Japanese Visit Marks Long History of Relations
Taeko Matsushima and her sister Noriko Ishibashi, along with Noriko’s daughter Mio, visited Akwesasne on Thursday, September 10, 2012, and marked another visit in the long relationship with the people of Akwesasne. This relationship has spanned over 20 years and is part of the Sun Bow 5 Foundation to promote, teach and share techniques and practices, knowledge and history of growing healthy food and living a healthy lifestyle. This relationship started long ago with the venerable Ernest Benedict meeting Mr. Iguchi of Sun Bow 5 Foundation in Vancouver BC. They met again in Ottawa, Ontario and introduced the late Brian Skidders. The two of them brought a small contingent of Japanese to Akwesasne and the friendship they formed has lasted generations.
One of the first projects they worked on was the sharing of information, techniques and practices of organic gardening. The Sun Bow 5 Foundation’s mission is to promote a healthy lifestyle by growing and eating healthy food. Historically, the Haudenosaunee was a great agricultural society growing and harvesting hundreds of acres of garden vegetables in one season to last several generations. Interestingly enough, the Japanese also practice the art of giving thanks to the Sun, the Moon and the Stars for the role they play in allowing us to grow our own food and to give thanks for the food itself. When the Japanese arrived it was perfect timing as Brian Skidders, David Arquette and others had formed a gardening group using heritage seeds. Since then several gardening groups have formed the most recent and successful being Kahnahiio.
Another important mission for the Sun Bow 5 Foundation is practicing Japanese Energy Healing called “Johrei”. Johrei is a spiritual healing that uses the natural and powerful energy from the sun to heal and strengthen the body. It also cleanses one’s body and spirit and removes toxins that accumulate from exposure to negative energy, contaminants in the water and the food we eat and the air we breathe. It also protects us from general “evil” things that we could possibly encounter from daily living. At one point, the sessions were so powerful that the Japanese trained 35 people to give Johrei. When they arrive, the Japanese are always eager to give the ancient yet so applicable Johrei sessions to all interested.
Taeko was one of the first to give Johrei sessions to Akwesasne residents. She is now retired and lets her daughter and niece handle the Johrei sessions. Taeko thoroughly enjoys visiting Akwesasne as she has formed many friendships since she first arrived almost 25 years ago. Mixing old friends and new traditions, Taeko always looks forward to the oven brick fired pizza at Twin Leaf.
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