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:

http://www.shumei.org/mag-online/online.html

Hope that you enjoy.

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...

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.

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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.

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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…

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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…


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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

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.

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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.

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.

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...

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…

Fethiye with Snow on the Mountains

I came to Fethiye last night after about a month. It is interesting to see that there is still snow on the mountains. Last night the streets were wet in Dalaman when I arrived and Fethiye was much cooler than I expected. I missed this lovely piece of the world. No matter how much I like travelling, I love coming back home. My zodiac sign is Gemini and maybe like the air elemen this sign belongs to I love travelling and flying to different places of the world. I like change, trying new things and meeting new people. Yet may be because I was born on the first day of the sign, there are some astrologists who consider that day the second day of the month of Gemini, on May 22 I see myself display some Taurian qualities at strange times. Of course if you ask a Kabalistic Astrologist, he or she may say that is only natural since I am born in the sign of Taurus according to Kabalistic Astrology, which takes into consideration both signs, one determined by the sun and the other by the moon.

I was not going to talk about astrology, where did this come from now? Well, today is May 22 and it is my birthday. Birthdays definitely change their meaning as the years pass, at least for me. For the last few years I feel like I am at the completion of a project at the end of each age. Not better or worse, but as if one adventure ended and a new one will begin. As I have been studying various energy healing techniques over the years, I am becoming more and more sensitive to the energy that seems to welcome us at our birthdays. A new energy, a new package of possibilities arrives at our doorstep on our birthday and stay with us for about a year. Of course as the end of our birth year approaches, the energy of the coming year can be felt a little as well. As there is a specific energy available for us each and every day, there is a different energy available for us starting with our birthdays every year. There are 22 main energy times with many many variations. Therefore you will probably experience some similar energies over your life time, yet some you may experience 3-4 times and some maybe only once.

Maybe that is one of the reasons all teachings ancient and new talk about the importance ‘being in the now’ and ‘experiencing today’. The same energy may never be available to you again. And this is a good thing. Life continuously brings us new opportunities and changes. As I look ten years back today, I would have never ever imaged myself sitting in front of my computer on a cloudy but wonderful Fethiye morning writing an article for the Land of Lights newspaper in Fethiye. I was a person of plans, so I indeed had many plans and programs, and they did not turn out to be as I planned. Yet, I am also thankful that they did turn out the way they actually did.

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When I was in Japan, I had the chance to stay at the home of a wonderful family while I was visiting the headquarters of Shumei, Misono, and The Miho Museum in the Shigaraki Mountains. The family had two wonderful kids, Haruka-Chan, age 6, and Chisato-Chan, age 3.

And if I remember correctly on the third day of my stay in their home, we discovered that their mother, Sachiko-San was born on the same day as I. The same day, May 22nd, 1970.

It was a nice surprise, and I was not surprised at the same time. I had felt very close to this joyful, happy, loving and caring woman from the first moment I saw her. Maybe it was from seeing the piano in their home, or it was her smile, or her natural and peaceful care. In her approach to life, there is joy, there is happiness and love, all very natural and true. Today I cannot help but think of my ‘twin sister’ in Moriyama, Japan. I wish you a very happy birthday Sachiko-San. And hope to see you soon in Turkey or in Japan.


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As I got together with a friend late last night, I got good news and bad news at the same time. ... I learned that one of my precious friends in Fethiye, Rose, lost her beloved daughter. It is hard to find the words... I just want to send Rose my love and wish her strength and patience...

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This week I would like to end by sharing a short section from Michael Gelb’s famous book How To Think Like Leonardo Da Vinci:

“You can witness an ironic testament to Leonardo’s lament when you next visit the Louvre. As you approach the Mona Lisa, you will see a number of signs, written in large letters and different languages, reading: “No Flash Photography, Please.” As you attempt to take in the subtleties of this most mysterious of all paintings, you’ll find yourself almost blinded by the stroboscopic effect of the nonstop camera flashes of the Philistines who never bother to stop and actually look at the painting.”

...

May your days be filled with love and light,
Zeynep.

With Love from London

It has been interesting couple of weeks for me. I was in London twice in September and met with friends from the London Centres of The Kaballah Center and the Japanese Organisation Shumei. I also got the chance to see friends who live in London. Although I attended a lot of spiritual groups and had the chance to do a lot of energy work, two of the highlights of my trips were to watch “Les Miserables” at West End (Thank you Tom and Rosie ) and to go to Arsenal Stadium to watch the Champions League soccer game of Arsenal and Porto.

