In Japan (Tokyo, specifically) during June is the Sanno Matsuri, one of the main features of which is a ritual which cleanses one of sins, even unconscious ones. As in other such rituals, sins are passed on to a doll, leaving one cleansed and free from the consequences of sin, peaceful and happy.

Such practises often have a basis in the Shinto faith, and are usually accompanied by aspiration and devotion at a Buddhist altar in pursuit of meeting the highest hopes that our ancestors might have had for us.

The pan-theism of Shinto has parallels with ancient British Paganism, just as Buddha was the best possible example of the most enlightened possible conduct – he is the East’s highest example of good conduct and equivalent to the image called to mind when Westerners ask, “What would Jesus do?”

However, Buddha was a man, not a god or a prophet per se, and as such, the ways he espoused were rational and ethical, and the foundation of practises which can be appreciated even by those who might consider themselves athiests or agnostics.

This touches upon an important existential question: because we are inescapably part of the human condition, and often subject to happenings which defy reason and even fairness, is it necessary to have a faith? Are the adversities of life trying to show us that we should have a faith? It can certainly be helpful to blame an uncaring god for the problems which befall us!

Kendo Nagasaki would point out that even though the human mind must certainly be stilled from time to time, it is a considerable ally in making sense of life. It’s a good idea to take a leaf from the book of Shintoists and Pagans, and acknowledge that however much we know about a seed becoming a tree, that it happens at all is still a miracle of nature; and likewise, the Buddhist (and Bushido) practice of respecting what our ancestors would have wanted for us is an excellent form of pro-social motivation. And, of course, both Buddha and Christ remain ideals to which to aspire.

In light of these arguments, what Kendo would have us consider is that while it is not necessary to “sign-up” to an orthodox, structured religion, the human condition is eased greatly by respecting the invisible yet miraculous forces of nature, and by having regard for the intangible yet enduring hopes of our ancestors. These add up to a humility towards certain crucial forces of life, and great strength and peace can come from such conscientious consideration of these more subtle aspects of the world around us.

…and the act of passing sins on to a doll? Even this time-honoured tradition can be seen as an aspiration, a gesture which symbolises a further level of concern for rightness, harmony, and well-being, to be taken advantage of when the festival comes around.

Kendo observes that the human condition – however it is challenged – is ideally about reflecting upon all possible perspectives, reasoning them through and meditating upon them, in life-long pursuit of the wisest possible world-view. Ironically, done right, it may be possible to have faith in the outcome of such an approach, which, even without (or in addition to) practising an orthodox religion, could well be described as living most spiritually.

In May, in the Hakata area of the city of Fukuoka, there is a festival called Dontaku. The name means “holiday”, and throughout its long history, it has always been a festival for the people – a true “citizen’s” festival. Indeed, Dontaku tends to be the most popular festival in Japan during the so-called “Golden Week” which contains a closely-packed series of national holidays, and its history tells us why.

Having begun as a New Year festival, celebrating the time of year which is most special to the Japanese, it evolved into a series of performances symbolising auspicious gods paying visits upon the lords at Fukuoka castle. Children traditionally also took part, amongst literally thousands of singers, dancers, and other performers. As an occasion for everyone taking part to meet and greet each other on an equal footing, everything positive is celebrated in an atmosphere of unrestrained joy and mutual appreciation. Small wonder, then, that this is the festival of festivals, during festival week!

The grand nature of the Dontaku festival is an excellent example of co-operation and appreciation amongst people – it is no small feat to organise 16,000 musicians and dancers, and 12,000 participants in the more formal veneration celebrations, yet it is done with zeal, and the attendance of over 2 million shows how much it is all appreciated by those visiting – who are, or course, encouraged to join in! However, with a history of around 800 years, the Dontaku festival now reflects currents which run very deep in Japanese society.

