The US federal election is over; but the ramifications are only starting to sink in. I am sadly not surprised by the result though I, like many, hoped for a different one. As the US reckons with the outcome, people in my own country of Canada are facing right-wing authoritarianism spurred on by many of the same factors as the US. One of the scariest to me is the network of Christians whose faith leads them to oppress and condemn all those who don’t fit within a narrow set of “acceptable” beliefs. This Christian network has long been allied with right-wing political parties across North America and their decades of concerted effort are showing their fruit. Hopefully, this fruit will be so rotten that their efforts will be rejected before too much longer. In the meantime, resources to practice resilience and maintain resistance are more important than ever.
Books
I highly recommend reading the following books, which focus on embodiment and offer practical tools towards relating with your own body and the bodies of others.
Embodied Activism: Engaging the Body to Cultivate Liberation, Justice, and Authentic Connection – A Practical Guide for Transformative Social Change by Rae Johnson
The Wisdom of Your Body: Finding Healing, Wholeness, and Connection Through Embodied Living by Hillary McBride
Your Body Is a Revolution: Healing, Our Relationships with Our Bodies, Each Other, and the Earth by Tara Teng.
Practices
Tai Chi – embodied practices like tai chi have been a huge help in my own life. Finding good teachers can be difficult and some research may be necessary, but it’s well-worth it. Many tai chi styles emphasize self-defense to various degrees, and the Taoist perspective underlying much of tai chi as some useful remedies to standard Western epistemologies. Here are a few recommendations to get started:
East Mountain Internal Arts – teaches Chen tai chi, qigong, xingyi and bagua. My instructor James Saper runs this school. There are plenty of options for online participation and there are in-class options if you’re in southwestern Ontario.
TNT Kung Fu – run by Master Jack Yan, the designated disciple of Grandmaster Chen Zhenglei in Canada. Jack Yan taught my instructor, and I now study with him through on-demand and the occasional live virtual class.
Hoggs Chen Tai Chi Praxeum – my own platform to promote Chen style tai chi. I’m taking a step toward becoming an instructor by offering workshops and lessons in one-on-one and small group formats. I also amplify other content from tai chi instructors (especially East Mountain Internal Arts) so worth checking out for that too!
Other Embodied Practices and Communities– tai chi isn’t for everyone and I respect that. I still maintain that embodied practices are one of the best ways to cultivate resilience and resistance, especially when done in community. Dancing, swimming, yoga, group fitness classes, and many more can all be rewarding. Here are a few I’d recommend checking out:
Loyobo – An excellent online community that centers mindset, community and movement.
Moonlight Yoga – A yoga studio in Guelph that is one of the most 2SLGBTQIA+ friendly I’ve come across.
Community
Collective empowerment and support is also integral. While there’s a danger of prioritizing extrinsic motivation, external support and connections are essential to the well-being of most of us. Here are a few places to explore:
Evolving Faith – an online community that offers a regular conference, has a podcast, and an online forum space.
The ADHD and Spectrum Centre – a centre based in Guelph, Ontario that provides services and support to neurodivergent folks.
This is only scratching the surface of the range of options, but I hope it is helpful as we all begin to discern the next right steps.
The Dreamers' Corner 