This is Joshka, my neighbor, a feww of my other new friends, Jackie, teh other ALT who works with me in the middle schools, is in the middle. A close up of my shrine, for anyone interested, and then more picks of the apartment. It is rather large, i think, so please, visit me whenever you can.

my apartment

There is only one Suchness or Essence in the entire universe, and that Suchness is divine, whether it appears as nature, the fresh light revealing the leaves, or the mind, thinking, fretting, unfolding, witnessing. The Earth floats in space, the womb of the sky, inhale in the life of each, and exhale out the fire fueling even the tiniest. Swirl around the dance, stuck together, we dare to ask questions; the sky womb speaks with winds, then waves, hello/goodbye.

The crystal clear face of death

So my meditation teacher Khamtrul Rinpoche, during the traditional “pointing out instructions,” held up a crystal ball and said, “See how the nature of this crystal ball is already clear?” Then he put the glass ball in front of his red robe and said, “See how the crystal clear ball turned red? In the same way, the mind becomes whatever it is on, simultaneously remaining clear and pure.” That teaching was very meaningful for me. He later reminded us that this clear nature of mind, which never comes and never goes, was also never born, and thus, will never die. It is the Eternity existing outside of time. And therefore, it is the "clear light mind" that will alone remain after the moment of death. It is, in other words, the true face of death. (see "pointing out instructions" posted Thurdsay, May 19th, for more information about this stuff).

Note: The “pointing out instructions” include a spiritual teacher talking you through your own present experience (in a very investigative way), eventually pointing out exactly that aspect of your awareness that is already one with eternity, already spirit, already the Unborn and Undying Presence. Ken Wilber likens these pointing out instructions to an old children’s puzzle. He says, “As I was receiving these teachings, I thought of the old puzzles in the Sunday supplement section of the newspaper, where there is a landscape and a caption says, “The faces of twenty famous people are hidden in this landscape. Can you spot them?” The faces were maybe Walter Cronkite, John Kennedy, that kind of thing. The point is that you are looking right at the faces. You don’t need to see anything more in order to be looking at the faces. They are completely entering your visual field already, you just don’t recognize them. If you still can’t find them, then somebody comes along and simply points them out.”
“We are already looking directly at Spirit, we just don’t recognize it.” Spirit, God, or Eternity, if they are indeed “omnipresent,” must be something you are already looking at, or already looking with, right now.
Padmasambava said in the Tibetan Book of the Dead that human consciousnesses is “shining, void, and inseparable from the Great Body of Radiance, hath no birth, no death, and is the immutable Boundless Light.” Rumi: “Behind these two eyes here, one glowing water.”

My bedroom

This is the view from my bedroom window, as well as shots of a beautiful temple next to the department store, down the street from Mr. Donut, about 3 min away from my appartment.

Scenes from work

Here is the view from my desk at work. It is also a great panaramic view of Niihama City. Notice the neon quality of the rice feilds. They really are that green.

My new address

I just got my new address.

David Titterington
792-0017
Ehime-ken
Niihama-shi
Wakamizu-cho 2-3-144
Kowa Kopo 405


my phone number is (011)81 897 35 2114

Yippee!!!!

Tokyo

I just got into Tokyo. I am very tired. This city is amazing. Walking around tonight with some new friends I saw so many bikes and motorcycles parked on the sidewalks and NONE of them were locked up. And the city smells good and is clean. I share a room at our hotel with two roommates who I already met in Chicago because both of them are going to my island (and they are great). Everyone, all the JET’s are so beautiful. I think we are all just radiating a subtle kind of bliss energy or excitement to meet each other.
My hotel has 47 floors and is the nicest I have ever seen. TO unlock the room door, for example, all we have to do is hold our key up to a little black pad by the handle. We get free toothbrushes and slippers. The toilet has a computer and talks. Well, I don’t know if it talks, but it looks like is should. From the top floor the city looks like a gray carpet dusted with lights. There a shit ton of JETs here. 1500 I think for this orientation. JETs from all over the world. And a bunch of old jets in orange t-shirts met us at the airport lining the halls like streetlamps. No way anyone could get lost or make a wrong turn. Then at the hotel, again, more orange people. Tomorrow morning we start the seminars about the Japanese school system and teaching children and whatnot. NOw, i read about Harry and sleep. ON the plain ride i saw about 20 people reading the new Harry Potter.

may peace flow though us all like waterfalls, flushing us free of worry.

monday,
first day of orientation. we recieved teaching materials, books, and, to my surprise adn relief, we recieved american history books, economic, fun facts, and a few others. i went to a LGBT JET conference, about 50 people showed up. All beautiful.

Last day in Lawrence

My last morning in Lawrence: I woke up at 6:30 to meet Eli for meditation. Taking out the trash, I saw him walking down the alleyway, and I was so happy. We met, hugged, commented on teh beautiful light, walked to the front porch, did sun salutations, and then sat in meditation for an hour. After which we did some singing, dedicaiton, and then finfished by sitting quietly, listing to the drizzle of the new rain. it sounded like an ocean lapping the shore atop the leaves, I felt like I must be hallucinating the sound was so peaceful and vast.
We climbed a tree, and then went upstairs to wake up Molly. We all cuddled in bed for a few minutes, then left to meet Alicia and her wife Stephanie for breakfast, after which we all came back to my house and cleaned. And danced. Molly swept my entire room three times, and Eli got off work to spend the day helping me clean my bathroom and move everything into my car. I love my friends.

The night before there was a humongous vegetarian potluck at my house. So many people showed. People i didnt think would. People i am so fuckn glad i got to see again. That night I felt so good. So loved. So blessed. And the food was truly extraordinary.Nick brought these stuffed peppers, and there was pie and brownies, a fruit salad, pastas, so much great food.

The drum circle exploded when Laura’s 18-month-old baby Celeste began drumming, sitting like all of us on a tiny baby-sized djimbe. Other highlights of the night were Sara Dees performing solo on her cello, playing it like a guitar and singing like an angel. She made the night very special. She sounded divine. Divine. I closed my eyes and thought I was listening to some amazing new album on my stereo. Then, Dru accompanied her on his saxophone and their sound like rain cleaned out the room. Sam performed fire dancing outside, amazing us all. But those were just easy events to pinpoint. The subtle stuff, that is, the hugs, the smiles, the presence people gave me, the subtle current of care that flowed throughout the hole house, well, I felt like I was swimming in an ocean of love. The night was perfect, a perfect going away gift from everyone. I couldn’t have asked for more. Everyone made the night so special. I felt so loved, and so close to tears of joy. And sadness.
Last day in Kansas City, josh brought coffee over in the morning. Charlie helped me run some final errands, and to my enjoyment, Alicia, Stephanie, and Katy met me at the airport.

I’m in Chicago now. I leave for Tokyo tomorrow morning. I don’t know what I feel. Will I really not see anyone for the next couple years? Am I actually moving to Japan? Is this really happening? Did I really have a going away party? What the hell is going on!? I must be dreaming.