New Years in Japan

Welcome my friends,
I spent a couple of weeks over the holidays in Japan doing some workshops and live events which were wonderful and unique. My friend and student Mikoto Seto set up an event called JoOn (which means purifying sound) in Kobe Japan. It was intended to help us clear and clean our minds and hearts for the upcoming year. To give thanks for the blessings of this past year and of the gifts of our lives. 
The event was held in a beautiful old Kominka (old house meant for gatherings). Mikoto-san not only hosted us all, but she also cooked a wonderful Indian style meal and taught a rejuvenating yoga class.

She and her wonderful husband Taka-san, pulled together a team of helpers which included translator Izumi-san (flew down from Tokyo), photographer Hiro-san (flew down from Tokyo) and cook Keiko-san. And a nice treat for me was a harp player Kuriko-san (who also came down from Tokyo). She played a beautiful lap harp which she hand carved out of cherry wood and built herself. It's tone was pure and angelic and combined with her healing energy, was a breath of fresh air for everyones spirits. This was her first concert and she did very well. She was creative in her ideas and was a good listener in our collaboration.

We had fun signing t-shirts and hoodies after the event.
 

Mikoto-san has since decided that she would like to do these events three or four times per year as a tradition, celebrating the opening of our hearts into new horizons and to give thanks for the lives we are being given moment to moment. Our next one will be in May followed by another in August and then again in December. Come join us if you find your selves in beautiful Japan. 
 

Retreat at Jai Soham

Another year end event was held in Hiroshima at a beautiful health and healing institute called Jai Soham, run by Megumi Uemori. She invited me to come there as a part of her New Years yoga and cleansing retreat to present classes in both Nada Yoga and Native American spirituality. 
She has created a substantial community of people who are dedicated to healthy living for themselves and for the community in general. They have classes and trainings in topics such as yoga, aroma therapy, reiki, nutrition, acupressure and much more. 
Megumi-san is also quite an artist and actually designed and remodeled the building that the institute is in. Like her own energy, her taste in design is very organic and sophisticated which greatly supports the high quality energy of the students and staff working there. 

While I was there, each evening they held an impromptu musical event for the students and some of the local community. The first night was a total improvisation with didgeredoo player Daisuke-san and guitarist Anderson-san. We had a fun time finding some common ground and sharing our voices with each other and the audience. And then on the second night, we did a collaboration which I had never done before - improvising music to a "hair cut". In years past I have accompanied flower arranging, poetry, performance yoga, painting and all sorts of dance, but never have I created music for live hair cutting and color design. It was actually really fun since Daisuke-san (who played Didg the night before) was a very creative and expressive hair designer. 

The whole community there in Hiroshima was a delight to be with. I am so honored that they invited me into their circle. Later this summer I will return there to deepen the classes and present more music. It will be great to reconnect with them all again. 

So we are into the New Year now and I am looking forward to a music filled 2013 with you all. If my travels do not bring us the chance to meet face to face, I do hope that we can stay in touch through the vibrations of our vision, good intentions and heart connection. 
Many blessings and smiles to you and yours,
Ty