Zeynep Kocasinan's new book in Turkish "Doğru Yanlış Güzel Çirkin, Findhorn'da Sürdürülebilir Yaşam Macerası" is out. The book is available on all Turkish online bookstores as well as D&R Bookstores in Turkey.
Tuesday, January 3, 2012
From RUMI
"Inside you there's an artist you don't know about.
...
Say yes quickly, if you know, if you've known it
from before the beginning of the universe."
Saturday, December 31, 2011
BEGIN from RUMI:
This is now. Now is. Don't
postpone till then. Spend
the spark of iron on stone.
Sit at the head of the table;
dip your spoon in the bowl.
Seat yourself next your joy
and have your awakened soul
pour wine. Branches in the
spring wind, easy dance of
jasmine and cypress. Cloth
for green robes has been cut
from pure absence. You're
the tailor, settled among his
shop good, quietly sewing.
postpone till then. Spend
the spark of iron on stone.
Sit at the head of the table;
dip your spoon in the bowl.
Seat yourself next your joy
and have your awakened soul
pour wine. Branches in the
spring wind, easy dance of
jasmine and cypress. Cloth
for green robes has been cut
from pure absence. You're
the tailor, settled among his
shop good, quietly sewing.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Angel for November
The Angel for November, from Joy Drake and Kathy Tyler is:
AWAKENING
Release all of the Angels that you have worked with so far and invite "Awakening" to support in the month of November.
Wishing you many blessings.
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Modern British Sculpture
I have been to a strong exhibition today, thanks to a friend to works at Royal Academy of Arts in London: Modern British Sculpture.
This was not what I was planning to do on my last afternoon in London this Saturday. I am pleasantly surprised.
If you are planning to visit London until April 7th, plan to spend some time to visit this exhibition, even just to visit first few halls.
After the entrance section of the exhibition as you enter the room on the right hand side, you start to travel in time. Just that room is enough to take in what this exhibition was set out to give. Even just that room was enough to make my soul travel around the world and through time. Statues from all around the world made from all possible materials. Limestone, marble, basalt, sandstone, gypsum, wood, cheerwood, elmwood, granite... This room in the exhibition was named "Theft by Finding" and as walked around the room, my head started spinning. It was as if each statue was being a channel for the time period and culture it was representing.
Was it the Totem Pole from Canada that touched me more or Statue if Moai Hava from Rapa Nui-Easter Island? Or the torso without the arms or the head from India which felt quite alive?
How about The Seed by Maurice Lambert and Sekhmet borrowed from the British Museum for the exhibition? One from 1932 and the other from 1350 BC seemed familiar with each other. So different and so good together.
London is always full of surprises. It turns I was in the same room with Madonna for a couple of hours this morning and did not even know it until much later. Oh, well, maybe next time.
As I am heading back home, I do feel a little tired, but definitely calm and thankful. Grateful.
May those who share their love and light with me, receive even more.
This was not what I was planning to do on my last afternoon in London this Saturday. I am pleasantly surprised.
If you are planning to visit London until April 7th, plan to spend some time to visit this exhibition, even just to visit first few halls.
After the entrance section of the exhibition as you enter the room on the right hand side, you start to travel in time. Just that room is enough to take in what this exhibition was set out to give. Even just that room was enough to make my soul travel around the world and through time. Statues from all around the world made from all possible materials. Limestone, marble, basalt, sandstone, gypsum, wood, cheerwood, elmwood, granite... This room in the exhibition was named "Theft by Finding" and as walked around the room, my head started spinning. It was as if each statue was being a channel for the time period and culture it was representing.
Was it the Totem Pole from Canada that touched me more or Statue if Moai Hava from Rapa Nui-Easter Island? Or the torso without the arms or the head from India which felt quite alive?
How about The Seed by Maurice Lambert and Sekhmet borrowed from the British Museum for the exhibition? One from 1932 and the other from 1350 BC seemed familiar with each other. So different and so good together.
London is always full of surprises. It turns I was in the same room with Madonna for a couple of hours this morning and did not even know it until much later. Oh, well, maybe next time.
As I am heading back home, I do feel a little tired, but definitely calm and thankful. Grateful.
May those who share their love and light with me, receive even more.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
Where Do You Hear Your Soul the Best?
I am in London again, only for a few days. It's been raining since I arrived yesterday, but I like. It has been a while since I saw rain in London. It has been strangely sunny and warm the last few times I was here and I miss the classic London weather.
My life has not been about patterns, it has been, well at least for the last five siz years it is about change. I do travel almost every week for quite some time. No days are quite the same. Yet, as I was getting out of the plane on Thursday morning, I realised once again that I do have my patterns within the chaos that make me feel safe.
When I come to London, I always, at least when I have a choice, use Turkish Airlines. I might use different ways to get to the city, but I stay at the same hotel. There are more... I realise once again that I balance change and "sameness" in different ways.
I love London. I really do.
This city is one of the places on the planet that I can hear my soul clearly. In the middle of this big and busy city.
...
As I remember the different places where my soul feels free to speak, I would like to ask you where is that place for you?
...
With love and light,
Zeynep
My life has not been about patterns, it has been, well at least for the last five siz years it is about change. I do travel almost every week for quite some time. No days are quite the same. Yet, as I was getting out of the plane on Thursday morning, I realised once again that I do have my patterns within the chaos that make me feel safe.
When I come to London, I always, at least when I have a choice, use Turkish Airlines. I might use different ways to get to the city, but I stay at the same hotel. There are more... I realise once again that I balance change and "sameness" in different ways.
I love London. I really do.
This city is one of the places on the planet that I can hear my soul clearly. In the middle of this big and busy city.
...
As I remember the different places where my soul feels free to speak, I would like to ask you where is that place for you?
...
With love and light,
Zeynep
Monday, September 27, 2010
Hurriyet Daily News
Zeynep Kocasinan's interview with Jane Akatay is in Hurriyet Daily News:
Japan Within, Lions and More
On September 28th, 2010 there will be a concert in İstanbul at Aya İrini Museum. As some of you might know already 2010 was declared to be “The Year of Japan in Turkey.” There are many activities around the country. There are exhibitions and concerts in different parts of the country. For example Fethiye Lions Club, which I am a member of, organised a celebration together with The Day of Press celebrations on July 21st to introduce a few aspects of Japanese culture such as The Tea Ceremony and Japanese Caligraphy. On August 18th, we also started a Japanese Course that will continue until April 2011.
Where did it all start? Well, the official reasons are explained in the website the Turkish and Japanese Governments had set up for this year. An Ottoman ship Ertuğrul , known as Ertuğrul Fırkateyni in Turkey, sank near the island of Ooshima about 120 years ago. Close to 600 sailors died, and only 69 sailors could survive. They were saved by villagers living in the island. And later on after they have treated and taken care of in Japan, they were sent home with Japanese ships and funds for the survivors. This was the beginning of a deep connection between Turkey and Japan.
My personal connection started with other coincidences which I will not go into the details now. I met very lovely people, great teachers and had the chance to visit different places in Japan in the last three four years. Yet, my path in Japan finally led me to Ooshima as well. Thanks to a Lions Club Member in Japan. I met Mr. Seiji Mukaiyama through many interesting coincidences. I keep using the term coincidence, but I strongly believe that there are no coincidences. I met him first when he was visiting Turkey in March 2010. He was here to attend some meetings about the concerts he would be giving this September. This successful Lions who is the general manager of a gas company has composed music after he heard about and read about the story of Ertuğrul Firkateyni.
When I went to Japan again this last May, Mr. Mukaiyama took me to Ooshima Island to where the Ertuğrul Ship sank. He took me to the temple that the surviving sailors were taken and stayed. He took me to the Turkish Museum and the special Memorial where the sailors who had lost their lives are also buried. Mr. Mukaiyama even took me to the Municipality of Kushimoto where he introduced me to the Mayor of Kushimoto Mr.Katsumasa Tashima.
Mr. Mukaiyama gave two concerts in Japan this year. On July 14th in Osaka with Kansai and on July 28th in Tokyo with Tokyo Philharmonic Orchestra. In September he will give four concerts in Turkey. He is the composer of the symphonic pieces and he is also the conductor of the orchestras. One of these concerts will be Lions Clubs Japanese Turkish Friendship Concert on September 28th in Aya İrini in İstanbul.
