Ki to the City

I haven’t done one of these “solo episodes” in a while.I know I promised I wouldn’t anymore because I felt like I was making it too much about “me,” but a guest rescheduled at the last minute and I don’t want to break the momentum of putting out at least one episode a week.I’m superstitious like that.So, here’s a short story I’m working on for one of the many books I’ll probably never publish.It’s a ‘ruff’ draft.I’m not gonna lie, sometimes I get pretty down on myself…Wow! I just got hit with some acute ‘deja vu.’It probably never really actually happened, but I just got struck with this vivid memory of being told sternly that I should never start off a sentence (in writing) with, “I’m not gonna lie.”For the record, it’s part of my everyday lingo, and I want to stay true to my vernacular.Now, I just got hit with another major ‘deja vu’ memory of being told that I should never write about ‘deja vu.’Anyway… sometimes I get pretty down on myself.I know I’m not alone in this.Anyone with a modicum of humility understands what we’re all up against: how difficult it is to maintain a joyful connection to the universe at all times, not to mention unwavering confidence in all the impractical ideas we have for how to ‘make the world a better place,’ etc…And sometimes I question my obsessive dedication to practicing aikido, trudging along with my podcast, and whatever other aerial designs I have in my head of pursuing/promoting this art I love as a vocation (of sorts).But last Wednesday, at least, my trip to the dojo paid some karmic dividends.Practice itself was fine. That’s not what this story is about. I was leading the class; we had a visitor from Japan, so I made sure my etiquette was on point.It was while walking to the train station after class when I felt like, for a brief moment at least, my life had a greater purpose.When we all left the dojo, I wanted to properly say thank you and goodbye to our Japanese visitor, so I bowed.As I was mid-bow, two rambunctious young men swaggered brusquely past with some extra attitude. One of them bumped into me. His reaction indicated placing blame on me for the bump. The other one remarked that I looked like I was trying to kiss somebody or something.I just laughed and said, “Oh sorry… sorry… my fault.”As I walked to the train, my inner monologue was peppered with praise about how proud I was of myself for not overreacting to the minor pedestrian slight.This lulled me into a daydream (even though it wasn’t day) of previous instances where I had to temper my temper when bumped into or otherwise inconvenienced by my fellow serfs in the city who didn’t bother to apologize.I was snapped out of this reverie when I heard a little dog’s sharp yelp.Ahead of me, navigating the icy, garbage-laden terrain, were two young women walking a dirty white toy poodle.I feel bad calling the poodle dirty, but it was. All white with muddy paws and those black tear stains that some dogs get.It cried out because one of the girls stepped on it.She blamed him (or her, I didn’t check) because it kept “walking between” her feet.The leash they had wasn’t a choke chain; it was one of those retractable leashes, but they had it let out all the way, at full length.I was walking about 10 paces behind, and I offered a barely audible “aww, are you okay?”No one probably heard me but myself.As we kept walking, me now shaken fully out of my reverie of past potential scuffles, reflecting on how Aikido really maybe has made me a better person, I started thinking like, “Yeah, but what am I actually doing with my life? You know?”The euphoria of teaching a well-received class was already starting to dissolve, and I started musing about ‘my troubles’.As I approached the crosswalk; my attention shifted back to the young women with the poor, unkempt little poodle.The light was about to turn red, and one of the young women (I’ll call her “girl-number-one”) decided to run across the street to catch up to somebody.She yelled out a name. “Maya.”At first, I thought that was the dog’s name, but she was yelling it out up ahead while she ran, and it wouldn’t have made sense to yell out the dog’s name like that.Meanwhile, girl-number-two, the one holding the dog (not named Maya) on the unretracted leash, decided not to cross the street.She stopped short as the light flashed red.The poodle, however, wanted to follow girl-number-one, so he (or she) darted up ahead after her. And, because the leash was at full length, the little muddy-pawed dog was able to scamper across the street without any hindrance to its mobility.I saw this scene unfurl in slow motion, without all the verbiage.A voice in my head said, “Oh S**t! That dog’s about to get hit.”And sure enough, I saw a car, trying to make the light, speed through the intersection.Now, I don’t know if my voice can actually arrest canine movement through sound waves, but in that moment, I tried it anyway. I yelled out, “Whoa! Whoa! Whoa! Whoa!”In essence, I barked.The little dog stopped (not, thank God) dead in its tracks. A split second before it would’ve been crushed beneath the left front tire, it jumped back, turned around, looked at me like I said something it understood, and ran towards me.I paid no attention to girl-number-two. Girl-number-one was long gone.I’m too self-conscious about sounding like a fussy, old, concerned citizen to have offered any admonishment. Instead, I talked to the dog directly. I said, “You need to be careful when you cross the street; you’re going to get hit by a car. It’s very dangerous.”The dog looked up at me like it got my point. I know it probably didn’t, but it looked at me like it did and sat at my feet.Girl-number-two said “thank you” kind of nonchalantly. Like I said, I don’t want to get into it with people. I don’t want to judge them for their attitudes or their ability to take responsibility. I don’t want to come across like an old man who tells people what to do.Not for nothing, but this is the third dog-life I’ve saved.The previous two were little dogs that were about to get killed by big dogs. In both scenarios, the big dog had the little dog in its mouth, and I ran over and picked the big dog up by the collar and just yelled loudly in its face, “No!” The big dog dropped the little dog and then kind of apologized to me.I know it sounds a little bit far-fetched (get it?), but it really happened. Twice.Anyway, as far as last Wednesday night goes, I’m not saying that I’ve gained any special powers through my obsessive Aikido practice enabling me to stop potentially destructive actions through sound waves.My point is: if I didn’t go to class, I wouldn’t have been in the position to save that dog’s life.So at least for a fleeting moment, I felt like I was on the right track.Maybe that little dirty poodle’s destiny is to do something great. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

