Paul Ward Sensei, Chief Instructor – Sandan (3rd Degree Black Belt)

West Linn Ki Aikido was founded in 2015 by Chief Instructor Paul Ward Sensei, 3rd Dan of the Oregon Ki Society. As 3rd Dan he holds a third degree black belt in the martial art of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido and a Chuden (2nd degree Black Belt) in Ki Development. Ward Sensei is a certified Assistant Examiner and an Associate Ki Lecturer of the International Ki Society. He is a graduate of the two year New Instructors Apprenticeship program under the direct instruction of 8th Dan Calvin Tabata Sensei (one of only three 8th Degree blackbelts outside of Japan). He is a direct student of Robert Hart Sensei (7th degree dan), Louis Sloss Sensei (7th degree dan) and Calvin Tabata Sensei (8th degree dan) of the Oregon Ki Society. He began & continues his training at the Northwest Ki Federation headquarters in Tigard, Oregon. In 2016 Ward Sensei trained in Japan at Ki Society World Headquarters under top Aikido Master Shinichi Tohei Sensei, President of the International Ki Society. In 2018, Ward Sensei was selected by 8th Dan Calvin Tabata Sensei to serve as his personal Otomo (Assistant) while teaching a 4 day seminar in Vancouver BC. In 2019, Ward Sensei was sent by the Oregon Ki Society to attend the National Ki Society Instructor’s Conference, and was taught again by Ki Society President, Master Shinichi Sensei. In 2022, Ward Sensei accompanied Calvin Tabata Sensei (8th Dan) on a private visit to Ki Society World HQ in Tokyo to work closely with Ki Society President Shinichi Tohei Sensei to develop a global membership tracking system and receive additional training in Aikido. While in Japan, Ward Sensei was invited to participate at two different instructor seminars as the only non-Japanese instructor in attendance. In 2023 Ward Sensei traveled with a group of instructors to help Calvin Tabata Sensei run a seminar in Prague in the Czech Republic. Ward Sensei has trained at Ki Society dojos across Oregon, Canada, Nevada, Hawaii, Czech Republic and Japan. Since COVID, Ward Sensei played a central role in developing the online teaching capacity of all Northwest Ki Federation dojos.

 

Self Defense Instructor

In addition to his training with the Oregon Ki Society, Paul Ward Sensei has trained with world renowned self defense instructor Rory Miller and top national firearms instructor Grant Cunningham. He has been trained in firearms safety by members of the Beaverton Police Dept. and regularly takes part in firearms scenario training. He has attended martial arts cross-training events with blackbelts from a wide variety of disciplines, including Kung-Fu, Karate, JuJitsu, Taekwondo, and more. He has nearly a dozen various certifications in self defense & firearms from top certified instructors & law enforcement. To ensure his lessons contain the latest information and techniques, Ward Sensei continuously consumes a wide variety of materials by renowned self defense instructors and martial artists. As a matter of safety for his students, Ward Sensei receives FirstAid and CPR training for infants thru adults every 2 years.

 

Family Man & Business Owner

Paul Ward Sensei is a resident of West Linn, married to his best friend from high school, with two children in the West Linn school system. Ward Sensei is an award winning Multimedia Designer and owner of the software company Media Mechanic in Lake Oswego. He has been interviewed by the Oregonian, Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, Bloomberg News and numerous local news organizations over the years. He is also a former touring musician, having played hundreds of shows and sold a couple thousand albums. Ward Sensei’s philosophies in life are: do the right things for the right reasons with the right people; what one person can do, another can do; the only limitations in life are the ones you make for yourself; always believe in yourself.

 

My Goal

Paul Ward Sensei’s goal is to bring the teachings of Tohei Sensei and the enjoyment of Ki-Aikido to the local residents of West Linn. His sincere hope is to build a community of families and students that can last for decades to come.