In this episode, I speak to Reverend Shoshin Ichishima, abbot at the Senzoji Temple in Chiba-ken, Japan, and Professor Emeritus at Taisho University in Tokyo. Ichishima sensei is also the teacher or Monshin sensei, who I spoke to on episode 3 of this podcast.
Ichishima sensei and I spoke on the day the Buddha’s birthday is celebrated in Japan, talking about his experiences teaching Buddhism around the world, including a fire-ceremony that appeared in the local papers in San Fransisco, when it put an end to a drought.
At eighty-two years old, Ichishima sensei is as active as ever, still guiding his students and disciples through the Tendai tradition. You can catch him through the weekly sessions at the Tendai Buddhist institute in New York through this website: https://www.tendai.org/
Star Wars as Spiritual practice
Kozan and I met through Zen Takai, our mutual Bushido sensei, and immediately connected through our interest in martial arts, Reiki and the Force (maybe one and the same?). In this conversation, he shares about how the Jedi Playbook came to be, and describes his recent encounter with Zen Takai Sensei.
Check out the new Jedi playbook website at www.jediplaybook.com where you can find the oracle deck Kozan san used in this episode for my reading, as well as other cool merch.
Listen to Kozan’s interview with me on his podcast here: https://youtu.be/KBKzRbNq4XM
And don’t forget to follow the @jediplaybook on Instagram!
PS. If you are interested in learning intuitive tarot where you don’t need a book for the meanings, check out my short online course here: https://www.gasshocenter.com/product-page/intuitive-tarot-course
I didn’t know much about Tendai Buddhism until reading about it in Frans Stiene’s wonderful book “The Japanese Art of Reiki,” after which I started researching about it and also Mikkyo (Esoteric Buddhism or Tantric Zen). That is how I found the Tendai Buddhist Institute in NY, and started attending their weekly online services led by the Temple’s head, Rev. Monshin Paul Naamon.
Not only a scholar (he is retired as Interdisciplinary Professor at Bard College at Simon’s Rock in Asian Studies and Human Biology) and a Tendai Buddhist Priest and Secretary General of the Japanese Tendai Buddhism in North America, Monshin Sensei is a very charisamatic character with a great sense of humour, and I am so deeply grateful for the time he took to speak to me about his life and work.
I hope you enjoy this conversation as much as I did.
Here are a few topics we covered:
· Difference between Tendai and Zen Buddhism
· Monshin’s personal journey from Judaism to Zen and Tendai
· Ecounter with his sensei, introduction to Tantric Zen (Esoteric) Buddhism – Mikkyo
· Physical training on Mount Hiei
If you are interested in learning more and perhaps joining one of the weekly services, check out the website at: http://www.tendai.org/
You are also welcome to check out my interview with Frans Stiene on Episode 1 of Kazane Sound of the Wind, and more of my work at www.gasshocenter.com
Gassho
A Reiki Master’s Top Ten Tips for Vitality and Wellbeing (aside from Reiki!)
Taken from my Youtube live from 30 January 2022. Catch the video on www.youtube.com/c/zarahwindy
Nathalie is a fellow Reiki teacher and martial artist based in NYC. In this episode, she shares how she discovered Reiki many years ago, how her Iaido practice (Japanese sword-drawing) has enhanced her spiritual journey and vice versa.
Says Nathalie: "[Now] I can actually feel my body, so I have more of a kinetic feel, and if you have a kinetic feel, you can actually feel more emotions, more range of emotions. So when I am in Reiki, I can be in my body, and I can process more emotions, I can access more of myself inside my body.”
She has written two books on Reiki, which are both available on Amazon, and co-runs a group on Facebook for Reiki and martial arts practitioners called Shin Shin Kaizen.
When I shared with Nathalie some of my own frustration with my new martial arts practice, she had these encouraging words to say: “If you’re not frustrated, that means you are not practicing.” I feel this is true of Reiki as well as it is with martial arts!
For my first guest under the new podcast name Kazane, Sound of the Wind, or KSW, I am thrilled to have Frans Stiene, author of several Reiki books including the Japanese Art of Reiki and co-founder of the International House of Reiki (www.ihreiki.com).
