(10th dan) Bujinkan Budo TaijutsuShihan Craig Brogna Wrote:

I’ve been to Virginia many times for training in the Bujinkan art, but never for Hoshin Budo. I had heard about Dr. Glenn Morris in the past and about how he used meditation and all the good things meditation can do for you. A friend of mine had given me a cd of the basics of meditation and the secret smile. I started listening and practicing everyday. Three months into it and I was feeling different and seeing changes, especially if I was to wake up in a bad mood. I would just start the secret smile meditation and in 20-30 min. my frequency was transformed from bad to good. I had a lot of questions though. Fortunately my friends in Virginia knew Sensei Rob Williams and had told me about a seminar he was putting on, so i made a smart descision to go.

First off let me just say Rob is a very cool guy. He’s calm, relaxed and confident, exactly what a human should be. So if you can’t get along with Rob, then you must look inside yourself because something is not right with you. Sensei Rob Williams is a true master of energy healing. People expect to see magical stuff happen, but the truth is that this is not a movie. you must dig deep inside your mind, body and spirit and feel the energy from within. Once you have the feeling then you can begin. Rob performed some healing on me and when he laid his hands on me it felt like volts of electricity were flowing through my body. It was a feeling that I had never felt before. After he was done I immediately stood up and thought to myself, ‘wow I feel very energized.’ It was a great feeling. Just writing about it makes me want to feel it again. I can go on and on about the seminar but the fact of the matter is that THIS STUFF IS REAL PEOPLE!!! We must become spiritual beings and leave behind all the bad emotions and start to feel good. Sensei Rob Williams can help you find that.

– Shihan Craig Brogna
(10th dan) Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu

Dr. Susan A. Carlson Wrote:

I knew Dr. Glenn Morris, Hoshin Grandmaster, since 2003. We eventually began to travel, teach Kundalini Awakening Seminars and give Shaktipat together. In those years I knew him he spoke often, fondly, and with pride regarding Rob Williams. He would often share with me how impressed he was with Rob’s level of expertise in all the Hoshin specialites: Chi Kung, Healing, Martial Arts, and Kundalini Development. He would even forward emails to me from Rob that documented Rob’s skill with his Hoshin students. He told me how Rob had originally written the manuals for the belt system and Hoshin Healing. Glenn told me that Rob spent years contributing his time and energy in creating and refining the systems that are found in Hoshin.

It was clear to me that Glenn believed Rob represented everything that he wanted the Hoshin systems to be. He wanted Rob to follow in his footsteps and lead Hoshin. Glenn said to me, ” I want this to go on after we both die.”

In having come to know Rob personally, I believe he is dedicated to preserving Glenn’s vision for Hoshin.

— Dr. Susan A. Carlson, RN
Founder of the Kundalini Support Network (KSN)
Life and Soul Coach
Certified Medical Qigong Practitioner
Minister

7th Dan Shihan Hoshin Jutaijutsu Shihan Katon Banner Wrote:

My extensive martial arts knowledge stems from my many years of playing the Tekken video game series and watching countless hours of Japanese animation about Ninjas and Samurai.

In other words, I had zero experience or training but a heavy interest. But at the age of 34 ( I know, I Know… “He still likes video games and cartoons?” Yes!) I figured I would never really get the chance to learn. Besides, I’m too old to be starting this stuff. You are supposed to start when you are young, vibrant and in shape. And you can’t teach an old dog new tricks can you?!?

My attempts at finding someone to teach me an art over the years were pretty futile. I could never get over the feeling that, after speaking with a trainer about what he was teaching, it just wasn’t for me. Something didn’t sit well with me when I spoke with them. Nor did I want the sporty/ flashy aspect of many martial arts schools. Life isn’t a sport. There are no set rules or referees that can give me a “timeout” and likely no one to help me if I got in a bind. So I continued living in my Tekken/ Kung fu/ Japanimation world enjoying the entertainment factor of it all. Yeah… because standing idly by always works sooo well when working on self improvement huh? Right…

By chance or karma (Hmm…) I met a neighbor that had just moved in and he invited me to a class. I said why not, the trainer IS the Grandmaster of the Ryu after all. So I’m willing to see what Hoshin Budo (Huh? That “style” never came up in any game, movie, or cartoon I had ever seen. HA!) is all about. Surprisingly I wasn’t skeptical. I went in with no expectations as I try to do with all things. It doesn’t always work out that way but I try.

Sensei Williams was different from the start. He didn’t take the military recruiter approach. Nor did he pull out the kiddy gloves for the fragile old people that had never done any training in their life. Also I didn’t feel like an idiotic peon. As a matter of fact he seemed happy that I was a clean slate to operate with, no baggage or prior hang-ups to deal with. At least Taijutsu wise, just an uncoordinated , clumsy, skinny, out of shape black dude. And you mean to tell me this guy doesn’t just want to B.S. me for monetary gain? Nope… there is a fee for class but he never mentioned it.

