New WuGuan Opening this Spring! 🐉
What’s it take to be a Master?
What does Kung-Fu really mean?
How long do you have to train, and how often until I get a black belt/sash? 🥋
Will Kung-Fu make my eyebrows grow? 😳
Belt ranking systems are very recent in martial arts history, first instituted just over a century ago by Judo founder Jigoro Kano to help students learn with a structured curriculum, originally just with white belt ‘Kyu’ grades and black belt ‘dan’ grades; karate schools in Okinawa and Japan adopted Judo’s belt ranking system in the 1920’s and soon proliferated to other martial arts, and added a rainbow of colored belts afterwards. 🌈
While a few Chinese martial arts have very recently adopted belt ranking systems, most still don’t, where ranking has historically been structured around familial hierarchies.
In the last 50 years, the mystique of “black belts” has been widely blown out of proportion in popular culture — what was originally intended to be a measure of learned skills over years of grueling practice — has in some instances become the delusional projection of a few teachers’ inflated egos and exploitive marketing gimmicks. 🤑
The key is to realize actual Mastery is a path — not a destination, belt color or certificate.
Nor does Kung-Fu require 6 inch eyebrows.
While going over martial applications practice earlier this year, one of my students asked a good question: do we step backwards in Bagua Zhang?
Technically and strategically, the answer is no — in Bagua Zhang, we learn how to pivot around oncoming attacks, turn aside or around to flank and generate turning force, then continue flowing and moving forward.
Circular Stepping in Bagua Zhang solo forms practice starts counter-clockwise, then changes to clockwise, changing back and forth, mirroring cycles of transformation in nature.
But Bagua doesn’t go backwards. Why?
Several martial arts systems incorporate backwards stepping and movements to draw an opponent off balance. While this tactic can be effective, it is always risky to give an opponent your ground. In combat, when one of the combatants is stepping backwards, it’s often because they’re injured, reeling and trying to disengage — this is usually the beginning of the end of the fight.
But in Bagua Zhang training, the concept is to adapt to situations and challenges and keep moving on, going with the flow, taking ground without hesitation or breaking momentum or strength.
Whirling Step
This applies to more than just self-defense and combat strategy.
Like cycles of seasons, patterns repeat, but time keeps moving forward, as our planet Earth keeps spinning forward, around the Sun, as our solar system spins along the outer rim of the Milky Way Galaxy…
🌎💫🌌
The past is a memory, the future is a dream, but the present is a gift. 🎁
If we think about the past too much, be it from grief, trauma, or longing for glory days, we stay stuck in the past, and stagnate. Reflecting on our experiences is necessary to learn from them, especially with our traumas and losses — yet to heal and grow, we must stay present to face our challenges, embrace opportunities and forge ahead. 🐉
Speaking of forging ahead, we are moving!
After 3 years in Shoreline, our family has sought opportunities further North, and we are in the process of moving into our new home in Everett, WA.
I will be taking time off from teaching over the next month to rebuild our WuGuan at our new home. There’s a lot to do!
Starting in January 2022, Bagua Zhang classes will be resume at
Towns at Riverfront
(Please register for classes for address)
Everett, WA
United States
Stay tuned for updates and class start dates!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Foundations of Bagua Zhang Workshop Tonight! 🐉🍕
Starting this month, August 2021, we are changing the start time for Saturday group classes from 11:30am to 11am, for consistency (same start time as Sunday group classes). To clarify, here are the updated class times:
1108 NW 200th St,
Shoreline, WA 98177
Unvaccinated students are welcome to attend classes remotely via Zoom.
On August 9, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 21-14, which requires health care providers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series of a vaccine, or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. Because of the lead time needed for the two-dose vaccines, we encourage you to plan now for getting the vaccine.
Massage therapy practices are listed in the Proclamation as a “Health Care Setting” which includes designated areas where massage is administered within non-health care settings like spas and wellness/fitness centers. And, proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be accepted in the following forms:
Exemptions are allowed for disability-related accommodations that fall under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), or any other reasonable accommodation. There is an additional exemption allowed for deeply-held religious beliefs. Please contact the Washington State Department of Health with any questions.
For additional information and updates, you can visit the Washington COVID-19 State Page.
Starting this month, August 2021, we are changing the start time for Saturday group classes from 11:30am to 11am, for consistency (same start time as Sunday group classes). To clarify, here are the updated class times:
1108 NW 200th St,
Shoreline, WA 98177
Sifu Kisu’s Northern Shaolin Workshop
Last month, on July 11th, we had the rare opportunity to attend an authentic Shaolin martial arts workshop taught bySifu Kisu of the Harmonious Fist Chinese Athletic Association for his first workshop in Seattle!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Starting this month, August 2021, we are changing the start time for Saturday group classes from 11:30am to 11am, for consistency (same start time as Sunday group classes). To clarify, here are the updated class times:
1108 NW 200th St,
Shoreline, WA 98177
Please note: There will be no Bagua Zhang Classes on Thursday, August 12th, Saturday, August 14th or Sunday, August 15th. Classes will resume as usual the following week.
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Re-Opening Classes for In-Person Bagua Zhang Kung-Fu Training! 🐉
On August 9, 2021, Governor Jay Inslee issued Proclamation 21-14, which requires health care providers to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by October 18, 2021. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the second dose in a two-dose series of a vaccine, or two weeks after receiving a single-dose vaccine. Because of the lead time needed for the two-dose vaccines, we encourage you to plan now for getting the vaccine.
Massage therapy practices are listed in the Proclamation as a “Health Care Setting” which includes designated areas where massage is administered within non-health care settings like spas and wellness/fitness centers. And, proof of full vaccination against COVID-19 will be accepted in the following forms:
Exemptions are allowed for disability-related accommodations that fall under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA), Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (Title VII), the Washington Law Against Discrimination (WLAD), or any other reasonable accommodation. There is an additional exemption allowed for deeply-held religious beliefs. Please contact the Washington State Department of Health with any questions.
For additional information and updates, you can visit the Washington COVID-19 State Page.
The only constant is change. Nature repeats in cycles of transformation. Like the seasons, and cycles of birth, growth, maturity, death, and rebirth.
As a martial arts system, Bagua Zhang reflects the cycles of transformation, and harmonizes with them, in many ways and on many levels.
Why I got into martial arts ~
Growing up as an introverted, artistic kid in South Omaha, dealing with bullies and schoolyard fights was common; while at home, I had an alcoholic father with a slow burning explosive temper. So while some of the impulse was standing up for myself and protecting my family, friends and myself, there was a deeper inspiration and connection to martial arts that transcended self preservation.
My artistic inspirations and unquenchable fascination with mythology and ancient cultures from early childhood, led to my cousin and friends introducing me to Bruce Lee, Jackie Chan, Jet Li and Kung-Fu Theater movies in 1982 — the chord that resonated the most was their raw expression and flow of skill and power, even in the midst of a life and death struggle; instead of succumbing to fear or control from bullies, they would take a stand to vanquish oppression.
The core inspirations of martial arts for me have always been:
Shortly after that, at 12 years old, I started training with a great Judo teacher, then a few years later found Kung Fu. A couple years later I saw my Sifu practicing Bagua Zhang, and was immediately captivated.
I love all martial arts and have been blessed with the opportunity to train several styles over the years, but Bagua Zhang was the purest reflection of that experience of creative, adaptive flow of connected consciousness. So over the years, Bagua Zhang eclipsed other systems I practiced and somehow seem to encapsulate them as well; I have gradually shed the excess to focus on Bagua Zhang as the pinnacle of my training, as well as what I mostly teach my students.
What is Bagua Zhang?
As a martial arts system, Bagua Zhang (“8 Trigrams Palm”) reflects the cycles of transformation, and harmonizing with them, in many ways and on many levels — not only in self-defense situations, but also in personal development and in social interactions.
In its cyclical training methods and spiraling application of force, Bagua Zhang uses the concept of 8 phases of change inspired by the I-Ching, the ancient Chinese “Classic of Changes,” to emphasize a unique personal transformation, sparking our creativity to awaken and enhance each individual’s aptitude and potential.
Each of the 8 trigrams represents a phase in the states of change; each phase reflects different feelings, strategies and principles to help the practitioner develop skills to adapt to change. To deal with changes, threats, dangerous attacks and the highs and lows in life — on an innate and instinctual level. It requires insightful persistence in training, that will enhance and transform the practitioner from the inside out.
In hindsight, the many hours I spent with all my martial arts teachers seems fleeting; I cherish the lessons I gleaned from their deep wisdom, each one having a uniquely valuable skill set and profound understanding.
Adaptation
What I learned, in seeing different students and classes from different teachers, most notably Shifu Yang Guotai, is that he would tailor his lessons to different people, and what he taught us would also change over time — no matter how peerless the instructor, the greatest ones continuously learn and grow as well… the True Path is never ending.
The changes, exercises and drills of Bagua Zhang are based on principles, connectivity of movement, adaptability and flow — more so than predetermined technical responses that are hallmarks of other martial arts systems.
As fiercely exacting as Yang Shifu was in teaching, his emphasis and methods altered with time, situation, and student… just like the art he taught. What Yang Shifu taught us at one time, he would alter later and complain “tsk, ah, you forget!” Somehow the corrections he made, in hindsight, I now realize was his way of sharing different perspectives and more appropriate alternatives based on adapting to a situation and aptitudes of individuals. I found all of the variations he taught to be valuable, whether he was intentionally tracking what we learned, or even if he had forgotten what he taught us before… What remained consistent, is whatever he taught was always effective.
On Learning Martial Arts…
Since standardization is good for beginners as well as intermediate and advanced students, I created a structured progression in lessons from the random cascade of skills and methods of my various teachers. I’ve found this progressive curriculum helps my students understand the art with much more clarity than my own experiences.