I am still surprised at the different coincidences that brought us together, coincidences that brought him to Turkey, that took me to Japan.
I feel very connected to Japan, as if a part of my soul belongs there and does not want to come back. Therefore, I need to go there to unite with it. And I am amazed that there are people on distant parts of this planet who feel that strongly about my country as well.
Japan created a different hope within me, about the power of love and care. The Japan within me keeps me motivated to serve, to do whatever I can, however I can to help others. The Japan within reminds me that distances do not matter. What matters is the call of our hearts.
Thank you very much Mr. Mukaiyama.
Thank you very much Lions Clubs for bringing people from different parts of the world who want to make a difference, to want to serve together. To motto of Lions Clubs all around the world is “We Serve.”
Well, I want to mention one more thing. Last week our Fethiye Lions Club had guests from England. MD105 Past District Governor Lion Wim Hoogerwerf and his wife Lion Pauline Hoogerwerf from Marston Green Lions Club, and Past Term Club Presidents Lion Mavis Crowley and Lion John Crowley from Exeter West Lions Club were with us. They all had amazing stories about how Lions Club Members serve around the world. PDG Wim Hoogerwerf shared their North Sea Lions projects where each year they work on different parts of the world. North Sea Lions is a group formed by Lions from the UK, Germany, Holland and Denmark. Mrs. Pauline Hoogerwerf shared about her project where they opened 10 water wells in Republic of Niger where draught and famines affect the country. Through these wells now 25,000 people have access to clean water supplies. Two thirds of Niger is covered with deserts. They built the wells while the country was going through many military and civil unrests. Mrs. Mavis Crowley from Exeter West Lions Club shared how they collect hearing aids in the UK and send it to South Africa with collaboration with Lions Clubs Members there. Thousands of hearing aids have been sent.
Japan, Turkey, Republic of Niger, England, Germany, Denmark, Holland, South Africa... Different lands, different cultures, different languages ... Yet, we are all connected. I feel we need to be aware that we are all connected. That could be the key.
I hope and pray that as people of the world connect, peace love and prosperity will prevail.
With lots of love,
Zeynep
Sunday, August 29, 2010
From Helen Keller:
"Security is mostly a superstition. It does not exist in nature... Life is either a daring adventure or nothing."
Monday, August 23, 2010
From Helen Keller:
" I am only one, but still I am one. I cannot do everything, but still I can do something; I will not refuse to do something I can do." ...
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Article published in Shumei Magazine
Zeynep Kocasinan's article on The Miho Museum has been published in the Shumei International Magazine, in the July-August 2010 edition.
To read her article "Miho Grandama: Something More" connect to the online magazine link below:
Hope that you enjoy.
Friday, July 23, 2010
Zeynep Kocasinan's Books in Alper Kirtasiye in Fethiye
Zeynep Kocasinan's all books in Turkish and English are now
on sale in Alper Kirtasiye in Fethiye.
Alper Kirtasiye:
Koprubasi Mevki Sali Pazari Girisi, Fethiye
Phone:
(252) 612 26 09
(505) 825 84 04
Her books can be found in D&R Bookstores in big cities and in online bookstores.
on sale in Alper Kirtasiye in Fethiye.
Alper Kirtasiye:
Koprubasi Mevki Sali Pazari Girisi, Fethiye
Phone:
(252) 612 26 09
(505) 825 84 04
Her books can be found in D&R Bookstores in big cities and in online bookstores.
Wednesday, June 30, 2010
Reiki Lessons from Zeynep Kocasinan
Zeynep Kocasinan has been a Reiki Master since 2004 and has been trained in the Traditional Usui Reiki.
Reiki Initions are done individually and in groups, at the first, second and third levels.
Reiki-1 Initiation Fee: 150 usd
Reiki-2 Initiation Fee: 300 usd
Reiki-3 Initiation Fee: 750 usd
Service fees are subject to %18 vat/kdv.
Reiki lessons and initiations are given in 2 days, in total of 5 hours, in 2,5 hours on each day.
The student is able to start to use Reiki starting from the first initiation of the appropriate Reiki Level.
Reiki lessons are given in Istanbul and in Fethiye.
For appointments contact Zeynep Kocasinan at zeynep.kocasinan@gmail.com or (532) 312 33 54.
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
From "Many Lives, Many Masters" By Brian L. Weiss, M.D.
"Patience and timing... everything comes when it must come. A life cannot be rushed, cannot be worked on a schedule as so many people want it to be. We must accept what comes to us at a given time, and not ask for more. But life is endless, so we never die; we were never really born. We just pass through different phases. There is no end. Humans have many dimensions. But time is not was we see time, but rather in lessons that are learned..."
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
From Herman Daly
"There is something fundamentally wrong in treating the earth as if it were a business in liquidation."
...
...
MIHO GRANDAMA Arte della Lucce - An Exhibition or Much More?
I was in Japan again this May, to attend The Grand Sampai, Annual Ceremony and Meetings in Misono, The International Headquarters of The Shumei Foundation in Japan. This was my third year in a row to attend. I arrived in Japan on May 1st with directors of The Shumei Istanbul Center and two Turkish friends. Kyoto was our first stop. The next day, on May 2nd we were headed for The Miho Museum.
Miho has been a special place for me since I learned about The Japanese Organisation Shumei. I remember clearly the day that I watched the movie “The Museum on the Mountain.” I was amazed by the ingenuity of both the Founder of the museum, Mrs. Mihoko Koyama, known as Kaishusama in Shumei, and the famous Chinese-American architect I.M. Pei who was able to understand Kaishusama and was able to execute her desire to create a sacred place for beauty, art and spiritual healing and transformation.
The path to Miho Museum is an adventure in itself. First of all going to Shigaraki Mountains in the Shiga Region in Japan means going to the mountains and leaving the busy-ness behind.
After you reach the entrance area of the museum, a different adventure begins. Oh the path from the reception area of the museum to the main building... I was almost mesmerized by the view of this path when I watched the movie about the construction of the Miho Museum.
I know that my words will not be enough to express my feelings, especially since English is my second language. Even in Turkish, in my mother tongue this could be tough. Miho Museum is a place that both my soul and my body want to return to. I have been to this special place three times. I went there each time I was in Japan since I learned about its existence and every time departing has been tough. For the last three years I have been spending a day of my each year in Miho. I was there on May 2nd in 2009 and this year I was there on May 2nd as well. And I feel as if, if I was late to go for one more day, it would have been too late. Strange feeling. Strange, but true.
This museum has been built on an environmentally protected area in the mountains and surely it has achieved that intention of protecting what is valuable and beautiful both in nature and in art. I have been to many museums around the world; I have been impressed by many artists and museums as well, however, I have never fallen in love with a museum, never before Miho.
The Miho Museum is one of the places on this planet that I crave to visit, that I long to be on the grounds of. The buildings are amazing, the walk path, the tunnel that takes you to the museum is to die for, but it is not just about these pieces. There is something more. Maybe it is the intention of its founders to create a sacred space for the soul that would heal with love and beauty. Would I have a better idea if I had the chance to meet Mrs. Mihoko Koyama, Kaishusama, before she passed away in? I don’t know. What I know is that I am in Turkey now and I just cannot wait to go back.
Strange feeling.
The Miho Museum has a permanent collection and also each year a new exhibition welcomes its visitors. The first year I visited Miho there was a Yosa Buson Exhibition. Buson is a very famous Japanese poet, but in the exhibition a different facet of Buson was in front of our eyes. I had deeply appreciated that exhibition.
Last year what had impressed was the newly acquired Jibo Kannon, named Miho Jibo Kannon. This special tapestry piece had a different kind of energy. The figure of the child in the tapestry had given me a sense of hope, of growth and change. Yet, this year seeing Jibo Kannon for the second time, as a part of a new exhibition, Miho’s Merciful Mother Kannon, Jibo Kannon seems to speak to me on a lot more personal level.
This year’s spring exhibition, “MIHO GRANDAMA Arte della Luce” is a celebration for the 100th Birthday of Mrs. Mihoko Koyama, Kaishusama. This exhibition is fabulous displaying the best of the best from the Miho Collection. Yet, still it is not only why the exhibition is great. The energy of Kaishusama seems to be lingering in the exhibition rooms. I have always felt her presence and especially her intention for this museum when I have been in Miho. However, this time the feeling has something different and more. It is as if she let the veil down for us to see who she really is, through her letting Miho display what she loves, what she chose, what she cared for. And what she thought was necessary for others to see as well.