Here’s Part II of my recent interview with Chris Thorsen Sensei, distinguished senior student of Richard Moon Sensei and board member at Aiki Extensions.If you heard Part I, you’ll surely already be in awe of his remarkable life—an inspiring journey he describes as a series of “intuitive jumps off cliffs.”If you haven’t heard it yet, don’t delay! Here it is: Part IIn this newest episode, Thorsen Sensei continues to share powerful examples from his consulting career, including turnaround work at Kaiser Permanente’s IT team and a critical intervention at Intel, demonstrating the systemic and strategic application of Aikido principles in the pressure-packed world of high-stakes corporate operations.Most impressive/inspiring to me is the conflict-resolution project that he and Richard Moon Sensei undertook with Cypriot leaders. Their work in Cyprus stands (to me, at least) as one of the most profound examples of the application of Aikido principles to real-world conflict resolution.As many of you may already know, Cyprus has been deeply divided since the 1960s, after a crisis still resonating palpable resentment, marked by the presence of the “Green Line,” a United Nations-controlled neutral zone that literally separates the Turkish Cypriot north and the Greek Cypriot south.The strategy employed by the two trailblazing Sensei was to focus on multi-track diplomacy, engaging with community leaders, heads of companies, media organizations, and nonprofits—the high leaders of culture below the political level. The methodology used was the core combination of Aikido and dialogue.Workshops brought together mixed groups of Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, teaching them the non-competitive, cooperative aspects of Aikido.The physical practice of centering, blending, and getting off the line was successfully integrated as a method for navigating conflict in the verbal realm.This groundbreaking project showed how an Aiki-dialogue methodology could enable players entrenched in deep, systemic conflict to cohere, generating new possibilities for resolution and transformation (even post-war), by providing a method to physically and verbally step into a field of cooperation rather than competition.In this episode, you’ll also hear about the related program Chris Sensei, in conjunction with Aiki Extensions, has recently established. This exciting initiative focuses on assisting Aikido dojo leaders in taking their practice off the mat and into their local communities.Anyone interested in applying Aikido principles to community betterment should follow up with Aiki Extensions (here) for more information.And, in case you haven’t heard, Aiki Extensions also generously offers seed grants (up to $1,000) for projects that are focused on moving Aikido off the mat and into engagement in the world in non-martial ways.I’m sure there are some great ideas out there that could use some funding to get off the ground.To further explore the rich history of Thorsen Sensei’s work from 1985 to 2005, you can visit quantumedge.org.And for a deeper understanding of the current iteration of his crucial work in embodiment and systemic change, please visit inquiryintoconsciousness.com.Now, let’s pick up where we left off…. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

Long-time student of Richard Moon Sensei and integral board member of Aiki Extensions, Chris Thorsen Sensei’s life is a remarkable testament to the power of intuition, embodied practice, and a deep commitment to true systemic change.Spanning over 50 years, his incredible career path has been characterized by bringing the principles of Aikido off the mat and into the world, transforming organizational culture and leadership. For the better.This will be a two-part episode. Considering the breadth and depth of Chris Sensei’s experience and the important work he’s doing. It was impossible to reduce mora than half a century of spiritual wisdom in action to a 72 minute conversation.Chris Sensei’s journey is marked by a series of what he calls “intuitive jumps off cliffs”—unreasonable, yet profoundly guiding, decisions. At age 12, his first break with inherited culture happened during a trip with the Episcopal Church acolytes to a park in southern Illinois. He discovered a brass plaque on a promontory that detailed how a village of Native Americans had been surrounded and starved to death by the “bluecoats” (Christians). This shocking realization led him to question his involvement in the church and marked the beginning of his distrust and questioning of societal structures.This intuitive questioning reached a crescendo during his time enlisted in the military. A desire for education had led him to the Army’s language school in Monterey, but a moral conflict soon erupted following the Gulf of Tonkin incident. An intuitive flash that the (now proven to be a false flag) incident was not what it appeared to be on the surface, spurred his declaration for conscientious objector status, a period that included a profound three-week vow of silence.This early act of non-cooperation and adherence to an inner truth became a foundational example of listening to the whispers of intuitive guidance, a theme that would later define his life’s work.After his discharge, a solitary two-year period in the wilderness led to writing haiku and an introduction to Rinzai Zen, establishing a diligent practice of Zazen that served as a crucial precursor to his path in Aikido. This spiritual rooting, combined with his work as a creativity consultant and later a crisis counselor, brought him face-to-face with the human cost of dysfunctional corporate culture. Seeking a grounded calm amidst the tumultuous melee of crisis work, he fortuitously found Aikido.His Aikido lineage is central to his mission. He began training with Richard Moon Sensei, who was running a small dojo (in a former chicken shack) focused on a shared inquiry into the art, and crucially emphasized jiyū-waza (freestyle practice). This liberating practice heightened Chris Sensei’s ability to function intuitively, and viscerally.His training deepened under Robert Nadeau Sensei, whose teaching focused on energy as the primary study of Aikido—the Aikido that cannot be seen with the human eye. These two teachers empowered Thorsen Sensei’s realization that he needed to get “upstream of the problems” by working directly with leaders, thereby discovering his bestowed mission to transform organizational culture.This mission was realized when a former client, and Vietnam veteran, Jim Dixon. (You really gotta listen to the episode to hear how amazing Jim’s story is!) hired him as the cultural development consultant for the startup Cellular One, San Francisco.This opportunity led to a whirlwind run with Moon Sensei at his side, building Cellular One and later Nextel across the country. Their core methodology was teaching “non-falling Aikido” partnered with David Bohm’s Dialogue.Through the realization that “Dialogue is a verbal Aikido and Aikido is a physical form of dialogue”, they taught teams how to handle pressure and conflict and, critically, how to make intuitive declarations for breakthroughs by embodying the principles of centered, grounded, and flowing presence. This unique approach led to the construction of a national cellular system in record time, all while maintaining their cultural declaration to “not lose one family”, an unprecedented success in the industry.Since 2000, Thorsen Sensei’s work has evolved beyond direct corporate consulting to handing off the kit of his methodologies to what he calls “free radicals”—consultants and internal change agents working in large organizations and nonprofits to make systemic level change.This work is ongoing and deeply informed by his spiritual and martial arts background, and will covered at length in the next episode which will follow this one in a few days.So stay tuned!!To learn more about his amazing journey and the application of these principles check out his two websites.For stories of the corporate work from 1985 to 2005, mostly covered in this first episode: quantumedge.orgFor the current iteration of his ever-important work which will be covered in part II: inquiryintoconsciousness.comEnjoy! Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

