherapy

2009-11-04T19:43:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) The Hypnosis Motivation Institute (HMI), located in Tarzana, California, is America's first nationally accredited college of hypnotherapy. HMI was founded in 1968 by Dr. John Kappas. It is an outstanding establishment that I think more people should know about. I began training at HMI as a 101 student on November 4th of 2004. 24 days later on the 28th, I hypnotized a curious volunteer in less than five minutes reading directly from one of Dr. Kappas' books, "The Professional Hypnotism Manual."

Each one of my course instructors at HMI are all experienced professional hypnotherapists. Many, if not all of the instructors teach classes between delivering hypnotherapy sessions at the on-site clinic. Some of the course subjects featured are Therapeutic Imagery, Neuro-Linguistic Programming, and Ericksonian Hypnosis, named after Milton Erickson who's contributions to the hypnotic field led to the acceptance of hypnosis as a tool for medicine and dentistry by the American Medical Association in 1958. As a student, I was mentored by one of the working hypnotherapists from 301 throughout my six-month 501 clinical residency and internship.

One of the formidable features of HMI's course work is the study of the founder's Kappassinian Hypnosis. This includes the testing and rating scale based on Emotional and Physical Theory of Suggestibility and Behavior; The Mental Bank Concept, and the indispensable Theory of Mind. Dr. Kappas' definition of the hypnotherapy profession is the official Federal Dictionary of Occupational Title's description of the practice.

One of the most important realizations I was guided to at HMI was the fact that we can be aware of and control our own natural hypnotic states. I volunteered to be hypnotized in front of the class during my first night of classes. Even though I knew I could have easily resisted the trance induction, I peacefully complied. During the arm raising induction my hands seemingly levitated without my direct willing and stuck to my face. After a brief deepening technique that I was fully aware of, I was counted out of the trance with numbers from zero to five. I "awoke" in a familiar yet almost forgotten aware and comfortably alert state of mind. I was immediately empowered with an experience that has been a driving motivation ever since.

There are advanced and continuing education courses at the Hypnosis Motivation Institute for Master Practitioner training in NLP, Handwriting Analysis, Therapeutic Imagery, Past Life Hypnosis, Smoking Cessation and others. The library features many tools for effective practice building and material for researchers. In addition, there are many special workshops, guest speakers and presentations.

Anyone seeking vocational or avocational motivation and self-improvement might consider an HMI trained and certified Clinical Hypnotherapist. You will understand the theory of mind from an intellectual and experiential perspective that will inspire you after just one session. The Hypnosis Motivation Institute is providing a remarkable service by training professional therapists to teach others about the wonderful benefits of learning, understanding and using hypnosis and hypnotherapy.

I am convinced of the constructive applications of hypnosis through my successful experiences as a hypnosis student, client and facilitator. The Hypnosis Motivation Institute has successfully provided me with a thorough understanding of an extensive and wide-ranging field. It is so exciting to apply hypno-analysis to memory, motivation, learning and behavioral science. Hypno-analysis has also served to access past lives, spirit-guides and other metaphysical and paranormal research. Thanks to HMI, I am confidently enjoying the diverse applications and marvelous benefits of hypnosis for motivation and self-improvement.

NOTE: I am not an employee, affiliate or beneficiary of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute.
***
Hypnosis Motivation Institute
18607 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 310
Tarzana, California 91356-4158 USA
1-818-758-2747
Fax: 1-818-344-2262
Home Study School: 1-800-479-9464 ·
Contact HMI

Hypnosis and Water: Analogies of Natural Phenomena

2009-10-28T18:27:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) A continuous and most joyful endeavor of mine is to discover interesting similarities between various phenomena. The reason for this is to gain greater understanding in order to more effectively apply these methods or modalities. In this case, I choose to demonstrate how I have noticed a close correlation between the ways that mankind has made use of two naturally occurring phenomena: Hypnosis and Water. Through this analogy and analysis, I trust you will find useful applications for self-hypnosis through a better understanding. Once understood from a more accessible perspective, you will find yourself able to identify certain natural states and conditions of mind from an enhanced and empowered position.

Since I am sure that the conscious utilization of water preceded that of hypnotism, or at least I have experienced water's benefits before hypnosis, I will therefore begin with its description as the template for how I see the usage of hypnosis being analogous to this quencher of thirsts.

It is most likely quite well understood that water is a natural substance that covers about seventy-five percent (75%) of the Earth's surface. It is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one atom of oxygen, molecularly known as H2O. It is abundant in its natural state and a most necessary component of life for nearly all known organisms including of course, humans. We experience water as rain, seas, oceans, lakes, rivers and streams.

Water may now be purchased, as you might know, in plastic or glass containers of all sorts. Each container or bottle may have different features from sport-tops, spill-proof nozzles and all manner of other contraptions. It is this clever and convenient packaging which lends its appeal to many consumers and thirsty persons around the globe. And, in order to distinguish the bottlers from one another in the hopes of outselling the competition, each producer boasts a natural or refreshing brand name like EarthSprings, SpearTail, FreeSea, KrystalStreams, LifeFlow, or what have you. Often times some mineral additives or special filtration process is advertised as the reason for the superiority of the flavor or hydration potential attributed by each manufacturer.

Similarly, hypnosis is a natural mental state which makes accessible the subconscious mind. The subconscious is reported to be responsible for about eighty-eight percent (88%) of our mental powers. It is induced by repetition and association, known as the Laws of Self-Hypnosis. All hypnosis is actually self-hypnosis. It is abundant in its natural state and a most necessary part of the mentality of some animals and all humans. We experience hypnosis as daydreaming, focused concentration, reminiscing, pretending, visualizing and imagining.

Hypnosis may now be purchased, as you might know, in philosophical containers of all sorts. Each container or modality may have different features such as lulling speech, eye fascinations, arm-rigidities, visualizations and all manner of other trappings. It is this charming and intriguing systematization which appeals to many clients and curious persons around the world. And, in order to distinguish the hypnotists from one another with the objective to draw the most followers, each hypnotist boasts a motivating label like hypnosis, NLP, metaphysics, guided imagery, meditation, or whatever. Quite often, some unique trance-induction process, noble or divine doctrine is touted as the reason for the superiority of the personal development potential attributed by each hypnotist.

Both hypnosis and water have been found to be ubiquitous (everywhere) and vital for the existence of humanity. Each one has been contained either through the use of bottles or specific methods. And finally, the two have been named in order to distinguish themselves from other organizations or persons delivering the substance or facilitating the state.

The point of this analysis is to dispel myths about what hypnosis may be. The state is as natural as water. It is a vital component of our mental lives and being. Hypnosis is simply how we learn, remember, create habits, beliefs and other conditioned responses. It is not always recognized as such because the same mental process goes by many different names, just as different distributors of bottled water use different pseudonyms for the same natural product. Hypnosis may be called learning, trance, meditation, metaphysics, guided imagery and so forth. However they are all governed by the same processes of induction, which are repetition and association.

Self-hypnosis, or repetition and association are the keys to the understanding and mindful application of the various and wonderful powers of the mind. When we can fully comprehend it simply, as a natural occurrence that can be controlled or contained, as if in a bottle like water, we then empower ourselves. By changing our perception of hypnosis from being an inconceivable and mysterious phenomena to one that is a natural and controllable state, we are free to use it responsibly to awaken our most powerful abilities.

Just like water can be contaminated by dirt, mercury, and other impurities, so can hypnosis be poisoned by ego and greed. If you were to unleash all of the supplies of water from all the different containers you would be awash in a veritable sea. Likewise, all of the different philosophies and applications of hypnosis may be overwhelming. But this is if you do not know how to swim. In order to stay afloat within this flood of information, all you must do is to observe your own natural states of how you learn and remember things, which you will recognize as repetition and association.

You may find through this self-analysis, that many of your beliefs, habits and other mental conditions have simply been impressed into your memory by your own repeatedly returning to past events in your imagination, along with the associated physical feelings and/or emotions that went along with the memory. This sets up a cycle so that whenever you feel an emotion that is similar to the one in the memory, you return to the memory even when you were not actively attempting to recall it. The associated emotion or feeling is then reinforced, so that the next time you feel it, the memory returns. The effect is compounded and intensified as this cycle continues.

A great tool in learning to drink instead of drown in your thoughts, is to count yourself out of the state of hypnosis as soon as you recognize it from your personal observations. This may take some time to get used to, but once you have conditioned yourself to being familiar with the trance, you may use it with confidence and awareness. Simply count out loud, or if that's not appropriate, to yourself, from one to five (1-5) and then say something like "here I am , alert and aware" or "eyes open, wide awake." It is also very useful to take in a deep breath and / or to stretch when applicable. This serves as an additional anchor to the more alert and awakened state.

It is deceptively simple but quite effective. If you find some unwanted emotion triggered while you are driving and are cut-off by an inconsiderate driver for example, you just dehypnotize yourself by saying "1-2-3-4-5, eyes open wide awake." If you are dwelling on a past relationship and would like to deal with it at another time, then snap out of the thought by saying "1-2-3-4-5, here I am, alert and aware." Anytime you find yourself fascinating upon something that is distracting from what you would rather be doing, to focus on what is at present most appropriate, or to be free of an annoying state of mind, use this technique and you will certainly with practice, become a master of self-hypnosis and your own mental states.

Remember, hypnosis is not some magical entity conjured or manufactured by man. It is a natural, abundantly occurring state and is an easy to contain and use phenomena just like water. If you look at it this way, then you are free to bottle it up whenever you identify its presence. Then, much like water, instead of being washed away or drowning, you shall drink, be refreshed and nourished by the life-enhancing empowerment of self-hypnosis

What the BLEEP is happening to the Health, Wellness, and Personal-Development Movement?

