I had to run an errand for Kendo today – collecting a couple of new chairs for the Retreat’s Meditation Suite – and, on such a beautiful spring day, every inch of the 80-mile journey was a delight. Needless to say, there were plenty of opportunities to put Kendo’s teachings to good use!

In such an excellent spring environment, it’s easy to feel the full majesty of nature, to visualise all the deities of nature which Kendo describes (the kami), manifesting in the trees, the fields, the sky, the earth, the air. I was pleasantly surprised at how many cherry trees I saw in full bloom – it was absolutely joyous!

On my errand, I had the opportunity to apply one of Kendo’s strongest messages, which is that of contrast – seeing the inner aspects of things through contemplation; this is an approach which is often seen in Japanese poetry.

Whilst it’s relatively easy to feel the divine aspects of nature on a lovely spring day such as today, Kendo would remind us to consider what’s going on during the depths of winter, when much of nature is hidden beneath frost and grey skies. The contrast Kendo would recommend seeking through “thought experiment”, is to recognise that all the kami of nature so easily perceived in spring are still there in winter. This exercise reveals that cold, grey winter has same aspects of inner beauty and power as spring, and an interesting side-effect of the exercise is that whilst imagining winter, the inner beauty of spring itself is revealed even more clearly.

Mulling this over as I drove enhanced my day even more, and I recalled Kendo’s advice to apply the same “visualisation of contrasts” technique to other aspects of life; I shall, but for the moment, I thank Kendo for giving me the opportunity to experience in even greater clarity the beauty of a spring day.

Only 13 days left to apply for Kendo’s 13th November Retreat Event!

We have been deeply impressed at the imagination and the passion shown in the applications received so far to attend Kendo’s mystical Retreat Event on 13th November – very well done to those who have already sent in their applications: it’s all powerful stuff…

However, whilst everyone remains in contention, the 13 places are by no means finalised! With just 13 more days to go, there is still time to get the creative juices flowing, and tell Kendo the 13 reasons why you should be there…

It’s going to be a spectacular event, so think of Kendo and be mightily inspired! Send your creativity to admin@kendonagasaki.org.

The November 13th Event – How to Get There!

Kendo Nagasaki has unveiled the requirements for attending his Anniversary Event on November 13th 2013 – and they take the form of a challenge!

When considering that it is to gain access to Kendo himself at his Retreat, this is ultimately not a surprising approach; such a prize is not easily won!

Full information is available in the Kendo Forum, where, as usual, discussion is welcomed!

Now, Be Inspired!

The 13th day of the month is with us once again, and so, at 13:13 hours GMT, it is the time to set worldly distractions aside, still the mind, and focus upon Kendo Nagasaki’s healing energies. In visualising Kendo’s red mask and his healing hands either side of his Hand-Eye-Hexagram symbol, with every slow, deep breath, the power of the universe will flow out of the symbol and into yourself. Continued for 13 minutes or more, this practice is empowering on all levels, particularly in restoring the balance of the life energies which are depleted, thus bringing about healing.

Kendo’s April Healing Message:

With the advent of the spring equinox, the sun can be seen and felt to be brighter and stronger, and the increased energy one feels can be directed into meditative visualisations of empowerment and renewal, which is the theme of April’s healing message.

In April, the cherry blossoms come out all over Japan. This event is hugely significant for the country, and has been for many centuries, for all strata of society, not least the samurai.

The cherry blossoms last for only a few days each year, but for that short time, present a display of breathtaking beauty. Arguably the most admired is the somei yoshino, which blossoms before producing any leaves, so every April, each tree is a mass of white and pale pink blossoms – one of the most beautiful sites in nature.

That such beauty is present for only a few days each year greatly enhances appreciation of it, and the experience is also viewed philosophically.

After the darkness and chill of winter, the fleeting nature of this spring beauty is much anticipated, and serves as a reminder of the cyclic nature of life – not only of the regularity of the seasons, but also of one’s own fortunes: there is more to be expected from life than wintry darkness, or even the scorching humidity of summer; every spring, promise blossoms anew.

