Patricia Hendricks

She spent more than 7 years as uchi-deshi, living in dojos, primarily in Iwama, Japan under Morihiro Saito, a top student of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.

The instructor was Mary Heiny, who was a Sandan at that time, and who had recently returned from studying in Japan.

It was during that semester of study that she heard about Stanley Pranin, who was teaching aikido to a small group of students in his garage in Monterey.

In 1988, she embarked on a 6-month European tour, combining travel and teaching, before once again returning to Iwama for study as a long-term uchi-deshi for another 18 months.

At present, she is the head of the Division 1 of the California Aikido Association,[2] and is authorized by Saito to conduct weapons testing.