Internal Arts Madeira

16/06/2026

So, apparently, there is a movement gaining popularity in China called “punk wellness” in which is described as “wrecking yourself while saving yourself.”

And a component of this movement are so-called “barmacies,” a portmanteau of “bar” and “pharmacy.”

But, instead of sidling up to a bar and ordering a shot of liquor, you are instead met at the door by a certified Traditional Chinese Medicine doctor who feels your pulse, looks at your tongue, asks a few questions, and then whips up a customized herbal “cocktail” to bring your Qi back into balance.

Personally, I like this concept and how it can help bring TCM into mainstream culture.

It also gives new TCM graduates a way to earn some money.

I just hope it doesn't get abused and end up causing more harm than good.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve never left a bar feeling healthier than I’d arrived. Maybe Gen Z has it right with trips to barmacies.

15/06/2026

“Happiness isn’t a destination you arrive at.

It’s something you build, moment by moment, choice by choice.

Some days it will feel effortless, and other days it will require patience and persistence.

That’s okay—progress isn’t always linear.”

-Leon Ho

14/06/2026

Coffee, Qi, and Me Issue #23: To Warm Up or Not To Warm Up?
..is available on Substack.

Here, I discuss whether or not it's necessary to warm up prior to Tai Chi or Qigong practice (TLDR: Yes), and give some suggestions on how to prepare yourself for training.

Subscription to my Substack is free.

Link to the full article is in the comments section below (because Facebook doesn't like external links and will suppress this post if I put it here).

Thanks!

13/06/2026

The Armchair Apothecaire #9: Pumpkin Seeds (Nan Gua Zi - 南瓜子 or Nan Gua Ren - 南瓜仁)

(Just a reminder that this, and a large number of additional articles on the topics of Tai Chi, Qigong, and other subjects are available on my Substack. Subscription to my Substack is free. Link is in the comments section below. Thanks!)

A weekly note on the benefits of various herbs, plants, and foods that you might already have in your kitchen, can find in your backyard, or can be easily sourced from your local supermarket.

When I was a child, one of the big treats of the year was when my dad, mom, sister, and I would make a trip to a local farm to select a pair of pumpkins to carve up for Halloween decorations. A second big treat was afterwards, when my mother would collect the scooped out pumpkin “guts,” separate out the seeds, and then dry them in the oven for a tasty snack we could munch on for the next few weeks.

Lately, I’ve started adding pumpkin seeds (also popularly known by their Spanish name “pepitas”) back into my diet after learning more about their health benefits.

Disclaimer: The content of my posts is for general informational purposes only and should not be considered medical, physical, psychological, health, or wellness advice. Do not make decisions based on this content alone, or any other information provided by a random stranger on the internet. Do your own research and always consult a qualified health professional. What I share here is meant to provide information to help you explore what’s right for you.

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, pumpkin seeds are considered to be a gentle way to expel intestinal parasites, especially tapeworms. It’s also a traditional method for promoting breast milk production after childbirth and reducing postpartum swelling.

Well, I don’t have any tapeworms, and I’m not going to be getting pregnant any time soon…so let’s look at some of the other benefits.

Pumpkin seeds are a good source of nutrients and trace minerals such as Manganese, Copper, Zinc, Phosphorous, and Iron. They are probably best known as being high in Magnesium, which is important for controlling blood pressure, reducing heart disease risk, forming and maintaining healthy bones, regulating blood sugar levels, and improving sleep quality.

Pepitas are rich in antioxidants such as flavonoids and phenolic acids that can reduce inflammation, protect your cells from free radicals, and help protect you from disease.

They are also high in dietary fiber, which helps to regulate blood sugar and prevents overeating. Dietary fiber also plays a role in promoting cardiovascular, metabolic, and gastrointestinal health, and may reduce the risk of some chronic illnesses such as diabetes and some types of cancers.

These are just some highlights from a long list of benefits to consuming pumpkin seeds that I’m not going to spell out here for the sake of brevity.

I do want to close with what might be one of the best features of pumpkin seeds: their cost. Compared to nuts, they are much cheaper. At my local supermarket, a bag of pumpkin seeds is less than half the price of a bag of almonds or walnuts of equal weight.

