Purnatva

I have been swept into a fantastic whirlwind of activity and non-activity over the last six days, all of which have kept me, for the most part, away from my computer. This is unusual for me, and has been a tremendous gift. I have simultaneously experienced the moment to moment immediacy of life in all its surface level reality, while being paradoxically drawn into the depths of my heart.

Purnatva is a sanskrit word meaning “perfect fullness”. It is the experience of feeling perfectly contented with existence, of receiving what is exactly needed, no more or less, in any given moment. This is the way we are meant to live. To quote Gandhi, “There will always be enough for people’s needs, but never enough for people’s greeds.”

Wednesday

I met downtown with a new friend, Eri, to attend the Jidai Matsuri, or Festival of Eras. This is held annually in Kyoto on October 22nd, and commemorates the transfer of the capital to Kyoto in 794, the 1100 years it remained the capital (until being moved to Tokyo in 1868), and the completion of the Heian Jingu-jinja where the procession ends. Basically, there is a long parade of people garbed in the costumes representative of the 1100 years that Kyoto was the capital of Japan.

Eri had been at Kiyomizu, where she was working as a volunteer to assist a couple of local artists that are showing pieces there right now. During high tourist activity, the temple hosts local artists so they can get some exposure. We met around 12:30pm, and Eri was ready for lunch. I recommended the onigiri stand (of course), and we sat at the temple while she ate. We got so absorbed in our conversation we missed the parade. Neither of us had any plans for the rest of the day, so we went to Starbucks for a hot drink and something sweet. We spent over three hours talking. The conversation flowed effortlessly, in a sweet pulsation, the rhythm of our words mixing with the jazz flowing from the cafe’s speakers.

We had dinner together too, at Tim’s house, and a lovely walk in the rain afterwards to a nearby park.

A wonderful day of time unwinding in a slow, sinuous dance.

Thursday

I spent the morning and afternoon with Eri, and we visited Pan Do Ra Di, a bakery near Tim, owned and operated by a monk who makes this amazing bread called shichikoku (“seven grains”), and a fantastic little fig and walnut cake. We bought plenty of both, then returned to Tim’s just in time to catch him in between classes. I had bought him a slice of the fig cake. He exclaimed, “That’s perfect. I was craving something sweet.” Eri and I had lunch, and then she went home.

I used the rest of the afternoon to catch up on some much neglected studying, then prepared dinner for Tim and I in the evening. I love salmon, and had bought two large pieces at the Kyoto Coop. I made the rest of the box of red quinoa I had sent over from SF (Thanks, Meredith!), and stir-fried broccoli, porcini mushrooms, garlic, eggplant, and cashews to complete the feast. Tim is the constant at the center of my life in Kyoto. Without his gracious sharing of his home, knowledge of the area, and language expertise I can imagine it would not be as easeful a relocation as it has been.

Friday

The first day of my “work week”. I was looking forward to going to Shinsaibashi this day, because Jordan Bloom, an Anusara teacher from South Africa presently based in Maryland, would be there. He is teaching throughout Japan for a month, and this was his first weekend. Jordan is a thoughtful, observant being, who has a genuine love for teaching. He is enthusiastic, and wants to give the students the most he can each time he sees them.

When I arrived at Shinsaibashi, the training was still in session. I practiced in the second studio for over an hour, and it was a pure delight to play in the flow of the breath, alternately surfing the waves and diving into the depths with my awareness. A practice that brought forth an equal measure of joy and insight.
I finished just before Jordan. When he emerged from the room, and we saw one another it was big smiles and hugs. We chatted only briefly, but began to figure out a good night for he, Tim, and I to get together. Chiho was translating for him, and the first thing she said to me was, “Have you eaten?” She had made up a bento (boxed lunch) for herself, but hadn’t eaten it. She graciously offered me her food, so I once again didn’t need to go out for a bite.
I walked over to Nanba-jinja. It was closed, but I sat on the steps facing a smaller, less travelled street, and happily ate the yummy little sandwiches she had made.
I had another fun class, then a relaxing train ride to Eri’s.

Saturday

A day of indulging the simple joys of Eri’s presence and leisurely meals.
Eri made a delightful late breakfast of miso with tofu, daikon, and negi, and an omelette filled with chopped carrots, mushrooms and soy. There was also a bowl of diced tomatoes drizzled in olive oil, pepper and salt to add to the omelette, and a lovely green tea.
I then set off for Shinsaibashi, and had a wonderful time teaching. After class, I met Eri to go to an Indian restaurant she frequents, called Indoryouri Gulbabu (Indo is Japanese for India, and ryouri means “cooking”). I am assuming that Gulbabu is the name of the attentive gentleman who kept checking in on us. Eri and I both had the vegetarian dinner. Each meal arrived laid out on a large metal platter. There were two curries, vegetable and garbanzo bean, along with saag paneer and a simple salad with a yogurt dressing, each in their own metal ramekin. Along with this was a small bowl of sweet yogurt flavored with goat cheese, a pakora, and a crispy super thin chip (I can’t recall what it is called). On a ceramic plate was a huge piece of naan and a small side of saffron rice. Included in the meal was a mango lassi. Everything was perfectly flavorful, and we spent over two hours enjoying our meal and conversing. We didn’t get back to Eri’s until around 11:30pm, and I slept well.