2009-10-23T17:29:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) Since 2007, I have been watching and learning from the re-released "Quantum Edition" of the wonderful film "What the Bleep Do We Know". It is a fantastic inspirational and educational movie blending scientific and spiritual concepts in a rational and organized way. However, I am deeply concerned about the author of the fabulous book "Molecules of Emotion". I am not sure why she is very overweight and a facilitator of psychoneuroimmunology, a science that studies the mind-body connection and disease. It may be that she has a disease, but I am not quite sure if that is the case and not her bad habits.

This woman is a neuroscientist and a pharmacologist who talks about healing people of their addictions amongst other accomplishments. She discovered the opiate receptor in humans in the year 1972. Yet in the film she is sipping on one of the most dangerous, health-threatening products known to man - a diet soda. Many diet soft-drinks are made with artificial sweeteners that are not only addictive, but are also highly-toxic neurotoxins and excitotoxins. You would think that with her credentials and training she would know better, not to mention that her drinking of this beverage on an educational film and her status is like a subconscious thumbs-up for viewers and fans of this hit film to go out and load up on poison-pop!

We all have the ability to be holistic, highly functioning in all areas of human existence from the mundane like breathing, sleeping, and our processes of elimination, without settling for less than being masters of ourselves and of life. And the more constructive such as Religion, Art and Science, socializing and sex, can all be exciting adventures. But for too many, this is somehow not the reality, and it must be addressed. The following prosaic analysis is meant to be direct. Some people might find it offensive because it is the nude truth as I recognize it. I am not making fun of anyone or intentionally belittling anything for the sake of demoralizing others. This should be a wake-up call.

I have spoken to a lot of so-called gurus, philosophers, religious people, spiritual leaders and personal development visionaries. Although some of what I hear seems to be practical wisdom that can be applied to everyday living, most of it is a bunch of bullbleep. If you don't understand that slang term, it means nonsense. Stinky piles of moronic sludge.

It is pathetic and shameful. And I am not here to sugar coat this travesty any longer.

I will be flowing about different types of institutions. However, I will focus on a key theme of reference to illustrate my quarrel. Yes quarrel. As in being anti-something. Antagonistic. Why? Because the situation is grotesque and the systems in place are failures. So, what is the theme? It is personal and public health. Specifically how unhealthy and fat so many people are allowing themselves to grow.

Many of my family members are fat. And because of being fat they struggle with back injuries, allergies, nutritional deficiencies and addictions. I love my family. But a lot of their habits and that of many other people are ignorant if not just plain stupid.

So many people spend hours putting on make-up, shopping for expensive customized perfumes, designer clothes, shoes, mani-pedis, hair-styles and cars. All with the hope or goal to feel better about themselves, to "treat" themselves, to attract mates or to fit in socially. It would appear that there is no connection to the fact that if these same folks would take a small amount of time out of each day to investigate the source of their food, really eat rationally and exercise, the beauty and attractiveness would be almost effortless in comparison.

Instead most are living a cruel lie. A deception to yourselves and others. It is like Halloween. All you are doing is playing dress-up and pretending to be beautiful. Healthy is beautiful. Nature designs us that way. If you are fit and healthy, and I mean nutritionally healthy as well as physically fit; none of these disguises would be necessary. At least not to the tragic extent it is in the present form.

"But Hakeem, beauty comes from within." Love is beautiful my friends, and Love is within. Really love yourself and you will take care of yourself physically, energetically, mentally, intuitively and spiritually. I love myself and have made the choice to be the best that I can at whatever I do, and so I am, on all planes of existence. And I know there is always room for improvement. Regardless of my mistakes and past hardships I choose to thrive instead of just survive. In my opinion, anything else is an excuse, a lie, or a joke.

What kind of God do you pray to? What type of science are you conducting? What kind of medicine are you practicing? What sort of "try this and it will make you better at whatever" type of bleep is being sold, that is leading so many people's bodies and minds to be so degenerated?

For example, if I see a fat, cigarette-smoking, soda-pop guzzling seminar or church leader rattling off about how his or her religion, philosophy, book or other product will make me feel better, guide me to salvation, or you fill in the blank benefit, I'd think deeply before I buy it. Literally and figuratively. And you probably should too. But many of you are, vainly hoping, idly wishing for things to get easier. Is it my fault metaphysicans? Did I create a world where I am of an endangered species, surrounded by zombie-like masses of sick people? Is this my own hell? Is that what this is? Am I in hell?

Nope. Because I feel pretty great. I can do things with my body and my thoughts that most people can't even dream about. And the ones who can dream about their own greatness just sit around hoping, wishing, and vainly visualizing, trying to "attract" happiness, health, wealth and success instead of getting up and getting it. And how do I get up and get what I desire? My guideline is to succeed while only engaging in transactions that benefit all whom I effect. Part of that is making aware whomever may need the wake-up.

The stuff I hear so many gurus say is "well that person or group is just on their own path, following their destiny; it's not their time yet." -Bullbleep! I will not even attempt to calculate how many churches, schools, seminars and other institutions I have completely immersed myself in looking for the answers to help relieve me of former suffering, where people are being fed all kinds of supposedly helpful garbage. How the practitioners of "this and that" will find happiness, health, success and wealth. Yet even after years of listening to this bleep, the folks on the receiving end are still depressed, unhealthy, angry and fat.

Is it because we are immortal souls, and that this physical body is just some kind of temporary container, that I am just supposed to pray, hum, meditate and chant my way to salvation, enlightenment, or bliss? To the detriment and degradation of my vessel? The body that so many of these supposed masters label a divine temple?

I know from my research as a hypnotist, and life experience as an Earthling, that there are all sorts of chronic indoctrinations that leads to rampant, wasteful consumerism. There is a lot of "Madison Avenue" brainwashing no doubt. I recognize this crap all the time. O.K, so there's adolescent and teen experimentation with sex, drugs, and rock n roll. But that's no excuse. Get over it. How can people still think that binge-drinking, smoking tobacco and overeating anything, let alone fast-junk-food be the least bit O.K.? When does it end? I know it has nothing to do with maturity from age because I see people of all ages from adolescents to senior adults still partaking in this anti-biotic (life-destroying) behavior.

I have patiently listened to all kinds of crappy excuses and lame defenses like: "You gotta live a little", or, "I just like to let go sometimes", or "I don't want to be a canary in a cage", or " I don't want to be fanatical about my health", and other similar idiocy. Is it too much to read a book or a label? How hard is it to pick up a dictionary? Turn off the T.V.? -What about being mindful or paying attention to your body's signs and signals? Are you people so far removed from logic and reality that you'll just listen to any old bleep that the newsmen and the clergy, doctors and scientists pronounce? Even when it is failing to produce results on the immediate realm of your existence, the body in which thou dwellest?

Yes I have done drugs like LSD, MDMA, pharmaceutical downers, and other garbage, like binge-drinking and tobacco, along with tons of weed. But at some point, many years ago, the experiment was over. Human trials terminated. No more bullbleep. How can you call that living or having fun? Are you not feeling what this trash does to your body? Is the brainwashing that powerful? Is the addiction so compelling? What the bleep, man?

You know what? I pray, chant, meditate, and creatively visualize my bleep off. But I still find time to take care of the physical body that I am in the here and now living with. "Oh, but Hakeem, you're a trainer, you chose fitness as a career and lifestyle." Yes, I have. But guess what? There are more fat, out of shape, garbage eating, mindless fitness teachers, and health industry leaders than I am comfortable with. It is a bunch of malarkey. It is embarrassing to the definition of what the health and wellness movement is supposed to be about. Just plain hypocrisy.

What kind of scientist, doctor, religious figure, journalist, teacher or leader of any group are you, who does not self research the truth about, for example, irradiated food, filled with nano-particles and genetically engineered, pesticide ridden, man-made poisons? Cuz that's what they are; poison. I mean, really. What the deuce is going on around here? Is everybody that deep asleep?!

And I have a Secret to tell you about $10,000.00 sweat lodge retreats: (1) Use natural breatheable materials for its construction, not plastic and blankets. (2) Do not "vision-quest" for 3-days in the hot-bleepin' desert without food before going into your home-made sauna. (3) People are not sardines and should not be so tightly packed fifty or more in a space fit for twenty. (4) No matter if you have had 10 or more years experience or not leading sweat-lodge retreats, if people become hysterical and start trying to grab flaming rocks, begin vomiting, ask you to leave, or pass out; please let them out of the 120 degree easy bake coven. This type of insane, sadistic, masochistic, physical torment is not cleansing or purging, and our Native brothers did not do it this way. For your body-temple this is not so good!

Please understand this. We live in a physical body. It is from this point of reference that we strive for whatever it is that we hope to attain. I know it is much more productive to progress towards these desired fulfillments when my body is able to almost effortlessly support my endeavors. Simple things like walking up-hills, stairs, or just on the street. Sitting, getting up, standing. Imagine these fundamental actions being easy, as they should be. Is it not logical to suppose that all other human achievements would flow more gracefully from there? Even sitting and breathing, reading, piloting space-craft, Mars-missions, looking through microscopes, telescopes, and just living. Real living.

But I guess I am assuming that you want to live a joyful, or at least somewhat productive life, where there is more love, understanding, compassion and kindness than hatred, confusion, indifference and anger on a war-torn planet.

I pray for us all.

