“If we can share our story with someone who responds with empathy and understanding, shame can't survive.” ― Brené Brown, Daring Greatly

"Botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer writes of reciprocity as a way of being in right relationship with the living world. If our first response is gratitude, she says, then our second is to give something back. To sustain what sustains us." Malory Graham aikidoforlife.substack.com/p/refilling-...

We are getting ready for a free month of aikido classes in June. It's a chance to learn calm, power, creativity, and play in a supportive group. See you at the dojo.

Aikido note of the day: Approach the technical aspects of practice in a spirit of playful experiment. aikiarts.com

"Why are you helping me?" "Stabbing you didn't work." Station Eleven

I got to spend Mother's Day with these wonderful people.

I'm coming up on nine years alcohol free. It's been a journey of learning to communicate more compassionately and effectively, so that relationships have a foundation of trust. When two people have a stable and creative connection, so much opens up.

So fun to see a friend that showed up in sixth grade. That was thirty years ago.

I am so grateful for the team at SCS Global Services. Here is a sweet statue that the Organic program got to celebrate twenty years of third party audits for the USDA. Our group is always learning and developing systems for optimal flow. It's about collective benefit.

We are pleased to share an upcoming event at Pegasus Books. As part of the series (Lyrics and Dirges), Hao will be reading from The Old Village Road, along with other local authors. Wednesday, May 27th @ 7pm 2349 Shattuck Avenue

It's been a pretty good week. We got sales at work, and started putting the word out about free aikido classes in June (at Aiki Arts Center in Berkeley). I got to give a ride home to a man that was grocery shopping on foot and could not get around too well. It was a sweet soul connection.

The sales team that I'm grateful to be part of is organizing itself anew, so the reporting structure is changing. I am going to learn plenty.

We have a beautiful community at Aiki Arts Center in the Bay Area. With the tool of ritualized connection, every student knows they can count on inclusion and collaboration. If you are looking for a practice, come by in June, when classes are free for new students. @aikiartscenter.bsky.social

On Wednesday evening, California Institute of Integral Studies hosted an online conversation between Nick Walker Sensei and Alfonso Montuori, on the topic of somatics and creative leadership. www.youtube.com/live/eqbp3Au...

Thank you Erika Von Zoog for a beautiful show. Marilyn Steele and I had a wonderful time visiting with Victoria Norman at the Benicia Arsenal Artists open studios.

When we hold the space for our uke (attacker) we also hold the space for those parts of ourselves that can be destructive or unsure. It's about tapping into the power of grounding and calm. The results may be more creativity and joy, though we start with making space for what wants to emerge.

"There was a cute waitress there gave me a bowl of hot blueberry cobbler and vanilla ice cream when all I ordered was a cup of Joe and fries." Laminated Menu from a Diner Outside of Muleshoe by Mark A. Nobles in Spoon Knife 10: Polarities autpress.com

Out now: SPOON KNIFE 10: POLARITIES, latest volume in the annual genre-bending Spoon Knife story anthology. From the publisher (shipping USA only): autonomous-press.myshopify.com/products/spo... From Amazon (shipping everywhere): www.amazon.com/dp/1945955600 #books #booksky #reading #writing

Autonomous Press is pleased to share that Hao C. Tran is giving a reading at Nomadic Bookshop in Oakland on Sunday, June 14 from 5pm - 6:30pm. It's a chance to deepen our ties in the community and hear beautiful stories. 326 23rd Street www.nomadicbookshop.org Hope you can make it.

What are five topics you can talk about unprepared for five minutes? 1) Recovery from compulsive habits. 2) How to become an effective mentor. 3) Marketing as joyful expression. 4) How tidying the house improves the mental state. 5) Crafting an outfit for comfort and style.

Wisdom: instead of looking for approval, give approval. It's a power move that bolsters the people around us.

In youth class today, we learned the word Polarity (a pair of opposites). Then we split the room into Sleepy and Strong halves, and changed our movements and sounds as we traversed among realms. Now we are all more skilled at changing our states.

I am pleased to share that Nick and I co-edited a new book (Polarities) that is ready to enjoy through Autonomous Press. It features fiction on the theme of opposites, with a dash of poetry and memoir too. autpress.com @autonomouspress.bsky.social

It's an honor to share this new video, made with the SCS Global Services team at Expo West. Thank you so much to the clients that gave testimonials. We value our relationships very much, and this inspires us to a culture of continuous improvement. www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dkZ...