I have a lot to share. However, I would like to start with a TV program I saw a few days ago after I came back to Turkey. It was the Oprah Show and the guests were the Turkish doctor, the famous heart surgeon, Dr. Mehmet Oz and the famous physiatrist Dr. Brian Weiss. Those of who have been following my column know that I really admire the work of Dr. Brian Weiss. Most of his books are also available in Turkish. On the show they were talking about the work Dr. Weiss has been doing on hypnosis. When Dr. Weiss was the head of the psychiatry department of the Mount Sinai hospital in the US, one of his patients regressed to what he calls a past-life in a hypnosis session. Since he did not believe in such things, he just went on with the sessions as a part of the treatment because the other treatment methods were just not working. His patient’s problems started to improve, however what made him believe was not the improvement in his patients, but the information the patient started giving about his child and his father who both had passed away. How can I explain his entire story and his books in a few paragraphs? I definitely recommend reading his books. It was quite amazing seeing him on the Oprah Show. Dr. Mehmet Oz said “Keep an open mind and observe what is happening.” I agree.

I also loved an example Dr. Brian Weiss gave about people. He said: “We are all like ice cubes. We have our definite shapes and corners and we are separate. To ice cubes, add heat energy and you get water. We think we are separate. Add energy, love energy and we become a sea. Love in the organising wisdom.”

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I have written about my problems with my ankles and the relief I found with Reiki and healing methods. Well, my trust in my healing techniques was tested again in my first trip to London in September. On the evening of the 16th of September, as I was walking to return to my hotel, I fell in the street and I hurt my ankles. I was on my way back from the home of my cousin Reyhan. Her husband Mehmet just started London Business School for his MBA and he was walking me back to the Baker Tube Station. And I knew I was tired, but I was not aware that I was this tired. Suddenly my ankle turned, and I found myself falling face down in the street. I knew this was not going to be good. I tried to stand up, but it was not possible. Mehmet called a cab as I sat on the sidewalk waitinh and then I literally crawled into the taxi. On the way to the hotel I started giving Reiki to myself and applying my other visualization techniques. I was supposed to be flying back to Istanbul the next day. Was I going to be able to go to the Airport? How would I get there? How to get on the flight, how to go to my apartment in Istanbul? All these thoughts were racing in my mind. I was in quite a lot of pain. This was not a light injury. Well, that night Mehmet helped me walk to my room from the taxi and brought me ice. He had the class the next day and it was past midnight, so I sent him home.

I spent the whole night resting and giving myself energy. My hotel was in Swiss Cottage and very close to the London Centre of the Japanese Shumei Organisation. They use the energy healing technique called Jyorei. In London they start their morning activities at 7 am. So I woke up at around 6:30: My ankle was still a little swollen on the inner side, but I was able to walk. Not totally comfortable, but I was able to walk without any bandages or support. Well, I did not have any anyway. The pain was not completely gone, but was nothing like the night before. So I got up, got dressed and walked to the Centre. When we injure ourselves, sometimes rest is needed. I did not have that time. Also, it is usually harder to work on ourselves in an injury. Anyway, that morning Sensei Joe Amanai and Hiro-San gave me Jyorei. Hiro is from the Paris Centre of Shumei and he was in London for Shumei’s 11th European Anniversary Ceremony. I thank them both from my heart.

Well, that noon I got on the Tube to Paddington, took the Heathrow Express Train and flew to Istanbul. All on my own and carrying my own suitcase.  I have written about my injures that took weeks and weeks to heal many times. I do not want to keep on repeating. However, I was reminded again that energy healing works and works wonderfully. I do wonder though why I needed the reminding.

With lots of love and light,
Zeynep


Angel of the Week: Beauty

Affirmation of the Week:“The joy I find in my career is reflected in my overall happiness.”
By Louise L. Hay

Quote of the Week:
“Genuine beginnings begin within us, even when they are brought to our attention by external opportunities.”
William Bridges

Zeynep’s Book Recommendation of the Week:“Many Lives Many Masters” By Dr. Brian Weiss
The Turkish translation of the book may be found under the name “Birçok Yaşam Birçok Üstat”.

Two Roads Diverged, Which One to Take?

Sometimes, talking is too much. Words are too much. Or are they too little?

But what are we to do if that is all that we have at hand?


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Emotions are more difficult to handle than thoughts. They need and require to be handled with honesty.

I am back in Fethiye for quite a long while. I really missed this city. I feel complete when I am here and feel connected to a different part of my soul that I seem to connect only here.