Kendo would point out that perhaps the clearest energy in evidence here is that of pro-social structure; the Dontaku shows that Japanese people certainly know how to enjoy themselves and appreciate each other, which they do unresevedly at festival time, but at other times, with their strict manners and dedication to work ethic and social harmony, they all contribute to a society which gives them much to be grateful for and to celebrate.

As can be seen in the tenets of Kendo’s “Empowering Wisdom”, he expects those who would follow his teachings to learn and apply more subtle rules and observations than generally apply in the West – the enlightenment he promotes is what will lead to empowerment, for example, understanding that growing as a soul is a duty, in contrast to believing in some capitalist right to have the most toys. Thus, living responsibly and watching for clues about one’s destiny will greatly help a life unfold as well as it possibly can, and awareness of one’s obligations to the harmony of the world around one is also important.

From a healing perspective, Kendo points out that all these positive, pro-social attitudes add up to a functioning spiritual interaction with the myriad other spiritual forces around us; such humility shows respect for the deities in every conceivable aspect of life, particularly the other souls around us on their own challenging journeys, and such harmonious relationships can only feed back positive, healing energy.

Your exemplary attitudes will be perceived and echoed by other enlightened souls, and together you will weave an atmosphere of positivity and healing, and you will have every right to celebrate such enlightened living with all your might!

Happy Dontaku!

Those who follow Kendo Nagasaki know well that he has a particular interest in the city of Kamakura, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan. This city was once the centre of power in Japan – rivalling even Kyoto – and because so much military power was centred there, it was a spectacular “samurai town”.

Kendo’s past life in Kamakura (at least, the one he’s told us about) was as a member of an illustrious samurai family who defended the city’s rulers, even down to their very last battle in 1333. Supreme levels of skill, discipline, loyalty, and honour are, for Kendo, synonymous with any thoughts of Kamakura, and these very qualities have inspired the Kamakura Garden at his Retreat, where he meditates regularly.

On the second Sunday of April, the Kamakura Festival begins. The city’s military past is most certainly celebrated, including displays of Yabusame (archery from horse-back), there are many portable shrines at which to worship, there is much music from the great many bands which perform throughout the city, and a powerful air of joy and celebration is everywhere.

The concentration of virtues as are symbolised by Kamakura is, of itself, inspiration enough for a powerful healing meditation, but there is another powerful force associated with the city – one that wouldn’t readily be associated with a “samurai-town”, and it is love.

During the Kamakura festival, on the main ritual dance stage at the city’s enormous Tsurugaoka Hachiman-gu Shrine, a dance is performed which celebrates the love that Princess Shizuka had for warlord Minamoto-no-Yoshitsune. Shizuka had been kidnapped by a rival warlord and forced to dance for him, but it is said that her love for Yoshitsune shone through her dancing, and she became an inspirational heroine, even to this day, almost 900 years later. In Bushido terms, the love expressed in Shizuka’s exquisite dancing deeply honoured Yoshitsune and demonstrated unyielding loyalty to him – she, too, clearly had the heart of a warrior, expressing it with possibly even greater fluency and skill as a result of her own hardships.

Kendo’s healing message for April draws on all the qualities for which Kamakura stands – all the virtues of Bushido, of course, but also a reminder that even in the midst of hardship, we may be an inspiration to others, never knowing the extent to which through selfless aspiration, we may lift another’s spirit and help them cope with or even overcome their own troubles. Conducting our lives according to the highest aspiration may empower not only ourselves, but also others who are touched by witnessing its example, and that is something to celebrate.

Here’s to the Kamakura Festival!

As this month’s Healing Ceremony falls so close to the 3rd anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, Kendo Nagasaki suggests that it’s entirely appropriate to look at what’s happened since these catastrophic events.

It cannot be denied that Japan has needed to heal – and still does, and will do for many years to come – but it can also not be denied how spectacular the healing that has taken place so far has been.

The North East coast is very different now to how it looked three years ago; where there used to be so much rubble and devastation in place of homes and livelihoods, the land has now been cleared, and the grasses that will grow on the sea-salted earth have begun to soften the landscape; where there were previously such brutal scars on the land, it has taken on a gentler countenance, which is comforting in itself.