After the end of the warring states period in Japan, the samurai turned their focus and discipline upon the study of aesthetics, and hence were born some of the most incisive art forms in the world, from the martial art sport of kendo, which Miyamoto Musashi himself developed from samurai sword skills, to Japanese calligraphy, to the austere elegance (wabi-sabi) of ikebana (Japanese flower arrangement), and much more.

A welcome insight provided by Western culture into this Japanese phenomenon was seen in one of the poignant back-stories depicted in the remarkable movie, “The Last Samurai”, in which Ken Watanabe plays the ferocious and supremely-skilled yet highly cultured title role: he was fascinated by cherry blossoms, making them the focus of extensive study, and appreciating their perfection until his last very breath.

Kendo Nagasaki is such a comprehensively cultured samurai soul, and he encourages us all to broaden our aesthetic horizons. Just as the stilled mind forms the basis of the finest weapon, opening the intuition to the power, the patterns, and the mysticism of nature and art and meditating upon what is perceived elevates all levels of the self beyond preoccupation with the material here-and-now, and, spring-like, re-kindles promise, possibility, inspiration.

Inspiration is the theme of April’s Healing Message from Kendo Nagasaki; the cherry blossoms represent the re-birth of the promise of the coming year, just as the dawn represents the birth of a new day and all its promise. From a healing perspective, nothing is more important than being open to inspiration from many sources, including the beauty of nature, the simple elegance of an austere flower arrangement, how the brush strokes of calligraphy have their own simple artistic elegance, and also say so much in so few words (as in Japanese Haiku poetry).

Indeed, there is a whole spectrum of inspiration to which Kendo Nagasaki can introduce us, all of it enlightening, uplifting, empowering, and healing. This month, he recommends that we contemplate the buds of spring, and share in their promise of renewal and blossoming.

The following is a set of interesting questions from one of Kendo’s fans, Kendodyl, and, because the answers seek to clarify some fundamental aspects of Kendo and Yogensha, they’ve been posted here for informational purposes…

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Kendodyl:

I’ve just watched “The Wild Bunch” again…

I find it incredibly fascinating to see the man behind Kendo’s mask coming through… You see humour, earthiness, and a real warm side to Peter. I do not think there was too much acting-out another character there, as the subject-matter was completely what Peter is all about. I find it incredibly interesting that Peter has this other deep side to him, that in no way would you associate with the character in The Wild Bunch.

1. How does he feel about his portrayal in that film? Will he admit that that was very close to his own personality, or one of his personalities?

2. Does he regret that role now? And was he trying to say, “this is the real me”? He seemed so comfortable that I feel that was him.

3. His other spiritual side dominates him now, will he admit that? And has he changed completely from the Peter I saw in the film. All very intriguing….

…and even more intriguing is: will I get an answer from Atlantis? With all due respect, Kendo’s fans do not seem to get rewarded for their patience – a patience and quality that says how much they love the Kendo enigma.

Dylan.

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Atlantis responds:

Hi Dylan;

Many thanks for your fascinating post!

“The Wild Bunch” was a drama, a fiction, a story for which the best and most convincing characters were cast, including some non-professional actors, such as Giant Haystacks and our own Yogensha. It is undeniably a compelling drama because of the quality of all the performances, for which all the actors are to be congratulated, but whether an individual acting role is capable of revealing the depths and complexities of the actor is a very good question.

Acting is, of course, a great skill; to be able to project a credible character from subtleties such as posture, timing, how long a glance is held, how other characters are related-to, reactions to dialogue and other aspects of the dramatised environment, all add up to the measure of a great performance. We should ask: have we been taken on a journey by each character, and indeed by all the characters working together? Have we been introduced to and immersed in novel, believable, and exciting situations by the way the scenery and props have been brought to life by the dynamic interplay of the cast?

