英文①：The Book of Runes

noteの記事は、日本語と英語の両方で書いていこうと思います。まだ日本語が追いついていないので、書けるまで待つより、とりあえず英語で書いたものをアップします。よければネーティブが書いた英文を読んで、英語の勉強に役立ててください。そして、この記事のエッセンスを受けとめてもらえたら嬉しいです。

I have a tendency to hold back and wait. It's not always the case, but I tend to also be more cautious by nature. Up to this point, I think it may have served me well. But what about now? What happens when you realize that it may no longer be in your best interest or the best interest of others to resist change?

There's a book that called out to me today as it has on many occasions when my path seemed to lack direction. This book, "The Book of Runes", is an ancient Oracle from the Vikings. Both important and less important here is that the purpose of this book is to help us gain greater insight into our own wisdom, which is why it's also referred to as the Oracle to the Self.

Nonetheless, today I was seeking insight and below is the gift that jumped out from the page:

"As I cultivate my own nature, all else follows."

I think no matter where we grow up, regardless of the language, culture or circumstances, we are influenced by our environment and our experiences. We are constantly creating and recreating our perspective of the world by simply living every day of our lives. And yet I'm fairly certain that I'm not consciously "cultivating my own nature", the foundation of who I am.

So maybe I'll begin by asking the question, "Who am I?"
I was born in Southern California to Nisei and Sansei parents, both of whom were born during the World War II internment of Japanese and Japanese-Americans. I grew in a typical American suburb attending public schools, playing sports and watching my fair share of TV.  At the same time, my family held strong connections to our Japanese culture. So from a young age, I also learned Japanese classical dancing, taiko drumming and participated in activities at our Buddhist temple. We ate Japanese food almost every night too, including gohan and sukemono; and the O-shogatsu tradition of New Years remains one of our most cherished family gatherings. 

Although I never learned Japanese, I grew up hearing the language and recognizing its nuances when trying to communicate with my Japanese-speaking grandparents, hearing our Sensei chanting during Sunday services at our Buddhist temple, and listening to the Issei and Nissei conversations happening over bowls of chili rice happily eaten at Obon festivals (still a favorite of mine!).

It's only now that I'm beginning to recognize the depth and value of Japanese language and culture, as it seems to be fading away here. The Issei and Nissei generations are no longer here to share their knowledge and experiences. The opportunities to be immersed in Japanese culture that I had growing up, seem to be harder to find now. And it may sound ironic, but through my travels and work in Japan over the past 10 years, it feels as though the language and culture even within Japan may be fading away to the hands of globalization. (More on this topic to come)

That said, The Book of Runes has helped me realize that if I cultivate my own nature, "all else follows". So, maybe I don't need to be worried about how things will unfold in my life, if I focus on nurturing my true self. And maybe a first step is to take the time to simply listen to the voice within just as much as I tend to listen to the voices around me. I feel gifted with a sense of knowing and intuition that when I allow myself to have a voice, it shines a light on my path making life that much easier to navigate.

I hope you're taking the time to cultivate your own nature and cherishing all that follows...  In the meantime, be well and stay Genki.