Finding Empowerment within the Upsetting Context of Mass Shootings

an Interview with SAC Kieran Ramsey, FBI Portland

Sylvia Smart

Listen to the Podcast

There’s a clear uptick in mass shootings across the country leading to lots of fear, confusion and anguish. Join Sylvia Smart and Special Agent in Charge of the Portland FBI, Kieran Ramsey, as they discuss this important topic.

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Teaching The Teacher 2024 Feature:  Capoeira

Schelsea Jones

Origins of Capoeira
Capoeira is an Afro-Brazilian martial art that combines music and movement into a unique and visually expressive fighting style. Its origins lie in ancient African martial arts practiced by
people from the West and Central African (Bantu-Congo) regions of the continent.  During the transatlantic slave trade, these people were stolen and brought to Brazil where Capoeira evolved.  Although capoeira is not a dance, many assume it to be a “dance-fight” because the practitioners appear to be dancing when they are moving around each other.  Enslaved people, however, were not allowed to outwardly practice martial arts or any other aspects of their
culture.  Practicing capoeira in secret was a form of resistance and defiance to slave masters.

Capoeira Is Music
For African people, there is no separation of music and movement within their cultures.  Music and dance are used to express feelings and commune with the ancestors during celebrations, times of mourning and religious ceremonies. Capoeira songs are sung about spiritual connections, struggles of daily life, relationships with family as well as to convey warnings about impending danger.  The capoeira music cannot be separated from the movement as it is
an integral part of the practice.

Introduction To Capoeira Class
Our class will focus on the fundamental movements and music of capoeira. Students will learn the basic mechanics of the footwork, how to interact with each other using kicks and escapes, and learn capoeira songs.  Instruments will be provided so that students can learn the basic
rhythms with live music.

*Schelsea Jones' class is Saturday, April 13, 7:45-9:15 am in the Executive Room.

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Teaching The Teacher 2024 Feature:

When The Student Is Ready, The Teacher Will Appear

Helen H. Yee

Growing up in Midwestern Ohio and being the only Asian person in my school, I had experienced racism and bullying most of my childhood.

So, seeing Bruce Lee in the movies, as my hero, (I hadn’t heard of Michelle Yeoh yet),only solidified my interest in the Martial Arts.

I wanted to learn how to defend myself, and also do all the fancy, kicking, punching, and fast action hero moves in the films.

When I did start taking Martial Arts, it was like something switched within me… Because learning Martial Arts was more than just knowing all the fighting and fancy kicks, but it allowed me to build my confidence and many other virtues that come with learning a Martial Arts discipline.

Not only did I compete and train to a high level of competing, but I became physically and mentally strong.

My physical abilities gave me the advantage to compete at a high caliber. 

However, it wasn’t until I met my first Chigong master, Master Wen Mei Yu, who I met during a NWMAF special training camp, and she explained to me, that my energy was very imbalanced and that I needed to do Chigong. 

So that was my first time ever hearing what Chigong was. it wasn’t until I realize how much my internal strength was depleted, (for example, getting strep throat at every competition), and I learned it was because my Chi was weakened by excessive training and losing weight to stay in my weight division.

On my journey back to balance and wellness, I would fly Master Yu to Columbus to do Chigong workshops at my massage and acupuncture school to teach others how to strengthen their internal energy. (And in Mstr Yu fashion, she drew over a hundred geese in my parking lot during her workshop one day!)

I had also learned from other Chigong masters in China, while taking my acupuncture students for their externship at the teaching hospitals in Beijing and Chengdu, that I immersed myself in learning, the different types of Chigong, mainly Medical Chigong to teach in my school’s program of Traditional Chinese medicine.

My grandfather was actually the first to want me to do these funny, slow exercises and Tai Chi with him but at that time I was not interested and I said that is for old people so  now that I am an old person, well… older, I am wanting to pass on the knowledge that I have learned that have benefited me greatly in my wellness journey of life. As they say: “When the student is ready, the teacher will appear.”

My deep, deep gratitude to Master Wen Mei Yu for being that teacher to opening the door to the internal strength I powerfully gained from Chigong.

If you come to the AWMAI conference, I will be teaching Chigong warm-ups and exercises, as well as a medical Chigong routine called Soaring Crane:  Integration of the six directions.

If you want to see a demonstration of it, check out my website where I demonstrate it at the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation camp last year.

Chi you later!

*Helen Yee's class is Sunday, April 14, 8-9:15 am in Room 31.

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Thoughts

Jamie Zimron Sensei, AWMAI Co-Founder

Dear AWMAI Sisters, this is a letter from my heart to yours. We have all been dedicating ourselves and martial arts careers for decades to cultivating respect, equity, and peace, and combating every -ism.  Yet our spirits are heavy as horrifying wars rage in Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, and people are being harmed across the planet by terrifying socio-political and environmental threats.  I want to underscore the vital work we do and important roles we play as women martial arts instructors in this deeply wayward world.  I was a twentysomething brown belt in the late 1970s when I bumped into an awesome group of women training in the Bay Area. They were doing different martial arts, and hanging out in the Sierras for thrilling weekends sharing their styles.  I was thrilled to jump in and add Aikido to the mix. I learned to kick and punch from them, they learned to blend and take falls from me, and we co-created martial arts performances and opened women-led dojos. These were the early days that led to PAWMA, and the fertile origins of our women’s martial arts movement and organizations.