In all respects, “The Wild Bunch” succeeds, and Yogensha’s performance, of course, contributes significantly to that success – I’ve watched the program many times, and every time I marvel at his intensity and versatility, and, frankly, how effortless he made it seem.

…but then, he’s an immensely complex and capable man – you simply wouldn’t believe the range of subjects in which he’s an expert, nor his range of skills; after all, he has brought together countless threads of spiritual wisdom revealed to him by Kendo, and woven them into a coherent philosophy of understanding, empowerment, and healing. Yogensha is simply the most accomplished, impressive, and inspiring human being I’ve ever encountered (including the classical philosophers I studied at university!), so whilst the quality and credibility of his acting in “The Wild Bunch” is excellent, it’s not that surprising!

Fundamentally, Yogensha is such an impressive individual because his comprehensive abilities were ignited by Kendo, and have continued to be fuelled over many years by his spiritual mentoring; consequently, Kendo employs Yogensha as his ambassador for the power of personal empowerment. In this light, it is unsurprising that Yogensha had no shortage of the one quality that an actor must possess in abundance as the foundation of a great performance – confidence.

Dylan, returning to your post, I find that while it speaks of real appreciation of Yogensha’s acting in “The Wild Bunch”, from your questions, I detect a feeling of disconnectedness from his spirituality, and a consequent questioning arising from the contrast you have perceived; on these points, here’s a little food for thought…

“The Wild Bunch” was first screened in early 1978, having been filmed before Kendo unmasked in December 1977. A further year earlier than this saw the printing of the TV Times feature on Kendo as a healer (December 1976), and needless-to-say, it took time for Kendo’s reputation as a healer to grow to the extent that he would attract national press. This is just one fact which illustrates that Kendo’s spiritual and healing aspects (as expressed through Yogensha) significantly pre-date “The Wild Bunch”, and have remained constant elements of the mystery of Kendo; far from your suggestion that Yogensha the actor is the “real” person, and that Yogensha has “changed completely” from the character you saw in “The Wild Bunch”, the reverse is true – he acted extremely well, but his spirituality remains an unchanging, life-long commitment.

I find it very refreshing to see that the “…patience and quality that says how much [Kendo’s fans] love the Kendo enigma …” of which you speak extends to questioning the fundamentals of the enigma, and such questioning is to be welcomed – Kendo Nagasaki is a rock-solid, bona-fide spiritual healer and personal empowerment mentor, and I welcome every opportunity to shed more light on him and all he has to offer us.

Dylan, I hope you find this clarification suitably rewarding!

Looking forward to hearing from you again soon.

Very best wishes

Atlantis.

Healing for Japan – Re-birth.

This month’s healing message from Kendo Nagasaki takes its inspiration from the 2nd anniversary of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear accident in Japan.

Even now, two years after the devastation, all along the north east coast of Japan, there remain literally millions of tons of debris created by the tsunami – but when you think about it, it’s actually so much more than just debris – it is countless fragments of homes, livelihoods, personal possessions, memories – all the things that create, comprise, and hold together a vibrant community. Every single gram of all that “debris” represents an aspect of the effort, the hope, the commitment, and the love that all the members of that community had invested into it, all so quickly taken away, and now residing in vast, ugly roadside piles, cruel reminders of what has been lost. How does one cope when one’s home, neighbourhood, community – every manifestation of one’s very life – are destroyed before one’s own eyes, and turned into what can only be described as a wasteland of shattered wreckage?

