Ikigai Ryu and the Ikigai System
History and Development
Ikigai Ryu originally began as the UK’s first
Hoshinjutsu (Hoshin Roshi Ryu) Training Group in 2004. The group’s focus on the internal aspects of the arts meant that it attracted combat martial artists from various disciplines who found that their interests in the esoteric elements of martial arts were not being met in their other training.
Craig Dickson was the first Hoshin instructor in the UK and a personal student of the founder of the Hoshinjutsu system, Dr Glenn J. Morris ("Doc"), until his death in 2006. After Dr Morris’s death, Craig continued to explore various internal and external arts which, ultimately, led to the creation of Ikigai Ryu adopted as the name for the local dojo.
Hoshin continues under the leadership of Doc’s successor, Rob Williams , whose Hoshin Budu Ryu is the umbrella organisation for all aspects of modern Hoshin and includes Hoshinjutsu, Hoshin Tao Chi Kung and Hoshin Healing. All Ikigai Ryu students are encouraged to seek out Hoshin at the source and to train with Rob, or any of his instructors, if they can.
Ikigai Ryu was specifically developed as a way to make Meditation and Therapeutic Qi Gong teaching available to a wider audience, including those that do not have a particular interest in the martial arts. Accordingly, the Self-protection and Weapons elements of the system are now only taught to a limited number of students.
Ikigai Ryu is a contemporary art and does not claim to be a traditional (“Koryu”) system, i.e. with a generational lineage dating back centuries. Similarly, Ikigai Ryu is not a sport-derivative martial art, like taekwondo, judo or Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Ikigai Ryu members respect all arts but practitioners who are attracted to systems designed primarily to preserve their ancient forms/kata or those who wish to train for sport or competition will probably not be suited to Ikigai Ryu (or, indeed, Hoshin).
Ikigai students who wish to develop their skills beyond the system and learn authentic combat and “jutsu” arts are actively encouraged to do so as part of their continuing personal development.