In the beginning, we often see our teachers as infallible sources of perfect truth… Later, as we gain skills they cultivate in us, we start to see our teachers’ humanity. As time goes on, every (martial) artist looks beyond the pedestal we put our teachers on to find our own expression of their art. Every practitioner of any art, after years of devoted training, eventually looks within, and will have their own insights and perspectives,talents, aptitudes & weaknesses…
All we can really do is appreciate each practitioner’s insights, as well as our own. A danger for advanced students is to confuse discernment with the extreme of criticism, and assume we know better; keep an open mind to continue learning always! To call someone with years of training “incorrect” might be seeing through the lens of condescension. This is dangerous because assumption dulls focus, attention and the ability to learn.
Dubious Lineages & Politics in Martial Arts:
Ultimately, you get out of your training what you put into it — it helps to have a teacher that knows their chops, their basics, but lineage (good or bad) doesn’t assure this.
Real skill comes from one thing: training!
So each practitioner’s learning and growth comes down to them. Find a teacher that you have a rapport with, and trust your instincts; learn with discernment, and make time to practice what you learn, on your own time, don’t just wait for class time to train — classes are for learning new material and refinement.
You Reap what you sow. It’s up to you to decide your priorities, set your goals and act on them. Your teacher is a guide, that should inspire you; don’t expect your teacher to carry you, and beware any instructor that warps respect into demands of worshipping their superiority.
If you find that something feels off about an instructor or the lessons, use your own discernment to find out why — is it your own misunderstanding, or is something wrong or misleading? Not all instructors are legitimate, but if you are diligent, you can find good instructors that are more skilled and authentic. I’ve been blessed to find some great instructors, and have had the insight to see through frauds as well; sometimes, it’s hard to tell if an instructor is authentic or not, and it’s painful to be deceived. Take it from personal experience, if we spend too much time focusing on the faults of others, then it distracts us from our own development. Learn from our own failures and triumphs, and the losses and wins of others, and move on; dwelling on the past and casting blame will only stunt your own growth.
Every one who trains earnestly has something of value, that they’ve learned from trial and error, and everyone has their own struggles, so if you appreciate these truths, you can learn from anyone and any situation. Even fraudulent instructors will have valuable lessons to share, even if sometimes the lessons are learning to see through delusions. If you get duped, instead of shaming yourself into victimhood, or descending into blame, realize that you still learned from the experience, and grew because of it. Tearing others down doesn’t build yourself up, it just means you’re too condescending to have the empathy or respect required to learn and grow —good students and good instructors both understand this reciprocal truth.
If you encounter an instructor that exploits or abuses their students, by all means, seek legal help and press charges — I fully support taking down anyone who manipulates others, violates trust and abuses their status and power at the expense of other’s suffering. While those cases are rare, unfortunately it happens; bullies and predators should not be martial arts instructors. Ever. When you go to learn at a school “Don’t leave your common sense at the door.”
Martial arts begins and ends with respect: for your teachers, your classmates, your family, friends, yourself, and Life. Before you commit to learning martial arts from any school, make sure your instructor has innate integrity, and clearly values and respects their students, family and life itself.
Why are there so many branches and styles of Bagua Zhang?
Bagua Zhang is a multifaceted system designed to help build on the foundation of any practitioner’s previous training, to help them develop more well-rounded skills, understanding of mechanics and strategies, awareness and ability to adapt to any situation.
The eventual goal is to help each practitioner cultivate their own personal “style”, their own expression of their True Self. Which is why Bagua Zhang is considered a “graduate level martial art.”
Look within to heal and reveal your True Self.
Every teacher, of every art (if they care about their students and training partners), will have their own perspective, a precious gem they’ve polished, that they share because it worked for them in their own experience. It is all valuable, whether we agree and assimilate those insights, or disagree and reject the material shared with us — we can learn from all of it. Just as we learn from our own losses and triumphs. If we can glean the truth at the core of our teacher’s lessons, they can catapult us forward in our own growth, skills and understanding. Especially if we are able to empathize with their experience, walk in their shoes and learn what inspired them and how it relates to us. That includes the most fundamental basic techniques, as well as the most tragic and inspirational life lessons.
We are all fractals from the same source, yet we all have our own individual light and expression. Only we as individuals can decide what we prefer and what works best for us.
As we learn and grow, we each have our own unique perspective, path and expression of our truth — embracing this uniqueness is essential to mastering Bagua Zhang, and realizing your own potential.
In-Person Martial Arts Classes:
We returned to in-person Bagua Zhang training last month, for all students who have completed their COVID vaccinations! More info here, in last month’s post.
New Podcast Interview:
in addition to being invited to be a guest on Ken Gullette’s Internal Fighting Arts Podcast,
I was also recently invited to another interview by Jonathan Bluestein on JadeCast!
I am honored to have the opportunity to share my experiences with these gentlemen and enjoyed the conversations, I hope you do too!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
I was honored to be invited by Ken Gullette to be a guest on his Internal Fighting Arts Podcast, and appear in the newest episode, 55.
It was great catching up with Ken during the interview, and though we just started skimming the surface, I look forward to continuing the conversation and training with him.
I highly recommend listening to the rest of the interviews in the Internal Fighting Arts Podcast, there is an invaluable wealth of information there on several topics related to martial arts and healthy living.
Reminder: We will be returning to in-person training next week, April 24th, for all students who have completed their COVID vaccinations! More info here, in last weeks post.
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Remote Training Still Available: I will continue to broadcast the group classes live remotely on Zoom, so that students that are unable to come to class, whether they haven’t received the COVID-19 vaccination yet, or are too far away, or don’t feel comfortable yet to attend in person, can still follow along online.
This Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since I’ll be focused on teaching students that attend classes in person, instead of monitoring Zoom, I will be available to answer questions after class from both in-person and remote students via via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership will continue to be half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts.
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Please share with anyone you know that might be interested in joining our classes!
In Chinese martial arts, the ancestral lineage of discipleship is often considered a primary factor of the quality of a student’s skill and development. The student is often viewed as a reflection of their teacher, sometimes creating biased presumptions.
Pedigree is important — but not from trivial name dropping and bragging rights, but from understanding and smart, meaningful training. Strive to learn your heritage to understand where your art comes from, to see the system from the lens of your ancestors (their lives, struggles, contributions and accomplishments) that you may glean a deeper understanding of the why and how of the system and how it relates to you, personally. Then practice what you learn from your teacher — in your own time at home, not just during class — so that you can understand, internalize and incorporate the principles they share with you.
That is the true measure of respect for your martial family and ancestors, to learn what they learned, in the context of why and how they learned it, and to apply those lessons to your own life.
Blind fealty to yellowed photos and glorified legends won’t improve your health or character, or save you when your life is threatened, just as assumed privilege from pointing to a family tree won’t help you gain skill, if you don’t apply efforts to practice what previous generations of practitioners lived and bled for. We honor their legacy by striving to improve ourselves, inspired by their example.
The following is our Bagua Zhang lineage here at Mace Martial Arts:
Dong Haichuan ( 董海川 1799-1882), a famous Chinese Martial Artist of the late Qing Dynasty, considered the progenitor of Bagua Zhang (“Eight Trigrams Palm”), though by his own accounts he credited learning the system from a Taoist Priest/Hermit named Bi Chengxia, from whom the system had been passed down in secret purportedly for many generations. Nevertheless, Dong Haichuan was the first person to teach the art of Bagua Zhang publicly.
Dong Haichuan was born in Zhu Jia Wu of Wen An County in He Bei Province. He began practicing Chinese Martial Arts at a very young age, and became a renowned martial artist in his hometown. As an adult, he first went south before traveling all over China, studying martial arts and Daoism.
Dong Haichuan eventually moved to Beijing around 1864 to hold a post in the Mansion of Prince Su, where he began teaching “Zhuan Zhang” (Turning Palms), and shortly after referred to the system as Ba Gua Zhang, inspired by Daoism, stemming from the theory of 8 Changes in the classic “Yi Ching” (Book of Changes). There is some intrigue related to Dong Haichuan’s initial intentions for moving to Beijing, in that he may have been a member of the Taiping Rebellion, with the mission of assassination of the Qing Emperor, which is why he became a eunuch to serve in Prince Su’s court; when the Qing Emperor died a few years later, Dong Haichuan shifted his life path and priorities and decided to teach BaguaZhang publicly.
Cheng Tinghua ( 程庭華 1848-1900), the prolific second generation Bagua Zhang Master, and creator of the Cheng Style Bagua Zhang.
Cheng “Yanjing” (“Spectacles” Cheng) was an eye-glass maker by trade, and a Shuai Jiao expert before learning Bagua Zhang from Dong Hai Chuan. Born the 3rd of 4 brothers in 1848 in the Cheng family village, Shen County, Hebei Province, Cheng Tinghua was fond of martial arts and in his youth he gained skill at wielding a heavy broadsword and a large heavy staff. When Cheng was around 13, he left his hometown and went to Beijing to apprentice with a gentleman who made eyeglasses. Intent on improving his martial arts skill, Cheng also began to study Chinese wrestling (Shuai Jiao) when he arrived in Beijing.
In the late 1800s, two wrestling styles were popular in Beijing: Manchurian/Mongolian wrestling and Baoding “fast style” wrestling. Baoding wrestling was quicker than Manchurian style, emphasizing throwing the opponent at first contact, without struggling. Baoding wrestling also combined punching, kicking, joint locking and point striking with its throwing techniques. Cheng Tinghua studied both of the popular wrestling styles when he was a young man in Beijing, and built a reputation with martial artists in Beijing as a skilled shuai jiao practitioner.
By 1870, Dong Haichuan had become very well known in Beijing. When Cheng was approximately 28 years old (1876), he sought out Dong in order to improve his skill. Some say that Cheng had become friends with Yin Fu and Shi Jidong (two of Dong Haichuan’s first Bagua students) and they encouraged him to meet Dong. When the two first met, Dong asked Cheng to use his shuai jiao against him. Cheng made several attempts at attacking Dong but was never able to lay a hand on him. Cheng knelt down and asked Dong if he could become a student. At this point, Dong hadn’t accepted many Bagua Zhang students — although Dong had taught many people martial arts in the Prince of Su’s palace, he only taught Bagua to three people prior to teaching Cheng Tinghua — those previous disciples being Yin Fu, Ma Weiqi, and Shi Jidong. The majority of Dong Haichuan’s students in the palace were said to have learned something other than Bagua Zhang.