Sunday

Eri left the apartment before me this morning, and had left a delicious little blueberry and cream cheese bread for my breakfast. I was out of the apartment soon after her for my usual Sunday of class in Kyoto, onigiri, then off to Shinsaibashi. It was raining out, so I borrowed an umbrella from her, and thought, “When I move into my place I should have an extra umbrella or two for guests.”
After my Shinsaibashi class, Jordan invited me to go out with him and the staff for dinner, but I wanted to go back to Tim’s to see him and Maya, and try to get to bed a bit earlier than I had for the past four nights.
On the train ride back from Osaka, a sarariiman sat next to me. “Salary Man” is the name for the typical Japanese businessman, usually dressed in a dark suit, pants and shoes, white shirt, and tie (color optional). One of the requisites for these beleaguered businessmen is to go out almost every evening with their coworkers to drink and bond. The result is that many of these men have a strong smell of stale beer and cigarettes emanating from their person on their way home. My first reaction was, “Egads, how unlucky.” After being drawn into that small thought pattern for a few minutes, I chastised myself for being so small. I was reading a book, and he too had pulled out a book. I looked sideways at him a little more closely, and saw he was slightly smiling too. The thought occurred that, had we shared the same language, we might even engage in a conversation about the authors we enjoyed. This allowed me to relinquish my narrowness, and the smell that had seemed so overpowering at first receded. As we travelled, I noticed he kept nodding off then nap-jerking back awake when the train stopped at a station. Finally, at one stop, he opened his eyes, squinted and looked around, then jumped up with the utmost urgency, and made a mad dash for the door to cross the platform to the other side into a waiting local train. My train set off, and it was then I noticed he had left his umbrella. 

My guests will thank him.
I arrived at Tim’s, and he had once again put aside dinner for me. It was a nice Indian curry with copious amounts of veggies and rice. Simply lovely.

Monday

At the end of my morning Kyoto class, while the students were in savasana, I was playing a name game with myself. I tried to recall each person's name as I moved my attention from mat to mat. As I did this I realized most of the class were students who come steadily, often twice a week. I was filled with an immense wave of gratitude for their dedication to the practice, and acceptance of me as their teacher.

I met Eri at her place around 6pm. Both of us were in need of a good dinner, so we went to the KC to buy some groceries. Eri enjoys cooking, and spent nine months in Italy, where she cooked every day. We had a four course meal, beginning with a carrot soup she had made the night before. It was a clear broth base with large chunks of carrots, diced potatoes, and tomatoes, spiced with salt, pepper, and curry powder. It was heavenly! She also made a tomato sauce containing black olives and maiitake mushrooms, for our pasta course. After that we each had a small slice of cod, pan-fried with curry powder. The last course was a salad of butter lettuce, walnuts, raisins, and gorgonzola cheese, with a dressing of grape seed oil, lemon, salt, and pepper. Oishikatta!

It has been a full six days, so perfect in every way.

Three Days

Another full weekend. As I begin to truly settle into the rhythm of the Kansai area, my days here become more and more extraordinary.

Friday

While riding the Hankyuu to Osaka, a woman sat beside me. She was exceptionally thin, and carrying a straight black cane. She wore a beige kangol style cap, and matching dress jacket and pants. Her hair was short, jet black, and contoured to her skull. From her left ear dangled two turquoise earrings, and behind them were two silver studs. A pair of black, thick-framed sunglasses with bottle green lenses completed her ensemble. Her energy was quiet and elegant.

About three stops after she sat down, she asked me, doko ni ikimasu ka ("Where are you going?"). I responded, Umeda ni ikimasu ("I am going to Umeda."). She made a "hmm" sound, and grew quiet. I turned back to continue studying my class script, but felt an internal nudge to continue the conversation. I asked her where she was going. She answered, "Juso", which is the stop right before mine. She then asked where I was going again, but I inferred that this time she meant what particular place. So I told her Studio Yoggy. She exclaimed, "Yoyogi?!" It is only now that I realize she probably thought I had said Yoyogi Park, which is in Tokyo and would have meant I was going the wrong way. I then said it was a yoga studio, but she still seemed not to understand, so I said, watashi wa yoga no sensei desu ("I am a yoga teacher."). She made an "ahh" sound, then grew quiet again. I returned to my script. She then rummaged through her oversized handbag, and pulled out a large snack pack of potato sticks. She tapped me on the shoulder, and when I turned to face her she indicated that I should take the snack pack. 