Frans shares his amazing journey from Amdsterdam party animal to authority figure in the Reiki community. His contributions to the practice and the return to traditional forms as transmitted by Reiki founder Mikao Usui are invaluable. To top it off, Frans is a super approachable, fun guy, and I had a blast talking to him!
One of my highlights was Frans’s definition of Reiki in one sentence: “The system of Reiki is a Japanese spiritual practice that promotes to lay bare my true nature.” So simple, beautiful and true.
Listen to the full episode to gain insights on meditation and why some find it impossible, as well as practical tips for reiki practitioners to develop a routine.
Frans is actively teaching online and you can connect with him via his website mentioned above.
After three beautiful seasons and one happy anniversary celebration, Zarah Windy the podcast will now be known as Kazane, Sound of the Wind.
Allow me to explain this process.
First of all when I started my podcast journey in September 2020, it was more of a challenge to myself and an exploration – like most of what I do, really!
This little experiment resulted in 30 episodes with amazing guests and listeners from all around the world.
Some of you might have heard me speak about the power of words, and names especially hold a specific vibration. Windy was the name given to me by my mother at birth. I was born in a mountain city in the north of the Philippines, during a windy night. Growing up, I hated my name as I often got teased about it and also called Wendy. Only recently did I realize that it had a powerful connection to the Air element, which is overwhelmingly present in my astrological chart as well as one of my qualities in terms of martial arts (Air=Wind).
That same year, which was pivotal for many, I dropped my family name which is comprised of three Chinese names, and inserted my Christian name, which appears on my baptismal certificate but not on my passport.
Story has it that the priest did not accept Windy as my name and so my mom took Zarah from the bible. Consequently, that name, which I thought was easier to remember than my Chinese surname, had that energy of coercion attached to it, thought etymologically, some of its meanings are “princess” and “radiance,” which I find beautiful, and one of the reasons I named my own daughter Sara.
When in October 2021 I wanted to order a bokken or wooden training sword with my name engraved in Japanese, my sensei, Zen Takai, decided it was time for me to receive a Samurai name. Perhaps he sensed the depth of my practice went beyond the form and was truly a quest for inner knowledge and deepening of my Japanese spiritual practice – Reiki. Mikao Usui himself, the founder of Reiki, was both a Samurai and a monk.
All this to say, I hope you enjoy the new episodes of Kazane, Sound of the Wind, starting with the author of the Japanese Art of Reiki and many other books, Frans Stiene.
The focus of the podcast is still on healing and spirituality, plant medicine and relationships, with an added dimension of martial arts and Japanese culture. Arigato!
Ending Season 3 with Cath Prema, a Shamanic Reiki teacher based in Cebu. Cath was my first Reiki client at my wellness studio in Cebu, Philippines, back in 2017 (prior to that I practiced from home), which makes her a very special person! She revealed how she somewhat found me off-putting and intimidating at first.
After completing her three levels of Reiki at the Gassho Center for Healing Arts (the name of my center) alongside other courses, Cath went on to found Gaia Center with two other Gassho graduates. She now teaches and holds sessions mostly online.
Interestingly, Cath received her Sanskrit name, Prema, at the same time I received my Samurai name, Kazane (early November 2021). It seems her story and mine have evolved alongside, diverging and reconnecting through time and space.
You can connect with Cath through Gaia connection on Facebook and Instagram, or through her personal page @premacath.
I am grateful to Rion Kati for making me discover the Gene Keys, an amazing body of work that I have since completely immersed myself in since 2020. As you will see, Rion’s work is full of Gene Key language with frequent references to the Siddhis, which are the highest expression of our existence.
In this episode we touch on one of my favorite topics, Hieros Gamos (Sacred Reunification), but also dating, music for healing, creating temple space and even K-Pop!
Among other things, Rion calls himself a Media Alchemist. You can find some of his powerful powerful videos and attunements on his Youtube channel here (my favorite is the Queen attunement): https://www.youtube.com/c/powerliminals
For additional resources for women, go to Rion’s website: www.sexychi.com
For a link to his book “Calling of the Kingmaker: Inciting the Reunified Princess,” send me an email to zarahwindy@gmail.com.
For resources for men, contact Rion directly on Facebook.
“I am at the peak of my dreams, but why am I unhappy? That’s scary. That’s a really scary place to be.”
