On Sunday I taught in a martial arts school for the first time in ten years. Holy cow! I’m so glad to be back. I have a great feeling about teaching at North Portland Martial Arts & Movement-– Sifu Michael is making me feel very welcome and appreciated. Sunday’s class was self-defense, and I startedContinue reading “Self-Defense Success!”
Category Archives: Healing
Alter Ego
In the Animal Spirit deck by aritst Kim Krans, which I purchased sometime around 2021, there is a card for the raccoon. Raccoon energy is about wearing a mask, about hiding, but it’s also playful. On the card, Krans mentions that many artists choose to wear masks in the form of an alter ego. SheContinue reading “Alter Ego”
Harmonizing Polarizations
My tai chi teacher says that the art of tai chi, and the philosophy behind it perhaps, is all about harmonizing polarizations. And we always start by harmonizing polarizations in the self. One way to think of polarizations is to think in terms of projections and hollows–places in our self where we are projecting tooContinue reading “Harmonizing Polarizations”
August Evening Practice
Much of my martial arts practice these days is unlearning old habits. Releasing old tensions. I picked up some unhealthy movement patterns over my years training in hard-style martial arts, and I ground these movement patterns into my body over many years often at high impact. Martial artists, over time, can have shoulder problems, hipContinue reading “August Evening Practice”
Hiding vs. Being Seen
Recently I led a qigong workshop in my neighborhood. Setting up the workshop proved to be much harder than I expected, especially having to promote my teaching. I had to get my website looking good! Set up my Instagram links! Make little Instagram reels to promote my class! Jump back onto Facebook to invite people!Continue reading “Hiding vs. Being Seen”
Michelle Folk Johnson 