More adventures!

Too many days since my last post. It's a really busy trip this time, and not as much free time for adventures or writing. All good! And many exciting things happening.



So finally...
This is a flower off a giant shrub on one of my walks. Above is a park sign to keep people's pet out so they don't kill the wild life - sympathetic appeal rather than direct orders!

Been learning quite a bit about the Japanese perspective this trip. Some from client sessions and work meetings, but also Japanese friends who are more comfortable sharing with me, as well as those involved in the volunteer efforts to the tsunami areas. Many people are looking at big changes, having to let go of 'how it has always been' especially those who now need to find a different home. The government has stopped supplying aid and with no plan to reestablish schools or government offices in tsunami areas it deems a bad idea to rebuild. There is some wisdom in this, but the people are averse to leaving, even though the flooded areas are buried under toxic mud. It is hard for Americans to imagine living on the same land as ancestors back hundreds of years. I was told that for them, leaving that spot would be like leaving a child. The land is part of the family. Also, since WWII, the cost of homes was so out of reach, that most have mortgages that will last for several generations, and they do not want to leave that which their grandparents and parents worked so hard for.



This cute little snack was left on my desk by a student at the seminar! Filled with chocolate.
The shot above right is my friend Stacey with me at a historic home turned restaurant in the Tokyo suburb of Saitama. We had an amazing 10 course, 2 hour meal, served by ladies in kimono, sitting in the elegant setting which looked out on this garden. The tree is a 100 year old Pomegranate. Quite a treat which would not have been possible without Stacey's command of the language and customs. She has been teaching English in Tokyo for 21 years.

Here's more beautiful food. They pride themselves in the feast for the eyes as much as the stomach! Everything was delicious, except the green frothy tea stuff served with desert, which was too bitter for my taste. It's what is served in the traditional tea ceremony. Below is the first course, and Stacey displaying the 2nd course. The place mat is the written history of the family.



After lunch, we took a walk around the city park. Hard to photograph as it was turning towards dark. The whole lake is circled in 200 year old cedar trees and used to be a marsh. There was a Shinto shrine in jutting into the lake (touching my forehead!), amidst playgrounds and a padded running track.



During the last 3 days, I have been working so I didn't get out much, but amused myself with TV adventures. Watched the Japanese version of MTV, a special "Teenage Lock Fest 2011." I am getting used to the interchangeable use of L and R, since there are so many slip ups I make in their language! The crowds at the concert all had matching fans that they waved. Great idea - I imagine they hand them out at entry - keeps everyone cool. One of the bands was named "Shit Happening!"

The good news for today is that the company has decided that they will definitely publish one of my projects. My Spirit Blocks, which will be a tool to help students 'play' with the idea of calling in guides. I will be developing a board and graphic images (good thing I know how to do this!) as well as a complete instruction book. So, I'll be busy when I return home. The seminars and sessions are going well, and I am always relieved to move past the '2nd meeting' phase, which is where we discuss plans for the next trip and promotions. Also, where I am on the spot to make YouTube videos and am interviewed for their magazine. Lots of thinking and being well behaved! But today felt like a big breakthrough for us all. Everyone left very satisfied and feeling like a powerful team.

Looking forward to a day off tomorrow, though I may just stay put. There's a typhoon moving through. Don't worry, it's quite a ways away, but we'll experience enough rain to put a major damper on exploration!

Love to all,
Daeryl

Big Rain!!!

On my day off, Friday, I decided to get out of the heat by going to the harbor. Ocean breezes...water...open space...sounded like a great idea. Left early and had my first experience with super crowded subway trains. Even so, people are very polite and respectful of personal space, including men giving up seats to elders and women with children. This "manners" sign in the subway shows people what not to do!



This clock really tells time - I spotted it from the station where I changed trains. The architecture always amazes and amuses! It's hard to tell, since the sky is grey, but the building below was like a giant erector set, with the big ball floating in space. Not sure what it is exactly, but I thought, "What an office space!"


When I arrived at the harbor, having randomly chosen a park area on the water, I discovered a mini Statue of Liberty with a back drop of a super long span bridge.

Took a lovely walk down by the shore, and wondered why there weren't hardly any people. Then the wind came up, and it started to sprinkle. Not being averse to a little cool moisture (after months in bone dry Texas), I enjoyed the first bit of rain, umbrella in hand under a few trees. Before long, I was standing in a series of little rivulets with pounding rain coming at me sideways! Laughing, I scurried to the nearest shelter, a nice clean little rest room. After squeezing out my skirt and changing into my flip flops, I made a drenching run for it, back up the long path and steps to the hotel/subway complex. Actually, it was really fun. At one point, it was this amazing bonding experience, laughing with the moms, kids, old people, and fancy young girls, as we slogged through puddles and got soaked.

Here, the only one without an umbrella is the statue! When it rains, it really rains here!

Still, it wasn't cold, and after a half hour, my clothes were dry again. Since Friday, it's been cool and continuing to rain. A big relief from the oppressive heat.

I spent some time wandering through an Artist's Market on my way through a subway/hotel/shopping complex. Kind of interesting to see what kinds of crafts were there, some different, some similar. The young lady in the photo was making beautifully intricate designs with scissors, starting with found paper (including receipts, magazine images, etc.). She was really friendly and happy that I was interested in what she was doing, even though we couldn't communicate beyond smiles and pantomime. I was delighted that she would pose for my camera.