Happy Setsubun!According to Shinto, it’s today, Feb. 3rd..Setsubun literally translates to “seasonal division.” While, historically, it referred to the eve of any of the four seasons, it now specifically marks the day before the beginning of Spring (according to the old calendar of Japan.)It’s essentially a spiritual “spring cleaning” to drive out the bad energy of the previous year and welcome a fresh start.Feels like we sure could use some energetic refreshment right about now.And, I couldn’t think of a better way to commemorate/celebrate this auspicious occasion than inviting Koichi Barrish Sensei back on the show to share his impressions on what this time of year signifies and how we can attune ourselves more harmoniously to the greater cosmic cycle.(Apologies for the brief technical issue in the beginning of our talk. I want to get this episode out today, for obvious reasons, so I didn’t have time to edit it much. There’s a few seconds of a glitchiness, hope you can look past the imperfections…)In this timely episode, Barrish Sensei explains how Setsubun is the Kyo, or “still point,” between the Earth’s yin phase of accumulating energy and the coming yang phase of releasing it. This energetic hinge marks the solar New Year and is analogous to the European Imbolc.This particular Setsubun (2026), is astrologically and energetically profound in many ways. The year’s specific currents are described in detail through the three aspects of Japanese astrology: Ten, Chi, and Jin (Heaven, Earth, and Humanity). The heavenly and earthly responses (Ten and Chi) align to make this the year of Hinoe Uma, or the “cardinal fire horse.” This energy is intensely expansive and explosive—fire on top of fire—and its core teaching is that nothing remains obscured. All things that have been hidden are revealed because, metaphorically, the sun is directly overhead and casts “no shadow.”However, the third, or human, element (Jin) provides the necessary counter-strategy. Represented this year by Ippaku Suisei (One White Water Ki), the human response calls for a period of deep, yin-like gathering and observation. The ultimate lesson, or strategy, is to utilize the expansive, powerful energy imbued cosmically, while acting from a place of perspective and distance.According to Barrish Sensei, this is the perfect moment for Aiki: a response that stems from intensely and carefully held verticality between heaven and earth. This Aiki response allows one to remove obstructions, clarify our personal mission, and tap into the powerful flow of the life stream to influence the arc of the system in a more positive way. This is the great challenge and opportunity for all who seek harmony in a world undergoing profound and unprecedented change.But don’t take my word for it. Listen to the episode and hear Barrish Sensei describe the whole current cosmic situation in his unique, wise, and spirited way.And please check out what he’s doing over at Kannagara Inari Salon I’ve been (virtually) attending his Chouhai ceremony every weekend and it’s had a very positive influence on my state of mind ever since I started. And if you’re new to the podcast, and haven’t heard my two previous talks with Barrish Sensei, I’ll make it easy for you to find them:Aikido and the way of the Gods IAikido and the way of the Gods IIPlease consider supporting Ki to the City!If you find value in these deep explorations of Aikido and philosophy, please consider supporting the podcast. Upgrade to a paid subscriber, or if you’d like to make a one-time contribution reach out to me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com.As a thank you, donors, and new paid subscribers will receive a copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s beautiful book of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido—the perfect companion piece for spiritual, and martial inquiry.And Sunday was my birthday, if that tips the scales :) Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

I got the keys to the dojo’s Instagram account now, so I’m working on my video editing skills.I interviewed Nico back in October. If you’re new here, or you somehow missed that one, check it out here: Nico Puertollano interviewAnd… If you got any tips on using Instagram effectively (whatever that means) please let me know. I appreciate all adviceBy the way, I don’t know if you are seeing the automatic subtitles. A lot of them are obviously wrong, but they’re kind of funny. And I don’t really now how to turn them off yet… Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

I’m excited to share this incredibly expansive discussion with Steve Macramalla, long-time student of Linda Holiday Sensei at Aikido of Santa Cruz.(Regular listeners know what a positive influence Linda Holiday Sensei has had on myself and this project. Her ongoing commitment to transmitting heart-centered wisdom has been a major catalyst for the perseverance of this podcast.)In addition to his Aikido pursuit, Steve is also a professor of Cognitive Psychology and teaches Chi’en-Lung Kung Fu at Six animals Kung Fu. This combination makes him the perfect conversational partner for attempting to tackle the whole “mind-body” question that I can never seem to satisfactorily answer for myself.His book, Unleash the Dragon Within: Transform Your Life with the Kung-Fu Animals of Ch’ien-Lung, is ostensibly a guide to personal transformation through martial arts.Drawing on over thirty years of training under his enigmatic Sifu, Constantine Darling, Steve outlines how we can practice the embodiment of six specific animal archetypes (discussed in detail during our chat) to deliberately shift our mental, emotional, and physical states to better navigate conflict and achieve psychological well-being.The core of this episode, however, lies in unpacking Steve’s vast experience in the exploration of the aforementioned “mind-body” problem. This is the crossroad where the cognitive psychologist and the martial artist meet.Whether you’re interested in the science of how we learn, preserving the lineage of Kumano Aikido, or finding out how to “unleash the dragon” in your own practice, this episode is, if I may be be so bold, mandatory listening.Steve brings a sharp, academic precision to the proverbial table, but he delivers it with the warmth and humility of a dedicated Aikidoka. I really enjoyed this one, and I hope you will too!Please consider supporting Ki to the City!If you find value in these deep explorations of Aikido and philosophy, please consider supporting the podcast. Upgrade to a paid subscriber, or if you’d like to make a one-time contribution reach out to me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com.As a thank you, donors, and new paid subscribers will receive a copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s beautiful book of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido—the perfect companion piece for spiritual, and martial inquiry. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