In this very intimate episode, contemporary dance artist and energy healer Ea Torrado talks about her dark night of the soul before the breakthrough, where she almost gave up on dancing.
Ea is the founder of Daloy Dance Company based in Manila, Philippines. During our conversation, she described Daloy as: “movement of the body getting to a more heightened state of awareness. It’s becoming a really spiritual practice for me, and the clear message that I am getting is that I need to sit with it more, or I need to live more so that I could share it deeper.”
She also asks this question: “What if Daloy is more than a dance practice, but it’s a philosophy that involves trusting one’s intuition through and through?”
In the latter part of the interview, I also share how I almost left the Reiki community as well, as a result of a “character assassination” attempt.
Learn more about Daloy through their website here: https://www.daloydancecompany.com/
Join their monthly Ritwal (Filipino word for ritual) sessions every month around the time of the full moon. More information, follow them on Instagram at @daloydance
“Plant medicine helps us to remember who we are and where we come from.”
In the Hierarchy of Plant Medicines, Tobacco comes on top.
This is what I found out from Jason, as we talked about plant medicine, and in particular, Tobacco, which is considered a master plant in many cultures.
I discovered tobacco as medicine in 2019 and now understand why it is considered the “Plant of Power” while Ayahuasca is more of a teacher plant of Sight.
We talk about the Shamanic notion of Power, which is related to self-knowledge and inner processes, more than outward control.
“All of these plants come from a very specific place, a very specific time, a very specific culture. There is a context in which they are used. There are rites and rituals to really begin to experiences all the benefits of these plants.”
To learn more about Jason’s tobacco retreats, check out his website: https://www.nicotianarustica.org/
For his podcast, the Universe Within, you can go here: https://www.youtube.com/c/UniverseWithinPodcast
“Active patience allows the fourth dimension – spiritual aspect – of one’s life to manifest. Patience allows a person to be aligned with the higher will.”
I had the pleasure of meeting Lucito de Jesus, aka. Dream Sensei, during a Daloy Movement Ritwal (ritual) session, their monthly online offering featuring different healers and teachers. The title of the event was “Unraveling the Spiritual Aspects of Dreams.”
Cito, as he is called by his friends, was a dream analyst before he became an Aikido teacher, and decided to combine the two fields into his current nickname.
We had an interesting conversation about the subconscious, the unconscious, about active patience, archetypes, the Shadow, and of course dreamwork.
“Dream work is what we do before the dream, during the dream and after the dream.”
To book your own dream analysis session, you can contact the Dream Sensei directly through messenger or email at lucitodejesus@gmail.com.
In this episode I speak to Zen Takai, with whom I have been studying for the past month, learning Bushido - the Way of the Samurai.
The classes are more than physical martial arts, as we discuss Japanese culture, history and philosophy.
You can book your own classes with Zen Sensei, or simply watch the amazing movements through his Instagram page at: @zen_takai_samurai
or through his website at www.zenkaras.com
Arigato!
I spoke to Princess Manzon, the creator of Maya Cacao, one of my favorite ceremonial cacao providers in the Philippines. Philippine cacao is not very well known internationally, but things are changing and Princess is at the forefront with her delicious cacao, selected with the utmost care.
We talked about growing cacao in the Philippines, as well as Princess's own journey and how she came to build her business.
You can order her cacao on Instagram through the following accounts:
@mayacacaomagic
@metawellnessph
@soltiboutique
Alok Appadurai is the founder and CEO of Uplift Millions, a 7-figure, global coaching company for impact-driven, service based entrepreneurs who want to change the world. I was drawn to Alok’s high-vibrating energy, which he exudes throughout his posts and videos.
In our conversation, I asked him to share his journey and how he got to where he is now, living the lifestyle of his dreams, after a pivotal moment five years ago in his professional and personal life.
“In 2016, I lost everything.
It was one of those moments in life, I was a half-time single dad, I had my little boy, and we shared a one-room studio, I had no car, I barely could keep a roof over our head.
(…)
The ego, the pride, all of that just got pummeled. There I was, I had been this rising star, in the social impact business space, I had given a TEDx talk, gotten all these public accolades, and all of that.
That first step was really SURRENDER. What am I holding on to? Where is my ego in the way?”