There has also been something of a quiet, determined, and resilient revolution in Japanese society, too – grandmothers in Tohoku have formed their own business and are making fashion accessories in uniquely Japanese fabric patterns, which are finding a world-wide market; school-girls designed their own fashionable reconstruction appeal T-shirts, which are also selling world-wide, and have opened doors to many budding new designers. Many “Idol” singing and dancing groups have been formed by girls relocated from the devastated towns, and in helping themselves, they help lift the spirits of others. Businesses, too, have adapted, identified the new needs of the new landscape, and met them in often brilliant ways – Kendo would point out that the samurai spirit would not hesitate to identify a challenge as an opportunity.

There has even been a revolution in health-care – an entirely new model for caring for the elderly has emerged from the loss of the old hospitals and structures in the devastated towns, and not only would the new model survive a future disaster, but there’s more contact between everyone concerned, people’s health is generally better, and many are pleasantly surprised to see how much better this evolution out of necessity now works for carers and clients.

Even that saddest of consequences – grief over lost family and friends – has moved on; more and more people now recall their loved ones with a smile, and a promise to make them proud of their endeavours.

Of course, there is still so much to do – tens of thousands still need proper homes to move into from their cramped temporary accommodations (even such refuge can be a source of further difficulties), many livelihoods still need rebuilding, and somehow, the farmland and communities so catastrophically blighted by the nuclear power station accident at Fukushima need to be recovered, and the plant itself made safe and dismantled…

…but the work goes on, the healing continues, and out of a challenge of staggering proportions comes the deepest admiration for how it continues to be met, and profound inspiration for how we can meet our own challenges, and, in so doing, help not only ourselves, but others too.

This March, Kendo Nagasaki would remind all those facing challenges, particularly health-related, to always strive for the best possible outcome; one’s own efforts may seem small, but if performed with all the might one can muster, great achievements can be the result, as can now be seen in Japan.

So, this March, as 3 years ago, we wish Japan continued strength and healing; the results of the next 3 years of “doing one’s best” will undoubtedly be as remarkable as the last 3, and as inspiring for the rest of the world.

“Gambatte Nihon, Kudasai!” Hang in there, Japan, because we know that our good wishes to you will ultimately bring you to inspire us all even more, in many, many ways.

February is regarded as the beginning of spring in Japan, and it therefore symbolises the start of the growing season, and the promise of abundant crops and warmer weather.

February also heralds the Lunar New Year in the East. Just as in the West we refer to Astrology, in the East, there is a 12-year sequence of differing influences which are represented by animals, and this year is the Year of the Horse.

There is much energy traditionally associated with the symbolic lunar Horse – it is regarded as a powerful animal which can effortlessly transport one to new places, and it therefore represents positive change and growth.

Kendo has launched his Empowerment Meditation right at the start of the Year of the Horse, so that it can provide a powerful means to take oneself to new levels in one’s life, auspiciously aided by the positive influence of the lunar Horse. Kendo’s new meditation is particularly recommended for those in need of healing, as it is both deeply relaxing and empowering, alleviating the stress which often accompanies illness and providing an excellent foundation for healing.

Therefore, with the promise of spring arriving in February, with the power of the Year of the Horse returning after a 12 year absence, and with the release of Kendo’s Empowerment Meditation, this February is positively bursting with positive energy!

Positive thought is crucial in making progress along the spiritual path, and allying oneself with the positive energies which surround us makes such thoughts even more effective. Be in no doubt that whatever positive effort you make this February, it will be welcomed and amplified by the forces which surround you right now on the mystical planes, and thinking of Kendo Nagasaki will always draw positive energies to you!

As the first month of the year, January holds the promise of new beginnings – New Year’s resolutions, and all sorts of new things to hope for and look forward to in the coming year.

