Two Sufis Two Shamans
Two American Sufi Mureeds, friends for some time on Facebook, finally meet in person in Chungju, Korea. I, Edward, based for more than 40 years in Japan, still doing my best to hold the vibration of the Universal Sufi Message here, though it’s been more in a “hidden” mode the last 20 years. Cybele, based in Korea for more than 20 years, specializing in sacred music, is the founder of the Ureuk World Music House (WMH), a music and artist retreat site in the countryside outside Chungju, with a stage for the performing arts in a traditional Korean lord's house. It is also a “hidden” Sufi retreat and power spot known to some as Sufianna an Nur (Sufi gathering place of Light) and soon to be outwardly known as the Cosmic Light House.
Cybele and I first met virtually during the pandemic through a photo I posted of a sacred tree in Kyoto on the Inayatiyya Facebook group. We decided to meet up when I made a short work visit to Korea in August. Cybele wanted to take me to a sacred shaman nature site nearby in the mountains. The spot is marked by a huge rock spot topped by a dead tree (Cybele said it died immediately after a fence was put around the rock by the local government to keep people from praying there); evidently the mountain spirits were not happy, now again it is a place to offer prayers to Nature. The spot used to be a sacred crossroads for travelers. There is a small alter in front of the rock to make offerings.
As we were thinking and imagining what to offer, and ready to light some incense, we noticed there were already two other Korean local ladies there getting ready to do some kind of ceremony. They said we could watch from a distance, and this is what we saw with our eyes and poem below the photos for what we felt:
Shaman Ladies
Braided bound chords of cloth
Shaken then ripped
Ripping the knots of humanity
two lay shaman ladies
in their daily clothes
standing, bowing with passion
calling upon and
appeasing the spirit of a giant rock
and a dead tree at
ancient crossroad
scared gathering spot.
In sweltering heat their voices barely heard
they call upon the mountain gods and energy
that controls our lives….
my friend and I stand and watch
unexpected sudden guests to this ritual event
us too, hot with the heat of the boiling summer day
watching sacred colors
Red Yellow Black White Blue
symbols of Humanity
weaved and waved by
these believers
in the Spirit of the Land
patient local shamans
global in their intent.
They also have work to do.
Afterwards the ladies followed us to the WMH to get a feel for the place and possibly offer some advice on the energy present there. All I know is that the next morning I had a very special meditation time in my simple, beautiful, private room (too many bugs to sit in the garden as planned). The above poem was inspired in an instant that morning.
After breakfast I helped Cybele with some gardening. Cybele was cleaning up around the big tree at the entrance, partly so we could get the car in and out more easily. My task was to cut and unravel some tenacious vines that had taken over three small fruit trees during the summer. It was not unlike the shaman ladies unknotting the weaved chords they had prepared, clearing the so-called knots in humanity and our relationship with Nature as well.
vines in the trees
battle the sickle
hot sun me
(Haiku by Edo, aka Edward Levinson)
Finally taking a break in the shade under a big tree, sitting on a prime view veranda, I was touched by Murshid Hazrat Inayat Khan’s being. He seemed so pleased that this space in Korea existed and how my spot in Japan balanced with it and how we had created spaces for the Message here in Northeast Asia. Validation in any form is always dear.
Meditation time and hard labor work done, we were ready to take the car and treat ourselves by going out to lunch. Being super cautious driving out the narrow gravel road, we felt a hard bump and heard a shockingly loud hissing. We had hit a sharp rock (invisible to us in the high grass) that demolished the tire. While we waited for the wrecker, the “why” of our predicament came to both of our minds. A rock in the road could be a symbol, but interpretation of that is personal. I'm pretty sure somewhere Murshid’’s teachings it says, "the work of a Sufi is to remove rocks from paths of others" or something similar to that. Could have been Pir Vilayat who said or repeated it. My simple gardener mind always remembers the phrase and image. With extra unexpected effort, we certainly removed that rock from the path! I tossed that now broken thing off the road where hopefully it wouldn’t bother anyone else. I suppose the spirits of the land and the beings who knew we were there wanted us to slow down a bit. And so, we did.
sharp rock on the road
our so-called plans
a blow-out
(Haiku by Edo)
This is some guidance we came across after our untimely tire blowout!