Now, as strange as this exchange may seem, just moments before she sat down I had been contemplating what else I could purchase for lunch. I had brought a few things with me, and at the forefront of my contemplation was that I didn't want to spend much money.

I thanked her for her gracious offer. She replied very quickly, so I didn't quite catch all of what she said. However, she made a gesture with her right hand like she was clearing tears from her eye, then laughed, and I could have sworn I heard her say naku, which is the word for "to cry".

Right then we arrived at Juso. I thanked her again, and she said, in English, "See you later," as she departed the train.

I paused, to really take in what had transpired, and I felt a wave of spirit arise in my heart, and felt as if I wanted to cry! It was a deep gratitude for the amazing connectivity of the universe. One could say that potato sticks seem rather trite, but it was a gift given, and to not fully appreciate it would be to ignore the magic inherent in that moment.

I arrived at Uehonmachi, practiced a bit with an emphasis on my right psoas, which had been particularly vocal the past few days - not painful, just very communicative in its need to be stretched well. I began class with my theme, then we chanted. As we did the third round of the Anusara invocation I felt that wave again, cascading powerfully up and out of my heart. I was overcome by bliss. Laughter bubbled up inside of me so much so I could barely chant the last time through.

Then, at the end of class, when the students were in shavasana, I felt my right psoas relax and expand a bit, and there was a very subtle release deep within the musculature. It felt wonderful.

After my class at Uehonmachi, Akiho, one of the staff, had a message for me from Tomoko: LOHAS had stepped in as the guarantor for my apartment, thus sealing the deal. I now have a place to live, and will move in on the 6th of November.

The rest of the day was business as usual.

And the potato sticks were yummy. 

Saturday

I woke up an hour and a half late for what was to be my last Saturday morning class at Uehonmachi. However, I still arrived 20 minutes early, thanks to a limited express train. In between my classes I went to a little takoyaki (spheres of batter, filled with diced or whole baby octopus, then topped with a sauce and mayo) place in Shinsaibashi. On Friday, Miho had directed me to a river that runs through Shinsaibashi as a quiet place to sit. The sitting area was closed, but not a half a block away was the takoyaki stand. Friday evening, Eri also contributed to my Saturday lunch by giving me a map she had printed out of the area around Yoggy. On it she circled three parks, and then marked where Yoggy and Namba-jinja were in relation to them. Another great gift. 

So, I had a lovely little lunch in the park closest to the takoyaki stand. It has a huge playground on one side, around which were clustered Moms and Dads, with their children clambering about on slides, jungle gyms, swings, and other playground apparatuses. On the opposite side of the park are two large, flat, sandy spaces. I sat in the hub, just between these two sides, where I could view the park in its entirety. I was treated to several delightful and interesting spectacles. The first was a group of six children, about 8-10 years old, playing a game of tag where one child kept yelling out ohayou gozaimasu ("good morning!"). One of the sandy areas was completely devoid of vegetation. In this one stood four elders - three women and one man -playing a Japanese game that resembled croquet. There was an easel set up with a large scoreboard, and they all played with an intense focus. In the second square were about 15-20 teens, all Japanese, except for one African guy. They had used white tape to outline a "runway" and "stage". At the stage end sat seven or eight of the women, and at the opposite end of the runway, under a very modest tree, stood all six guys and about five girls. They had a small boom box churning out techno beats, and the guys and girls on the runway end were taking turns strutting down their makeshift catwalk.

After lunch, I taught my class, then headed home. 

Maya was up for a visit, and I was delightfully surprised to find she and Tim had prepared a wonderful dinner. Maya's auntie had mailed a large box of organic veggies from Daisen to Tim's home. It was a delicious dinner of kamaboko (a roll of tasty white fish compressed into a cylinder around a scrumptious potato), mushrooms sauteed in a garlic paste Tim's friend Rebecca had made, a delightful little salad of carrots and shungiku (chrysanthemum leaves), green peppers, some tiny little potatoes that looked like black olives, and a lovely little onion soup.

A perfect ending to a great day.

Sunday

 

After teaching my morning class in Kyoto, I went to the onigiri stand for lunch. After making my purchase, I walked into the small temple area behind the stand, and sat on the wide stone wall of the chouzuya. I had the whole space to myself for a leisurely lunch. After eating, I just sat in the quietude of the enclosed area. A gentle breeze came up, ruffling the large purple banner hanging over the entrance of the temple. The leaves on the trees rustled, and in that moment I was filled with the simple joy of being. No thoughts of classes or studies, of places to go or places I have been. Just being.

At Shinsaibashi, I made my first purchase for my apartment from the local hyakkin, or 100 yen store. I bought a pair of beautiful matcha bowls for only 210 yen each! They are green, with white striping, and had caught my eye the day before.

