snow day

bond fire

commencement service: graduates 2013

 

Montana mountain man and Maui mid drift

 

illumination

lights

shige San and mitsu San

 Christmas decorating

 

 

 

Isaiah 2:4

And he shall judge
among the nations

and shall rebuke
many
people
and they shall beat
their swords
into plowshares
and their spears
into pruning hooks

nation
shall not lift up
sword
against nation
neither shall they learn
war
any more.

I look into the eyes of strengthened testimony

Witnesses of truth and leaders to their people

Inspired by their trials of deep pain to overcome

Men and women unknown, anonymous to a faceless revolution

Restoring ancient methods with the combination of modern knowledge

Caring for soil as a sacred part of creation

Revealing the poison, to the blindness to chemical cultivation

Helping me understand the disturbing truth to the common everyday essential, FOOD

 commencement service: Otsu Sensei gives a message and prayer to the new Graduates

  

my friends my family and a communion for change. They have enlightened me with a deeper conviction. I pray that the Father may bless their hands for a Harvest of Awareness. Now they are  back in their countries after a 9 month training to practice their new learning at ARI. May God bless the work of graduates of 2013.

compost

 rice husk charcoal for fertilizer

husking rice

filtering oil from mustard seed and sunflower seed

oil for cooking

 

first fall

Standing among giants

In awe of their poise and stilled stance
Aged skin a spiraling grain, dressed in green velvet
Their crown of golden yellow begin to fall blanketing the ground
Revealing their raw nakedness
Their arms stretched out to the sky as if yawning for a 4 month sleep
Quietly there, with no need for a sound of a single word
Admiring the sight of silence  
Standing among giants

Day of Thanksgiving
I continue to think and pray for those who helped make this happen
Thank you all for your support

typical day at ARI

Every day begins with the first light creeping through the curtains, a kind reminder it’s time to wake. As I exit outside the first breathe is filled with the aroma of pigs and morning dew, with the suns face peeking over the horizon greeting me to a new day.  My body is instantly woken by the cold air with warm breath becoming vapor with every exhale. The ARI community gathers like zombies from a deep slumber to join in on morning exercise. The sound of Japan radio is broadcasted with no understanding what is said with the sound of music guiding us through a motion of stretches. Than a prayer is said and everyone separate’s to begin there morning assignment. This month I’m put into meal service with not much cooking experience, close to nothing. Holding my composer by pretending like I know what I’m doing and following my gut instinct. My cousin once told me your cooking is only as good as your imagination. Most days my cooking is experiments thinking like mad scientist. After breakfast is a time of listening and reflection called morning gathering.  One person is set as chairperson out of the community in a daily rotation for every day. Morning gathering consist of moment of music where hymns are sung or music is shared depending on chair persons style and choice. Than he or she shares to the group of his or her testimony or whatever is placed on his or her heart in “ARI English”. Than my midmornings and afternoons consist of working in crops and vegetables where I feel more comfortable and suitable, where I’m free get as dirty as I please. Than after a shower at 5:00 pm I’m put back into the kitchen for dinner where I try desperately to hold my weight and learn as much as I can, in hopes cooking may become enjoyable. Than the day slows down finishing with sleep.

Carrot harvest: this is a small portion during the washing stage

Nasu Mountain: Lunch at the top with the community

Mountain Floor

 extreme weather: rain, hail, high winds, fog. It was good to
take a breather off the farm for a day

street food

ARI introduction

Reflection in the morning haze.  Thrown into the  daily schedule of exercise, meals, sowing ,harvesting , threshing, sorting, introductions of who and where you came from, prayer meetings and community events, attending church by bicycle, and of course rest. I’m finally adjusting and now it’s becoming an enjoyable routine and part of life. One thing I admire and appreciate is seeing the process of our food grown organically, harvested, cooked and served with everyone doing his or her part.
Joining hands from all over the world.

 

 sunrise

sweet potato harvest : almost 1 ton

Sam harvesting soybeans: my first two weeks was both white and black soybean harvesting, threshing, sorting and drying

pumpkin patch: we harvested monster pumpkins over the kg. package description

checking weekly schedule

 

 

 

mission

what have I been doing?  on stand by.
there was a little delay due to visa problems and last minute typhoon
but know its time
Woke up anxious this morning with whispers of doubt and worry. it finally settled in that what I've been anticipating is actually happening. almost as though I woke with the enemy at my bedside clouding my mind with unnecessary stress. Pity things and insecurities . As I drove to town the winds were  blowing in from Kona allowing the ocean to rest like plate glass. baby blue upon baby blue. The horizon separating the sky from the water by a slight shade of color. With both volcanos standing bold and naked without a single cloud to interfere. Like ancient monuments holding the morning sky. I don't think I've ever seen the valley lines so crisp. White water filled Ho'okipa's shore line with early risers scattered like little ants getting the last bit of the north swell. with the morning due glistening off the cane as the sun hit.  It took me leaving to truly appreciated my island home.  Its a humbling feeling knowing that I'm leaving for 1 year to serve instead of traveling for my own pleasure.

Preparation for uncertainty to leave what I know to exist among what I don’t. Coming to confirm that this life is for self. Not selfishness but selflessness. to better develop ones self to help be a value to others.Giving not to selfishness to the identity to what I create but by the innocence to self by what God intended.  Helping me come to understand that I may be given and blessed with opportunity if I do things on His terms. With Christ as my guide.

NEWYORK ORIENTATION

rocking self In rhythm of prayer. streets screaming in diversity. sounds of silence  fill the monastery with hymns and Gods creatures. "Nam-myoho-renge-kyo" chanting in unison feeding off a single frequency of oneness to achieve emptiness of the mind. service of acoustic collaboration and singing voices around a bond fire of release and community "Shabbat Shalom". inspiring self growth to understand the insight into other cultures beyond my own. transforming my faith and strengthening a better understanding. a strong sense of belonging, and a sensitivity to true spiritual awareness.

 

Union Square

 

 

                                                         

 

 Holy Cross Monastery

Multi-Faith Day 

 

 

 

 

Queens