With humanity being divided further into violently discordant ideological cults (at least from what I’m witnessing via current social media discourse), this conversation with Jamie Leno-Zimron is exactly what I needed to keep my faint faith flame flickering.
I hope we can provide some peace and harmony to your timeline as well.
Today, more than ever, I’m proud to practice “The Art of Peace,” and Jamie Sensei represents the true mission of Aikido as well as anyone I’ve spoken to.
Her journey is one of remarkable, real-world impact and dedication.
She was part of a pioneering group (led by Koichi Barrish) that introduced Aikido to the former Soviet Union in 1987, training dangerously underground when martial arts were outlawed.
Her commitment to citizen diplomacy continued with initiatives like Salaam Shalom Aikido, an effort she started to bridge the cultural gap between Palestinians and Israelis through the art's non-violent principles, laying the foundation for further “Training Across Borders.” She’s also a co-director of the PeaceCamp Initiative, bringing teenagers from conflict-ridden areas in the Middle East to the United States to build bonds through Aikido.
Jamie Sensei's involvement with Aiki Extensions demonstrates sincere dedication to global peace and human betterment through Aikido's principles. As a long-standing board member, she has been instrumental in extending the organization's founder, Don Levine Sensei's, visionary mission: to apply Aikido's principles and practices beyond the dojo into all realms of human activity, including education, business, leadership, psychology, healing work, sports, and, most critically, peace-building.
Her current and urgent work is at the forefront of Ukraine relief efforts, spearheading funding and delivering, in person, somatic, Aikido-based stress and trauma relief sessions at refugee centers in Poland and Ukraine.
These annual support trips highlight her unwavering resolve to empower war-weary individuals, especially women and children, with the vital "medicine of humane values and harmonious practices," creating lasting ripples of positive change and resilience.
I feel like we could have talked for much longer. We were just scratching the surface of the immensely deep potential Aikido holds as a remedy for this increasingly hostile milieu we’re finding ourselves being subsumed by.
Click the link for further information about the ultra important work being done by Aiki Extensions
And to learn about Jamie Leno-Zimron Sensei, visit The Centered Way
