Dear All,
First, let me mention that I live in Pentagon City (1/3 mile from the
Pentagon). The gaping hole in the side of the building is darkly
visible from the rooftop of my apartment building. Even as I write, the
rescue attempts are continuing.
It is no secret: the conflict in the world is really a magnification of
the conflict in ourselves.
Real change cannot occur by conflict (armed, personal, or otherwise).
We must take up the arduous task of beginning with ourselves. This is no
revelation.
We all agree that the shakuhachi is a marvelous mirror to spur
individual change. However, I'd like to share one shakuhachi anecdote
that relates well to this week's nightmarish events.
Recently, I had the opportunity to look at Yokoyama Katsuya's
autobiography "Shakuhachi no miroku." In it, he relates about his
father's unswerving devotion to crafting shakuhachi during World War
II. During the air raids, when everyone else had been evacuated from
their homes, Yokoyama Ranpo stayed behind. There, he tirelessly crafted
shakuhachi- for the kamikaze. So that each would have his own
instrument before the inevitable.
This was a shocking revelation. The history of the komuso also
challenges the idea that the shakuhachi was predominantly used for
meditation. Being ex-samurai, many were more likely using their komuso
identity as a cover to continue their less than spiritual "samurai"
activities.
These less than inspiring parts of the shakuhachi tend to be excluded
from the way shakuhachi is frequently represented. However, if our goal
is understanding ourselves (conflict and all), I think we must embrace
the whole history of the instrument and the people who play(ed) it. We
also need take a break frequently to embrace each other.
Let's hope for peace.
Adam Friedman
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