Author: kamys

What’s the State of Mind When Making Sweets

In response to Dancing Elephants Prompt 18 of 52

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Can you guess what these objects are? 

How long do you think it took me to make these nine objects?

A young friend of mine asked me to serve her a bowl of tea.  She was battling cancer, going through a series of chemotherapy, while raising two little kids.    I’d be delighted, I responded.

What can I do to give her the best experience?  I decided, why not make sweets, the appetizer and the companion for a bowl of Matcha green tea, myself rather than buying!

Having never made this type of sweets, I asked my teacher for advice.  She recommended this YouTube video, so I decided to follow its instruction.

The day before the tea gathering, following the video, I prepared ingredients for the sweets: white bean paste and black bean paste. 

I colored portions of the white bean paste in pink, orange, yellow, blue, and purple.  I stacked the white, colored, white again, and black bean paste.  Then I shaped it like a ball, wrapping the black bean paste with the outer layer of white bean paste.

Then time to engrave the surface of the ball shape sweets, using a toothpick. One line at a time.  First you carve four lines to create the shape of the cross.  Then you carve in the middle of the two lines to divide the space into eight.  Then again divide it into 16. 

Switch the side of the toothpick, and make a slit in between the lines in the different direction. Carve the lines deep enough to show the colored portion, but not too deep to show the black bean paste. 

The moment my mind meandered and started to think about something different, the tip of the toothpick meandered, too.  In order to carve straight, I had to empty my mind.  It was meditative.  My mind and my hands were in harmony. 

Yes, it was a tedious process.  It took me three hours to make these nine pieces from start to finish.   But I felt good.  The next day my friend enjoyed the sweets.

Almost six months on, my friend is cancer free.  Maybe my sweets helped her a little bit?

When Your Mother Becomes Your Daughter

Now it’s my turn to take care of her

Photo by RepentAnd SeekChristJesus on Unsplash

“Are you having enough vegetables?”

“Are you following the doctor’s instructions?”

“Don’t forget to go to the bank!”

“Be careful when crossing the street by bicycle.”

Those were my mother’s words I would often hear on the phone, when I started living alone, to go to college.  Mother, I’m not a little girl anymore.  Treat me as an adult, was my response.  To my mother, however, I was still her daughter who needed her care.

Forty years later, living thousands of miles apart, my mother and I video chat almost every day.

Now it’s my mother’s turn to hear words like those stated above from me.

Mother, it sounds strange, but I’m kind of happy to be able to treat you like my child.  Now I’m able to pay you back at least some of the abundant love you have given me. 

Let me keep on treating you as if you were my daughter, the longer, the better…

I Stopped Weighing Myself

And that was the best way to lose weight and keep it for 30 years

Photo by i yunmai on Unsplash

In my teens and twenties, I was always overweight, by the Japanese standard anyway. 

I had a hard time finding good-looking skirts and pants in my size.  I hated my body shape, wished to be skinnier, weighed myself every day and night, got depressed if I gained half a pound, skipped breakfast, and got depressed again if the scale was not showing any sign of improvement.  For a while, I was in the state of eating too much and throwing up right away (is it called bulimia?). 

Then I turned 30. One day I told myself.  “Let’s stop weighing myself.  I will listen to my body.  I will eat as much as I feel like eating.  If I feel full, I will stop eating.” 

Listening to my own body… That was the best decision I ever made. 

Soon I stopped overeating and going to the bathroom right away.  Whatever the kilograms or pounds, I threw away the number to describe my weight from the primary place in my memory pool.  I was sick of creating an emotional rollercoaster every day by looking at the numbers.

Rather, I started touching my tummy, my thighs, arms, wherever in my body to give me some indication of my body weight.  If I feel a little more volume of fat than before, I told myself, “Maybe you don’t need much food,” then I ate less.

In the last thirty years, I wonder how many times I stepped on a weighing scale at home.  I have a scale, but now I use it to weigh our suitcases before going on a trip, not my body.   

I can still wear the same jeans I bought over ten years ago.  Once a year I step on a scale at the clinic for my annual physical checkup.  My doctor hasn’t raised a red flag on the number it spits out.    

I’m not a fashion model.  My thighs are still pretty substantial.  But I trust my own senses rather than a machine to tell me if I’m overweight or not.  I want to be in control of my physical status. 

