Technique is not the Art
The idea that the technique is not the art might sound odd. Of course the technique is the art. There are certain techniques we use in taiji. There are other techniques we use in bagua.…
Classes, Cameras, and Math
I've been talking about some changes that are coming up in January 2022 during my morning classes. Back in May, I'd made a plan for what I was going to do. It was very ambitious.…
Honesty, integrity, honor, and courage are required
Honesty, integrity, honor, and courage are required. They are not optional. Normally, I keep my personal views here focused on my teaching and insights that may be useful to others. Recent events crossed a boundary…
Becoming Ourselves
Who we are is a process of becoming ourselves, of making choices that determine who we are. We each have a background, a history, a culture, and sub-culture that has shaped us. The trips to…
Staying Home
Today, so many of us are staying home and keeping away from others. Most of us aren't used to that. We're used to being out, meeting friends, sitting with family for Sunday dinners. Staying home,…
Don’t Fight Yourself
Being mindful is about being present, now. here. In this second. It’s also about turning down the noise. If you engage in “battle” to do this, you cannot succeed. Why not? Because you are fighting…
What we give away
What we give away merges into who we are. I just sent away some comic books from the 1960's. DC Comics. Superman. Batman. Legion of Super Heroes. Wonder Woman. Detective. And more.... They were mine.…
What is Qi (气)?
What is qi (气)? Literally, it means air. It also means breath, not the act of breathing (呼吸), the breath itself. But that's not quite accurate either. Qi is pervasive. Every living thing and some…
Trust Your Intuition
In practice and in basic self-defense, it's important to trust your intuition - about your surroundings, about your circumstances, about those you meet. When we are in a familiar place, we tend to not be…
Being fully present
We don't often think about being present, being fully present in this place at this time, now. Most of us are busy thinking about how to solve this or that problem at work, picking the…