Dear Friends,

Greetings!

『いい人が先に逝く！』

When Japanese people speak about a person who has passed away, they say “Ii hito ga saki ni yuku!” (“The good ones go first!”)
Last year we lost 2 good friends who used to be very active in the Shintaido movement in the US & Europe:

• Christophe Bernard who actively practiced with us on the west coast of the US passed away in August.
(for more information about him, please check the SOA newsletter from last Fall at:http://www.shintaido.org/docs/bin/BD33_Sep2013.pdf)

• Caroline Raievsky, who was the coordinator of the European Shintaido College in the 2000s, passed away last month.
(Those who were at the Shintaido International in Italy in the summer of 2004 will remember her well; she was at the registration desk when you checked in.)

I am in France now. On Wednesday I fly back to SF, and I’ll stay in the Bay area for 3 weeks.
While I am there, I’ll lead 3 classes* of Taimyo meditation at the Day Street Dojo in SF.
At every class, I would like to start with the Tenshingoso Ritual, wishing Bon Voyage for Christophe & Caroline.

Please come to practice with me there, or join me by going beyond time & space!

-Ito

* a Winter series of 3 Tuesday evening class on January 21, 28 & February 4