My Tai Chi journey may have begun longer ago than I can remember, but it certainly came into clear focus at the beginning of 2005. I was enrolled at Normandale College in Bloomington, MN and among my Spring semester registrations, I had enrolled in the course “Health 1160-10: Theory and Practice of T’ai Chi Ch’uan”, which satisfied credit requirements for an associate’s degree. By the end of that term, I was a full-blown disciple of Tai Chi under the tutelage of Dr. Russell Smiley, PhD. The ensuing years would provide me additional study with other teachers from different styles, most notably both Chen Family and Chen style lineages, but inclusive of my various Qigong studies as well, my primary lineage is technically that of Smiley Style Tai Chi.
My Yoga Sadhana is likewise longer-standing than I can actually comprehend, but it too found a formal commencement in 2005. In the Fall semester of 2005, I was enrolled in “Fitness Yoga” through the Exercise Science program at Normandale College. The value of physical asana practice was made astonishingly clear to me through this experience, and I would quickly establish a dedication to the postures and movements. This dedication soon spawned into ventures along other paths of Yoga, most notably the Bhakti tradition wherein the practice of call-and-response chanting (Kirtan) is especially prominent. The path of Gyan (Jnana) Yoga also features strongly in my personal Yoga Practice, which has given me the insight into how my childhood interest in math and science was an important foundation which would later be super-charged by the asana and pranayama exercises of Hatha Yoga and my broader interest in philosophy and spirituality.
My study and practice of Astrology has been a primarily self-directed endeavor, which not surprisingly also began in 2005, though along the way I have been particularly influenced by the works of Dane Rudhyar and Dana Gerhardt among a smattering of others. In general I have an appreciation for a First-Principles approach to complex subjects, Astrology included. While debates and dogma dredge onward regarding which Zodiacal system (Tropical vs Sidereal) is better, I prefer to focus on the internal-coherence of Astrological concepts and measurements which reduces the variability of Zodiacal framework to a modest formality rather than an earth-shaking truth. As such, it is possible to reach far-and-wide enough to encounter and explore all dimensions of our being, from the most minutely-Material (the downright molecular) to the radically Spiritual (supertranscendantally speaking).
In the wake of being “initiated” into these disciplines, I completed a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy at the University of Minnesota, while also pursuing degrees in cultural studies, writing studies, and family social science. These courses added immense power and context to my burgeoning explorations of TaiChi, Yoga, and Astrology. Throughout my stint at university I continued to see how all arenas of life are intertwined and interrelated. A number of courses on linguistics, artificial intelligence, the poetry of Hip Hop, literary critique and analysis, and journalism/documentary were especially impactful and continue to influence me today.
All of these tributaries of wisdom and knowledge came into my life in a profound surge, and they have all been cultivated side by side by side, each deeply informing the others.
The intellectual rigor, and raw trial-and-error, which I have personally logged and invested for more than 20 years is available and at your service. Whatever goals you may seek to achieve, or exploration you wish to endeavor, I’m always honored to guide you toward the most authentic solutions for your personal development and well-being.
Yin-Yang-Yoga 