To Ross, and all of you out there,
Thanks for sharing the exercises. I was wondering where you found the
transcript of Doso Roshi's talk "The Way of Watazumi", was it a book or
periodical? I had somewhere also heard of Watazumi playing long
shakuhachi and covering the holes with his feet and I was interested in
finding out more than just the one anecdote.
Hi Bridget et al.
An edited transcript of a lecture/demonstration given by Watazumido-Shuso
in 1981 appears in the Annals of the International Shakuhachi Society -
Vol. 1 (and only) pp. 189-191. I'd be happy to xerox it for you.
I was going to meet Watazumi during one of my early trips to Japan as we
had a close mutual friend. Unfortunaltely, he passed away before I had the
chance to make his acquaintance. Stories about this legendary figure,
however, abound. I had the pleasure to meet a number of folks who crossed
paths with Watazumi. He was a frequent visitor at the LA Zen Center on S.
Normandie and a good friend of the late Mizumi Roshi, himself a closet
shakuhachi player. (Got to see his collection of flutes in the early
'70's.)
One story that sticks in my mind is an account of Watazumi "disrupting"
(inducing kensho?) a sesshin (week-long meditation) at the zendo with a
miniature shakuhachi he kept on a key chain attached to his belt. Pracing
around the room blowing in people's faces. How's that for a breathing
exercise? Another story involves our beloved Furher - Dan Mayers President
of the ISS - doing cowboy rope tricks to Watazumi's delight. Meeting of
remarkable men, I'd say. The "way" of Watazumi may well be a form of
blowing zen - lighthearted, intense, fresh & alive - best conveyed by
acedote.
My best to everyone.
Monty
Monty H. Levenson
Tai Hei Shakuhachi Flutes
P.O. Box 294
Willits, CA 95490
Tel.:707-459-3402
FAX: 707-459-3434
e-mail: monty@pacific.net
Web Site: http://www.pacific.net/~shakuhachi
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