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How Did We Start?

Embrace The Moon’s Roots
In 1994 school founder Kim Ivy met Dr. Ric Taylor of Seattle Pain Consultants at Swedish Hospital. Dr. Taylor had spent time in China and was impressed by the Tai Chi he saw in parks and the Qigong he experienced in the hospital settings. His idea was that patients who could integrate this type of movement could more easily live a life where they had less pain and greater function. Kim Ivy had been teaching for several years in Portland, Oregon and was especially impressed by working in retirement homes and seeing how elderly people who had chronic pain were helped by Tai Chi and Qigong. Kim moved to Seattle in 1993 and had a chance meeting with Dr. Taylor. After a brief time, they were clear that their ideas and experiences could combine to create something revolutionary in the Seattle Health Care field. They began to plan an 8 week Tai Chi for Chronic Pain at his clinic.

“We will first have to convince Western Medicine,” Dr. Taylor said to Kim. They both worked for months collecting what research was available. It was a challenge to create a program that was able to convey the benefits of these little known “energetic” exercise forms to those firmly enmeshed in the strict Western Medical Model. However, in the fall of 1994 Dr. Taylor and Kim launched the first East/West integrated complementary program at Swedish Hospital using Tai Chi and Qigong.

The program gained immediate attention. Many patients became involved in the program, other physicians noticed and the program even gained media attention. The first students were exclusively those who had Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Fibromyalgia, Cancer or who were in physical rehabilitation for stroke or MS. These people were utterly engaged in their healing process. They gave Kim and Dr. Taylor invaluable feedback as to what worked and what didn’t. Very soon people improved. There were many stories of pain reduction, increased energy and strength, as well as a general overall improvement in the quality of daily life.

During this time Seattle in general was at the beginnings of a revolution in its community’s overall approach to healthcare. Over the next three years many other clinics, physicians and health care professionals contracted Kim to conduct classes, in-services, lectures and demonstrations for the purpose of educating people about the benefits of Tai Chi and Qigong. Kim also began to teach public classes where people of all fitness levels, ages and interests came to take classes.

The Name ‘Embrace The Moon’
Embrace The Moon School for Taijiquan and Qigong was formally founded May 25, 1995. The name Embrace The Moon came from a group of students during a class. Someone said, “what is the name of our school?” At that point it had not occurred to Kim that there was a school, much less a name. Yet, there were a few dozen students who, every week, walked up several flights of rickety stairs to the first studio in Capitol Hill, for classes. Someone else said, “isn’t it ‘Embrace The Moon?’" Embrace The Moon is the name of one of the transitional postures in the Tai Chi form and so the students would always hear this being called out during class. At that moment it sounded perfect and so it has been for 14 years.

In a thriving school of over 150 students, there are a dozen or so of those founding members who still take classes at Embrace The Moon. These early students followed the school from its various rental spaces in Capitol Hill to Wallingford to Ballard to Ballard again, providing many volunteer hours and advising us along the way. Each one of these students as well as everyone who comes through our doors helps to shape our school, making it a strong and vital place.

Embrace The Moon Today
Like our practices, Embrace The Moon continues to evolve. In 2003 Kim Ivy and many loyal students took a big risk to bring the vision of Embrace The Moon to its next level. In September of that year Embrace The Moon opened up its own dedicated space on Market Street in Ballard. The larger space is aesthetically designed to create a sense of calm, an Oasis within one’s hectic daily life. There is a 1200 square foot dedicated practice hall with lovely reclaimed pecan floors. The paint is soft and the incandescent light is just right. There is calming and inspiring calligraphy spaced on the walls. We also have another 1100 square foot back room that has our office but most importantly has a comfortable conversation and rest area. There is always hot water for tea!

Still true to its roots, Embrace The Moon offers a place for those with special health needs to practice movement safely. We also have vigorous programs for athletes, children & those who simply want a little grace & balance to augment their already established workout programs. Over the recent year Embrace The Moon has appeared in The New York Times, Channel 5, The Seattle PI, The Best of City issue of Seattle Metropolitan Magazine but our favorite place to appear is on the lovely practitioners who come through our doors to practice. Join us!

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