Chrism: Kundalini and the swine flu / health and well-being

2009-10-21T23:38:00Z

Chrism, by popular demand is back to talk about Kundalini and the swine flu, including its effect on your health and well-being. Join us for another lively discussion with this kundalini master. With Chandi Devi of KarmaCaffe.com and Hakeem Alexander of HypnoAthletics Co-Hosting! 10-21-2009

Laurie Handlers: Tantric Tourists making it's debut in the US on Oct 24 at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival

2009-10-20T23:46:00Z

Laurie Handlers, tantra workshop teacher is a returning guest. She recently starred in a documentary film shot in India three years ago along with a number of butterflies. Tantric Tourists has won awards at three festivals in other countries and is making it's debut in the US on Oct 24 at the Fort Lauderdale Film Festival. www.butterflyworkshops.com With Chandi Devi of KarmaCaffe.com and Hakeem Alexander of HypnoAthletics Co-Hosting! 10-20-2009

Learning Healthy-Living and Self-Defense as Alternatives to drugs and traditional treatment for Mental Health

2009-10-18T13:13:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind)

"Fear, the worst of all enemies, can be effectively cured by forced repetition of acts of courage." (1)

Keeping it Real
The idea I desire to impart here is a summary of my own personal experience, regarding some major benefits of practicing Healthy-Living and Self-Defense, from an improved mental health perspective. I have, through self-determined efforts and forced repetition of acts of courage, experienced radical shifts in my behavior, personality and internal communication. This has become overtly apparent to me upon a retrospective analysis of my activities, and the feedback I have received in the form of concrete results. Taking personal responsibility for my circumstances and allying myself with mentors and other productive relationships, has proven invaluable in this transformative process.

I am offering these alternatives to drugs and "traditional treatment" for mental health because my personal experience and much documented and hidden evidence proves them to be less effective in the long-term. Not only are the so-called traditional treatments not effective, they are dangerous and more likely to enslave you to a mortgage; an engagement until death. And it is these mainstream, medical treatments that will certainly be the cause of pain and death.

Alternatively, these anecdotes will give you a glimpse of how my adoption and adaptation of martial arts, hypnosis, and nutrition, have been integrated into a personal system of Healthy-Living and Self-Defense. I am certain this will encourage you to be courageous in taking responsibility for any of your own Personal Exploration Topics; whether you have been diagnosed with a mental disorder, or just want an edge over the daily contributors to stress in our backwards world.

"In Reality Therapy we emphasize behavior; we do not depend upon insight to change attitudes because in many cases it never will" (2)

Many years ago, for reasons I have yet to specifically identify, my thoughts became increasingly distracted by fear and paranoia. The resulting actions were irrational, and many times led to me being arrested, jailed and involuntarily committed to mental health institutions for treatment. Fortunately I was not held in the hospitals for long, primarily because I did not have medical insurance. I would usually be kicked out the back door of these hospitals after three days of observation, and the state was no longer paying for my stay.

The improvement in my ability to internally and externally communicate, and effectively act upon my environment are not merely artifacts of maturation. For I have observed and know many persons who's criminal and illogical functioning continue, and even hasten into degeneration as they age. In addition, the reasons for my degradation, I previously noted having had difficulty in determining, can be inferred due to the circumstances of my recovery. These factors when omitted from my activities and motivations, for purposes of observation, quickly prove to be the therapeutic resolution, as my thought processes begin a familiar declination into misery in their absence. in effect, upon resuming these protocols, the foul symptoms vanished. It was taking personal responsibility for maintaining these curative conditions, that yielded success.

"Gaining insight into the unconscious thinking which accompanies aberrant behavior is not an objective; excuses for deviant behavior are not accepted and one's history is not made more important than one's present life" (3)

Having witnessed the sinful hypocrisy of my religious leaders and church-goers, experiencing first hand traumas within my nuclear family, along with disturbing encounters with extended family members, racism from police, and living in hostile, urban neighborhoods; I was primed to blame other people for my inner turmoil and violent frustrations as this pathos-laden allegory might suggest. Many well-meaning, therapists, counselors, teachers and other so-called authority figures, even encouraged this outer-directed mind-set as being justified.

Interestingly enough, one of the main motivations for my self-recovery, came from my heavy paranoia, strengthened by the horrific conditions I observed and experienced in the "care" of state hospitals and institutions. All of this under the observation of licensed medical and health care professionals, FDA approved, and "traditional treatment." I didn't want to get locked up by those real crazy people any more!

However, no matter how much I isolated myself from God, felt alone and distrusted my own family and friends; despite the complexity of any paranoid delusions, regardless of the intense despair, depression and near crippling fear I was deeply feeling -I somehow decided to be vigilant. Perhaps it was because I trusted no one, that I felt the only solution was to take matters into my own hands. In some way, I realized that one of my primary afflictions was insecurity and fear. Therefore, I determined to make of myself one who is so able to respond, that I could abolish fear by my very being through forced repetition of acts of courage.

"...especially strong emotions are better seen as strong signals, sent by an especially powerful soul in need of new direction or special fulfillment." (4)

Random Acts of Violins
A major turning point came when Jose Canelo introduced me to the art-form known as Capoeira. It was a perfect match for my deluded, fantasy ridden mentality. Instead of being directed to focus on one activity, I was encouraged through Capoeira to sing; play instruments; dance; play games; and learn how to fight -all at the same time. It was as if the slaves from Africa who created this art on Brazilian soil, launched a major rebellion right under the noses of the slave masters. The slaves were forbidden many forms of expression. At one point they could not, sing, play instruments, dance, play games and especially not learn how to fight! But indeed they responded with the greatest possible action - they combined all of these prohibited activities into one and threw it in whitey's face concurrently!

Since some of my fears were of being raped, killed, or otherwise physically dominated and destroyed, I viewed Capoeira as a means to focus all of my experience with street-fighting, punch-outs and other hostile confrontations, into a fantastic, graphic-novel style form of personal self-defense. Capoeira has effectively saved me from a possible fate of violent death. I became so obsessed with Capoeira, to the point of daily practicing between six to nine hours at the sunny Fort Lauderdale beach. As a result of this, my skills and confidence grew enormously, and I was finding myself less-frequently in hotheaded altercations.

Self-Help
In my pre-school years I was very advanced in contrast with my peers. I was even elected for a test that would have given me scholarship to an accelerated learning program, but I refused. I was extremely articulate and able to read at a high school level before I was in kindergarten. But sometime between thirteen and fifteen years of age, I began to lose my ability to focus and concentrate. My reading comprehension diminished and memory gave way to morbid distractions. Having greatly enjoyed literature, I took it upon myself to recover this faculty, and began writing poetry as a way to vent my growing escapist mentality and suicidal ideation's.

"The turning point in the lives of those who succeed usually comes at the moment of some crises, through which they are introduced to their 'other selves." (5)

Browsing the poetry section of the local bookstores, I happened upon a section called "Self-Help." Being just the adventure I had begun, I immediately recognized this as a sign, and quickly adopted the habit of frequenting this section of every bookshop I visited. To conquer my social anxiety, I volunteered as a presenter for an open-mic poetry night at one of these book-sellers. Prior to that, I joined the school bands, chorus, theatre and, a Satanic Death Metal band, not affiliated with the school, named Acrimonium.

Demonic Indignation
Besides the fact that I would count every individual object I could, like bathroom tiles and was preoccupied with numbers; it would appear I was also a bit obsessive-compulsive. What began as a mean to overcome public anxieties turned into a fanatical drive to get involved with all manner of look at me stuff. But looking further back I realize it all started as a way to drown out persistent and intense audio hallucinations (voices) during my waking hours and synesthetic hallucinations (visions, bodily sensations) during the night. I would wake up to demons, black dogs, aliens, succubi and other frightening bogeymen.

One way of dealing with this was to turn on the radio and sing loudly to whatever pop was on. Later, having had much bedroom concert practice, being a front-man for several Death Metal bands gave me an excuse to give in to sudden outbursts of demonic sounding guttural growls and screams. While I was suffocating the voices, everyone else just assumed it was some sort of rehearsal or showboating from an incoherent pompous blowhard.

One of the great benefits of sharing my creativity and public performances, was positive feedback. Before I was fearful everyone was out to get me, but now I had reason to doubt that. Some of the more persistent underlying fears were diminishing rapidly.

"When a man acts in such a way that he gives and receives love, and feels worthwhile to himself and others, his behavior is right or moral." (6)

An effect of being paranoid was creating delusions to justify the fear. One of the reasons I rationalized that others wanted to do me harm was because not only was I worthless, but I was a burden to them and society. But after experiencing more acceptance of my music, poetry and other art, these limiting beliefs were greatly reduced.

We help ourselves by helping you
An amazing opportunity and responsibility was presented to me by the Art Director and owner of the Miami Art Department, Jerry Blohm. Jerry hired me for so many music video and feature film productions taking place in South Florida, I was too busy and grateful for negativity. It remains to be one of my most impressive life experiences. By simply entrusting me with duties crucial to these productions as a prop assistant and set-dresser, and not micro-managing me as many insecure supervisors do, Jerry was integral in my building of character. Now, I wasn't just showing off my talents, I was actually part of a productive and much sought after team. With this boost in confidence and new skills learned from the Miami Art Department, I relocated to California. It was not as fun out here in L.A. working in film and T.V., and I longed to express myself as before had given me such a feeling of freedom.

After I wasn't making money in film any more, my sister Natasha soon sent me four-hundred dollars which I put to use as tuition for a Optimum Performance Trainer certification from the National Academy of Sports Medicine. My brain was now overflowing with creative ideas of how to utilize certain credentials to boost my independence and earning power. However, I was struggling with many internal conflicts; I continued feeling a bit paranoid and quite delusional.

So, desiring to take personal responsibility for the situation and continue the momentum of forced repetition of acts of courage, I sought out a good school to learn psychotherapy. I visited a few of the institutions. They were all pretty much the same. Like jails. Very similar to the one I was first taken to when out in California when I was fifteen. I became quickly disillusioned by the prospect of being party to some poor, fearful person's torture and the overwhelming reality of many years of brainwashing called university. I opted instead for a promising program to help people in the same way I was helping myself; through personal motivation. I discovered America's First Nationally Accredited College of Hypnotherapy; the Hypnosis Motivation Institute.