Zen Master Muso Kokushi Didn’t Approve of Tea Gambling

14th century Japan was wild

Image of Muso Kokushi : Public Domain – Wiki Media

Out of the thousands of Buddhist temples in Kyoto, both Tenryuji Temple and Saihoji Temple are among the most famous for the beauty of their gardens.  Steve Jobs used to visit Saihoji Temple, now well known for its beautiful moss garden, quite often with his family. 

Zen Master Muso Kokushi (夢窓国師 1275 – 1351) designed both gardens.  It is said that Saihoji Temple’s garden designed by Muso Kokushi is the oldest Japanese rock garden called Kare Sansui (枯山水). 

Muso Kokushi was a highly respected Zen Master, and mentored Ashikaga Takauji (足利尊氏 1305 – 1358), the first Shogun in Ashikaga Shogunate and his brother Ashikaga Tadayoshi (足利直義 1307 – 1352). 

In the dialogue between Tadayoshi, Muso Kokushi criticized sharply about then faddish tea gambling.  Muso Kokushi himself loved the custom of drinking Matcha, not as a means for gambling, but as a useful tool to deepen his Zen practice. 

Muso Kokushi saw something in common, something spiritual, among the practice of Zen, Japanese rock garden, and the ritual of serving Matcha.

Source: Muchu Mondou (夢中問答)

Secrets to Make a Beautiful Flower Arrangement

So that you can arrange a beautiful arrangement on day 1

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Today I conducted a private Ikebana workshop for a group of twelve women.

Nobody has ever done Ikebana before.  For beginners like them, I normally give them one challenge for making an arrangement: Use only one kind of branch, and only one kind and color of flowers. 

Today I provided two kinds of greens, and four different colors of the same flower, alstroemeria: red, pink, yellow, and purple.

The basic structure is the same.  However, depending upon which branch and which color of flowers to use, quite a variety of arrangements are created. 

As you can see in the photos below, Ikebana is an art form, giving a new life to flowers with your own creativity and expression.  Just like no two persons are the same, no two Ikebana works are the same.  Enjoy the photos!      

Partial Myth of Rainy Seattle

It’s not as bad as you think

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

When my husband moved from Florida to Seattle, his colleagues gave him a raincoat as a farewell gift. 

As such is the reputation of Seattle.  A TV crime drama called Killing was set in Seattle, and it was raining in every episode.

Well, having lived here for 28 years, I have to admit that Seattle’s reputation as a rainy city holds.  According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Average precipitation days is over 156 days a year.  It’s more than twice as many days as San Francisco (71 days/year), and 25% more than New York City (125 days/year).

By the amount of annual rainfall, however, Seattle doesn’t even come close to the top of the list.  With 39 inches, Seattle picks up less precipitation each year compared to New York City (47 inches). 

A drizzling shower early in the morning, thick fog developing late morning, the fog burns off by 2 o’clock in the afternoon, and the bright sunset… Such a variety of weather can be seen in a day, but still is counted as a rainy day. 

I took the photo from our window.  The rain shower cleansed the air.  The leaves are vivid green.  And here, it’s a rainbow!

Well, is half the myth of rainy Seattle gone?

Loving Yourself Is Your Ultimate Responsibility

In response to Dancing Elephants prompt 17 of 52

Photo by Miriam G on Unsplash

When I read this week’s writing prompt “What Does Self-love Look Like To You?”, and wondered what I should about, the first scene that came to my mind was when I quit my job for the first time 32 years ago.

I was in Japan, working for a well-known investment bank, stepping up my career ladder, so it seemed.  The company had even sponsored me to study for two years to get an MBA in the US.  It was time to further advance my career in the company.

But instead, I chose to make a significant career change.  I decided to work for a much smaller, younger company, the Japanese subsidiary of a US-based IT company, to pursue a different goal: to eventually move to the US.  There was no guarantee that the young company would realize my goal, but I took the chance.

The Japanese company tried to dissuade me from quitting.  I felt guilty about quitting also.  The company had been so supportive of me.  How can I be so disloyal? (You know, the work ethics in Japan 30 years ago was a lot different than now.  Lifetime employment was still the norm among major corporations there.)

But my ultimate conviction was that there is always a replacement for the company, but there is no replacement for myself in my own life. 