One of the genuine benefits of (stubbornly) persisting with this project (despite the typical difficulties associated with the pursuit of wisdom vs monetary gain) is that when I hear a testimony so inspiring, so indicative of Aikido’s positive impact, it instantly assuages all doubt that I’m on the right path.Scott Berg Sensei’s early life was beset with some pretty significant challenges, beginning with being born deaf. His hearing was eventually gained around his third birthday, following a successful (second) attempt at tympanostomy tube insertion.This procedure, of which Scott Sensei was one of the earliest recipients, occurred after the natural developmental window for learning speech. As a result, he faced a severely delayed path in acquiring language.He struggled substantially to communicate verbally, noting that he could not pronounce his own name in the seventh grade. The severity of his difficulties led to a frightening (thankfully ignored) misdiagnosis when a psychiatrist at a children’s hospital suggested to his parents that he be institutionalized, because the doctor could not teach him to speak.Compounding his struggles, he experienced relentless bullying in school, which fostered a deep sense of social isolation and otherness. This adversity forged a unique psychological coping mechanism: he became a master of seeing the world in the third person, observing his own life with a narrative distance.This perspective cast him as an undeveloped character in his own story. Scott Sensei credits finding Aikido as the pivotal moment which helped him bridge this gulf, as he finally found a setting where he felt secure enough to connect, and began to write himself into the “first person” narrative. (He notes the full-circle irony of how his current focus is on how it’s not all about “you”.)Another aspect of his journey I find incredible is the breadth of his experience. Having trained in over 600 dojos (!), Scott Sensei has opened himself up to an almost incomprehensively vast array of lineage and culture, developing a perspective on Aikido that is both profoundly broad and remarkably deep. Thanks to this incredible talk with Scott Sensei, I‘m thrilled to learn of another great teacher and transmitter of O Sensei’s Aikido I’d previously never heard of, Hiroshi Kato Sensei.(I haven’t dug deep enough myself yet into Kato Sensei’s story to write anything of substance about him, but I do suggest you listen to this episode to hear Scott Sensei’s glowing affirmation of his Sensei’s relatively unheralded importance to the Aikido world.)Scott Sensei is also a thoughtful writer. I’ve been deeply inspired by my recent discovery of his Substack. That’s how I found him. (See, sticking with Substack is paying off, after all!)His ability to articulate the essential aiki-quest many of us find ourselves on with such eloquent brevity is amazing. His hard-earned voice is that rare combination of technical legitimacy and poetic vulnerability. I should take note…Recording this episode flew by. Which is how I know it was a good one. One of my personal favorites so far.Don’t miss it!And don’t forget to check out his dojo! Aikido of Alamo Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

This is an especially reflective time for Ki to the City, as we’re just days away from the first anniversary. (January 15th, if you’re curious)I’d like to express my heartfelt gratitude for all the encouraging and insightful interactions so far. I feel like I’ve grown as a person through this endeavor and I hope it shows…I sincerely hope to be able to continue and develop this project for a long time to come. Seriously. Thank you!In the spirit of growth and reflection, please enjoy this illuminating conversation I had with Patrick Cassidy Sensei, an integral bridge-builder between the worlds of martial arts and self development.Patrick sensei is dedicated to ensuring the modern relevance of Aikido as a profound tool for mastering fear, navigating real-world conflict, and achieving heightened awareness through the body.He possesses impeccable traditional and somewhat eclectic experience; from his time as an uchi-deshi with the legendary Morihiro Saito Sensei in Iwama, to the self-exploratory, human-potential-movement-tinged, training methods of Robert Nadeau Sensei in California.(There’s much more nuance to his incredible history, but I want you to listen to the episode, so I won’t give too much away here.)As the director of the Evolutionary Aikido Community, Patrick Sensei highlights how Aikido practice can serve as a technology for awakening to, and reorganizing of, the entire field of interaction. In this more holistic context, conflict is viewed, not a threat to be avoided, but an evolutionary driver to be transformed.Seen in this light, the Aikidoka can be described as an “alchemist,” entering directly into conflict itself and transmuting aggression into a higher order of connection and resolution.At his dojo, Aikido Montreux (in Montreux, Switzerland) Patrick Sensei maintains a dedicated Uchi Deshi program. Carrying the traditional torch he picked up during his formative time in Iwama, this program offers total immersion that also includes yoga, breath work, meditation, cold water misogi in a nearby river, and (the best part) a sauna.Reach out to him directly here, if that’s something you might be interested in learning more about.A short little teaser/blurb cannot do this episode justice. I implore you to tune in to hear Patrick Sensei describe how it all comes together…As we commemorate our first year, I need to humbly ask for your support to help keep this project on the “airwaves”. This podcast is a reader/listener-supported publication, and your contributions allow me to continue.There are two ways you can help: you can sign up to be a paid subscriber on Substack, or, if you would like to make a one-time contribution, please email me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com.As a token of my gratitude, anyone who makes a contribution will receive a copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s deeply reflective volume of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido. Don Sensei has graciously donated 125 copies of this book to support this project, and it serves as a magnificent vehicle for active spiritual inquiry and attaining greater awareness. Get ‘em while you can!Sharing these conversations is my way of contributing to something meaningful, worthwhile, and good in the world and doing my best to honor the world family O-Sensei envisioned. Your support ensures that we can continue to strive to learn from amazing people like Patrick Cassidy and keep our communities thriving. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

I’m beyond thrilled to share this episode with you, as it marks the return of a truly exceptional teacher, artist, and now, published author under a major press.Richard Moon Sensei is here to discuss his brand-new book, Quantum Aikido: The Power of Harmony, being released today, January 6th!As many of you know from our first conversation, Moon Sensei possesses a background that is nothing short of cinematic. Training for over 55 years (mostly under Robert Nadeau Shihan, one of the few ‘westerners’ to study directly with O Sensei), his story stretches far beyond the mat; from the early psychedelic days hanging with Ram Dass and Timothy Leary, all the way to international peace work, participating in a major mediation project between Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders.If you missed it, I highly suggest you check out this prior episode to hear more about his fascinating ‘origin story.’ [prior episode]When I first heard the title, Quantum Aikido, I have to be honest—I was hesitant. I usually shy away from anything labeled “Quantum,” fearing it might be too scientistic for my taste. However, the way Moon Sensei relates these high-level physics concepts to the visceral experience of Aikido has completely shifted my perspective. At least in this particular case. I finished reading the book the night before we spoke, and I can tell you personally, this is not a book you read once and put on the shelf. It’s dense with wisdom and written in a lurid, musical, prose that you need to sit with, digest, and revisit many many (many) times.Moon Sensei applies insights of quantum mechanics—concepts like wave-particle duality and the unified field theory—to the heart-centered depths of Aikido principles including, but not limited to: musubi and takemusu aiki.The book explores how the dualism of conflicting opposites is an illusion; instead, reality emanates from a unified field. The techniques we practice in the dojo are the “dust after the action.” The true study is what O-Sensei called the “realization of love” and the “Aikido that cannot be seen by the human eye.”Moon Sensei’s gift is unlocking our potential as human beings. He suggests that by harmonizing the discord in our own ‘selves’, we can tap into energetic sources that guide us to resolving problems with spontaneous creativity. I’m learning more and more how Aikido is not just about throwing people across the mat (although, that is so much fun); it’s the facilitation of an inter-dimensional shift in consciousness that transforms life from a struggle into a dance.Moon Sensei teaches us to surf the universal waves of change rather than fighting against them, using a spirit of reconciliation to allow every being the completion of their “bestowed mission.”Of course, we spent some time ruminating on the ‘Floating Bridge of Heaven,’ that mysterious immaterial zone of creation where complementary opposites seem to unite in a state of creative harmony, connecting to the single source from which everything emanates.We also discuss how we can learn to “feel better”—not just in the sense of seeking pleasant sensations,, but also in the sense of increasing sensitivity to the energy of life, allowing us to act with greater intelligence and compassion.I’m incredibly grateful to have connected with Richard Moon Sensei. His influence on my own life and practice over the past year has been nothing but positive. His way of “learning out loud” makes you feel like a fellow explorer on the edge of the known universe rather than just a thirsty student.Whether discussing the “thalamic pause” (a conscious gap before reacting) or how a perfect musical interval can mirror a perfect Aikido blend, his insights have provided me with tools to stay centered amidst the abstract terrors of modern society.Quantum Aikido, bridges ancient wisdom and the cutting-edge science of today. It’s a guide for anyone looking to cultivate a beautiful world through the art of peace and harmony.Check it out here!Quantum Aikido Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

