My first memory of taiko was watching Odaiko New England perform at the Peabody Essex Museum in Salem, Massachusetts in the 90s and early 2000s. I was in awe and mesmerized by the transformation of the space and with the energy of the people present throughout the performance. While at the time I didn’t ever think it could be something I could do, I often thought about the performances after moving away from my hometown. As I moved from Massachusetts to Connecticut to Maryland to Indonesia, and then back to Maryland, I would periodically check to see if there were taiko opportunities available in my area. I was overjoyed in 2018 when I discovered the Mark H Rooney Taiko School.
I missed the date for the introductory class and was eagerly awaiting the next round of classes. Full. Full again. Then covid hit.
I have been practicing aikido for eight years and I was getting my dojo excited for a potential group gathering to attend an introductory class. As soon as things began opening up again, we were able to sign up and attend together. What a blast we had! I was hooked.
During the introductory class, while speaking with Mark, I realized that he had been performing in those first concerts I saw! Those kismet moments are sprinkled throughout my life and bring me great joy.
After my first experience being on the other side of the taiko, I eagerly awaited an opening in a recreational class and was thrilled when a spot opened up.
As an aikidoka, I am continuously looking for ways to incorporate the fundamental four principles of aikido into my everyday life: moving from one point, extending ki, relaxing completely, and keeping weight underside. I do not have to search for them in taiko; it provides a natural way to apply these principles as they are found throughout the experience of playing.
I also love being humbled when life gives me the opportunity to internalize the saying wherever you go, there you are. The same challenges I have in aikido show up in taiko. My sense of perfectionism, trying to do it the “right” way, thinking I should already know how to do it even before learning it, thinking that everyone else is already so much better than me: all showed up in full force at the first class. I love utilizing my whole body, mind, and spirit to learn how to work through these challenges within a safe, fun, and inspiring community. What I learn in class is applicable for me on the mat in aikido and vice versa. I even find ways to incorporate the lesssons Mark teaches us while playing pickleball. I have been thinking about the proper bachi grip as I hold my paddle, and find myself utilizing a deeper squat when at the kitchen line, hitting shots I used to miss.
Being at the beginning of the journey is a great reminder to keep alive a beginner’s mindset in all of life. This, of course, is also much easier to do when we are encouraged to make mistakes, laugh, and be in community with each other, all of which are some of my favorite things about the rec class.
I am also a certified energy medicine practitioner of the Eden Method and a Reiki master. I love teaching people how to unlock the power within themselves as a way to bring balance and radiance to their lives. Feeling the energy of taiko and witnessing the sacred space created when playing together fuels me, which I then carry with me through the week to support my clients and others in my community.