What was so beautiful then was the eagerness we all had to learn from and with each other, regardless of style or rank; and our mission to make the world a safer and better place.  Coming together in commonality, we relished our variety and diversity.  In 1979, as I was preparing for my Shodan test, my girlfriend said:  “You’re looking good on the mat.  But remember, this is really about becoming a black belt person!”  Her message, and those experiences of purely sharing our knowledge across arts, are what I love about AWMAI - and urge us to keep emphasizing as we go forward today and for tomorrow.

Soon after Putin’s invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, I travelled to Poland with a sensei friend to offer Aikido-based Somatic Trauma Relief sessions in ad hoc refugee centers.  The invasion violently ripped up families and communities, with thousands upon thousands of mothers and kids suddenly displaced as they fled from and the men went to war.  In the overwhelming trauma, these initial sessions proved welcome, joyful, and a source of body-based resilience.

Amid row after row of makeshift cots in school gyms, and at hotels and camp retreats opened to refugees, each somatic session provided a literal breather and happy timeout.  We taught Centering, grounding, and calming skills to help people manage intense stress and emotions.  All ages played Aiki empowerment games, and enjoyed fun fitness and
connection exercises.  Everyone loved stretching, breathing, moving, and pairing up for massages.  Even the exhausted Polish aid workers asked to join in, not only as translators but grateful participants.

It is so clearly vital for people to feel as safe and “normal” as possible; and to learn to directly relax and regulate raw nerves and feelings under stress.  This is a huge part of what we learn and teach in facing attacks in the dojo.  I’ll never forget Vlod, age 11, disappearing to don his karate gi.  He proudly demonstrated a favorite kata for us, then scrolled through his phone for photos of his dojo in Ukraine. I thought wow, this boy made sure to grab his martial arts uniform while running for dear life!

In early April, I will be making a return Aikido trip to teach in Uzhgorod in western Ukraine, with stops for classes in Budapest and Kosice and Presov in Slovakia.  Uzhgorod is just kilometers from NATO borders so is a relatively safe haven for Ukrainians fleeing artillery and bombs.  I’m excited to be hosted by Sensei Timea Bodi and her husband Sergey, and all their students at Ikigai Dojo.  I’ll be spending time with Olga Stegura Sensei, to observe the somatic psychotherapeutic trauma recovery work she has been doing with an endless stream of clients since the war started.  Below are links to short videos from my earlier trips, including a weekend Youth Seminar with 200 Ukrainian Aiki kids bursting with energy!

Neither leaders nor peacekeeping agencies, as yet, seem able to stop out-of-control killing and suffering.  It is often said that war would stop overnight if mothers and The Grandmothers were in charge.  That would be us – and the powerful, connected, loving girls and daughters we raise!  Through the years, Centering and Peaceful Power have become ever more central in my Aikido and work. I’d like to thank Aiki Extensions for always supporting peace-making initiatives, and to close with a few excerpts from my book that is close to being in hand:

“A bumper sticker says: Sh.t happens, Shift needs to happen! The play on words is so true, and Centering is the starting place for shifting from reactive to peacefully powerful ways of being and living.  Centering is a simple turning and co-creative
returning to the phenomenal wellspring of life-energy within.  This connection seats you in unity and identity with all things, so you can relate and achieve in states of dynamic harmony and extraordinary flow.

Settling into your body-Center taps you into an inner fountain of empathy, dignity, intuition, spontaneity and grace as you move through your days.  It costs no money, is do-able all day long, and yields a palpably coherent sense of self.  You cultivate inherent powers of presence, authenticity, equilibrium, and resilience.  Natural laws are more potent than egoic human desires and actions.  Connected in your core you bring more value, love, and joy into your personal life, and harmony into the world.

Looking out on our troubled world, the backdrop of life’s unity and nature’s balance is sadly obscured.  Disregard, division, and battling power blocs are shredding the landscape.  Truth is denied daily by disingenuous leaders, and democracy is in danger of unraveling.  Humanity cannot yet claim enough evolution in ending discrimination and oppression, or ensuring life and liberty for all.  Building Centered capacity is the core practice for strengthening commonality, managing life’s conflicts and complexities and developing successful leadership of self and others.

Taking stock of today’s dangerous skews, imbalances, and toxicities can be either depressing … or the exciting clarion call to restore the balance, sanity and humanity needed to repair life on this glorious planet now and for generations to come.
Essential shifts and solutions are at hand, with the power to transform both our own struggles and today’s formidable realities.  Inhabiting our body-mind Center within universal order, you and I can work with and not against nature and our true nature.  We become the Centered harmonizing agent in our lives, positively influencing people, situations and the world along our daily Centered Way.”

The question is not really what is the way to peace.  Even during the Hamas-Israel war, brave peaceful warriors are together proclaiming and adhering to this answer:  Peace IS the way.

Resources:

Aikido for Ukraine Youth Seminar in Uzhgorod, April, 2023

Training at Ikigai Dojo in Uzhgorod, March 2023

Refugees, Ukrainian Twins: Aikido and Trauma Healing

Ukrainian Judo Instructor who fled with her son from Mariupol area

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