Cheng Tinghua was Dong Haichuan’s fourth disciple, and studied with Dong for 5 or 6 years before Dong passed away in 1882.
Dong Haichuan was known to have only accepted Bagua Zhang students who were already skilled in another style of martial art. It is said that after laying a Bagua foundation with the circle walk practice, single palm change, double palm change, and smooth changing palm, Dong Haichuan would teach the student Bagua Zhang based on what the student already knew. Dong Haichuan therefore taught Cheng Tinghua using his shuai jiao background as a base.
The Bagua styles which most notably display a Xingyi Quan flavor are the styles which were taught by Cheng and his friends Li Cunyi, Liu Dekuan, and Zhang Zhaodong. The link between Xingyi and Bagua was most likely forged when Cheng Tingghua and his friends Li Cunyi, Zhang Zhaodong, Liu Dekuan, and Liu Waixiang got together to compare styles and learn from each other. Cheng Tinghua was a very open martial artist who would teach his Bagua to anyone who cared to learn it. He enjoyed meeting other martial artist to compare styles and share the techniques and theories of martial arts, and enjoyed sharing his Bagua Zhang skill with other martial artists. Cheng purportedly taught Liu Dekuan, Li Cunyi, and Zhang Zhaodong their Bagua Zhang, however, since they were very skilled in Xingyi Quan and thus were Cheng’s peers, he did not feel right calling them his “students.” Therefore, Cheng said that they should say they learned their Bagua from his teacher, Dong Haichuan.
Cheng Tinghua was killed during the Boxer Rebellion when the “eight foreign armies” invaded Beijing (1900). A group of German soldiers were forcefully recruiting locals for a work detail near Beijing’s Zhongwen Gate were Cheng’s shop was located. Cheng was on the street at the time and the Germans stopped him and tried to put him in line with the others. Cheng resisted and fought back; he purportedly drew a knife and may have beaten or killed a few soldiers during the struggle, before Cheng tried to run and leap over a nearby wall. As he was jumping over the wall, he was shot. He was 52 years old.
Zhang Zhaodong ( 张兆东 1859-1940), also known as Zhang Zhankui ( 张占魁 ), was born in Hebei Province, Ho Hung Yan Village in 1859, the youngest of three children. His father was a poor farmer and his family was often bullied by those in authority. Later in life, when Zhang became skilled in martial arts, he was very harsh on bullies because of what happened to his family when he was young. As one biographer has written, “Zhang Zhankui was big and tall, short-tempered and bold. He firmly opposed those who were roughshod over the people and disturbed public order.”
Zhang only had a primary school education because he had to quit school when he was still young in order to help his father in the fields. In his spare time he liked to practice martial arts, studying with teachers in his village. The first martial art he studied was Mizong Quan (a popular style in Northern China). When he was a teenager, Zhang Zhaodong became a Xingyi Quan disciple of Liu Qilan, a highly skilled master of the art. Zhang Zhaodong trained assiduously and became an esteemed Xingyi master as well.
When Zhang was 20 there was a famine in his village, so he left home and traveled to Tianjin, but had difficulty finding a job because his only trade was farming. To raise money for food he demonstrated martial arts forms on the side of the road.
Zhang hated to see people bullying others so he would always aid anyone who was being picked on. As his reputation grew, government officials recognized his talent for dealing with criminals and gave him a job as a “thief catcher” (bounty hunter).
Shortly thereafter, the famous second generation Bagua Zhang instructor Cheng Tinghua was visiting Tianjin and ran into some trouble. Zhang Zhaodong helped Cheng with his problem and the two became friends. Zhang mentioned to Cheng that he would like to learn Bagua Zhang, and Cheng gladly accepted. Zhang frequently traveled to Beijing to track down bandits who had fled Tianjin. Cheng also introduced Zhang Zhaodong to Dong Haichuan and from that time forward, whenever he was in Beijing he studied with Dong or Cheng.
Since Dong Haichuan died shortly after Zhang Zhaodong met him, he probably learned the majority of his Bagua from Cheng Tinghua. During the early 20th century, Zhang Zhaodong and Li Cunyi ran a very well known martial arts association in Tianjin to spread the martial arts. Students in the public class could study either Bagua Zhang or Xingyi Quan, whichever they preferred. Zhang required his inner-door students to study Xingyi before they studied Bagua.
Earlier in his teaching career in Tianjin, Zhang Zhaodong emphasized Xingyi Quan, then gradually only taught Bagua in his later years.
Since Zhang Zhaodong was a Xingyi man, his Bagua Zhang naturally had a Xingyi flavor. Zhang Zhaodong was a tall, strong man who liked to use wide, open postures in training and liked to strike down on opponents when fighting. His Bagua Zhang form and applications were direct, powerful and relatively simple, not as evasive compared to others because of his strength and Xingyi background. He did not utilize as many throwing techniques as Cheng Tinghua, who had come from a Shuai Jiao background.
When Zhang was over 70, he was well known throughout China for his boxing skill and was frequently invited to other areas of the country to participate and demonstrate Bagua Zhang in martial arts events.
According to the writings left by his student Jiang Rong-Qiao, Zhang Zhaodong died in 1940 of natural causes in Tianjin at the age of 81. I learned Zhang Zhaodong’s Xingyi Quan and Bagua Zhang from Phillip Starr between 1985-1999.
Liu Bin ( 刘斌 1866-1930), the third generation of Ba Gua Zhang, was the disciple of Cheng Tinghua, being one of his first and top students. Liu Bin was a general in the Ching army, but quit his post in disappointment with the Ching government’s corruption and incompetence after his teacher, Cheng Tinghua was killed in 1900 by German troops. Liu Bin then focused on training, developing and teaching Bagua Zhang, and became a highly regarded bodyguard in Beijing as well. As a former general, Liu Bin was an expert with various weapons, and specialized with the 9 Section Steel Whip. Liu Bin taught many students from his school in the Tan Tong area of Heaven Temple Park in Southern Beijing.
Liu Shikui ( 刘世魁 1899-1969) Liu Bin’s second son, Liu ShiKui learned Bagua Zhang under his father’s strict, sometimes harsh tutorage; he trained hard and became a highly skillful master. Liu ShiKui was humble, with a good heart and strong moral fiber. He continued his father’s legacy by teaching Bagua Zhang, including in secret during through the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), when traditional martial arts practice was banned. Liu Shikui encouraged his students to become good people, and to avoid trouble and fighting without good cause. Despite his positive life, strong spirit and good nature, Liu Shikui was arrested, tortured, and eventually killed during the Cultural Revolution for teaching martial arts.
Wang Wenkui ( 王文奎 1900-1986), was one of the top disciples of Liu Bin, and close friend of Liu ShiKui. After the Cultural Revolution ended in 1976, Wang Wenkui was one of the first to teach Bagua Zhang publicly, and helped write and publish popular books about Bagua Zhang. Though short in stature, Wang Wenkui was widely regarded as a generous gentleman and prodigious martial artist of profound skill, good heart and bright spirit, and is still highly regarded in Beijing’s martial arts community.
Xu Zhenbiao ( 徐振彪 1913-1991), the fifth generation of Ba Gua Zhang, was the disciple of Liu Shikui (Liu Bin’s son) and student of Wang Wenkui. Xu Zhenbiao was known for being a devoted student and disciplined practitioner throughout his life, and developed a high level of skill. From Yang Shifu’s accounts, Xu Zhenbiao was a highly skilled fighter who welcomed challenges, and was both a generous and severe taskmaster as an instructor, holding a high standard for himself and his students.
Shifu Yang Guo Tai ( 楊國泰 July 10, 1928-November, 2013), Cheng style Dragon Shape Swimming Body Bagua Zhang teacher, was an in-door student of Xu Zhenbiao. Yang Shifu began martial arts training at an early age, with styles such as Praying Mantis and Xingyi Quan, and became a disciple of Xu Zhenbiao in his teens, training closely with him for over 4 decades, even in secret when martial arts practice was banned during the Cultural Revolution. Yang Guotai also enjoyed dancing in his youth, though his lifelong passion was martial arts. After working in a factory for several years (where he lost his right thumb in a machinery accident), Yang Guotai eventually used his martial training expertise and became the head Tui-Na/Massage Therapist at Beijing Hospital. He frequently shared stories about surviving and training martial arts in China during wars and tumultuous periods, including how they would practice in secret during the Cultural Revolution, despite the risks of being caught. Yang Guotai emigrated from Beijing to Vancouver, BC with his wife and son, Greg in the 1990’s, where he continued to teach Bagua Zhang.
I met Yang Shifu by chance during my first visit to Vancouver, BC in 2000. I went to the Tiger Balm International Martial Arts Tournament in hopes of meeting another well known Bagua Zhang teacher, but I am forever grateful to have met Yang Guotai Shifu instead. While watching one of the competitions, I noticed someone practicing Bagua Zhang on the sidelines. I was intrigued and asked about his practice, and he graciously introduced me to his teacher, Yang Guotai, who was officiating the push-hands event; Yang Shifu was discerning and spirited, and asked me if I practiced Bagua Zhang. When I mentioned that I had, he asked me to show him what I learned before; Yang Shifu was underwhelmed with my execution of the Bagua I’d previously been training for over decade, then briefly demonstrated a few seconds of the most amazing Bagua I’d seen before, and asked if I’d like to learn real Bagua Zhang. Though I hadn’t heard of Yang Guotai before that weekend, I recognized I’d discovered a rare and hidden treasure, and enthusiastically returned to Vancouver a couple days later for my first lesson and was blown away by his profound skill, power and depth of knowledge. I continued to make the 2-3 hour drive from Seattle to Vancouver every other weekend and any extra holiday break and vacation time I had for the next several years to learn from Yang Shifu, trained hard with my new classmates and in every class had some new revelation that I continue to learn from to this day.