The Jibo Kannon was the last piece of the exhibition. Impressed as I was last year, this year The Kannon seemed at home and ever more shining. As I was looking at the details of the tapestry, listening to the sound of the music in the room and looking at the flower display chosen for The Kannon, I realized that The Kannon was talking to me. “Kid, when you grow, a whole world will open up to you. We are protecting you. Smile and be patient. When the time comes, you will grow. Take your time to grow. Smile....” I found myself looking into my bag to find a pen and paper, and started to write these words on the Miho notebook I had just bought. The words continued “Ask and God will give you. There is always light.” It was as if golden light was sparkling from the tapestry as I was trying to write these words down in my notebook. “Be patient and you will know. Come back when you feel like it. Allow yourself time to grow.”
Yes, there had been questions in my mind. As I always seemed to do. And my questions were heard and answered in quite an unexpected manner. And not because I was told to smile, I just could not help but smile as I left the exhibition rooms of Grandama.
The Grandama exhibition had other messages for me as well through Kaishusama’s selections. And also through the curators of the exhibition. These people have been excellent channels whom I feel have put their hearts and soul to reflect who Kaishusama really is and what she wants to conveys with the Miho Grandama Exhibition.
...
You could tell me that The Miho is just a museum; I would have to tell you to look again...
Sunday, May 9, 2010
From MEISHUSAMA
In Miakarishu, Page 97:
"Even the greatest tree that stretches to the sky was once a tiny sprout."
"Even the greatest tree that stretches to the sky was once a tiny sprout."
Sunday, May 2, 2010
From The Great Poet Matsuo Basho:
”Do not follow the tracks of the old masters, but follow what they strove to seek."
...
With love from Kyoto,
Zeynep Kocasinan
...
With love from Kyoto,
Zeynep Kocasinan
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Thursday, December 10, 2009
From Henry David Thoreau:
"Every superfluous possession is a limitation on my freedom."
How free are you?
Monday, November 30, 2009
From Daniel Quinn:
"If we continue ... to consume the world until there's no more to consume, then there's going to come a day, sure as hell, when our children or their children or their children's children are going to look back on us -- on you and me -- and say to themselves, "My God, what kind of monsters were these people?"
Saturday, November 21, 2009
The Party's Over
Have you ever read or listened to Richard Heinberg? If yes, you probably know what I am about to tell you. If your answer is no, it is time. For even if the party may be still on, it will really be over quite soon.
...
This October and the first week of November I was in the
It was my second time in Findhorn. Last summer I was there to attend a training to be a facilitator of the Transformation Game. The focus of that training was on personal growth, personal healing and empowerment. This game which is also available in Turkish is one of the best personal development tools that I have seen over the years.
Well, last summer I thought I had been to Findhorn. This October I realized that although Findhorn is essentially a spiritual community and offers many opportunities for personal growth and empowerment, it is also a very important place for sustainability awareness in the western world. It is a centre working hard to create awareness about climate change and peak oil.
Findhorn Ecovillage has the lowest ecological footprint measured in the western world. Their footprint is about one half of the footprint of the
In the east countries and the global south as well as in
What is this party all about?
I have a lot of things to say, and I am finding it hard to decide where to start.
Have you heard of 350? When I was in Findhorn on October 24th, there was an interesting event that took place. It was about 350. People gathered in the Universall Hall in Findhorn to sing and dance to connect to Mother Earth and to the people all around the world who are concerned about the future that awaits us all. Actually many interesting events took place all around the word. On that day in 181 countries about 5200 events were organised to rally for cutting CO2 emissions.
In short 350 is the number of particles of CO2 in the atmosphere [350ppm (parts per million)] which is thought to be a safe limit for humanity, in order to stop climate change, to prevent the melting of the arctic ice and all of its ripple effects. In December this year in
The current level of CO2 in the air is over 387 ppm. We are over the limit that is considered safe by scientists. We are in quite dangerous waters. There is a very urgent need to cut carbon emissions all around the world. We are all sharing the same planet, the same atmosphere, the same seas and oceans. There is no private salvation. All governments need to come together and work together to find a way to radically reduce the use of fossil fuel energy resources. Countries need to find ways to use carbon free energy sources. There is no other way. We all need to reconsider our way of living which has turned into consuming Earth without consideration and respect for it, for all other forms of life. And especially in the western world. In big cities in
For more detailed information about 350, I would like to recommend checking out the website www.350.org. This web site is quite up to date about what 350 really is.
Life on Earth will change as we know it. There is no doubt about it. Especially climate change and peak oil will change the way we live. We will wake up, voluntarily or through the waves of change. At this moment in human history, we are at a very critical point. It is a point where although difficult it is possible to make a change. Difficult, but possible. Yet, it is not a light decision. And I cannot help but think that so many of us are not aware of the changes that are about to happen.
There are things that governments need to do. By being aware citizens we can affect our governments to take this threat seriously. And we can do more. In hundreds of cities, towns and neighbourhoods around the world people are gathering together to find ways to bring resilience to their communities. In Findhorn I had the privilege some of these people who have started such initiatives in their towns. They are working together to organise their lives to make it les dependent of oil and are re-skilling themselves to prepare for both climate changes and expected increased oil prices.
As I listen to them, I realize that in Fethiye, people are already doing, have been doing what these people are trying to remember, are trying to learn again. They are learning about producing their own food through organic farming methods. They are supporting local producers, shops and products. They are relearning the skills their mothers, fathers, grandparents used to know to build their homes, to fix appliances, to sew, to knit, to cook, to make preserves and many more.
I do realize that I did paint a dark picture. My intention is not bring hopelessness or despair. Having seen Findhorn and what Findhorn Foundation has been trying to do to create sustainable settlements, to be a model or rather a laboratory for sustainable settlements, I have great hope. I have great belief in what humans can achieve once they are aware of the need to change and act with the will to change using proper tools and methods. We will need to change. If we change consciously and proactively, we can create a sustainable life that is fun and joyful.
Fossil fuels do not bring about health, joy and happiness perse. We created systems and life structures using fossil fuels. True. We thought that was the way. We lost track that we were using world’s precious resources as if there was an indefinite supply. We forgot. We got drunk with abundant energy. We thought it would last forever. Using fossil fuels is a method. We can change that. We can use these historic times to make life better, and reconsider what the words good and better mean to us.
This has been a very long beginning to what I would like to continue to talk about in the coming weeks. For the next two weeks I would like to invite to read about climate change, peak oil and 350. Until we meet again…
With lots of love,
Zeynep.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Back from Findhorn
Finally I am back in London after a month long training on sustainability in Findhorn.
It was quite cold in Inverness this morning, yet London seems to be enjoying much warmer weather.
So much to say.
About "climate change".
About "peak oil".
About sustainibility.
About 350!
About communities, and especially Findhorn.
...
For tonight, I just would like to send love from London.
May our path be filled with love and compassion.
Z.
Friday, July 24, 2009
One Heart
In Fethiye we are used to seeing people from different parts of the world and especially from the UK. Yet , last week there was a youth group visiting Turkey as a part of an International Youth Camp and Exchange Program of The Lions Club. There is a Lions Club in Fethiye. The current president of the club is Mrs.Nurcan İnce. This year I became the secretary of the club.With this exchange program 27 students from 14 different countries came to Fethiye for 4 days of activities. Of course these students stayed with different host families before coming together as a group and also travelled to Pamukkale before coming to Fethiye.
The Fethiye Lions Club is the supporting club for this international activity. On July 21st, the group was welcomed to Fethiye with a lunch at Taş Fırın in Fethiye. Then the group went on to their 2 days/1 night boat trip. Later on they stayed at a hotel in Çalış for the remainder of the program. Apart from swimming and enjoying the wonderful nature, the youth group went on a jeep safari and also to a Turkish bat, hamam.
