Perspective – it’s a fascinating concept…

Kendo has spoken at length on how the whole of nature around ourselves is the biggest of all “big pictures”, and we need to humbly appreciate that we are a part of that specific realm if we want nature to treat us favourably. This is the kind of humility that is practised in prayer – accepting that there are bigger things than ourselves – and it helps keep the ego in check.

But, sometimes we can find ourselves asking, “What is my place in the ‘big picture’?”

It’s a question that is typical of the mind, fabricating a reason to analyse, instead of just getting on with things! But – is there an answer?

Kendo points out that there most certainly is.

Of all things, ideas, and concepts, there is one immutable truth about human life: our societies pre-exist us, we are born into them and adapt to them, we contribute to them, and they continue to exist after we have moved on. This is both an example of bigger things than ourselves, and an illustration that our actions matter.

Everything we do creates ripples in the society around us, and changes the quality of society for everyone; our lifetimes can have a profound effect on the lives of many others, and because in the west we spend so much time wrapped-up in ourselves, we can fail to realise this.

There is another fascinating dynamic here, says Kendo – when you reach out to society, it reaches back – you become aware of needs that it collectively has, and you may be the person who is uniquely positioned and skilled to make positive change at that moment; if you have a heart and a social conscience, you respond.

All the foregoing is why caring about the society around us is so important to Kendo, springing as it does from the roots of Buddhism. It’s so much more than playing the role of a caring person – it’s making quantum shifts in the entire fabric of reality, forever.

Kendo’s healing message for October is: never under-estimate the magnitude of the difference you can make, just by having the right approach and being ready to reach out. We are in the Astrological time of Libra – Kendo’s illustration should help us understand how inportant it is, and how easy it is, to make our society fair, just, and positive for all.

Almost exactly one month ago, on 14th August, Kendo once again attended the British Wrestlers’ Reunion. This time, he was accompanied by our friends, Lyn and Ian Rigby, and their daughter, Courtney. This had been planned for some time, as The Kendo Nagasaki Foundation continues working closely with the Lee Rigby Foundation to provide a peaceful ‘get-away’ here on the Retreat estate, the Lee Rigby Lodge.

Copies of Lyn’s book were on sale at the Reunion, and so was the Nagasaki Foundation’s “Wrestling for Veterans” DVD of the March wrestling contest and fund-raiser at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, and both contributed towards raising funds for the Lee Rigby Foundation.

The support from all who came to the Reunion for Lyn and Kendo’s joint appearance and work together was more than generous – it was inspiring. Among wrestling fans there are some extremely generous people, and some of them are influential too, and what was pledged to us on that day was so magnanimous as to be genuinely humbling.

Following that great event, Kendo wishes to let it be known to all who are bereaved, those who are stressed, those who are traumatised, and those who can barely see a way ahead, there is boundless support available for you, so please reach out for it. We are doing all we can to progress the opening of the Lee Rigby Lodge, and it will be a wonderful facility, but until we can reach that goal, please know that you are very far from alone – we continue to be amazed at how much caring and support is around us all, and it is a contagious, positive wave.

So, whatever your circumstances, Kendo says, hang in there! In the very short term, just taking a deep breath, and then another, and then another – this is mindfulness, and it will bring you peace, and the ability to begin to see beyond your immediate problem. Kendo understands that at times, it can seem impossible to see into the next minute, but he asks you to believe that you can – and then to believe that there is an ocean of support awaiting you.

Having faith in a brighter future is something that applies on all levels, and Kendo points out that together, we can achieve it. In the Lee Rigby Lodge, through our work with the Lee Rigby Foundation, we at the Nagasaki Foundation have a vision for the future, a future which is a positive evolution of the present, which will rely upon the positivity and generosity of those around us. We’ve been fortunate enough to see that such support and generosity is real and powerful, and the future looks incredibly bright, but it’s a future which – until it happens – continues to require our faith in better things to come.

The same is true for us all, especially those who are currently challenged by their circumstances, so try Kendo’s suggestion – look up from the stony path of life, and even if you still see clouds, believe that they will clear, and the sun will shine again for you – and we’re here to help make that happen.

Kendo wants you to know that you are not alone – you are among friends, who care. Believe in that, reach out, and rise up.

Every August in Japan is the celebration of Obon, when the souls of our ancestors are said to briefly return to Earth, to visit with us. It is a time of prayer, reflection, and aspiration to the highest ideals of all generations.