The rest of my classmates under Yang Shifu all had previous martial arts experience. Most of us had already trained Bagua Zhang from various other teachers. We all considered training with Yang Shifu as graduate-level martial arts training because of the depth, complexity and refinement of skills he developed in each of us. His approach was hands-on instruction to show us the principles and functional health cultivation and self defense techniques at the heart of the system, in the old-school practical, non-sport methods of training. He showed us as well as explained the how and why of Bagua Zhang, correcting our previous training errors, from the most subtle skills to the most profound principles, for both health and self defense. We endearingly referred to Yang Shifu as “the Bagua Yoda” because of his irascible yet generous character, profound knowledge and surprising, incomparable skill. After a couple years of training with Yang Shifu, he invited a small handful of my classmates and myself to stay after training and lunch (it was a common occurrence for his wife, our Shimu, to prepare a delicious homemade lunch for us after training at a nearby park) and he conducted a private Bai Shi ceremony in his home in front of his mantle where we were formally inducted to be his in-door disciples and become lineage holders of Cheng style Bagua Zhang. It was shortly after this that Yang Shifu took me aside during a class and encouraged me to begin teaching students in Seattle where I live, while I continued training with him in Vancouver, BC. I introduced Yang Shifu to several friends and former classmates, and coordinated workshops for him to teach in Omaha, NE and Seattle, WA.
I consider myself blessed to have known him and drink from the vast wellspring he shared with us. The time spent training with him always felt fleeting, especially in hindsight. I miss him, though I continue to learn more from his lessons by dissecting the many layers and facets, training them and discovering more insights. Sometimes it seems as if I feel his presence, especially when I’m teaching my students, as if he’s watching over us and teaching through me, as I glean more understanding from all he passionately shared with us.
I often use the expression “Look within to reveal and heal your True Self.” Why?
Our attention and energy gets scattered and depleted by focusing on everything going on around us. Busy-ness of the world, survival, work, school, family, obligations, politics, hobbies, sports, recreation, games — all the 10,000 things of the world have their place and time, but worrying about all the things can become overwhelming, even to the best of us.
As life seems to be getting more hectic and stressful, it’s easy to loose ourselves and feel disconnected, scattered and exhausted. This year has been exceptionally stressful — all of us have been affected by the distressing pandemic, exacerbated by divisive politics, leading to economic recession and social discord, and more anxiety and fatigue than we’ve faced before.
Especially now, as Autumn and Winter seasons set in, many people feel discouraged because they feel even more tired.
But the truth is, this is a natural cycle — as the days get shorter and the nights get longer, notice how plants and animals go into a state of hibernation. Yet because of the demands of a disconnected society, we feel pressured to compensate with fake energy boosters and stimulants, or “numb-out” from the stress with drugs and alcohol, then feel even more exhausted, scattered and depleted after the false-energy boost wares off.
Instead, the best way to revitalize is the natural way — instead of struggling against your natural rhythms, listen to your body’s needs to rest and sleep more — you’ll be able to stay more focused and present.
To restore our energy even more, as well as heal and enhance our senses, we must “seal the 5 senses” and turn inward. This aspect of mindfulness in meditation will focus your mind and help you to harness your energy:
Each cell within you is its own organism, symbiotically coming together to encompass you, seamlessly working and dancing together in myriads of systems to become whole — just as the vast space between the particles of atoms that convene into the molecules composing each cell are miraculously interwoven and connected, just as vibrant as a solar system, yet deep within you, bringing life and consciousness. Galaxies of energy and matter spiraling within us, composing our mortal coil, just as we are each of us cells, an inseparable and integral part of the countless solar systems in the Cosmos.
This awareness of the vastness of the Universe is paradoxically also where we discover our most essential inner-selves, and how we are all connected in consciousness.
To conclude any meditation practice session, draw your attention to your physical center of gravity, which is just below your navel in the middle of your lower abdomen at your body’s core. Allow the energy you cultivate with Qigong practice to spiral to your center, to assimilate, or “digest” there. This grounds your energy, calms the mind and emotions, allowing you to remain centered even in stressful or startling situations. It is by this mindful process that you may discover the deepest, most essential part of yourself, and feel how integrated you are with the world. That you may “look within to reveal and heal your true self.”
Meditation and Qigong enhances awareness of yourself and your surroundings, which contributes to your mental and physical health, as well as your self-defense skills. Clarity of focus and sharpening the mind are indispensable skills for a warrior, as it enhances awareness of one’s inner world, as well as a deeper awareness of the world we live in, and creates the space where you can discover your hidden reservoir of latent essential power. This is why these practices have been invaluable to warriors and martial artists for several millennia.
Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu classes
We have a few spots available if you would like to start training Remote online with our Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu class, held Saturdays at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm PST!
With all the uncertainty of the tumultuous times we are all living in, Bagua Zhang is an excellent practice to help you improve your health, increase your vitality and awareness, and develop self defense skills to meet the challenges we are facing with focus and confidence.
Once you get some of the basics down, you are welcome to join in our other regular group classes on Thursdays 7-8pm PST, and Sundays 11am-12:30pm PST.
The Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since we are training Remotely via Zoom, you can join us from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a good internet connection. I will be available to answer questions after class from students via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership is only $50 per month, half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us live via Zoom and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts. Also, we are in the process of creating instructional videos and workbooks to help you learn and grow with your practice!
If you are interested in joining for the first time, or it’s been awhile since you’ve attended our classes, please respond to this message so we can get you started with our Bagua Zhang Martial Arts classes!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Please share with anyone you know that might be interested in joining our classes!
Over the last 9 months, I’ve been grateful to continue teaching all our group Bagua Zhang Kung Fu classes remotely on Zoom, thanks to modern technology.
Though I miss teaching my students in person, and look forward to training with everyone again with in person classes, we’ve found some creative approaches to traditional training methods to be very constructive and practical in these challenging times.
Time honored practices for developing self-defense-specific fitness, attributes, capacity and skills — which are especially valuable now, while person to person contact is limited due to social distancing measures help to keep us safe from the highly communicable COVID-19 virus.
The various practice methods we have been focusing on include Forms, Basics, Supplemental Exercises, Qigong/meditation, Iron Palm/Iron Body, Weapons, and Strategy Training.
Forms practice — in traditional martial arts, forms are similar to shadow-boxing; forms are prearranged sequences of self-defense techniques, strung together to teach various combinations, principles and strategies. The self defense techniques are “coded” into the forms, like parables with layers of meaning and interpretation based on distance, timing and situations. Learning to decipher the techniques coded into traditional forms is both a skill and a riddle to solve.
Bagua Zhang forms practice has a slightly different goal than in many other martial arts. Where the solo forms of all traditional martial arts styles are catalogs of prearranged self defense techniques, Bagua Zhang has an emphasis on progressively developing principles and attributes that alter the efficacy of techniques as well as gradually transforming the health, ability, efficiency and vitality of the Bagua Zhang practitioner.
Forms — Benefits and goals for Forms practice:
Basic techniques — drilling to refine and streamline the efficiency of techniques, as well as attributes of timing, strength, flexibility, and cardiovascular endurance.
Supplemental Calisthenic exercises — to develop principles and attributes to enhance self defense capability.
Qi Gong, Tao Yin, Yoga, meditation — clear and focus your mind, balance your emotions, cultivate your vitality and circulation to stimulate your strength and immune system.
Iron Palm, Iron Body — tempering your body safely and gradually to build your striking power and grappling effectiveness, as well as your resilience to pain and injury. Develops the capacity to realize Bagua Zhang’s full potential as an effective martial art.
Weapons Training — develops focus, strength, stamina, balance and coordination that enhance your ability to defend yourself with weapons, every day objects, and enhances bare-handed efficacy.
Strategy Work — in lieu of training partners, using hanging heavy bags and grappling dummies, by swinging them to develop footwork, distance and timing.
Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu classes
We have a few spots available if you would like to start training Remote online with our Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu class, held Saturdays at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm PST!
With all the uncertainty of the tumultuous times we are all living in, Bagua Zhang is an excellent practice to help you improve your health, increase your vitality and awareness, and develop self defense skills to meet the challenges we are facing with focus and confidence.
Once you get some of the basics down, you are welcome to join in our other regular group classes on Thursdays 7-8pm PST, and Sundays 11am-12:30pm PST.
The Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since we are training Remotely via Zoom, you can join us from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a good internet connection. I will be available to answer questions after class from students via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership is only $50 per month, half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us live via Zoom and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts. Also, we are in the process of creating instructional videos and workbooks to help you learn and grow with your practice!
If you are interested in joining for the first time, or it’s been awhile since you’ve attended our classes, please respond to this message so we can get you started with our Bagua Zhang Martial Arts classes!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Please share with anyone you know that might be interested in joining our classes!
New Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu class starting in August!
We have a few spots available if you would like to start training Remote online with our Beginners Bagua Zhang Kung Fu class, starting this Saturday, August 1st, at 11:30 am to 12:30 pm PST!
With all the uncertainty of the tumultuous times we are all living in, Bagua Zhang is an excellent practice to help you improve your health, increase your vitality and awareness, and develop self defense skills to meet the challenges we are facing with focus and confidence.
Once you get some of the basics down, you are welcome to join in our other regular group classes on Thursdays 7-8pm PST, and Sundays 11am-12:30pm PST.
The Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since we are training Remotely via Zoom, you can join us from anywhere in the world, as long as you have a good internet connection. I will be available to answer questions after class from students via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership is only $50 per month, half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us live via Zoom and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts. Also, we are in the process of creating instructional videos and workbooks to help you learn and grow with your practice!
If you are interested in joining for the first time, or it’s been awhile since you’ve attended our classes, please respond to this message so we can get you started with our Bagua Zhang Martial Arts classes!
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
What’s going on?
As we celebrate Emancipation Day/Juneteenth here at Mace Martial Arts, we also recognize bullying and oppression have been on the rise in recent years. All over the world we continually see examples of it, especially in current events that painfully expose America’s unresolved legacy of bullying and oppression, in “the land of the free, and home of the brave.”
I’ve had to deal with a couple bullies in the last 3 years, while teaching martial arts classes at a local park. The first incident, a man approached and asked what martial art we were practicing, but his demeanor was off, and his stilted questions shifted to provocations; I redirected him, encouraged him to give it a try, but he backed down and watched for a while before wandering away.
