Tempu Nakamura (continued...)

page 1, 2, 3

And while certainly not a form of martial arts, Japanese budo ("martial ways") have also had a strong effect on Shin-shin-toitsu-do. Nakamura Sensei was a practitioner of batto; a form of Japanese swordsmanship, and the influence of the martial arts can be felt in certain moving exercises, or forms of dynamic meditation, taught in Japanese yoga. During the Russo-Japanese War, he used his sword in battle and earned the rather dubious nickname "Man-Cutting Tempu." Yet after returning from India, he stressed love and protection for all creation. He was quick to emphasize that he envisioned no enemy while performing batto as moving meditation.

Moving from the hara, a natural abdominal center, and focusing power in the same area, have a long tradition in both Zen meditation and budo. In some of Nakamura Sensei's moving meditation exercises we can also see traces of judo movements as well. And since Nakamura Sensei was friends with the founder of aikido, and had a number of prominent aikido teachers as students, it isn't surprising to see aikido influences in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, particularly in the art's more recent offshoots. (And indeed more than one version of Shin-shin-toitsu-do now exists. Nakamura Tempu Sensei's direct students, not all of whom use the title "Shin-shin-toitsu-do" to describe their teachings, formed most of these offshoots. The Ki no Renma of Tada Hiroshi Sensei and the Ki no Kenkyukai of Tohei Koichi Sensei are two examples.)

The mere synthesis of the various arts mentioned above does not, however, result in Shin-shin-toitsu-do, which has as its true goal the direct, immediate perception of existence. We could practice all of the different things that Nakamura Sensei did and yet still not arrive at realization . . . or even come up with the same exercises.

Nakamura Sensei's Continuing Influence
It is his direct perception of reality that made Nakamura Sensei helpful to others. To express this perception, he used various exercises and arts with which he was familiar; but this is almost incidental, as everything he taught and every person he moved with his words, was swayed more by the power of his direct connection with reality than by anything else. His unique insight drew a number of famous people to Shin-shin-toitsu-do classes, although not all were well known at the time. Among his students were former Emperor Hirohito, Matsushita Konosuku – Chairman of Matsushita/Panasonic, Kurata Shuzei – President of Hitachi Manufacturing, Sano Jin – President of Kawasaki Industries, Hara Kei – former Prime Minister of Japan, and even John D. Rockefeller III, who Nakamura Sensei probably met at the bank he ran.

Nakamura Tempu Sensei passed way on December 1, 1968. He is buried in Otowa. Many years ago, he adopted the name Tempu, meaning "the Wind of Heaven." For the vast number of people who have knowingly and unknowingly been influenced by his teachings, the Wind of Heaven is still felt rustling through their lives.

« previous