"...every psychotic may be a potential sage or healer and to the extent that negative psychotics are burdens to society, to that extent can positive psychotics be assets. ... recognize the positive potential of psychosis --- a potential so overwhelming that I am almost tempted to call psychotics the evolutionary vanguard of our species. They possess the secret of changing reality by changing the mind; if they can learn to use that talent for positive ends, there are no limits to what they can accomplish." (7)

Exercising Your Mind
Having had previous experience with the Church of Scientology, and being exposed to their demonized interpretation of psychiatry and hypnosis, I felt quite liberated to trust my own instincts to explore what hypnotherapy had to offer. I immediately recognized many of the techniques as those I had been practicing for many years as self-improvement methods. Some of the techniques were formalized versions of my own intuited processes. Others were eerily similar, almost exactly like what I learned from Scientology. As a matter of fact, almost everything took on the appearance of watered down versions of hypnosis from my enlightened perspective. Recognizing the potential for self-improvement, I immediately applied the techniques to myself and others.

After recognizing how often I had been in trance states without realizing it, I put this new knowledge to work. After a woman came to me and was relieved of a fourteen-year struggle with arachnophobia after three, one-hour sessions, I was convinced. Further case-histories yielded similar results. I was then learning and reading and retaining at an alarming rate that still continues today. I was helping myself immensely and noticing vast improvements in my clients and friends also; just by exercising a natural function of the mind. I was replacing ineffective behaviors with more workable ones and strengthening the behaviors and thought programs that were already successful.

"...the ability to see visions and endure various hardships is highly esteemed among many hunting peoples. ...A close look at history shows that those whose perceptions ranged from the unusual to the bizarre have, from time to time, had great influence on art, politics, philosophy, religion, and science, greatly altering not only the viewpoint, but also the actions of our entire species." (8)

The Only War to Wage is Within
It is very telling that I have experienced such tremendous positive results from practicing non-invasive behavioral strategies and physical exercises. This has been in the form of reading, writing, dancing, playing music, practicing martial arts, hypnotherapy and yoga. It has only been in the last four years since December of 2005 that I have experimented with Orthomolecular nutritional strategies. The first nutritional methods I seriously applied were those of John Kappas, founder of the Hypnosis Motivation Institute. He provided the groundwork for what he called the hypoglycemic diet. After notable personal success with this diet, I was more open to this form of logical and natural behavior modification through diet and nutrition.

Although I am using the term Orthomolecular and find the theories and research supporting it to be quite substantial, the type of orthomolecular nutrition I practice is somewhat different from the standard model. The Orthomolecular protocol calls for mega-doses of vitamin supplements, and elimination diets of products like dairy, wheat-gluten and exitotoxins. I have amended this to include a broad range elimination of an entire food manufacturing process. This is the conventional agriculture that I avoid. It is laden with pesticides, irradiation, sewage, antibiotics, hormones, nanoparticles and Genetically Modified Organisms in the form of plants and drugs injected into livestock. Instead I choose and consume Organic foods. I also filter my drinking and shower water, sunbathe for vitamin-D optimization, and include the use of medicinal herbs.

My basic program can be summed up as a seamless integration of Capoeira and Yoga as Exercise Science applications; Hypnotherapy as Behavioral Science therapies; and Orthomolecular Nutrition as Biochemical remedies. Through the years I have organized and refined all of these skill sets into a Healthy-Living and Self-Defense practice that is quite effective. It is deceptively simple. I call it KappaGuerra. This word rhymes with Capoeira (kap-oh-where-duh) and intentionally so. It offers the opportunity to heal and express with music, dance, martial-art, yoga, nutrition and many other of the best, non-medical methods of motivation and self-improvement.

"We must open up his life, talk about new horizons, expand his range of interests, make him aware of life beyond his difficulties" (9)

Quotes / References:
(1) Napoleon Hill; Think and grow Rich, 1960

(2) William Glasser, M.D. ; Reality Therapy, 1965

(3) Ibid

(4) Peter R. Breggin, M.D. and David Cohen, Ph.D; Your Drug May Be Your Problem, 1999

(5) N. Hill, 1960, Ibid

(6) W. Glasser, M.D., 1965, Ibid

(7) Andrew Weil, M.D.; The Natural Mind, 1972

(8) Abram Hoffer, M.D., FRCP (C); Healing Schizophrenia, 2004

(9) W. Glasser, M.D., Ibid

Wayne Wirs: A Relationship of One

2009-10-01T00:07:00Z

A Relationship of One: Wayne Wirs, a wandering American sadhu, author and photographer will talk about his path, travels and his relationship with his Higher Self. For more info about this amazing guy, go to: http://waynewirs.com. With Chandi Devi of KarmaCaffe.com and Hakeem Alexander of HypnoAthletics Co-Hosting!
9-30-2009

Jason Yorrick: Martial Arts Conditioning, Kickboxing and Sparring at Meridian's Bodies in Motion

2009-09-14T08:51:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) I have worked with Jason Yorrick now for over five years. In that time, I have had the opportunity to train with him under several different circumstances and a variety of conditions. Not only is Jason a physical specimen who practices what he teaches, he is also a source of valuable insights when you ask the right questions. With a great sense of humor combined with a take no prisoners training methodology, Jason offers the best kickboxing classes you could ever hope to participate in.

Studying nearly ten years of Ninjitsu with the Bujinkan, a Black Belt in Wing Chun, and practice in several other martial arts disciplines combined with a passionate self-awareness; Jason is armed with outstanding experience, knowledge and sharply honed intuition. These are just a sample of the skills he brings forward to instruct a safe, efficient, goal-oriented practice that proves itself with remarkable results.

Jason Yorrick

If you are interested in Martial Arts Conditioning, Kickboxing techniques, self-defense, or just a good old heart-pumping workout, this is it! Based on my personal experience taking his class, sometimes twice a day and four to five times a week, I highly recommend this engaging and intense training session!

Invigorating, original, exciting and electrifying. These are just a few words that come to mind when thinking of Jason Yorrick's kickboxing classes at Meridian's Bodies in Motion. With an energy charged soundtrack guiding your pulse, Jason kicks off the training session with a thorough warm-up routine that will have your sweat flowing within five minutes. This includes active and dynamic movements that set your body's system into a ready for action mode, at a gradually increasing pace. You will also find essential elements combined and developed from his hands on work as a professional private fitness trainer.

After a bit of light running, side-stepping, stance shuffling, reverse jogging, and knee lifts, the stage is set. Utilizing a set of simple calisthenics and flexibility exercises, a smooth transition is made into the Martial Arts Conditioning. By the time this point has arrived, the rush in your muscles already tell you the simple warm-up was definitely adequate. To mix things up a bit, and following the best in interval training research, the action is integrated with plenty of breaks, that include walking and helpful reminders on proper breathing technique.

Jason Yorrick

But don't get too cozy, the rest is just enough...

A round of punches. A round of kicks. A round of kickboxing. Then, there is no telling what will happen next. Certainly each class is just as appealing as the one before since each set of combinations and techniques is never the same. Using movements from his experience in competition, tactical combat training, weapons, and stunt work, the class is guided through various practical exercises.

Watch out! You could be singled out for a one-on-one light-sparring session, just to make sure you've been paying attention. This is my favorite part! Jason puts on his gloves and goes head to head with you to keep you on your toes, lasting one minute each, one or two bouts with every person willing to face off.

With just two weeks of consistent training, I have observed measurable gains in my speed, agility, defense, and "strike-zone" control.
With expert precision, Jason puts you in the center of a storm of acutely balanced offensive and defensive maneuvers, leaving you no option but to move and improve. This rich combination of skills development has carried over into my own personal combat arsenal and conditioning program.

For one of the top workout experiences to be found anywhere, martial arts or otherwise; this is a must for anyone looking to improve their skills. As a complement to current combatives training, or a supplement to any athletic or fitness program, Jason Yorrick's Martial Arts Conditioning, Kickboxing and Sparring at Meridian's Bodies in Motion is an indispensable component.

At the completion of the session, rather than feeling drained and spent, you will feel inspired, energized, and with an unmistakable feeling that you have just made it through one of the best optimum performance conditioning workouts.

Soundtrack in class may include: Wu Tang, D-12, Linkin Park, Static-X, Eminem, Fort Minor, Alice in Chains and many others.

Jason's Class schedule:
(Classes are 60 minutes)
Meridian's Bodies in Motion Encino
17031 Ventura Blvd.
Encino, CA, 91316
818 995-7700
Sunday 10:am
Tuesday 10:am and 7:30pm
Wednesday 7:30pm
Thursday 10:am and 7:30pm
Meridian's Bodies in Motion Northridge
818 700-4900
Saturday 9:30am and 11:am

Capoeira Contemporanea: Salvaging Combat Effectiveness from a Badly Organized Circus with KappaGuerra

2009-08-21T18:36:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) By now, in this environment saturated with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and other professional combat institutions, it is quite obvious that one of the objectives in Boxing as a fighting art is to win by concussion or knock-out of your opponent. In Wrestling, it is a pin or submission. The goal has been clearly identified, and thus, it is readily attained by many adepts and masters of these arts as far as competitive combat and self-defense is concerned.

It has been a labor of love of mine to figure out how to intelligently, logically and seamlessly integrate these disciplines of Boxing and Wrestling with Capoeira for many years since the early 1990's, and have come to a workable understanding that has satisfied my goals for now, though it will always be a "work-in-progress". Here, I will focus solely on capoeira, since, as I have reiterated at the beginning, most of us are pretty clear on the rationale of boxing and wrestling styles, including Muy-Thai and Jiu-Jitsu.

Watching a lot of capoeira today, you will witness amazing athletes doing some very super-cool movements, displaying extreme levels of body awareness and physical control. It is fabulous with great music and some great "trikz" to learn.

