Thursday, July 17, 2008

Walker Blog - Nipponzan Myohoji Temple to Malcom X Park, Washington D.C.



They got us up at 4am for this walk into D.C. - which...I don't even know why I would consider even mentioning it at this point...those things that I don't understand about this walk. Let's start over.

We were scheduled to have breakfast at the Nipponzan Myohoji Temple and then walk down, about 2 miles or so, to Malcolm X Park. You probably remember that Nipponzan Myohoji (I just like having to type that) is the Buddhist order that Jun-san, Gilberto and Sangei belong to. It's a really small order and there are only a few temples in the U.S. - I know there are only 80 monks and nuns. Small.




I was looking forward to this breakfast as I knew that it was prepared by our Japanese friends; so we were to have a traditional Japanese breakfast. I remember loving eating Japanese meals the four days I was with them at Big Mountain, so I knew we were in for a treat.

Jen, Ray and I rode up with two women from Canada; one of whom had finished a Sacred Run in Japan several years before. She made a documentary about her experience called...Sacred Run. The Lotus and the Feather, and showed it to our group a couple of nights ago.



We arrived at the temple and participated in a small chanting ceremony with the monks. They told us how the order had come to be associated with these walks (I've already told you this, so we don't need to go there do we?). And then we got to eat!


Look how beautiful this is!


We had several types of rolls to choose from, a little tempura, rice balls, and miso soup!! I miss miso soup so much! It was a lovely breakfast and was obviously made very lovingly. Thank you Kyoko and Shegecko! I know you were mostly behind this!

After breakfast we circled up, offered prayers and headed out down the street. It was pretty darned cool to finally be walking in D.C. We were walking through neighborhoods at this point so you couldn't really tell that we were there, other than that I knew..we were there. I remember seeing the "Welcome to Washington D.C." sign when we came in. Wanted to take a picture of it. Couldn't.



We probably got about 3/4 of a mile or so, maybe less when we heard the White Pearl coming up at us with that horn of hers! Very exciting as her momma and sister, Susannah were in the car behind her! They waved, we waved and they made a couple of passes back and forth at us.

But soon, as we came to a crosswalk, we saw Kathleen and her momma waiting to join the group. Lovely, lovely sight! It was really very sweet to see them together...I know how much Kathleen has been missing her...she talks about it all the time, and I know the feeling was reciprocated. It had been about nine months or so since they had seen one another, so it was a very welcomed reunion.



We all walked down to the park together...



...and when we got there we saw the group circled up. I wanted to thank Jun-san for waiting for Kathleen and her mom before they stopped drumming (signaling the closing of the circle) - that was sweet; as was Redhorse acknowledging Theresa and honoring her by running around the circle and then having all the staff carriers greet her individually on there way out of the circle. Lovely.



Kathleen brought us coffee. Lots of coffee. And so we sat for a moment after circle and had a couple of cups before we piled into the truck and the rental and headed out of the city (Jen's mom is also slated to arrive this afternoon, btw).



Tomorrow would be the big day when we walk to the White House and the Capitol. Tomorrow is truly the last day of walking - July 11th, people, July 11th.

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