Mountain Spirit Aikido Inc.
Our Mission
To bring unification of the heart, Aikido technique and body expressed through the spirit of Aikido and budo.
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Purpose of Aikido World Alliance
To further the art of Aikido while using teaching methodology developed by Fumio Toyoda Shihan and provide a community for people to share in their Aikido.
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The Aikido World Alliance
The AWA is one of six officially recognized Aikido organizations directly affiliated with Hombu dojo Japan here in the United States. We provide for its members, dojo affiliation nationally and internationally, standardized testing requirements for black belt ranking that is directly certified through the Aikikai Foundation, World Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. Available are Aikido seminars, camps and instructor courses to enable students to further improve their Aikido through standardized instruction and intensive training, while providing opportunities for personal exchange and networking.
Practice Makes Permanent
At Mountain Spirit Aikido we believe that what you practice is what you will become. In contrast to karate, Aikido is a “passive” martial art. “The essence of Aikido is learning to keep your center, which is two inches below your navel, and to relax completely. Aikido is connecting into the other person. Because your center is your connection to the Creator, you’ve lost your center and broken the moral human code if you’re an attacker. Aikido is the essence of compromise. Ai-Ki-Do literally means the study (do) of energy (ki) and harmony (ai).”
Sato Sensei
Chief Instructor - Andrew M. Sato, Nandan Aikikia, a full time Aikido instructor, the dojo cho of Kiku Matsu dojo in Chicago and founder of the Aikido World Alliance.
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Andrew Sato Began his Aikido Training in 1977 under Fumio Toyoda Shihan, first as a member of the Ki Aikido Society, then as a member of the AAA and AAI. From 2002 undil 2004 he was the chief instructor for the AAA and AAI. Then to 2005 to further his own understanding of Aikido and to provide support, direction and leadership to interested dojo and students seeking his knowledge, Sato Sensei founded the AWA.
Amanda Sensei
Instructor - Amanda D. Zigan, Nidan, Aikido instructor and dojo cho of the Mountain Spirit Aikido dojo in Helena an affiliate of the Aikido World Alliance.
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Amanda Zigan began her Aikido Training in 2011 under Roque Wardell Sensei, she attended many seminars in Washington at the Aiki Spokane Roshinkan Aikido dojo with James Landry Sensei. Then began assisting with class instruction in 2018, to further her own understanding of Aikido she began to work towards her teaching certificate which she acquired in Spring of 2020. Now with the guidance and assistance of Roque Sensei she has taken up teaching Aikido in the AWA style at Mountain Spirit Aikido as the dojo cho.
Roque Sensei
Instructor - Roque Wardell, Shodan, Aikido instructor of the Mountain Spirit Aikido dojo in Helena an affiliate of the Aikido World Alliance.
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Roque Wardell has a passion for living and teaching core philosophical interpretations of aikido, and attended many seminars in Chicago at the Kiku Matsu dojo with Andrew Sato Sensei and in Washington at the Aiki Spokane Roshinkan Aikido dojo with James Landry Sensei. Now he offers guidance and assistance to Amanda Sensei who has taken up teaching Aikido in the AWA style at Mountain Spirit Aikido as the dojo cho.