The second time, a few months later, another man walking his dogs approached our class, inquiring about what we were practicing. I was cordial, despite feeling his skewed intentions. His questions became increasingly rude, then he veered off topic and asked my students and me “who’d you vote for?” He then escalated to making inane, disgusting racial slurs to my diverse students and accused us of witchcraft, proclaiming how “Trump is going to make America great again!” and would send us all back where we belong. I got between him with his dogs and my students, telling him I’d be happy to show him how it works. As much as I hoped he’d back up his hate speech with action, he backed down, and grumbled as he wandered off.
My own experiences of bullying and oppression
On a personal note, among the reasons I started learning martial arts when I was young was to protect myself, not only from any bullies at school, but also from my own father, who had a slow burning explosive temper, that sometimes led to abuse. While my father tried to shelter me from the gang life he grew up in, the threat of brutality lingered throughout my childhood.
This also encouraged me to keep my martial arts training practical, as much as it was a way to channel my emotions constructively towards personal development, and taught me to deescalate confrontations.
I also grew up around a lot of racism being expressed from my father and extended family and his friends. Strangely enough, I have always been revolted by racism, even when I was very young. Some of my earliest memories were being deeply confused and offended by the vitriol and callousness of the condescending slurs I would hear. Even though it was my own family vomiting this hatred, nothing else made me feel more alienated from them. Though I’ve always respected my elders, I couldn’t tolerate their blind hatred, and frequently confronted my father and members of my family in defense of my diverse friends and interests, even if it meant refusing to eat holiday meals with them, or getting another beating.
To this day, I’m continually amazed and disgusted by the systemic hatred exposed by past and recent events that continues to divide and threaten us. I wonder why so many people are so blind to see that we are all connected brethren, spinning together on this tiny jeweled planet, circling a star, on the fringes of a galaxy swirling among countless others in a vast cosmos. But I digress…
The Bully within: where do bullies come from?
Bullies come in many forms, from the domestic violence of threatening partners and family members, cruel classmates and demeaning coworkers, to abusive superiors, oppressive government officials, and brutalizing police officers.
Bullies feel superior to and are intimidated by someone who is different; in response, they seek to dominate and attack. Bullies are predators incapable of having empathy for their prey, and lack any appreciation of diversity. The more bullies feel threatened, the more they escalate and lash out, either individually or collectively.
They may dominate and attack individuals or entire communities. The Bully/predator may threaten, demean, humiliate or attack their victims verbally, emotionally, physically or sexually, by direct or indirect means.
Racism, misogyny, homophobia and religious suppression are all forms of bullying, extremes on the spectrum of predatory behavior; the condescending supremacy is rooted in fear and control.
While bullying and oppression is nothing new, bigots of all kinds have been emboldened to crawl out from under their rocks by the recent torrent of hateful rhetoric flowing from a divisive US government administration helmed by a bully who openly gaslights and encourages hostility to such an extreme degree that it has become a sickening “new normal.”
As these toxic behaviors increase, the predators who participate in this cult of personality try to normalize their oppressive power as they worship their supreme leader. Thankfully, these bullies are being exposed on a larger scale as most people have video cameras and social media to share these incidents on a wide scale, increasing awareness and activism.
Where we stand today
At Mace Martial Arts, we support the massive protests represented in the Black Lives Matter movement demanding a long-overdue end to systemic racism and police brutality. We also acknowledge that there’s a vicious backlash as police and white supremacists retaliate by escalating attacks on minorities, protesters and innocent bystanders. I have deep respect for good police officers that put their lives on the line to protect and serve the people every day, just as I am revolted by any bigots in cop-clothing who try to hide behind their badges while continually terrorizing their communities — these corrupt officers serve injustice and must be rooted out.
My hope is extreme measures are swiftly enacted to put an end to the existential threat of systemic bigotry. But in the meantime, as a martial arts instructor, it’s become necessary that I teach my family and students self-defense to survive attacks from white supremacists, as well as confrontations with anyone else who represents a threat on some level, including those police officers that may abuse their authority. Sadly, as we’ve seen over the generations, and especially recently, sometimes the police are the white supremacist terrorists.
The problem with self-defense for civilians against police brutality and unlawful arrest, is that for legal reasons, the police currently hold legal authority in most states to use excessive force without restraint under the guise of “resisting arrest.” Which is why abusive cops are often heard repeatedly shouting “stop resisting” while they butcher their victims, so that body cameras can correspond with the bogus reports they cook up, and why so many bad cops get preferential treatment in the courts after their abuses of power.
I know the majority of police officers are good, respectful people, but the code of silence of the “thin blue line” that keeps protecting these racist terrorists in their ranks is reprehensible and unacceptable. Respect is earned through responsibility, and for law enforcement to gain trust and respect, the entire law enforcement community needs to step up, hold each other accountable, and be systematically overhauled.
We at Mace Martial Arts support all civilians, officials and officers who encourage these reforms that take a stand for social justice, and reject those in favor of maintaining the warped and evil status quo.
So what do we do about it?
There are 4 ways of dealing with a bully (an individual predator, or group of oppressive predators):
· Cave in to their demands and attacks in hope that they stop; the problem here is that you give the predator all the power, enabling and teaching them they can get whatever they want from you, or others.
· Ignore or avoid them, and hope they stop or go away; this might diffuse the predator’s threat if they decide to walk away, but it won’t stop them from attacking you or someone else later, and it will not stop a physical attack.
· Deescalate, distract or reason with them, to diffuse the conflict; if the bully is self-aware, they might learn to stop their aggression; realistically, this is rarely ever the case.
· Confront them, call them out, or take them to task; they may cower, but if they escalate, defend yourself to eliminate the threat, by whatever means appropriate and necessary. Bullies must be held accountable for their actions for them to stop attacking others and be forced to take responsibility for their actions.
Confronting bullies requires courage, but it is the only way that you stand up for your own rights and life, and the rights and lives of others the bully/predator may target.
To stop bullies, we must learn to say “no!” to them, draw a line to end their attacks and hold them accountable.
At Mace Martial Arts, we value the sanctity of all life, celebrate diversity, cultivate peace and justice, and accept students who are interested in learning how to improve and protect themselves. We have a zero-tolerance policy for bigotry and will reject any potential or current student who bullies or discriminates against others based on ethnicity, religious beliefs, or gender/orientation.
Return to Class on Father’s Day!
As King County received approval today from the Washington State Secretary of Health to enter into Phase 2 of the Safe Start program, we will be returning to in-person classes this Sunday, June 21st on Father’s Day!
We are ramping up on sanitation protocols and will require face masks in class for the instructor and students. This includes private lessons and small group classes of up to 5 students.
Remote Membership Option: I will continue to broadcast the group classes live remotely on Zoom, so that students that are unable to come to class, are too far away, or don’t feel comfortable yet to attend in person, can still follow along online.
This Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since I’ll be focused on teaching students that attend classes in person, instead of monitoring Zoom, I will be available to answer questions after class from both in-person and remote students via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership will be half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts.
I wish you a safe and enjoyable Memorial Day weekend with your family, as we honor those who have served our country and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, especially now in light of the unprecedented and unpredictable changes we are all facing this year.
The next step in gradually lifting social distancing restrictions for the pandemic may come in early June — When Phase 2 rolls out, we will resume in-person classes at Mace Martial Arts, as Washington Governor Inslee indicated that martial arts is part of the activities allowed for small gatherings. This will include private lessons as well as small group classes of up to five people.
I will confirm when in-person classes will resume when Governor Inslee gives the order to move into Phase 2 of the gradual lifting of the Pandemic quarantine measures.
But wait, there’s more: I will continue to broadcast the group classes live remotely on Zoom, so that students that are unable to come to class, are too far away, or don’t feel comfortable yet to attend in person, can still follow along online.
This Remote Membership will give you the ability to continue training by following along with our regular group classes, and see us go through exercises, forms, applications and partner drills live. Since I’ll be focused on teaching students that attend classes in person, instead of monitoring Zoom, I will be available to answer questions after class from both in-person and remote students via via the discussion board on our members-only Mace Martial Arts private chat group.
The Remote Membership will be half the price of the in-person monthly Membership, but will still give you the ability to keep training with us and access to student resources at Mace Martial Arts.
“The greatest good you can do for another is not just to share your riches, but to reveal to them their own.” – Benjamin Disraeli
The martial art that we practice at Mace Martial Arts, Bagua Zhang, is fundamentally based upon transformation — not only in the dynamics of a chaotic situation to a harmonious resolution, but also in the evolution of the practitioner.
At early stages, the Bagua Zhang student is taught basic structural principles and strategies, that through progressive training, evolves into a creative, raw and intuitive expression at advanced stages of practice.
This is one of my favorite aspects of this art, tapping into that creative flow, feeling the state of grace, and helping students discover their hidden potential and creativity.
Starting December 12th, we are adding Thursday evening classes, from 7-8pm!
Please advise if you plan to attend Thursday 7-8pm, and/or Sunday 11am-12:30pm classes.
Invite friends and family – receive a $20 discount from your next month for the referral, and they get $20 off their first month as well!
Reminder: no class held this coming Sunday, November 17th, so we’ll be making up for the time when we resume class on Sunday, November 24th.
Update – Mace Martial Arts Dojo/Guan:
We’ve been here in Shoreline for a year so far, and the training hall is coming together nicely. Come join us in class and check it out! We are holding Bagua Zhang classes on Sundays, 11am to 12:30pm, with a new weeknight class on Thursdays, 7pm-8pm, starting December 12th!
I’m teaching private lessons in the same space. It would be great to have you join in!
Kung Fu Theater Open Dojo & New Weeknight Classes at Mace Martial Arts!
Join us for the open house celebration of my new Guan (Dojo) in Shoreline, & I’m eager to add a weeknight class starting in September!
Kung Fu Theater Open Guan (Dojo) Double Feature!
Have you been wanting to check out our new training hall in Shoreline, or just have a fun, relaxing evening with the rest of us at Mace Martial Arts?
