On May 22nd, 2020 Mark Walsh invited me back to the Embodiment Podcast to join a panel discussion in a series he is appropriately calling “Return Of The Plague Dialogues.” I joined Mark on the panel with Philip Shepherd, author and embodiment teacher, and Rafe Kelley, of “Evolve, Move, Play.” Listen below to our free-flowing discussion of how we coped with the pandemic lockdown, how our embodiment practices supported us, and how we assess things going forward.
The recent killing of George Floyd by Minneapolis Police officer Derek Chauvin has unleashed a torrent of protests against systemic racism in cities across America, that have also echoed throughout the world. Regardless of where you stand on the issue of systemic racism, there is no denying that we are a society in conflict. To better understand the urgency of this issue, I invited several of my fellow Aikidoka to join me on a panel discussion & community call where we explored the question, “What is an Aikido response to systemic racism?”
Below is the chat activity archive from the panel discussion & community call on “What Is An Aikido Response To Systemic Racism?” held on June 10th, 2020. To watch the replay of this important community call GO HERE!
When you use your bokken do you know if you are cutting or if you are striking? There are good examples of both styles in Aikido. However, in my 20 + years of teaching Aiki-Ken, it is clear that there is also a lot of confusion about this. In this Bokken Tutorial Video, I clear up this confusion by demonstrating the exact technical differences of each method. So if you want to know what your style is then check out cutting vs. striking with the bokken.
The Covid19 pandemic has impacted the entire world. It has also impacted each and every one of our Aikido communities. I’ve reached out to several of my Aikido friends and teachers to convey a short message: “that which connects us is infinitely greater than anything that separates us.”
If there is anything we’ve learned in these challenging times, it’s that resiliency is not a given. It must be earned. Facing life’s challenging experiences will develop resiliency… if you face them with courage, patience, and a little faith. However, if you want to grow your capacity for resiliency then there is no substitute for a developmental practice. Any practice that is committed, long-term, and keeps you at the edge of your comfort zone will gradually develop your physical, psychological, emotional, and yes, even spiritual resiliency.
It is no understatement to say that we have all been tested during this current Coronavirus and COVID-19 crisis. It is in times like this that you get to see both the depth and limitation, of your own inner resilience. Recently, I was invited to once again join my old friend Mark Walsh on The Embodiment Podcast to explore the question: what does it mean to have inner resilience during a pandemic?
We’ve all been there. For sure if you’re a parent, but if not then you only have to remember back to your childhood. The long road trip with mom and dad in the front seat and the kids in the back bored out of their minds. It’s just a matter of time before that incessant, and annoying question comes from the kids in the back seat – “are we there yet?”
Last fall I offered free meditation coaching sessions to a limited number of people in my audience. Those who participated were a varied group of meditators that ranged from novice to experienced that included therapists and leadership trainers, martial artists and dancers, people who follow traditional meditation schools, and people who had an eclectic collection of meditation methods. In the following coaching demo, I work with Celynn Morin who is herself, a wellbeing coach.
A fact that becomes immediately clear for everyone in this Coronavirus and COVID-19 pandemic is that our resources are not as stable as we thought. From good health, to work and income, to face masks, to toilet paper and hand sanitizer, and everything in between. And even though we do everything we can to be smart, safe, and secure in these times, we realize that it is all really beyond our control. This is why meditation has always been called your very own spiritual resource. Because it is always there to support you no matter what is going on the world around you. I went through my archives and picked out 10 posts on meditation and spirituality that I think are helpful resources to everyone through these uncertain times. With Love.