By Edward Levinson with help from the spirit of Cybele.
Cybele is a musician from New York who came upon an abandoned traditional lord's house in the countryside of Korea. Entranced by the spot and the open-air stage of the house's porch, she spent the next 20 years creating a dream and then acquiring and restoring the house as a stage to preserve and promote world performing arts, and gather people in meaningful ways to expand the peace (inner and outer), joy, and connection in the world through music, the creative arts and culture. Cybele on Facebook.
For more info on Ureuk World Music House visit:
www.facebook.com/worldmusichouse
Unpublished poem and haiku copyright Edward Levinson.
Share with discretion.
For Edwards books visit the book page and his essay memoir book page "Whisper of the Land"
To see photos of Edward's Solo Hill Garden and House visit this link.
Local Summer Scenery
Local Summer Scenery ローカルな夏の風景 
A few days ago driving a back road in Kamogawa, a place I often drive by, the summer landscape looked nicer than usual. I stopped the mini-truck in the late hot morning sun and took a few photos of the place. On the left side of the river is a quaint gravel road with some cherry trees on one side and a gone-wild bamboo thicket. The bamboo green looks especially nice this time of year, but can be a nuisance when it becomes invasive. Along bamboo side of the road were the tell-tale signs of development, the orange ribbons tied here and there marking where to cut. In fact, one lot at the beginning of the road was already clear-cut, covered with gravel and now looking very hot. Having a little house along this river would be nice I am sure, but I worry about what the hodgepodge development will look like and what effects it will have on the environment. As I made a u-turn on the dead end road, a small “kyon” deer crossed on its way to the river. These over-populated mini deer can be a nuisance, just like the overgrown bamboo, but they are all living things and deserve our consideration. I hope if I go back during the spring cherry blossom season the place will still have some charm! (one more photo below the Japanese text)（日本語は写真の下にあります。)
数日前に鴨川のいつも使う裏道にドライブしたら,夏の風景が普段より綺麗に見えた。暑い昼前の太陽光で、ｋトラックを止めて、この場所を撮影しました。川の左側に趣のある砂利道があり、その片側に桜の木が並び、向かい側は野生になった細い竹の竹林があります。今の夏の時期に竹の緑色はとても綺麗だ、けれども生い茂ると迷惑になる事があります。竹林側にあったすぐ分かる開発の印、あちこちオレンジのリボンがあって、カットする位置に印を付けています。実際には道の入口の近くに一区画の土地がついでに伐採されて、砂利がしかれて、とても暑そうでした。この川の傍に家があるのは気持ちいいかもしれないけれど、このごった煮てきな開発の事を心配し、環境にどんな影響があるかと考える。行き止まりの砂利道でUターンしながら川へ行く小さいなキョンが道を渡った。今生い茂った竹と同じように、大変溢れているキョンはたしか迷惑ですが、彼らたちも生き物である、私たちの検討に値します。もし春の桜時期にまたこを訪ねたら、まだこの場所は魅力的であるように願います!
Jika Tabi "Earth Shoes"
fall wind 秋の風
takes the unknown road 未知の道行く
spreading wings 伸ばす
aki no kaze, michi no michiyuku, hane nobasu
“As I left my cabin home in the woods of Virginia on a sunny October morning, I sensed the purpose of my trip to Japan was not exactly what I had thought. I planned to be open. I hung up the overalls, put on my best jeans and freshly oiled boots, happy to be on the road again. I wondered what life lessons lay ahead.” (from Whisper of the Land, essay "Unknown Road")
******************
I came to Japan in the fall of 1979 on the wings of wanderlust. It wasn’t long before I figured out Red Wing work boots weren’t the best footwear for visiting people’s homes and temples where you always had to take your shoes off. I soon went to a department store and bought a fashionable pair of Mizuno brand white sneakers.
When visiting an organic farmer in the mountains outside Kyoto I discovered jika tabi, which I was told translated as “earth shoes”. I immediately went to the country store and bought a pair. In my mind they still are the perfect footwear for gardening, especially in small Japanese gardens when walking on delicate moss or odd shaped stepping stones and when working my own small hand dug beds in my garden. They are also great for climbing and trimming trees. Made not of leather but of cloth and rubber, there is something special about the soft way these shoes touch the earth.
