We are pleased to announce that Shaner Sensei, Chief Instructor of the Eastern Ki Federation, will be coming to teach our Spring Seminar, May 15-17, 2009. Dr. David Shaner is a direct student and former uchideshi of Tohei Sensei with 40 years of experience in Aikido and Ki Development. He is also a professor of Philosophy and Asian Studies at Furman University in Greenville, SC, and is a former World Class downhill skier. Shaner Sensei has a deep understanding of Tohei Sensei’s teachings and is superb at presenting these teachings to Westerners. He is the Chief Instructor of the Eastern Ki Federation, holds Nanadan (7th degree black belt) in Ki-Aikido and Okuden rank in Shinshin Toitsudo (Ki Development). The theme of the seminar is "How to Train: What Tohei Sensei learned from Ogura Sensei." Although best known as an Aikido instructor, Soshu Koichi Tohei Sensei had three main teachers: O'Sensei, founder of Aikido; Tempu Sensei, founder of Shinshin Toitsudo; and his first teacher, Ogura Sensei, founder of the Ichikukai Dojo and a direct student of the legendary swordsman, calligrapher and statesman, Yamaoka Tesshu. Tohei Sensei learned different lessons from each of his teachers which influenced the development of the Ki Society and of Shinshin Toitsu Aikido. From O'Sensei he learned “how to relax”; from Tempu Sensei he learned the principle that “mind leads body”; and from Ogura Sensei he learned “how to train”. This seminar will explore the lessons that Tohei Sensei learned from his first teacher, and how we can apply these lessons to our own training both in the dojo and in our daily lives. The seminar flier and registration form are attached below. Click Here to Register Online. |