Prior to his move to Maine, he ran a sporting goods sales and marketing company covering the six New England states. This work helped
facilitate the family move to Maine and establishment of Aikido of Maine, which had been a key goal for the family.
Ania Small is a yondan (4th dan) in Aikido. She began her Aikido training in Warsaw, Poland in 1983. In 1990, Ania joined
Shobu Aikido of Boston. Ania also studies with Saotome at the Aiki Shrine in Florida and Ikeda sensei and other teachers at camps and seminars.
Ania received her P.H.D. in counseling psychology from Northeastern University in 1999; her dissertation topic was Mindfulness based
stress reduction for dealing with ADHD. She is interested in “Mind Body Health”, and more specifically, stress reduction, and life style changes
that promote health. She incorporates in her work mindfulness and Aikido principles in dealing with emotional and attention issues. She
has a private Practice in Freeport Maine.
Mitsugi Saotome
Master Saotome has devoted his entire adult life to the study and teaching of Aikido.
He began as a special apprentice with the founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei (O Sensei)
in 1955 and continued for 15 years until the founder's death in April of 1969.
From 1960 until 1975 Saotome sensei taught at the World Aikido Headquarters in
Tokyo, Japan. During this period he was accorded many positions, honor and achievements.
He appeared publicly at many events in Japan and abroad for the purpose of spreading the
understanding and knowledge of Aikido.
In 1975 Saotome sensei decided to leave his highly respected position as a senior instructor at
World Aikido Headquarters in Tokyo to come to the United States. When asked about his decision
to leave the home of his birth he responded: "The eyes of the world are on the United States.
This country is a great experiment; a melting pot of people from many different cultural backgrounds
living together, the world condensed into one nation. The goal of Aikido and O Sensei's dream is that
all the peoples of the world live together as one family, in harmony with each other and their environment.
The United States has the opportunity to set a great example."
Hiroshi Ikeda
Hiroshi Ikeda is the founder and chief instructor of Boulder Aikikai, Inc., a non-profit school of Aikido in Boulder,
Colorado, USA. He currently holds the rank of 7th dan through Mitsugi Saotome Shihan and the Aikido World
Federation (Honbu Dojo).
Ikeda Sensei began his study of Aikido in 1968, as a college student at Kokugakuin University in Tokyo.
In 1978, he followed Saotome Sensei to Sarasota, Florida. In 1980, he moved to Boulder to establish
Boulder Aikikai, an associate of Saotome Sensei's Aikido Schools of Ueshiba.
Ikeda Sensei lives with his family in Boulder, where he teaches at Boulder Aikikai and
manages the operations of Bu Jin Design, his martial arts supply manufacturing and mail
order company. He also travels extensively as a guest instructor, conducting Aikido seminars at dojos
around the country and abroad. Among Ikeda sensei’s travels he comes to our dojo in Maine.
William Gleason, Sensei
William Gleason (sixth dan) studied Aikido from 1970 to 1980 at the main world headquarters (Hombu Dojo)
in Japan and also with grand master Yamaguchi Seigo Shihan and Yoshinobu Takeda sensei. During that
same period, Gleason Sensei studied Japanese swordsmanship (kenjutsu) as well as Japanese language,
classical music, and Eastern religion. He is the author of The Spiritual Foundations of Aikido, which has been
translated into four languages. He contributes regularly to the Shobu Aikido Newsletter, and hopes to compile his recent essays into an upcoming book. He is currently at work on a training video. Gleason Sensei is
available for seminars worldwide. Gleason sensei visits Aikido of Maine regularly to conduct seminars.
View his current calendar for this year's seminar schedule.
Read his feature article in the Bujin Newsletter about his
experience.
Mission
The Vision of the founders of Aikido of Maine is to build a dojo and Aikido practice that provides the following key elements:
- Solid instruction in the principles of Aikido: our aim is to provide
solid instruction in technique while looking into the spiritual
aspects of the art beyond the physical technique alone.
- Vigorous training: our practice is vigorous and energetic. At the
same time we provide instruction so that new students learn how to
fall safely and take care of themselves. We hope to provide a safe
environment that is conducive to the joyful practice of Aikido.
- Creating the dojo as a place to polish the self and grow.
- Encourage a community atmosphere: it is our desire to have a dojo
where our members support and encourage each other. We hope to
introduce the dojo members to the extended world Aikido community.
- To practice this Japanese martial art and honor the traditions
behind it's ancient roots in an American context. It is our feeling
that keeping some of the formal Japanese and Shinto symbols (such as
bowing to our partners, sitting while receiving instruction, following
the senior/junior system etc.) as part of the practice helps with the
tone and framework of training.
- To provide an excellent children's program. The aim is to provide
excellent instruction in the movement of Aikido and the philosophy
behind the art. Youth members will develop
coordination, flexibility, self-esteem and respect for themselves and
others.
