I would like to share the live presentation I did last year on June 18 at the Marble Summer Arts Festival in NYC. I called it Babaylan Prayer in honor of the shamans and healers who, even today, in different forms, carry on the rituals and traditions of ancient Philippines. I choreographed this short program as a “wordless worship”. It is part of a longer work that I’ve taught in seminars. The background music is from the CD Shakuhachi The Japanese Flute by Kohachiro Miyata. The video was filmed by Carlos Esguerra and edited by Manny Maramara.
Continue reading “Babaylan Prayer”Month: June 2024
Tai chi Sword and the Cop
The hate crimes against Asians and Pacific Islanders and other minorities prompted me to reprint this article I wrote sometime at the millennium. The crimes have been directed not only against the people of Asian and Pacific descent but also against their culture. A few years ago, I was practicing Tai chi chuan sword and staff at a public gym when I was told by the director that I could not do it there. I used to leave my staff/pole at the gym but one day it was gone. I was told by a custodian that he was ordered to get rid of it.
Continue reading “Tai chi Sword and the Cop”Enso
One of the pleasures of being a new author is hearing that one’s book is being read in other places. It is so warming to receive a photo of Master Tek Wah Eng, Tiger Claw teacher and calligrapher, with a copy of the book. Acupuncturist Amy Yam, a student in the Philippines, also sent me her photo (below); so did Myles Dunlop. Shaolin and Tai chi teacher in UK and Aishuan Wang in Taiwan.
Continue reading “Enso”Diary: the Bible
Diary 5/17/24
I’ve been reading a few books, among them “Old Testament Parallels” by Victor Matthews and Don Benjamin, “Studying the Historical Jesus” by Darrell Bock,” “Gospel Fictions” by Randel Helm and “Adam’s Rib” by Robert Graves. Again, they raised the question in my mind, “What is fact and what is not?” These books are only a few of those that shed light on the historicity of the Bible.
Continue reading “Diary: the Bible”Len Roberts: Poet
On the anniversary of Len Roberts’ death, I would like to reprint the tribute I delivered at his funeral service.
Continue reading “Len Roberts: Poet”