Join us for the open house celebration of my new Guan (Dojo) in Shoreline on my birthday, Saturday, August 17th, 2019, from 6pm-10pm!
I’m setting up the projection TV in the training hall, to play a Kung Fu Theater Double Feature:
Big Trouble in Little China, and Kung Fu Hustle!
All current, previous and new students are invited to the party — Please RSVP to this event here or to this email as space is limited!!
New Weeknight Classes:
For the last couple years, we’ve only had one weekly class on Sunday. I’m eager to expand availability in our new space to add a weeknight class, based on your demand, starting in September!
Are you interested? If you are, please let me know which day and time you prefer to attend:
either Wednesday or Thursday, from either 6-7pm, or 7-8pm.
Based on your feedback, I will confirm later this month with a follow up email which evening and class time we will start training on weeknights next month!
Update – Mace Martial Arts Dojo/Guan:
Since moving to Shoreline in November, we’ve transformed the 2-car garage into our new training hall. We have finished painting, have all the mats, some of the training equipment already, and planning to get training mirrors next!
We are holding Bagua Zhang classes in the new space on Sundays, 11am to 12:30pm, with a new weeknight class coming soon!
I’m teaching private lessons in the same space. It would be great to have you join in!
Throughout the Universe, energy tends to move in spirals, naturally forming matter into spheres.
The polarity of opposites creates vortexes throughout nature — from galaxies, the movement of solar systems and the gravitational fields that create planets, hurricanes and typhoons, tornadoes, are also seen in the eddies in the currents of wind and waves. Reflected even in the growth of plants, DNA strands, and in molecular and atomic structures, the swirling patterns of the Golden Mean and Fibonacci’s Curve are omnipresent throughout the universe.
Taoist sages recognized these patterns as well, and these universal truths are reflected in Bagua Zhang, the “Eight Trigrams Palm“, a refined and formidable martial art founded on an ancient practice of meditative circle walking. The goal of this ancient circle walking practice was to increase vital energy and find attunement with the energy of the universe and enlightenment.
The Sacred Spiral is reflected not only on molecular and cosmic levels, but also in the structure of our muscles as they dynamically curve around our bones, and even in the muscle fibers themselves, like rope, or cable. Bagua Zhang systematically uses these structures in our bodies to naturally develop strength, health and maximize expression of power. Bagua Zhang emphasizes circularity and the principles of spiraling and the dynamic sphere more than any other martial art, for:
More specifically, in Bagua Zhang training, the Spherical Structure is expressed in each of its foundational principles:
Energy flows in a torus spiraling around the body, as in all magnetic and gravitational fields. The Intrinsic Life-Force Energy (Qi) naturally flows to and from spherical, spiraling fields, or centers in the body – expanding (reeling outward) and contracting (reeling inward) vortexes — understanding this dynamic maximizes efficient force with minimal effort – conserving strength by utilizing the power of spherical structure and stability. Bagua Zhang’s emphasis on these coils and spirals naturally increases the practitioner’s vitality. The rigorous and balanced training stimulates the mind, increases strength, flexibility and dexterity, while also cleansing impurities, and promotes healing on physical, emotional and spiritual levels.
Bagua Zhang is truly a profound, life-changing holistic method of self-cultivation and self-defense, and why I am so passionate about sharing this amazing, life transforming practice with as many people as I can.
Saturdays 11am – 12:30pm,
Thursdays 7pm-8pm,
This new schedule will provide us the opportunity to create more instructional video and written reference material of the Mace Martial Arts curriculum for my students. We are also seeking a more stable indoor location for our classes. Stay tuned for more details!
This will also free up time for private lessons —
Private lessons now $80 per hour, and $240 for a package 4 private lessons
— please *Contact me* to schedule times to continue your training.
Register for Private Classes here!
I am grateful and happy to announce that I have found a wonderful new location for our Bagua Zhang classes! Starting tomorrow morning, Saturday, October 1st, I will be offering class at beautiful Wilcox Park in Lynnwood.
This park will be much easier to get to for those of you a little further North of Seattle, and there are many bonuses to our practicing Bagua at this lovely park.
In addition to all of these positive aspects of our new practice location, my favorite things about Wilcox Park are it’s gorgeous wooded areas, with sizable, mature trees, and that there several places within the park where we can actually practice with more serenity and privacy. Not only do the trees provide excellent shade cover for many parts of the park, but I found a few specific, really awesome spots within the canopy of trees, which are large enough to accommodate a decent sized class. These areas feel to me like a natural, open air temple, and the whole area feels very uplifting and inspirational for practicing Bagua. I trust you will love this park as much as I do!
The resonant feel and privacy of various practice spots within Wilcox Park, and the prospect of bringing classes into my home in case of cold or rainy weather, will offer a more welcoming, personal, and family atmosphere for us all. I am really excited about this, as I have desired this sense of community for our classes for some time.
Speaking of family, one last thing to mention about this park, is that it has a children’s playground and a basketball court for those of you with children, in case you care to bring them and someone to watch them while you practice!
Saturday & Sunday mornings 11am-12pm,
and Tuesday & Thursday evenings 6pm-7pm
See you in class soon!
I’ve been familiar with the benefits of essential oils for several years, from when I was studying and practicing massage therapy. I’d heard of doTERRA, but I hadn’t actually used the brand until September of last year, when I was invited to attend the International doTERRA annual convention in Utah. I have to admit I was blown away by the high quality and diversity of their products, and even more so with the integrity of the company and their leadership in environmental and social consciousness. That weekend was a life-changing experience, and I knew this was something I had to be a part of.
I’ve been using the oils daily since then, learning about the benefits first hand as I feel steady improvements in my health, energy levels, focus and balance; after sharing with my family and martial arts students, I’m grateful for witnessing their excitement with the results they’ve experienced too. I’ll be sharing the oils again with 2 free presentations I’ll be giving to family and friends when I visit Omaha in March:
Stress Less with Essential Oils – Friday, March 11, 2016 – Bellevue, NE
Stress Less with Essential Oils – Saturday, March 12, 2016 – Papillion, NE
If you are open to alternative forms of health care, tell me some of your health goals — I’m happy to share some samples of essential oils for you to try for yourself. If you’d like to learn more, I’d love to meet with you, either one on one, or to set up a small gathering with some of your family and friends for a personal presentation. I’m confident these oils will have a profound impact on your life as well!
Also during my next visit to Omaha in 2 weeks, I will be teaching a 2 part workshop on Bagua Zhang (“8 Trigrams Palm”) and Self Defense, on Sunday, March 13th, from 10am to 2:30pm.
Learn to boost your confidence, awareness, strength and flexibility with practical, hands on training and no-nonsense techniques for defending yourself.
Part 1: Moving Meditation ~ Bagua Zhang : The Circular Art of Transformation — focusing on developing awareness and coiling power for flexibility, health and self-defense
Part 2: Self Defense and Awareness — focusing on awareness, evasion, and body weapons that women and even small children can use to protect themselves
Shifu Dennis Mace has been training and teaching holistic Martial Arts and Qi-Gong since 1982. His thorough, hands on approach, emphasizing courtesy and ethics, and his commitment to cultivating each student’s authentic skills and improving their overall health and empowerment has contributed to his widespread popularity in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
When Karen Atkins & I started collaborating to create the Essential Energy Classes a couple months ago, we were both deeply inspired to share the integration of the Energy Cultivation of Qi-Gong traditions we’ve practiced for decades, with the naturally supportive qualities of Essential Oils — both of these ancient technologies have had a profound impact on our lives, and we know that these simple daily practices can improve the lives of millions of people, by restoring their vitality and youthful joy.
Since then, we’ve already taught Essential Energy Workshops from coast to coast:
from Arcata, CA and Seattle, WA,
to full capacity in Bangor, ME, New York City and upstate New York —
— in each event, Karen and I have loved to see the inspiration catch like wildfire in the attendees!
So, Karen and I are riding the wave and expanding our campaign, and teaching our next Essential Energy Workshop in Hayward, CA on Sunday, December 6th at the True Fight Club from 2pm-4pm — Space is Limited — you can enroll here!
For people that have attended an Essential Energy Workshop and want more tools to make it a daily practice, Karen and I will be teaching an Essential Energy 4-Week Online Course on each Monday in January, 2016, from 10am-11am (Pacific Time Zone) — enroll for the Online Course here!
We are planning more Essential Energy Workshops and programs, so let us know if you’d like us to teach in your area, share with others that would enjoy these classes, and stay tuned for upcoming events!
The culmination and pinnacle of my training and teaching in Martial Arts and Energy work over the last 33 years, is the holistic and esoteric art of Bagua Zhang (“8 Trigrams Palm”), The Circular Art of Transformation.
Are you looking for holistic exercise with real world self-defense?
Bagua Zhang training focuses on core-strength, balanced alignment and maintaining a calm mind while moving from one’s center with continuous circular motion for enhanced awareness. You will learn how to increase energy, become more grounded, increase intuition and connection with patients and your environment, and build self-confidence through the spiral movements and coiling power of Bagua Zhang.
Discover your inner-power and evolve with the ancient wisdom of Bagua Zhang ~ the Art of the Vortex! For children and adults, beginners and experienced practitioners welcome!
The first at the Dreamclinic in Seattle, WA on Saturday, December 12th, from 5pm-7pm,
and the second at Dragon Arts in Omaha, NE on Sunday, December 20th, from 1pm-4pm.
Bagua Workshop Attendees get $20 off their 1st Month of Membership at Mace Martial Arts!
Karen Atkins – AdvCBP, AdvCBI, LMT, Certified Wudang Qigong Instructor
Karen Atkins cultivates practices that help people take better care of themselves and find their optimal state of being on all levels. Through “Restore Your Soul”, an awareness based business, Karen supports lifestyle education and transformation through nourishment, Qi Gong, essential oils, BodyTalk, music, and other therapeutic methods. She has recently been featured on Ted Talks and Good Morning America.
