St. Louis Ki Aikido

07/19/2026

With great sadness, we share the passing of John Eley Sensei of Chicago Ki Society. Eley Sensei held a special place with St. Louis Ki Aikido (SLKA) and Fenton Ki Aikido (FKA). He was part of our St. Louis family with decades of memories, of lots of extensive training, and, of course, ci**rs and diet Pepsi.

He was part of the core St. Louis DNA, along with Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei, the late George Simcox Sensei (Virginia Ki Society), William Reed Sensei, the late Sue Shepard Sensei (FKA, formerly Meramec Valley Ki Society, aka Ki West), and our beloved head instructor, the late Mark Rubbert Sensei (SLKA, formerly St. Louis Ki Society).

The faces in the dojo keep changing, but his Ki continues to extend. We will miss his guidance and humor dearly.

01/06/2026

01/02/2026

Most people chase happiness the way they chase outcomes—after things go right, once conditions improve, when life cooperates.

Ki teaches something quieter, and far more stable.

Ki is not produced by success.
It is extended.

When your mind is settled and your breath is free, joy appears without being summoned.
Not as excitement.
As ease.

Waiting for happiness is like waiting to breathe until the room is perfect. You’ll suffocate long before conditions comply.

In Ki practice, we don’t ask, “Do I deserve peace right now?”
We ask, “Am I cutting it off?”

Deadlines still exist.
Plans still change.
Loss still visits.

But when Ki is extended, those things pass through you—
not over you.

This isn’t denial.
It’s alignment.

Happiness that depends on circumstances collapses under pressure.
Happiness that flows from within travels lightly,
and stays.

Not because life is easy—
but because your center is no longer hostage to it.

01/01/2026

📅 January 1 – Ki is extended when I begin with quiet intention. “Stillness is not the absence of movement, but the origin of it.” – Taoist thought

The first step sets the rhythm of the walk. Before we speak, move, or respond—there is a sacred pause. In Aikido, every movement originates in our center, grounded and calm. The moment we rush, we lose our connection to Ki.

Spiritual traditions across the world agree: before the world asks something of you, you must first return to yourself. Zen calls it shikantaza—just sitting. The Tao teaches wu wei—action through stillness. Many indigenous teachings begin with silence, not speech.

When I was early in my training, I often showed up to the dojo rushed, mind cluttered, distracted. One day, my instructor gently placed a hand on my shoulder and said, “Breathe before you step in.” That breath became a doorway—not just into the mat, but into presence.

What cuts off Ki? Rushing. Fragmented thoughts. Unconscious momentum.

Practice: Sit or stand still for one full minute before beginning your day. Place one hand on your lower abdomen. Inhale slowly. As you exhale, ask yourself: “What kind of energy do I want to bring into today?” Let that answer shape your presence.

Excerpt from my book: 𝗦𝘁𝗶𝗹𝗅𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗦𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗺: 𝟯𝟲𝟱 𝗗𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀

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12/22/2025

When movement comes from connection instead of performance, something real happens. In Aikido, we don’t move to impress—we move to listen, to align, and to express what’s already alive within us. Whether it’s on the mat, through art, or through breath, the practice is the same: show up, stay connected, and let the movement be honest.

Just begin. Connection follows.