Healing Heart Reiki Blog | Reiki Healing in Santa Rosa, CA | Energy Medicine - Healing Heart Reiki

I am a Reiki Master and have been practicing Reiki for 28 years now. It has been quite a journey. We all have the power to heal each other as well as ourselves. I guess that's the biggest lesson. A friend has been urging me to start teaching parents how to use Reiki to soothe and emotionally balance their children, as well as themselves. So I've been researching and found this excellent blog post on this beautiful Reiki website.

Healing Heart Reiki Blog | Reiki Healing in Santa Rosa, CA | Energy Medicine - Healing Heart Reiki

"It's not your position in Life that counts.
 It's your disposition!" - Yuri Kochiyama

WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, MOMMY?: KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS is sponsored by Fractured Atlas, a 501(c)(3) national non-profit artist service organization. A PORTION OF YOUR CONTRIBUTION IS ELIGIBLE FOR TAX DEDUCTION! You receive a receipt when you donate ANY amount. See sidebar for perks!

We welcome feedback, comments, future interviewees and volunteers! Please also visit us at KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS: THE FILM and contact us at memoircity@gmail.com. Follow us on Twitter @Kochiyama_Film. Please "LIKE" us on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CrusadersFilm

(L-R) Linda Wang, Pisha Warden, Connie Kim and Chanelle Yang (BITS OF PARADISE - The Marsh Theater)

WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, MOMMY?: KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS will weave together moments of History, Art, Activism, Love and Passion to honor The Crusaders. Led by future civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee Yuri Kochiyama (née “Mary Nakahara”), these girls and women of the World War II Japanese American internment camps embarked on a war effort that boosted the morale of “any soldier in need of a letter.”

IT'S TIME TO MOVE THESE HEROINES OFF THE CURB

AND PARADE THEM DOWN MAIN STREET!

So far we have logged 40 hours of shooting time. We began in '08 with out-of-pocket money and in-kind crew contributions, but we really need your help to complete the next production and post-production phases and make this film a reality! Full details on our proposed Four Phases of this production are below.

Mary Nakahara with kids at Camp Jerome.

WHO WERE THE CRUSADERS?
The Crusaders was the brainchild of 20-year-old Mary Nakahara who birthed the movement during her internment at the Santa Anita Assembly Center at the start World War II when her future husband, Bill Kochiyama, told her that he felt sorry for his fellow soldiers who were not getting any mail.

As the War progessed, The Crusaders hailed from all the U.S. concentration camps and supported hundreds of soldiers, many of whom fought in the 442nd Infantry, the most decorated U.S. World War II military unit of its size.

NOW A MESSAGE FROM HISTORY 101...
The euphemism “assembly center” was coined by the U.S. Government for the makeshift barebones prisons where Japanese Americans were forcibly held under President Roosevelt's Executive Order 9066 while the country was at war with Japan in 1942. Later the "internees" were moved into U.S. concentration camps located in desolate areas.
Internees were American, not Japanese. Their only "crime" was Japanese heritage.

WHAT'S UNIQUE ABOUT THIS FILM?There has never been a film about The Crusaders. They disbanded on V-Day and like the iconic Rosie the Riveter, stepped back into more traditional supportive roles as their heroes returned.

Likewise there has also never been a film made about the early years of Yuri Kochiyama. Previous documentaries focused on her political life. This film will look at the experiences that molded Crusader Mary Nakahara into the warm, caring woman and multi-layered human being who became known as Yuri Kochiyama.
By the time we interviewed her at age 87, Yuri Kochiyama had married the love of her life, presided over a large family, lost loved ones, held Malcolm X's head while he died, participated in countless protests and was writing morale-boosting letters to 200 political prisoners. And she had been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

THE FILM
We began shooting in '08 and are seeking completion funding in three more phases. Structurally this layered film will:
*Honor The Crusaders who were all ages and included women who primatily helped mass produce these Missives of Hope (e.g., church secretaries with mimeographs).

Connie Kim (BITS OF PARADISE, Marsh Theater production)

*Focus on the bond that developed between marriage-age women and soldiers through these often surprisingly lighthearted, poetic, sometimes silly, flirtatious cards and letters. Contrasting youthful desires with the harsh reality of war.

