The "Retreat" - Home of Kendo's Mystical Power
A small slide-show of some sights in the grounds around The Retreat,
where deep contemplation accompanies inspiring walks...
As well as being his own home, this imposing building is both the focus and the source of Kendo's mysticism and healing. It has a long and interesting
history, and many old souls still roam around it, attracted to Kendo's natural power. In the wee small hours, when all is deathly quiet, they often make
their presence known too...
Atlantis says, "The energy here is absolutely amazing - it's so pure. It has a dispassionate transparency, which is a little unnerving, because there's no
innate benevolence - or malevolence - about it, but with the right frame of mind, it is deeply empowering. I can see why this place was destined to become
Kendo's home - he is the perfect focus and channel for the many energies here, and he uses them to great effect in his healing works."
"If anything, the Retreat is even more beautiful at night," says Atlantis.
"It certainly has history, like any Victorian mansion, and you can really feel it. Even though people have died here, it's as if they only
contribute to the atmosphere in an enlightening way - listening to Kendo's words makes everything fit into place, including my own span of years in this
life. I suppose you would say that it's haunted - there are lots of clunks and thumps in the wee small hours, and at night in particular I have impressions
of lots of unfamiliar people coming and going (who aren't really there!), but they seem to be as at peace with me as I am with them, and we just accept each
other and the parts we all play in Kendo's works."
"Kendo's like a spiritual magnet - or maybe a star would be a better analogy - you're drawn to him, and once you are in his orbit, so-to-speak, the energy
he radiates nourishes your soul, giving you peace and wisdom and a calm strength. The imposing solidity and scale of Kendo's retreat impart the same sense of
calm, enlightened power as his teachings..."
"One truly special place is the Contemplation Seat..."
"It's at the far end of the west lawn, backing onto a pasture, facing east. There's not a soul for miles around, no sound of traffic, just you,
surrounded by nature, facing the eastern horizon. In Astrology, the Zodiac sign rising on the eastern horizon is the Ascendant, and this is the fastest-changing
of them all - it changes every 2 hours. Just as a birth chart indicates the influences acting on a lifetime, the Zodiac of the here and now also indicates
energies acting right now, and Kendo instructs his guests to go to the Contemplation Seat and meditate, not only on the sign that's rising, but also on those
preceding and following it. With your third eye effectively looking at the Ascendant sign changing in real time on the eastern horizon, it's amazing how this
psychic exploration opens the awareness! This is real ancient wisdom - put yourself in tune with a mystical system both physically and meditatively, and the
wisdom just flows into you..."
Interestingly, this is the place that renowned professional photographer Katinka Herbert chose to photograph Kendo, for a portrait of him to accompany his
foreword to her remarkable book, "Slam" which features the icons of Mexican "Lucha Libre" wrestling. The full story is available
here.
