Dimensions of Morena
Sara Vatore
In this episode of Multidimensional Transmissions, I sat down with a very special guest, Morena. Morena has been my son's Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach for the last two years and her mentorship with him has been life-changing in terms of his nervous system regulation, emotional regulation, and his sense of confidence. Her work with youth and women martial artists is incredible, multidimensional and I’m so excited to have her on the show today.
Join us as we discuss Morena’s journey from a challenging childhood in Brazil to becoming a second-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, a Capoeira Professor and business owner. She discusses her experiences growing up, overcoming physical and emotional challenges, navigating bullying, immigrating to the US, motherhood, and finding strength through martial arts.
Our conversation also delves into her advocacy for women's leadership in martial arts, especially postpartum support, and the power of the integration of various aspects of life through the lens of martial arts for personal growth.
Ana Carolina Lima, also known as Morena, is a Brazilian-American mother of three based in Western Massachusetts. She embarked on her martial arts journey at age 12, exploring disciplines like karate, kickboxing, Muay Thai, kung-fu, krav maga, and MMA before falling in love with capoeira and Brazilian jiu-jitsu for their blend of combat and self-expression. She is one of the owners of Vaca BJJj & MMA where she helps bring people together with the art of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts.
Raised in a challenging environment marked by bullying, Morena found solace and empowerment in these arts, which also helped her stay connected to her cultural roots. Beyond martial arts, she has a passion for performance, honing skills in capoeira, samba, and dance as avenues for personal growth and self-connection.
Throughout her life, Morena has traveled extensively as both a student and teacher, continually expanding her movement knowledge. Her approach integrates primal movement, breathwork, mobility training, and tools like kettlebells and the steel mace, all infused with principles of self-love and empowerment.
Drawing from diverse experiences including hypnobirthing and crisis intervention, Morena developed her Rooted Strength methodology. As a professional, teacher, and competitor, she uniquely empowers others to transcend pain narratives by regulating the nervous system through movement.
Morena's ongoing journey to explore and share her methodology takes her across the globe, driven by a mission to inspire and empower through Rooted Strength.
In today’s episode, we explore:
Morena’s journey that brought her to where she is today
How she found Brazilian jiu-jitsu
How meditation has helped her feel more connected
The life-changing power we have within to save ourselves
The collective healing going on in our world right now
What Brazilian jiu-jitsu and capoeira are
What it’s like for women in sports and martial arts
The power of growing and changing and the impact we can have on others
I hope you enjoyed this episode with Morena. If you want to learn more about how you can work with her, make sure to visit her website and follow her on Instagram. If you are local to the pioneer valley, you can also check out the gym she owns here where they offer children and adult classes.
Thanks again for creating the space to listen to this episode of Multidimensional Transmissions. If there was something here for you that really resonated, please share this episode with the people in your world and leave a rating and review.
Links:
Check out the gym she works at
Quotes:
“What I'm doing is just giving people permission to be themselves in an environment that's difficult but conducive to growth and change.” - Morena