Back at the studio, Miyuco had stopped by, and I had an impromptu Japanese lesson with her. Miyuco is one of the teachers at Yoggy. Her training primarily consists of Baptiste yoga. She teaches both "relaxation" and "energy" classes. I asked her about the very un-Japanese "co" in her name, and she said she had it changed because the 'c' is softer looking than the 'k'. She taught me several valuable Japanese phrases, including dekitara ("If you can") and douji ni ("At the same time"). She was very helpful, and I hope we do it again soon.

After my evening class, I arrived home to yet another fantastic Tim and Maya meal. They had eaten earlier, but had saved a generous serving for me. As soon as I came in the door, they began putting it together. By the time I had unpacked my backpack, there was a delicious meal awaiting me at the kitchen table. The main course was a pastry stuffed with veggies in a sauce,complemented by penne pasta, peas, some more of those unique little olive-potatoes, and a wonderful pickle salad of persimmon, wakame, and cucumber from Maya.

I absolutely LOVE Tim and Maya. Maya is reading the Oscar Wilde play, The Importance of Being Earnest. Later that evening, she was asking Tim to clarify a part of the dialogue for her. Watching the two of them converse and laugh together filled my heart with such love and joy. They are one of the most harmonious couples I have ever known, and it is a gift to be around them.

Another blessed weekend of magic and delight.

A Day In Kobe

Yesterday, I visited my friend Yoko in her hometown of Kobe. With her detailed directions in hand, and a few notes from Tim, I set off just before 10am. The trains here are of three types: local, semi-express, and limited express, with the limited being the fastest. I caught a semi-express Hankyuu train, which wound up being quite slow. This worked in my favor, as I had more study time. I managed to put to memory the rest of my script for this next week of classes, so it was time well spent.

I arrived at Myodani station about 40 minutes past our twelve noon meeting time, but Yoko was waiting patiently, and she greeted me with a smile and a big hug. We walked about 15 minutes to her parent’s house, where her mother awaited us. On the way I learned some more Osaka-ben (bochi bochi, which means “so-so”), and a little bit about her husband. He is a multi-talented jazz musician who plays four different instruments, including alto saxophone and piano.

Her parent’s house is quite nice, and her mother, Haruko, greeted me warmly. She and Yoko laid out a fantastic array of delicious food, including rice, green & red leaf lettuce, sprouts, cucumbers, celery, shiso (a Japanese herb related to the mint leaf, grown by Haruko), some tempura potato slices, nori (both Japanese and Korean, which is slightly saltier in taste and smaller in size), corn, avocado, tuna with mayo, six types of fish including maguro (blue fin tuna), ika (squid), and shake (salmon), and a wonderful miso soup containing several varieties of kinoko (mushrooms), negi (small onions), and tofu. They showed me how to build little tasty combinations using the nori and lettuce as a wrap to enfold whatever you wanted to put together. There was also a lovely ryokucha (green tea). As Yoko poured the tea, she told me that the last few drops, called the “tears”, held the most robust flavor, so it was essential to make sure they were added to each cup. We had a leisurely feast, and the conversation was delightful. After eating, Haruko showed me photos from her recent vacation she, her husband, and Yoko’s younger sister took to Switzerland. As I perused the photos, Haruko whisked up some matcha, served with some little Japanese sugar confections and Swiss chocolate. A perfect ending to our meal.

The lovely hostesses...

...and our spectacular feast!

Yoko and I then went to her and her husband’s apartment. Her space is very warm and inviting. We sat out on her balcony, high above the city, with a wonderful view of the surrounding area. As we sipped chamomile tea, we chatted about life, teaching, and yoga (which are really all the same). She has many different plants arrayed on her balcony, inspired by a favorite book of hers, Tasha’s Garden. Tasha Tudor is a children’s book author and gardening aficionado who lives on a 250-acre plot of land in Vermont. The book is full of amazing photographs of Tasha making her way around her extraordinarily verdant land, as well as close-ups of many of the wonderful flowers, trees, and other plants she has cultivated. Yoko told me she views the book before sleeping, because it brings her sweet dreams and good rest. She wanted to try to capture some of that beauty and serenity in her space by creating a modest garden of her own. I believe she has succeeded. I felt very restive and relaxed in her space.

There are a handful of people I have met over the past three years who I have had an instant heart connection with. It is something that is intrinsic, that has no bearing on any outer experience of the other person. It is a divine recognition of a familiar and kindred spirit that fills me with love and respect for that being instantaneously. Yoko is one of these people. Her name means "child who brings light and sunshine to others", and I believe it fits her perfectly.

As the twilight dissolved into a deep blue-black, I felt the elasticity of time, as if the day had both crept along and passed in the blink of an eye.

 
We parted at the station with another big hug, and a standing offer from her to return again for another visit. I am looking forward to it.

Temple, Town, & Tourists

A day off well spent exploring a bit of Kyoto, and taking many photos. With map in hand, courtesy of Tim, I set off for a nice four hour journey through three different locations.

First stop, Kiyomizu-dera, one of the more popular temples in Kyoto. 