So here is a photo of my old work boots which never got much use in Japan and a pair of my favorite jika tabi. To read more about where I have walked in both pairs of shoes check out my memoir-like collections of essays, "Whisper of the Land” from which the above haiku and quote come from. Celebrating the fourth anniversary of its publication, "Whisper of the Land" is on sale for the special price of 1,000 yen ($10) - plus shipping (In Japan 180 yen, outside Japan $5 - special rate) - offer good until Jan 31st, 2019. Please message or email me (edoATedophoto.com) with your email address if interested or order through my website.
http://whisperoftheland.com/buy.html
photos: © Edward Levinson
Fall wind 秋の風
Takes the unknown road 未知の道行き
Spreading wings 伸ばす
「輝く十月の朝、バージニアの森の中のキャビンを去るとき、日本への旅の目的は、必ずしもぼくがこうだと考えている通りではない、とぼくは感じた。そこで予定は立てないことにした。トレードマークの、胸当ての付いたオーバーオールとワークブーツを履いたぼくは、頭の回転の遅い無骨な田舎者のように見えるだろう。そこで、オーバーオールを脱いで一番良いジーンズを穿き、新しくオイルを塗ったブーツを履いた。再び旅に出ることが、ぼくにはうれしかった。今度の旅で、どんなレッスンを受けるのだろう? 東京行き中国航空機はサンフランシスコから飛び立った。」
「ぼくの植え方」岩波書店 より「路上を再び」
“On the Road Again”
**************************************
1979年秋、旅行熱が昂じてぼくは日本にやって来た。「レッドウィング」のブーツでは、常に履き物を脱ぐ他人の家や寺院にはふさわしくない、と気づくのに長くはかからなかった。それでデパートに行き、「ミズノ」のおしゃれな白いスニーカーを買った。
京都郊外の山中にあったオーガニックの農家を訪ねた時、ぼくは「地下足袋」を発見した。英語で「大地の靴」と教えられた。直ぐに村の店に行き、一足買った。ぼくの考えでは、これは今でも庭仕事にふさわしい履き物だと思っている。特に、日本庭園の繊細な苔や変わった形の踏み石の上を歩くときや、手で掘り起こすぼくの小さな庭で仕事をするのには。そしてまた、剪定のために木に登るにはすばらしいのだ。
皮でなく布とゴムで出来たこの履き物には、大地に触れる何か特別なやり方があるのだ。
そういうことで、日本ではそれほど履かなかった古いワークブーツと、僕の大好きな地下足袋の写真がこれです。ぼくがこれらをどこで履いたかについては、個人史的エッセイ "Whisper of the Land”を読んで下さい。上記の俳句もこの本に載っています。
"http://whisperoftheland.com/buy.html
日本語版はエドワード･レビンソン著「ぼくの植え方」岩波書店刊です。ネットでどうぞ。
https://www.iwanami.co.jp/book/b264265.html
Plum Blessings
May 31. I was in Tokyo’s Nogizaka area and having arrived early for a meeting, as usual I went walking into the Nogi Shrine compound. It looked like rain would fall at any moment and it was very dark at 3:00 in the afternoon, but the stone lanterns were lit warming up the mood. Suddenly a wedding procession came out of the office buildings heading for the sanctuary. With just one big bright red umbrella (for the bride in her regal wedding kimono) it made a nice photo. Praise be to the threat of rain and best wishes and blessings for the couple getting wedded on this weekday afternoon.
I slipped off to the side to take some different photos and leave them in privacy. But my attention was drawn back to them when I heard live gagaku traditional Japanese music being performed on the sacred “stage” by 4 or 5 musicians. Its quite unusual to have live music at this kind of small wedding (usually its recorded music, at least that’s what the official wedding photographer told me). I didn’t have a recorder with me, so I turned on the compact camera and hit the video record button, not for the visuals, but to capture the music. (Having a good smart phone would have helped in this situation and unfortunately I seem to have also lost my good mini digital recorder I used to carry around in my waist pouch.) I was thinking maybe I could use some of the music in my new Kyoto movie. Afterward I talked to a shrine maiden who gave me the name of the music group, who aren’t part of the shrine but “freelance” or for hire for weddings etc.
