I am lucky enough to teach a few online classes as well as in-person classes. And I am lucky enough that the online classes started last week, but the in-person classes don't start until mid-September. So, a few weeks ago, I decided to change my return flight to stay here longer -- two weeks longer to be exact. I'll return to NY on September 9th.
In the meantime, I am back to my normal Brasilia routine. Capoeira classes all over the city, street rodas every other Saturday, visiting with old friends and making new ones, enjoying good music, eating good healthy food, working on my online classes in the morning, going to the park or agua mineral or a waterfall in the afternoon, and -- most of all -- laughing A LOT. There is something very light about the energy in Nagi's house, and whether I'm passing the day with him or his roomie Dudu or his brother Jad, we are always laughing.
Yesterday we went took a trip to a waterfall called Poco Azul.
There are actually a series of waterfalls here and we didn't get to see them all. But we did enjoy two of them. The first was beautiful: a fall cascading about 15 feet with a bunch of areas to jump into the deep pool below (I didn't jump because I'm wimpy like that, but I enjoyed watching everyone else).
We passed most of the day there. Then we took a hike to the fall below. As we approached, I had to literally stop in my tracks because I was completely overwhelmed by the beauty and energy of the place. I couldn't move for a few minutes and, when I did, I teared up. I have never seen a place so amazing. The falls were powerful -- cascading from about 100 feet above, crashing onto a small rock shelf before cascaing again into a very shallow pool. I stood under the falls to enjoy a lovely massage and then turned to face the rock. I placed my hands on the rockface while the falls fell on my head and couldn't move for quite a while, thinking of the power of water and gravity. I don't have a regular prayer practice beyond taking moments every day to express thanks for everything I have and am capable of doing in my life, but I was praying there -- most definitely. As I write this, I have been trying to pull up words to describe what I was feeling there, but I don't think I can. "Humbled" is one I can really connect with. "Grateful" is another.
After a long time under the falls, I came out and swam in the other, deeper pool below a smaller fall to the side. Saw some beer cans perched on a rock nearby, so I climbed up to get them and take them with us along with some other trash we found. Soon it was almost sunset, so we climbed back up and headed home.
I was awestruck by the whole place.
That night, I went to Dudu's capoeira class where we trained a very beautiful combination. The roda was lively and I played as much as I could in between watching his students play beautiful, powerful games. Afterwards, Cachino and I traded movements. It always amazes me that even though I am still (for now!) unable to complete my kip de cabeca, I am able to teach others how to do it. So, after a few tries, she was landing it almost perfectly. And I was still landing on my butt, though not as much as usual. I don't care, I still do it in the roda anyway. And one day, I'm gonna get it......then I'll never stop! We also practiced a very fun move that Dudu pulled on me during our first game together - a super playful pass under a kick that everyone will see when I get back to Brooklyn.
That's about it. There's another street roda tonight -- gotta stretch!!
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