*Examine how Japanese American women's cultural roles changed via World War II--what remained of those changes after the War--and what legacy The Crusaders left behind for future generations of women.

(L-R) Gloria Steinem, Aileen Hernandez, Dolores Huertes, and Yuri Kochiyama ("Four Legends" Panel, Engage Her Conference, Berekely, California)

*Extend History through Art by intercutting real-life moments with moments from Marlan Warren's play BITS OF PARADISE (inspired by The Crusaders Scrapbook in the Los Angeles Japanese American National Museum).

From (L) to (R): Pisha Warden, Linda Wang, Chanelle Yang, Jean Franco, and Connie Kim. BITS OF PARADISE (The Marsh Theater, San Francisco)

How Your Contributions Will Help
The film is being made in 4 proposed phases. Phase 1 has already been accomplished. We have logged over 40 hours of shooting time and already have a significant amount of material.

Your donations will go towards completing Phase 2. Production costs include crew and equipment.

We still need to accomplish the following before post-production can begin. Here's our wish list. Whatever isn't accomplished will roll over into our Phase 3 Campaign. Phase 4 will aim for post-production costs to make a rough cut and final edit.

1. Pickups at the Japanese American Museum in San Jose with the "second" Crusaders Scrapbook donated by Ruth Ishizaki (creator of both scrapbooks), including any additional interviews in the Bay Area.
2. Interviews with more surviving Crusaders and Japanese American World War II veterans; internment artists; and Asian Studies/Women's Studies professors or authors. Most will be interviewed in Los Angeles area or by Skype.
3. A shoot at the Japanese American National Museum covering The Crusaders scrapbook existence in its archives and how intiial research was made in 2001.
   
4. Shooting moments from the play on a sound stage or theater plus recording audio moments from it to intercut with moments from the original performance and real moments from interviews and historical archival footage.
5. Editing the next Indiegogo Campaign pitch trailer. We still have to pay for this one!
   

Who We Are

           (L) Marlan Warren (M) Yuri Kochiyama (R) Ruth Ishizaki
            Opening Night: "Bits of Paradise" (The Marsh Theater)

"BITS OF PARADISE places its footprint on the timeline of a much needed theatrical examination of the Asian American journey." - Asian Week

Hello there!

I'm Marlan Warren, the Executive Producer, Writer, and Co-Director for WHAT DID YOU DO IN THE WAR, MOMMY?: KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS. In '01, I began researching The Crusaders scrapbook at the Japanese American National Museum and received permission from the museum to adapt the material for an educational play. For the full story on how this play grew into a film, please visit our website at KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS: THE FILM.

When I interviewed Yuri, I asked, "What motivates you?" She replied, "When I see things that need to be corrected."
I ask myself the same question. I did lose family members at the World War II Auschwitz concentration camp and my father fought in that war. But my interest in the Japanese Internment ignited in '95 when a friend showed me the letters his uncle had written to his interned family before he was killed in the famous battle depicted in the film “Go for Broke," and it made a huge impact on me.

Most importantly, what has driven my passion for this project is my admiration for The Crusaders and Ms. Kochiyama who had me at...

"CARRY ON"!

Meet the Team!

Los Angeles Area Unit
Our SoCal crew is small but determined! We will increase in number with your donations, expediting the completion of this film.

Co-Producer/Co-Director/Scriptwriter: Marlan Warren - A filmmaker and graduate of USC Film School, Warren's independent films have been shown at international film festivals. As a journalist, playwright, novelist, and blogger, her themes often address multicultural issues. She is a graduate of USC Film School (Screenwriting).
 

Line Producer: Tom Tsuji
A U.S. Army veteran and Los Angeles native whose family members were interned at Manzanar, Tsuji brings not only deep feeling for the project, but also his extensive management experience and marketing skills.

Editor:
Lindsey Myers – Very busy professional editor whom we are lucky to have on board. In collaboration with writer Marlan Warren, Myers created this moving first pitch video trailer. She is co-owner of Almost Fairytales Films.

Bay Area UnitAfter logging 40 hours of shoots, our Bay Area Crew has mostly disbanded. They worked tirelessly with good humor, contributing professional skills and devotion. Hopefully some can join us for the next Phase. For more info, please visit our website at KOCHIYAMA'S CRUSADERS: THE FILM. 

