Blue Heron Aikido

This is from the home page of Mary Heiny Sensei’s website: “The techniques of Aikido are intended for us to use in examining the nature of power, to engage in uncompromising self-scrutiny, and to realize our potential as powerful, compassionate, self-aware human beings.”

Welcome to the web site of Blue Heron Aikido. We are a young dojo located in Middlebury, Vermont—the center of beautiful Champlain Valley. We are a non-affiliated dojo but we are closely tied to Two Cranes Aikido in Seattle Washington due to the fact that our Sensei, Jonathan Miller-Lane studied with Kimberly Richardson Sensei, sixth dan, for eight years before moving to Middlebury. Kimberly Sensei is a student of Mary Heiny Sensei and has also studied for several decades under Saotome Sensei, Ikeda Sensei and Tom Read Sensei. Motomichi Anno Sensei, Chief Instructor of Kumano Juku dojo in Shingu Japan also continues to shape Kimberly Sensei’s practice. Hence, at Blue Heron Aikido we attempt to honor the practice and spirit of these extraordinary Aikido Shihan in our daily practice. The above photograph was taken at the end of our all-day seminar on Saturday April 21, 2007 with Kimberly Richardson Sensei and includes the following dojo-cho; Pierre Bohemiere from Yamabikodo dojo in Montreal, Don Hebert from River Valley Aikido in Brattleboro and Aaron Ward from Vermont Aikido in Burlington. Dan McAbee Sensei also from Two Cranes Aikido in Seattle is standing in the back row next to Don Hebert Sensei. We are deeply grateful for their support.