As we roll through the holiday season, I’d like to take a quick moment to wish you all joy and felicity (I love that word).2025 has been quite interesting, to say the least. Am I right?This is an especially reflective time for me, specifically in regards to this podcast, as its one-year anniversary is coming up on January 15th.I’m deeply grateful for the subscriber support, the vast insight gleaned from my guests, and the quality interactions I’ve been fortunate enough to engage in over the past year.Aikido is (obviously) tremendously important to me, and I hope to be able to continue this project for as long as humanly possible, digging ever deeper and seeking new avenues to extend some more ki to the city.On this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Tom Gardner Sensei, an integral long-time member and teacher at Bond Street Dojo.Tom Sensei has been a profoundly positive influence for me personally during the decade since I first joined Bond Street. He’s essential to the dedicated lineage of instructors ensuring that Aikido remembers its mission and maintains its relevance.Through four decades of diligent training at various world-renowned dojos, both in the U.S. and Japan, he’s refined a practice that balances astute technical savvy with an extraordinary exhibition of Aikido principles in action.In every class Tom Sensei leads, without fail, I find myself learning something new, whether it’s a subtle nuance in a weapons kata or a timely tip on how to further strengthen the “mind-body connection”.His approach to teaching is indicative of what makes Bond Street so special. Classes often feel like a collaborative workshop, where we test our ability to stay centered and calm under the intense pressures of conflict.In this conversation, we delve into Tom’s tremendous wealth of experience training with a myriad of well-respected (and sometimes polarizing) teachers.We also spend some time reflecting on the future viability of our beloved art.I don’t want to give too much of his profound secret wisdom away, so, please, check out the episode…By the way, there are still some limited copies of Don Dickie Sensei’s book, Silent Winds of Aikido, available.Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you are interested in receiving a copy, and I’ll fill you in on all the details.Happy New Year! Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

Kenneth Kron Sensei’s perspective on Aikido has been shaped by a truly remarkable lineage; he’s a long-time student of Robert Nadeau Shihan and Richard Moon Sensei.To understand the depth Kenneth Sensei brings to his practice, one must first consider the well he’s drawn from.Robert Nadeau Shihan is one of the few, fortunate, “westerners” to study directly with O-Sensei, bringing home a vision of Aikido which prioritizes the transformation of self and the shifting of dimensional awareness over physical combat. His influence on Aikido in America is enormous in importance.Richard Moon has trained with Nadeau Sensei for over 55 years, yet maintains a humble approach to instruction, frequently stating that he doesn’t teach, but is instead learning out loud. He focuses heavily on the “Aikido that cannot be seen,” prioritizing the energetic pulse and the transformation of awareness over physical mechanics.(If you’re new to this podcast and have not yet heard my previous interview with Richard Moon Sensei, I highly recommend it. Or, just wait a few weeks for when I speak to him about his upcoming book: Quantum Aikido.)Kenneth Sensei has been instrumental in preserving and transmitting this lineal wisdom via the popular YouTube channel: Moon Sensei.This channel acts as a vital digital dojo, archiving the “Centered Wisdom” that characterizes their unique exploration of the art.It’s a repository for those who seek to understand how aiki operates as a socio-organizational technology—something that can be used to reconcile the discords of daily life.Oh, and they got a Substack too! Quantum AikidoFair warning: our conversation gets pretty deep and personal.Could be a consequence of recording on the winter solstice.Speaking of, I want to take this moment to wish everyone reading/listening a very Happy Holiday.I’m hoping to get one more episode out before the New Year, but I don’t have anyone booked as of yet. If you have any suggestions/volunteers, let me know…Fret not, I got a full slate planned for January.I’d like to take a brief moment to remind you of Don Dickie Sensei’s generous offer from a few weeks ago.In support of the mission of this podcast, he’s graciously donated a limited number of copies of his deeply reflective volume of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido.This book is a magnificent vehicle for spiritual inquiry utilizing freeform verse. If you are able to make a donation to help keep Ki to the City on “the airwaves,” we can arrange to get a copy (or a few) to you.Please email me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com to set something up.Enjoy! Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode, I had the pleasure of being joined by a true inspiration and a good friend of mine (from real life), Phil Cappello.We met when I was an uchi-deshi back in ‘08—and here we are, seventeen years later, as he put it, “Still training, still trying to figure some of this stuff out.”Phil’s journey is remarkable, an extraordinary story in which the discovery of Aikido provided holistic relief from severe injury trauma and catalyzed his mission to transform how we approach the simple, yet potentially terrifying, act of falling.At twenty years old, Phil survived an astounding fifty-foot fall off the roof of an apartment building. This life-changing event put him way past the statistical margin of survival; as I learned in this episode, falls over thirty feet are about 50% fatal.This incident (obviously) instantly transformed his life.The physical damage was immense: Phil emerged with seventeen broken bones, broken ribs (as in, all of them), a perforated lung, a damaged spleen, and catastrophic injury to his arm, resulting in his humerus, elbow, and shoulder being blown out, leading to paralysis in his elbow and wrist for years.The medical advice he received was counterintuitive to his nature as a highly active Division 1 lacrosse player: he was told to protect the injury, and cautioned against exercise.Yet, even the doctors admitted that his athleticism was likely what saved him from contracting pneumonia, highlighting the irony that the active life they were telling him to abandon was the source of his initial survival.Despite the severity of his injuries, Phil possessed an inherent, deep-seated athletic drive, didn’t want to get pneumonia, and sought a way to maintain his conditioning. Driven by this necessity, he threw himself into rehabilitation, using a background in wrestling to inform his recovery.In 2003, Phil discovered Aikido. He was quickly disabused of the notion that it was a “soft art” when he saw that much of the practice was acutely devoted to the very physical challenge that now terrified him most: falling.He was faced with the immediate psychological pressure of grappling with an experience that had nearly killed him, yet he quickly realized that Aikido offered something revolutionary, providing more than a physical redemption arc. Aikido offered a healing modality unmatched by anything else.Through practicing throws and falls in the dojo, he was able to confront and overcome the (totally) understandable fear of falling that threatened to stifle his natural proclivity for action.This realization was revelatory: he was able to do what he’d always loved—wrestling and grappling—but in a “totally different” context where violence was not the objective.Phil’s experience has led him to dedicate his current work to sharing the unique value of Aikido’s distinct ukemi practice with the wider world.He is now the driving force behind the innovative program he calls “Ukemi: The art of falling.” Check out the website here: https://thefallingexpert.com/His goal is to translate a core skill of Aikido—the ability to fall safely and rise again—into a system accessible to the general public.This mission is directly inspired by his own family, noting that for elderly people, falling is a real concern and a worry. Phil realized that most people might not need to know how to perform Ikkyo, but everyone could stand to learn how to more safely engage with the dynamics of a fall.Phil has adapted the methodology of traditional martial arts masters, such as Jigoro Kano, structuring his curriculum around training a practitioner in forty foundational falls over a period of five years, consciously emulating the highly successful educational model of Judo.This program serves a wide range of individuals, from senior citizens in need of basic fall prevention to competitive martial artists who want to get more comfortable with the standing phase of grappling.Ultimately, Phil’s work epitomizes the principle of giving back, stemming from the self-mastery he achieved through dedicated training. He took the profound, life-saving lessons learned on the tatami and formalized them into a vital service, ensuring that the peaceful and protective dimension of the art is accessible to a much larger segment of the population.This, to me, is the ultimate expression of the spirit of Aikido, turning personal trauma into a universal therapeutic offering—a true art of peace and harmony in action. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

