Sennin Foundation Center for Japanese Cultural Arts

04/24/2026

A LESSON FROM NAKAMURA TEMPU

When life is going well, it’s easy to feel like we’ve mastered Shin-shin-toitsu-ho: “ The Art of Mind and Body Unification.” But Tempu Sensei reminds us that the real test begins when we face illness or the trials of fate.

Here’s a translation of his vital guidance on staying centered during a storm:

"Self-Reflective Examination and Suggestion Analysis"

"When facing the hardships of illness or the trials of fate, even those who believe they have a thorough understanding of the principles of Mind and Body Unification may find that—if their self-cultivation is incomplete—they are unknowingly dragged down by their circumstances.

They lose their peace of mind and, as a result, shift their mental attitude from a dignified stance of independence and self-respect to the inferior level of dependent reliance on others. There is a real risk of falling into the folly of useless irritation and confusion.

Therefore, in such times, I earnestly advise you to execute Self-Reflective Examination and Suggestion Analysis even more meticulously and thoroughly, and to pour your soul into purifying and clarifying your mental state."

WHY THIS MATTERS IN TEMPU SENSEI’S TEACHINGS

In the philosophy of Nakamura Tempu, our life energy, or ki, is directly tied to our mental state. When we let external hardships dictate our inner peace, we aren't just stressed—we are actually losing our dignity.

Here are the two tools Sensei wants us to use:

1. Self-Reflective Examination (Naisei Kento)
This is your "Internal Inventory." Instead of being "in" the emotion, you look "at" the emotion. You check to see if your mind has become negative or weak.

2. Suggestion Analysis (Anji Bunseki)
Tempu Sensei taught that the subconscious is highly suggestible. If you tell yourself "I am sick" or "I am unlucky," you are giving yourself a negative suggestion. You must analyze these thoughts as they enter and filter them out before they take root.

The Takeaway:
Don't be a victim of your circumstances. By being a strict gatekeeper of your own mind, you move from dependency back to independence.

Want to learn the actual techniques Tempu Sensei taught for Naisei Kento and Anji Bunseki? Now you can with the help of our international online classes. Find out more at www.TempuYoga.com.

04/24/2026

Big thanks to

William Bennett

for all your support! Congrats for being top fans on a streak 🔥!

04/22/2026

Special offer! You can receive one month of online classes in Nakamura Tempu’s original Japanese yoga, meditation, and philosophy for just $40 (USD)! That’s 12 one-hour classes for just $40.

Officially known as Shin-shin-toitsu-ho, this unique path to better health and spiritual awakening has been practiced by over one million people in Japan since it was founded in 1919. But it’s rarely taught in an authentic form outside of Japan, and instruction in any language other than Japanese is difficult to find.

That’s why H. E. Davey started offering nonprofit online classes in English to folks worldwide. He’s the author of The Teachings of Tempu as well as the popular book Japanese Yoga, and he has the highest level of teaching certification from the Kokusai Nihon Yoga Renmei in Kyoto.

When you join his online dojo, you’ll also join students in over a dozen nations on a time-honored path to wellness and enlightenment. And part of your membership fee will be donated to reputable charities worldwide.

Visit www.TempuYoga.com today to sign up for 12 classes for just $3.33 a class. This is your chance to discover the power of mind and body unification and how it can unlock your full potential.

04/19/2026

Japanese calligraphic art by Nakamura Tempu Sensei. Learn more about both Tempu Sensei and shodo at www.MichiPublishing.com.

04/19/2026

Tell me—when you’re suffering, worrying, hating someone, feeling fear, or sadness, does it feel good? Of course not.
Then why let your mind remain in such an unpleasant state?

Let it experience joy. Keep it thinking pleasantly at all times. That is your duty to your own mind. If you look at life from a dark, negative angle, there will be no brightness in the world at all.

If it’s dark, open the window—light will come in.—Nakamura Tempu

Discover Nakamura Tempu’s revolutionary Japanese yoga, meditation, and philosophy in The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life. Available everywhere!

04/19/2026

Japanese art by Nakamura Tempu Sensei. Learn more about both Tempu Sensei and Asian art at www.MichiPublishing.com.

04/17/2026

“When you love
what you do-

you are not ambitious,
you are not greedy,
you are not seeking fame.

For the very love
of what you do
is sufficient
in itself.”

— Krishnamurti
(Bombay, 24th February 1957)

Have you ever
truly loved
what you do?

In those moments-

you enter a state
of flow.

The action itself
becomes the reward.

You are not working
to become “somebody.”

You are not chasing
money or power.

You are not seeking
praise or validation.

Because ambition,
greed,
and fame-

are all fueled
by the ego.

But when you are
fully immersed-

the “self”
fades away.

You
and the action
become one.

And in that space-

stress disappears.
Pressure dissolves.

You work
with a mind
that is free
and clear.

The miracle is this:

from that state-

the best results
naturally come.

Krishnamurti reminds us:

Love for your work
is a fire
that lights itself.

It needs no fuel-
no competition,
no approval.

When you love
what you do-

you are not waiting
for life to begin.

You are already
living it.

04/17/2026

“On Food”

Strictly speaking, the most rational approach is to consume foods that are kept as close as possible to their natural state. That said, there is no need to limit oneself to a meager diet; the key point is to maintain moderation and to make plant-based foods the primary focus.—Nakamura Tempu

Read more in H. E. Davey’s groundbreaking book The Teachings of Tempu: Practical Meditation for Daily Life. Available everywhere!

04/16/2026

True happiness in life does not come from a self-centered, relative way of thinking. It arises only from a deeper state of mind—one grounded in sincerity and our true conscience, where harmony and acceptance are possible.

Put simply, lasting happiness for everyone can only exist when people are united by a genuine concern for one another’s well-being. If each person thinks only of themselves, then a broader, shared happiness can never become a reality.—Nakamura Tempu

Read more at www.TempuYoga.com.

04/15/2026

04/15/2026

“To live again and again in joy.”

What, then, is the true theme of life’s value? It can be stated boldly:

No matter the circumstances, live in a way that lets your heart feel joy. In other words, to live with joy toward everything in life—this alone is what truly matters.

This isn’t said simply because it might feel pleasant on a superficial, sensory level. Nor does it come from the naive idea that such a way of thinking is somehow more comforting than thinking otherwise.—Nakamura Tempu

Read more at www.TempuYoga.com.