Peter Bussell started his aikido career in 1965 in his native New Zealand at David and Hisae Lynch's then new Yoshinkai dojo,
which they had started in late 1964 offering classes at a local Judo dojo. They opened their own dojo at the 
Panmure Community Centre in early 1965.    (Their dojo was given its official Yoshinkai charter in 1967)                                  

Bussell was one of the early students and soon became a regular and earnest member of the dojo. His interest in aikido grew and soon he was attending classes every day. This grew to two or more classes per day. After some time, Peter was one of the senior students. He was one of the first two Shodans to be graded in the Yoshinkai dojo in New Zealand. (Eddie Wong Sensei, Rokyu Dan, N.Z. representative of the Yoshinkai, was the other.)

Ten years after his first involvement in Aikido, Peter met and studied Ki Development and Aikido with Koichi Tohei Sensei. His involvement with the Ki No Kenkyukai continued until the early 1980's when he chose to leave the organization primarily because of a philosophical disagreement relating to Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido's adoption of competition and emphasis on their Taigi practices. Although he left the organization he did not "burn any bridges", and so maintains a friendly and respectful relationship with the North American branch of this school.

Over the years Bussell Sensei has appreciated the opportunity to take instruction from many fine senior teachers of aikido from the Yoshinkai, the Aikikai and the Ki Society. He enjoys close and friendly relations with several seniors of all of these schools and counts a few among his close Aikido friends.

Bussell Sensei has more than 45 years experience in practicing. learning and teaching aikido. He was, in the early 1970's, awarded the Aikikai Instructor of the Year award in New Zealand, even though he was not a member of the Aikikai. This award was made to him by Shin'ichi Suzuki Sensei, then of the Hawaii Aikikai, while he was on an aikido teaching visit to New Zealand. Suzuki Sensei subsequently became one of the most senior instructors in the Ki Society and at this time, in his nineties (born 1917), still practices and teaches Aikido and Ki development.

There are many individuals who have been members or instructors of the dojos to which Bussell Sensei belonged, or practiced at, who have been part of his training regime and have had their own individual influences on his aikido development. Since his move to North America he has also had many wonderful opportunities to meet and get to know others in the USA and Canada.

Bussell Sensei has much respect and gratitude for the opportunity to practice aikido with, to learn from, and develop lasting friendships with many of them. He would like to mention a few of them here, mainly those who had lasting influences on him in a personal and aikido related way.

They include; Senseis David and Hisae Lynch, Eddie Wong Sensei, Keith Hartley Sensei, Gary Courtenay, Tony Gunson, John Dawn, Seok Ng, Matsuko Mukumoto,
Mark Willis, Chen Chau, Julie and Lexie Candy, John Langham, Nobuo Takase Sensei, the late Gozo Shioda Kancho, Koichi Inoue Kancho, Takashi Kushida Sensei, Koichi Tohei Sensei, Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei, the late George Simcox Sensei, Bill Bickford Sensei. Then, of course, there are the many wonderful students of Ryurei Aikido, both past and present, some of whom appear on this page. Thankyou to all of you.

 

  

 

 

Dan started the study of Aikido after looking at several different martial arts, both Chinese and Japanese, including Tai Chi and Jiu Jitsu.

In 1993 Dan started his study of Aikido with the Yoshinkai in Ottawa. After a little more than three years he joined Ryurei Aikido to learn more about Shinkido and a softer way of Aikido.
After joining Ryurei Aikido at the beginning of 1997, Dan pursued his studies vigorously and with much dedication, he was promoted to the rank of Shodan in October 1998.

Dan, as is pretty normal for Ryurei Aikido students, has been exposed to many different instructors from other schools of Aikido where he has benefited from the experience of seeing different ways of looking at the subject. (This includes; Kashiwaya Sensei, Simcox Sensei, Pierce Sensei -
(Ki Society,) - Bieri Sensei, Saotome Sensei, Yamada Sensei, Kanai Sensei, Mary Heiny Sensei, Cheryl Matrasko Sensei, all of the Aikikai, and many others.) He attained his Certified Assistant Instructor designation in November 2001.
In February 2002 Dan was awarded the rank of Nidan in Aikido and Shinkido and then in May 2002 he earned the rank of Shoden in Shinki-Ryoho.

We are delighted to say that on August 2006, Dan was awarded the qualification of Certifed Instructor. Also, on October 2006 Dan was promoted to the rank of Sandan in Aikido and Shinkido.

Dan has been a longtime loyal member of Ryurei Aikido and has been a huge part of the success of the dojo and its development.

As the school advances further down the road and our present Chief Instructor moves toward his withdrawal from the head
position of the dojo, we can be assured that Dan will be around to assist with the further development and growth of the school
in many important and meaningful ways.  

 

 

Noah started his study of Aikido and Shinkido with Ryurei Aikido in 1999 while a High School student.
He quickly earned the respect of all his fellow students, both young and more senior adults. Noah, has always taken his Aikido
studies very seriously and practiced diligently. His understanding of the techniques and the philosophy of Aikido with its
inherent need for an acceptance of often quite foreign ideas, which have emanated from Oriental philosophies and thoughts,
has been quite remarkable for young man.

In 2001 Noah was awarded the rank of Shoden in Shinki-Ryoho.

Noah was promoted to the Aikido rank of Shodan in August 2004. He then, while continuing his University studies, was working toward his designation of Assistant Instructor. Noah at the invitation of the Chief Instructor opened and operated a dojo in London Ontario while attending the University of Western Ontario.
Now that Noah has completed his undergraduate degree, we, unfortunately, have had to discontinue offering classes in London.

Noah resided in the United Kingdom for the 2006/07 academic year where he worked for and received his Master of Arts (English) from the University of Leeds.

Noah continued his academic studies in Ottawa in 2007/08 and has now gained his certification as Secondary School teacher

We all congratulate Noah on his academic accomplishments and look forward to his continued study of Aikido with us all.

Noah has applied the same resolution to his studies as he has always applied to his Aikido and Shinkido.

In August of 2006 Noah was accredited as a Certified Assistant Instructor and was awarded the rank of Nidan in Aikido and Shinkido - Congratulations Noah.

In 2008 Ryurei Aikido formally announced that Noah will become the next Chief Instructor and Kancho at sometime within the next few years.

Noah and his wife Rajini have willingly and enthusiastically accepted the responsibilities of this challenge. Ryurei Aikido will be invery good hands for many years. I (Peter Bussell) am very confident and satisfied that the values, traditions, philosophies, and technical skills of Aikido, Shinkio and Shinki-Ryoho will only be transferred to futere mambers of the dojo, but that the Ryurei tradition of developing and expanding the ideas and techniques of Shinkido will flourish and reach ever higher levels of development.