I first had Don Dickie Sensei as a guest back in April, and he blew my mind with his vivid, coherent, and powerful description of meditation, inspiring me to finally pursue my own inner practice in earnest.(Brief update on how that practice is going: I’ve so far cobbled together aspects of what I’m learning from Don Sensei, Linda Holiday Sensei, and Koichi Barrish Sensei, with some leftover vestiges of previous “astral travel” experiments. Overall, I’m feeling pretty connected to the universe.)Don Sensei’s impressive background includes intensive studies in kinesiology, cognitive psychology, and Tibetan Buddhism. This unique perspectival expertise provides him a multifocal lens through which to examine the connections between movements, mental states, and spiritual aspirations.His understanding of the mind-body connection is phenomenal.He’s also the author of several illuminating books you can find at this link: dondickie.com As someone who has attempted to juggle a fusion of creative writing and Aikido practice—while seeking to explore the dynamic flow of both—I’m thrilled to delve into an author’s work that consciously harnesses this synergy.On this special episode, Don Sensei reads selected pieces from his deeply reflective volume of poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido.This inspirational collection of poems is a vehicle for active spiritual inquiry, an eloquent path towards attaining greater awareness.I’m in awe of how viscerally he’s able to describe both the inner and outer worlds we inhabit in our practice—the action and the stillness, simultaneously.For instance, in the poem titled “Awareness,” this elusive concept is defined beautifully through metaphor, highlighting its subtle, pervasive quality:It’s a soft thing, not hard or sharp. More a blanket enveloping without constraint. No matter how comfortable, other things demand our attention… An attack comes silently, unaware, unprepared. You are hit.The lack of a soft, all-encompassing awareness ultimately leads to getting caught up in trifling conflict, describing the literal and figurative “Story of Randori.”Don Sensei emphasizes that the practice of overall awareness is not an end unto itself; it’s the catalyst for refining our intuition, an inner guidance granted divine provenance by O Sensei. This development is a crucial step on the way to fulfilling Aikido’s true stated goal: making the world a better place.But beyond the literary and metaphysical, we also, importantly, discussed Don Sensei’s extremely generous offer to help support this podcast.He’s graciously donated a limited number (125 copies) of Silent Winds of Aikido.They’re available to listeners who’d like to make a (badly needed) donation to help keep this project going.If you’d like to receive a copy (or multiple copies—think New Year’s gift for your dojo), please email me directly at jondiluca@yahoo.com for more details.I’m extremely grateful for this gesture. Don Sensei has been a great friend and supporter of this project since the very beginning.His faith in my mission means the world to me, and I’d love to introduce his writing to those who are otherwise unaware of his profound wisdom.So please, reach out to me if you’re interested in receiving a copy. Even if you’re unable to make a monetary contribution at this time, sharing this episode on social media (or something like that) would go a long way.The goal is to share the message.Peace Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

I had the immense pleasure of speaking with yet another board member of Aiki Extensions, Susan Dutton Sensei, Chief Instructor at Aiseishinkan dojo in Green Bay, Wisconsin.If there’s one theme that’s continually revealed itself throughout this podcast’s first year of taking shape, it’s the phenomenal potential of Aikido to transcend boundaries beyond physical training.Susan Dutton Sensei’s fascinating background, expertise, and dedication to applying Aikido principles make her work wonderfully unique and highly impactful, particularly in the realm of emotional and psychological well-being.Eq-do (her own brilliant portmanteau) is the term she’s coined for her coaching practice, bridging the philosophical depth of Aikido with contemporary somatic/psychological science and applying these integrated principles to facilitate healing.According to Susan Sensei, a fundamental insight of EQ-do is that by using the physical body to teach emotional concepts, they stick at a much deeper level than purely cognitive information.A great example she uses is teaching emotional distancing by demonstrating that once students learn to take hanmi and feel their power to not be affected by a gentle push, they realize they are responsible for their own balance, not the actions of another.Susan Sensei’s practice is many-layered, drawing on principles that go beyond simple technique, incorporating mental and spiritual intention:One particularly fascinating facet of her work involves the practice and teaching of TRE (Tension and Trauma Releasing Exercises), a sequence of exercises designed to facilitate the release of deep tension through body tremors. These neurogenic tremors are a natural way to reset the body when the nervous system is locked in fight or flight mode, thereby freeing the mind to access higher wisdom.It’s really incredible stuff.Pretty much blew my mind.But I don’t want to give too much away…Because I want you to listen to the episode!Don’t forget to check out all the amazing things going on at Aiki Extensions. They’re genuinely trying to make the world a better place. I cherish every conversation I’ve had with them so far and hope to do my part to spread the word far and wide. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

