"This
is where I find refuge from the craziness of my daily life"
a student |
| Who
Are We? Member Profiles How Did We Start? Our Lineage A Personal Note from Founder Kim Ivy Policy & Procedures Hire Us Contact Us Map |
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| New
York Times Features Qigong & Embrace the Moon Who Are We? We are from all phases of life: business professionals, artists, priests, entrepreneurs. We are mothers and fathers, committed partners, happily single. We are from all ages and fitness levels. Some of us have chronic pain and fatigue, are recovering from an illness or managing a life journey with an illness. Others of us are athletic and are curious about a different type of movement that complements our already satisfying lifestyle. And many of us are here simply because we have too much stress in our lives and we need a break! We laugh. We study hard but we don’t take ourselves too seriously. Some of us are here strictly for health reasons, others of us as a hobby, and others of us are here to enhance our spiritual cultivation. We all find joy and peace in our practice. Come join us. return to the top |
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| Member Profiles Carol Ebersole Christian Amador Paul Svrcek Charles Trafford return to top |
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| How Did We Start? Embrace The Moon’s Roots In 1994 school founder Kim Ivy met Dr. Ric Taylor of Seattle Pain Consultants at Swedish Hospital. Dr. Taylor had spent time in China and was impressed by the Tai Chi he saw in parks and the Qigong he experienced in the hospital settings. His idea was that patients who could integrate this type of movement could more easily live a life where they had less pain and greater function. Kim Ivy had been teaching for several years in Portland, Oregon and was especially impressed by working in retirement homes and seeing how elderly people who had chronic pain were helped by Tai Chi and Qigong. Kim moved to Seattle in 1993 and had a chance meeting with Dr. Taylor. After a brief time, they were clear that their ideas and experiences could combine to create something revolutionary in the Seattle Health Care field. They began to plan an 8 week Tai Chi for Chronic Pain at his clinic. “We will first have to convince Western Medicine,” Dr. Taylor said to Kim. They both worked for months collecting what research was available. It was a challenge to create a program that was able to convey the benefits of these little known “energetic” exercise forms to those firmly enmeshed in the strict Western Medical Model. However, in the fall of 1994 Dr. Taylor and Kim launched the first East/West integrated complementary program at Swedish Hospital using Tai Chi and Qigong. The program gained immediate attention. Many patients became involved in the program, other physicians noticed and the program even gained media attention. The first students were exclusively those who had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Cancer or who were in physical rehabilitation for stroke or MS. These people were utterly engaged in their healing process. They gave Kim and Dr. Taylor invaluable feedback as to what worked and what didn’t. Very soon people improved. There were many stories of pain reduction, increased energy and strength, as well as a general overall improvement in the quality of daily life. During this time Seattle in general was at the beginnings of a revolution in its community’s overall approach to healthcare. Over the next three years many other clinics, physicians and health care professionals contracted Kim to conduct classes, in-services, lectures and demonstrations for the purpose of educating people about the benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong. Kim also began to teach public classes where people of all fitness levels, ages and interests came to take classes. The Name ‘Embrace The Moon’ Embrace The Moon School for Taijiquan and Qigong was formally founded May 25, 1995. The name Embrace The Moon came from a group of students during a class. Someone said, “what is the name of our school?” At that point it had not occurred to Kim that there was a school, much less a name. Yet, there were a few dozen students who, every week, walked up several flights of rickety stairs to the first studio in Capitol Hill, for classes. Someone else said, “isn’t it ‘Embrace The Moon?’" Embrace The Moon is the name of one of the transitional postures in the Tai Chi form and so the students would always hear this being called out during class. At that moment it sounded perfect and so it has been for 11 years. There are a dozen or so of those founding members who still take classes at Embrace The Moon. These early students followed the school from its various rental spaces in Capitol Hill to Wallingford to Ballard to Ballard again, providing many volunteer hours and advising us along the way. Each one of these students as well as everyone who comes through our doors helps to shape our school, making it a strong and vital place. Embrace The Moon Today Like our practices, Embrace The Moon continues to evolve. In 2003 Kim Ivy partnered with Ms. Karin Collins to bring the vision of Embrace The Moon to its next level. In September of 2003 Embrace The Moon opened up its own dedicated space on Market Street in Ballard. The larger space is aesthetically designed to create a sense of calm, an Oasis within one’s hectic daily life. There is a 1200 square foot dedicated practice hall with lovely reclaimed pecan floors. The paint is soft and the incandescent light is just right. There is calming and inspiring calligraphy spaced on the walls. We also have another 1100 square foot back room that has our office but most importantly has a comfortable conversation and rest area. There is always hot water for tea! With our own space we have the luxury of offering a diverse range of topics with extremely qualified teachers. In addition to our Tai Chi and Qigong classes for teens and adults, we are the only program in Seattle that offers a combination of martial arts and Tai Chi for children. And this summer we welcome Christy Fischer of Sound Life Yoga to host Embrace The Moon’s first Yoga program. Within the class offerings you will find something you are comfortable with and you will always find welcoming people and a cup of tea. True to our roots we still cater strongly to those with a health focus but moreover find that everyone has the same focus: to become stronger, more relaxed, happier, and more vital. And the value of Tai Chi, Qigong and Yoga for this type of personal development is clear. We welcome you. return to top |
