Lesley Thomas grew up in rural communities in the Alaskan Arctic, on a fishing boat (troller) in Southeast Alaska, and on a small farm on the Puget Sound prior to its development. Her families of birth and of intermarriage branch from cultures all over the Earth and include hunters and gatherers, scientists and healers. Her interest in shamanism and birds began early. Once she studied arctic ecology and researched the effects of oil spills on a Chukchi coast salt marsh. Although she now lives in Seattle, she returns to the Arctic to visit family, go to fishcamp, pick berries and climb hills. Author website: lesleythomas.alaskawriters.com
Nancy Mendenhall grew up on Puget Sound in Washington and spent her childhood summers until 1943 at her grandparents' Willowbank Farm just north of the White Bluffs townsite. She earned a Masters in English from Western Washington University in 1968. An Alaska resident since 1961, she taught in the public schools, then for the University of Alaska Fairbanks, retiring as campus director at Nome. Commercial and subsistence salmon fishing has been a favorite summer occupation. Mendenhall published Beachlines: a Pocket History of Nome in 1997. From 1996-1999 she coordinated a three year Rockefeller Foundation oral history project for the Nome area. She is currently preparing an updated second edition of Beachlines.
Eric Oberg started his Aikido training in 1982 and acted as Coordinating Instructor at Seattle School of Aikido from 1997-2001. Eric developed ikigai classes as an extension of his Aikido training. He has presented Aikido principles to Nordstrom, Antioch University, Ashmead College, The Association of Experiential Education, Namaste Peace Project and the University District Teen Shelter. He has also developed and taught fitness classes using Aikido principles for the Physical Culture studio in Seattle.
You may have seen Gentle Aikido on "Mornings Live on Q" Channel 13 KCPQ, Or taken a Gentle Aikido class at Gateway Athletic or Northwest Actors studio. You can read a review of "Moving Toward Harmony" in Mavin Magazine Issue #5. Excerpts for "Moving Toward Harmony" appear in the Spring 2003 issue of Tricycle.
Aikido: Being Present in the Learning Experience
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