In Japan, one of the most sacred and powerful moments of any year is the first sunrise of the year, particularly as viewed behind Mount Fuji. The rising sun always symbolises blessing, new beginnings, hope for the future, and healing, but witnessing the New Year’s Day sunrise has particular importance in Japan – as the Land of the Rising Sun, this particular sunrise is very mystical and special.

Kendo’s Ceremony of the Rising Sun is inspired by the energy of this extremely ancient and powerful cosmic event. Even hard-headed scientists can’t deny that all life on earth comes from the sun, but there is so much more to life than cold, hard facts. As Kendo mentions in his Empowerment Meditation, symbolism can open the deeper self to an understanding of and communion with energies that cannot be encompassed by the limited conscious mind, and what the rising sun symbolises is immense.

In today’s Healing Ceremony, we remember that the sunrise which occurs every day brings anew the promise of emergence from darkness, new beginnings, healing, renewal of strength, inspiration, and faith in the forces of the universe which remain beyond our understanding, yet which continue to sustain our lives. Therefore, Kendo would recommend that the optimism of the New Year’s Day sunrise should be carried forward to every day, remembering that each day’s sunrise brings energies which, if we have the courage and the humility to accept, will sustain every level of our lives, bringing and maintaining the perfect balance with the rest of nature.

Calling to mind an image of the rising sun at any time brings healing – imagining the first sunrise of the year increases its symbolic strength, and the power of how it may inspire, heal, and support you every day of the coming year.

December in Japan is entirely different from how we experience it in the West. It is no surprise that with just 0.5% of the country’s population being Christian, Christmas is not celebrated, but even knowing this, it seems strange to think that December 25th is just another working day there!

Of course, in addition to this time of year raising awareness in the West of what Christianity fundamentally means, Christmas invariably involves much activity surrounding gift-giving and partying and attending all the events associated with the time of year, from nativity plays to works parties. A western Christmas is undeniably a time of religious awareness and much enjoyment, particularly involving family and friends.

In the midst of all the excitement, however, Kendo Nagasaki would offer an alternative perspective – a counter-balance to all the current intensity.

In Japan, for a many centuries, December has been a time of looking forward to the forthcoming year. Indeed, spread out throughout the month there are many individual ceremonies and festivals which involve the making of offerings in the hope of receiving blessings during the forthcoming year, such as good harvests, and there is also a day for couples which resembles the Western Valentine’s Day. In some ways, compared to the West’s roller-coaster ride towards Christmas, December in Japan seems almost anti-climactic – much like any other month across the centuries, in fact – and from Kendo’s perspective, this is no bad thing.

One of the fundamental principles of meditation is to set aside all the things that occupy the conscious mind. It is not until we really experience meditation that we understand just how involving and compelling that the clamour of consciousness really is, and how it it can keep us embroiled in activities and processes that can prevent us from being in balance with our whole selves, and this is disempowering. Whilst there is nothing wrong with fully immersing oneself in all the excitement of this time of year in the West, because it’s so busy and frantic, it is arguably even more important now to take a little time for one’s own “self”.

Many would argue that Christmas has become very commercialised and oriented around consumerism, and, at this time of year, wherever we look, these very processes compete vigorously and imaginatively for our attention. Whilst some of the messages can give us good ideas for a good Christmas, it can hardly be denied that we are subject to information overload at this time of year, and maintaining an “even keel” is a greater challenge than ever.

So, find a quiet place, even for a few minutes, and relax. Imagine that you are walking through the grounds of Kendo’s Retreat – walk the paths, pause at the Koi pond and listen to the water, look East from the Contemplation Seat, lay your hands on the Tree of Souls, reflect upon the Kamakura garden, lose your thoughts in the Hidden Garden, and take healing from all these places. Come into the sanctuary and see Kendo seated, his gloved left hand raised, gaze into the all-seeing eye as he lowers it to his lap, and find yourself in an oasis of peace. Each time Kendo strikes a singing bowl, your conscious mind becomes quieter and quieter, until your intuitive self is fully revealed. Freed from conscious distractions, you have now achieved the peace at the heart of the warrior. Empowered, you return to full consciousness, knowing that bringing Kendo’s image to your mind’s eye at any time will restore the balance of a quiet consciousness and fully accessible subconscious power.

