Goodbye's are beginning
Mood:  blue
Saturday, June 11th, was probably my last visit to Kyoto. How sad.
I stopped by for one last bow at the Nishi Hongwanji (Jodo Shinshu?s Mother temple) and there was a service going on. What an eerie sound the flutes and other instruments produce! When i close my eyes it sends me to Tibet. Weird. A few tears came as i bowed out for the last time. I will miss the feeling of kneeling on tatami in such an ancient edifice and listening to a service whose roots go back hundreds of years. It?s a powerful, wonderful experience.


I managed to find the little shop that hand makes ojuzu (probably the world?s first rosary beads). I had a wristband restrung (i?d bought it when i first arrived in Japan). Now i had to choose the perfect ojuzu as a present to myself. I chose some cat-eye beads from So. Africa. It was a difficult decision. He had some gorgeous fossil beads that were such a work of art but a bit out of my price range. I did a whirlwind shopping spree for some gifts for the temple and friends back home and then off to meet my meditation buddies for a ?goodbye? lunch. Somehow we will rendezvous again either in California at the Meditation Retreat Center or back in Japan. Who knows what is in the future, but we will see each other again. I am sure of it.


Temple this Sunday morning in Nishinomiya was extra special. One of the gentlemen who lives just a few doors away brought his video camera and taped the whole service. Toyohara-sensei chanted the whole Wasan, which is a very long sutra just because i had requested it. We had been trying to learn it when i left Spokane 2 years ago. Now we will be able to follow along with him and really get it right. Also, it will be so wonderful for everyone at our little Buddhist Temple in Spokane to be able to hear and see an authentic Buddhist service from Japan. After the service the ladies asked me to stay. There was a lovely breakfast for one of the members who had been in the hospital for the last 3 months. They welcomed her back with coffee, croissants, a luscious custard cup, and a cream pastry. Well there goes my low-fat breakfast idea! Hah. I got some lovely photos of everyone. We even took some photos inside the temple of the Toyahara family. I am so pleased. I had asked if i could get some photos of ?The Boss? as he calls himself. I will miss this spiritual family. Even though i can?t speak their language well our hearts and spirits are united. What a great feeling.