12/06/2026

Tai Chi and Qigong Training Tip #9: Change Your Point of View

(Just a reminder that this, and a large number of additional articles on the topics of Tai Chi, Qigong, and other subjects are available on my Substack. Subscription to my Substack is free. Link is in the comments section below. Thanks!)

A curious thing happened to me early in my first years of learning Chen Style Tai Chi. I thought I had gotten fairly proficient at the 19 Posture Form, which in the lineage I follow is the first form that beginners learn. Then, one day, my instructor, Stephan Berwick, had all of us in the class turn around, face the back of the room, and then do the form. It was a disaster, I soon lost my way, and felt as if I had never learned the 19 Posture Form at all.

That wasn’t entirely true. Instead, what I had done is learned to do the form with one set of visual cues informing when and where to do certain movements: when I’m in front of that weapons rack, that’s the time to do Hidden Hand Punch Left. As soon as I turn around and face that door, that’s when it’s time to perform Part Wild Horse’s Mane. And so on.

Without those visual cues, not only was I lost, but it became embarrassingly obvious that I didn’t know the form half as well as I thought I did. Since then, I’ve practiced the 19 Posture Form (and others) with deliberate changes in direction so that I can do them regardless of which way I’m facing. In fact, I’ve gone so far as to learn to do the 19 Posture Form “left handed,” so to speak, so that I can face my students and mirror them when teaching.

I now frequently ask my students to turn around and face the opposite direction when practicing, just so they don’t fall into the same trap I did when I first started learning Tai Chi. I will also ask them to change places with other students, as they often get used to being in “their” spot when they come to train with me.

I would encourage you to do the same, by at least changing your point of view so you are not always looking at the same scenery while practicing. Your practice should be robust enough that you can perform your movements regardless of which way you happen to be oriented or what visual landmarks surround you.

Changing your perspective and shifting your point of view is an excellent way to break free from the stale constraints of habit.

11/06/2026

This has always been the way I look at things.

I'm just a few steps further down the path than my students, and I'm trying to show them how I got to where I am, and how to avoid the mistakes I've made.

But I'm nowhere close to the end of the journey...

🛤️ A good teacher never stops being a student.

“A teacher may be a step further advanced, but he or she is still traveling along the universal road with their students.”

In Tai Chi, learning never truly ends.
Teachers guide the path, but they continue growing, learning, and evolving alongside their students.

We’re all traveling the same road… just at different stages of the journey.

✨ Keep learning. Keep practicing. Keep growing together.

💬 Has a teacher, training partner, or fellow student inspired your Tai Chi journey? Share in the comments!

10/06/2026

Too lazy to be ambitious,
I let the world take care of itself.

Ten days' worth of rice in my bag;
a bundle of twigs by the fireplace.

Why chatter about delusion and enlightenment?

Listening to the night rain on my roof,
I sit comfortably, with both legs stretched out.

---

Ryokan
[From the book "The Zen Poems of Ryokan"]

09/06/2026

I love reading articles about people from different walks of life who discovered Tai Chi or Qigong and learned to love these arts in their own way.

Here’s an interesting article describing the path of one such person, Svetlana Kobiakova, of the Sakha (Yakut) ethnic group in Russia’s far east.

I don’t think I could copy her daily, 8-hour regimen of Chen Style Tai Chi training, but I admire her dedication to the art!

After leaving behind a career in physics, Svetlana Kobiakova has devoted herself to practicing and teaching the Chen-style martial art in its birthplace of Chenjiagou, Qi Xin and Shi Baoyin report in Zhengzhou, Henan.

08/06/2026

“Maybe you’ve been thinking about your life in a certain way for so long that you’ve never taken the time to imagine a life beyond it.”

-Spencer Greenberg

I think a version of this is what happens to people who find themselves in a bad situation, regardless of whether it's their health, fitness, relationships, finances, or anything else.

They just accept this as normal.

But it isn't…and no situation is so terrible that you can't do something to improve things. The first step though is to imagine this is possible.

And then get to work to make it a reality.

07/06/2026

Coffee, Qi, and Me Issue #22: Taking Things a Step Too Far
..is now available on Substack.

Here, the topic of discussion is how to prevent yourself from taking too wide a stance when stepping forward, backward, or sideways in your Tai Chi practice.

This can cause you to become unbalanced and is frequently a difficult problem to overcome, especially for beginners.

Link to the article is in the comments section below.

Subscription to my Substack is free.

Enjoy!