This is a comforting thought, especially when viewed in light of Kendo’s perspective on the Tree of Souls in the grounds of The Retreat – this tree inspires us to think of the wisdom of our ancestors, and live our lives in ways that they would be proud of. Kendo says that the wisdom of our ancestors has a wonderful objectivity – having gained the experience of an entire lifetime, their perspective is now a part of the greater celestial whole, away from the mundane interplays of mortal life. Even thinking of how our ancestors might behave when faced with one of our challenges is likely to encourage us to take a higher way.

Kendo points out that objectivity is an amazingly powerful perspective – it is, after all, at the core of the Kyu Shin Do Way, whereby all the events of our lives are viewed as separate from our essential selves, whilst we reflect upon them from a position of Zen peace, at the very centre of all their orbits. This kind of dispassion allows our own intuitive selves to inform our actions, as opposed to getting tied-up in emotional reactions to our day-to-day struggles.

Consequently, Kendo tells us that following the Buddhist maxim of being the best we can be, to best support our families and societies, becomes easier when we remember that the higher ideals to which we aspire are powerfully positively informed by objectivity, and we, too, should always strive for that same benevolence with detachment.

This applies whatever your struggle may be, and is becoming even more pertinent as Internet “trolling” is increasing all the time. On the surface, “trolls” may seem to be being malicious, seeking only to wound with their unkind words, but viewing them with the Kyu Shin Do Way reveals that such words do not define us – they only define the one who said or wrote them. It can be difficult emotionally to ‘step away’ from a slight or a slander, but this is a test of our discrimination, and we must work not to fail such a test – look at the words objectively, remember that you have the highest ideals at heart, and such things cannot diminish you.

This is why Kendo tells us that responding benevolently to “trolls” is the only way – they will only learn to grow beyond such petty and malicious actions when they see that the barb they’ve fired could never have adversely affected a higher thinker, and they’ll see that they have acted shamefully, and this will help them to grow. Even those who “troll” are on their own journeys of evolution, and we should be ready to help them too.

So, says Kendo – be secure in yourself and the standards by which you live, remain benevolently detached from any immature behaviours around you, and see the best possible future for yourself, your family, and the whole of society around you, even the parts which have yet to evolve.

Now that we’re into the second half of the year, Kendo says that it’s a good time to reflect back, and to look forward.

When you visit the Nagasaki retreat, you find that there are several references to ‘taking stock’ – seeing where you’ve come from, where you are now, and where you’re heading. The most obvious example of this is in terms of our life path, which you can consider when you stop at the ‘Pathway Bench’, and reflect on all the challenges and difficulties you’ve successfully overcome. This achievement is something to be proud of, and shows that you have strength upon which you can depend for the future, whatever it may have in store for you.

But, as Kendo wanted to make clear during last weekend’s Event, there are other ways of taking stock, which can be surprisingly empowering.

Kendo points out that it is fundamental to Buddhism that we we seek to live right, to be the best we can be, and support our families and communities the best we can. In day-to-day life, this often takes the form of simply pausing to reflect upon the most enlightened choice in any given situation – before reacting to someone, pause, take a mindful breath, and remember that they have their own difficulties, and they, too, may occasionally feel somewhat overwhelmed. If they are short-tempered, they may not be being malicious, just stressed-out, and the best way to help them is to respond to them as if their purest Buddha nature were being presented to you. Kendo points out that this is a very powerful way to break into negative cycles of interaction between people, and brings harmony where none might otherwise develop.

Moving from challenge to challenge in the most enlightened way possible is an excellent way to live, but if we are too preoccupied with the stoney obstacles on the path of life, we may fail to look up often enough, and be inspired by the beauty of the flowers, trees, and the sky.

Kendo tells us that diligence in life is incredibly worthy, but remember that beyond your duties, you are a part of a bigger and much more beautiful picture, and doing this can bring you immense inspiration – which you richly deserve.

Kendo tells us to remember that life is about more than prevailing on the path – he tells us to drink in the inspiration that comes from looking up, and recognising that we are part of an elegant and excellent bigger picture, and realising this is both hugely rewarding and empowering, and it significantly empowers our diligence too, ever raising our game for our own future, and that of all we touch.

As we seek to develop the Nagasaki Retreat, and give the opportunity for more and more people to come here to escape their worries and re-charge their batteries, there is a lot to do…

Top of the list is refurbishing currently-unused rooms, and the tasks range from the simple, such as cleaning and clearing-out, to the complex, such as plastering and plumbing. We have a fantastic vision, where every possible space here is available to help someone who needs to escape, relax, and begin their journey forward anew, but, as every pebble in the stoney paths around the Retreat symbolise, there are many challenges facing our lofty aims.