Co-Producer/Director/Camera: Chong Lee

Co-Producer/Writer: Marlan WarrenSecond Camera: John Quick
Sound and B-Roll Camera: Ryan Carbrey
B-Roll Camera: Nani Walker

Jumping Barbed WireWhy we need stories of fearless risk-takers and history-makers like The Crusaders and Yuri Kochiyama

We'd like to share with you the following statistics from the ALICE WALKER: BEAUTY AND TRUTH Indiegogo Site:

"Funding independent film is an uphill climb at the best of times but for women it is no picnic. If we look at the startling fact that only 7% of directors, 13% of writers, and 20% of producers are female, it’s not hard to see what we are up against. Given such a dearth of female representation behind the camera, is it any wonder that we continue to struggle to find funding for female stories and voices? We want all women and girls to be empowered, to believe in their own voices and their own truths."

Remembering The Crusaders and their Courage...

Scene from my play about The Crusaders and the Japanese American Internment,  BITS OF PARADISE, performed at The Marsh Theater - 2008.

Test Shots for New Film

Hi Everybody!

Yes, it's been a while since I last updated you on the goings on in Los Angeles as I make my weird path through them. The next several photos are test shots for the documentary film I've been working on about The Crusaders and Yuri Kochiyama--specifically for the Indie Gogo "crowd funding page" that I've been working on for DAYS. Indie Gogo has a rather picky way of letting me post embedded photos and I'm running an experiment to see if this will work. Fingers and toes crossed...

Recovery Made Real: "All Storms Pass: The Anti-Meditations" by Luke Benoit

I just posted a review for Luke Benoit's beautiful book on Goodreads (link below).


I love this book. It fell into my life during a rocky time of self-doubt, anxiety and regrets, and I started dog-earing pages five minutes into my first reading.

The title "All Storms Pass" is fitting since the book's brief passages (written in non-rhyming poetry format) focus on the transitory nature of life. At a whopping 635 pages, an alternate title might have been "The Big Book of Self-Esteem."

Author Luke Benoit, C.C., C.P.H. tells us up front: "If anyone ever told you that you were less than wonderful...they lied."

Benoit urges readers to share these "anti-meditations" with others to stimulate dialogue and promote healing. They function as the jumping off place for discussion rather than the end of it. "They beg for personal interpretation," says Benoit on the back cover, while acknowledging that "All of them require introspective rumination."

This is such a personal book and at the same most of us can relate to the struggle to gain peace and balance in our lives. Life Coach/Therapist Benoit has obviously suffered and continues to wage war against internal forces that threaten his peace of mind. This honest approach makes the book riveting.

Reading this book is like reading someone's life-journal, and as you gather the bits of wisdom, you realize you're looking in a mirror. What Luke Benoit has suffered and transcended one day at a time, each of his readers can suffer and transcend one page at a time, right along with him.

It is a brave masterpiece.

Each segment has an enticing title. My personal favorite is "Today I Will Stand Back and Leave You and Your Trip over There." Other notables include "Meditation for New Year's Eve," "Today I Will Stop Waiting for the Stars to Align," and "The Fairy Tale of 9 Fingers."

Benoit pulls ahead of the "recovery meditation book" pack by mingling popular recovery and pop-psychology slogans, concepts, sayings and lyrics while putting his own unique spin on them.

The only inconvenient thing about the book is the lack of a Table of Contents or Index with the titles or opening lines in the tradition of anthologies, so readers can quickly find their favorites. But perhaps that will be corrected on the next printing.

"How do you measure a life?" is one of the few lines from pop-culture lyrics not referenced in this recovery anthology. "All Storms Pass" nevertheless answers the more pressing question: "How do I measure my own life...and then throw away the measuring stick?"

Whenever I read any of the passages in this "recovery" masterpiece, I feel more centered and reminded of what is known and unknown, and more inclined to embrace my life as it is, not as I wish it would be.

A soothing, grounding read just before bedtime. Or anytime someone is just bugging the crap out of me.

ALL STORMS PASS; The Anti-Meditations by Luke Benoit
My rating: 5 of 5 stars




View all my reviews

SETSUKO HAYASHI & HER BRILLIANT STUDENTS

These photos are from the exhibition I attended with my Chinese friend Alice in Little Tokyo Nov. 14 at 222 S. Hewitt in Little Tokyo at the Maryknoll Japanese Catholic Center.