Entrance Gate

Bell

Pagoda

Kiyomizu-dera

This gentleman is the gatekeeper of the "Womb of Zuiga-Bosatsu", which is the basement of Zuiga Hall. For a donation of 100 yen, you get to enter the Womb. First, you descend the stairs and pass through a doorway into pitch darkness; the belief is that in the complete darkness there is no space for your attachment. Using a thick string of Buddhist beads carved into a waist-high bannister to your left as a guide, you then walk the basement path. The path turns a few times, until finally you stand before a very large and squat stone, lit by a soft yellow-orange light. Carved upon its surface is the Sanskrit character hara, "which is known as a motherly Buddha" who will supposedly grant any wishes you have if they are sincere. At this point, you then make a wish using prayer, then walk around the stone to exit out and up from the Womb. The literature adds that "...you will purify yourself and feel the rebirth with the virtue of Zuiga Bosatsu". It was definitely a meditative experience. 

 

Prayers...

...of mice and men.

There was a rather plain building just before this one. Inside was an exhibition from a local photographer, Kai Fusayoshi. I chatted with him briefly, and bought a postcard of one of his images. He owns a cafe and a bar in Kyoto, and gave me a map to both.

Dragon chouzuya

Leaves beginning to turn.

Beautifully carved stones...

...and stone figures.

A Buddhist ceremony was taking place in this building. The chanting, drumming, and bells were lovely.

Cemetary city

simple elegance

Note the tree stump among the towering markers.

After that, a nice little stroll to Sannenzaka, a part of Kyoto that is an architectural preservation area. Many of the buildings still retain their original facade design.

Remember the photographer I mentioned above? This prop was used in one of his photographs. Interesting coincidence.

Entering Sennenzaka

There were many women wearing kimonos, but this was the only fully made up geisha I saw walking about. The costumes are very beautiful.

 

Jinja?

simple but elegant

There are a lot of great shops, especially for specialty foods, and many of them give out free samples.

These berries covered the entire wall of one small shop.

The last stop of this little hike was Yasaka-jinja. 

Un Shishi

Entrance Gate

lanterns abound

Torii

The End Path

Samskaras (Getting Back Into The Groove)

Samskaras are grooves in the mind, body, and heart that are created by habitual repetitive action. In tantra, samskaras can be either limiting or beneficent.

This past weekend, my travel via the myriad buses and trains was easeful and without incident. No late arrivals, which also allowed me to get back into the groove of practicing asana. Friday I did a nice long hour and a half practice at Shinsaibashi, experimenting with some more advanced variations of poses I haven’t done in awhile, and my body gratefully stepped up to the challenge. Afterwards, my heart was soaring! I then walked to Namba-jinja for a nice little bit of meditation.

Saturday I listened to a new Paul teleconference on the Shanti mantra and the first sutra of the Shiva Sutras. I haven’t had any time to listen to or study any of this work since I arrived here. My mind and heart appreciated this dip into these exalted tantric teachings. I even made a new entry into my meditation journal, another luxury I had laid aside for a bit.

Sunday I did a short asana practice, because I spent a fair amount of time after my morning class with Aki and Tim, to iron out the details of the apartment I want to rent. When I returned home that night, Tim informed me that it looked good, and the rental company had agreed to my request for a November 6th move-in date. Sunday was also the last time my friend Leanne would be flying in via Air Canada, whom she works for, since they are discontinuing the Osaka run. It was lovely to have her presence in class again. Sometimes, there are grooves that shift or even dissolve on their own without any say on our part. Things naturally fall away, and this is just a process of life. Usually though, it is so something else can arise in its place that will serve us better. Leanne told me that she has spent the last two weekends saying good-bye and bestowing gifts upon the owners of establishments she has frequented over her many many years of coming here. Maybe for her it is a wonderful practice of saying good-bye.

Teaching has also begun to create some tiny grooves. As Tim and I were having a late lunch after our meeting with Aki, he commented that I seemed to be nailing the things I had taught in the previous week. I was very grateful for this feedback. I hope to keep building on each week, adding to my vocabulary, and interweaving the pieces together into new shapes and forms to stimulate the students. On this front, Kaeko, my “script supervisor”, said she would be delighted to continue translating the more complex things I wish to offer each week. I am humbled by her graciousness and support.

While many of my practices had to be put on a brief hiatus during these first two weeks here, the one constant has been my meditation practice. In that space of - to quote Paul - “frictionless flow”, there is an awareness that is slowly opening, like the eye of some great boundless being, and the view I am being gifted with has begun to bring life’s patterns into a slightly clearer focus (sputa in sanskrit). I observed this increased clarity in one other revitalized practice; that of studying the kanji. Friday morning I went over about 50 of them, and found I retained a pretty accurate recall of this small batch.

This weekend was a good reminder to keep revisiting the structures of knowledge I have built thus far in all of the arenas of my study and practice, to maintain and add to these matrices, and thus progressively widen the view I receive via mind, body and, most importantly, heart.

