Thrilled and Honored to Participate in the Showing of "Jun-Ai" (Film) in Sedona

A couple of weekends ago, over my birthday, I unexpectedly had the time of my life here in Sedona! I knew that I was going to do some interpreting for a Japanese spiritually oriented tour group that was coming to Sedona with Club World Co. from the Tokyo area, but I had no idea that I would be meeting the key-players in a most remarkable "Japanese-Chinese collaboration for the world" film entitled Jun-Ai. In fact, I became the de facto interpreter for the Japanese actress and project manager of the film as it was presented at the Sedona Film Festival. The lead actress's name is Keiko Kobayashi; someone appropriately called her "the Julia Roberts of Japan." She is a uniquely talented and courageous actress, screenwriter, and producer in Japan who helped spear-head this moving film. She is also a woman with a profound vision for world peace - for the sake of the children of the world. She believes firmly that one film can help to change the world! She is also doing some wonderful things to help create better schools and kindergartens - to begin with, in China.

Here's a bit about story line of Jun-Ai, which by the way, means "True" or "Pure Love": It plays like an unusual romance novel - chapters of beauty and intrigue. It is the summer of 1945, the end of a long world war and conflict between Japan and China. The story involves war but portrays love, a love that overcomes the conflict between two neighboring nations. Overcoming one obstacle after another, Ai and Shunsuke, along with their new-found enemy turned friend, Shanron, son of a blind Chinese woman who harbors them, experience the taste of friendship beyond borders and the kind of love that's worth risking their lives for. Featuring spectacular scenery and cinematography, this contemplative film offers a true gift to the world: The possibility of opening hearts through repentance, forgiveness, and newly blossoming love. The real star of the film is a wise old blind woman who opens her heart and mind with tremendous wisdom and hope, despite the losses and vicissitudes of her war-torn life.

Naturally, one of the reasons I loved this film is because it portrayed my home country's people, the Japanese, in a country where they did not truly belong. That sense of desiring to belong has always haunted me; and this feeling haunts the film as well. It also shares beautiful pieces of Japanese music that remind me of my childhood growing up in Japan. However, I was interested that I was not the only one tearing up a number of times during this film; in fact, most everyone in the theater seemed to be moved to tears. It is a genuinely heart-opening, healing film that transcends national borders and boundaries. It has been shared with four nations of the world - Japan, China, Monaco (where it won five awards), and the U.K. Now, with its Pan-American debut here in Sedona, it seems that the time has come for it to be shared with the entire world.

And incidentally, the "Jun-Ai Team" had the joy of discovering that the film had won two awards on the last day at the Awards Ceremony: Jun-Ai won the Best Director Bridging Cultures Award and the Best Audience Feature Award! Needless to say, we were all thrilled to hear this very special, hoped-for news!

I hope to continue to be a part of the effort to get Jun-Ai out into the world. Ms. Kobayashi and Shogo Okumura, the project director, hope to bring it back to Sedona for a week-long showing later this year. I hope that we will be seeing this film showing not only in Sedona again, but across our country and world, in many countries. Keiko's dream is that it be shown in every nation of the world! May it be so.

May peace prevail on Earth, especially for the sake of the children of the world, Dancing heart~~

p.s. The above picture is from the site: http://jfdb.jp/en/title/999.

A Miracle Has Happened: I have a new life awaiting me in Arizona

Something very special is going on in my life this year: I've been receiving all kinds of healing from many different directions (See my last blog from Thanksgiving that will explain). This healing work I've been doing seems to be making a big difference in my life.

Just this past week, my life has taken a huge turn: I was offered a job as spiritual and bereavement coordinator at a unique and holistic hospice south of Tucson called Soulistic Hospice. This happened in a most surprising way: Some years ago, after my first book The Last Adventure of Life had come out, I was invited to present my book at an author event in a bank in Tucson, AZ. At that time, I met a nurse from New Zealand named Aladi who told me about the small and unique hospice where she worked where they used essential oils as part of the protocal. Aladi left an impression on me at the time; and we kept in touch by email.

Recently, when it came time for me to realize that I needed a job in the Arizona area to actually move down there, I began putting feelers out. I thought to add Aladi to the list of hospice related people that I got in touch with, even though I remembered that she'd said their hospice was small. Shortly after I emailed her, Aladi responded and asked me to send my resume to her. Well, it turned out that just two days before I got in touch with her, Soulistic Hospice had gotten a job description ready to seek a second spiritual counselor because they have been growing so much! One thing has led to another, and after several interviews by Skype, I now have the job that will based out of Tubac, AZ.

Another amazing aspect of all this is that Soulistic Hospice comes out of an organization called Soulistic Medical Institute that has its root in a philosophy and global community that's based on The Urancha Book. They also have an extensive organic farm and garden called Avalon Gardens, Farm, & Ranch that's connected to their intentional global community of 100 strong. And this community is now it's third decade, they tell me. I'm still processing all of this; as you can imagine, it's been rather mesmerizing, partly because it's all happened so quickly and with such grace and ease, too.

If any of you happen to be in the midst of a shift or transformation of some kind, if you are hoping and dreaming about something different for your life, I'm here to remind you: Do not give up! These past two weeks have been a powerful reminder to me that my life can change at a moment's notice; you just never know how and when Spirit will open your life up in a totally new way with amazing new possibilities. We just need to keep holding the vision and trusting that "the way will -- somehow, unbeknownst to us -- open."

Keep the faith, hope, and courage, dear friends. Life is truly a grand adventure that just keeps happening. And All Things are possible through our faith in God/Goddess, Spirit, Jesus, ... All That Is!!!

Love and Deep Encouragement Blessings to you all through these transformationalo times, Dancing Heart~~~