I’m excited to share this incredibly expansive discussion with Steve Macramalla, long-time student of Linda Holiday Sensei at Aikido of Santa Cruz.
(Regular listeners know what a positive influence Linda Holiday Sensei has had on myself and this project. Her ongoing commitment to transmitting heart-centered wisdom has been a major catalyst for the perseverance of this podcast.)
In addition to his Aikido pursuit, Steve is also a professor of Cognitive Psychology and teaches Chi’en-Lung Kung Fu at Six animals Kung Fu. This combination makes him the perfect conversational partner for attempting to tackle the whole “mind-body” question that I can never seem to satisfactorily answer for myself.
His book, Unleash the Dragon Within: Transform Your Life with the Kung-Fu Animals of Ch’ien-Lung, is ostensibly a guide to personal transformation through martial arts.
Drawing on over thirty years of training under his enigmatic Sifu, Constantine Darling, Steve outlines how we can practice the embodiment of six specific animal archetypes (discussed in detail during our chat) to deliberately shift our mental, emotional, and physical states to better navigate conflict and achieve psychological well-being.
The core of this episode, however, lies in unpacking Steve’s vast experience in the exploration of the aforementioned “mind-body” problem. This is the crossroad where the cognitive psychologist and the martial artist meet.
Whether you’re interested in the science of how we learn, preserving the lineage of Kumano Aikido, or finding out how to “unleash the dragon” in your own practice, this episode is, if I may be be so bold, mandatory listening.
Steve brings a sharp, academic precision to the proverbial table, but he delivers it with the warmth and humility of a dedicated Aikidoka. I really enjoyed this one, and I hope you will too!
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If you find value in these deep explorations of Aikido and philosophy, please consider supporting the podcast. Upgrade to a paid subscriber, or if you’d like to make a one-time contribution reach out to me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com.
As a thank you, donors, and new paid subscribers will receive a copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s beautiful book of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido—the perfect companion piece for spiritual, and martial inquiry.