On the day that the group arrived I had the chance to talk with some of the visitors. One young lady was from Ohio in the US. One was from Poland and it was her second time in Turkey; she loved lokma and tulumba deserts of Turkey. And one young lady was from Germany and I talked with her about my visit to Germany, especially my trip to The Neuschwanstein Castle near Munich, the original castle that The Disney Magic Kingdom Castle was designed after.
I did not have the time to talk to all of them in detail, yet one young man from Italy shared that he found Turks and Italians really similar. I agree. I find Italians a little more joyful than Turks though.
When I visited the students at their hotel with my fellow Lions Club members the night before they were to leave Fethiye, it was wonderful to see them so very connected as if they were all from the same country, as if they have been friends for a very long time.
The language of the exchange program was English and this made it possible for us to connect and communicate with them as well. My French was quite insufficient when I tried to converse with two young ladies, one from France and one from Belgium, so we continued to talk in English.
On their last night in Fethiye, the youth group had a surprise for us and for the guests of the hotel they were staying at in Çalış. They had prepared a show of traditional Turkish dances of about 30-40 minutes. They danced to tunes from different regions of Turkey. The students told us afterwards that they have been practicing for one hour every day. They were quite amazing and we really had fun watching them and so did the guests of the hotel. The students seemed to be enjoying themselves, too.
On their last night in Fethiye, the youth group had a surprise for us and for the guests of the hotel they were staying at in Çalış. They had prepared a show of traditional Turkish dances of about 30-40 minutes. They danced to tunes from different regions of Turkey. The students told us afterwards that they have been practicing for one hour every day. They were quite amazing and we really had fun watching them and so did the guests of the hotel. The students seemed to be enjoying themselves, too.
The Fethiye Lions Club is quite active with educational and youth projects in Fethiye. Also, for those of you who are interested or who are already Lions, I would like to remind you that The Lions Club in Fethiye meets twice a month, on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month, at noon at Ata Park Hotel in Fethiye.For more information on Lions Clubs, check out the website http://www.lionsclubs.org/ .
I will try to share our local activities and projects with you in the coming weeks.
I will try to share our local activities and projects with you in the coming weeks.
May you have a week filled with joy, fun and happiness.
With love,
Z.
Angel of the Week: Patience
Affirmation of the Week: “There is only one voice worth listening to, the voice of my own heart.”
Zeynep’s Book Recommendation: Many Lives, Many Masters By Brian, L. Weiss, M.D. The name of the Turkish translation of this book is Birçok Yaşam Birçok Üstat. I heard that the Turkish translation is now out of print. Yet, if you can get hold of a copy, please do read. I really recommend this book on past-life therapy by the prominent psychiatrist Brian Weiss.
Friday, July 17, 2009
Original or Pirate?
I was visiting one of my friends in İstanbul. She had visited me in Fethiye a couple of years. She showed me a book she bought in Fethiye, a very good book by Trevanian. The name of the book is Shibumi. It is one of my favourites. All is good so far. Yet she tells “Zeynep, I bought this book in Fethiye and I think it is a pirate copy.” Now, I do not know the proper term in English, I am not sure if there is one, but in Turkey we call books that are illegal prints of original books - pirate books (korsan kitap). I also looked at the book. The cover looked original yet the pages seemed a little strange. This book surely was not an original. She was really sad and so was I. My friend could not remember exactly where she bought the book, since it had been a couple of years. But she recalled that it was on the main seaside where tour boats take off.
I have always been very careful about pirate books. Since I get to travel to various cities and towns in Turkey, I also buy books when I am travelling, and I see many different shops that sell book. In the cities in Eastern Turkey I have seen a lot of pirate books on sale, and I try to be very careful to check the books. The ministry of culture puts on a lot of effort to stop illegal copy publishing of books, yet maybe this is an issue much grander than I give it credit for. My friends comment was not the first I heard about copy books in Fethiye, but it was the first time I heard it directly from a friend. And the topic suddenly became more real.
There is so much effort in writing, preparing and publishing a book that I find publishing and selling illegal copies of original books is something not to be tolerated. And since I have published three books this year, I am becoming more and more aware of the effort that needs to be put into a book until it makes it to the shelves. I would like to request your help to stop selling of pirate books in Fethiye. Let us inform in each other and protect the rights of authors, publishers and all of the people who work in editing, publishing and selling of book.
This March and April, two of my books “Reiki’yi Yaşıyorum-I am Living Reiki” and “Görüşler-Opinions” had been published. Recently, about a week ago, my third book “Dönüşüm Oyunu Gerçek mi?- Is The Transformation Game Real?” has been out. All three books currently only in Turkish unfortunately. I am really enjoying the process, yet I am also becoming more aware of the issues and problems of authors in Turkey.
In Fethiye you can find my books at Natur Bookstore, or in D&R and other major Bookstores in Turkey and through the internet sites such as kiapyurdu.com, netkitap.com or ideefixe.com.
*
I was intending to write about a wonderful exhibition I had the chance to see at Tate Modern a few weeks ago. Yet, a visit to a friend in Istanbul took me elsewhere this week… Yet, I would like to remind you that the exhibition at Tate Modern is on Futurism and I really recommend it. The selection for the exhibition is filled with light, love and passion.
I wish you a colourful week.
With love,
Zeynep
I have always been very careful about pirate books. Since I get to travel to various cities and towns in Turkey, I also buy books when I am travelling, and I see many different shops that sell book. In the cities in Eastern Turkey I have seen a lot of pirate books on sale, and I try to be very careful to check the books. The ministry of culture puts on a lot of effort to stop illegal copy publishing of books, yet maybe this is an issue much grander than I give it credit for. My friends comment was not the first I heard about copy books in Fethiye, but it was the first time I heard it directly from a friend. And the topic suddenly became more real.
There is so much effort in writing, preparing and publishing a book that I find publishing and selling illegal copies of original books is something not to be tolerated. And since I have published three books this year, I am becoming more and more aware of the effort that needs to be put into a book until it makes it to the shelves. I would like to request your help to stop selling of pirate books in Fethiye. Let us inform in each other and protect the rights of authors, publishers and all of the people who work in editing, publishing and selling of book.
This March and April, two of my books “Reiki’yi Yaşıyorum-I am Living Reiki” and “Görüşler-Opinions” had been published. Recently, about a week ago, my third book “Dönüşüm Oyunu Gerçek mi?- Is The Transformation Game Real?” has been out. All three books currently only in Turkish unfortunately. I am really enjoying the process, yet I am also becoming more aware of the issues and problems of authors in Turkey.
In Fethiye you can find my books at Natur Bookstore, or in D&R and other major Bookstores in Turkey and through the internet sites such as kiapyurdu.com, netkitap.com or ideefixe.com.
*
I was intending to write about a wonderful exhibition I had the chance to see at Tate Modern a few weeks ago. Yet, a visit to a friend in Istanbul took me elsewhere this week… Yet, I would like to remind you that the exhibition at Tate Modern is on Futurism and I really recommend it. The selection for the exhibition is filled with light, love and passion.
I wish you a colourful week.
With love,
Zeynep
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Madonna, Jyorei or The Kyoto Garden?
I came from London to Istanbul tonight. I am happy to be back in Istanbul, yet I miss London. Although I got the chance to do a lot, it still was not enough.
I really like London. It is a city that I feel at home in. The weather was quite nice when I was there. Friends told me that London has been especially hot this summer although quite cool in these last days. They told me that about a week ago the temperature was over 30 degrees.
*
On the first day that I arrived in London, I visited The Shumei London Centre in Swiss Cottage. That Centre seems to have a lovely energy and to me it resembles the energy of The Shumei Centre in Istanbul. They both have high ceilings, light colours inside and have special calming and cleansing energies. Of course The Shumei Istanbul Centre has a wonderful view of The Topkapi Palace and The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque) and The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya). It had been a while since I received Jyorei last; so I really appreciated receiving Jyorei at the Centre. I feel empowered with this strong and cleansing energy. Some of you might know that Jyorei is a Japanese energy healing technique developed by Great Master Mokichi Okada known as Meishusama (Master of Light), who is also the founder of the Japanese organisation Shumei.
