2004-2005 was a period of continuing to grind out my training with my new teachers and exploring teaching, curriculum and business approaches. I still wasn't drawing any money so I had nothing to lose financially by experimenting. The toxic fumes from the floor seal had finally dissipated and students were coming to see what we had to offer.
I was still travelling to Spain and Gaspar travelling to Seattle. In 2004 I earned my formal teaching certificate. The demonstration part of my form was in a local park where I went through my 18 Luohan with tourists and locals watching. It was Spring in Marbella. I remember the blue Wisteria and the scent of orange blossoms surrounding my efforts. I remember the onlookers stopping to watch. I remember Sifu Garcia furiously writing pages and pages of notes. I thought for sure I had failed, recalling the first time I demo-ed in front of him, him telling me I had no idea what I was doing. With all that going on, I just kept on moving. After we moved to a coffee house for my orals. I knew I nailed that part, but then my final question came, "What is Nirvana?" Something still a bit mysterious to me happened and without hesitation I said, "that place suspended between yin and yang, that place between the in breath and the out breath. The place where we are not caught in duality."
I passed my exam. I still have and continue to work on those copious notes of form corrections he gave me from the park exam.
Later in 2004 I was introduced to the magnificent community of women martial artists. After years of “friendly pressure,” I succumbed to Jan Parker's nudging to apply to teach at PAWMA. I was accepted. It was a profoundly beautiful and powerful experience and I met amazing and accomplished women martial artists from the US and Canada and I believe that year Israel & New Zealand too. I also met Debbie Leung. She and Jan remain friends and colleagues to this day. For years Debbie, Jan and I wrote a column for the PAWMA newsletter, "Sifu/Sensei Dantien. It was fun working with those two and we addressed serious issues especially around gender and power inequities in the Martial Arts.
I also met Karri Meleo and her daughter Cassie in my Luohan class. They convinced me I should teach young people and it was because of them I had enough guts to grow a children and youth program at the Moon that went on for many years. I should add Cassie Gill was never in that class, she, at age 8, went right to the adult classes. She was a Luohan practitioner for years and participated in several of Dr. Garcia's workshops. Her mother did too; Karri became a certified instructor several years ago and is very active teaching the Luohan along with her other martial arts at her dojo Quantum. Of course she continues to train with the Moon. I don't know if they remember but Karri and her husband David were very generous supporters of the Moon during one of our fund raisers.
The Moon was becoming a national hub for Luohan due to Gaspar's teaching. His workshops were packed with locals but also with people from all over the country. Sweat dripped from the pipes above that floor and steamed the windows while we bonded through this powerful form. However at this time because I was changing my style of Chen Taijiquan from the Hun Yuan style of Feng/Gao Fu to the style of Chen Xiao Wang, I was not teaching any Chen. I didn't dare, but I began travelling to whatever workshop CXW was teaching. We continued to host him at Lake Crescent because we could more easily do a 5 day than we could at the Moon.
The alternative/complementary health care movement was finally taking root in Seattle. I suppose since I am an average midwesterner who could talk about Qi without using the word Qi, I was in demand! (LOL) The grant I had worked on for a couple years with Group Health and the NIH studying Tai Chi and Back Pain: Tai Chi, Massage & Mindful Meditation for Low Back Pain, Group Health & the National Institute of Health (NIH) concluded to mediocre results (because it was paired with Mindful Meditation and Massage and well, everyone wanted massage!) but it was still one of the early East meets West efforts to prove Tai Chi had something going on the Medical community could get their chops in and I was very happy to be a part of it, and several that followed from this start.
A couple of books citing my work over the years with people who had special health concerns had been published in late 2003, Schmidt S. & Ivy, K., “Alternative & Complementary Medicine” in Back Pain, A Guide for the Primary Care Physician, Andrew J. Haig, MD & Miles Colwell, MD
“Tai Chi & Qigong for Chronic Pain” in Group Wellness Programs for Chronic Pain & Disease Management by Carolyn McManus PT MA MS. Because of all this, the media got a hold of the Moon and would keep a hold of us for a few years, showing up here and there in various articles and publications. Among the early ones I remember was a fun TV show Jean Enerson of King 5 hosted called, "55 Ways to Stay Young."
The Moon also become a place I could have a party! We had a great 10-year anniversary party in 2005. I found a book made from my students’ writings. It was fun to leaf through it and remember all those people, some of whom are still with the Moon! This poem from Paul & Ruth Lewing, stood out:
There once was a teacher named Kim
Who thought, “I’ll go out on a limb.
I’ll build a new dojo
And load it with mojo.
It’ll help these guys more than a gym.”
Although I’m her number one fan,
And I’ve tried it again and again,
I never got more
Than just about four
Of a possible eighteen Luohan.
In the view of this boy from Montana
Kim is great – a real top banana.
Soon I’ll rejoice the throng
In her class on Chi Gong
And try once again for Nirvana.