Sensei proceeded to talk about energy sensing/ channeling and projecting, chakra development, meditation yin and yang, etc. Force pushing us around… what?!? Star Wars… really? (I know I’m a dork). This was all the stuff that my broadcast entertainment media world had prepared me for right? I actually understood what he was talking about. But I was far from prepared. Too funny.

A lot of information was given to us that day. I was tossed around and twisted. Tired, sore, bruised, winded… and giggling inside the whole time like a little school girl suffering from an unfulfilled crush that has finally come to fruition. I loved it. I’ve been called a masochist before, I tend to think it’s just fun. Sensei sometimes looks at me like “What are you laughing at?” even when he is just talking. My apologies Rob, sometimes my imagination just pictures what would happen and it causes the same laughing response as if it were happening.

One of the few things I look forward to during the week next to being with my family is going to Hoshin class to train with Sensei Rob Williams. Rob, I thank you for taking me under your wing and taking the time to teach me. I don’t take the term friend lightly. But I believe I have found a friend in you and an extended family in Hoshin.

I began my journey in August of 2008. It is now April of 2009. I have just achieved the rank of blue/ void belt on my way to Shodan where I am sure the journey really begins. I am no killing machine, nor do I want to be. I don’t know it all but I am taking in as much as I can. A door has been opened and I have stepped out. This place is vast and I have a lot of exploring to do. Maybe I’ll laugh my way to enlightenment or end up battered to bits in a Looney bin. But either way I have and outstanding teacher and guide to help along the way. I have a feeling this is going to be a fun ride.

Katon Banner,
7th Dan Shihan Hoshin Jutaijutsu
1st Dan Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu

7th Dan Shihan Hoshin Jutaijutsu Shihan Chris Robinson Wrote:

My path is similar to many who have traveled in search of a Martial Arts Master. I spent a few years in Shorin-Ryu under a great Sensei who taught me discipline as well as how to generate power in my movements. No regrets, however I would always attend other seminars in the search of missing components that would supplement my training. In 2000 I was a few years into Hapkido when an aquaintence mentioned over dinner that he was training with someone in Yorktown. I asked the style and got a rambling dissertation on Hoshin and it origins. Mystical, deadly, effective, easy to duplicate…. Skeptical? You bet!

As I approached Rob, who at the time was central area Head of the Southeastern Hoshin Dojos, I found that he wasn’t 7 foot tall and breathing fire but a pleasant looking young man wearing Birkenstocks. Looks can be deceiving and after training for 4 hours I rode home battered and bruised thinking I would have preferred the 7 foot tall fire breather! Hoshinjutsu embodied all that I was searching for and not only filled the holes in my martial training but set me down a path towards self actualization.

I met Sensei Morris during a training trip Rob organized to Lake Charles, Louisiana. Rob was asked to come down and revamp the Hoshin Curriculum by Doc and I had the pleasure to be an Uke for both of them as they shared techniques and strategies. During that trip Doc explained the hierarchy of his marital art and said that Rob was top amongst his instructors and that there wasn’t anybody he would recommend more. During our many visits to Docs house I found a great fellowship with Doc and Rob that interestingly enough has now moved to Sensei Rob and his senior instructors. I witnessed Docs legacy unfold as student after student worked there way through the Hoshin System and received their Black belts under Rob’s guidance.

Years have passed and I am still training with the nice young man in Yorktown. Still battered and bruised on occasion but no longer in search of a Master to help me on the path. The footprints on the path I follow look strangely like Birkenstocks.

–Chris Robinson,
7th Dan Shihan Hoshin Jutaijutsu
2nd Dan Hoshinroshiryu jutaijutsu
1st Dan Bujinkan Ninpo

8th Dan Hoshin Jutaijutsu Shihan James Alexander Wrote:

I’ve been involved in Martial Arts for most of my life, Power Lifting, Tae Kwon Do, JKD, BJJ, Boxing, Wrestling, MMA and of course Hoshin. I have had the opportunity to learn from professional fighters, members of the All Marine Wrestling and Boxing Teams; as mastery is a life long pursuit and the goal is in the journey.

I have trained with, deployed, and served along side some of the greatest warriors on the face of the planet, the United States Marine. I have had multiple attempts on my life along with the lives of my fellow sailors and marines while serving duty in Iraq.

It was 1993 when I met Glenn for the first time. I had picked up a copy of Path Notes in October of that year, and read it straight through that night.

