Colin Li Pi Shan, Head Instructor
4th Degree (Yondan), Aikido Rank
Chuden, Ki Development Rank

Colin has travelled to us from Ontario, up north from Canada. It has been 25 years since he began practicing Aikido as a teenager in 1987 under Sensei Jorge Deguzman (Sarnia Aikido dojo). In 1991, he met Sensei Bill Bickford of the Kingston Ki Society (KKS) at the Queen’s University dojo. During his 7 year period at Queen’s, he became intrigued (and still to this day) that the ‘mind, body and spirit’ are actually one. While there, he held positions of assistant instructor of KKS and once upon a time, president of the Queen’s dojo. After that, he became head instructor of the Kitchener-Waterloo Ki Aikido dojo (satellite affiliate of KKS) from 2000-2002 until moving to the warmer climate of Houston, Texas.

Colin’s memorable Ki Aikido influences (besides Bickford sensei): Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei, Shinichi Tohei sensei (KNK), Otsuka Sensei (KNK), Clarence Chinn Sensei (Southern California Ki Society) and Peter Bussell Sensei (Ryurei Aikido Ottawa), just to name a few.

Colin’s favourite expressions are “Down is down.” (Chinn Sensei) and “You think too much! Just do it.”

Jim Matson, Instructor
3rd Degree (Sandan), Aikido Rank
Shoden, Ki Development Rank

As a psychotherapist, I was first introduced to the term “verbal aikido” while training in clinical hypnosis thirty years ago. At the time, it described those techniques that included the principles of profound connection and reshaping resistance towards a beneficial outcome. After a while, I mastered those hypnotic strategies but remained curious about the physical form and feel of it. Could it possibly work against physical aggression?

I finally enrolled in my first Aikido class in 1996 and I’ve been hooked ever since. When I was introduced to Shin Shin Toitsu Do Aikido (Ki Aikido) I found an elegant form of self defense that also offered a rich philosophy, a mindfulness practice, healing arts and principles for harmonious living.

It was a perfect fit for me–a chance to learn things that were really relevant to all of my interests while having a terrific time doing it. The dojo has become my grown up playground.

From the beginning, I noticed that my practice of psychotherapy/hypnosis enhanced my aikido and vice versa. It still does. I’m also delighted, that after all this time, I remain ‘kid-at-a-magic-show’ mystified by Shin Shin Toitsu Do’s demonstrations of ki: the undeniable energy that flows through all of our techniques and transcends muscular strength. I have seen and physically experienced examples of ki that I would have labeled impossible prior to this practice.

Craig Hocker, Instructor
3rd Degree (Sandan), Aikido Rank
Chuden, Ki Development Rank

In 2000, Dr. Hocker founded the Houston Ki Society. He believes in the benefits of Ki Aikido teaching methods for students of all levels and hopes that HKS will continue to grow and fulfill the mission of bringing Ki Society training to the Houston area.

He began aikido at Blue Ridge Ki Society (BRKS) in January 1993 under Jonathan Doner Sensei and George Simcox Shihan while teaching at the University of Virginia. Discovering a new life-long passion he was soon training intensely five or more times a week. In September 1995, Dr. Hocker joined the teaching staff at BRKS. He continued teaching classes weekly and training intensely many times a week until his departure to Houston. From 1997 to 1999, he taught over a hundred beginning students in the University of Virginia aikido intramural course.

He served as a board member of the Virginia Ki Society and as secretary and vice-president consectively at BRKS. Through the years he has cross-trained in various martial arts (judo, karate, taichi, Systema) and many other styles of aikido.

Dr. Hocker also is founder of the Houston San Shin Kai which is a school for learning the traditional Japanese sword art of Muso Shinden Ryu (Iaido) under Roger Wehrhahn Shihan, San Shin Kai Chief Instructor for North America. Dr. Hocker is the only approved instructor of MSR Iaido for the San Shin Kai in Texas. While in Virginia, he studied intensely for six years under Brian Kelley Sensei (Yondan (SHK), Kelley Sensei began Muso Shinden Ryu in 1980 taking classes with Mitsunari Kanai Sensei in Boston at the New England Aikikai when Mitsuzuka Sensei was regularly invited from Japan by Kanai Sensei to teach in Massachusetts). After moving to Houston, he continued his training under Wehrhahn Shihan by traveling to the East coast and bringing Wehrhahn Shihan to Houston for seminars.

“I feel extremely fortunate to have started my training with such fine teachers as Jon Doner Sensei and Brian Kelley Sensei at Blue Ridge Ki Society. I am very grateful to them and the many other great teachers I have had the privilege of meeting and learning from. There are many fine examples that I try my best to live up to.

Domo Arrigato Gozaimasu – see you all on the mat!”

– Craig

Tim Dawson, Instructor
2nd Degree (Nidan), Aikido Rank
Jokyu, Ki Development Rank

Tim’s Martial Arts training initially started in 1991 studying the art of Taekwondo. Looking for something more, he learned about Aikido in 1997 and started investigating the art. After several months of practice and taking ukeme, Tim knew he was hooked.

In 1999, Tim started training at Houston Ki Aikido and has enjoyed the instructions of Craig Hocker Sensei and Colin Li Sensei. Tim’s work requires him to travel extensively and has provided the opportunity to visit different Dojos across the US to experience other styles of Aikido. However, the focus on Ki development plus Mind and Body coordination that the Ki Society provides is where his heart is.

Frank Pham, Assistant Instructor
2nd Degree (Nidan), Aikido Rank
Jokyu, Ki Development Rank

I joined Houston Ki Aikido in early 2000, and my interest in training grew stronger since the art provides me with the three basic elements shared by all martial arts. It trains me with the physical development, shows me the appreciation of its beauty, and lastly provides me the ability of self defense… My serious training can be summed up with the quote of the late George Simcox Sensei: “In our dojo, we teach attitudes that lead to action” and from Shinichi Tohei Sensei: “Don’t move your uke, but move with him, helping each other, to express the strength of one point”.

Bindi Shah, Assistant Instructor
1st Degree (Shodan), Aikido Rank
Jokyu, Ki Development Rank

Bindi was first introduced to aikido while attending the University of Texas at Austin and was immediately intrigued by the art. After intermittent periods of training at dojos in Austin, Dallas, and Baltimore, she found a home at Houston Ki Aikido in 2006. Since then, she has been a dedicated student of ki-aikido and serves as an assistant instructor for our Aikido for Kids program. Bindi received her shodan in 2011.

“I consider aikido training, for me, to be a life-long journey. I am constantly humbled, awed, and thankful for the new challenges, insights, and relationships that my training continuously grants me. Although my journey to date has been a comparatively short one, it’s made a huge difference in me. I look forward to continuing to learn and grow with this unique and inspiring art.”