Looking at my watch I was nearly late for my meeting by this time. As walked down the steps leaving the shrine, a green plum (symbol of the rainy season) fell off a tree I hadn’t even noticed and rolled to a stop at my feet. I scooped it up and put it in my pocket as a talisman. This plum from the Nogi Shrine is now shriveling up sitting in my studio, ready to be tossed into my garden along with a little prayer.
**A side note about “plum seeds”: I once read a novel that took place in Tibet, a spiritual peasant’s life tale (I forget the title). The old grandmother of the main character tells him to always return his plum seeds to the soil after eating the fruit. It was maybe 30 years ago that I read that book but I still follow her advice. Those who know me know I love the Japanese umeboshi salted plums. I eat them at home, and when traveling for energy and consider them a “medicinal” food. Most of them are homemade ones from trees in my garden. I always save the seeds to throw somewhere. Sometimes its on a patch of earth under a tree or in a flower planter in Tokyo, or I bring it home to my own garden. On the last trip to France, as I was emptying my pockets before going through security I found a dried seed I had forgotten about. So I stepped out of the terminal building to throw it on a spot of grass under some trees. A security guard was standing outside leaning against the building smoking a cigarette. I didn’t want any trouble so before I tossed it I showed it to him and told him what I was doing. “It’s a ritual, a tradition,” I said, “tossing a seed on the ground of the land I am visiting.” He smiled, more a laugh, and motioned for me to go for it. I pitched it under a tree then headed for my plane home. Always feels good to leave a bit of oneself behind.
A Tree Moves and Grows...
A tree moves and grows in two directions yet oddly it doesn’t go anywhere. The roots go down deep or at the very least spread out horizontally at varying degrees of depth, climbing, spreading, growing underground. But the other half goes up and out, touching the environment in a different way. Its easy to see why this is so symbolical for me. A tree is effecting the earth; while not physically moving, it is growing and contributing something to the world even though to the naked eye it is standing still. And that is the attraction and realization for me and others to my photo "Reflections of Self". A personal, yet universal self portrait.....
木は二つの方向に動き、生長し、奇妙なことにそれはどこにも行かない。根は奥深く地面に入るか、すくなくとも水平に広がり、深さを変えながら地下に伸び、広がって行く。しかし、幹と枝は、 さまざまな方法で環境に触れながら、上に伸び、広がる。このことが私にとって非常に象徴的である理由は簡単だ。木は地球に影響を与えている。物理的に動かず、ふつうの目には動きは見えず、ただ立っているままだが、木は生長して、世界に何かを貢献し、地球に影響を与えているのだ。この私の写真「自己の鏡」は私にとって、また他者にとって、魅力であり認識であるように願う。個人的でありながらかつ普遍的セルフポートレート.....
Moving Forward
burning tired eyes
clears vision
冬の日光 疲れ目に焼き付き ビジョン晴れる
fuyu no nikkō, tsukare me yakitsuki, bijon hareru
“Another years over and what have you done”, I posted on FB Dec 30.
Then I said, on a scale of 1 to 10, I give myself a 5. Fair enough I guess.
12月３０日ＦB でこの言葉をポストしました。
「また一年が終わり、[あなた]はどんなことをしたのだろうか？」
1から10のスケールで、私は自分自身に5を与えるでしょう！まあまあかな。。
and Now….それから……..
"Moving Forward" 「前向きに」（今のところは英語のみ）
Jan.1, 2017 ２０１７年１月１日元旦
Making progress towards something, now a senior (nearly) but young at heart, always telling people I am stuck at 33 years old, the age at which I “retired” to the country life, which is not retirement at all but the beginning of, or continuation of, a never-ending-story as I am fond of saying. So here I sit, New Year’s morning 10AM at the sunny and toasty dining room table, putting down a few thoughts.
Trying to start off “good”, I awoke fairly early and did my meditation before the sun came up. Not super cold today so was able to do it outside under the cherry tree in my usual spot. Last year, I went to the beach to see the sunrise, but this year decided to be “home” in “my spot”, my center of the universe from which I hope to start each day and make a difference in the world.
