Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

There are still a couple of openings for the Montreal shakuhachi workshop. To register, see http://nyokai.com/montrealworkshop.shtml

(It looks like I may have a selection of Tom Deaver flutes for sale there, too.)

Last edited by nyokai (2010-01-09 10:34:35)

This event is on hold. We received this message from Phil's wife Lara. Let's all blow healing music for Phil.

"Dear Shakuhachi folks --

This is Phil James' wife, Lara Schneider writing this message. I know he would want you all to spread this word as I just don't know quite how to reach individual people so decided to go this route.

We have been on a trip in Arizona trying to get a little R & R before our upcoming babies birth -- which is due on April 4th. I have some sad news. Phil has suffered from a stroke. We are in the intensive care unit in Phoenix, Arizona at the Mayo Clinic. He has been in intensive care for about 2 days. Luckily I was able to get him a helicopter ride here which has a good neurological department. Everything is completely up in the air for him and how his recovery will be. He has had an ischemic stroke, and possibly a type called a diversion (which is mechanical). It is somewhere probably on the mid-range of intensity (but unkown).

His left side of his brain is where the stroke happened -- but the right side of his brain has been compensating a lot. They suspect that music and art have helped this side be so developed -- yeah for shakuhachi!

Anyhow, I am in trauma mode and any help that you all can offer to him, us, our family would be amazingly appreciated.  At this point spreading the word is most critical as I don't want his entire shakuchachi career -- students to be left in a lurch. Please spread the word to his shakuhachi dojo in Portland, Boston and anyone that may be going to the upcoming Montreal workshop or of course his friends in the shakuhachi community.

If you have questions please email me:
Lara Schneider
radiantnature@gmail.com

I can't be sure I'll write back immediately but will try. I plan to design a blog to keep anyone updated in a more general way if they're interested. Please email me if you'd like to follow the blog.

Please send us metta.

Peace,
Lara Schneider (Phil's wife)"

I'm so sorry to hear about this. Phil is such a fine man and a great resource and friend to us.

You and Lara will be forefront in our prayers over the next days and weeks.

— Chris and Anna Moran

I'm very sorry to hear this. Fingers crossed for a speedy recovery. Will be thinking of you when I play today.

Best wishes,

James

I am very sorry to  hear this and  I wish Phil a fast recovery.
Thank you Tairaku and Sean for posting the information. I also, got it earlier today from Chicuzen Gould.
My thoughts are with Phil and his wife Lara.

I would like to announce that there is the possibility of going on with the Montreal workshop and adding a concert.

All of us who are frinds with Phil are quite shocked by this sudden happening. I just talked to Lara on the phone. Phil is still in ICU and stable for now. They are hoping to move him out of ICU tomorrow. This would really lift her spirits. She is quite devastated. I would urge people not to call her now because it's very hard for her to talk about Phil's condition. She needs some time and space with him. Lara says she will eventually get a blog going to give update reports for us.

Phil had a workshop planned in Montreal. I talked with Lara and offered to do the workshop and a concert that sat. evening as a benefit for them. She thought that would be great and said Phil would be very happy for the support. I have already secured help with lodging and have booked a flight The workshop will be built upon Phil's outline with just some of the songs changing. We'll do Kyorei, Honshirabe, Goreika (Pilgrim's chant song) & Nezasa Shirabe. We'll also do chanting and breath work. I'm also open to requests here.  As I mentioned, this will totally be a benefit for Phil and Lara. If you have signed up and would like to continue to support Phil by attending, or if you haven't signed up but now feel you can, please let myself or Sean Riley know. I have no idea who has signed up for this but if you could contact one of us, it would be very helpful. In fact, this will only be possible by everyone helping out. Please contact me even if you cannot go and help out by offering information. We have 10 days to go but I would like to get on top of things asap since we're going to use a space for a concert, etc.

Anyone interested in joining this concert please call me. I'm sure we'll have a group song or two by the participants of the workshop.

Thanks for your help in this situation.

Last edited by chikuzen (2010-01-26 18:19:54)

A few of my comments in the previous post need explaining and following up with apologies. First of all, I didn't mean to make anyone feel that I was volunteering their workshop payment as a donation. I WILL do a workshop in the near future, as soon as I can find a good date and get the concert setup, and your payment, if you chose to join, can count for that workshop. If you chose not to join, I'm sure there will be a way that your money is returned, once the "dust settles" around Phil's condition. I already feel I'm speaking in areas that have nothing to do with me.  I'm just a friend of Phil's and was over zealous in making the suggestion. Of course, please do completely what is natural concerning such things (donations, help, etc) according to your means and your relationship with Phil. As we all do in each such case. Whether it's Haiti, a brother or a teacher that you know or barely know, etc. There are so many people that need help in so many ways in the world and we can only do so much, and sometimes nothing, because of our own current  circumstances or simply our relationship doesn't hold such an urge. That's natural.  Again, I certainly didn't mean to volunteer anyone's money or time, or want to make them feel badly in any way. A good thought sent out is just as valuable as anything.

I have already edited the previous comments which I felt could have been inappropriate.

Last edited by chikuzen (2010-01-27 17:28:37)