However, as Kendo’s vision unfolds, we have been greatly heart-warmed and profoundly humbled by the generosity of our friends around us – they have shown immediate readiness to do whatever it takes to help us help others, and we are deeply grateful to them.

What is happening at the Nagasaki Retreat has parallels to anyone in need of help or healing support. Whether it’s our charming old building or a lone individual, where there is a need, there can be uncertainty about how to reach out for support, and sometimes such an uncertainty can conceal the very real opportunities that are out there.

All we had to do was make the gentlest of mentions that we needed help, and it was there, in amounts and by degrees beyond our most optimistic expectations – and the same is true for anyone: don’t be afraid to ask for help.

You would be amazed at the level of support that can flow from good people, and the willingness with which it can be offered. Everyone who comes to the Nagasaki Retreat lives by the progressive Buddhist principle of being the best they can be, so they can best support their families and the society around them. Kendo serves them by showing them ways of finding the ultimate peace and strength, and they pass on that positivity without reservation, themselves instruments in spreading Kendo’s ongoing work.

So Kendo’s message to anyone who needs help and support is simple: don’t let uncertainty hold you back – reach out: there is a great deal of active, positive humanity in the world, help and support are near and ready and willing, and waiting to hear from you.

The cherry blossoms have now left us for another year, and, as hoped, they were even more beautiful and inspiring than last year, and have given us new fond memories of their stunning beauty to tide us through the next 11 months.

At the same time, following our slow, mild winter, the rest of the trees and bushes in the grounds of the Retreat are now coming into full leaf, and early summer’s riot of green grows more vivid every day – so, as one spectacle passes, another comes into view.

With such images in mind, Kendo encourages us to always be positive about the experiences into which we find ourselves immersed. The range of human experience is vast, from lives of leisure and art, to lives of intense industry and activity, from lives of casual consumerism, to lives of service and support, the most intense of which is arguable the life of forces personnel.

Kendo points out that it isn’t really appropriate to dwell on what karma may have brought us, or how we may change our circumstances, but rather to consider how we may be the best that we can be, wherever we find ourselves. Kendo also points out that there’s no point trying to second-guess karma anyway – its challenges will endure, so our only choice is, in fact, the enlightened one – rise to those challenges by working on yourself.

It is now widely recognised that in absolutely every walk of life, balance is essential; it’s sometimes described as work-life balance, but in many cases, we need to find balance within ourselves. This can be a challenge over-and-above the challenges that life itself throws at us, but Kendo has wise counsel for us.

Kendo says that we need to accept our circumstances (our karma) so completely that we no longer even think of them – resenting the forces acting on us is like a tree resenting the wind – there is no point: that force is always there to greater and lesser degrees, and the only recourse is to prevail and grow strong enough to continue prevailing. This is more than just gritting our teeth through adversity, however – the ultimate gain is the gradual development of a strength we won’t even be aware of, but will be beyond what we can imagine. Kendo points out that such strength develops significantly quicker in the absence of concerns about whether we can or will be able to cope – just as with the stoney pathways at the Nagasaki Retreat, wherever you find yourself on the path, remind yourself that you have already covered so much of that stoney ground, and you have survived – rejoice in what you have already achieved, and look forward, further down the path, with deserved optimism.

It was not a particularly cold winter here at the Retreat, but it was long, and at times, very blustery, and yet, here in May, as the sun grows ever warmer, the trees are a fine example of how endurance pays off – they have at times had to bend with the wind, and at times flat-out resist it, and their majesty the result of such a blend of adaptability and strength. Kendo says that with the right attitude, it can be so for us, too.

Kendo observes that what follows from this is not only being the best we can be, whatever our circumstances, but also being the best possible example for those around us – like a mighty oak, our evident strength and balance can inspire all whom we encounter.

At the Nagasaki Retreat, we have just held our first “Hana-Mi”, or cherry-blossom-viewing event. The cherry trees in Kendo’s Anniversary orchard are now 4 years old, and are therefore still quite small, but they are now well-established and strong. We are looking forward to ever-greater spring-time beauty and inspiration from them.

After our very mild winter, we expected the cherry blossoms to come earlier, but, surprisingly, all the trees at the Retreat seem to be coming into leaf and blossom later this year, and the cherry trees only just obliged in time for our Event! However, on the day, it was a dry, bright, and crisp spring day, perfect for considering Kendo’s wise words while contemplating the beauty of the ‘Sakura’, or cherry blossom.

