Exploring intersectionality and embodiment through tai chi and Christian theology
Dreamer’s Blog
Read Prose and Poetry: Taijiquan, Intersectional Theology, and Embodiment
Dreamer’s Blog has been home to a mix of poetry and prose since November 2011. The current focus of Dreamer’s Blog is to share my reflections on embodiment and intersectionality, drawing on my experience as a taijiquan practitioner and my education as a theologian.
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Warning: This post contains details on my sexual/romantic experience (or lack thereof) that some may not wish to read. I have attended two ceilidh dances thus far this fall. I have been attending ceilidh dances consistently enough over the past two years that the actual ceilidh dancing itself is very comfortable. What dismays me, however,…
I have often written of my passion for physical literacy/somatic vocabulary. A parallel concern of mine is religious/spiritual literacy. It is my firm conviction that a lack of sufficent religious/spiritual literacy is a major factor in ecumenical and interfaith conflicts, both past and present. Today, I will focus on a trend I have noticed in…
If you have been watching the news at all lately, you’ve probably heard of sword yoga, and one of its most popular innovators, WeaponsUp. This organization fuses kung fu sword (jian) training with traditional yoga practices to empower women. The discourse within the martial arts community about this fusion practice is heated indeed. I also…
Recently, a member of my family died. The death was not a surprise; it came after a long life, and it occurred as peacefully as one could hope with plenty of warning thanks to excellent long-term care staff. As anyone who has lost loved ones will know, however, all the warning and good conditions in…
This May marked a significant milestone in my tai chi (taijiquan) practice: I have now been practicing Chen style taijiquan for 11 years which is equally as long as I practiced Taoist Tai Chi before that. It is fitting that this milestone occurred during Asian Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month in Canada as…
Today marks World Tai Chi and Qigong Day. This month, I’ve also been practicing tai chi for 22 years; in May, I will have been practicing Chen style tai chi for 11 years. I am forever grateful for the ways tai chi has changed my life over the past 22 years. I firmly believe in…
To the Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney: Congratulations on crossing the threshold to a majority government. I am writing to you as a person with disabilities and a person of faith, to urge you to make the most of this opportunity. Many marginalized and vulnerable communities of which I am a part have been…
Today marks the first International Day of Taijiquan. To commemorate the occasion, I will share some of the ways my taijiquan practice has deepened over the past year. The New Frame In the past year, I have added the New Frame (xinjia) routines to my practice. The New Frame has some differences which are designed…
In Canada, we celebrate Irish Heritage Month through the month of March and today we celebrate St. Patrick’s Day with billions of others around the world. My paternal grandfather was from County Armagh in northern Ireland. I never knew him as he died before I was born but I was motivated to explore my Irish…
Today marks the annual International Women’s Day. As a taijiquan practitioner and an intersectional feminist, I thought I’d share some reasons I think taijiquan is a martial art that would benefit any woman interested in learning. Body Mechanics & Power Generation Taijiquan is a martial art that relies a lot on correct body mechanics for…