The head of The Shumei London Centre Joe Amanai Sensei was in Milan for an event that day and I would have to wait for my last day in London to see Joe Sensei. He is such a strong, wise, yet humble and friendly teacher. I feel his continuous support. Joe Sensei came to Istanbul quite a number of times, and I really hope that he can visit us in Fethiye in the future as well. At The Shumei Centre I had the chance to see two old friends, one originally from France and the other from Bosnia. Another friend who has Syrian origins was also visiting the Centre and I had the chance to talk to him a little as well. I always appreciate groups like Shumei who bring like minded people of all origins, nations, religions and traditions together.
*
When I was in London, I went to the Madonna Concert, from her Sticky & Sweet Tour. It was the first time I watched Madonna live. I must say that this lady who is 12 years older than me seemed to have endless energy. And I think that she made sure that all in the audience saw it clearly as well. Her show was very well planned and organised although Madonna came on stage about an hour late and the audience was about to get restless as we kept on waiting. It was my first time to go to London O2 and I really liked the stage. Since the Jubilee Line was closed that weekend, we needed to take a longer route through Canary Wharf to make it to The O2. Still, I believe it was worth the trouble.
This weekend in London I went to several restaurants and some casual fast service Italian ones. If you like Italian food and you would like good food with fast service, you may want to try Princi or Vapiano. Also, I went to Babylon at The Roof Gardens very close to the High Street Kensington tube station for Sunday lunch. There was quite a breeze outside so we sat inside first. Later on for coffee we had the chance to sit outside and see the garden on the 6th floor of the same building. If you are in the neighbourhood you can just go up and see the garden.
The next night I went to The Oxo Tower for dinner. This was the second time. I think it was 10 years ago that I went to The Oxo Tower restaurant for the first time. The view from that restaurant is one of my all time favourites. There is a lot you can find in London, especially when it comes to good food. Yet I need to say that over the years Istanbul is starting to compete with cities like London when it comes to food and restaurants. And The Bosphorous in Istanbul with its shades of blue and lovely breeze welcomes all…
*
Kyoto in Japan is a city that I also like a lot. Yesterday I went to a special garden in Holland Park in London, called The Kyoto Garden and while walking around the pond in that small garden, for a few minutes I felt like I was in the garden of a temple in Japan. I realized that I miss Japan a lot already. This Japanese garden in Holland Park had been constructed as part of The Japan Festival in 1991 as a gift. … There is a special stillness and timeless energy in Japanese gardens. It is as if the time stops, and life goes on in these gardens forever…
*
When I was in London, I could not stop thinking about the sustainability training I attended a few weeks ago. I couldn’t stop thinking about preserving nature and also about "Transition Towns". Tonight in Istanbul I am reading the book The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins, who is the founder of the Transition movement. I keep asking myself, “Is it too late? Or can we still make a change?” Norman Cousins says “All things are possible once enough human beings realise that everything is at stake.”
I am in Istanbul, a part of me is still in London, and I am thinking of a lot of things…
…
Angel of the Week: Respect
Quote of the Week: “Man is asked to make of himself what he is supposed to become to fulfil his destiny.” Paul Tillich
I wish you a wonderful and lucky week. With lots of love,
Zeynep
I really like London. It is a city that I feel at home in. The weather was quite nice when I was there. Friends told me that London has been especially hot this summer although quite cool in these last days. They told me that about a week ago the temperature was over 30 degrees.
*
On the first day that I arrived in London, I visited The Shumei London Centre in Swiss Cottage. That Centre seems to have a lovely energy and to me it resembles the energy of The Shumei Centre in Istanbul. They both have high ceilings, light colours inside and have special calming and cleansing energies. Of course The Shumei Istanbul Centre has a wonderful view of The Topkapi Palace and The Sultan Ahmet Mosque (The Blue Mosque) and The Hagia Sophia (Ayasofya). It had been a while since I received Jyorei last; so I really appreciated receiving Jyorei at the Centre. I feel empowered with this strong and cleansing energy. Some of you might know that Jyorei is a Japanese energy healing technique developed by Great Master Mokichi Okada known as Meishusama (Master of Light), who is also the founder of the Japanese organisation Shumei.
The head of The Shumei London Centre Joe Amanai Sensei was in Milan for an event that day and I would have to wait for my last day in London to see Joe Sensei. He is such a strong, wise, yet humble and friendly teacher. I feel his continuous support. Joe Sensei came to Istanbul quite a number of times, and I really hope that he can visit us in Fethiye in the future as well. At The Shumei Centre I had the chance to see two old friends, one originally from France and the other from Bosnia. Another friend who has Syrian origins was also visiting the Centre and I had the chance to talk to him a little as well. I always appreciate groups like Shumei who bring like minded people of all origins, nations, religions and traditions together.
*
When I was in London, I went to the Madonna Concert, from her Sticky & Sweet Tour. It was the first time I watched Madonna live. I must say that this lady who is 12 years older than me seemed to have endless energy. And I think that she made sure that all in the audience saw it clearly as well. Her show was very well planned and organised although Madonna came on stage about an hour late and the audience was about to get restless as we kept on waiting. It was my first time to go to London O2 and I really liked the stage. Since the Jubilee Line was closed that weekend, we needed to take a longer route through Canary Wharf to make it to The O2. Still, I believe it was worth the trouble.
This weekend in London I went to several restaurants and some casual fast service Italian ones. If you like Italian food and you would like good food with fast service, you may want to try Princi or Vapiano. Also, I went to Babylon at The Roof Gardens very close to the High Street Kensington tube station for Sunday lunch. There was quite a breeze outside so we sat inside first. Later on for coffee we had the chance to sit outside and see the garden on the 6th floor of the same building. If you are in the neighbourhood you can just go up and see the garden.
The next night I went to The Oxo Tower for dinner. This was the second time. I think it was 10 years ago that I went to The Oxo Tower restaurant for the first time. The view from that restaurant is one of my all time favourites. There is a lot you can find in London, especially when it comes to good food. Yet I need to say that over the years Istanbul is starting to compete with cities like London when it comes to food and restaurants. And The Bosphorous in Istanbul with its shades of blue and lovely breeze welcomes all…
*
Kyoto in Japan is a city that I also like a lot. Yesterday I went to a special garden in Holland Park in London, called The Kyoto Garden and while walking around the pond in that small garden, for a few minutes I felt like I was in the garden of a temple in Japan. I realized that I miss Japan a lot already. This Japanese garden in Holland Park had been constructed as part of The Japan Festival in 1991 as a gift. … There is a special stillness and timeless energy in Japanese gardens. It is as if the time stops, and life goes on in these gardens forever…
*
When I was in London, I could not stop thinking about the sustainability training I attended a few weeks ago. I couldn’t stop thinking about preserving nature and also about "Transition Towns". Tonight in Istanbul I am reading the book The Transition Handbook by Rob Hopkins, who is the founder of the Transition movement. I keep asking myself, “Is it too late? Or can we still make a change?” Norman Cousins says “All things are possible once enough human beings realise that everything is at stake.”
I am in Istanbul, a part of me is still in London, and I am thinking of a lot of things…
…
Angel of the Week: Respect
Quote of the Week: “Man is asked to make of himself what he is supposed to become to fulfil his destiny.” Paul Tillich
I wish you a wonderful and lucky week. With lots of love,
Zeynep
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Abundance
This morning I chose an angel card for myself and the angel of abundance came.
And I would like to invite the energy of abundance into our lives this week with some reminders and tips on how to keep the energy of abundance full and flowing.
Since the famous book and movie The Secret has been out we have been talking about methods to improve our health, relationships and finances. And indeed there are things that we can use to improve the overall conditions in our lives.
Richard Carlson and John Randolph Price are two authors who I believe really have something worthwhile to read. “Don’t Worry Make Money” and “The Abundance Book” are two valuable books by these authors. There are many more, and many of the books on the law of attraction are valuable resources to draw prosperity and abundance into your lives.
Gratitude
Attitude of gratitude is considered to be the simplest and one of the most powerful tools in creating abundance consciousness, which brings abundance to health, relationships, wealth, love and more. Some of you might know that I am also a Reiki teacher, and gratitude is a very important concept in Reiki healings to keep our energy high and strong. Gratitude means thanking to the sources that we believe brings the good into our lives. As the work of Japanese Masaru Emoto shows, words of thanks improve the quality of water. As we as humans are made up of almost 70 percent water, thanking – whether we say it or hear it – improve the quality of the water in our body. Our body energy becomes stronger in that respect.