An artist friend of ours, Chutima Vichitnak had two batiks in the show which featured Japanese Yuzen, Tie Dye, Batik and Stencil work of 15 artists who have studied with Setsuko Hayashi. Below is Master Hayashi showing us some of her past work.

Hayashi's spiritual, often witty textile pieces reflect decades of learning her craft -- as well as a spiritual quest that this youthful Japanese woman modestly refers to, if asked.  I enjoyed the spirals in her designs as I work with spiral symbols in Reiki, and respect their ancient power.

Alice and I were Early Birds so we had Ms. Hayashi almost all to ourselves. She graciously took us aound and answered questions. Her bright smile reflected her joy in sharing this beautiful art with others at this annual event.

SIZZLING MARIACHI BAND PLAYS BEVERLY HILLS

The Mariachi Nueva Generacion has been playing masses at the Church of the Good Shepherd for a while. The church is in the heart of Beverly Hills,  a section of L.A. not known for honoring Latino culture, although that is clearly changing.

Pictured above is its band leader, Haitian Michelle Anglade. She is also the administrative assistant for this church.

It's a multicultural group made up of Japanese, Caucasian and yes, Latinos. Last Saturday, December 12, they played from the heart with skill and joy. I shot a little video until my camera ran out of juice. The videos are now on You Tube.

My friend Michael Hudson-Medina had brought me (and his violin). He sometimes plays with MNG.  His mother is a Mexican American teacher who retires this year. When he called to invite me, he said:

"This mariachi band I sometimes play with will be playing in Beverly Hills at a Catholic Church on Our Lady of Guadalupe Fiesta Day. I'll pick you up at 7:15 in the morning."

COCK-A-CHON THANKSGIVING

I'm in love. His name is Freddie. He's not mine, but my friend let me stay with him while she was gone over the T-Day holiday this year. Here he is doing his best imitation of a stuffed animal. Half-Bichon Frise and half-Cocker Spaniel = Cock-a-Chon. Puppy Love. Best Thanksgiving companion ever.

The Original Pantry

The Original Pantry

4 A.M. I'm trying to drive back to SF to pack up my worldly belongings and close up my apartment so I can drive back to L.A. and live, but as soon as I'm out the door, I realize that I am hungry and it's L.A. so where to eat breakfast at this hour? Light dawns. THE PANTRY..

Hadn't been there in five years but my car seemed to remember the way from Echo Park through Downtown streets. I parked the car in the free parking across the street and fairly danced into the warmth and friendly light of this welcoming diner on Figueroa Street.

Tony is still flipping scrambled eggs in his pan. They still come out buttery smooth, perfect for spreading on the thick grilled sourdough toast that is Trademark Pantry. For less than six bucks, I had a satisfying breakfast of a single scrambled egg, potatoes and toast. Alas, they hadn't yet "made" the salsa.

Even more satisfying was the fact that Tony remembered me. Saying hello as if it was only yesterday. "Long time, no see."

A word to the Wise...tip Tony. He deserves it. And next time, you'll have your eggs or pancakes before you've sipped your coffee.

AI JAPANESE RESTAURANT DAY

MAYOR EATS AT AI

Here's the Mayor of South Pasadena, David Sifuentes at the Ai Japanese Restaurant lunchtime sushi bar a couple weeks ago. His unscheduled appearance came minutes after owner Amy had shown me a photo of him declaring "AI JAPANESE RESTAURANT DAY."

Ai is quietly celebrating its 40th Anniversary this year. Too quietly for my taste. I'd prefer balloons, doorprizes, waitstaff singing the "Hallelujah Chorus" and giving free sushi to every 100th customer.

Two weeks ago, I crawled to Ai from a sickbed where I'd lain with a respiratory virus that attacked the day I moved back to L.A. (Oct. 31) and still hasn't gone away (it's been a month now).  I was sitting al fresco at a lovely table in calming weather, eating healing miso soup and chicken terriyaki when the front door of Ai swung open and owner Amy jumped out crying, "I was so worried about you! Did you move here?"

Between coughs and persistent laryngitis, I assured her that I did. She ducked back inside and came back out with the picture of co-owner Fumito and Amy with the Mayor, holding the citation. She was so thrilled and proud. After 40 years of humbly working like hell in South Pasadena...official recognition.

