Shalom Hutte

Don't we all need more of this?

Love all - Serve all

  

Written on the wall at Shalom Hutte in Azumino, Nagano- Japan.

Shalom Hutte is a cosy place offering accommodation,  a cafe and a shop all based on an ecological concept. They focus on Natural food and organic farming. For us vegetarians it is a great choice! They sell plenty of Macrobiotic food in the shop and they also have a place for making wood-fire baked bread.

If you have any time off while visiting Nagano it is definitely worth a visit! Enjoy a graincoffe and okara-chocolatecake while reading a book or simply just look out over the rice paddies and listen to the sounds of all the Semi, although they are highly seasonal insects! 
Otherwise there is time and space to contemplate the meaning of Love all, Serve all...

The Nature's Eyes

This morning I took a chanting-walk along the shore in north Gotland.  I go out every morning to have my own time before opening the  Yogaclass or Massage-work. It was before 6am and I was watching the beauty of this creation.

Suddenly I saw some stones laying down by the side of the road.

I took a closer look and found out that somebody had painted eyes on two of them. I couldn't stop smiling and it felt like I discovered a treasure! 

Those eyes made me wake up from my own bubble. It was a reminder about the presence dwelling within any living being. I could feel those eyes looking at me, same as I felt my own existence being looked at from the plants, trees, birds etc. Sometimes we forget that we are all part of the same creation and that we are all living beings with the same right to exist. Same as I watched those wonderful stones I could feel how they were watching or at least sensing me and my existence. Same with the wonderful flowers that I passed by, I noticed them and they me. Very simple and yet so powerful.

Later on at night I witnessed the Moonrise by the sea. When I turned my back to the moon I saw the Sunset  by the forest. That was magical.  Even more magical was the feeling of the Moon and the Sun being right opposite each other and observing one another. Both of them being so full of energy. Both reflecting the same light. Ha and Tha. Yin and Yang. All woven together under the roof of the Universe.

Local shop- Gotland

                                                                                                                                                                                            

This charming old house used to be a grocery shop. Isn't it cute? It is situated by the sea in a windy place.  It is standing there all alone!

Over time it has developed into a café so now you can enjoy a coffee or tea in the outside, when the wind is gentle...

The day after today...

Look at these old road signs. All rusty and the colours are fading. The best one is the one that takes us to Tomorrow. I love that. 

What is tomorrow? Who knows? No matter how much we are planning for tomorrow we can't control all the circumstances around it so again who really knows about tomorrow? I certainly don't but it seems like this sign takes us there and that feels kind of nice.

From Mountain-life to Island-life

Due to March 11 I didn't know when to return to Japan. It made me stay in Sweden much longer than expected, but after 7 long months of waiting I could return for two weeks. Two intense weeks that passed so quickly. I got to see all my beloved friends and I got to hear many news on the current situation that I will share later. Just when I started to get grounded I had to go back to Sweden again. This time for some Yoga and Body-work. Those two weeks in Japan felt way to short but the reason for going to Sweden was calling me somehow.

Now, here I am, in the swedish countryside of Gotland! I took my bicycle for a ride and I enjoyed every single moment. I have missed being in the Nature. Spending time in the nature helps so much to develop Mindfulness. Open up to Grace! I couldn't take away that smile on my face! I felt so free riding my bike on roads full of pebbles surrounded by holy trees and sacred plants. 

There were plenty of animals to talk to and I even found a small hedgehog by the side of the road. Poor thing, he was breathing so quickly when I tried to take a close-up photo of him. I am sorry that I filled you with fear! ごめんな   さいでした！ゆくいり　いっきをすって下さい！　Please breathe slowly!

Spring Water or Contaminated Water?

Being back in Japan again gave me the pleasure to drink water straight from the mountains. The taste is slightly sweet and it is so soft on the tongue. Everyday I felt what a richness it is to be able to drink clear spring water. While I was enjoying free water endlessly pouring out from the mountains, the people in Fukushima, Tochigi and other nearby prefectures have to buy their water from elsewhere. They can no longer drink their tap water. They can no longer drink their spring water. Why? We all know why.

I feel so sad for everyone who has no access to clean water. Our body is made up of 70% water so if you have a choice, think twice before you choose your water. Our earth is also made up of 70 % water, so think twice before you throw something out into the ocean.  The nuclear disaster in Japan made the Nuclear Power Station release huge amounts of radioactive water into the sea. This makes me deeply worried about the seacoast of Japan.

What is happening to the fish and the sea plants? The situation must be really bad. Or let me say, the situation is bad. I ask for open and proper information on what is happening.  This should be a concern for everyone. This is not only a problem for the japanese people or the japanese society. Nuclear disasters concerns everyone, in other words this is a problem we have to solve together. To be able to solve something we need an openness of what is actually happening and what is being the real situation. No more hiding of important data or news. Please! For the benefit of our children, for the benefit of our Earth and for the benefit of everyone walking on this earth together. For the respect of Life and of all living beings.

Drinking that lovely spring water made me only temporarily happy since I know the reality is so different just a few hundred kilometers away. Then I wonder,  how safe is my water?

Mountains in Japan and a shiny airport

For the past 5,5 years I have lived in a village situated high up in the mountains somewhere in the japanese countryside. I moved there as a 24 year-old girl in the coldest month of the year without knowing neither the language nor the culture of mountain-life. Why did I  move there? That is a long story which I might share later. 

Who could ever get tired of this?

The life in the mountains has been my greatest teacher. I have learnt so much that I feel is so valuable but difficult to really explain with words, wherefore I hope it will be understood between the lines one day...

  




Last winter I went back to Sweden for what I thought would be only for a couple of months but March 11 came in between and there I was, in Sweden, worrying about what was happening in Japan. My village was safe even though it was struck but strong earthquakes many times. It was so heart aching being far away from the place and the people that I love, knowing that they are going through such a hard time.  Physically I was blessed and protected for not being there at that moment, but my heart was there the whole time.

The intended 2-3 months turned out to be 7 long months. While finally stepping out of the airplane sensing the humid air, smelling the smell of Japan and listening to the beautiful language my heart began to melt! I almost started to cry at the Konbiniコンビニ as they say, short word for convenience store, when I saw the Onigiri おにぎり (riceball) and green tea bottles ー  it all felt so extremely Natsukashikatta なつかしかった。

On the way to Japan the plane stopped over at Beijing airport for 6 hours, leaving me a lot of time to sleep on a bench and also taking various photographs of their super shiny floors and walls! Take a look at the reflections!