spinning "Intentions & Prayers"

The logo 「イト と いのり」in Japanese means "Intentions & Prayers".
The pink line signifies the thread that is spun with the Takhli from India connecting the values of "Gandhi", "Service Space", and "Intentions & Prayers of each individuals" including ourselves. 

I feel the there are "prayers" in each one of us, 
like "I hope the world to be..." or "I want to be..." 
it can be small and simple.

Through the "Intentions & Prayers", we will actually spin thread from cotton with the Takhli as we listen to individuals "prayers" and daily doings.
It is an interesting coincidence that in Japanese, "Intention" and "thread " has the same word, as we hold our thread to spin, we are also holding our intentions.

I have always enjoyed listening to others life stories.
These days, I feel that it is too important to keep it to myself.
Also, by sharing the stories, it may become ripples to flow.

When I encountered the spinning wheel,
I intuitively felt that in a society that demands efficiency and speed, it is important to have meditative time, to move one's hands, and to live in line with nature and things that are familiar to us in our daily lives.
I myself wanted to include spinning in my daily life and also share this precious time with others.

Why I stared spinning

The spinning wheel was introduced to me in January 2020 when I joined the Gandhi 3.0 Retreat.
http://nipun.servicespace.org/feed/index.php?op=perm&fid=29545

40 luminaries from all over the world were invited, including Haruo Miyagi of ETIC Japan who produced thousands of social entrepreneurs, President Obama’s general counsel, Professor, Investor, Farmer, Monk, Meditator, and etc.
Many people mentioned, "I don’t know how I’m here, yet I felt the importance to be here and made space."

The convener of the retreat was Nipun Mehta, a successful IT engineer in Silicon Valley and a gift economy practitioner who founded service space and has been volunteering for over 20 years.

ServiceSpace is an organization run entirely by volunteers, leveraging technology to encourage everyday people around the world to do small acts of service. The aim is to ignite the fundamental generosity in ourselves and others, creating both inner and outer transformation. 
https://www.servicespace.org/

Receiving the Gift 

Upon arrival in Ahmedabad, we were greeted at the airport and fully welcomed at the environmental Sanitation Institute, with hand made meals, and the whole retreat experience and encounters all designed and supported by the many volunteers.

The organizers drew on the rich stories and wisdom of each participant at the most appropriate timing. Rather than learning from the head, I felt that it was more like reaffirming and remembering what was really important through the life stories of various people, always holding love and gratitude at the center.

During the retread, we had the opportunity to visit the Gandhi Ashram.
There I encountered the  "Great Meaning of Spinning" which includes non-violence, self-sufficiency, interdependence, peace of mind, and etc.

Interestingly at the place consecrated for prayers that Gandhi himself held with others, many of us seemed to receive a similar message.
Paulette later shared with us that she had a vision of Gandhi. 

 ‘You must stand up, So many of us are behind you.’ 
 I sense it was a message from Gandhi to all of us.
The forces of love are eager to add wind beneath our sails.

Maybe it was a message similar to what Gandhi had mentioned in the past, or towards the each of us worldwide as we entered COVID-19 right after.

“Be the change that you wish to see in the world.”      Mahatma Gandhi

The Beginning of "Intentions & Prayers"

After returning to Japan, my learnings with the service space members around the world deepened. I myself received the message that
"Even if you don't know when and how the seed will bloom, nurture the environment and cherish your intentions with love. "

During my stay in India, I was gifted with two spinning wheels invented by Gandhi, one for myself and one for others. One for myself and the other to teach to others.

I wanted to continue "spinning".
Somehow, I felt that if I continued for ten months and ten days (the time it takes for a baby to be delivered) something will be born.

Next, I started to "grow Japanese cotton", as it is close to extinction. 
Then, I held spinning cafes for others to experience.
Then I was gifted with "88 Tahkli spindles" from India to pass on.

*below is the passage on the 88 Tahkli spindles gifted.

I shared my story of the spinning wheel with my friends where the concept of "Intentions & Prayers" was born, where we would interview as we spin and then later on share the stories.

What will be spun in the future?
What ripples will spread on?
We hope to let it organically grow, as I take my first step to cherish my seeds of "Intentions & Prayers".

yuko

I'm looking forward to listening into the backgrounds of various people, their wishes towards the future, and their current actions through the "Intentions & Prayers".

I find that while spinning, things that we would not normally talk about tend to flow out smoothly.This is partly due to the meditative nature of spinning. And maybe it's also due to the lack of concentration, as honest and simple words come out rather than trying to put it into clever words.

We hope to share such stories of each individuals
as we treasure the moments with love. 
                                                           
Yoshimi Murakami (Photography, Design)

When the fibers of hundreds of 
soft and gentle ball of cotton are bounded together
It becomes one strong thread.

We hope to deliver the "Intentions" of individual stories
and connect the baton to you. 

hanano* (Writer)