Kazane, Sound of the Wind Kazane

In this episode, I speak to Reverend Shoshin Ichishima, abbot at the Senzoji Temple in Chiba-ken, Japan, and Professor Emeritus at Taisho University in Tokyo. Ichishima sensei is also the teacher or Monshin sensei, who I spoke to on episode 3 of this podcast.

Ichishima sensei and I spoke on the day the Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in Japan, talking about his experiences teaching Buddhism around the world, including a fire-ceremony that appeared in the local papers in San Fransisco, when it put an end to a drought.

At eighty-two years old, Ichishima sensei is as active as ever, still guiding his students and disciples through the Tendai tradition. You can catch him through the weekly sessions at the Tendai Buddhist institute in New York through this website: https://www.tendai.org/

Star Wars as Spiritual practice

Kozan and I met through Zen Takai, our mutual Bushido sensei, and immediately connected through our interest in martial arts, Reiki and the Force (maybe one and the same?). In this conversation, he shares about how the Jedi Playbook came to be, and describes his recent encounter with Zen Takai Sensei.

Check out the new Jedi playbook website at www.jediplaybook.com where you can find the oracle deck Kozan san used in this episode for my reading, as well as other cool merch.

Listen to Kozan’s interview with me on his podcast here: https://youtu.be/KBKzRbNq4XM

And don’t forget to follow the @jediplaybook on Instagram!

PS. If you are interested in learning intuitive tarot where you don’t need a book for the meanings, check out my short online course here: https://www.gasshocenter.com/product-page/intuitive-tarot-course

I didn’t know much about Tendai Buddhism until reading about it in Frans Stiene’s wonderful book “The Japanese Art of Reiki,” after which I started researching about it and also Mikkyo (Esoteric Buddhism or Tantric Zen). That is how I found the Tendai Buddhist Institute in NY, and started attending their weekly online services led by the Temple’s head, Rev. Monshin Paul Naamon.

Not only a scholar (he is retired as Interdisciplinary Professor at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Asian Studies and Human Biology) and a Tendai Buddhist Priest and Secretary General of the Japanese Tendai Buddhism in North America, Monshin Sensei is a very charisamatic character with a great sense of humour, and I am so deeply grateful for the time he took to speak to me about his life and work.

I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.

Here are a few topics we covered:

· Difference between Tendai and Zen Buddhism

· Monshin’s personal journey from Judaism to Zen and Tendai

· Ecounter with his sensei, introduction to Tantric Zen (Esoteric) Buddhism – Mikkyo

· Physical training on Mount Hiei

If you are interested in learning more and perhaps joining one of the weekly services, check out the website at: http://www.tendai.org/

You are also welcome to check out my interview with Frans Stiene on Episode 1 of Kazane Sound of the Wind, and more of my work at www.gasshocenter.com

Gassho

A Reiki Master’s Top Ten Tips for Vitality and Wellbeing (aside from Reiki!)

Taken from my Youtube live from 30 January 2022. Catch the video on www.youtube.com/c/zarahwindy

Nathalie is a fellow Reiki teacher and martial artist based in NYC. In this episode, she shares how she discovered Reiki many years ago, how her Iaido practice (Japanese sword-drawing) has enhanced her spiritual journey and vice versa.

Says Nathalie: "[Now] I can actually feel my body, so I have more of a kinetic feel, and if you have a kinetic feel, you can actually feel more emotions, more range of emotions. So when I am in Reiki, I can be in my body, and I can process more emotions, I can access more of myself inside my body.”

She has written two books on Reiki, which are both available on Amazon, and co-runs a group on Facebook for Reiki and martial arts practitioners called Shin Shin Kaizen.

When I shared with Nathalie some of my own frustration with my new martial arts practice, she had these encouraging words to say: “If you’re not frustrated, that means you are not practicing.” I feel this is true of Reiki as well as it is with martial arts!

For my first guest under the new podcast name Kazane, Sound of the Wind, or KSW, I am thrilled to have Frans Stiene, author of several Reiki books including the Japanese Art of Reiki and co-founder of the International House of Reiki (www.ihreiki.com).

Frans shares his amazing journey from Amdsterdam party animal to authority figure in the Reiki community. His contributions to the practice and the return to traditional forms as transmitted by Reiki founder Mikao Usui are invaluable. To top it off, Frans is a super approachable, fun guy, and I had a blast talking to him!

One of my highlights was Frans’s definition of Reiki in one sentence: “The system of Reiki is a Japanese spiritual practice that promotes to lay bare my true nature.” So simple, beautiful and true.

Listen to the full episode to gain insights on meditation and why some find it impossible, as well as practical tips for reiki practitioners to develop a routine.

Frans is actively teaching online and you can connect with him via his website mentioned above.