Peter Shapiro Sensei holds the rank of 6th Dan, Aikikai so Hombu, Tokyo.

He was born in 1938 in New York City and was brought up as an artist-musician. The Vietnam War, which was the third large war he had experienced, caused him to look for a deeper solution to the problem of war than had heretofore been proposed in western thinking, leading him to go to Japan to study Aikido with Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei, the founder of Aikido.

Meeting O-Sensei had an extraordinary effect on Peter Sensei, and also gave him his first understanding and experience of what O-Sensei meant when he said that Ai-ki-do was Misogi. Peter recalls: “after I would meet O-Sensei, or after he would teach class, I would see and feel a globe of scintillating light around me, and within this globe it was impossible to think unhappy or dark thoughts. The experience would continue for about five days…”

After O-Sensei’s death, Peter continued his study of Aikido with Hikitsuchi Michio, 10th Dan, whom he served as disciple and friend for over 20 years. With Hikitsuchi-Sensei, Peter also studied Kototama and Shinto, and also, while still at Hombu, Peter became a close friend of Itsuo Tsuda-Sensei, “Monsieur Tsuda”, who introduced him to Noguchi Haruchika-Sensei, the founder of Seitai. Peter received a Dan and a certificate as a practitioner of Seitai directly from Noguchi-Sensei.

During his time in Japan, Peter also practiced Zen with Yasutani Roshi in Kamakura, and for a short time with Meguro Roshi in Shingu.

He also was able to study natural farming with Fukuoka Masanobu-Sensei. Peter points out that Fukuoka-Sensei said about natural farming: “the ultimate goal of my farming is not just the growing of crops, but the cultivation and perfection of human beings.”

Peter says of the practice of Aikido, “the only way to practice an Aikido that could be called Aikido, is to follow O-Sensei as best as one can. O-Sensei’s Aikido is Misogi, it is meant to end war and to bring humankind to the consciousness that it is one great family. It is meant to be practiced one’s whole life. That practice will flower in it’s own time and its own way for each individual. Remember that Aikido is Shin-no-Budo, true Budo, and the english translation of Aikido is “the Way of unity with the love and ki which sustain the entire universe.”

Peter is the founder of the Bach Renewal Society, where he teaches and directs the performance of the music of J. S. Bach.