Reflections

How did The Ahnung Way come to be?

Ma: The space that holds and heals us

In Japanese philosophy, there is a concept called Ma. It is often described as the space between—the pause between notes, the silence between words, the stillness that gives meaning to movement. It is not empty. It is alive, relational, and full of possibility. I have come to learn that our deepest work, our deepest healing…

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 so…

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 of…