Kendo reminds us that cherry blossom is very important in Japan. The flowers are astonishingly beautiful, one of the most delicate and captivating miracles of nature, and they have inspired countless generations of people, including poets and samurai.

The fact that cherry trees blossom only once a year, and for only a very brief time, makes their beauty profoundly ethereal – the wonderful sight of cherry blossom is eagerly anticipated throughout winter and early spring, they are enjoyed as a priceless natural work of art during their short time with us, and theit exquisite beauty is anticipated once more as soon as they have gone, leaving a memory of a beauty so great that it is healing in itself.

For all these reasons, Kendo tells us, cherry blossoms have much to teach us about enjoying life.

Firstly, appreciation of the good things.

Cherry blossoms are so beautiful that it is tempting to wish for them to be with us all year round, but if they were to become too familiar, we may not appreciate them as much.

Yet, conversely, they are so beautiful that they make a deep impression upon our artistic and aesthetic sensibilities – so deep, that the memory of them is almost as captivating as experiencing them first-hand.

This is why it is said in Japan that one not need even see cherry blossoms to enjoy once more their beauty and their calming and healing effects on us, and Kendo points out that this translates into a powerfully positive symbolism about all that’s good in our lives.

The phrase, “count your blessings” implies that we may have become preoccupied with negative aspects of our lives to the extent that we may be overlooking the good things, but that when the ‘good things’ are counted, they can be ‘set against’ the ‘bad’ to somehow compensate for them. Kendo points out that life is much richer than such a narrow comparison – we are all agents for positive change in the world around us, and our motivation needs to be based on more than simply ‘keeping score’ – it needs to be consistently positive, and always open to the inspirational joy of nature’s beauty, as this will help us recognise, respond-to, and help in the development of all aspects of positivity around us. Cherry blossom is with us only a short time each year, but its beauty lives-on in our minds-eye, and can be recalled at any time as a powerfully-positive motivator.

Cherry blossom is symbolic of our lives in other ways too. The perfection of each flower is repeated countless times, yet each is unique, and this is a wonderful example of just how creative nature is in expressing itself. It is easy to imagine a perfect spirit of nature, or Shinto kami, inhabiting each and every flower. Also, whether viewed as a single flower or as a multitude, the beauty of cherry blossom is equally stunning – how did nature achieve that?!?

Kendo reminds us that this brings us to another wonderful lesson we can learn from cherry blossoms – we, too, are children of the same nature that is at the source of the cherry blossom’s profound beauty, and we too have the potential to have such a positive effect upon the world around us. By aspiring – as individuals – to the simplicity and perfection of a single cherry blossom, we have the opportunity to inspire and heal all those who encounter us. If we all live by this simple Buddhist tenet, our combined positive energy will equal the impact of a forest of cherry trees in bloom.

Kendo goes on to remind us that – just like our own enduring inspirational memory of cherry blossom even after it’s gone – our own actions inspired by such beauty will live on in the hearts and minds of those we encounter, and, consequently, in the positively-evolving nature of the entire society which we serve; a life lived this way is powerfully healing on every level.

We have just passed the 5th anniversary of the earthquake and tsunami in Japan, and Kendo recommends that we pause and reflect on the event and its aftermath, being mindful in remembrance.

After five years, the healing of Japan’s North-East continues, and the visible progress is most heartening. Most of the huge mounds of debris have now gone, most of the land has now been searched for those still missing, and a great many families have received the comfort of recovered memorabilia. Visibly, the land is healing, and – progressive as ever – Japan in not just repairing, but it is also innovating as it rebuilds, so that even a catastrophe of such magnitude could not possibly cause so much devastation again.

The loss of life is no less overwhelming, but with time, there are fewer tears and more inspiring memories. An untimely loss is always devastating, but it is always a comfort to recall the positive qualities that departed loved ones showed us.

Kendo points out that recalling those qualities is a deeply powerful source of inspiration, because we have the opportunity to reflect all the goodness of our fondly-remembered loved ones into our own words and deeds. Of course we strive to be the best we can be for our families and the world we touch around us, but by recalling the optimism, the humour, the generosity, and the benevolence of those who have inspired our lives, we raise our own game to a whole new level. And, as Kendo points out, there is no finer way to honour their memory, and keep their essential greatness doing good in the world.

