Paul Frederick Rest

Paul Frederick Rest (born November 22) is an author, artist, and martial artist. He was born in Dayton, Ohio and currently lives in Santa Rosa, California. He attended Indiana State University and McCormick Theological Seminary before leaving for California in 1969. He had articles, essays, poetry, book reviews, short stories and interviews published in the United States, Canada, South America and the U.K. Until the publication closed in 2016, he wrote over 300 articles for the on-line magazine examiner.com about martial arts.
The publications he has written for include (not a complete list) the San Francisco Chronicle Book Review, Creation Quarterly, San Francisco Zen Center's publication "Sangha News," BuJin Design Newsletter (an on-line publication), AHP Perspective, Aiki Extensions Newsletter, Martial Edge (UK), The Santa Rosa Press Democrat, Indiana State University Magazine, Aikido Today Magazine, Westways Magazine (an AAA publication), The Oregonian (Northwest Magazine), litrasfalsas (Columbia, SA), Mothering Magazine, Baby Talk, The Liturgical Press and Wilbur Hot Springs Newsletter.
Rest studied Soto Zen Buddhism under Richard Baker Roshi at the San Francisco Zen Center during the 1970s. He later worked with a group of experimental researchers in the field of Intuitive Research that included Ann Armstrong. In 1993 Rest began practicing Aikido and has continued his practice and study. In October 2015, he was awarded the rank of 4th dan (black belt), He has studied with many of the surviving direct students of O Sensei, the Founder of Aikido including Hiroshi Kato, Shihan/8th Dan; Mitsugi Saotome, Shihan/8th dan; Robert Nadeau, Shihan/7th dan; Frank Doran, Shiham, 7th dan; Robert Frager, 7th dan. He has also taken a workshop with the Founder's grandson, the current Doshu of Aikido, Moriteru Ueshiba. His currently attends classes with Richard Strozzi-Heckler, 6th dan, and Robert Noha, 6th dan. He is a student of John Stevens, Shihan/7th dan, and a member of Stevens' Classical Aikido Association.
He has pioneered a no rolling/no-falling Aikido called "Low Impact Aikido." This type of Aikido is currently being used with veterans suffering from post traumatic issues, children with learning issues, senior citizens and is being explored in a variety of other ways this approach to Aikido can be used. In addition, it is being used for corporation and management training to instill trust, team work and communication by corporations, business groups and non-profit organizations.
He has also supported the work of Aiki Extensions, an organization created by Professor Don Levine to promote contact and harmony among aikidoka in the Middle East and North Africa. Rest is a member and presented a session on low Impact Aikido at the recent Aiki Extensions workshop in Palo Alto, California (September 2016). He has also written extensively about the work of Aiki Extensions in Ethiopia, the Training Across Borders (TAB), Peace Camp and The Aikido Ethiopia Project and the Hawassa Peace Dojo (in Awassa).
Rest has worked with other authors assisting them with their titles. This include George Leonard ("The Silent Pulse"), Wendy Palmer ("The Intuitive Body"), Sara Andrews ("Earth Colors" and Ray Anderson ("The Lotus Cross").
Rest's LLC (PFRArts LLC) has published "Aikido: An Everyday Approach to the Martial Art That Can Transform Your Life & The World." His second book on Low Impact Aikido is expected to be published next year. Two other publications in different areas are scheduled to be released soon.

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