I had been looking for something more in my personal development as a fighter and human, and Path Notes had the answer. I actually tracked Dr. Morris down via phone and we began a dialog and relationship that would last for over ten years . . . ending in April 2006 when he left us to live in the void. Dr. Morris gave freely of his time and expertise, even though he would throw a riddle in the mix every now and then.

It would be six years before I actually met him in person and I did just that in January of 1999 when I spent three days with him at his place in Houston TX. We talked, trained, and meditated. We looked at Hatsumi videos and got to play with Shidoshi Dave Bolin and his group of Ninjas. When I left Glenn, I had a better understanding of Energy, and life in general. I really miss the guy. I had the opportunity to see him again in July of that same year at a seminar in Eugene, Oregon. He was pleased by my development and had the group look at my Aura and recommended to them to not even try and fight me but just shoot me instead. We had a great time and he and his wife at the time actually met my wife at the time and they did a great deal to explain and show that Hoshin esoteric training is not worshiping the devil or any of that stuff. We are just a bunch of people that train to be the best warriors, healers and human beings that we could be. It was sad that the seminar had to end.

At this point, I had been in the United States Navy since 1989. I was stationed in Long Beach, California. I then left Long Beach in 1995 to be stationed on the USS Lincoln (Air Craft Carrier). In 1998, I left the Lincoln to be stationed at the Naval Hospital in Bremerton, Washington. In 2001, I was commissioned as Naval Officer and a lot of what I accomplished by finishing my College education, working hard and staying focused was due to what Glenn had taught me. I was to leave Washington State to come to the great state of North Carolina.

Before I left, Glenn directed me to find a guy by the name of Rob Williams. Dr. Morris stated that ” this guy is not like you ” (Yang). “He’s a Yin guy and has trained in old school Bujinkan, and you will like him. He can show you how to work the majick.” Glenn was right; I met Sensei Williams in August of 2001 and liked him immediately. Glenn was also right that we are different, Rob is about 170lb and I am about 225lbs. But, our personal lives share a great deal of similarities almost to an uncanny degree.

It was almost humorous when we would get together because all of a sudden, he would get hot and want to turn on the air conditioner and open all the windows, and I would want to turn the heat on and close all of the windows. We trained, meditated and Rob demonstrated energy skills, such as fighting with chi, empty force and bending a candle flame. Sometimes we would be outside, some times in. At times the weather would be extremely cold and at other times it would be very hot. Rain, sleet, in the dark, blind folded while avoiding the sword, we did it all. I still scratch my head at times when I see this guy move.

Here it is 2007, 14 years after I first read Path Notes, six years after I began training with Rob and one year after Sensei Morris’s passing. A lot of changes have taken place within Hoshin. I had predicted and foreseen some of these changes ten years ago. There is no question as to where my loyalties lie. The Hoshin Budo Ryu is dedicated to keeping Glenn’s legacy alive and is continuing to evolve. Sensei Williams easily fills the shoes of our founder — and then some.

James Alexander
Lieutenant, United States Navy
8th Dan Shihan Hoshin Jutaijutsu

2nd Dan Hoshin Jutaijutsu Austin Willey Wrote:

I have been training under Rob Sensei for a year or so now, we met under perfect circumstances, and my entire life has taken a complete 180. It's funny to think about how things were for me prior to meeting Rob, I was so sure I had life completely figured out. Rob has shown me things that I can't even talk about because of how absurd it sounds, but I was there, he has shown me what we all are truly capable of. Rob has turned me into a better version of myself, and given me such a fun hobby.

I'm really not a fighter, and have no plans of ever using what I have learned outside of the dojo, but I feel much more capable of protecting myself and loved ones in a crisis. I have been training with Rob regularly, twice a week, and will never stop learning. I have since learned how to apply our five principles effectively, I have learned how to use weapons I didn't even know existed, I have learned how to effectively use and perceive bioelectricity and other subtle energies and have even learned a little bit about chinese medicine. Rob is spitting out wisdom every other sentence it seems like.

If you would have told me when I was 13, that in 10 years I would find a martial arts master who would take me under his wing and truly guide me, I'd likely have called you insane. However, that is pretty much exactly what happened. Prior to meeting Rob I had been sending my intention of finding a teacher into the universe, and the universe responded with a series of perfect synchronicities that eventually led me straight to Hombu. These synchronicities manifested in a unique way, not all of it was positive, but it had to be this way I believe. In my experience, the complete Hoshin System has changed my entire life. From teaching me excellent meditations and guiding me through the awakening of my primal energy, I feel like a whole new person. I am very glad to be a part of the Hoshin family, and am looking forward to the great things we will accomplish together in the near future.

–Austin Willey,
2nd Dan Hoshin jutaijutsu