Show gratitude in whatever way you can. If not to please anyone, most importantly to improve your health. How? Whatever your health or financial condition may be, everyday for at least 15 minutes feel real gratitude for whatever it is that you already have. Yes, fake it if you find it hard to make yourself feel gratitude. Because if you do concentrate on the things that you do not have, it is not possible to create the right energy to allow or attract better conditions and opportunities into your life.
If you are able to do the 15 minute a day gratitude exercise for 21 days in a row, new neural connections will form in your brain which will allow you to do this more and more easily from then on. Gratitude is a very strong tool. Please use it.
Power of a Smile
The power of humour and the power of a smile are hard to believe in before you try bringing more fun into your life. Smiling and laughing improve our energy immediately. Since we are able to feel only one strong emotion at a time, when we are happy and having fun, we cannot be sad at the same time. That is one of the reasons why to smile regardless of how you might be feeling, changes our mood so quickly. Smiling changes our hormone secretions and the results are very fast and effective. Try being sad and smiling at the same time. ... It will not work.
Please use this simple bit of information. Use it to improve your level of happiness. Smile at home, smile at the office. You will feel better as well as the people who are with you. And start by faking a smile when you do not feel like it. After a while, it will become genuine. Can a smile bring abundance into our lives? Why not give it a try this week and see for yourself? And better try for three consecutive weeks and observe the changes that will take place in your life.
What are your beliefs about wealth and abundance?
Although most of us want wealth and abundance in our lives, we are not totally aware of the negative connotations especially wealth has in our minds, especially subconscious minds. Many people tend to associate wealth with selfishness, greed, unjust use of power, even cruelty. In many of the coaching and healing sessions with my clients, we discover that if we are experiencing financial difficulties in our lives, this means that somewhere deep in our minds we believe that we are better off the way we are. There are beliefs engraved in our subconscious which we are mostly unaware of. Beliefs of our parents or families, beliefs and patterns of our community influence us since childhood. We grow with fears. And we do not even know what we are afraid of.
Do you feel or express any negative feelings or thoughts about wealth or money? What is the vocabulary that you use when you talk about people who are very rich and wealthy?
And of course to be able to attract abundance, we need to bring ourselves to the same energy level. Similar energies exist together. You cannot feel very unlucky and experience luck at the same time. It is not possible to concentrate on your lack of health and expect your health to improve. It is important to look into our health problems and find treatments and solutions. What I mean is - not to concentrate on the illness, but to concentrate on ways to improve it, and what we will see, feel or thinks when the healing is achieved. Mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually.
Some teachers recommend keeping abundance consciousness strong from 40 to 42 days every day consecutively to break the habits of lack consciousness, lack thinking. At least 21 days are needed for the new connections to be made in our brain.
Whenever you catch yourself thinking about lack, talking about lack, reverse the thought and imagine abundance in the same intensity. This will help you short circuit the negative patterns.
I am aware that it is not easy to part with patterns that we have been brought up with. Yet, to use our full potential, to make our dreams come true, we need to discover and let those old patterns go. And not to fall back to old habits, we need to make new habits of thinking more positive thoughts and talking more positive words.
*
This week please concentrate on gratitude and your smile. And be open and honest to yourself: What do you really want? ... That is a valuable question to ask. We will look more deeply into abundance with each week to come.
With lots of love,
Zeynep
From the Angels: Be honest with yourself. Look into your heart and you will know the truth of the situation. It’s safe to admit the truth to yourself, for we will support and guide you through any necessary changes. Lean upon us for courage and the strength to take good care of yourself. Focus only upon your true desires, and they’ll come to you upon angels’ wings.
Nonviolent Communication and More
I was in Bolu at Abant Izzet Baysal University last week for a workshop. The topic of the workshop was Sustainable Living. This was the third time this workshop was organised in Turkey.
Twice it was organized in Ankara at Middle East Technical University. This time it was in Bolu. The two main instructors at the workshop were Findhorn Ecovillage in Scotland. May East and Michael Shaw came to Turkey to teach about social and ecological aspects of sustainability. This was May East’s third time in Turkey, and the second time for Michael Shaw.
I have deep respect for people who are not only taking about the environment, the pollution, the carbon emissions, but doing what they can to protect and to inform and awaken others. I have respect for the actions taken by Findhorn and its community members.
There was great emphasis on social sustainability in the workshop. Most of the people were expecting to hear mainly the ecological aspects, yet global experiences have shown that communities, associations, groups that bring people together for a cause fail unless there is social sustainability in the structure. Both May and Michael shared that initiatives fail not because there are not sufficient funds or there is not enough good technology; projects fail because people are not able to live together, are not able to work and create together. They have studied the ecovillage initiatives in the world and 90% of these failed, and the main reasons seemed to be the social aspects. For that reason social aspects and methods were an equally important part of this workshop as well as the ecological aspects.
Nonviolent Communication, decision making processes, spiral dynamics and the transition town movements were some of the important elements and tools of social sustainability. Nonviolent Communication, NVC as it is more commonly known, is a very strong and important approach which is becoming more and more popular around the world. We keep hearing more about it in Turkey as well. NVC is a way of speaking that helps to exchange information and resolve conflict between different parties. NVC focuses on our feelings and our needs that bring up those feelings. It is an honest way of communication that focuses on a deeper understanding of ourselves and the people were are communicating with. The structure of it was created by Marshall B. Rosenberg and he has written many books about it. Nonviolent Communication is the most commonly known book of his. Teaching Children Compassionately and Speak Peace In a World of Conflict are two other books by Rosenberg I just completed reading. I recommend all of his books deeply. Unfortunately most of them are available only in English. Some people call NVC - this way of communication - compassionate communication.
NVC aims to set aside blames, put-downs, comparisons and judgements. It aims to create a safe zone with respect and care. It brings a new approach to talking and listening. It encourages us to observe situations and dialogues without evaluating. This objective evaluation creates a common and acceptable common ground in communication. I strongly recommend you to look into NVC. It is not something we can learn in a day; we need to undo some of our old habits of talking, evaluating and even judging. Yet with time it surely becomes a very effective tool.
NVC encourages us to express our feelings. Yet, as we try to do this it becomes more apparent that we are usually not in touch with our feelings. Most of what we call feelings seems to be how we think others are behaving. People use words such as abandoned, abused, neglected, let down, unsupported and rejected to describe so called feelings. Yet these are actually words that describe how we interpret what others are doing. Words that express feelings are words like amazed, confident, calm, carefree, delighted, fulfilled, thankful, or afraid, angry, annoyed, bewildered, cross, discouraged, mad, mean, unhappy, worried, upset, etc. NVC encourages us to enlarge our dictionary of feelings to be in touch with how we really are feeling. After objective observation, being able to express feelings is another important element of NVC.
I hope to share more about NVC and the social aspects of sustainability in the future. For now I send all of you lots of love from Istanbul. Hope to be in Fethiye soon.
From Rumi: “Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment.”
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
The Soul of Nara
Nara seemed like a very spiritual city to me from the first moment I arrived. Later on I learned that next year, in 2010, Nara will be celebrating the 1300th year of being the capital of Japan. There was quite a lot of construction going on in the city for the preparations of the coming year. There is a calm and strong energy with stillness in Nara. It feels as if this city had always been and will always be there.
It was also surprising to learn that Nara was the last destination on the Silk Road. Although Japan and Turkey have never been really connected in history, I felt connected with Nara, and maybe through the history of the Silk Road.
There is a special stillness in Nara, a peacefulness that seems to exist regardless of where one is in the city.
When we were in Nara, we learned that some of the important statues from Nara were on display in Tokyo. Most of these statues were from The Todai-ji Temple. This temple as the biggest wooden structure in the world was quite impressive. I did wish to visit the exhibitions in Tokyo, yet our program in Tokyo was quite full that I figured that may be my call was to see those pieces when they are back in Nara.
Todai-ji Temple was built in the Nara Period (710-794 AD). The main point of attraction of the temple is the Vairocana Buddha which means ‘Buddha that shines throughout the world like the sun’. The temple was built as a structure to house this magnificent Buddha. This building had gone through several fires, and had been rebuilt three times. Interestingly the current wooden structure of the temple, although the largest in the world, is 33% smaller than the original temple.