Then I will be going to Japan for a few weeks. I will be visiting various sites of the Japanese Shumei Foundation mainly in the Osaka, Kyoto and Okayama regions. I feel very close to the Japanese traditions. The Japanese energy healing and balancing technique “Reiki” is one the techniques that I use the most. Reiki is a wonderful energy, gentle, intelligent and strong.

The other Japanese energy technique that I learned this winter is called “Jyorei” It is a technique developed by the founder of the Shumei Foundaiton, Mokichi Okada. Mokichi Okada is also known as Meishusama “Master of Light.” Jyorei is a frequency that supports the purification of the soul, and to create health, prosperity and happiness in our daily lives.

The Shumei Foundation, through supporting energy purification healing technique Jyorei, through supporting natural agriculture and supporting art and increasing the awareness of the importance of beauty in our lives, wants to help create a peaceful and better world. The Shumei Foundation is a UN recognised NGO.

*

I am excited about this trip. Naturally I am excited when I am to visit new places.

However, I feel that this will be different. On May 4th, I will have the chance to give a short speech in front of a couple of thousand Japanese people in Misono, at the Meishuhama Hall at the Shigaraki Mountains north of Kyoto.



I am excited not because I will visit this sacred location or talk in front of such a crowd.

It was in a meditation that I heard a voice say “When you go to Kyoto, you will find some missing parts of your soul”...

I feel it to be true. I feel that something new waits for me and I am at a loss for words to describe it.

*

What to do when I am at a loss for words?

Then I turn to poetry.

I used to write poems; much more that I do now.

I was not that fond of prose. I loved poems.


*

I love Robert Frost’s poems. I think I read them first when I was in 8th or 9th grade.

In my freshman year in college my best friend’s sister gave me a book by M. Scott Peck, “The Road Less Travelled”. This was during the Thanksgiving holiday in 1988 in Boston. Looking back I feel that my journey might have begun with that book Renin game me. I was impressed and happy and sad and motivated. It definitely is a timeless book.

Remembering my own travels, I want to share with you Robert Frost’s famous poem of diverging roads. I see that there is a path, and with our choices we move along. I believe that we decide on a path as we plan to come to this world. How we decide to act when we start walking seems to be more difficult.

The Road Not Taken

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence;
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I –
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

….

How do I choose my path?

I cannot help but think that at each step, I am creating my life and destiny. However, I also believe that there is also a best scenario waiting to be discovered.

What to do? I try to take the one road that seems to call me - the one that my heart and soul wants. I believe that when I am able to listen to my mind, my heart and soul in union – then gateways open, even new roads are created. I believe that we are meant to discover our bliss when we are willing to hear.

I believe that– that has made the difference for me.


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And I would like to share some inspiration from Eileen Caddy's book “Opening Doors Within”. She is one of the founders of the Findhorn Foundation in Scotland. In October 2007 and in February 2008, I had the chance to meet various teachers from Findhorn. This is a community that is trying to make sustainable living possible on this planet. I am also thankful for their efforts and their contribution to Turkey.
From “Opening Doors Within”:

“It is important that there is balance in every situation at all times. You will find when everything you undertake is done under My guidance, there will always be perfect balance. That is why you have to allow life to unfold without trying to force anything, for as you do, nothing can go wrong and nothing can be out of timing. It does not mean that you sit and do nothing, expecting everything to fall into your lap. You have to keep ever alert; you have to keep your consciousness raised; you have to expect the very best; you have to have faith that all is very, very well. You have to wait upon Me in absolute faith and confidence. You have to know without a shadow of a doubt that I AM your constant guide and companion. You have to know that your ways are guided by Me and by Me alone, so that every step you take is firm and sure and everything you do is done in love.”

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As Leroy Bornlow said “There are times when silence has the loudest voice”.

May you find your answers in the sweet silence of your soul. Please listen.

May all your paths always be filled with love and light.

Z.


______________________________________________________________________
Affirmation of the Week:
“I am excited about growing and becoming even more of who I am.”
By Angeles Arrien
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Quote of the Week:
“What I am looking for is a blessing that’s not in disguise.”
Kitty O’Neill Collins
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Suggested Reading:
“Tuesdays with Morrie” By Mitch Albom.
This book is one of my favourites of all times. There is also a movie of this book out, with Jack Lemmon as Morrie.
The Turkish translation of the book may be found under the name “Öğretmenim Mori ile Salı Buluşmaları”.