New Release: Spoon Knife 10 (Polarities) is available for e-book & paperback, shipping in the United States to start. In this volume, 19 authors representing a wide range of genres (and often gleefully crossing conventional genre boundaries) explore the strange alchemy of opposites. autpress.com

It's been a good month. I printed real photos and gave them to the young aikido students and helper Sensei at the dojo, we have two new books at Autonomous Press, and sales are flowing in at work. @autonomouspress.bsky.social @aikiartscenter.bsky.social

As we are publishing a book on Polarities at AutPress, they are fresh on my mind. Most recently, the polarity of routine and novelty. The former gives us safety and relaxation, while the latter engages us creatively and inspires us to do new things. We can include both when teaching a class.

It was a beautiful day in Sacramento. We got a meal, took a hike, and talked about ideas. I feel so lucky to be in this family.

It's a good day to visit the brother in Sacramento.

Here is a great resource for anyone wanting to build awareness and compassion. It's intended for extrication from addictive cycles, though this can be interpreted broadly. www.mindshiftrecovery.org

We are delighted to share that classes are free for new students all month in June. And anyone that trains in six or more classes gets a free uniform when they register for membership. If you have friends and family that want to start practice, this is a great time. @aikiartscenter.bsky.social

I learn so much working with young people. Today we had a small class, a sibling pair with two Sensei nearby. We worked on power with various sources (intuition, knowledge, physical strength) and they gave us teachers a good workout.

In putting together a recent anthology, I have been reflecting more on polarities. Among the most interesting lately is the pair of trust and doubt. Whether we trust or doubt ourselves pretty well determines how our interactions will go. And we can send those signals with embodiment.

If you are free on Saturday, come on out to the Cherry Blossom Festival. Hao, Encian, Niki and myself will be giving a demonstration on the main stage at 1840 Sutter Street in San Francisco, from 2:30pm - 3pm. Then we are heading to lunch afterwards, everyone is welcome.

"The body should be triangular, the mind circular. The triangular represents the generation of energy and is the most stable physical posture, The circle symbolizes serenity and perfection, the source of unlimited techniques. The square stands for solidity, the basis for applied control." O Sensei

It's fun to send packages for Autonomous Press. These are all books by Hao Tran, heading into the world on Monday. It's mostly the new book (The Old Village Road) though readers just meeting Hao will sometimes begin with the original (Skinny Woman in a Straw Hat). They are both beautiful.

We are delighted to share that classes are free for new students all month in June. It's a chance to learn calm and grounding, and how to use energy for creative solutions. Anyone that trains in six or more classes gets a complimentary uniform upon registration afterwards. aikiarts.com/classes/

We have two new yellow belt students in the youth class and that means it's time to plan the stripes for their next level. As the next full color is purple, the stripes for yellow will also be purple. It's a system with pull through.

It's been a good week. We got sales at work and put out a new book at Autonomous Press. And tomorrow I get to celebrate a friend for seventeen years alcohol free. @autonomouspress.bsky.social

It's been a wonderful start to the week. We published a new book by Hao Tran at Autonomous Press and it comes with an interview on our blog. Hope you like both. autpress.com/2026/03/old-... @autonomouspress.bsky.social

We are delighted to share that Hao has published a new memoir through Autonomous Press, The Old Village Road. It's available for paperback and e-book, and you can read about his creative process on the press blog. autpress.com autpress.com/2026/03/old-... @autonomouspress.bsky.social

We are almost ready with two new books through Autonomous Press. As part of the launch process, we'll have purchase links and high resolution covers for the authors to share with their networks. It's a true pleasure to prepare behind the scenes. @autonomouspress.bsky.social

The quality of our lives is largely determined by the quality of our relationships. When we set out to improve those, asking open questions and giving thoughtful compliments is a great place to start.

"Real self-work continues as an uphill struggle with decades of socially-conditioned, externally-directed habit patterns. For those who persevere, this struggle has its own rewards; there is no fire without friction and no life without heat." Antero Alli, Towards an Archaeology of the Soul

We often surrender as a last resort. What if we woke up in the morning and surrendered instead? It's about opening to become a channel for grace.