Friday, February 4

This is how plants are protected from the cold here!

After listening to friends back in Marfa relaying stories of frozen pipes and 5 degree weather, I am no longer going to complain about the cold here in Tokyo. In fact, today I took a walk and was actually quite warm in the sun.

Today was a day off, and though I am prepping for tomorrow's seminar - part 2 of the SoulShift series - I still needed to get out a bit. I've been either cooking for myself or dining out with my Japanese coworkers who love to eat western style food. The little bit of Japanese food I have eaten has been kind of disappointing. I imagine there are some great sushi places, but they haven't found me yet!!! My biggest challenge is ordering the right thing in an unfamiliar place, so my big adventure for the day was to sate my craving for a good ole American style hamburger. Though I had to spend about $16 for it, the yummy bacon burger with fries was excellent, and I had a big happy tummy for the first time in a few weeks! Don't worry... the McDonald's image has nothing to do with what I ate! Just thought it a wild contrast.

Today's photos are from my adventure last Monday with Takako. The Mitsubishi family, beginning in the early 1800s as a financial corporation, built this mansion to entertain foreigners, and hired an 'imported' American architect to design it in the western style. It was remarkable in materials and craftsmanship, and amusing to be surrounded by Japanese people who were astounded to be in a western mansion! We had to take off our shoes, and there was no heat in the place. I could easily imagine how miserable it would have been to be a Japanese woman of the late 1800s, sitting sedately in a bundle of kimonos, trying not to shiver.

Then we went to the Nezu Shrine, and had fun walking around in the red gates. I would have loved to take photos of the front of the shrine, but I was greatly discouraged for it would be very disrespectful. Not sure what the little red aprons are about, but this particular shrine had an animal theme of cats. I notice a difference in the Shinto shrines from the Buddhist Temples here. The Shinto shrines are treated as continuing places of personal worship, in the old nature religion way. The Buddhist temples were mainly built during the Shogun eras, and constructed to exhibit the power and wealth of regional rulers.

I'm excited to present Level 2 of my workshop series tomorrow - focus on Love Relationships and Spirit Team. I had 28 students in Level 1, and there are 22 returning for the next step. A huge complement, and I am encouraged in this work that I have focused on for so many years. It is gratifying to finally be recognized as having something valuable to offer, and to be so well received here. In the private sessions, I am able to offer compassion and useful suggestions, especially to women who find themselves in horrible marriages and struggling to find their path. Now I know more fully the value of my crazy experiences!

And some times, when I am not looking for that perfect shot, I just get lucky. What could be better than a bird riding on a bird boat.

Stay warm everyone. More soon...