image adapted from Smith
& Pittman's excellent book
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Brian Milani is longtime student of internal martial
arts, particularly Tai Chi and Bagua, but also strongly influenced by the
standing practices of Yiquan (Mind Fist) and the philosophy of aikido.
More of my
martial arts influences are explored below.
Spiritually, I've drawn on the
'in-the-world' practices and perspectives of Taoism, Mevlevi Sufism, Zen,
Krishnamurti, Gurdjieff, and others.
Philosophical influences have included Karl Marx, Lewis Mumford,
Thomas Berry, Christopher Alexander, George Leonard, Sri Aurobindo, Dane
Rudhyar, Jacob Needleman, E.F. Schumacher, and Ken Wilber. Ecologically,
politically, and economically, my many influences have included Barry
Commoner, Angela Miles, Fred Block, Wayne Roberts, John Todd, Ken Geiser, Paul Sweezy,
Murray Bookchin, Hazel Henderson, Genevieve Vaughan, Ed
O'Sullivan, David A consistent concern of mine has been in exploring the interconnection between individual and social change—especially in a historical and evolutionary context. This webpage is intended to bring together some favourite thoughts, clips and links relating to the "internal martial arts" of Chinese boxing, like taijiquan (tai chi chuan, or "Great Ultimate Fist"), baguazhang ("Eight Trigrams Palm"), and xingyiquan ("Form of Mind Fist"). They are elements of what have been called "transformative martial arts" (mind-body disciplines geared to change—personal, social or both) that can include many martial arts, traditional and otherwise—from capoeira to aikido to escrima and more, depending on how and why they are practiced. I am a former carpenter-builder and
social activist who writes and teaches on green economics, green business,
and community development at York University's Faculty of Environmental
Studies, and at OISE of the University of Toronto. I currently study Jiulong Baguazhang with the
Mind-Body Training Institute in Toronto, and attend tai chi sessions at Cecil
St. Community Centre. This page is mainly for fun, and will evolve sporatically, but any suggestions or comments are welcome: bmilani (at) web.ca |
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Writing and thinking
somewhat relevant to martial arts "Kung-Fu Crisis: Martial Arts in an Age of
Transformation," forthcoming "New Productive Forces and
Emerging Human Potentials,"
Chapter 4 of Designing the Green
Economy: The postindustrial alternative to corporate globalization,
Roman & Littlefield, 2000 "The New Ecology of Politics,"
Chapter 5 of Designing the Green Economy: The
postindustrial alternative to corporate globalization, Roman
& Littlefield, 2000 Transformative
Learning and the Tao of History: Spirituality in the Postindustrial
Revolution, discussion paper, 2001 Paths Beyond
Domination: THE WALK OF LIFE: Centre, Circles, Power & Blending in Bagua
and Tai Chi, powerpoint presentation, Transformative Martial Arts
seminar, OISE-UT Transformative Learning Centre, July 2, 2008 Principal Martial Arts Teachers |
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Tchoung
Ta Tchen
(Sifu T.T. Tchoung) Yang
style Tai Chi Chuan Vancouver
1980-82 |
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Master Yau-Sun Tong Yang style Tai Chi
Chuan Nova Scotia 1984-87 |
early 80s: Master
Tong (right) with his teacher Grandmaster Gu Liu-Xin |
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Morris, Maria Mies,
Michael Shuman, Paul Hawken, and Delores Hayden. 