Exploring the transformative potential of Aikido through this project has led me down some unexpected, yet highly rewarding, paths.Connecting with (and receiving wisdom from) truly visionary people like Richard Sims has positively influenced my own practice substantially.Our conversation sits right at the heart of everything this podcast aims to explore: the intersection of philosophy and tangible, interpersonal impact.Richard serves as a dedicated board member of Aiki Extensions, which shows right off the bat how devoted he is to extending the principles and practices of Aikido beyond the physical dojo space, pursuing a broad societal benefit.As you may have noticed by my recent guest list, Somatics has become a keen interest of mine as of late.Richard is instrumental in the field, serving as the president of the board of ISMETA (the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association).He defines somatics as the “in-depth study of the self from your lived experience, emphasizing the intentional, coordinated awareness and use of the body, mind, and spirit for the betterment of the individual and their community.”We explore in depth the role that this heightened awareness could play in enhancing Aikido practice.We also discuss how the integration of Aiki principles and somatic awareness is culminating in an exciting project being currently undertaken by Aiki Extensions: A trauma handbook that Richard is co-authoring alongside fellow board members, Jamie Zimron and Susan Dutton, all of whom possess expertise in both Aikido and trauma work.This handbook is expected to roll out early next year. I will cover it extensively here, so stay tuned for that.I feel incredibly fortunate to be connected to this AE community. I’ve interviewed several AE board members so far, and every talk has led me to want to get involved deeper into the ultra-important work they are doing.Their sincere dedication to global peace and human betterment through the principles of Aikido constantly renews my own faith.I look forward to continuous learning about how we can all use the principles of Aikido to make the world a better place.To learn more about Richard Sims, please check out his website here: Richardesims.com Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode,My talk with Liam Robertson, musician and aikidoka (Aikido of Petaluma), moved pretty deftly (if I do say so myself) into an exploration of the profound philosophical and physical resonances between these two harmonic arts.We got into a sound discussion (get it?) on the many parallels between Aikido and music, ultimately recognizing them both as empowering disciplines that refine our natural emotional expressions, offering the opportunity, through harmonic shifts, to move beyond “ego.”A further focus on authentic, present expression led us into the realm of somatics, specifically Liam’s understanding that the body is your first instrument.Strozzi-Heckler Sensei, defines somatics as the art and study of the soma, viewing the body as a “living wholeness” where mind, body, and spirit are integrated.Liam applies this principle directly in his music teaching, asserting that the body is the primary instrument for self-expression, preceding the voice. This approach requires the practitioner to witness what is occurring in the body, paying attention to posture and presence, etc.Sounds like Aikido...We also contemplated the critical role of competition in shaping both arts, particularly the revolutionary non-competitive stance of Aikido.In our modern, atomized, and hyper-competitive world, the Aikido dojo offers a necessary sanctuary for people seeking more harmony in their lives.As in playing music with a joyful devotion, when practice is collaborative, it allows us to transcend the illusory quality of separation and division.Don’t miss this one! Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of “Ki to the City,” we dive into one of our most candid and courageous conversations yet, featuring Matt Gano, a long-time student of Koichi Barrish Sensei.Despite engaging in some profoundly insightful conversations with Barrish Sensei, and having the honor of attending (online) his Chouhai morning prayer sessions on the weekends, I’ve yet to have the fortune of ever directly training with him.Matt gives us a panoramic view of what it was like to discover Aikido by chancing upon the dojo of this amazing Sensei and wonderful human being.Matt’s journey into Aikido began, as many do, with a search for self-defense, but has evolved into something much deeper: a search for awareness. He’s come to the understanding that we are all expressions of nature, and our practice is the dedicated process of refining that awareness and expression.We ruminate on the numerous allusions O Sensei made to Aikido being expressed most clearly in nature, which led to a long, but highly infotaining (I promise) digression into the behavioral intelligence of crows and ravens and our own personal experiences trying to befriend members of the corvid family.Matt views his struggles with Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and social anxiety through the lens of training, considering difficult experiences like appearing on this podcast as a form of practice – shugyo in daily life.His unique insights provide another timely reminder that Aikido is far more than just a set of physical techniques; it’s a therapeutic exercise and a vital source of strength for navigating the complexities of modern life.I could write much more about the deep, frank, open, lively, joyful conversation we had, but I want you to listen to the episode!If you’d like to read some of Matt’s impressions on Aikido and life, please visit Aikiweb.com, where you can find his writing.(I tried to post the link, but as we talk about in the episode, I always have trouble accessing Aikiweb. My computer told me to “delete my cookies”. I don’t even know what that means. Sorry.) Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

