About

"Ikigai" is a Japanese concept that

means "reason for being", or "purpose in life" 

Ikigai Hoshin Dojo

We are a Hoshinjutsu Budo Ryu dojo, based in Warwickshire, UK, in the heart of England.


History & Development



The Ikigai Hoshin Dojo originally began as the UK’s first Hoshinjutsu (Hoshin Roshi Ryu) Training Group in 2003, becoming the Birmingham & Solihull Hoshin Dojo in 2004, under the direct supervision of Dr Glenn J. Morris, the founder of the Hoshinjutsu system. 


After the death of Dr Morris in 2006, and not wishing to be mistakenly aligned to the subsequent training groups that emerged in the UK around 2006, the dojo was renamed "Ikigai Ryu" and continued to practice independently, away from the Hoshin umbrella.


Progressing as a private dojo for the next 13 years, and adding elements of Traditional Budo and Therapeutic Qi Gong to our training, in 2019, we relocated to Warwickshire, UK,


In 2020 we reconnected with Hoshin, which continues under the leadership of Dr Morris's successor, Rob Williams.  During the intervening years, Hoshin continued to evolve and Williams has further refined the art from the original system - a continuation of the work that he had started with Dr Morrs prior to his death.


 In 2021, we "officially" rejoined the Hoshin family under the Hoshinjutsu Budo Ryu umbrella and, to mark the start of an exciting new chapter in our development, adopted a new name for our dojo: "Ikigai Hoshin Dojo". 



INSTRUCTOR

Craig Dickson

Craig Dickson was a personal student of the founder of the Hoshinjutsu system,  Dr Glenn J. Morris ("Doc"), from the late 1990's until his death in 2006, and was also the first official UK Hoshin Instructor. 


Craig has 30 years' experience in various traditional and modern martial arts.  He is a Godan (fifth dan) in Hoshinjutsu, a Certified Therapeutic Qi Gong Instructor (under Dr Aihan Kuhn); Board member of the Tai Chi & Qi Gong Healing Institute and Author of “Kappo – The Traditional Art of Martial First Aid”. 




Head of Hoshin Budo Ryu

Rob Williams

Rob Williams is the Head of Hoshin Budo Ryu. He is the successor to the late Dr. Glenn J. Morris, founder of the Hoshinjutsu system.  In addition to being personally trained and certified by Dr. Morris to teach and award rank in Hoshin Tao Chi Kung, Rob is the creator of the Hoshin Healing and Massage system.  He is an author, philosopher, healer, lecturer and veteran martial artist,


Under Rob, Hoshin has evolved from a once eclectic art to a solid system of strategy and methodology for self-protection and self-development.  He has worked for nearly 20 years to improve the effectiveness of Hoshin's core techniques and has implemented a set of foundational principles which make the system much more easy to assimilate.

Hoshin Founder

Dr Glenn J. Morris (1944 - 2006)

Hoshin was founded by the late Glenn J. Morris, PhD who was an esteemed martial artist, organisational psychologist, corporate consultant and author of several seminal books, including ""Path Notes of an American Ninja Master".


He trained extensively in a wide range of martial arts, including Jujutsu, Judo, Tai Chi, Kung Fu, Savate, Okinawan Karate, Ninpo/Budo Taijutsu, Boxing and Wrestling. He earned his first black belt in 1965 and taught self-defence courses in Germany while serving in the U.S. Army. He began teaching his Hoshinjutsu system of meditation and martial techniques at Hillsdale College in Michigan in 1980.


Dr. Morris was a Sifu (instructor) in Tien Tao Wei Shen Chi Kung and a member of the Chinese National Institute of Chi Kung.  He held rank of Rokudan (6th Dan) in Nihon Karate-jujutsu.  Dr. Morris was also a friend and student of Soke Maasaki Hatsumi, the head of Bujinkan Budo Taijustu.  Dr. Morris was awarded the rank of 9th Dan in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu and was posthumously promoted to Judan (10th Dan) by Hatsumi-Sensei. 


Dr. Morris obtained a PhD in Communication with specialization in Organizational and Industrial Psychology from Wayne State University and a Sci.D. in Transpersonal Psychology from Eurotechnical Research University. He continued to gain experience in various subjects pertaining to health and healing including Humanistic Psychology, bodywork, Gestalt Therapy, Rubenfeld Synergy, Chinese Medicine, meditation and hypnosis.


The colourful, generous and much loved Dr. Morris passed away on 1 April 2006, leaving Hoshin as his legacy.


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