Grand Master Robert Hiesner

As a child I always wanted to take martial arts but, we were very poor and there was no way we could afford lessons. I began practicing martial arts much later in life and that's when I found my true passion for the arts. I was raised by a single mother who often worked three jobs just to get by. She instilled a no quit spirit and the value of making your own way. I was in trouble in school it seemed all the time as a child, mostly due to my firm stance on what I would or would not do. I like to call my perseverance and the firmness of my resolve the American spirit. I am still very much this way today, but I am now more open to new or different information. I dropped out of school with no plans on ever returning, I was working as a mechanic for a little while then went into roofing for a couple years. I loved the hard labor and seeing the finished product at the end. I have always had a knack for pushing my limits even though I am a terrified of heights I still got up on the roof and did my job. I was in a car accident on the way to work that ended up altering the course of my life. I ended up with multiple fractures in my spine. I was out of work due to the intense pain to the point where walking was very uncomfortable to say the least. I had a spinal fusion which didn't take nearly enough pain away. For years I struggled with increasing and intense pain until I started taking martial arts which changed my life completely.

 

My daughter needed an activity, so I brought her to the Project Future Center of WNY to see Master Heisner. She began taking classes and since I was there, I might as well help at least that's what Master Heisner believed. He can be very persuasive and there really isn't any telling him no. I began to help in the classes right away holding shields and paying attention to form to help direct the children in the right way, well at least from my perspective at the time. I found what the children were learning very interesting, and it felt good to move around a couple times a week. I had to learn more so I began the adult classes, which felt awkward at first, but I quickly blended into the mix. I think for most students expressing Ki is the most difficult. I mean honestly how many people shout every time they finish something? My back hurt my knees were aching all the time my feet oh my feet some days I would all but crawl through the door when I got home. After a few months I started feeling better and I found my passion which has helped me in so many ways beyond the physical. This training of the mind body and spirit gave me the courage to return to school at the age of 35.

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I began by getting my GED at Boces in Niagara County, NY I dropped out of school in 9th grade leaving me with no high school experience at all. Well, that didn't seem to matter within two months I passed the test no Idea how well I did, but I did it. I completed that portion of my journey just in time to start college that fall. I also received my first-degree black belt that same month August of 2015. Inspired by my mother, I went into social work with a focus in addiction. I quickly found out I did not think the same as most of my classmates. We were looking for the same result we just had a very different approach to get there. My thought was on the lines of teaching a person how to fish and then they could always eat. They just wanted to give them the fish and hope they would be inspired to get their own without teaching them how to get it. I started college at Niagara County Community College, that first class was a big load on my mind so much anxiety not knowing what to expect. Then I found out it was much different than when I was in school years before. I found the work intensive at times but not to overwhelming. After two years I transferred to Niagara University to pursue a bachelor's in social work. I learned what real college was really quickly after transferring I thought I made a mistake. They dogged me, my grades were too good to push me out of the program, but they tried. Some of the instructors and I did not think the same and I openly expressed that, and some hated it. I found some of the teachings didn't meet reality at times, I lived it, they worked in the field, but they didn't truly understand in some ways. Needless to say, I received bachelor's degree in social work in 2019. I also graduated With A CASAC-T (Credentialed Alcohol and Substance Abuse Counselor- Trainee) Very discouraged with school at that point I needed a break. I went into the field of addiction counseling right after graduation. I figured I would finish getting the hours I needed and get my full CASAC and return to school after.

 

I found out this profession wasn't truly about helping people, at least in the organizations where I worked for. Resources were low, computer work was high and client interaction was forced in many cases. Not a good environment to make and create change in the world, this was outpatient. I was presented with an opportunity of a lifetime in a 28-day inpatient facility exactly where my passion was at the time. I was excited what I didn't know was the entire staff would be changed within two months of me being there, even the location changed. We made it a place of recovery with all of us newbies working our tails off to make it the best for our clients. The backing of the institution was not there though, I found myself spending out of my own check to get the supplies we needed to do our jobs effectively. Equipment would break and it was like pulling teeth to get it fixed and they really didn't like you making it happen. The meals sizes for the clients were being reduced. The hours were writing intensive, and it seemed there was never any time to do real work with a client. Also, many would use the facility as housing, a place to eat for a few days, even selling drugs and cigarettes to make money. Needless to say, this was not what I had envisioned when I went back to school or into the field in general. By this time my back pain was becoming a major problem for me I was unable to get in for regular Bushido classes and I was really feeling it.

 

Once again, my life would be drastically altered by a car accident this one much worse than the last. On the way home from work I was in a car accident after one of the worst days of my working career. To really drive the point home, I was fired two days later yup that's a bad week. Even at that point I felt getting fired was a blessing uncalled for but a blessing none the less. The accident was pretty bad a person pulled in front of me, and I rolled my truck. The problem was my back, neck, shoulder, knee and even my foot hurt. I ended up having neck surgery after months of expending every other option available. I needed to get back into the dojo, after a few months I told the doctor the rest of my body needs movement. She advised me to be cautious and take it very slow and no throws, falls or jarring motions, man that was hard to follow I wasn't about to go through surgery again though. I began to rebuild once again getting stronger every day slow and steady. I was in so much pain when I went back everything hurt again it would have been easy to quit but, the drive I have won't allow that to happen. Quitting means failure and I don't like to fail I started a mission when I went back to school, that was interrupted Bushido Rising LLC while help me reach my goals.

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Inspired by an event, I didn't know what life had instore but, I couldn't go back to that environment I was working in previously and my body is not full time work ready. I was talking with a friend and noticed a license plate that said GOD 1740 at least that is what my mind had seen it as. This is weird in itself for me religion is far from my thing, although I am very spiritual and support those who are it's just not my thing. I went home looked things up and now I had some questions. The best Person I knew to talk to about was Reverend Master Heisner Before I was able to ask any of the questions I had or even had a chance to speak to Master Heisner he answered them. Needless to say, I was shocked so I went home and pondered what it all meant leading me towards creating Bushido Rising LLC. There is more to the story come be a part of it and let me help you find your passion!