Too often I find myself in power struggles. When I entered the Self-Defense Workshop, I thought I would walk out with the keys to holding the power in physically uncomfortable situations.

However, I was wrong. I walked out with one lesson. The power is not having power. In self-defense, the goal is to show respect for yourself AND the other person’s existence. If power dynamics enter a situation, it could escalate things for the worst, instead of ameliorate all problems. In addition, power can keep one from truly centering and channeling energy.

The Self-Defense Workshop was empowering for me physically and mentally, as I realized power has no place in safety, nor does it have a place in respectable environments.