* Dennis Mace – LMT, Yiliquan Kung Fu Black Belt, Formal Disciple of Yang Guotai
Shifu Dennis Mace has been training and teaching holistic Martial Arts and Qi-Gong since 1982. His thorough, hands on approach, emphasizing courtesy and ethics, and his commitment to cultivating each student’s authentic skills and improving their overall health and empowerment has contributed to his widespread popularity in the Pacific Northwest and beyond.
What we call “Mixed Martial Arts” today is mostly a sport-based amalgamation of Western Boxing, Muay Thai, and Brazialian jiu-jitsu, usually practiced in sporting events where fighters compete in a matted “cage” or ring. There are often other systems that influence the athletes in the sport, but these systems are the most common and popular. “Mixed Martial Arts” is the newest fad in martial arts training, and became popular in 1993 with the heavily promoted ‘Ultimate Fighting Championship.’
Modern Muay Thai is a sport that comes from a root of older “Muay Boran” (traditional combat styles from Thailand), and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu comes from a simplified combination of Japanese Jujutsu systems and Judo.
Judo itself is a blend of several different Jujutsu systems compiled by Dr Jigoro Kano, simplified to be presented to the public at large in Japan, with a focus on self development at its core.
Taijiquan (Tai Chi) comes from 5 different martial arts systems, combined by a battle hardened Chinese General 500 years ago. Though it’s the most widely practiced martial art in the world, most people only learn the outer shell of it for exercise and meditation, without any understanding of the practical self-defense roots at the core of Taijiquan.
Choy Lay Fut is a well-known Chinese Street-fighting martial art combination of 3 different systems (that were also combinations of other family systems).
Wing Chun is widely popular Chinese Martial Art, with roots in various martial arts from the Shaolin Temple, made famous by it’s most legendary proponent, Bruce Lee. Bruce Lee is often credited as the “Father of Mixed Martial Arts”, as his philosophy “Jeet Kune Do” (“Way of the Intercepting Fist”) was to learn the basics of a system, then adapt, “use no way as way”, and express one’s self without the limitation of style. Though Bruce Lee was an inspiring visionary, the practice of mixing and adapting in martial arts has been with us since their inception several millennia ago.
The legendary Shaolin Temple and Wudang Temple are both important melting pots of hundreds of different systems in China. The Shaolin (“Young Forest”) temple is often credited as the birthplace of Chinese Martial Arts, but this is not so — the Chan (Zen) Buddhist Shaolin Temple was built in the 7th Century AD, and Chinese martial arts were already deeply systematized over 4,000 years before that (refer back to Sun Tzu’s “Art of War”).
Karate is commonly translated today as “Empty Hand”, however, it originally meant “China-Hand” in Okinawa, because it was comprised of multiple different systems imported from China. Later, in the early 20th Century, when Karate began to be taught in Japan, the Imperialists in Japan changed the characters’ meaning Kara (Chinese) to Kara (Empty), because of racist politics of the fascist regime at the time.
Tae Kwon Do & Tang Soo Do are both Korean derivatives of Shotokan (“Shoto’s House”) Karate, Shoto meaning the nickname for the Okinawan Instructor Gichin Funakoshi, who brought Okinawan Karate to Japan.
Silat are a collective of hundreds of very different martial arts styles from Malaysia, Burma, Indonesia, and the Phillipines, many of which are heavily influenced by Chinese styles of martial arts.
the origins of which is credited to Dong Haichuan (1797 – 1882), who was already an accomplished expert of several different Shaolin martial arts styles, before he purportedly traveled to live at a Taoist Monastery for a decade. It is there, where Dong Haichuan learned the the ancient Taoist circle walking practices (at least 4,000 years old) and secretive martial arts that formed the foundation of what he synthesized with his previous martial training and later started teaching in Beijing as “Zhuan Zhang” (“Turning Palms”), which was eventually termed “Bagua Zhang” (“8 Trigrams Palm”). Dong Haichuan is therefore acknowledged as the primary transmitter of the system, not the actual founder, as the original arts arts Bagua Zhang was based on were taught secretly for thousands of years before he was introduced to them.*
Dong Haichuan selectively accepted many disciples, though purportedly only ones that were already experts of other martial arts. Dong Haichuan then took each students’ individual background training, and enhanced it with the dynamic circular principles of Bagua Zhang, resulting in myriads of different branches of the system. The differences between branches of Bagua Zhang is further widened, as each disciple was encouraged to find their own natural expression of the art, after they had built a solid foundation with the basics of Bagua Zhang.
* Regarding Bagua Zhang’s ancient history before Dong Haichaun, please read this fascinating article by Bruce Frantzis.
Introducing new Bagua Zhang Package Programs at Mace Martial Arts!
Now offering Package Programs — for students that want an immersive learning experience, with more support and resources to help guide you to your goals.
Bagua Zhang Package Programs Online
Do you want to study a holistic martial art – Bagua Zhang, but don’t have a teacher in your area?
While it may not be as personal or effective as learning in person with an instructor, it’s the next best thing, thanks to developments in technology. Here are
All you need to get started with remote online video classes is:
and you’re set!
Before we get started, here are
So all that’s left is to sign up and schedule your classes – I’m looking forward to training with you soon!
Register for Private Classes Online
Now offering 2 package programs — 6 month Essential Package, and full year Journey to Mastery Package — for students that want an immersive learning experience and are ready to commit to lifestyle change and certification, with more support and resources to help guide you to your goals. Each of these programs include all regular group classes, private lessons, half-off workshops, testing fees and membership fees all at a package discount.
Have you encountered problems in your life where you feel attacked, dominated or just overwhelmed?
We all have at some point – maybe your job, an irritating family member, financial burdens, a painful injury, severe weather, an obnoxious neighbor, a bad haircut, or who died in the last “Game of Thrones” episode – most of us are struggling with some tragic situation almost every day.
When I was growing up, one of my greatest struggles was with my father — a quiet, funny, tough, street-wise man — who was also domineering, alcoholic, sometimes cruel, demeaning and abusive. I learned to deal with it by isolating myself, being introverted, and becoming very sensitive to my Dad’s slow-burning, explosive temper — especially after he’d been drinking.
There were times I remember my little sister hiding behind me in a corner of my room, as I pushed through our terror to try and protect us from Dad’s rages after he’d been out drinking.
Instead of being bitter about it, I realize the experience fostered attributes I might not have otherwise: empathy, being protective of family, vowing never to become alcoholic, and a passion to express myself through art, and martial arts.
Despite the turmoil, my Dad encouraged my passion for artwork and martial arts. I’ll never forget when, at my High School graduation, with a tear in his eye and lump in his throat, my father told me how proud he was of me (since he’d dropped out), and how sorry he was for many of the things he did; he said he wanted to make sure I grew up to be a better man than he was. He passed away just 4 months later.
Even though it was rough growing up sometimes, I realize — especially after becoming a parent myself — my Mom and Dad were both doing the best they could, and I appreciate all the opportunities they gave me. I miss Dad more as time goes on, and wish I could have thanked him before he passed. I wouldn’t change my childhood at all, even if I could. It’s helped me grow to be who I am.
Dad and I, 1982.
Through the courtesy and rigor of martial arts practice, we learn to defend ourselves from physical attack — the first, most obvious threat to health and well-being. In the beginning, we learn a system of strategies, that teach us attacks targeting us are bridges to opportunity for survival, learning, and improvement.
As we progress in training, and integrate those strategies into our being, we realize that those physical techniques are metaphors for how the strategies can be applied to any aggression or obstacle in our daily lives, to improve self-expression and communication in how we relate with friends, coworkers, and family.
Even further, as we continue to train, we realize those same strategies are powerfully effective in overcoming personal barriers in our own spiritual growth.
Here at Vajra Visions, I share an innovative system that integrates
the principles of the Taoist martial art Bagua Zhang (“8 Trigrams Palm”, the art of transformation),
with the mystical Elements of Tantric Buddhism – a holistic system designed to cultivate each student on all levels.
Experience the Vortex — Discover your inner-power and evolve with the Ancient wisdom of Vajra Bagua Zhang (金剛八卦掌 “Thunderbolt 8 Trigrams Palm”), the Circular Art of Transformation!
Take the next step in your evolution – join our classes today!
www.MaceMartialArts.com
Training available in person and remote/private video classes online!
Instructor: Shifu Dennis Mace began Martial Arts in 1982, and now teaches in Seattle, WA
with thorough, hands on detail, emphasizing courtesy and ethics, and is committed to cultivating each student’s authentic skills and improving their overall health and empowerment. He is also available for workshops and seminars!
Introducing 3 new Bagua Zhang Package Programs at Mace Martial Arts — quarterly, 6 month, and full year — for an immersive learning experience, with more support and resources to help guide you to your goals. Each of these 3 programs include group classes, private lessons, full uniforms (shirt, pants & sash), half-off workshops, testing fees and membership fees all at a package discount.
Have you been interested in taking Bagua Zhang Classes, but there’s no teacher in your area, or the class times do not fit your schedule?
I have a great solution: I am launching a new program to teach Bagua Zhang classes privately via remote video online!
All you need is:
Schedule a time to begin your training now!
Introducing 3 new Bagua Zhang Package Programs at Mace Martial Arts — quarterly, 6 month, and full year — for an immersive learning experience, with more support and resources to help guide you to your goals. Each of these 3 programs include group classes, private lessons, full uniforms (shirt, pants & sash), half-off workshops, testing fees and membership fees all at a package discount.
Stay tuned for the updates as I roll them out – Happy New Year to you and your dear ones!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace, LMT
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts
The Other MMA ~ Look within to reveal and heal your True Self!
cell/text 206-440-9187
Please give your feedback to improve classes and materials — New Classes, Workshops and video material coming soon!
If you’ve had a chance to try my classes or workshops, thank you for your interest and commitment!
Your invaluable input would be immensely helpful as I develop more effective, meaningful lessons and materials.
If you’ve been considering taking my classes, I’m teaching an Introduction to Bagua Zhang Workshop tomorrow, Saturday, June 21st at New Seattle Massage, from 1pm – 4pm. Join in and give it a whirl!
If you would like to continue with regular training,
Join our New Bagua Zhang Classes!
