Teacher's Lineage

O’Sensei Morihei Ueshiba     12/14/1883 – 4/26/1969

Morihei Ueshiba intensely studied various sword fighting and jujutsu styles. He became famous as a highly skilled martial artist and renown for his strength. He was also a deeply religious person and studied esoteric Buddhism and Japan’s ancient spiritual path of Shinto. In 1919 he started developing The Way of Harmonizing Ki after he had turned toward the spiritual teaching of the Omoto religion. In 1942, in the middle of World War II, O’Sensei named his new martial art AIKIDO. He moved to the small country town of Iwama where he continued to practice, teach, and refine Aikido until he passed away in 1969.

Morihiro Saito Shihan     3/31/1928 – 5/13/2002

9th Dan Aikikai. An Iwama native, Morihiro Saito started training in Aikido in 1946 and became, not only a student, but a close confidant of O-Sensei for 23 years. After the founder’s passing, Morihiro Saito Shihan was put in charge of the Iwama Dojo and became the guardian of the Aiki-Shrine.

Today, he is known for his books, his clear and structured way of teaching, and the organization of the huge number of techniques and preservation of O-Sensei’s empty hands and weapon’s techniques that comprise IWAMA-RYU AIKIDO.

 
Pat Hendricks Sensei      9/25/1956 – Present

6th Dan Aikikai. In 1975 Pat Hendricks started her Aikido career in Monterey, California. Since 1977 she has traveled frequently to Japan to study as a live-in student under Saito Sensei in Iwama. Her own dojo, Aikido of San Leandro attracts students from all over the world, including Japan. Hendricks Sensei holds the highest degree in Aiki-Ken and Aiki-Jo Certification and is certified to test in the United States. Hendricks Sensei is one of Morihiro Saito Shihan’s top representatives in the world and assisted him in numerous demonstrations and translations around the world and in Japan.