Comments 2006

21 July, 2006
Beautiful! Thank you sensei.

And already done! Terry, Mandy and myself in Brighton – along with maybe one or two others will be starting our regular Taimyo practice in August through to September 11…..and beyond!!

Very glad to hear you sounding so positive .
Ula
===

21 July, 2006
Big Hallo and It’s really great you are back on your healthy feet!!

I was especially concerned as my dad had similar heart experiences….

but like you he is very much a big hearted warrior and since he kept

fairly healthy, recovery was quick (both times!!) So I am really relieved

to know that you are OK.

And yes, Vera and I at least will commit to the Taimyo meditation on August 1st (in our own times) and pass on this email to others.

Your message is all the more relevant now given the really stupid middle east situation.

Let’s at least hold & transmit a strong vision of peace, acceptance and balance.
Keep WELL

Michael & Vera

===

24 July, 2006
Ito Sensei,

August 1st falls on a Tuesday, which is when we have our weekly class, so we will definitely do Taimyo that night with our group. We had eleven people for class last week, including five newcomers who seem to be coming every week now! Very exciting. We thought it would take much longer to build up a weekly class. I know these things go in cycles, but right now we are on the upswing.

All best,

Stephen Billias
===
30 July, 2006
伊東先生

イスラエルがレバノンに侵攻しています。ザンビアで仲良くなったDrアリがレバノン
人で、彼の実家の南部レバノンにも遊びに行きました。僕の彼女は今、ザンビアのア
リの家にお世話になっています。親族が他の国々へ非難していっているそうです。
アメリカがイスラエルを支援しています。日本ではほとんどの人が遠い国の出来事に
は無関心です。人類はつくづく愚かだと思います。8月1日、平和のために祈ります。

JUN
===
6 August, 2006
Peter
dear ito

did my taimyo for peace on the swiss national day of august 1st in the swiss mountains. will continue with this idea till the wars stop …

greetings
peter

===

8 August, 2006
Dear Peter,

Thank you for your mail, it is so nice to receive every day news of the TAIMYO KATA practice on the 1st of August, many people said that they could feel the peace in themselve and definitely it is by it that we can start practice for Peace in the World.

Thank you !!

Love

Nicole

===

8 August, 2006
Ito Sensei:

I found this on the web today and I thought you would enjoy it. It is written by a woman named, Linda who Patrick Bouchard knows and who practiced with Jim:
Her weblog is at:
http://nativearthling.blogspot.com/2006/08/we-need-each-other.html
I enjoyed the image of President Bush in gi doing Taimyo
-Rob

===

Received at 9 August, 2006
Ito sensei
Here is a report from Tsuyako. I copied and pasted it this mail. I also attached two pictures. Unfortunately She did not have a picture Ali and her. I will check my PC later for a picture.

JUN
* Answer to e-mail at 30th July. See e-mail from Tsuyako.

===

14 August, 2006
Dear all
I have read these testimonies with attention and sorrow and of course it moved me and probably gave me a objectiv report of the situation in Lebanon for the civils living there. I also have friends I know there (and in
Israel) and my heart is suffering when I look at TV or read a article announcing that war is increasing every day. BUT I don’t totaly catch the aim of that general mail because it makes a mix of testimonies about personal situations and a few analysis of the macro situation (like : “I want people in the world to know that people in Lebanon are peaceful even if they believe in Hezbollah, it doesn’t mean they want to fight. They want peace.” or “When I heard Israel attacked the airport in Beirut on 12th July, I understood that Israel wanted to destroy Lebanon, not only Hezbollah).
I would be very cautious at judging the situation from my window, quietly protected in France and looking at that from far and also because I respect the people who live the situation directly. Of course I wish deaths to stop, immediatly, but things can not be too simpliefied. So I take and respect totaly the human report and I share the suffer but please let us free to make our own politic judgement and evaluate who is or are to blame for that terrible situation. I don’t think this is the aim of our shintaido community. I’ll keep going trying to settle peace in my own heart and life, the only area where I really can act and I deeply wish it will finaly help.
Val�・rie
===
14 August, 2006
I thank Valerie for bringing a needed perspective to the sad personal situations of the Lebanese people living in Lebanon. In my opinion, wars hurt people, not ideologies. The current war is caused by ideological differences between people. The Middle East is STILL at war, after two centuries.

I am a Lebanese American, ½ Syrian, ½ Lebanese, born and raised in the USA; I have many, many relatives in both Lebanon and Syria, and all my many relatives are Christian.

Why do I mention religion? Because wars are often fought because of religion, while political agendas are close behind a religious agenda. How many Arab Muslims do each of you know? How many Arab Christians? How many Arab Jews? Do you know that within the Muslim religion there are two main warring factions, Shiite and Sunni. Do you know what the differences are between all these Arabs, and what they believe? Do you know that a large percentage of Muslims are NOT Arabs? For example China is 20% Muslim. I believe that the Middle East is divided along religious lines, not country boundaries. Can Americans and Europeans understand this and its implications? Does your culture/country define your religious beliefs, or do your religious beliefs define your culture/country?

Please do not judge this situation without complete knowledge. Better yet, do not judge, or take sides, or assign blame or responsibility without knowledge – FULLY DISCLOSED factual understandings. It is important to help those who suffer as a result of man’s intolerance and cruelty towards their fellow man, not by blaming but by understanding.

As Valerie said:
“I don’t think [judging the situation] is the aim of our shintaido
community. I’ll keep going trying to settle peace in my own heart and life,
the only area where I really can act…”
– Juliette