Way of Mind and Body Unification

Ki Development was created by Koichi Tohei, who was awarded a 10th degree black belt (highest rank) in Aikido by the founder of the art Morihei Ueshiba and was personally trained by Master Tempu Nakamura, founder of the Japanese Yoga known as Shin Shin Toitsu Do.

Tohei Sensei was also head instructor of Aikikai HQ in Tokyo under Ueshiba Sensei for nearly twenty years and was responsible for bringing Aikido to America in the 1950’s. His many demonstrations of impressive skill and talent for teaching during the 1950’s and the 1960’s helped popularize aikido outside of Japan. Many of the senior most teachers in aikido studied directly under Tohei sensei.

Tohei sensei’s system for teaching Ki is based both on his experience as a master teacher of aikido, his personal training in Japanese Yoga, and extremely rigorous misogi (purification and meditation) and Zen training.

The ranks in Tohei Sensei’s branch of Shin Shin Toitsu Do:

Three beginning levels: Shokyu, Chukyu and Jokyu.
Four advanced levels: Shoden, Chuden, Joden and Okuden.