To witness this, even from a vantage point as remote as a television screen half a world away, is literally staggering; one doesn’t even have to try to put oneself in the position of those people – it’s as hard to imagine that the “debris” once comprised vibrant communities as it is to imagine the scale of the survivors’ sense of loss – it’s heartbreaking, paralysing…

Away from the towns and cities devastated by the tsunami, there’s also the gigantic task of cleaning-up the radio-activity in all the towns and cities affected by the Fukushima Daichi nuclear accident, work that is already a year behind schedule in many places due to the sheer scale of the task…

For more than 315,000 still-displaced people, the foregoing remains a stunningly-daunting reality;

…but this is Japan we’re talking about – unique, resourceful, positive and powerful Japan. This is a country which, in the last two years, has been a supreme example of their own principle of excellence – gambari – “I will do my best”, and in so many ways, their example has been brilliantly inspiring.

From the perspective of karma and destiny, the only way to view this ongoing tragedy is in terms of the way the people of Japan have responded to it. There is a small book called “2:46: Aftershocks: Stories from the Japan Earthquake” (profits from which go towards aid for Japan), which describes events as recorded by non-journalists who were there, and its calm, matter-of-fact accounts give a wonderfully refreshing insight – and this is that the people who wrote the accounts are already thinking ahead; their optimism has a palpable momentum.

A Japanese woman was heard to remark: “When the disaster first happened, it was difficult; I had to stand in a queue for four hours to get food, but things are better now. Now I can enjoy being with my family and living an ordinary life.” …an ordinary life? Like so many others, this woman is now living in cramped temporary accommodation, far from her former home, in a town which, in fact, no longer exists – and yet, in her disarmingly simple statement of enjoying the fundamental things in her drastically-altered life, her gratitude, optimism, and positivity shine through.

Sadly, the distance of two years does not make everything easier; due to the sheer scale of what they’ve lost, there are those whose determination to prevail is wearing thin, whose optimism is faltering… yet, with the gift of objectivity, we can see more clearly than they can what they’ve overcome, how well they’ve withstood their trials, their strength, their humility, and their spirit, and all of these are prodigious inspiration for us to send them further waves of support, strength, and healing.

Therefore, for this Healing Ceremony, along with joining with him in empowering all those who need healing, Kendo Nagasaki asks that everyone meditate upon the foregoing, and hold Japan in a golden light of healing; her needs continue to be great, but with our help on the spiritual planes, her inspiring people can rally magnificently – after all, doing their best is in their blood – gambatte Nihon.

As another 13th of the month comes around, Kendo Nagasaki has extended the spiritual power of his distant healing ceremonies

Always seeking better integration of universal wisdom into his spiritual practises, Kendo has been meditating deeply on the deities of nature, the KAMI. Traditionally, in Japan, the kami are the objects of prayer for all sorts of things, including healing, and the power they represent in nature is enormously significant.

Part of the reason for Kendo’s recent focus on the kami has been because of an unusual event at The Retreat – heavy snow caused an enormous branch to break off the Tree of Souls. The tree itself is undiminished in its spiritual power and symbolism, but the kami who dwell there have given The Retreat a gift of new and highly spiritual timber – Kendo was wondering how to build his new torii gate, and the kami of the tree have answered him!

Those in receipt of Kendo’s distant healing should spare a thought for the hidden dynamism of nature, as these forces are closely inter-twined with our own energies; with an additional slant on the deities of nature in this month’s distant healing, broadening the consciousness to begin feeling one’s links to nature will help invoke the powers of the nature deities, the kami, making Kendo’s healing even more effective.

We will shortly post a short video of Kendo communing with the Tree of Souls and its gift of blessed timber to The Retreat.

Never forget – to visualise Kendo is to be empowered!

Today, at 13 minutes past one this afternoon, Kendo Nagasaki engaged in a practice that’s been repeated every month for the last four decades – distant healing.

Kendo’s healing practices were illustrated in the press in 1976, but only contact healing was covered, where one-to-one healing is performed. In order be able to heal more people, Kendo progressed from one-to-one healing to distant healing of many people together in monthlly sessions, and he chose the numerological strength of the number 13 for the date and time of his regular sessions.