Though its nice to have the sunrise right before or about half-way through the meditation, this time of year it doesn’t hit my spot until nearly 8AM, so I was in the “shadows of the gods” so to speak. After meditation, I did take two cameras and make a few shots of the symbolic first sunrise of the year.
Now the plan is to have a slow day, with some reflection, and relaxation. I am always amazed by serendipity and synchronicity and being in the right place at the right time. But I like to have guidelines and rules since “rules are for fools”, they say! I like to have a plan. Maybe it’s my temperament to want to make good use of my time, not just my personal time, but to keep my place, to hold my place in the flow of time. And somehow finding that balance point between my will and a greater will which in traditional language I call Divine Will.
So no matter what the new year’s resolutions and goals are, its good to imagine the affect they may have on me and the affect on the whole greater picture.
Here is the short list that should keep me occupied well into the future:
Things to work on:
- the need for better quality sleep and relaxation to recharge mentally and physically (spiritual enlightening dreams would be a bonus)
- the need to better handle the regrets that come in daily life and hang around too long like unwelcome guests — ah the quest for perfection is a good goal but it is a continuous journey
- the need to stay personally sensitive without having sensitivity turn into regret
- the need to channel cosmically felt sensitivity into compassionate action
Things to stay committed to:
- a diet that is good for me, the planet, and all living things
- kindness, big and small…I really enjoy the mini stories that happen
- generosity, big and small, local and global
- keeping the garden as a bridge between humans and raw nature, pretty as a picture, and as metaphor for life
Things that don’t help:
- lack of confidence in what I am doing, even if I think its good and right
- forgetting the bigger picture
- feeling alone…(counterpoint: we are all in this together, so listen to a bird song, a favorite singer, or an inspirational speaker; feel the wind and know that someone somewhere is caressing you)
Things that do help:
- find a phrase or image that inspires, describes, pushes, mirrors, stretches my intentions and will….Remember it with repetitive practice.
- stop and feel the stillness and also keep moving.
As a Buddhist prayer that fits everyone says:
“Be Well, Be Happy, Peace”
January 1, 2017
Morning Looking 朝に見るものは
What do you look at first thing in the morning?
Perhaps still sleepy, do you look out the window to see what kind of a day it is?
Do you look at the face of some loved one who lives with you?
You get up, wash your face, probably make a cup of coffee or tea.
But then what?
Do you peer into the sky? Face the sun?
Look at some green trees or plants, some colorful flowers?
Close your eyes again for a moment, imagine
some inner landscape to greet the new day, to get grounded or ethereal,
whichever is necessary for you on this day.
Or do you wake up, reach for your favorite device and check-in to that world?
I make it a point to avoid those screens for at least the first hour of the day,
that quiet time where it seems easiest to tap into
the source of inspiration and the inner voice.
I don’t always hear it and I may miss a few days, but
its always worth it to make the effort.
Related Reading: "Whisper of the Land” Chapter One “Morning Meditation”
(see one more photo below Japanese text)
「朝に見るものは」
朝一番、あなたは何を見るだろうか？
たぶんまだ眠いだろうが、窓から眺めると、今日はどんな天気だろうか？
一緒に住んでいる愛する人の顔を見るだろうか？
起きあがって、顔を洗って、たぶんお茶やコーヒーを一杯入れる。
しかしそのあとには？
空を眺めるか？ 太陽に向かうか？
緑の木や植物、またはあざやかな色の花を見るか？
ちょっとの間、もう一度目を閉じる、ある内面の風景を想像して。
この新しい日に挨拶し、自分自身を地につけるか、天にのぼるか、
どちらがその日のあなたに必要だろうか。
あるいは、起きるとすぐに好きなデバイスを手にし、
その世界にチェックインするか？
私は少なくともその日の最初の１時間以上は、スクリーンを見ることを避ける。
その静かな時間が、インスピレーションの源となり、内面の声が一番入りやすい時だ。
いつも聞こえるわけではないけれど、そして時々その特別な時間を逃してしまうが、
しかし努力することは常に価値があるのだ。
参考：「ぼくの植え方」岩波書店 第1章 「あさの瞑想」
Both photos are "Zone Plate" images