Kendo tells us that as we remember any loss which has touched us, we should try to be at peace with the unfolding of events, and not let grief blind us to recalling the great positive energies that our departed loved ones have left in our memories.

In the absolute stillness of Kyu Shin Do, it is possible to see that grief is completely separate from inspiration, and deep calmness will connect us with the great tides of life, relieving our sense of loss, and revealing the majesty of the inspiration that has been left with us. Such inspiration will support us for the rest of our own lives, and inspire us in all our interactions with all those we touch.

Kendo’s message is that mindful remembrance will thus bring peace and brilliant inspiration, and consequently, bring healing and blessing to the world.

The Chinese New Year has come around again, and the millennia-old wisdom again encourages us to capitalise on a new set of positive energies, and vigilantly watch out for cyclic negative influences.

If the energies ascribed to this New Year, the year of the Monkey, are to be believed, the need for vigilance would certainly seem to be true for the forthcoming twelve months!

But Kendo’s approach to life ensures a safe and positive way forward, regardless of unstable or revolutionary the external influences may be; how? Zen through Kyu Shin Do.

The year of the Monkey traditionally heralds opportunity, inventiveness, creativity, energy, and fun, but also the potential for deception, selfishness, hare-brained schemes, and even anarchy, and any and all of these energies are said to be capable of manifesting together, making life nothing short of insecure.

The reflective person will be able to identify the kind of afore-mentioned reversals and successes even outside of so-called Monkey-years, but the cyclic re-emergence of such alleged influences is an excellent opportunity to check on our centredness in the face of such uncertainty.

Consequently, Kendo recommends that we remember that absolute objectivity and clear vision come from viewing the world from the absolutely still Zen centre of Kyu Shin Do. Not only can all energies, activities, and influences be seen for what they really are from that pure, still, place of wisdom, but because you have stilled your own mind, you cannot be influenced by any external energies or currents, so your judgment will be perfectly clear. Your intuitive self will be completely objective and uninfluenced, and will therefore be fully able to guide you through any troubled waters with absolute wisdom.

It has taken over 50 years of meditation by Yogensha, the man behind Kendo’s Mask, and inspiration from the spiritual samurai himself, to develop sensei Kenshiro Abbe’s brilliant vision into this beautiful, simple, and incredibly powerful form – it’s all you need.

The Year of the Monkey has been described as nothing short of a roller-coaster ride of brilliance and opportunity shot-through with possible chicanery and insecurity, but Zen through Kyu Shin Do is the perfect defence against doing or thinking anything unwise in times that may be hard to understand. Perhaps the only real vigilance that’s needed is to remember to find that Zen centre, and view all things from there, and so, comfortably ride-out any roller-coaster!

PS: Perhaps it was the fluctuating genius of the Monkey which meant that our internet connection let us down when attempting to post this Healing Message – this may be an example of the kind of reversals we’ll need to indulge this lunar year!

This January sees an ever-growing energetic out-reach from our Foundation to try to help as many people as possible during 2016, whether their need is for perspective on their lives, to find inner peace, or even both of these things in pursuit of self-empowerment.

For example, on March 5th, we’re holding a charity fund-raising wrestling contest at the Victoria Hall, Hanley, to raise funds for our work with our partner veterans’ organizations, the Lee Rigby Foundation and the North Staffs Veterans Organization.

Putting it all together has been – and continues to be – most enlightening for us all here, discovering how each small action towards the greater goal has had positive consequences – it’s been as if every action initiated in pursuit of helping others has been surrounded by a positive force which responds by adding its own positive energy.

This should come as no surprise to those whove followed Kendo’s teachings – as he tells us during his Affirmation Stick Burning Ceremony, it is a powerfully positive and healing affirmation to remember that we are all inextricably linked to the entirety of nature around us, and the more considerate we are towards that great organic whole, the better it responds to us; symbolised by the Shinto ‘kami’ deities of nature, as our aspirations and affirmations reach them, the more they support us.

There is a perspective available here – even though Kendo has done so much to welcome people who need help and support into his home, he would like to do more, but every thing that he has done that’s been within his power has been rewarding, and has empowered more of the same work. Kendo points out that this applies to us all – even the smallest gesture towards supporting those who need help is motivated by the kind of energy that the natural world around us will respond positively to – we will all emphatically satisfy that fantastic Buddhist aspiration to be the best we can be for our families and the societies around us.

From January and for the whole of 2016, Kendo recommends that we all nurture that positive aspiration towards the best possible world for all, and such a vision will stoke the fires of positive momentum towards that outcome, in every action we take to help others.