Aikido and Iaido and the Sword of Nonviolence Training with Michele Benzamin-Miki at Aikido Sho Bi Juku
Nishio-Ryu is a series of katas (movement sequences) developed by Shoji Nishio Sensei based directly on Aikido techniques, movements and principles. These sword katas are not intended to cut your opponent as in the other Iaido styles, although the understanding of how to cut your opponent is still part of the training.
Michele Sensei is ranked 6th Dan in Aikido, 5th Dan in Nishio Ryu Iaido, and 5th Dan in Sosho Ryu Iaido. She has dedicated forty years to training and teaching nonviolent martial arts, and trained extensively for many years with both Nishio Sensei and Yoshida Sensei
In addition to teaching nonviolence, she has taught meditation, mindfulness, creativity and diversity for organizations, schools, and within the prison systems, indian reservations, and underserved communities for three decades, and has left a legacy of continued programs and education in those places.
She is a performance artist and visual artist, whose work is exhibited internationally, and integrates her art into her healing and transformational work, inspiring and changing the lives of thousands of her students and clients in using the power of their imagination.
Currently she works with evolutionary leaders, conscious entrepreneurs, front line activists, and gifted artists who are passionate about their work and have a strong desire to create positive impact in their communities and in the world.
For information on other training and workshops with Michele Sensei visit Five Changes
Aikido and Iaido
Training with Michele Benzamin-Miki Sensei at Aikido Sho Bi Juku
Due to the present situation classes are currently held online via Zoom.
Monthly training at Manzanita Village
SUNDAY Trainings on Sundays once monthly at Manzanita Village
Contact Michele Sensei for upcoming dates
e: mbm@fivechanges.org
p: 310-339-3531
Aikido and Iaido
and the Sword of Nonviolence
Training with Michele Benzamin-Miki at Aikido Sho Bi Juku
Nishio-Ryu Iaido is a series of katas (movement sequences) developed by Shoji Nishio Sensei based directly on Aikido techniques, movements and principles. These sword katas are not intended to cut your opponent as in the other Iaido styles, although the understanding of how to cut your opponent is still part of the training.
The choice not to kill or harm your opponent is central to Aikido and this style of Iaido training. We spar with wooden swords (bokken) and staff (jo).
Weapons training and empty-hand techniques are part of the same integrated system.
Shoji Nishio Sensei
Shoji Nishio Sensei, a direct student of O’Sensei, was born in Aomori, Japan, December 5,1927. Nishio Sensei started training in Judo at the Senbadojo in Tokyo in 1942, and on September 1st, 1945 began training at the Kodokan in Tokyo. He continued his study of martial arts by beginning to practice Shizenryu Karate in Tokyo and on January 1st, 1979, he was promoted to 8th Dan in Aikido.
In addition to his many other accomplishments Nishio Sensei is the founder of Aikido Toho Iaido. This style of Iaido is in direct relationship to Aikido movements and uses the sword to cut a path of non-harming, following in O’Sensei’s desire to take the war out of our hearts in training. He is a Japan Iaido Federation Master with the ranking of 7th Dan. He currently holds high levels of Black-belts in many martial arts, such as 6th Dan in Judo, and 5th Dan in Karatedo. In January 2003 in Tokyo Nishio Sensei received the Distinguished Martial Arts Award from the “Budokan” Japanese Martial Arts Organization.
Koji Yoshida Sensei
Born in 1951 in Toyama prefecture. At 19, he moved to Tokyo to study with Shoji Nishio Sensei and continued to be a direct student of Nishio Sensei for over 34 years. He holds the rank of 7th dan in each of the following arts: Aikido (Aikikai), Iaido (Aiki Toho Iai), Iaido (Musoshinden-ryu), and Shodo (calligraphy). In 2000, Nishio Sensei appointed him to conduct seminars in the U.S.A., France, Ukraine, and other European countries. In 2005, he was invited to teach at the Aiki Expo in Los Angeles.
Yoshida Sensei teaches the fundamental and core principles of Nishio Sensei’s aikido through empty-hand techniques which are also expressed with the bokken, jo, and sword. Nishio Sensei had always told us that in order keep Aikido from dying, we must continue to keep the art current through continued revisions and upgrades. Yoshida has done a masterful job of continuing to expand and refine Aikido by developing more detailed ken tai ken, ken tai jo, and Aiki Toho Iai that are much more literal to the empty-hand techniques. His revisions provide an easier path to allow students to see the important lessons and connections the weapons provide to understanding empty-hand techniques.
Michele Benzamin-Miki
Michele Sensei is ranked 6th Dan in Aikido, 5th Dan in Nishio Ryu Iaido, and 5th Dan in Sosho Ryu Iaido. She has dedicated forty years to training and teaching nonviolent martial arts, and trained extensively for many years with both Nishio Sensei and Yoshida Sensei..
In addition to teaching nonviolence, she has taught meditation, mindfulness, creativity and diversity for organizations, schools, and within the prison systems, indian reservations, and underserved communities for three decades, and has left a legacy of continued programs and education in those places.
She is a performance artist and visual artist, whose work is exhibited internationally, and integrates her art into her healing and transformational work, inspiring and changing the lives of thousands of her students and clients in using the power of their imagination.
Currently she works with evolutionary leaders, conscious entrepreneurs, front line activists, and gifted artists who are passionate about their work and have a strong desire to create positive impact in their communities and in the world.
For information on other training and workshops with Michele Sensei visit Five Changes
For Michele’s Fine Art Page visit Michele Benzamin-Miki
Michele Sensei is currently Vice President of Nishikaze Aikido Society of America
To contact Sensei Michele email mbm@fivechanges.org
Trainings on Sundays once monthly at Manzanita Village
Contact Michele Sensei for upcoming dates
