Roshi Mark Lawrence was recently elected as the head of the Hoshinroshiryu Jutaijutsu Association by the leaders of this newly formed organization. He has been the head instructor at Kawartha Hoshin Training Centre for the past 10 years, and was a personal student of Hoshin's founder, Dr. Glenn J. Morris-soke. Mark has studied various aspects of both the internal and external martial arts for more than 19 years. He has trained in various forms of healing work such as Therapeutic Touch, massage and acupressure. Mark had been practicing different forms of meditation for many years before he started training in external martial arts, and was eventually led to Dr. Morris's series of books on martial arts and the esoteric. After reading these books, Mark travelled to Indiana (a 10 hour drive) to meet and train with Dr. Morris. This was the beginning of a long and wonderful friendship with a man that would be Mark's mentor, friend and teacher for years to come.
Within the first year of training with Dr. Morris, Mark achieved the rising of the Kundalini. This was another re-birthing of sorts for Mark, and he was very lucky to have his mentor around to help him through this process.
On one of Dr. Morris's extended trips to KHTC in 2004, Mark was honoured to be able to assist Dr. Morris-soke in recreating the Hoshin syllabi. It was at this time that the latest instructional Hoshin DVD's were created. A project that Dr. Morris-soke would unfortunately never see finished. In January of 2006, Mark was honoured by Dr. Morris-soke with the rank and title of Yondan (4th degree black belt) which was the last rank he received from Dr. Morris-soke before he died in April of 2006.
After the death of Dr. Morris, Mark and the other leaders of the orginal organization did everything possible to keep Hoshin from fading away. Mark and his very supportive wife Tina put in extensive hours striving to drive Hoshin, and the new leadership forward. In recognition for this work, Mark was named the Man of the Year for Excellence in Communications when he was inducted into the World Martial Arts Hall of Fame.
At the Memorial Kaizen in 2006, Mark was drawn to one of Dr. Morris's old friends, students, and mentors - Shihan Kevin Millis (15th Dan - Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu). Mark and Shihan Millis quickly began creating a friendship that has now lead into a mentor - student relationship. Mark received his Shodan (1st degree black belt) in Bujinkan Budo Taijutsu in April of 2008 under the guidance of Shihan Millis, who now continues to mentor Mark.
Mark is a certified HoshinTao Chi Kung Instructor, and one of a handful of people world wide that is teaching Dr. Glenn Morris's Meditation Mastery & Esoteric Energy Seminars. Mark was awarded the Dr. Glenn Morris Award for Service by the Hoshinroshiryu at the 2008 Kaizen in New York.
Over the years
since Dr. Morris-soke death, several things changed within
the original Roshi Ryu organization, and its leadership. After
much soul searching, Mark and several of the other leaders decided
to leave the original organization to form this new Hoshinroshiryu Jutaijutsu.
Mark has continued his growth and expanded his horizons as he most recenly became a certified fitness instructor. After 2 years of intense study, Mark has added teaching weekly fitness classes to his schedule. He continues to find new ways to help people reach their goals on all levels: mind, body and spirit.