A Day Of Firsts

This afternoon I saw my first apartment, with the help of Keiko, the Kyoto studio manager. It is a very reasonable size for me, low cost, and located in a great little neighborhood with easy access to the Hankyuu train to Osaka. I asked Tim to check out the info on it, and he said it looks like a great deal. Tomorrow I will try to touch base with Keiko, and put in my bid for it.

I also took a break from my usual pulsation of study, practice, email, and blog to watch the first two episodes of the TV show House. It was very entertaining, and allowed my brain a brief respite from all of the information I have been processing. Before watching it I decided to take a quick ride down to the YaMaYa, a fancy food store in the Qanat, a huge underground food and sundries mall. I had a craving for a large bag of Garden of Eatin’ blue tortilla chips, and polished off the whole bag, along with a generous salad and a cup of chai, while viewing House.

Ippai (“full”) in my head. Ippai in my belly. Ippai in my heart.

Tomorrow, the next round of classes begins, and I hope to iron out the last few glitches in my script on the train ride in. Ganbatte!

Simple Lessons

I slept until 8:30am, which is late for me. Last night I attended two workshops taught by Lois Nesbitt, an Anusara teacher from New York, so I guess my body needed the rest.

When I arrived at the studio yesterday afternoon for the first session, my friend Yoko was there. I met Yoko at the first class I taught in Kyoto and Osaka in July, and we spoke at length afterwards. I learned that she teaches yoga in Kobe, and had lived and taught in New York for a little bit as well. That weekend, she graciously translated for me, when needed, at my two workshops. She is caring, sensitive, giving, and inquisitive. When I returned to Japan in September, we made plans for me to visit her next Thursday. Last evening, when I walked in, she said, “I heard you got lost on the way to Uehonmachi.” She then gave me an envelope. Inside, were four pages of neatly handwritten and hand drawn directions to navigate the trains and underground to the station where we would meet.

After the first workshop, Tomoko was waiting to speak with me. I was super-hungry though, so we agreed to meet a half hour before the next session to talk. The translator for Lois, Chiho, is also a good friend of Tomoko’s, and Miho, who I had met in SF when she visited right before I came here, was also at the workshops. The two of them helped translate for Tomoko and I as we dialogued. Tomoko began by mentioning the Saturday morning lateness, not to chastise me, but because she was concerned about the studio’s inability to contact me, and vice versa, because I have no cell phone yet. The conversation then branched into several areas, including acquiring my own place. I had thought that I would receive my first paycheck in October, but apparently I won’t receive it until November. This means I needed to ask Tim if I can stay longer. He has been the consummate host, both gracious and highly helpful in my transition from SF to here. I do not wish to impose on him for longer than necessary, and made this clear to Tomoko. Tomoko is primarily a teacher for Yoggy, but she performs many other “goodwill” functions, like making sure visiting teachers to Osaka and Kyoto are comfortable. She has a huge heart, and was a bit distressed at the miscommunication which seemed to be happening between LOHAS (the umbrella corporation that supports Yoggy), her, me, and Yoggy itself. She expressed her need for me to keep her in the loop, and immediately respond to any inquiries she emails me. I made it clear that I am here to serve the students and the Kansai community, to work with her and Yoggy to create the best possible outcome for all, and do all of that in the most luminous and intelligent way possible. Tomoko understood completely, and I think we both walked away from the meeting with a clearer understanding of one another.

That evening, I told Tim what had transpired, adding that I didn’t want to overstay my welcome in his home. He said it wasn’t a problem for me to be there until I got my first check, and even offered to lend me some cash if I needed. He is truly a blessing from the universe. He also suggested I begin to make a concerted effort to:

1. get my alien registration card
2. get a cell phone
3. open a bank account

I then checked my email, and apparently Yoko had caught wind of the meeting. She was worried about my living situation, and graciously offered me a place to stay at her Mom and Dad’s in Kobe. There are so many wonderfully supportive people here.

Insights gained:
- Be clearer in communication; the Japanese need an immediate response, and to know what is going on at all times - if there is a gap, even for a moment in this communication, it can be very distressing to them, so I need to be even more sensitive to this.

- Communication here is lightning quick through the chain of command, and response to anything out of the ordinary is just as fast; both the situation itself Saturday morning at Uehonmachi, and how it continues to resonate still, are perfect examples of that - I need to be aware that my actions may get communicated beyond my expected parameters in a relatively short time; this again speaks to shifting my patterns of logic and intuition to fit into this culture; this challenge is one of the reasons I relocated here, so it’s good to be reminded by the universe in these ways.

Another beautiful lesson for me. Thank you, Universe.

Atha Yoganushasanam

Now, begins the offering of the sacred art of yoga. ~ The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (I.1)

Friday

My first day was a 12:30am class at Uehonmachi, then an 8:15pm class at Shinsaibashi. From Tim’s house to either Osaka studio, it requires me to take the subway or bus into downtown Kyoto, then the Hankyuu train all the way to Umeda, then another underground trip as the final leg of the journey. This takes a total of about an hour and thirty to forty-five minutes.  