“When I lost everything, it was the best thing that ever happened to me. I didn’t know it at the time.
Now I look back and realize that what I have learned and the changes that I made in that time period when I had nothing was the most important changes that I could have made.”
To learn more about Alok and his Uplift Millions head over to: https://we.upliftmillions.com/
Vietnam-based meditation teacher Ojas Oneness talks about his 42-day blindfolded and 21-day fasting experiment:
“Hunger is so deep. Once we cross seven days, ten days, the hunger increases. It’s like a big monster we need to face. Monster in the sense of so much difficulty. So for that, I need to stabilize myself. I need to take deep breaths. I need to say to myself, “I can do it. This body is temporary. The mind is temporary. Mental need is temporary. Physical need is temporary.
I want to witness who I am.
I am doing research on me, to know who I am. I’m speaking like this. Is it me? When I am doing a challenge, a different me comes up. Is it me? I want to dig inside.”
Learn more about Ojas' work, combining Art and Meditation, through: https://diviners.in/
Check out his short film "the Purpose" here: https://youtu.be/rZ8v4J0aAlM
“Jail is something that liberated me from the prison that was my head, and the heart that was locked up."
"The irony of it, when I was in jail, that was when I set myself free.”
Most people in my community know Lorna Bondoc as a coach, teacher, mentor and business woman. What not everyone knows is that Lorna was wrongfully incarcerated in Manila, Philippines, back in 2016, for a total of five harrowing months.
In this episode, she shares her story of forgiveness and inner strength.
For the final episode of season two, I had the pleasure of speaking to Richard Rudd, the author of the Gene Keys, and a modern day mystic. When I stumbled into the magical world of the Gene Keys about a year ago, in June 2020, I would have never have imagined that I would be interviewing Richard for my podcast (I didn’t even have my podcast back then). In this conversation, we talked about the Six Wounds of Humanity, the practice of contemplation, about suffering, and death.
To get some background on the Gene Key transmission, you can go straight to www.genekeys.com and start your journey there. You can also listen to my interview with Gene Key Ambassador Mark Bentley in Episode 3, Season 2.
We started this conversation with the Holy Incantation of Solace, which you can follow here: https://genekeys.com/the-holy-incantation-of-solace/
Our conversation meandered from the Six Wounds of Humanity, to the Art of Contemplation, including Suffering and Death and Bliss.
Says Richard: “Looking to the suffering of humanity can lead to deep compassion.”
Aside from the website, you can catch Richard on Clubhouse where he and the GeneKeys team hold regular live talks now.
This week our podcast is in French! I talked to my friend Stephanie, who lives in Marseille, which is where we met in 2011, when we were both doing our culinary studies. Stephanie went on to open to open a café in Marseille, as I did in the Philippines. Now, ten years later, both she and I are working with energy to help people in a therapeutic setting. She also works with sound healing, a well-established form of healing therapy.
Cette semaine, je parle à mon amie Stephanie de Morant, qui est basée à Marseille, où nous avons complète notre CAP de cuisine ensemble en 2011. Suite à nos études, Stephanie a ouvert un café sur Marseille, et moi, aux Philippines. Dix ans plus tard, nous travaillons toutes les deux avec les énergies du corps, dans un but thérapeutique. Stephanie travaille aussi avec les bols sonores, dont les bienfaits sont bien reconnus.
Pour contacter Stephanie vous pourrez la trouver sur Facebook et Instagram sous le Chant des Sirenes.
Christopher Luard is a senior meditation teacher based in Chiang Mai, Thailand. He is the creator of the Such Sweet Thunder meditation program, and has a website and a book by the same name.
In 2001, after witnessing the tragic events of September 11th unfold in New York City, Chris dedicated his life to the wisdom teachings, so that he may be able to pass them on to others, with the intention of bringing about a more peaceful, loving, and compassionate worldview. He has taught extensively around the world since 2009, completing residencies in centers in Malaysia, the U.K., Thailand, and the USA.
In this episode, Chris leads us in a meditation practice called “Taking in the good,” that helps us to compensates for our inherently human negativity bias (25:20 time stamp for this meditation). This is a practice you can return to over and over again.
“The brain doesn’t know the difference between a memory and present moment experience.”
To find more about Chris's work, visit www.suchsweetthunder.org.