The people that are watching and the superhuman athletes themselves may all be capoeiristas, or capoeira players; there is even a cool brazilian song about capoeira as the soundtrack....

But this is only a small part of capoeira, it is just super-amazing-gymnastics and acrobatics with a brazilian capoeira soundtrack. Please do not mistake it for the whole, these guys are outstanding, but capoeira is a game that is much more than just jumping around like spider-man.

Beside the fact that many groups can hardly agree about anything from the cord or belt ranking system, names of moves, types of rituals, instruments in the bateria (percussion orchestra) and what constitutes a "Mestre" or master of this wonderfully diverse and rich art; a lot of people have misconceptions about what is and is not capoeira.

Of course I also have misconceptions, this whole essay could be one, since I am not of a traditional lineage, or any martial arts line for that matter, and have decided to utilize the game and practice for specific and personally significant objectives. These objectives are very substantial if one considers carefully my application. However, I am aware of my "misconceptions" and welcome them as symptoms of taking what works for me and discarding the rest.

One phenomenon I have witnessed countless times over the past eleven(11) years, that I have not been able to grasp the reasons for, even as a form of disguise or treachery, is what is described in the following by Mestre Brasilia. Although, I do understand that there are games that specifically call for "floreis", flourishes or flowers; being the flashy acro-gymnastics of capoeira contemporanea.

"Mestre Brasilia, one of the senior mestres of the Capoeira Federation, has remained a stalwart influence in the Sao Paulo scene for more than thirty years. Author of a book titled 'Vivencia e Fundamentos de um Mestre de Capoeira, he has said:

Today, something called 'capoeira contemporanea' (contemporary capoeira) is spoken of; that, actually, is not capoeira: it is a small part of capoeira, the people are leaping---even if they do it in gear (in time)---however, each one still leaps and flips alone, individually. It is a badly organized circus; a circus of badly managed acrobats. However, it can be done in an organized way, with coordination and movements that are in gear, doing all those movements that exist today, because capoeira evolved. Forty years ago I saw capoeiristas doing back flips in the capoeira roda, beautiful, but in gear, one inside the movement of the other. ..."
-Excerpt from CAPOEIRA: The Jogo de Angola from Luanda to Cyberspace by Gerard Taylor, page 153-154 - 2007

If you saw the UFC-101 fight of Griffin vs Silva, you will understand one aspect of why this contemporary "badly organized circus" does little in the way of combat effectiveness. This goes for any art form, for example, Shao-Lin Kung Fu, Tae Kwon Do, Aikido and any other form with fantastic displays. Bruce Lee in the "Tao of Jeet Kune Do" calls this a "fancy mess".

"Instead of facing combat in its suchness, then, most systems of martial art accumulate a "fancy mess' that distorts and cramps their practitioners and distracts them from the actual reality of combat, which is simple and direct. Instead of going immediately to the heart of things, flowery forms (organized despair) and artificial techniques are ritualistically practiced to simulate actual combat. Thus instead of 'being' in combat these practitioners are 'doing' something 'about' combat." -Bruce Lee

Specifically, you cannot strike an opponent from ten feet away in a fight, like those guys jumping around alone, or 10 feet away from each-other. However, if you learn how to remain in striking range as Anderson Silva did, while being deft enough to evade Forrest Griffin's (your opponent's) attack, a-la a very advanced Ali-like "rope-a-dope", all while maintaining the positioning to deliver "killing-strikes" of your own, you then have an effective martial arts tool. You must learn through capoeira to be the "one inside the movement of the other", as Silva did, if you decide to make capoeira a martial skill as well as a ritual and an art.

This is a very relevant consideration. You must set objectives for why you are using certain movements or they will just be flourishes, or "flowers". All of capoeira's arsenal, and that of other flashy styles may be useful. However, you must first determine how to use something and practice in this way, or else when the time comes, it will not be useful to you as a fighting tactic. This planning is a way of strategy, which is the main ingredient in competition and battle.

As I perceive it, Capoeira is really vale tudo, or anything goes. It uses movements close to the ground traditionally, and more so in the past hundred years, in the air. What is valuable to me is adopting and adapting these diverse and versatile movements to actual "mortal combat" -A term Bruce Lee et. al. used many years before the video game.

It is with this idea that I practice and reap the following, which is in no way a complete or detailed list of, but still very important benefits to consider:

(1) Muscular Strength and Functional Power; because of the agility built up and required by the movements. This is one of the benefits of using floreis, or acrobatics.

(2) Cardiovascular Conditioning and Endurance; from the constant flow of techniques, the types of techniques low to the ground and supported by the hands, upside down, and in the contemporary styles, performed very quickly and with powerful floreis.

(3) Defense and Countering; through deception, which is the heart of the game, strategy, to escape from attacks rather than blocking, with simultaneous counters and unbalancing sweeps and take-downs.

(4) Rhythm and Timing as Strategy; with in-sync to music and out-of-sync broken rhythms as trickery and confusion.

(5) Dynamic Flexibility; once again due to the nature and use of the moves during the game such as high kicks and low ground contortions and escapes.

(6) Balance, Recovery and Control; of strikes and movements that would normally leave an uninitiated one vulnerable.

There is much more to add to this list. But the point to make is that if you are seeking to use something in combat, you must "take what is useful and develop from there", rather than just doing "trikz", or learning moves without considering how to apply them. As I noted previously, capoeira is anything goes, but depending on your objectives, you must decide where this unlimited supply of movement will go, where it may take you, and what effect it will have on the outcome of your objective.

But consider that this may be the greatest trick that capoeira has ever pulled. Because after many centuries, many people only consider capoeira to be a dance more than a fight, and usually underestimate its value as a fighting form. This may be the undoing of anyone foolish enough to let their guard down when someone begins to ginga before, or, during a battle.

If this is the case, capoeira is the ultimate in strategy as many are still deceived by its "malicia' and "mandinga", into trivializing its effectiveness as a deadly martial art and self defense practice.

Zoom, Zoom, Zoom, capoeira mata um!

KappaGuerra's Recommended Mestres and Academies of Capoeira

2009-08-09T23:43:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind) This is a short list of Capoeira Mestres(Masters) who have had the most influence on my personal development of Capoeira. Although I have mostly been auto-didactic or self taught, these Mestres have had a significant impact on my continuing desire to jogo(play) Capoeira. I have not spent a substantial amount of time with these Mestres, rather, what is remarkable about them is the axe(energy; life force) and enthusiasm in which they express Capoeira. I also find them to be the most welcoming and open regarding newcomers to Capoeira and rogues such as myself, passing through their training halls.

What you can expect from these Mestres is humility, a love for the history and traditions of Capoeria, great musical and singing skills, as well as rich innovations and insight. They are all very laid back for the most part and truly enjoy the game! First is a brief account of who they are and how I met them, followed by a list of how you might contact them.

Masters of the Game.

(1) "Mestre" Gigante aka Jose Canelo:
Although Jose has not been graduated as a Mestre by any supervising body, Capoeira Mestre or other organization, I recognize him as my personal Mestre because he introduced me to the art in 1993, and is still passionate about it 16 years later. After I was introduced to Capoeira by Gigante, we trained with each-other for about five(5) years before finding an established Mestre with a lineage and roots to Traditional Capoeira. Jose's ideas and love of the art has fueled my own to a great degree, and I owe him so much for putting Capoeira before me. If it were not for this establishment, I may not have discovered Capoeira when I did, if at all. Capoeira has changed my life such that it has helped save me from a life dominated by crime, drugs and mental dis-ease. thank you Mestre Gigante! [Mestre Pele has often called him "Mestre" Gigante]

(2) Mestre Pele aka Djalma Pereira:
After training with Jose for five(5) years, in 1998 I happened across a restaurant known as Brazilain Tropicana in Florida. It featured various Brasilan entertainers and shows including Capoeira. Mestre Pele was one of these performers. I found a flyer inside and called him up. Since I was a very irresponsible youth and young adult, I did not work much if at all, and had little to no money to pay for classes. Mestre Pele allowed me to train with him for a very small fee and usually for free. His roots go back to Mestre Pastinha (Vincente Ferreira Pastinha), who's legacy was to codify what is known as Traditional Capoeira Angola. Though Mestre Pele is highly influenced by the so-called Regional style of Capoeira innovated by the other most famous Mestre Bimba (Manoel dos Reis Machado); you will find his rodas, games and training to be of incredible folkloric as well as practical value. His emphasis is on music, malicia, and a deceptive dose of combat in the defense counter style, loaded with rasteiras and other techniques that will literally and figuratively sweep you off your feet! Mestre Pele was also featured in the opening and closing sequence of the film "Only the Strong".

(3) Mestre Caboquinho:
I met Mestre Caboquinho through Mestre Pele when he was in South Florida around 1999. It was from him that I got my berimbau which I still play today. Caboquinho is a Traditional Capoeira Angola Mestre. He has some deep beliefs in Mandinga (roughly; sorcery of the African Gods or Orishas /Orixas) which greatly inspires me, and I find him to be quite energetic and eccentric. He plays with lots of style and a smile. Very deceptive, tricky, smart, fast and versatile, Mestre Caboquinho is highly adaptive and can play in any roda, Angola and Regional with just as much fluidity and class. Never a wasted movement, this calculating Mestre is cool, slick and hard to get a hold of. His rodas are fun, full of joy and lots of malicia. You will quickly learn a great deal of songs and lyrics as well as the fundamentals of the game. "The purpose of Tribo Afro Baiano Capoeira Angola Tradicional (TABCAT) is to represent and show the true traditional capoeira angola of brazil." -Mestre Caboquinho

(4) Contra-Mestre Parafina aka Amir Solsky:
I met C. Mestre Parafina around 2003 when he took a small group of his students to an open call audition for a commercial seeking Capoeiristas. Without knowing who I was besides being a Capoeirista, he allowed me to audition as part of his group and play with them on camera for the try-outs. Later, in 2008, I met up with him again while walking past his academy. I was immediately enveloped in a vast array of events, rodas and celebrations. His lineage is from Mestre Suassuna's Cordao de Ouro and he often teaches a very close proximity "Miudinho"-like style which was innovated by Suassuna. His classes are filled with lots of great strength, coordination and agility techniques and a high level of discipline. The classes usually offer lots of musical training before the class, intense warm-ups, and fun rodas at the conclusion of the session. Mestre Parafina is very involved in the entertainment industry and many cultural and local events and gatherings. You may find many videos of him twisting and leaping around the roda in some of the most powerful, creative and advanced acrobatics to be found in Capoeira.