I met Chieko, the studio manager for both Osaka locations, at 10:30am, so she could guide me in navigating the trains to the studios. I had first met Chieko in July here. She is a lovely woman, who possesses a sweet vulnerability of the heart, yet a fiery core of strength and steadfastness. Because neither of us are fluent in the others language, our conversations last time would eventually hit a wall. However, I now have an electronic dictionary, and this enabled us to traverse those walls as we conversed on the train ride to Osaka.

 
My first class was an intimate group of five, including Emi, one of the Uehonmachi staff, and a student named Mayuki, both who had taken my classes in July. After the class they both told me my Japanese had improved since July. This was a wonderful kindness to receive in the very first class, and the perfect segueway into offering abundant praise for my Japanese tutor in SF, Atsuko Irisa. Without her teachings and encouragement, I wouldn’t be as coherent or confident as I am in my own teaching here. Thank you, Atsuko!

Chieko then promptly ushered me over to Shinsaibashi via taxi, to assist Yasushi in auditioning potential translators. There were seven candidates, to be tested one at a time. They had to first translate me teaching live to Tomoko, Chieko, and Eri, one of the Shinsaibashi staff, for about three minutes. Then, I read aloud a couple of paragraphs presenting the Anusara philosophy, as they followed with a translation line by line. It was fun, and interesting to experience the variety of personalities and abilities.

Yoggy Shisaibashi

The ladies of Yoggy Shinsaibashi; Tomoko, Mayumi, Eri, & Chieko

Afterwards, Chieko and I had a simple lunch at a place called Ichigo Ichie. I then went to the Namba-jinja, only a five minute walk from the studio. I wanted to meditate, and Eri had indicated this was the closest park or shrine. It was approaching dusk, a perfect time to sit in quiet. I entered the gates, and wandered around the walled-in sanctuary for a few minutes, then settled on a spot under a tree behind the main shrine, obscured from visitors. I had a wonderful meditation, feeling the wind gently blowing around me, vaguely registering the distant hum of activity outside, and sitting nestled in the base of an old, beautiful tree. I sat as the light retreated into the blossoming of night, until the elderly gatekeeper passed by me, calling out a firm omoishimarimasu yo, which translates as "We are closing!"

I returned to the studio in time for a chat with Tomoko before she left. She schooled me a little bit in the differing ben (“speech, tongue”) of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka. For example, the all-purpose form of “to do, perform, carry out, practice, etc.” is very different for each area; suru in Tokyo, shiharu in Kyoto, and yaru in Osaka. So far, everyone here has been really supportive in my language usage, correcting me and giving me alternate or improved ways of saying things. I am so grateful for each of them.

Teaching at 8:15pm is a new experience for me, and it took all of my energy to keep the language and the asana coherent and fluid. I was tired and hungry afterwards, and thankful I had brought a nashi with me for the train ride home.

I went to bed exhausted, but content.

Saturday

I woke early to have plenty of time to get to my 10:30 class at Uehonmachi. I was excited, because a friend and fellow teacher from Vancouver, Leanne Kitteridge, had flown in the previous night, and would be attending the class. Leanne has a degree in Japanese studies, has lived in Japan extensively, now travels here frequently through her current job as a stewardess, and is fluent in Japanese.

I was on my own this morning, but confident I would be fine. I caught the bus to Kawaramachi station, and transitioned to the train with just enough time to get to class. However, I got off one station early. By the time I caught another train and reached Umeda it was 10:15. Once at Umeda, there is actually a 5-7 minute walk through the tunnels to the connecting subway, so by the time I was seated on the underground* train it was 10:25. I didn’t panic at all though. I closed my eyes, and an image of Leanne came to me with the thought, “She’ll start the class for me.” Then, after reaching the final exit in Uehonmachi, I stepped out of the station and didn’t recognize the area. Uh-oh. I was already 10 minutes late by then. By the time I found my way to the studio it was close to 11. Yikes.

* the underground railway in Japan is called the chikatestu - chi means "earth", ka is "under", and tetsu means "iron".

When I arrived, Leanne was leading them through sun salutations, just as I expected. With a brief but sincere apology to the class, I picked up where Leanne left off, and finished out the class. Afterwards, I stepped out of the yoga room right into the path of Chieko, who greeted me with, “What happened!?” With Leanne’s help, I explained and apologized profusely to Chieko and the rest of the staff, promising it would not happen again. Leanne graciously added in that what had occurred was an anomaly, as I hold my responsibilities as a teacher and the students in the highest regard. The studio gave passes for a free class to all of the students, but many remarked they felt extra-privileged to have had two teachers instead of one. To me, this whole experience was a perfect example of how the universe takes care of us. I really believe that Leanne was there to teach because I was going to be late, and Leanne echoed this thought when I mentioned it to her.

