On Sunday, 9th August, Kendo Nagasaki accepted an invitation to attend the British Wrestlers’ Reunion in Dartford, near London. It was a celebration of British Professional Wrestling, attended by a great many wrestling fans and famous names from wrestling’s historic “glory days”, and Kendo was honoured by being inducted into their Hall of Fame.

As such an important and pivotal figure in British Professional Wrestling, Kendo’s presence was much appreciated by his colleagues and fans, and he spent a great deal of time signing autographs and posing for photographs with the many who wanted them.

It is only now that he has retired from wrestling that the nature of Kendo’s mystique is becoming clearer to his fans and those whom he inspires, and while one should always expect the unexpected of Kendo, his actions at the Wrestlers’ Reunion clearly illustrated the depth of his spirituality – without taking anything from the wrestling celebrations, he effortlessly opened avenues of spiritual appreciation among those present.

The 9th August is, of course, the anniversary date of the atomic bombing of the Japanese city of Nagasaki, and Kendo both acknowleged this, and prefaced a ceremonial donation to the Wrestlers’ Reunion with a moment of silence for Nagasaki and all those lost and injured in war, and a prayer for peace.

Kendo also presented a member of the audience with one of his Empowerment Affirmation sticks. In addition to bearing the image of Yakushi Nyorai, the Medicine Buddha, who brings healing and reassurance to all who need them, the stick had been with Kendo in his meditations on healing and empowerment, and was therefore a powerful symbol of positive and healing energies.

Something that was not immediately clear was that with each signature and photo, Kendo was giving out a summary of the brilliant philosophy of his sensei, Kenshiro Abbe, as explained by Kendo himself. Such esoteric wisdom is entirely in keeping with Kendo’s mystical image, but the philosophy, Kyu Shin Do, is genuinely powerful, and what may at first seem to be a stylish ‘freebie’ could be a genuine gateway to a better life for the recipient.

Kendo’s mystique has remained an un-tapped resource for decades, constantly being the subject of speculation and wild guesswork, and he never made any effort to explain himself. He has told us that the time was not right then, but it is now, and this is why he ever-more clearly exhibits the characteristics of the samurai-turned-philosopher, the warrior-priest of his past lives.

In his actions on Sunday, Kendo is fulfilling the most fundamental tenet of Buddhism, of being a force for all things positive in the world around him. This is Bushido, the way of the most honourable of warriors, the path chosen by those who strive for the awareness, the strength, and the dedication to be a force only for good.

Examples like Kendo Nagasaki are indeed rare these days, but if we follow only a fraction of his wisdom, we, too, will be a force for good in the world around us, and consequently, for ourselves.

Kendo’s explanation of Kenshiro Abbe’s “Kyu Shin Do” philosophy can be found HERE.