How does Kendo’s distant healing work? Once someone has requested healing from Kendo, in meditation, he forms a profile of the needs of the individual; he invokes the all-seeing eye to grasp the energies surrounding the person, he marshalls the resources of the hexagram which symbolises the meeting of celestial energies with earthly forces, and the hand of healing and empowerment directs the required energies to the individual. In his universal vision, Kendo holds the energies of all the souls he heals, and, at 13:13, on the 13th of every month, he sends out a concentrated wave of healing energy which encompasses them all.

There have been some remarkable results to Kendo’s healing, which has led to many impressive testimonials from the recipients.

Until now, the time, date, and sequence of Kendo’s distant healing sessions have not been revealed, but the time has come to make it known; the reasons behind this are complex, and more will be explained in forthcoming web pages specifically on Kendo’s distant healing.

However, the main reason for this announcement is to spread awareness of this healing. Please contact Kendo regarding healing if you feel you could benefit from distant healing as performed by Kendo Nagasaki.

More information will follow within the next days.

On January 7th, a segment on wrestling in the East Midlands was shown on BBC1 East Midlands. The programme followed many of the current wrestlers in the East Midlands, and included footage of Kendo Nagasaki from the event he attended in Hull in July 2012.

Kendo was rightly showed as the pinnacle of wrestling to which all the youngsters aspire, and also as “the master of mystery and mayhem!”

It was good to see how much Kendo’s spiritual self underpins his in-ring presence – after all, Kendo the wrestler emerged from Kendo the spiritual being, and this fact projects the message that everyone can perform extraordinary feats by following Kendo’s ways of self-empowerment.

Download a WMV video file of the BBC “InsideOut” wrestling segment here. (right-click on the link and choose ‘Save Link As…’, then choose a place on your computer to save the file. You can watch it on any video player.)

Enjoy!

Beyond “TimeShift”…

Further to Kendo’s recent appearance in the BBC4 TimeShift programme, we can reveal that we have 2 further Kendo movies under way.

The first has the working title of “A Day In The Life”, showing the goings-on around Kendo on the day of his bout at the Wolverhampton Civic in November 2008. There are some fascinating insights, including a dressing-room scene that literally took someone’s breath away!

The second movie (currently being scripted) gives a comprehensive insight into Kendo’s spiritual life, particularly the enduring influence of Kenshiro Abbe. There will be many brand new insights, including the part that Shintoism still plays in Kendo’s life, as well as meditation, calligraphy, healing, and much more.

There’s so much to Kendo that it’s a challenge to keep track of it all, but our new films will try to do that!

Coincidence? Nah!

Tomorrow, at 9:00 pm, BBC4 will broadcast “When Wrestling was Golden: Grapples, Grunts, and Grannies”.

To make the programme, the BBC came to Kendo’s Retreat, spending all day filming him in various locations. Kendo was his usual inscrutable, silent, mysterious self, but his magical aura definitely captivated the film crew, who kept asking to shoot him in ever more locations at The Retreat!

It’s hard to say how much footage will make it into the final cut, or indeed how the BBC intend to portray Kendo – yes, he has always been utterly dominant and never defeated as a wrestler, but the closer you get to him, the more mysterious he becomes… After all, the programme is somehow being broadcast on the 13th, a date and number of great significance to Kendo…

Ultimately, it was a pleasure working with the BBC as they tried to capture and make sense of arguably the greatest ever sporting mystery himself, and it will be interesting to see the balance of the final show. In any event, remember – “To see Kendo is to be Empowered!”

BBC Documentary to Air on an Auspicious Date..!

As many of you will be aware, in December, BBC4 will be showing a documentary on wrestling which features Kendo – it is the outcome of the filming which Mr. Lawrence mentioned on the Forum – and it should be no surprise that it will air on a date significant to Kendo: the 13th!

Once again, the mysterious energies which surround Kendo have had an influence regarding the date on which new images of him will be seen, and new insights revealed, and there can be no more suitable date than 13th…

The BBC will be launching web pages dedicated to the programme – we’re waiting to receive details about it, and as soon as we do, we’ll let you know all about it.

