Ki to the City

On this episode, I had the honor of sitting down with Sam Zeitlin, a remarkable thinker and Aikidoka whose life-path exemplifies the very synthesis many of us are seeking.
Sam has cultivated a fascinating, multidisciplinary practice that defies easy categorization…
She’s been practicing Aikido since 2010 in the enchanted Bay Area, mostly at City Aikido with Robert Nadeau Sensei. Simultaneously, Sam holds a PhD in cellular and molecular structure and chemistry, having spent two decades working in hard science—cell biology and cancer research, before transitioning to “tech”.
She also maintains a deep and extensive yoga practice, a path found while rehabilitating from old injuries, guided by the principle of ahimsa (do no harm to others… or yourself).
And she sings!
It’s quite amazing how the methodical world of the research lab, the quiet, inward path of yoga, and the dynamic, connective practice of Aikido—sync up masterfully into a cohesive philosophy.
There was so much to talk about, we didn’t even get to talk about music!
Sam eloquently describes how she views all these seemingly disparate fields as mutually reinforcing. For example; the commitment to falling down and getting up over and over again at the dojo almost perfectly correlates to her scientific experiment experience, where failure is literally the key to success.
(sorry I couldn’t resist writing “experiment experience”)
Ideally, the most profound breakthroughs in science require a beginner’s mind, the Socratic willingness to admit “we know nothing” and to keep searching for first principles. This combination of prudence and intellectual rigor is what makes Sam’s perspective so refreshing.
Her pursuit of a more open, fluid, and centered self—one she cultivated under the spiritual, energetic instruction of Robert Nadeau Sensei—leads to the episode’s most mind-bending discussion—a conversation that will change your relationship with physics. (Sorry, I shouldn’t assume I know anything about your relationship with physics, you might have figured all this out already. I know mine’s pretty complicated.)
While she humbly attributes the undertaking of this study (time manipulation) to her teachers, she adroitly describes the dimensional shift in consciousness achieved through the practice of Jiyu Waza. (I know it probably doesn’t need to be capitalized, but I think it’s important enough to warrant it)
It’s the ability to process and handle incoming force and energy, to slow the moment down within yourself, giving you freer space to feel where things are going.
It’s the entering into a mind-state that allows the nervous system to circumvent the instant panic of ‘fight-or-flight’.
Caught up in the oftentimes tumultuous current of “world events”, this ability to slow it all down is, quite frankly, a superpower.
In retrospect (if you listen to the episode you’ll get it) I want to retract what I said I want my superpower to be. I want to change it to the above.
Sam is one of the rare people who can seamlessly apply the geometrical and philosophical analogy of the circle and the line to the particle and the wave—and then bring it back to how we should interact with each other during stressful moments.
As I mentioned at the beginning of the episode, we didn’t get to talk as much as I wanted to about her brilliant writing, but I’m sure you’ll love it. Please do check it out here: Sam’s Blog
Thanks for listening!
Ki to the City is a reader-supported publication. Your generous support makes it possible for me to continue this project and bring these incredible conversations to life. If this work resonates with you, I humbly ask for your help in keeping the podcast on “the air” by signing up to be a paid subscriber.
If you’d care to make a one-time contribution, or maybe have some editing work for me, you can email me directly at [email protected], and as a token of gratitude, you’ll receive a copy of Don Dickie Sensei’s deeply reflective work of meditative poetry, Silent Winds of Aikido.


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Hi, hope you’re all doing well out there in the aether.
My temperamental tablet is delaying the publication of a few wonderful conversations that I’ve already recorded. Sorry for the dearth of new episodes lately.
I hope to get this technical difficulty resolved as soon as humanly possible, or in this case, as soon as computerly possible.
Hardware issues aside, I am beyond thrilled to announce the first project for my ultra-exciting new publishing venture.
A book by Kayla Feder Sensei!
Those of you who listened to my interview with Kayla Sensei already know that her story is nothing short of magical and will serve as inspiration for those of us already practicing Aikido, as well as a guiding light for people who might otherwise find her words and be moved to join a dojo.
If you haven’t heard this one yet, what are you waiting for? Here’s the link: Open your heart
Kayla Sensei reminds us that within every human being is a spark of the divine—a bright light of love, compassion, and beauty. This upcoming work will dive deep into these concepts, sharing her historic lineage, her connection to nature, and her wisdom on opening the heart to transform conflict.
We’re just getting started, can’t wait to see how this is going to turn out!


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In this episode, I had the honor of conversing with Marco Rubatto Sensei, from Hara Kai dojo in Torino, Italy.
For nearly twenty years, Marco Sensei’s been creatively documenting a journey that began with the Iwama tradition and which finds him now an esteemed member of the (really really cool) Evolutionary Aikido Community. His brilliant website, Aikime.blogspot.com is a veritable goldmine of thoughtful articles and instructive videos.
His writing transcends descriptors, and his perspective on Aikido is multidimensionally fascinating; drawing inspiration from transpersonal psychology, integrated medicine, and the spiritual lineage of Father Anthony Elenjimitem—Catholic priest / Yogi / Buddhist monk, and direct student of Mahatma Gandhi!
Rather than try to describe how deep this conversation gets, I’ll just quote a line from Marco Sensei himself,
“Through the spiritual practice, the physical, the mental, you can reach the “primal” way to think. The non-dual way to think. Blend with what’s not working”
I put the word “primal” in parentheses because Marco Sensei is not using that word with the meaning that it’s typically associated with.
You’ll have to listen to the episode, (or check out his amazing writing) to get what he’s getting at, but it’s pretty mind-blowing.
I felt invigorated and inspired after this conversation and I hope listening to it can have that effect on you as well.
Thanks for helping me keep this little boat afloat!