How does embracing our body’s non-cognitive intelligence offer us infinite pathways to creativity and conflict resolution that our overthinking minds cannot?This week, I had a vivifying conversation in which we traverse that very question.I had the immense pleasure of speaking with Dr. Elisabet Lahti, a brilliant researcher and educator from Helsinki, Finland.Dr Lahti is world-renowned for studying and celebrating the ancient Finnish concept of Sisu, which she describes as Somatic Resilience: the universal human capacity to endure under pressure and take action against slim odds, unearthing courage from deep within.Sisulab is her fantastic website and podcast, which I sincerely suggest you check out to learn more about the profound work she’s doing.Dr Lahti’s journey into understanding this deep inner strength is powerfully, deeply personal. Her own experience drove her probing research: How do humans find a way to overcome extreme difficulty? What is Sisu beyond concept?She pushed her limits, running 1,500 miles across the entire length of New Zealand to research Sisu viscerally while simultaneously supporting a campaign to end domestic violence.Intense effort led to a massive realization: the old idea of “mind over matter” wasn’t the path to true strength. This discovery led to the foundation of her groundbreaking concept: Gentle Power.Dr Lahti describes Gentle Power as the high octave version of Sisu. It’s the way to use the primordial human life force in a conscious manner. She emphasizes that being relaxed is vital; being relaxed doesn’t mean that you’re powerless. Gentle Power is the yin and the yang, the hard and soft qualities in harmony.Gentle Power is strength that is unforced, tender, and tempered, combining fierce resolve with softness and discernment. When describing its effect, she states that Gentle Power doesn’t grasp, doesn’t impose, doesn’t demand, doesn’t pretend, and yet, it expresses, states, and excels, allowing you to use your vital life force (Ki) without burning out.One huge takeaway from our talk, for me, was the reminder that cognitive reality is not the only reality. I notice that in most of these talks, this resolution of the schism between “mind” and “body” is often discussed. I’m learning so much.Dr Lahti shares how her background in social psychology had conditioned her to view human behavior and strength as something primarily mental. But her own research helped her realize that Sisu is more somatic than cognitive. She notes that as we grow up and enter society, we are often robbed of our natural way of moving through the world, forcing most things to seem to happen only in the cognitive realm, almost like we are constrained by a “cognitive broadband.” This is limiting, to say the least.She views Aikido as the necessary “yin side” to balance sheer determination, constantly giving the impetus to relax more. This helps develop the intelligence of the body and teaches us how to harmonize and blend to dissolve conflict of energy.Borrowing a phrase from past guest, Richard Moon, we were really just “learning out loud” together.Hope you enjoy the episode! Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of Ki to the City, I was joined by Scott Engler of Two Rock Aikido, a long-time student of Richard Strozzi-Heckler Sensei.Scott’s journey represents a remarkable path of integrating intellectual pursuits with physical and somatic disciplines. His story moves from the rarefied air of academia and the stark environment of corporate technology to the Aikido dojo and, eventually, to becoming a professional practitioner of Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy.Check out his website here: Heart of Stillness(And his Instagram is replete with informative and inspirational content)In his own words, Scott began his adult life as a highly academic person, focusing his university studies on ancient Greek and Latin, becoming deeply fascinated with the ancient world. Interestingly, at the same time he was entrenched in those studies, he was competitively engaged in saber fencing, a Western martial art. He recalls that fencing generated a profound sense of aliveness—a feeling he describes in detail—a feeling much the same as what he experiences in the dojo.Scott later transitioned into the burgeoning world of computers, working for large software companies. However, the sedentary reality of “sitting in cubicles” proved physically taxing, eventually leading to breakdowns in his neck and back, compelling him to seek solutions like chiropractic care and massage.This crucial period marked his recognition that body awareness and touch needed to be integrated into his life in profound new ways.The catalyst for his full commitment came at the end of 1991 when a friend introduced him to Strozzi-Heckler Sensei’s influential book, In Search of the Warrior Spirit.Scott found the book to be a huge, personal revelation, speaking directly to his inner struggles, particularly the conflict between a deeply rooted pacifist side and a martial side, and questioning how to handle confrontations or bullies. This synchronicity deepened when he realized Richard Sensei lived nearby, leading him to the dojo in February 1992. At this pivotal moment, during a painful personal transition, when the ground was shaking beneath him, he found in Aikido and in Richard Sensei a guide to what would become his life’s work.A central theme of Scott’s training is Somatics, defined for as the art and study of the soma—an ancient Greek word for body. Scott elaborates that Somatics views the whole person—heart, mind, soul, spirit, and physicality—as interconnected. He explains that Aikido is inherently a somatic art, along with all martial arts, provided they are approached as a means to expand beyond mere technique and encompass the entire self and one’s conscious creations. This holistic approach is seen as a therapy for the schism or disconnect often fostered by Cartesian dualism in Western thought, offering a path to a more unified, aware way of being.Scott’s current professional practice, Biodynamic Craniosacral Therapy (BCST), flows directly from his somatic foundation. BCST originated from cranial osteopathy and is distinguished by its focus on the body’s inherent, subtle processes rather than just the biomechanics of tissues, tendons, and bones. In BCST, Scott places his attention on the unified fluid field within the body, listening intently to the slow, deep rhythm described as the “primary respiration” or the “long tide”. This practice is fundamentally concerned with supporting the body’s innate healing capacity, offering a less mechanical route than other forms of bodywork.He made the deliberate decision to transition to this work full-time in January 2007, recognizing the necessity of cultivating his practice over a “long horizon view”.Our conversation bridges Scott’s deeply physical and therapeutic work back to his intellectual roots in ancient Greek and Latin, in the oldest literature: the epic poems Iliad and Odyssey.These are essentially warrior stories, but when studied deeply, they reveal clues about the universal human condition, mortality, and the complex questioning of violence.Together, we muse on the relationship between this ancient, martial-themed literary tradition and the modern martial path of Aikido—comparing the feeling of wrestling with the nature of a life defined by cubicle work, political cataclysms, and economic necessity, with the more acute fatalistic stresses of “battle”.Ultimately, Scott’s story embodies the somatic ideal: turning life’s conflicts and ruptures into generative actions, cultivating a path toward a more “vivid peace,” through the expansion of awareness and the continuous practice of being truly alive. Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe

On this episode of Ki to the City, I sat down with my good friend and fellow Bond Street Dojo instructor, Nico Puertollano, for a candid, yet casual conversation about almost everything under the Aikido umbrella.We dove straight into the deep end, questioning the very relevancy of Aikido in the modern world. If it doesn’t feel relevant, then what’s the point?That led us to discuss the perpetually challenging state of our home dojo, Bond Street—the perils of toughing it out in NYC.This is one of the more down-to-earth episodes I’ve done.Since Nico and I train together on a regular basis, we naturally drifted into talking about some of the more technical and physical aspects of practice than I usually do on this show.How important are front rolls? How does it shift your perception of training if you view the techniques as “Kata”? What’s the function of Uke?I’m not going to spoil the answers for you, mainly because there are no definitive answers to these questions, but if you’re interested in our 4 cents’ worth, please check out the episode.Here are Nico’s Links:I’m not really an Instagram person, but Nico has a really cool IG account: AikiGramAnd look! He’s also on Substack: Nico’s SubstackI have to give you a quick peek behind the “Ki to City” curtain for a minute.I usually cap the episodes at an hour and ten minutes because my mic/headphone set-up is less than ideal, so I have to export the audio into Garageband to polish up the sound quality.This episode went a little longer than that, so I had to clip the last 15 minutes and include it here. Nico makes some very profound points, so please check it out.I truly love having and sharing these conversations, making aiki ripples, and connecting with the community. If you so happen to be in the position to become a paid subscriber, it would make a huge difference in ensuring that I can continue this project for the foreseeable future.Also, I’ve also started an alternate Substack for my writing that’s not so Aikido-focused. If you’re interested in that you can find it here: OptimysticThank youJon Get full access to Ki to the City at kitothecity.substack.com/subscribe