Windward YMCA and Momilani Tai Chi Ohanas"I want to do that!" Valerie thought when she saw Kelvin’s tai chi sword class at Windward YMCA in October 2015. Since small kid time, she had wanted to learn the sword and kung fu movements like her brother in kung fu class. But that wasn’t something girls did then. Nothing’s stopping her now.
Val is one of Kelvin’s most dedicated students, practicing 1-2 hours each day outside of class, even during her Las Vegas vacation. A few things she works on every day:
· Exercises (including foot exercises to help with ground feel—engaging all nine points of the foot)
· Sinking her energy
· Relaxing and breathing into the movements
In addition to Kelvin’s tai chi and tai chi sword classes, Val’s other classes include:
· Tai chi fan at Windward YMCA
· Tai chi taught by the Dong Family in Kailua
· Kupuna Aikido: Safe Falling Class
· and healing centered around Tai Chi, Qi Gong, and Reiki by Randy Lau
So, why does Valerie do so much tai chi and qi gong? Because she is passionately all-in for each life stage. Once it was work, now it is her health. Tai chi and qi gong provide tools to maintain her quality of life. But life presents its different turns.
After graduating from St. Andrews Priory, Val went to college on the mainland to see where life would take her. She recalls, after graduating and a few years of working on the mainland, "I came back to Hawaii because I felt I needed my roots back — the culture. Something was missing, and it pulled me back." Ironically, it was after her return that she became her strongest, most nurturing, best self.
With mentorship and hard work, she eventually was promoted to a Human Resources Director/Equal Employment Opportunity Programs at the Department of the Navy, Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, as the first Asian female in the position. Val mentored her team members to foster community and develop passion for their work so they would be productive, ultimately effective, and responsive.
"Finding passion in a job is wonderful because then work is fun and you don’t resent the hours," she observed. Val is a mentoring enthusiast, recognizing its significance in her career and telling her adult children, "to find a mentor in their jobs—someone who is going to push you and nurture you."
She sees Kelvin as her tai chi mentor because of his encouragement, patience, readiness emphasis, and accessibility. "I really appreciate the community and tai chi family Kelvin has created." Val likes his way of fostering community with his humor (!) and by encouraging healthy movements, snacks, breaks, and non-tai chi get-togethers like Tsun-Hui’s concerts.
"When you eat together, you have good times together," Val said. Ah, the key to community, cohesion, and conflict resolution. Val is one wise woman. Did she ply her team with food while mentoring individuals?
Kelvin wanted me to interview Val for her inspiring example of working hard to learn the forms and reduce her symptoms. It is a privilege to meet, interview, and talk with all the special members of the tai chi ohana. Val is right: the tai chi ohana is a wondrous, rare thing.