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I apologize if it’s been a bit quiet on the podcast front.
I’m willing to attribute to destiny the fact that my last few scheduled conversations kind of canceled last minute.
It’s totally understandable from a cosmic viewpoint: life is complicated.
I’ve been so busy working on the “new phase” of this project that I haven’t had the time to follow up with people or try to book new guests as diligently as I should have.
The momentum of weekly interviews has been kind of halted, but I’m embracing it as a necessary pause to bring you some exciting news.
Before I get into that, though, I want to put an open invite out into the ether:
If anyone listening to or reading this has any desire to come on the show and talk about Aikido, please don’t hesitate. Reach out to me!
I’m open to exploring anyone’s perspective.
You don’t need to be a 7th Dan Shihan to have a voice here. Even if you just started training yesterday, or if you’re still thinking about starting but for whatever reason you haven’t yet, I want to hear from you.
This podcast is an exploration of the art from all angles, and the beginner’s mind is just as vital as the seasoned sensei’s.
Let’s have some conversations.
Now, onto the reason I’ve been so deeply preoccupied lately.
The Ki to the City podcast has successfully engaged and connected a wide-ranging global audience of listeners. Thus far, we’ve been exploring how the philosophical principles of Aikido and its sincere practice can actually work to make the world a better place, even through the most troublesome, atomizing times.
As I’ve scoured the internet for research—reading articles, posts, and old forum threads, looking for guests—I’ve had a sobering realization. A vast amount of the profound wisdom generated by our global Aikido community exists merely in ephemeral online formats.
It’s trapped in fleeting social media disagreements, buried in hard-to-find comment threads, or scattered across blogs that might very well forever vanish if, God forbid, the “grid” ever really goes down.
In this cybernetic dystopic spiral, digital discourse can be, and easily is, washed away in the vicious, swirling, scrolling “news cycle.”
Printed books offer a more tactile experience. They possess a tangible quality for which a blog post can posit no substitute. They can also serve as lasting artifacts for current and future generations to hold, study, and cherish.
That’s why I’m thrilled to announce the launch of an independent, Aikido-themed publishing house (more like an apartment) via this Ki to the City platform!
The hope is to expand the reach and longevity of Aikido’s positive societal effects beyond our digital screens. Maybe we could put down our phones for a few minutes.
There are so many brilliant, as-of-yet unheard voices in our sphere who might never otherwise be able to secure opportunities with traditional publishing companies. And furthermore, many people simply don’t realize that they don’t need to spend a ton of money to self-publish.
This is where my (semi) professional background comes in.
I’ve done some work as a freelance creative editor and ghostwriter, successfully guiding numerous authors through the self-publishing process.
Over the past few months, I’ve re-dedicated myself to conducting exhaustive, meticulous research into the print-on-demand (POD) self-publishing ecosystem.
It’s pretty boring, actually. But somehow I’m able to lock in and figure it out.
The result of this research is the creation of a high-efficiency, economical, ecological, independent publishing system that is specifically tailored to benefit both the author and the community.
This new publishing arm of Ki to the City is poised to produce high-quality pieces, ensuring the spirit of these essential voices is secured in a format worthy of their content.
I’m excited to share that I already have two—possibly three—projects currently in the works! Much more on that soon to come. I’m working hard to get these first editions formatted, edited, and ready for the world.
So, if you have a manuscript sitting in a drawer, a collection of unfinished docs, or even just the seed of an idea for a book about your Aikido journey, please reach out to me. And remember, if you want to be a guest on the podcast to talk about your practice, regardless of your rank or experience level, the door is always open.
Don’t be shy.


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“Aikido was forged in the crucible of war. The Aikido we know bloomed in the era of peace.”
Is it possible to speak of “Post-War” Aikido anymore?
How long were we ever actually living, Post-War?
I want to keep this written intro brief. I have an aversion to trying to write eloquently about grave situations. Everything I could potentially say feels pretentious.
In a situation like this, it’s better to let the conversation speak for itself.
Miles Kessler Sensei teaches out of the Integral Dojo in Tel Aviv, Israel, and this conversation finds him literally in the crucible of war himself, as he speaks expecting sirens warning him to head to the nearest bomb shelter.
(To learn more about Miles Sensei’s incredible background, check out his first appearance. Link
It’s in this real-world context that his profound philosophy—Aikido not as a path of peace, but a path of conflict, with peace as the byproduct of good conflict done well—is called to action.
Miles Sensei’s most powerful application of Aikido off the mat is his frank discussion of trauma. He describes how trauma—whether personal, generational, or societal—causes us to retreat and polarize, locking us into patterns that perpetuate the past.
The ultimate work of the spiritual warrior is to purify this inherited and active trauma, allowing us to hold conflict in a way that becomes the catalyst for evolutionary development.
Miles Sensei challenges us to move beyond the easy binaries of “us versus them,” arguing that true spiritual progress requires us to wrestle with the moral dilemmas of the present moment. When nothing is reliable, the path of practice is the only constant.
He also reminds us that we are not doomed, that there may still be some adults in the room willing to meet the present conflict with a broader, deeper perspective, ready to move humanity forward with a practical, uncompromising spiritual framework for modern existence.


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