Paul Gardner Sensei, 7th Dan
Paul Gardner Sensei, 6th Dan, Chief Instructor at Eastern Sky is a student of Shuji Maruyama Sensei, Founder of Kokikai Aikido. Paul Gardner began his marital arts training in 1980, moved to South East Asia to study martial arts full time and has been teaching aikido in the Rochester area since 1992.
Like many others, I was inspired by David Carradine in the TV show Kung Fu. I wanted to be peaceful, wise and capable of kicking butt. I still do; however kicking butt is less important now. I started practicing martial arts every day for 9 years until one day I was invited to an Aikido seminar and witnessed its effortless power and grace firsthand. I was hooked!
When I teach, my goal is to ensure that each student leaves class with three things:
1) a sense of achievement, pleasure in accomplishment
2) a sense of challenge, savoring the difficult
3) a sense of awe, always striving towards a higher level
When I practice, I start with a goal or a personal mission statement and sincere intent. Practice should be more than just physical redundancy. Anything worth doing is worth doing better. I try to be aware, to be present, and to keep improving. For me, Aikido is a metaphor for life.
Rose Pleninger Sensei, 5th Dan
Rose Pleninger Sensei teaches the both adult and children’s classes with the primary focus on the use of the Four Principles in day-to-day life. It is her goal to instill and develop confidence, discipline and compassion in her students.
I hold a masters degree in education. I was an Instructor in Rochester area public schools for 30 years. My continued professional development and experience in Education provide me with a variety of tools and strategies to engage my students in a safe and comfortable environment.
It is so rewarding to witness the growth in individuals when comparing the first moment they step on the mat to even just a few months into their practice. The progress in coordination, posture, and a sense of calm is suddenly manifested.
Shuji Maruyama once told me that the primary focus of the children’s class is simply that. He stressed that good technique is a “by-product” of the Principles. I would say that concept applies to all Aikidoka (Aikido practitioners) adults and children alike..