After lunch, I went inside to pay and Amy whispered to me, "THE MAYOR IS HERE. LOOK!"

I looked and asked if I could take a picture. "Oh, I don't know," she said. I asked if it would be all right if I asked. It's my wont to take photos of anyone and anything without asking. Bad habit that Fumito has been trying to correct lately (by yelling a lot).

So I asked and Mayor Sifuentes agreed. And here's the photo to remember the moment that honored Ai so deeply. More power to them!

PACIFIC CITIZEN STORY RE THE CRUSADERS

(L) Marlan Warren (C) Yuri Kochiyama (R) Ruth Ishizaki

Photo by Victoria Yang: 

PACIFIC CITIZEN CELEBRATES YURI KOCHIYAMA AND HER CRUSADERS

Wow!

The Pacific Citizen came out with the story about Yuri Kochiyama's Crusaders and "Bits of Paradise" play and movie earlier than I was expecting -- posting it on their website before it shows up in print in mid-Nov.

Reporter Nalea J. Ko did an amazing job of sifting through hundreds of facts and coming up with a succinct angle for the story: THAT THESE WOMEN DESERVE RECOGNITION FOR THEIR WAR EFFORT.

Thank you, Nalea, PacificCitizen editors, and Bill Honda (for suggesting this story about the Cruaders). I hope this story will encourage more vets and Crusaders to participate in the making of the film.

Here's the link:  Pacific Citizen Story

Pacific Citizen Intervew re The Crusaders & "Bits of Paradise"

(Above Photo by Basile Kuo: Bits of Paradise play showcased at The Marsh Theater, San Francisco)

Pacific Citizen to Feature Yuri Kochiyama's Crusaders and "Bits of Paradise"

File this under ONE BIG STEP FOR MY DOCUMENTARY AND PLAY ABOUT YURI KOCHIYAMA. My 2nd day back in L.A., I was interviewed by a reporter from The Pacific Citizen, the major Asian newspaper about Bits of Paradise because they're doing a feature story on The Crusaders, the letter-writing campaign led by human rights activist Yuri Kochiyama when she was a 20-year old internee at Camp Jerome.

The article should come out around Nov. 18 in a special "World War II Vet" issue. I'm delighted that the paper will honor these remarkable women who never gave up hope while imprisoned behind the barbed wire of their own U.S. government and who boosted the morale of their young fighting men with upbeat, sometimes flirty letters and circulars until the war ended.

For more info on the progress of the documentary, please check out http://sites.google.com/site/bitsofparadisethemovie/home


In a nutshell, doc production has stalled due to lack of funds. Our hopes for a CCLPEP grant earlier this year, combined with the fact that filmmaking costs money, even if the crew is working for free, put the project on hold about 5 mos. ago.

Good-Bye, Yellow Brick Road

Good-Bye, Yellow Brick Road

OK, the image below is NOT me on the cellphone. It's my San Francisco neighbor on our mutual "balcony" on the day I was moving out.

Pushed by the promise of a job in L.A. and the fact that my rent on my rent-controlled apartment was jumping up $800, I drove back to San Francisco to close out my apartment and say good-bye.

This wonderful neighbor had hardly spoken to me in over a year due to a misunderstanding but we patched up our friendship months before I decided to escape San Franciso, and ended up sharing "quality time." She came to my rescue and kept this from being a Solo Effort.

Since August '09, I've been persona non grata. No income. No job. No home. Staying with friends in L.A., depending on their kindness as I tried to figure out the next chapter. It boiled down to a single question: "If you have no money left, why would you want to live?"

I found the answer to be "Live from the Heart and the rest will follow. Allow yourself to savor friendship, love, and give what  you can with love and friendship. Life is not a do-it-yourself project" (as Barbara Sher said in her Wishcraft book).

Above are my downstairs neighbors. Mother and daughter. I will miss them. The mother got me in a headlock before I left--pressing her face against mine--and prayed for my safe journey to L.A. and that I would find all that I needed to live well once I got there.

She and her husband gave me their cellphone numbers for "emergencies" and made me promise to call. Her husband came up while I was packing and said, "Everybody here is a better person for having known you."

Worth a million.