Women in the Martial Arts or Yin Yang in Tai Chi Chuan and Daily Life

Women in the Martial Arts

Author: Carol A Wiley

Many women learn of martial arts through a male companion's interest in kung-fu movies or a six-week self-defense course. Some venture beyond. This book contains the stories, in essay and poetry form, of a group of women who have trained for at least seven years in this demanding activity. Many speak of martial arts as an equalizer of power, with skill being more important than raw strength. Other benefits include endurance, confidence, and determination. There are a variety of viewpoints among this select group, which ranges from a physically disabled student to a Native American practitioner. This collection fills an important niche in a male-dominated sport.

Library Journal

Many women learn of martial arts through a male companion's interest in kung-fu movies or a six-week self-defense course. Some venture beyond. This book contains the stories, in essay and poetry form, of a group of women who have trained for at least seven years in this demanding activity. Many speak of martial arts as an equalizer of power, with skill being more important than raw strength. Other benefits include endurance, confidence, and determination. There are a variety of viewpoints among this select group, which ranges from a physically disabled student to a Native American practitioner. While some essays are better than others and a majority of women are aikido trained (a ``softer'' style), this collection fills an important niche in a male-dominated sport. For sports and women's studies collections.-- J. Sara Paulk, Concord P.L., N.H.

Table of Contents:

	Introduction	1
	Coming Home: Tai Chi Ch'uan as a Path of Healing	5
	Irimi: Going for Life	14
	Walking the Way of the Warrior	18
	Golden Phoenix Rises	23
	My Journey with Aikido	28
	A Mirror for Me to See My Life	32
	Open to Change: Steps along the Way	41
	To Stretch and Fly	46
	Surviving a Murder	50
	Oppression and a Warrior's Way	54
	From Fatso to Breakfalls: Learning to Accept My Body	57
	Martial Arts Out of a Wheelchair: A Possibility or Not?	61
	Martial Arts and Women's Self-Defense: Two Perspectives	66
	Transforming the Victim Role	73
	Cultivating the Senses for Optimal Self Defense	77
	One Stage on the Road: An Interview with Lidia Alexandra Wolanskyj	82
	Transference, Countertransference, and the Guru-Sensei: A Feminist Therapist's View of the Sensei-Student Relationship	96
	Women Training Women	102
	Aikido and Illusion	110
	What is a Black Belt?	116
	FA JIN: Traditional Chinese Martial Arts and Women's Search for Empowerment	119
	Clearing the Way for Freedom	126
	Women, Power, and Empowerment	134
	About the Contributors	139
	Further Reading	143

Book about: The Wild Olive or Well Filled Cupboard

Yin-Yang in Tai-Chi Chuan and Daily Life

Author: Simmone Kuo

In Yin-Yang in Tai-Chi Chuan and Daily Life, Simmone Kuo provides the philosophical context for the practice of this popular martial art, showing how Taoist, Buddhist, and Confucian traditions have shaped the practice of Tai-Chi Chuan. Included here are student accounts of the strong impressions Mme. Kuo made on her students. Drawing on yearly research trips to China and her lecture in Advanced Tai-Chi Chuan at San Francisco State University, Mme. Kuo explores the application of Yin-Yang theory to:

-Health and Nutrition
-Daily Practice
-Traditional Chinese Philosophy and the I Ching
-The Teacher-Student Relationship
-Self-Awareness and Self-Defense