Being able to bring such moments of healing and empowering contemplation to the clamour of the festive season will help you maintain the inner strength of the warrior, and be a source of strength to others; as well as being exhausting, this time of year in the West can give rise to unexpected and unique challenges, and Kendo Nagasaki can guide you to peace and strength throughout it all.

Aspiration brings rewards…

Kendo’s Healing Message this November comes out on the 49th anniversary of his first appearance on the British wrestling scene; numerologically, 49 adds up to 13, Kendo’s favourite number, and in celebration, he is holding a special event at The Retreat for 13 of his most ardent fans. Those lucky 13 will be able to see Kendo far closer than anyone ever has, in particular gaining insights to how things work at The Retreat, including participating in a Healing Ceremony, and being given a tour of the highly spiritual grounds of The Retreat.

In revealing so much new information to his guests, Kendo wishes once again to capitalise on symbolism – all the extra things they will see during their visit symbolise the additional understanding and knowledge that is always around us and available to us, as long as we look for it.

In terms of healing, where there is a need for healing, it can be easy to become preoccupied with the problems one faces, at the expense of appreciating all the positive energy that there still is around us.

Kendo is an Eastern mystical soul expressing himself in the West, and his methods are often Zen-like. Today the symbolism of his healing message is best expressed by a mystical oracle popular in the West, the Tarot.

In a particularly vivid deck, one card in particular shows a person distraught at the sight of several overturned cups or goblets – the precious drink previously contained in them has been lost.

However, in their preoccupation with this loss, the person depicted in the card has failed to see that behind them, there are several further goblets, all standing up straight, their precious contents intact. The message is not to miss the good by being preoccupied with the bad, even if it is more immediate and more compelling.

So, this November, remember that there are vast resources of positive energy always available to you. Even when things seem to be going well, always aspire to the higher energies – remember to rise above immediate preoccupations and tune-in to that positivity – it can greatly enhance your life, spiritually and actually.

In October every year, in the city of Nagasaki, there is a fascinating event called the Kunchi Festival. Its nature is particular to the city of Nagasaki, in that in addition to celebrating each district of the city, it also celebrates cultural influences which came into Japan from other countries, specifically from China and Holland.

There was a time when Japan was very careful about what outside influences it allowed into the country – this came about as a result of legendary shogun Tokugawa Ieasu’s desire for unity throughout the country, and outside influences were felt to be potentially disruptive, and so they were outlawed. This climate was the background to the past life in Japan in which Yogensha himself was killed, in defence of his homeland and its culture, in 1628.

However, the Tokugawa shogunate recognised the value of carefully-controlled trading relationships with partners who would respect Japan’s position, and this is why it remained open only to China and Holland for several decades. The cultures of these two countries were to contribute much to Japan.

Kendo Nagasaki would draw a parallel between Japan at the dawn of the Tokugawa shogunate, and anyone in need of healing. In order to emerge from a time of discord and disorganisation, great care must be taken concerning the influences in the immediate environment; as the old saying goes, “no-one is an island”, and everyone and everything is inevitably surrounded by and influenced by multiple external factors. Unless a conscious effort is made to be aware of the qualities of the influences around us, it is all-too easy to fail to see how we may be being influenced by them.

Kendo has said that if there is one fundamental lesson of incarnation, it is discrimination; of course, there are arguably a great many individual lessons particular to individual souls, but discrimination is the “biggie” – the one that is common to all on the incarnate plane. The discrimination shown by Tokugawa’s Japan became the foundation of deep healing and the growth of great strength for Japan, and – again, as Kendo has said – as described by the law of correspondence, what has applied to a nation can also apply to individuals.