As usual, Watch This Space!

News Update…News Update…News Update

Preparations at The Retreat continue apace for the Kendo Nagasaki Special Event on 13th November 2013 – imaginations are running riot! We’re seeking to make it a very special event indeed, and will be revealing more information over the next 12 months – there really will be some significant surprises!

As many of you will have noticed, the Forum remains a problem; we believe that the supporting software has completely failed, and in addition to fixing it in the short term, we’re also looking into re-building the Forum in a new bulletproof environment, so this won’t happen again… Our heart-felt apologies to everyone who has been trying to log in to the Forum – rest assured, we’re on the case with a vengeance.

Regular updates will follow on the Blog, including some new reflections leading up to the launch of Pathways to Power – watch this space!

This Blog post formally announces a Special Event
which will take place at
Kendo’s Retreat in central England on 13th November 2013.

Just as the burial of the Time Capsule occurred on Friday, 13th November 2009, this Special Event commemorates another significant anniversary of the first public appearance of Kendo, which was on Friday 13th November 1964.

In keeping with the significance of the number 13 for Kendo, this announcement is made 13 months ahead of the Event.

During the Event, invited participants will be able to gain first-hand insights into the very foundation of Kendo himself, as well as see unique memorabilia, tour the extensive grounds of the Retreat, participate in special meditation and empowerment ceremonies, and attend seminars on Kendo’s Spiritual Wisdom and the many benefits it has for individuals and for humanity.

A special web page and forum thread will be established to give more information and answer questions on the Event as it gets nearer, so – as ever – please watch the website!

Kendo makes a Stunning Impression at Hull!

As is always the case with Kendo Nagasaki, his appearance at Hull’s Bonus Arena on 22nd July was immensely spectacular.

Firstly, the audience was treated to a new video of Kendo in his many forms, including images of his mystical practises, including meditation, the use of ceremonial bowls, and ceremonies themselves.

Including many classic shots of Kendo in action, the video was inter-woven with a mystical storyline – the sub-plot was a ceremony which took place at Kendo’s retreat on Friday 13th November 2009, when a time-capsule was assembled and ceremonially buried in the grounds of the retreat. This was done to commemorate an anniversary of Kendo’s first ever wrestling match, which also took place on a Friday 13th; as Atlantis remarked, with Kendo’s appearance on that fateful day, that particular Friday 13th was ominous for all of wrestling!

Bursting with action, seething with mysticism, and driven by a stunning sound-track, the video portrays Kendo perfectly as the dynamic, deep, and devastatingly driven icon that he truly is – genuinely stirring stuff!

The promotions team was represented by Paul Douglas and Ian Wilshaw, who presented Kendo with an award for his services to wrestling, and, as hoped, a large contingent of the highly-dedicated “Keepers of the Salt” attended the show and accompanied Kendo in a procession to the ring. It was quite an entrance!

Kendo’s finale was to perform an Empowerment Ceremony in the ring, with many of the “Keepers” in the ring with him. The audience had all been given a mystical double-sided picture on arrival, with an image of Kendo in his Temple Room on one side, and several mystical symbols on the other, along with the words of Kendo’s “Affirmation of Empowerment”. Atlantis guided everyone to hold the image of Kendo’s “Hand-Eye-Hexagram” symbol in their mind’s eye while reciting the words of the Affirmation, and, supported by the distinguished Keepers, the whole arena was empowered!

The Empowerment Ceremony marks the beginning of a new era of the release of Kendo’s teachings for empowerment, motivation, victory, and healing – watch the website for details!

New Generation Wrestling looked after Kendo and his entourage impeccably, and they put on a great event for all concerned; the future certainly looks bright for this up-and-coming promotions team.

And now, especially for the esteemed Keepers, enjoy the latest stunning video of Kendo Nagasaki at this link!

Remember – to see Kendo is to Be Empowered!