Saturday and Sunday, my first days of client sessions. All is going well, and I am delighted when I recognize a person from my previous trips. Today, Monday, I met with two business executives in charge of the publishing department of Synchronicity Japan, as well as the company president. They had asked me to present projects for possible publication in Japan, and so I pulled all sorts of things out of my archives, including my mandala paintings, which I had made into affirmation cards, and my Mandala coloring book. Also, a reading system (complete with guide book) that I designed and used in 1990. They liked all of it, but were mostly thinking about production and costs, so in the end, they are looking into producing something I almost didn't show them because I thought it might be a little silly. These things I call "Spirit Blocks" which you roll to see which of your guides to call in for the day. There would be a small booklet (a chapter from my main book) to go with it. They are also seriously considering translating and publishing my book. I left it all with them to research a bit before I go. I'll hear more in the 2nd meeting which is in a couple weeks. Keep your fingers crossed for me!

I've taken it upon myself to learn the Japanese script, and have discovered the key to unlocking the cryptic labeling on food packaging, bathtub settings, etc. There are three scripts. I initially focused on learning Chinese characters (Kanji), which enabled me to read place names and maps, and kept Steve and I from going into a 'Gentlemen's Club' when looking for a dinner restaurant, but I've switched to learning the other two because you have to read them to learn Kanji from the books. Katakana, is the script used for Japanese words, 104 characters for the syllable sounds. And then there are another 104 syllabic characters for Western words, Hiragana. I feel like a kindergardener again, practicing writing and beginning to read the shampoo bottle, but I think I might just get this. I can even read and write my name!

There have been at least 4 earthquakes that I have felt in the first week while in my 4th story condo. Nothing big, mostly just a wiggly, floaty feeling because the buildings move so well. I think my Japanese hosts are concerned that I'll be worried, since they call me to make sure I'm okay! Glad I grew up in California and know not to panic.

Sleep time for me. Love Daeryl

First Outings

Finally getting my first chance to write. Travel was remarkably easy this time, thanks to an empty seat beside me and a sleeping pill! I actually felt fresh and alert when I arrived.

My first two evening events went well. Lots of new people and interesting questions from the audience. Even sold 9 of my books. Doing a lecture via Ustream was a whole lot more challenging than I thought it might be. Harder to concentrate just drilling my gaze to a camera on the computer, rather than moving about an audience. But received good feedback, so maybe my awkwardness didn't come through for others.

Having arrived and with some free time, I set out to see the Imperial Palace (or what's left of it) and the surrounding gardens. There are many huge walls built in the 1600s that are foundations for castles and guard buildings and fortress walls, and hold back the moats and little lakes.

Close up, you can see the lines in these rocks which upon closer inspection are hand chisel marks. Yikes! That's a lot of manual labor - this section is about 11 feet tall, and probably 3 - 7 feet thick (wider at base).

It was super hot this day, and I could imagine how miserable it would be to wear full multi-layered kimono or samurai gear. This time of year the sound of cicada is almost deafening and has become a sound I most definitely associate with Japan in summer.








Here's one of the massive gates that are made out of huge blocks of cedar, from the large old growth trees that were once abundant. To give an idea of scale, the top of that inset door is about at my shoulder height. There's not much left of the palace, only the foundation. Apparently, there was a massive fire that swept through all of Edo (now Tokyo) in the 1800s that destroyed many of the palace buildings and it was never rebuilt. The Meiji Emperor moved the palace to a new location.







This is an entrance gate, which has stood solid for over 400 years, but recently damaged in the March earthquake. The new "Eiffel" style tower being built, shows a contrast in eras.

The moat went entirely around the compound, with walls this tall or taller, and about 18 guard houses originally. Kind of reminds me of medievel Europe.




Here's another guard house, this one overlooking a lake/moat on the other side, which was also the place the Shogun who had it built liked to watch the fireworks over the main city.

I amused myself noticing the fire extinguisher placed in the doorway (not sure if you can see it here), being as this was one of the only buildings remaining.

It's often a strange experience to wander about by myself, and not without challenges. Where to eat? Am I doing something possibly offensive? Memorizing foreign characters to get to the right place off the subway. Trying to remember a few key phrases of survival Japanese. I am motivated by the opportunity for adventure, and reinforced by the constant source of stimulation and things to see, as well as the overall safety and friendliness of Japanese people. I find that if I stop too long to study a map, I have someone come along who insists on helping me get to exactly where I'm wanting to go, even though that is impossible for me to explain to them!
Friday I had a day off, and went on another adventure...this time in torrential rain...but I'll get to posting that story and photos after my first day of sessions tomorrow.

Thanks for sharing the journey!
Daeryl

Getting ready for my next trip...

Only a month away, and I am excited to return to Japan. I anticipate many changes since my winter trip, which was just before the March 11 earthquake and tsunami.

I worked with 30 clients via skype in May and June, and was heartened to hear that for many, life goes on relatively unaltered, though there seems to be an renewed motivation to find in life that which has meaning and not waste time in ways that are not working. My own experience has also taught me to heed the 'wake up' calls that propel us towards our true soul path of purpose, rather than being stuck in the 'shoulds' of our programming.

Summer in Tokyo will be very hot and humid, as usual. But this trip, the added challenge will be reduced air conditioner use, as Tokyo received a good deal of electricity from the damaged nuclear power plants. Glad I have my Japanese folding fan, and the tolerance for heat built up over the last few months of scorching weather at home.

I welcome questions, and suggestions for things to check out here in Tokyo, and near by. I've seen many temples, historic sites and museums, so this next trip, my explorations will take me out in nature, to see the waterfalls, rivers and mountains.

Many blessings,
Daeryl