*
Nara is special for me for another reason. There is a wonderful Shumei Center in Nara. The Center with its garden feels liks an oasis, It feels like a sacred ground. Umibe Sensei is the head of The Shumei Nara Center. In his energy there is a strength of deep inner spirituality. He is a teacher who displays in his own character that which he wants to teach to his students. Caring, respectful and very strong. He is like a father one can trust and depend on. I met Umibe Sensei for the first time when I arrived in Nara this year. Yet Nara is special for me for another reason as well. Yuriko Sensei, wife of Umibe Sensei and the head of Shumei Himeji Center, is a teacher that I feel a very strong connection to. Yuriko Sensei has been to Turkey quite a few times. I had the chance to meet her in Turkey twice in the last two years.
Yuriko Sensei is a very strong yet so lovingly gentle person. Sometimes when I look into her eyes, I feel like I am looking into the eyes of my mother. It is as if there is only love and compassion in her eyes. I feel safe and secure in her presence, and I do learn immensely from her way of teaching. Yuriko Sensei shares her own experiences with whatever it is that she teaches. She is gentle, caring and endlessly supportive. Shumei seems to have an amazing group of teachers, and I still find myself asking how all of them can be this wonderful. Are there no exceptions? Interestingly I will need to say ‘no’, and this is one thing I am amazed and impressed by every time I meet a Shumei Sensei for the first time or when I meet again one of the teachers that I already know. A really interesting concept.
I have seen many teachers from many different paths and teachings from all over the world. Yet never in my life have I seen such consistency in love, care, dedication, trust and supportiveness among such a large number of teachers of a group. And all with their unique characters and approaches. Shumei stresses the importance of having truth and sincerity in our lives. And all the Shumei Senseis live and display these qualities to the core. I cannot help but deeply respect this wonderful way of being.
It was also surprising to learn that Nara was the last destination on the Silk Road. Although Japan and Turkey have never been really connected in history, I felt connected with Nara, and maybe through the history of the Silk Road.
There is a special stillness in Nara, a peacefulness that seems to exist regardless of where one is in the city.
When we were in Nara, we learned that some of the important statues from Nara were on display in Tokyo. Most of these statues were from The Todai-ji Temple. This temple as the biggest wooden structure in the world was quite impressive. I did wish to visit the exhibitions in Tokyo, yet our program in Tokyo was quite full that I figured that may be my call was to see those pieces when they are back in Nara.
Todai-ji Temple was built in the Nara Period (710-794 AD). The main point of attraction of the temple is the Vairocana Buddha which means ‘Buddha that shines throughout the world like the sun’. The temple was built as a structure to house this magnificent Buddha. This building had gone through several fires, and had been rebuilt three times. Interestingly the current wooden structure of the temple, although the largest in the world, is 33% smaller than the original temple.
*
Nara is special for me for another reason. There is a wonderful Shumei Center in Nara. The Center with its garden feels liks an oasis, It feels like a sacred ground. Umibe Sensei is the head of The Shumei Nara Center. In his energy there is a strength of deep inner spirituality. He is a teacher who displays in his own character that which he wants to teach to his students. Caring, respectful and very strong. He is like a father one can trust and depend on. I met Umibe Sensei for the first time when I arrived in Nara this year. Yet Nara is special for me for another reason as well. Yuriko Sensei, wife of Umibe Sensei and the head of Shumei Himeji Center, is a teacher that I feel a very strong connection to. Yuriko Sensei has been to Turkey quite a few times. I had the chance to meet her in Turkey twice in the last two years.
Yuriko Sensei is a very strong yet so lovingly gentle person. Sometimes when I look into her eyes, I feel like I am looking into the eyes of my mother. It is as if there is only love and compassion in her eyes. I feel safe and secure in her presence, and I do learn immensely from her way of teaching. Yuriko Sensei shares her own experiences with whatever it is that she teaches. She is gentle, caring and endlessly supportive. Shumei seems to have an amazing group of teachers, and I still find myself asking how all of them can be this wonderful. Are there no exceptions? Interestingly I will need to say ‘no’, and this is one thing I am amazed and impressed by every time I meet a Shumei Sensei for the first time or when I meet again one of the teachers that I already know. A really interesting concept.
I have seen many teachers from many different paths and teachings from all over the world. Yet never in my life have I seen such consistency in love, care, dedication, trust and supportiveness among such a large number of teachers of a group. And all with their unique characters and approaches. Shumei stresses the importance of having truth and sincerity in our lives. And all the Shumei Senseis live and display these qualities to the core. I cannot help but deeply respect this wonderful way of being.
Monday, June 8, 2009
The Wind of Yokohama
The last stop on my two week long trip to Japan was Yokohama and it is as if I can still feel the famous wind of this city called Hamakaze on my skin. The flags are waving with the wind in Istanbul in the Bosphorous today and I feel like my soul is lingering in both cities.
I loved Yokohama. It was not because I saw the sea in this city that I was visiting for the first time. It was not because I saw the bridges that reminded me of the ones in Istanbul. It was not because I was able to look at Yokohama from those bridges. And it was not because I visited the rose gardens. It was not feeling the cool, gentle yet strong wind that made me happy. In Yokohama I was caught up in the strong stream of love and friendship that warmed up my heart in a way which is hard to describe. I have been experiencing this quite a lot in Japan in this trip, and I had thought I would get used to it.
My visit to the Yokohama Center of Shumei ended in a quite emotional scene at the train station. When the Narita Express Train going to Tokyo Narita Airport left the station, there about nine or ten Japanese teachers and friends who had come to the station at those early morning hours to send me and a Turkish friend of my mine off to our journey back home to Turkey. They waited till the doors were closed. There was so much love and care that I could not hold the tears in my eyes any longer. This was what true friendship was about.
Teto Sensei, who is the head of the Shumei Yokohama Center not only came to the train station that early morning, but even got on the train to check that we were safely seated in our reserved seats. He sent us on our journey like one would his children or siblings. That morning it was hard on my heart to leave these friends who had wrapped us so strongly in love during our stay in Yokohama. And you know what, I feel like they have sent a part of their hearts with us to İstanbul with the intention of protecting us and caring for us.
I started the story with our departure from Yokohama, yet it may be better to go a little back and start with how it all began.
I had met Teto Sensei a couple of months earlier when he was visiting Istanbul. I had thought that he had a calm, tranquil and peaceful energy that makes the people with him feel the same tranquility. To be able to know and appreciate him better, I needed to go to Japan.
When we arrived in Yokohama, Teto Sensei was out of the city due to the opening of the Miho School of Shumei. When we arrived to Yokohama from Tokyo, Sakurai Sensei and two other ladies from the Shumei Yokohoma Center greeted us where we were to exit the station. And they took us to the dinner organized by Mr. and Mrs. Namimoto who would be our hosts in our stay in Yokohama. We found ourselves in a very elegant Italian Restaurant sitting at a long table with lovely new friends from Yokohama. The location was wonderful and a dinner with endless and delicious dishes were being served. We are grateful for this wonderful welcoming. At the end of the dinner I was really touched by the cake that came to the table. It was decorated with the Turkish and the Japanese flags. A group picture was taken with this cake and to our surprise each one of us received a copy of this picture even before we left the restaurant. I think we were about 13 people at that dinner. What a wonderful welcoming. ... I would like to give the Namimoto Family a special and heartfelt thanks for their genuine hospitality. Mr. Keiji and Mrs. Eiko Namimoto with their son who is an architect, welcomed us to Yokohama just like a parent. I wish them the best from my heart.
We were the guests of this sweet couple for three days. They were full of love; they were so gentle. They had a special elegance and grace. In the mornings we would wake up to the day with the wonderful music Mr. Keiji Namimoto would play for us, coming softly up from the living room to our bedrooms upstairs. His wife Mrs. Eiko Namimoto is an excellent cook. The perfect welcoming dinner was a reflection of their fine taste. Mrs. Namimoto woke up at 04:45 one morning to cook us home made bread. She baked three different kinds of bread for us that morning. And they were so delicious. We cannot thank her enough for her kindness and thoughtfulness. 