Please let me know if you have any questions — Talk to you soon!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace, LMT
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts & Massage Therapy
www.MaceMartialArts.com
The Other MMA ~ Look within to reveal and heal your True Self!
Published on: Jul 4, 2014
I hear this question a lot.
While it seems contradictory, the practices are actually complimentary – on several levels.
Martial and Healing Arts have been practiced in tandem in most cultures for several millenia. Though this tradition has been lost in the West, in most of Asia it’s stereotypical for the village martial arts instructor to also be the village doctor. As I was growing up, each of my martial arts instructors had a background in some form(s) of healthcare, from first aid and western medicine to Chinese medical theory & Tui-Na — and we learned those healing methods as part of the martial arts curriculum.
Why’s that?
Well, not only does first aid come in handy for training injuries, but other healing methods keep us in top shape to continue training on the path of personal refinement.
Also, a strong working knowledge of physiology and anatomy makes self-defense skills much more practical; alternately, learning self-defense also makes a healthcare practitioner aware of not only the frailty of life, but also it’s limitless potential to heal and grow. From an ethical perspective, martial arts teaches responsibility to help ourselves, and help others.
“With great power comes great responsibility…”
For me, massage therapy is a facet of my martial arts practice, the goal is to help others heal and find balance.
I view Healthcare and Martial Arts as flip sides of the same coin, and believe that martial arts is a Fourfold Path:
Becoming a professional healthcare provider has been a rewarding step in fulfilling this Fourfold Cycle. My martial arts background enhances my bodywork practice with refined sensitivity and intuition. I integrate Deep Tissue, myofacial release and energy work in each therapeutic session. My commitment is to provide each client their own individual treatment plan, and a uniquely fluid, integrated bodywork experience that is seamlessly restorative and relaxing.Schedule your appointment today, and enroll in my life-changing classes — I will help you return to your center, health and wellness!
Saturday mornings 10am-11am, &
Tuesday evenings 6pm-7pm, at
Seattle Asian Medicine and Martial Artsand Monday afternoons 12pm-1pm at
Seattle Center, Key Arena (outdoors, North Courtyard)
Call or email to register for classes!
Published on: May 13, 2014
If you’d like to try something new to
come try my Bagua Zhang class!
Starting Saturday mornings, later this month on February 21st, from 10am-11pm at
Seattle Asian Medicine and Martial Arts
12025 Lake City Way NE Suite B
Seattle, Washington 98125
www.sam-ma.com
Looking forward to helping you again soon ~ Happy Lunar New Year to you and your dear ones!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace, LMT
Look within to reveal and heal your True Self!
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts & Massage Therapy
cell/text 206-440-9187
Published on: Feb 1, 2014
Tonight is the Winter Solstice, the longest night of the year, and you might feel a bit sleep deprived, with Holidays and the Year’s end upon us.
While the days are shorter and the nights are longer, do you find yourself wanting more sleep than usual? Maybe waking in the middle of the night and struggling to get back to sleep?
Rest assured, you probably don’t have a sleep disorder — I can certainly relate, and am looking forward to catching up on rest!
Sleep is necessary for us to “recharge our batteries” energetically, to “reset” and heal our body, mind and spirit. Good, restful sleep is deeply restorative in many ways:
One of my Bagua Zhang instructors recommended waking up in the middle of the night to train and meditate because of the lack of distractions and optimal energy flux in our bodies’ natural cycles. There are ancient Taoist manuals that recommend practicing Qi-Gong around 2am because of this energetic circadian rhythm.
I remember when I was child waking up in the wee hours of the night and having profound moments of clarity and calm. I sometimes still do this, but because of our modern perception of what our sleep cycles “should be” (8 hour blocks), I wondered if I had a sleep disorder.
You might be surprised, as I was recently, to find out it was once common to have a bi-modal sleeping pattern, referred to as ‘first sleep‘ and ‘second sleep‘ before electric lighting in homes, where people would go to sleep around 8pm, wake up between 11pm and 1am to read or write for a couple hours before returning to sleep again… therefore the expression “burning the midnight oil.”
Apparently, bi-modal sleeping patterns are more natural, and our modern perception of sleep cycles are distorted and need some revision… This lends credence to the adage “early to bed, early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise“…
Here’s a great article that challenges the myths of getting “a proper night’s sleep”:
Other research suggests sleeping more than 6 hours at once can be detrimental
A better solution could be sleeping in 4-6 hour blocks, and then taking a nap later on if necessary.
The truth is, we all have different individual needs that change season to season, and under different conditions. So, listen to your body’s needs, including following your own sleep patterns, and you’ll feel much better!
Wishing you and yours very Happy Holidays and a refreshingly restorative Winter!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace
Look within to reveal and heal your True Self!
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts
cell/text 206-440-9187
P.S.: The impressive dreamlike vision is called “Winter Dragon“, by talented artist Ashley Stewart, enjoy!
First Published on: Dec 21, 2013,
Edited on: Dec 20, 2016
Come in to check out my new space and get a great massage at New Seattle Massage in Seattle’s University District!
Starting this month I will be consolidating my practice from Bothell and Seattle to one central location, with more availability for your schedule at New Seattle Massage.
To enhance your healing experience, this tranquil and beautiful environment offers
To schedule an appointment with me at New Seattle Massage,
call (206) 632-5074.
New Seattle Massage
4519 1/2 University Way NE
Seattle, WA 98105
Validated Parking available for the nearby lot on Brooklyn Ave NE between NE 47th Street and NE 45th Street.
I’ll be looking forward to helping you again soon!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace, LMT
Look within to reveal and heal your True Self!
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts & Massage Therapy
cell/text 206-440-9187
P.S.: If you have a massage package or gift certificate that hasn’t been completed or redeemed yet, please schedule with me at either my Wallingford or Bothell office before they expire at the end of October ~ you can forward the credit to a friend or family member as well ~ email or call me if you have any questions!
Published on: Oct 2, 2013
In my previous article, I introduced two crucial deep breathing methods to reduce pain and increase your energy. Now, I’ll be taking you to the next level, to help you eliminate pain, get grounded, more connected and discover your inner-power!
“Inner-Power“, you ask?
Yep!
In Chinese, it’s called Qi (pronounced “chee“), and means “breath” and “energy”, interchangeably. Have you seen the Star Wars movies? “The Force” is the same ancient concept of connection and Vitality.
Using the Reverse Breathing method I shared in my previous article is a key to tap your inner-power, combining focus and imagination in this transformative healing aspect of Qi-Gong (“Breath/Energy Cultivation“), called “Microcosmic Orbit“.
This practice connects the 2 main center-line Acupuncture Meridians*
in your body in a continuous loop.
These meridians flow naturally — as long as we’re alive. By practicing Microcosmic Orbit, you consciously open and “charge” this circuit for increased healing energy, circulation and awareness.
The key elements to practicing Microcosmic Orbit are:
Practice this cycle for several breaths for the full effect. You may feel warmth, tingling, magnetic pressure, a rush of awareness, as well as physical healing and emotional clearing. You can practice while sitting, standing, and eventually even while walking!
Practicing Microcosmic Orbit will help correct your posture, boost and ground your energy, while helping you feel more open and connected at the same time!
If you liked this article, and want more, I’m creating
So get connected and sign up here!
Best wishes, see you soon!
Sincerely,
Dennis Mace, LMP
Look within to reveal and heal your true self!
Vajra Visions – Mace Martial Arts & Massage Therapy
Tel (206) 440-9187
P.S.: For hands on training in Qi-Gong and much more, come check out my classes, my first 8 week session of Moving Mediation – Bagua: The Circular Art of Transformation starting in 2 weeks!
In these classes, you will learn how to
through the spiral power of Bagua Zhang.
Classes are once a week, in progressive 8 week sessions, starting in Seattle on Tuesday August 20th or Saturday, August 24th, and in Bothell on Thursday, August 22nd.
Register for the 8 week session now!
* the 2 main center-line Acupuncture Meridians in your body are:
Published on: Aug 4, 2013
In my last post, I shared one of the most effective secrets to correct posture and reduce pain — deep breathing.
What results have you noticed from using the posture & deep breathing methods in my previous article?
To enhance the health benefits, here are 2 deep breathing methods that will help you feel more centered, grounded, and energized!
The key to both methods is to imagine drawing your breath deep into your belly, to your body’s center of gravity (below your navel 1-2 inches, at your body’s core).
Abdominal breathing is the relaxed breathing we naturally use when sleeping. This form of breathing soothes tension and anxiety, clears the mind and calms emotions.
In abdominal breathing, your abdomen naturally expands when you inhale, and contracts as you exhale.
Reverse breathing is the breathing we naturally use when exerting to lift, pull or press something heavy. Referred to as “prenatal breathing” by Taoist Masters, as it is the “breath” used by infants still in the womb. For thousands of years, Qi-Gong (“breath/energy-work”) Masters have regarded this breathing method as a secret to vitality and longevity.
In Reverse Breathing, your abdomen contracts as you inhale, then your abdomen compresses and your lower back (around your kidneys) expands as you exhale. This creates a subtle, yet powerful internal pump that stimulates the endocrine system and energy flow throughout your body.
So, if you are feeling anxious or stressed, practice Abdominal Breathing to calm your mind and soothe tension, and to help wind down at the end of your day.
If you are feeling exhausted or scattered, practice Reverse Breathing to revive and get focused, or to start your day when you wake up — who needs coffee, right? 😉
Stay tuned for my next article ~
I will share more to clarify and enhance the efficacy of the Reverse Breathing method…
If you liked this article, and want more, I’m creating
So get connected and sign up here!
P.S.: If you’d like to learn more about these powerful healing methods hands on, come check out my classes ~ Announcing my first 8 week session of Moving Mediation – Bagua: The Circular Art of Transformation!
In these classes, you will learn how to
through the spiral movements and coiling power of Bagua Zhang.
Classes are once a week, in 8 week sessions, starting in Seattle on Tuesday August 20th or Saturday, August 24th, and in Bothell on Thursday, August 22nd.
Register for the 8 week session now!
Published on: Jul 21, 2013