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!

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