If I don’t love myself first, who else can?  If I don’t take care of myself first, who else can?  If I don’t take responsibility for my own life, who will? 

My first expression of loving myself was quitting my first job to change my career. 

A Guy from India, A Gal from Austria, and Another Gal from Japan Will Be Traveling Together … Guess Where?

My travel wish list for 2023

Photo by Ross Parmly on Unsplash

Our trip to Vienna last Thanksgiving was a special reunion.  After over 10 years of interval, my husband and I got together with our old-time Austrian friend and had a wonderful time together. 

How to Nurture Friendship across the Ocean

She was a great host.  She showed us around the town, introduced us to her local friends, and took us to her favorite coffee shop and farmer’s market.  After spending seven days with her, my husband and I developed illusions as if we were locals of Vienna.

Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

The final night in Vienna.  My husband and I were all done packing, but reluctant to admit we were leaving this beautiful city and our wonderful friend.  When will we see her again…

Then she brought her calendar.  So did we.  Now the COVID lockdown is behind us, my husband and I will get back to our routine of traveling abroad for Thanksgiving. Why not she joins us next year? Would be fun to travel together!  Where?

Somewhere warmer.  Somewhere sunnier.  Somewhere none of us have been before. 

It didn’t take too long for the three of us to come to an agreement. 

We will see each other again next November, in Israel!

Photo by Raimond Klavins on Unsplash

Remembering the Last 100 Years, Dreaming the Next 100 Years

Celebrating the Centennial anniversary of Japan-America Society of Washington State

Chiyo Sanada’s powerful calligraphy art: Photo by Author Akemi Sagawa

Japan-America Society of Washington State (JASSW) is celebrating its centennial anniversary this year. 

JASSW was established in 1923 to promote mutual understanding and friendship between the peoples of Japan and Washington State by providing a forum for the exchange of ideas and information.

New Year’s party was held yesterday and many members old and new got together and enjoyed Ms. Chiyo Sanada’s powerful calligraphy art.

When talking about the relationship between the US and Japan in the last 100 years, it’s impossible to ignore World War II.  Only after I moved to Seattle did I learn about the experiences that the Japanese Americans endured during the war. 

Nations, after all, consist of people.  How can we learn from history so that we won’t make the same mistake again?  How can we expand mutual understanding and friendship beyond many borders in the world? I believe this community-level effort is vital to influence national-level relations. 

4 Basic Principles of Japanese Tea Ceremony That Will Bring You Ultimate Freedom

First principle: Harmony

There are four principles that each tea practitioner has to have in mind whenever we practice the Japanese tea ceremony.

…

和(wa)

“Wa” means harmony.  Over a bowl of tea, the host and the guests collaborate to create a harmonious experience together.  In order to best serve the guests, the host carefully chooses the utensils appropriate for the occasion. 

The scroll, the incense container, the flower vase, and the flowers.  All the things placed in the alcove in the tea ceremony symbolize some theme for the occasion.  So do the tea bowls and all the other tea utensils.  Nothing has the same design, but everything in the tearoom is in harmony.

敬(kei)

“Kei” means respect.  Respect is the sincerity of heart that liberates us for an open relationship with other people, regardless of their appearance or status. 

In the tearoom, a high-ranking samurai and a merchant would be equally treated.  They show respect by bowing to each other.  Respect is expressed not only between people but to our surroundings, nature, and everything that is enabling us to experience our lives.

清(sei)

“Sei” means purity.  The host purifies the tea container and the tea scoop meticulously with the silk cloth.  The host also cleans the tea bowl with hot water and a small white cloth.  Everything is spick and span before the guests arrive, but the purification process continues during the tea service and when storing the utensils afterward in front of the guests.

The guests cleanse their hands and mouths before entering the tearoom.  Through the simple act of cleaning, they clear “the dust of the world.”  The guests clear worldly attachments from their hearts and minds.  Only after putting aside material concerns, can they sense the pure and sacred essence of things, human beings, and nature.

寂(jaku)

“Jaku” means tranquility.  Tranquility is not merely silence.  It is the status of the heart and mind that is liberated from any worldly attachment. It’s the ultimate freedom!

Wa, Kei, Sei, Jaku… Over a bowl of tea, tea practitioners enjoy this profound life experience.