(5) Mestre Jelon aka Jelon Vieira:
Mestre Jelon is the first teacher and pioneer of Capoeira in the U.S.A., and was actually the first bona-fide Capoeira Mestre I ever met. This was when Gigante invited me to a Capoeira demonstration being led by Mestre Jelon in South Florida in 1993. He is one of the original "Red-Ropes" graduated from Senzala Capoeira. I only met him that one time but he was so friendly and encouraging that it was such a great experience, and largely contributed to my yearning for more Capoeira and continued training with Jose over the years. According to the Capoeira Luanda website, a group in which he founded, Mestre Jelon "Started training Capoeira Angola at the age of 10 years old with Mestre Emerito and later on continuing with Mestre Bobô. In 1969 he met Mestre Eziquiel with who he studied Capoeira Regional and had the honor to enjoy classes at Mestre Bimba's academy.

Since his arrival in the US in 1975, Mr. Vieira has catalyzed the growing interest in and understanding of Brazilian culture while simultaneously developing and teaching Capoeira. Mr. Vieira teaches capoeira to people of all ages and from all walks of life in both Brazil and the United States."

Meeting the Masters.

(1) You can find Jose as part of Mestre Pele's group Associacao de Capoeira Corpo e Movimento in South Florida.

(2) Mestre Pele and Associacao Capoeira Corpo e Movimento -South Florida - website: http://www.corpomovimento.com/ email: CapoeiraAcademy@bellsouth.net phone: 954 567-2068

(3) Mestre Caboquinho - Tribo Afro Baiano Capoeira Angola Tradicional - Michigan - website: http://www.tabcat.org/ phone: 313 483-1058

(4) Contra-Mestre Parafina and Capoeira Los Angeles - website: http://www.capoeiralosangeles.com/ email: AmirSolsky@yahoo.com phone: 818 679-5030

(5) Mestre Jelon and Capoeira Luanda - New York / Brazil - website: http://www.capoeiraluanda.com/ig/index.cfm

"ie viva meu Mestre, camara!"

Malicioso: Applying Nestor Capoeira's Wisdom in Analysis of Personal Capoeira Conflicts

2009-08-05T23:06:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind)

"The malicia which the capoeirista refers to is an indispensable trait in the game of capoeira. In capoeira, malicia means a mixture of shrewdness, street-smarts, and wariness. It should not be confused with the English word 'malice.'" -Nestor Capoeira: The Little Capoeira Book

Sometimes, you just need to set the record straight.

I started training capoeira with my comrade Jose Canelo aka Gigante in 1993 after meeting Jelon Vieira during a demonstration in Broward County. For five(5) years we practiced from Nestor Capoeira's "The Little Capoeira Book" to the rhythms of Capoeira Senzala de Santos' CD "Brazil Capoeira, Samba de Roda, Maculele" before meeting Mestre Pele of Capoeira Corpo e Movimento in 1998.

During a roda hosted by Capoeira Explosion (now Topazio) circa 1999, Professor Sula, Mestre Pele's brother, was attacked by a frustrated capoeirista who couldn't hang with Sula's skills. I knew Sula could handle himself, as he had applied some nasty Jiu-Jitsu locks on me before, and I have witnessed him drop into a guard and lock a guillotine choke on a capoeirista who tackled him during a game.

However, being a 185 body-builder, loyal to Sula, my Padrinho (Godfather in Capoeira who downed me during my batismo initiation) I stepped in, picked up the assailant by the shoulders and gently moved him away from getting his ass kicked by Sula. No one confronted me for it, including the man I disarmed, partly because he was wrong and probably because they don't understand "valente nao existe", as Nestor Capoeira says "There's no such thing as a tough guy." Lucky for me, because my presence was enough to help cool the situation, without further disruption when he realized this "tough guy" was with Sula.

It may be said that malicia has two basic aspects. The first is knowing the emotions and traits---aggressiveness, fear, pride, vanity, cockiness, etc.---which exists within all human beings. The second is recognizing these traits when they appear in another player, and therefore being able to anticipate the other players movements, whether in the roda, or in everyday life."

Later that year, the brothers Cleber and Kadinho, leaders of Capoeira Explosion, took a few of their students to Mestre Pele's Academy. Using a combination I learned from Eddy Gordo (oh yes, the Tekken 3 video game character) which was a queixada (outside crescent chin-strike) followed by a rasteira (low leg sweep), as he escaped and countered with a meia lua, I dropped one of their yellow cords who was training three(3) years with them literally on his ass. There were plenty of "oohs" and chuckles from his camp.

"The player who is malicioso is able to dodge under an opponent's kick, and prepare for a counterattack or take down before the assailant finishes what he started."

Obviously he was not happy with this, because a week or two later, he showed up at Atlantis Night Club's Monday Night Raw Amateur Fight Competition with a burley capoeirista with a hairy body and a bald head. This guy challenged me and signed up to fight. I made quick work of him and dropped him with my lethal combination of right hook to the body followed by a right haymaker to the head in less than ten(10) seconds of the first round.

I fought in over 50 of those fights starting January 3rd 1999 to late 2001, losing only to Steve Lavalle's East Coast Karate Fighter, Mike "Big-Train" Balsy(?) who was 215lbs to my 180lbs. No excuse, he was just good, I defeated another fighter called "Taco" a muscle-bound bouncer from VooDoo Lounge who was 225lbs and another muscle-juggernaut weighing 250lbs. Most of my bouts were against larger opponents.

"In everyday life, he should be able to recognize the real human being that hides beneath the social mask of someone he has just met."

Another occasion, in the year 2000, while I was out drinking with some guys I met on the beach, one named Misha or Sasha or something like that, who was dating a girl I went to high school with in 1996, accused me of stealing his flask. He then backed me into an alley with a butterfly-knife or a switch-blade. I started to ginga, hoping this would intimidate him into retreating. Instead he said, in a rather amused tone "oh, capoeira, I guess I don't need this then" put the knife in his pocket and tackled me to the ground. I dropped into guard and pulled his head towards my chest to reduce his striking space. His friend started to kick me in my left shoulder.

Suddenly, seconds later, the police arrived and broke it up. I was fortunate because I could have been stabbed to death. I later found out that he trained in Hapkido and felt it was superior to Capoeira. Apparently he was suffering from what Nestor Capoeira calls "...false precepts and stereotypical ideas such as... the notion of the superiority of one fighting art over another."

"Another aspect of malicia, consists of deceiving or faking the opponent into thinking you are going to execute a certain move when in fact you are going to do something completely different and unexpected."

After moving to California in February of 2002, I began an Entertainment Public Relations Internship at Levine Communications Office in Westwood with Michal Levine. During that time I was introduced to many well known figures in the film business. One of the guys I met and shared capoeira with from the University of Miami, Chris W., who also moved out to L.A., asked me to be his manager because of these connections. I asked him to write a treatment for a screenplay he wrote, supposedly about his life as a No-Holds-Barred Fighter in Gainesville, Florida, because I had been to the home of legendary Paramount producer Robert Evans, making deliveries of proofs for magazine articles for Levine. I had also been on the phone with Jed Blaugrand of WWE Films. Chris thought I should get his treatment to these guys.

I asked Chris to deliver the treatment while I was at Levine's so I could fax or hand deliver it before my internship shift was over at 2pm on a Wednesday afternoon. This never happened. Then, one Saturday morning, while I was asleep at 7am, my door was loudly knocked on disturbing my sleep. It was Chris, wanting to come in and watch wrestling or hockey on my T.V. since he didn't have cable at his place. I was disturbed because it seemed as if I was doing a lot of work to get his writing noticed and he couldn't deliver at 2pm one day because he was sleeping in, but could rise at 6am for some dumb-ass sports event.

Later that evening, I confronted him on this after we had both downed some beers. We were out in front of my apartment and I said to him arrogantly " If you think that you are doing all you can, and I am holding you back somehow, I am going to close my eyes and you go ahead and knock me unconscious." Chris struck me in the face with a punch of some kind. I stood there with my eyes closed surprised at what had happened. A few seconds later, upon opening my eyes, expecting him to be standing there, I saw him half a block away. So I went upstairs to the apartment.

Moments later, after spitting up what looked like a quarter pint of blood in my bathroom sink , I grabbed another beer and went to enjoy it on the fire escape hanging over the front of the building, and there was Chris, at the call box. He looked up and saw me and started to call out "I'm not afraid of you, come on motherfucker!" -So I went downstairs. We squared off in the street. I told him exactly what I intended to do, which was sweep him off his feet with a rasteira from my right leg, which I did three(3) times consecutively after letting him up and calling out the move. He would not quit. So I did it one last time. By then, he had been backed up against a fence of a building across the street. This time I applied a rear naked choke and told him if he did not stop struggling and quit, I would choke him unconscious. He continued to fight. So I tightened the hold and he tapped on my arm. I spit blood in his face and went back home to finish another beer.

"The development of malicia is a never-ending process that is stimulated by playing the game itself, by observing others as they play capoeira, and by observing everyday events in our lives and in the lives of others."