There we had the opportunity to give a short talk to Shumei members. They had prepared a special Taiko drum performance for us as well as a concert where we could listen to different Japanese instruments. We also sang the famous Japanese song 'Sakura' together. During the two days that we visited the Center, we had the chance to eat meals prepared with Shumei Natural Agriculture ingredients. First we thought that the meals were prepared by professional cooks. Later on we discovered that the meals were prepared by volunteers at the Shumei Center. They were prepared by ladies who took the time to prepare special dishes for us. I am glad that I was able to meet these wonderful cooks and thank them in person with my limited Japanese. I want to thank them again with all my heart; I could feel that they put their love in the food that they prepared for us. I like Japanese food a lot, yet the food in Yokohama was very special filled with the loving intentions of our hosts and cooks.
On our three day trip to Yokohama, we were able to spend a day and the morning that we left with Teto Sensei. We learned a lot from Teto Sensei, and the topic that he emphasized the most was the importance of eating foods that were produced naturally. For success, to be able to do good, successful and productive things one had to eat healthy and be healthy. I thought that maybe this was a little more important than I was giving it credit for.
When we were in Yokohama, we had the chance to go up the Landmark Tower Building, which is 296 meters tall and is the second highest structure in Japan after the Tokyo Tower. We went to the observation floor which is on the 69th floor of the building. This building has the fastest elevator in Japan. At times the speed of the elevator goes up to 700+ kilometers per hour. This was also an amazing experience. Yokohama is a beautiful city, with the sea, with its well planned city structure and its sweet wind called Hamakaze that seems to leave a special taste of its own. Who knows, maybe I will get the chance to walk in the Yokohama port and feel that delicious wind in my hair again.
Mata Aimashoo Yokohama… Hope to see you again…
I loved Yokohama. It was not because I saw the sea in this city that I was visiting for the first time. It was not because I saw the bridges that reminded me of the ones in Istanbul. It was not because I was able to look at Yokohama from those bridges. And it was not because I visited the rose gardens. It was not feeling the cool, gentle yet strong wind that made me happy. In Yokohama I was caught up in the strong stream of love and friendship that warmed up my heart in a way which is hard to describe. I have been experiencing this quite a lot in Japan in this trip, and I had thought I would get used to it.
My visit to the Yokohama Center of Shumei ended in a quite emotional scene at the train station. When the Narita Express Train going to Tokyo Narita Airport left the station, there about nine or ten Japanese teachers and friends who had come to the station at those early morning hours to send me and a Turkish friend of my mine off to our journey back home to Turkey. They waited till the doors were closed. There was so much love and care that I could not hold the tears in my eyes any longer. This was what true friendship was about.
Teto Sensei, who is the head of the Shumei Yokohama Center not only came to the train station that early morning, but even got on the train to check that we were safely seated in our reserved seats. He sent us on our journey like one would his children or siblings. That morning it was hard on my heart to leave these friends who had wrapped us so strongly in love during our stay in Yokohama. And you know what, I feel like they have sent a part of their hearts with us to İstanbul with the intention of protecting us and caring for us.
I started the story with our departure from Yokohama, yet it may be better to go a little back and start with how it all began.I had met Teto Sensei a couple of months earlier when he was visiting Istanbul. I had thought that he had a calm, tranquil and peaceful energy that makes the people with him feel the same tranquility. To be able to know and appreciate him better, I needed to go to Japan.
When we arrived in Yokohama, Teto Sensei was out of the city due to the opening of the Miho School of Shumei. When we arrived to Yokohama from Tokyo, Sakurai Sensei and two other ladies from the Shumei Yokohoma Center greeted us where we were to exit the station. And they took us to the dinner organized by Mr. and Mrs. Namimoto who would be our hosts in our stay in Yokohama. We found ourselves in a very elegant Italian Restaurant sitting at a long table with lovely new friends from Yokohama. The location was wonderful and a dinner with endless and delicious dishes were being served. We are grateful for this wonderful welcoming. At the end of the dinner I was really touched by the cake that came to the table. It was decorated with the Turkish and the Japanese flags. A group picture was taken with this cake and to our surprise each one of us received a copy of this picture even before we left the restaurant. I think we were about 13 people at that dinner. What a wonderful welcoming. ... I would like to give the Namimoto Family a special and heartfelt thanks for their genuine hospitality. Mr. Keiji and Mrs. Eiko Namimoto with their son who is an architect, welcomed us to Yokohama just like a parent. I wish them the best from my heart.
We were the guests of this sweet couple for three days. They were full of love; they were so gentle. They had a special elegance and grace. In the mornings we would wake up to the day with the wonderful music Mr. Keiji Namimoto would play for us, coming softly up from the living room to our bedrooms upstairs. His wife Mrs. Eiko Namimoto is an excellent cook. The perfect welcoming dinner was a reflection of their fine taste. Mrs. Namimoto woke up at 04:45 one morning to cook us home made bread. She baked three different kinds of bread for us that morning. And they were so delicious. We cannot thank her enough for her kindness and thoughtfulness.Later on we would learn that Teto Sensei had a big input in the wonderful meals prepared at the Namimoto residence as well. To make sure that we had healthy foods, Teto Sensei had brought all kinds of goods from sugar to salt, from flour to salad materials that were all grown with Shumei Natural Agriculture methods, into the house from all around Japan. Shumei Natural Agriculture is a method of natural farming developed by the founder of Shumei, Mokichi Okada, who is known as Meishusama, Master of Light. This is a method of farming that is respectful to nature and emphasizes sustainability. Last year I started to grow vegetables in our family garden with this method. Also in Turkey in the city of Samsun, rice is grown with Shumei Natural Agriculture methods, and we have the chance and privilege to consume rice that is both very healthy and also delicious.
The day that we went to the Shumei Yokohama Center, we were to see different surprises. The center was decorated with Turkish and Japanese flags. Quite a large group filling the Center welcomed us with a huge banner that was decorated with Turkish and English words of Hello and Welcome. The word for welcome in Turkish is ‘Merhaba’. And not only the banner has this word on it, but also a group of 30-40 people were saying ‘merhaba’, welcome, in Turkish to us as we were entering the center. And in the background I could hear Mozart’s Turkish March playing. And I thought: What a group of sensitive, loving and thoughtful people...
The day that we went to the Shumei Yokohama Center, we were to see different surprises. The center was decorated with Turkish and Japanese flags. Quite a large group filling the Center welcomed us with a huge banner that was decorated with Turkish and English words of Hello and Welcome. The word for welcome in Turkish is ‘Merhaba’. And not only the banner has this word on it, but also a group of 30-40 people were saying ‘merhaba’, welcome, in Turkish to us as we were entering the center. And in the background I could hear Mozart’s Turkish March playing. And I thought: What a group of sensitive, loving and thoughtful people...
There we had the opportunity to give a short talk to Shumei members. They had prepared a special Taiko drum performance for us as well as a concert where we could listen to different Japanese instruments. We also sang the famous Japanese song 'Sakura' together. During the two days that we visited the Center, we had the chance to eat meals prepared with Shumei Natural Agriculture ingredients. First we thought that the meals were prepared by professional cooks. Later on we discovered that the meals were prepared by volunteers at the Shumei Center. They were prepared by ladies who took the time to prepare special dishes for us. I am glad that I was able to meet these wonderful cooks and thank them in person with my limited Japanese. I want to thank them again with all my heart; I could feel that they put their love in the food that they prepared for us. I like Japanese food a lot, yet the food in Yokohama was very special filled with the loving intentions of our hosts and cooks.
On our three day trip to Yokohama, we were able to spend a day and the morning that we left with Teto Sensei. We learned a lot from Teto Sensei, and the topic that he emphasized the most was the importance of eating foods that were produced naturally. For success, to be able to do good, successful and productive things one had to eat healthy and be healthy. I thought that maybe this was a little more important than I was giving it credit for.
When we were in Yokohama, we had the chance to go up the Landmark Tower Building, which is 296 meters tall and is the second highest structure in Japan after the Tokyo Tower. We went to the observation floor which is on the 69th floor of the building. This building has the fastest elevator in Japan. At times the speed of the elevator goes up to 700+ kilometers per hour. This was also an amazing experience. Yokohama is a beautiful city, with the sea, with its well planned city structure and its sweet wind called Hamakaze that seems to leave a special taste of its own. Who knows, maybe I will get the chance to walk in the Yokohama port and feel that delicious wind in my hair again.
Mata Aimashoo Yokohama… Hope to see you again…
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