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.