In 2003, I began training with a capoeira group that I had found while walking around L.A.. Their Mestre was famous and had trained a few movie stars. I bought a uniform from them and was able to perform in a few demonstrations and festivals with them. Then my girlfriend who I moved to L.A. with dumped me and I ended up living in my car at the top of Lake Hollywood. I stopped training with the group.

At the time, I had a membership at Bodies in Motion in Century City. I used it to shower and change while working part time for the Church of Scientology's Hubbard College of Administration. I had also become acquainted with Pro-Boxer Floyd Weaver, one of the Boxing Triplets, and boxing instructor at the gym. Floyd was scheduled to fight at a Pro-Event being hosted by the Burbank Airport Hilton. I called the fight promoter to get tickets to watch the fight, and while on the phone, I told the promoter I was a fighter and would like to compete sometime. He took my number down and told me where to pick up my tickets.

A few days later he called me and told me he was in a bind. Floyd's fight and several others had been canceled the night before the event. He said that according to the Boxing commission, if there wasn't a certain amount of rounds, the whole event would be canceled and asked if knew anyone that was willing to do an exhibition kickboxing match with me for five(5) three(3) minute rounds. He would lose a lot of money if the event was cancelled and offered me eight-hundred dollars($800.00) if I could do it. I agreed, and began to make some calls.

I stayed up all night without sleep and finally got someone who I thought was a friend to do the exhibition with me. He was from the capoeira academy I had trained with. Sean is his name, he had been to my home before I was on the streets and we were on good terms. I told him I would pay him four-hundred dollars ($400.00) and would like to donate three-hundred dollars($300.00) to the capoeira academy he trained with, leaving only one-hundred($100.00) for myself. He agreed and showed up to put on a show. While the fight was going on during the first round, many "boos" were heard from the blood-thirsty crowd because we were just play-fighting, not to hurt each-other out of what I thought was mutual respect.

During one clinch-up, I told him to "pick up the pace a little to make it look more real!" After a few exchanges he tied-up with me again and said "Hey, take it easy!" So I did, but he took advantage of this and went to town on me. Later, when I was sharing capoeira for free with other people because I truly love it so much I just can't stop playing, rumors began to spread on his capoeira group's website that I was "Teaching perversions of capoeira", and a friend of Sean's from that group said that he had seen Sean make short work of me in a Muy-Thai Kickboxing match. Sean did nothing to set the record straight by telling them it was a fake bout, even less than an exhibition between us. I began getting disrespected from all over in the capoeira community because of this.

I am also pretty sure that Sean and his then girlfriend, now wife, never donated that $300.00 dollars to their Mestre and Capoeira Academy, as I requested as part of our agreement. If this is the case, I wonder how their Mestre would feel about this theft-in-fact. But the Universe moves in her own way, and "malicia" is a beautiful creature!

"Malicia sometimes is called mandinga, although the latter word has an even broader meaning, since it also implies that one understands the basic forces of nature and knows how to use them to a certain extent by means of rituals involving magic."

On January 16th 2009, eight(8) months into experimenting with a strictly vegan diet, I went to visit Sean during one of his academy's Friday Night Open Rodas. I brought a gift of berimbau recordings I had recently finished, with my then new website www.KappaGuerra.com written on it to give to him, which I did. This was after six(6) months or so of initiating some friends into capoeira at Meridian's Bodies in Motion Encino. I trained with and played capoeira with my friends John Kline, Cary Singman, Erin Fukuda, Amber Clancy and my girlfriend Christine Snipes. ~Amber, Christine, Erin and a friend of her's Jasmine, accompanied me to the Open Roda. It was an exhilarating experience, and for the first time that I noticed in a roda, I was in a trance-state more than half the time I was in the ring.

I began to notice that I was more severely out of breath than usual, which I later discovered was the early onset of pernicious anemia from a lack of vitamin B-12 induced from the vegan diet. I still played three of the best capoeira games I had ever played in my life, I knew this because I was having so much fun like I had never before. The best was still to come. My fourth and last round in the roda, as fate would have it was with Sean. Most of it was a fluid blur of lightning fast kicks, one of which he placed beyond my defense as if to say "gotcha!", which is a normal part of the game, and then he went for the kill!

I would later learn Sean's "nome de guerra" (war name or capoeira nickname) means close. Our game was very tight and inside, close indeed. He executed a perfect tesoura, or scissors takedown while he was on my left side with his right leg at my pelvis in front of my body, with his left leg in the counter-revolutionary position behind my heels and turned swiftly into it... Or, should I say that was a near-perfect take-down? I simply turned into him, to my left side and onto all fours which dumped him right on his ass! Many "oohs" were heard as I scurried on all fours, accidentally head-butting a player waiting at the foot of the berimbau. Game over.

Earlier in the evening before the event, another guy from the group, before leaving the academy, asked me in a rather condescending tone and demeaning grin "Are you stll teaching kickboxing and stuff like that?" It seemed as if Sean's wife was trying to avoid having me play in the roda for some reason, saying it was "canceled due to Mestre being out of town." Then, after announcing that "If anyone plays an instrument, please feel free to play" I was denied access to the bateria (percussion orchestra) by a negative nod of her head when I wanted to play. Seconds later, when I asked Sean if anyone would like me to relieve them in the bateria, he said "I think they're alright" with a smile. And even more strangely, when my entourage showed approval of my playing, his wife, who was leading the roda, stopped the whole event to inform everyone that "Capoeira is not just about doing tricks, its about roots. Our Mestre has roots, almost forty(40) years of capoeira roots."

When I was on my way out, one of the female capoeiristas, with beautiful Gold hair, who had recognized me from when I previously trained there, gave me a parting hug and kiss, while I was ignored and shunned by Sean's wife even though I was kind and respectful the whole time. Regardless, I had a lot of fun, and these occurrences are no different than what I have witnessed before in other rodas and groups. Capoeira has some strange politics, but it is a phenomenon that has given me vitality and joy in life. Capoeira has saved me. I wish that I could do for capoeira what it has done for me. I love Capoeira!

"Although an understanding of malicia and mandinga are essential to becoming a capoeirista, many players get carried away with it in the greater scheme of things. They forget a popular Brazilian saying 'Malandro demais se atrapalha,' which means that when one tries to be too clever or smart, instead of confusing his opponent, he confuses himself. They lose their way as they come into contact with this type of knowledge. They get obsessed with being smart, smarter than others, and with being powerful, more powerful than others; they get obsessed with being famous and with having status. And they forget that we all belong to the same roda, and that one has to have friends, one has to have fun, one has to enjoy the company of other human beings, in order to get the most out of life."

Successful Debut of KappaGuerra Klubb's Capoeira Conditioning at Meridian's Bodies in Motion Encino

2009-08-05T15:12:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

Debut of KappaGuerra Klubb's Capoeira Conditioning a success at Meridian's Bodies in Motion Encino!

Move your body and dance to the rhythms of Africa and Brazil, while playing a fun game and learning self-defense. For absolute beginners and elite athletes alike, Capoeira Conditioning is the ultimate, dynamic-training method for all around, cross-over athletics fitness.

Beginning with simple dance steps similar to walking, you have the option to progress into advanced physical techniques, such as acrobatics, in addition to playing various musical instruments, and singing in Brazilian Portuguese.

Thanks to all who participated and trained today including:

Christine
Orly
Garrett
Mark
Aldo
Tania
April
Paul

A few absolute beginners, a current KappaGuerra Team member, and a practitioner, formerly from another capoeira group, all made this a marvelous success!

Since it was a conditioning class strictly for the exercise, I explained my rational for the physical movements being that the moves prepare the body to be poised and balanced in any position. Therefore, not too much philosophy was discussed, especially since my interpretations differ radically from traditional capoeira fundamentals.

I explained that just as with many other disciplines "capoeira is many things to as many people", and that a concept from yoga is useful to consider, which is "start where you are".

We warmed up with ginga, a few standard stretches, using static, active and dynamic methods. Tanya helped to demonstrate by playing a game with Hakeem. Christine then bought in the game with Hakeem to continue the demonstration which pleased and inspired the newbies.

I demonstrated some fundamentals on the ground and inverted such as negativa, role (roll), and au (cartwheel) an told the group we would practice those in the next few sessions but thought that some standing techniques would be simpler to begin with.

We drilled 20 bencaos on each leg (front heel kick), followed by a break, then 10 joelhadas (knees) on each side; moving forward and back with ginga; crawling forward and back on the floor; twists, lunges, squats and lots of deep breathing.

We had another break followed by partner ginga, switched partners 3 times to mix it up a bit and then gathered around to finish off with a few songs.

Everyone contributed to the music as we hollered "Aviso meu mano"; "Parana e"; "Zoom, zoom"; and "O quier berimbau". (thanks to C. Mestre Parafina of CLA for teaching me that one)

In conclusion it was a very fun session and a fantastic debut! Thanks to Meridian's Bodies in Motion for hosting the class and for everyone who turned out with powerful axe (energy)!

Mezcla, CapThaiKido and KappaGuerra

2009-08-04T17:36:00Z

By Hakeem Alexander

(Exercising Your Mind)

"The thing about fighters is they're very, very beautiful... because they spend their life suffering; so they have extraordinary character." -David Mamet, purple-belt, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, writer / director "Red Belt"

Mezcla
In the early 1990s, I, and my good friend Jose Canelo, also known as Gigante, decided to formalize, codify, and document our training and development in the combat disciplines. The foundation of our fight philosophy was and is based on the documents of Li Jun Fan, more famously known as Bruce Lee. Specifically, we focused on Bruce Lee's "Jeet Kune Do" and his saying: "Take what is useful and develop from there". Also, "Take what works for you and discard the rest". Being from the Dominican Republic, with Spanish as his first language, Jose decided to use the Spanish word "mezcla", translating to "mixture" in English, simply describing the integration of these fighting styles we were exploring.