One of the most important tenets of Western philosophy to seek to know oneself “sui generis” – in and of oneself only, without reference to anything external. That Japan independently underwent precisely this process and brought about great positive change is an excellent example to us in the West, and Kendo cites Nagasaki’s Kunchi Festival as a source of inspiration to undertake the same questioning of the influences around us.

Kendo Nagasaki would counsel that just as the modern-day Kunchi Festival is a celebration of the city of Nagasaki’s diverse well-being, including those influences which, following careful scrutiny, have proven to be benevolent, the self-rediscovery and emergence from malaise that can come from aware discrimination is an excellent state to aspire to on a personal level.

Take Heart, Warrior…

As has been mentioned elsewhere on his website, the city of Kamakura, Japan, is very special to Kendo Nagasaki. He had a mightily powerful past life there, fighting hand-to-hand as a warrior defending this pivotal “samurai-town”, the history of which so well defines so many aspects of the samurai ethos – skill, courage, honour, dedication…

In September in Kamakura, there is a festival celebrating samurai history, a central feature of which is yabusame, samurai horseback archery. Now, it goes without saying that effectiveness as a yabusame warrior and ensuring survival of oneself and one’s horse in battle required first rate mastery of both horsemanship and archery, but, in combination, each was made drastically more difficult by the other: being able to command a horse whilst both hands manipulate a bow and arrow, and managing pinpoint-accurate archery from the bucking, speeding back of a galloping horse is no mean feat!

Arguably, the foundation of success in this apparently impossible activity is that stalwart phrase of Japanese motivation, gambare (pronounced “gam-ba-reh) – “I will do my best”. It’s not just a platitude, a throw-away phrase, or some words to fill-in conversation – when the Japanese say it, they mean that they will pursue their goals with laser-like focus and absolute determination.

…and so it is with mastering horseback archery; the amount of dedication and effort that goes in to Kamakura’s September yabusame event is simply enormous. In honour of their samurai history, (and in addition to their full-time jobs) the participants spend all year hand-making their armour and equipment – even their bows and arrows – and practicing horsemanship, archery, and the combination of the two, evening after evening, day after day, week after week. Even for a festival, the commitment shown is immense, and yet, it is a labour of love – after all, it is their samurai ancestors inspiring their motivation.

Ever keen on the use of symbols to illustrate a concept of personal empowerment, it is in recognition of the efforts of today’s yabusame horseback archers that Kendo Nagasaki says to you, “Gambare – do your best”. Take inspiration from those whose extreme dedication leads to mastering the apparently impossible, and you will find that you, too, can do the same.

In terms of healing, this can take many forms – the need for healing illustrates an inner challenge, the presence of a challenge compels the search for the inner resources to meet it, whether that be clearing the mind in order to hear the guidance of the intuitive self on how to act or what to do, or looking even deeper for perspectives on one’s place in the universe. Above all other types of journey, a health challenge compels the inner journey as a quest for inner strength, spiritual insight, intuitive inspiration; as a metaphorical journey, it is arguably an even greater challenge than one where the obstacles are merely physical.

This September, Kendo’s 13/13:13 Healing Ceremony falls on a Friday, and as such, additional mystical energy is available for direction into self-empowerment. Just as the number 13 symbolises misunderstood energies which are available to you if you have the courage to seize them, if you take the right approach towards Friday 13th, you can reverse your misfortunes.

Look deep into Kendo’s Hand-Eye-Hexagram, and know that the power of the universe is available to you! See that power flowing into your physical and spiritual self, and feel the fabric of your self evolving, becoming refined, enriched, empowered. Practice this self-empowerment meditation daily, and your ability to maintain a harmonious connection with the empowering spirits of nature will become effortless, and eventually, permanent. In the face of such finely-honed self-empowerment skills, you will see your challenge cut down to size, as if set about with a fine samurai sword!

So, warrior – take heart, gambare, and be empowered.