ahnungway

Playing the Space Between: Ma on the Pickleball Court

I first learned about the Japanese philosophy of Ma from my taiko drumming teacher. The first time I watched a taiko performance, I found myself deeply moved at a vibrational level—the power of witnessing Asian women on stage taking up space, being loud in a way that wasn’t noise or chaos. What made it soContinue reading “Playing the Space Between: Ma on the Pickleball Court”

Tapestry of Grief

It’s September 14th, 2006. I’m at my veterinarian’s office as the dreaded words come out of his mouth, “she may have cancer – cancer of the spleen.” I look at Shen, my 11-year-old collie/shepherd mix. She looks healthy, vibrant even. How could she possibly have cancer? Over the past month she has had occasional episodes ofContinue reading “Tapestry of Grief”

Wisdom, Dreams and Spirits

I am reading and writing more these days. And part of my reading has been returning to some of my old writings and journals. I found the following from January 4, 2023. Wisdom. I read the following from “The Web has no Weaver” right before I fell asleep last night: “Wisdom is not certainty orContinue reading “Wisdom, Dreams and Spirits”

Grief’s Invitation: A Poem for Mister

On Christmas Day I find myself missing my boy Mister. He arrived in my life as a puppy. I was supposed to just foster him and place him up for adoption. I ‘failed’. In the animal welfare world the term you hear is ‘foster failure’, a term of endearment – when you end up adoptingContinue reading “Grief’s Invitation: A Poem for Mister”

Lessons from Ahnung: Becoming friends with Grief

I have found myself reflecting back on old posts and journal entries I wrote shortly after my beloved Ahnung was diagnosed with mammary cancer in July, 2011. Losing my Papa at the age of 4 and never learning how to welcome and embrace the pain of loss I took on many survival strategies – numbing,Continue reading “Lessons from Ahnung: Becoming friends with Grief”