"It is not for everyone to be without guidance---only a few, and they are exceptional, can make a journey to wisdom without a teacher. You must have extraordinary passion, patience, and self-discipline, to make a journey alone." -Miyamoto Mushashi; Book of five Rings

Being the very disturbed and violent, street-fighting half of the team, I have always been particularly interested in what would work in crushing my many would be adversaries by any means, and discarding what would not. I would accomplish this, having never moved past the beginners designation or "white-belt" in any martial-art, partly (1) because I moved around a lot, (2) for lack of money and (3) because I was not conditioned to following anyone.

Bruce Lee wrote:
ORGANIZED DESPAIR
"In the long history of martial arts, the instinct to follow and imitate seems to be inherent in most martial artists, instructors and students alike. This is partly due to human tendency and partly because of the steep traditions behind multiple patterns of styles. Consequently, to find a refreshing, original, master teacher is a rarity. The need for a 'pointer of the way' echoes."

Jose and I allowed Bruce Lee's words and each-other to be "pointer of the way". We also met with Mestre Jelon Vieira when he was visiting Fort Lauderdale in 1993 at a Capoeira demonstration. I had never seen anything like it before. It was the Regional / Senzala style, and I was bewitched by the fast action and acrobatic movements, flowing to the sound of the Berimbau. Since that encounter, capoeira has always remained a part of our Mezcla / mixture.

The library of martialist media that Jose and I shared, consisted of Bruce Lee books and films, Capoeira books, Senzala de Santos' Capoeira CD, the movie "Only the Strong" and various others including video game characters -which we learned through motion capture technology, was based on real movements of martial artists and stunt men. Bruce Lee's philosophies and Capoeira then, have been the two primary, though not the only influences on our martial arts developments. We had the advantage of being a pair, so we could actually apply through sparring, on an almost daily basis, the techniques, methods and strategies we gleaned from these various tools. One very efficient way of seamlessly blending these arts was by finding the similarities they shared.

"Understanding oneself happens through a process of relationships and not through isolation."
"To know oneself is to study oneself in action with another person." -Bruce Lee

CapThaiKido
Martial is an adjective meaning of war, or appropriate to warfare. It also means war-like, brave or fond of fighting. One of the definitions of war is hostility or contention between people. I believe I was actually more insecure than brave in my days of street-fighting. As Brasilian Jiu-Jitsu GrandMaster Helio Gracie once harshly condemned "Street-fighters are gutless" . Whatever the case, there was a time when I was definitely fond of fighting.

I started wrestling in high school during 1995, and learned the many combat advantages of grappling. I even once read an article in a local newspaper touting wrestling as an effective "American-Martial-Art" at the time I began. The "Ultimate Fighting Championship" had been around a few years also, and Jiu-Jitsu master Royce Gracie was well known to fighters. One of the wrestling coaches, Ford, saw me jumping around doing capoeira movements on the wrestling mats and told me I was wasting my time with it. He applied a guillotine choke on me and after I gagged, he said, "wrestling is the way to go". After my poor grades disqualified me from continuing in wrestling competitively in early 1996, I was introduced to and began making noise as the lead singer for Death Metal band "Acrimonium". I still continued practicing with the wrestling team though.

We played a few shows with a band called "Brutal Mastication". A few of the musicians from "Brutal", saw me showing off some capoeira acrobatics on the Fort Lauderdale beach one day and introduced me to what they learned as "Kapthakido" I believe, a fusion of Capoeira, Muy Thai and Aikido. I thought it was an interesting mezcla and proceeded to devour all I could about Muy Thai and Aikido since I had already entrenched myself in Capoeira.

As I understood it, Capoeira utilizes many circular, spherical and flowing movements, Aikido does as well. Also, there are many straight lines and spoke-like, broken rhythms in Capoeira, just as in Muy-Thai. This is the connection I made, and the line of thinking which I sought to weave them together. Another point of similarity is that Capoeira is very much about improvisation and freedom of self-expression, which is very congruent with the philosophy of Jeet Kune Do.

Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido is quoted as having said to his students: "The secret of Aikido is not in how you move your feet, it is how you move your mind. I am not teaching you martial techniques, I am teaching you non-violence".

I am not altogether proud of these following accounts, specifically the street-brawls, as I have matured enormously I think. However, I am not ashamed either, and am glad to have had the experience to understand the martial part of martial-arts.

"The only way you can understand the truth about killing an enemy in combat is by killing an enemy in combat." - Musashi

Although Morihei Ueshiba meant for Aikido to be a self-defense system where the highest skill is to subdue your attacker without causing much, if any harm; I used some of the techniques crudely to cause a few compound fractures in street fights, using the Steven Segal movie model and Hawaiian "Lua", a bone-breaking style.

From Thai Boxing, I learned about numbing and toughening my body weapons by striking solid surfaces like trees with my shins. Florida provided many palms for this purpose. I also applied this to my bare knuckles, developing what eventually came to be known as the "demolition-hammer" of my right hand. I have caused quite a few concussions with my bare knuckles, elbows, knees and over a dozen knock-outs through sixteen(16) ounce gloves on "Heavy-Weight" opponents ranging in size from 200lbs to 250lbs.

Using Capoeira's legendary foot-work, I have used the low-leg sweeps known as rasteira and banda, to knock over attackers armed with bottles, knives and sticks; and have broken the ankles of at least two people this way. Utilizing the vingativa, I once took down a 240lb opponent and then rendered him unconscious with a rear naked choke.

KappaGuerra
"The Only War to Wage is Within" - H A-

Now instead of looking to fight or compete with others, I resolve the conflicts within myself, challenging myself to express constructive ideals. I channel my energies into intense physical training, and use martial arts movements in combat against destructive emotions. As the line from one of my songs called "Shackles" from 2001 says "I've murdered all the anger of my past, and found my hate and kicked his ass". This is exactly like when I was a child, closing my eyes and engaging in combat, defeating hordes of ninja. Now though, instead of senseless imaginary combat and gratuitous violent killing of "bad-guy-ninjas, I use the same process as a type of therapeutic-imagery or, creative-visualization combined with the physical exercises. This does not however, exclude me from entering legitimate fight contests, just no more illegal street-fights.

"The technique is easy, it's simple. You can learn to do a choke, how to do an arm-bar; but how do you arm-bar your anxiety? See, that's the higher self, when you turn your tools to work on yourself; how do you choke your depression, or your fears?" -John Machado, 4th Degree black-belt; Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Something that always stuck with me about Aikido was the idea that one could become so highly skilled in the art-form, one could subdue an attacker, regardless of their intentions, without inflicting any major physical damage if any at all. From my perspective, achieving this at first seemed hopeless, because I understood myself as one who lacked the discipline to train consistently enough in one style to gain any level of comprehension even nearing such mastery.

But then I began to notice a subtle change in my experiences, intermittently at first, and soon more frequently. When I once used to get into street-fights when I thought I wasn't looking for them, suddenly, no one was picking fights with me anymore. Initially, I arrogantly thought that my "tough-guy" reputation was preceding me, but this was not the case. The previous problem was the way I walked, talked, and the type of energy I was radiating. Somehow a mental shift was keeping me out of trouble I realized. No one was scared of me, and that is precisely one of the reasons I was no longer engaging in fights, punch-outs and other hostile confrontations. Something changed in my subconscious and I was no longer giving off unconscious triggers of hostility.

On June 13th, 1997, I was arrested and taken to the Broward County Jail by detectives on charges of "aggravated assault and aggravated battery". The summer-time sun seemed so much brighter and enticing from "behind bars". The experience of being imprisoned and not being able to hang out with friends, girls and going to the beautiful Florida beaches was a very traumatic experience for me. But instead of giving in to a deep depression that seemed poised to overtake me, I immersed myself in reading books like "Dai-Sho: Long Sword, Short Sword", "Shogun", "Sleeping Dogs" and "The Remington Factor"; Samurai and Spy Novels. I also practiced a lot of Capoeira moves in every jail-house space I could find and wrote lots of poetry.

The charges were all reduced to misdemeanors and I eventually served less than sixty(60) days in jail altogether. Between 1997 and 2002 I would be put in jail for public intoxication, petty theft, and traffic violations, but nothing lasting more than a day or two and a good old "slap on the wrist". It was around that same time that I was mostly homeless, living in my car or crashing at the home of whomever would allow it or a girlfriend.

Fortunately in the same year, 1997, I was able to gain employment at a Borders Bookstore in Fort Lauderdale. In addition to being a bookseller, I was also the co-host of the open-mic poetry event held there each week, which was a great confidence and skill builder. This was before my first arrest, and even though I was fired because of my incarceration, the positive experience of being surrounded by so many wonderful and interesting books has never left me. I would spend many hours in the bookstore after I was released, reading at the open mic as a guest, and browsing the seemingly unlimited supply of great books at this beautiful inter-coastal location.

One of the books was "THINK and GROW RICH" by Napoleon Hill. The book is a very inspiring and practical treatise on applied metaphysics. I have been using the philosophies in it ever since, to slowly reprogram my consciousness into one that is more fitting to my true desires, and to engage only in transactions that benefit all whom it effects. Along with many other books that can be found in the self-help or personal development sections of bookstores, I tapped into my natural talents and abilities, along with many other skills I developed along the way, and adopted and adapted the philosophy of creating instead of competing.

What I have been creating is how to take what is useful from my experiences and develop them into something greater. I have organized my talents into a system of "Healthy-Living and Self-Defense". Persistently mining the wisdom of great masters and my own Jihad, or inner struggle, I have found a way to transform and transmute what may have been a destructive force, into something that is balanced and constructive. Now that I have come such a long way, I see that the path is much longer to travel, and may have no end. However, "If I can climb out from such a place, then just imagine where I soon will be".