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| Our
Lineage Chen Taijiquan Grandmaster Chen, Xiaowang Yang Taijiquan Sam Masich Jane Hallander Luohan Gong Sifu Gaspar Garcia, Luohan Qigong Salusline, Health Prevention & Information Portal Qigong Don Leathers Chen, Hui, Xian Liu He, Liu Dong return to top |
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| A Personal Note from Founder Kim Ivy I had just turned 20 when I began my journey along the Internal Arts Way. After a long road trip landed me in Tucson, Arizona I found the feisty young woman I was becoming had much less direction in life than I had energy to live it. Finding a way to ground that energy was a challenge and somehow I found myself at the doorstep of my first martial arts school. The quiet Asian interior was the antithesis of my conservative Nebraska upbringing but I felt a deep pull and signed up immediately for my first class. The vigorous, disciplined art of Judo was perfect for me. Its curriculum and years of sweaty practice taught me to temper my body and to focus my mind. Admittedly, the qualities of discipline, patience and respect that infused the practice seemed at times unsympathetic to me. And during those times I resisted them with all my might. I wondered, as did my friends and family, what was I doing spending so much of my free time there? Yet even in the midst of opinions, doubts and frustrations, mine and others, there was a powerful undertow keeping me connected to my practice. Certainly the elegant sweeping movements, the feel of deep rhythmic breath and the community of friends laughing and training were enough to override my own reservations. Without a doubt the strength and fitness were rewarding and evident, but for me practicing was more. And for the years to come this something more lay deep inside me as only a mysterious, unarticulated feeling, one that made no demands upon me but simply carried me forward through my practice. The horizon of my 5th decade of life lies clearly in front of me now. I wonder what I can tell you about the past 29 years of practice. I can speak with love and reverence to the different arts, students and teachers who continue to reveal themselves to me. I can say it still seems like the beginning. I can tell you that over the vast and diverse landscape of my life sweat and study has been a blessed metronome. I would like for you to know that I am most humbled and grateful for the grounding of energy and psyche that it all has given me and I look enthusiastically to the “Wuji,” the as yet to be formed possibilities. There is one more thing I might like to say about 29 years. Do you remember my mentioning the unarticulated feeling of my early training days? There are whispers forming around that feeling now. And I can hear them. If I were you I would want to ask, “What do the soft whispers say?” It is not that they are a secret; it is that I am still listening myself. Yet what I can say is this: listen – listen inside, to your own mystery. Listen to what is quiet and gestating. And wait for the whispers, they will come. Perhaps the Internal Arts will be a vehicle for you as they are for me. It is a good time to see if they are. Our lives, our culture, our world needs for us to at least try to find a way to hear the whispers. These practices as I know them are excellent tools, sharp and skillful methods for turning down the noise. Perhaps it will not happen right away. At times it may seem like 29 years. But do not give up. Keep listening. Keep practicing. May the Spirit continue, Kim return to top |
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| Policy & Procedures
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| Hire
Us Our school and our teachers are available for hire to infuse Taijiquan, Qigong & Yoga with your individual personal or professional needs. How about a personal retreat for yourself? The gentle movements of Taijiquan and Qigong are perfect to relax, renew and regenerate. We can create a weekend, week or longer program for you within our regular group classes or you can hire one of our teachers for a series of private lessons. Are you a program manager for your company? We have many fun and interesting ways of spicing up your meetings, giving your participants a gentle stretch and breath break in the midst of spread sheets and budget analysis. We also provide classes & workshops to non-profit companies and health care facilities. We look forward to collaborating with you to create an affordable, interesting and modern twist to your life and lifestyle! Many diverse references available upon request. return to top |
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Contact Us Embrace the Moon School for Taijiquan and Qigong 1716 NW Market Seattle, WA 98107 (206) 789-0993 View a map to the school
If you are interested in renting space for classes or workshops, please contact Kim Ivy (kim@embracethemoon.com) return to top |
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