Yoggy Uehonmachi - Chieko, Leanne, Chigusa, Emi, & Akiho

Leanne and I then traveled over to the Shinsaibashi area for lunch at a kaiten sushi (self-serve sushi from a conveyer belt) restaurant. It was a wonderful lunch, my favorite dishes being katsuo (bonito) with a dollop of yuzu (Japanese lime) atop it, and large slices of unagi (eel) - oishikatta desu! Leanne and I parted ways after lunch, as she had a plane to catch, and needed to get back to her hotel in Umeda. We hugged, and she said, “This is going to make an interesting blog.” To see Leanne’s view, go to Wa Yo Yogi, at http://shibuiyogablog.wordpress.com/ Much Love to you, Leanne!

I went for another visit to the Namba-jinja, to take photos. 

Entrance torii.

The chouzuya ("wash basin") for the ritual cleansing. 

The freshly landscaped garden.

Shishi ("lion") guardians; they traditionally come in pairs as guardians of Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples.

The open mouth shishi symbolizes the first letter of the Japanese and sanskrit alphabet, "ah".

The closed mouth shishi symbolizes the last letter of the two alphabets, "un".

The kitsune ("fox") shrine. The fox is a staple of Japanese folklore, appearing as both kami ("a god, divine being") and demon.

The guardians.

The offerings box; toss coins in, pull the rope to sound the bell, then clap twice (though I have seen other variations as well).

The meditation tree.

Central haiden ("hall of worship")

Resplendent courtyard tree.

This 4:00pm class was the strongest yet. We did a few eyes-closed group balances that induced plenty of smiles, then a four-part vasishthasana sequence that put everyone up against their edge, ending with pranam. As everyone settled into gravity and their breath, it was beautiful to feel the thick and deep vibration they had created.

After class, I touched base with Tim, so I could meet up with him and his fiancee, Maya, at his friend Graham’s place for a little dinner party. I needed to take a different set of trains, then a 10 minute walk to meet him at an intersection. Tim has an uncanny talent for hand drawing extremely accurate maps, and for estimating travel time. He told me I would arrive at our designated meeting place at 7:30, and I was there about five minutes prior. His friend Graham lives with Jae, his girlfriend, originally from Taiwan, and Mei, his 11-year old daughter from a previous marriage to a Japanese woman. Mei is an extraordinary little girl. She competes in swimming, practices ballet, and is a budding artist. Her manner is outgoing and she is quick to laugh and smile. Jae had prepared a lovely meal, and I happily dug in. Also in attendance was Rebecca, a friend of Graham and Tim’s from Los Angeles. She made an absolutely scrumptious dessert of pecan-oatmeal bars with a layer of Trader Joe’s dark chocolate bar melted into the center. Heavenly!

Tim had biked, so Maya and I took the bus home. It was so nice to chat with her. We have just discovered both of us share a passion for the music of Jeff Buckley and Chris Cornell, so our conversation centered around their creations, and how they had affected us. Maya is an accomplished shamisen performer and vocalist, and I am looking forward to her next performance.

Sunday

Another 10:30am class, but thankfully in Kyoto. Again, like on Saturday, another one of those universal blessings popped up. A woman from Canada attended the class, and Tim just happened to take class too. So I had her set up next to Tim, so he could translate for her when needed. As I write this, it actually strikes me as fantastically giddy; a native English speaker, teaching in Japanese, and another native English speaker having to translate it into English in a Japanese yoga class. I love this life.

Yoggy Kyoto - note the shouji as the far wall

Who is this guy?

Tim and I went for onigiri after class, then I went to Starbucks (I know, but it’s the only place that serves a chai latte) since I had a little bit of time to kill before my 4:30pm class at Shinsaibashi. I read a little more Osho, and came across these lovely bits:

“That energy that is speaking in me is listening in you; it is not separate, it can’t be separate. It is one spectrum, it is one wavelength. It is the same wave that is speaking in me and that is hearing in you.”

“We live in a sea of life - we live into each other.”

In my evening class, there were two fellow Yoggy teachers, Miyuko and Rica, who attended. They were both very appreciative for the class, and it was nice to have them there. One of the things I intend to do soon is to take classes from my fellow teachers here, so I get to know them all better. It is something I was unable to accomplish in SF, but I think it will be easier here, as the community is much smaller. Rica lives in Kyoto, so we rode home together and had wonderful conversation about the yogic path (thank you, electronic jisho!).

I showed up at Tim’s just in time for a fantastic meal he and Maya had prepared. Tim made an English dish composed of rice, smoked fish, and hard boiled eggs. They had also made a miso soup with carrots and porcini, and an avocado and tomato salad, and Maya had pickled some nasu (eggplant) that evening. Being with the two of them, and sharing such a delicious meal made with such love, was the perfect way to end the weekend.