The Instructors

Louis Jumonville Sensei     3/24/59 - Present

Louis Jumonville Sensei 5th Dan Aikikai, Dojo Cho, and Chief Instructor of Hikari Dojo has been training in the martial arts for over 30 years. He has trained extensively in Japan, at the founder’s original dojo under Morihiro Saito Shihan, guardian of the Aiki-Shrine. In 1991, at the founder’s dojo in Iwama, Morihiro Saito presented Jumonville Sensei with the 3rd and 4th level Aiki-Ken and Aiki-Jo Transmission Scrolls authorizing him to teach the Aiki-staff and Aiki-sword.

Jumonville Sensei has spent a total of 6½ years continuously being a live-in student, first to Morihiro Saito Shihan for 1½ years, and immediately following that with 5 years at Aikido of San Leandro Dojo, under Pat Hendricks Sensei.

Jumonville Sensei has been teaching Aikido since 1989. Jumonville Sensei also teaches yoga and meditation in the tradition of Kundalini Maha Yoga and has completed Sri Anandi Ma’s advanced Vajra Panjar teachings of pranyama, mantra austerities, fire ceremony and meditation.

Jumonville Sensei holds a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and is a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.

 

Carla Jumonville

Carla Jumonville 3rd Dan Aikikai, Senior Instructor of Hikari Dojo has been training in Aikido since 1992. After receiving the rank of Shodan under Pat Hendricks Sensei in 1998 at Aikido of San Leandro, she began assisting and teaching at the Pleasant Hill Adult Education Center, and also has taught classes through the Pleasant Hill Recreation and Park Center. In 2002, Carla co-founded Hikari Dojo.

She has trained with many of Northern CA Senior Sensei’s including: Frank Doran Shihan, Robert Nadeau Shihan, and Pat Hendricks Shihan. Training at both Division I gasshukus, and the week long Aikido summer camp, she has worked on refining and broadening her understanding of the principles of Aikido. In 2005, Carla traveled to Japan on pilgrimage to pay homage to the Aiki Shrine and she was also uchi deshi to Hitohiro Saito Sensei at the Tanrenkan Dojo in Iwama, Japan.

Her teaching emphasizes the principle of blending with an opponent and transforming aggression into a harmonious outcome. Focusing on student development and growth in both the principles and techniques of Aikido, Carla’s aim is to empower students to integrate these teachings into a balanced lifestyle of family, friends, community, and the promotion of peace.