Perceiving and saying 'Yes!'
“In Japanese cultural traditions, the act of emulating works of great predecessors is called honka-dori, “taking up the melody.” Not scathed as mere copying, it is regarded as a praiseworthy effort.” Hiroshi Sugimoto When I saw the seascapes taken by Hiroshi Sugimoto years ago, they…
“Do you drink tomato juice when you’re not flying?”, I ask my elegant seat neighbor on the plane. We have been sitting in friendly silence since our take-off from Cologne. My question opens a conversation that continues well past our landing at Napoli airport. She…
The broad river beneath me, an office workday behind me. When I closed the door, I decided not to go home yet, but to the fairground. I have been watching them putting up the fun rides for a while now from a distance. The skyline…
Historically, the hull of Japanese houses was composed of wood and clay on wickerwork with a wooden casing often made from cedar. The wood darkens with time. Windows and doors can be completely shut. That is nice during the summer heat, I imagine. Many of…
The day is flooded with rain and clouds. Yet it is still warm outside. Cyclists in simple ponchos and intensely colored waterproofs whiz past me. I buy the largest transparent umbrella available and start out. The Kyoto subway system is organized by color and number…
This town surprises me every day. Often I feel as if I am just superficially grasping at the surface of things. I wish I could come back and discover more. Temples, gardens, and historic places seem to invite me in. A lot of these places…
At the airport’s passport checkpoint there are flowery stickers and handwritten notes next to the official signs. On the train from the airport to the city, we get a pretty little pink slip for a ticket made from sturdy paper with a lot of characters…
“Ich bin an diesem Wochenende auf eine liebevolle Weise, zur inneren Ruhe und Zufriedenheit gekommen. Diese hat sich auch nachhaltig im Alltag fortgesetzt. Vielen Lieben Dank” Klaus “Danke für das wohltuende und belebende Wochenende unter deiner aufmerksamen Leitung. Schon die erste Übung zur Wahrnehmung von…