March 24, 2011

Prayers for Japan

Many of my cloth mates are making prayer flags for Japan to hang them outside our homes to create good will and positive energy for Japan. To make the base of this cloth I used natural dyed fabric both in silks and cotton to represent Earth. The flags are from vintage Shibori pieces except the blue one with the moon which I dyed. The natural dyed pieces are from the bark of eucalyptus tree, walnut husk, onion skin and compose dyed. The fabric is of vintage silk except the tan/yellow piece which is cotton.  It was very soothing stitching this cloth! I hope that every stitch I take creates hope, safety and energy for the Japan's Tsunami sufferers. Make sure to visit Deanna, Peggy and Jacky to see their prayers flags as well. 


I'm hanging this prayer flag out on our front veranda for all the passers by to see. Another  way to pray for Japan is by donating to many of the online relief organizations.  


I would like to share this letter from Anne in Japan with you:

"To all My Friends and Family,  
First I want to thank you so very much for your concern for me. I am very touched. I also wish to apologize for a generic message to you all. But it seems the best way at the moment to get my message to you.   Things here in Sendai have been rather surreal. But I am very blessed to have wonderful friends who are helping me a lot. Since my shack is even more worthy of that name, I am now staying at a friend's home. We share supplies like water, food and a kerosene heater. We sleep lined up in one room, eat by candlelight, share stories. It is warm, friendly, and beautiful.  During the day we help each other clean up the mess in our homes. People sit in their cars, looking at news on their navigation screens, or line up to get drinking water when a source is open. If someone has water running in their home, they put out sign so people can come to fill up their jugs and buckets. Utterly amazingly where I am there has been no looting, no pushing in lines. People leave their front door open, as it is safer when an earthquake strikes. People keep saying, "Oh, this is how it used to be in the old days when everyone helped one another."  Quakes keep coming. Last night they struck about every 15 minutes. Sirens are constant and helicopters pass overhead often.   We got water for a few hours in our homes last night, and now it is for half a day. Electricity came on this afternoon. Gas has not yet come on. But all of this is by area. Some people have these things, others do not. No one has washed for several days. We feel grubby, but there are so much more important concerns than that for us now. I love this peeling away of non-essentials. Living fully on the level of instinct, of intuition, of caring, of what is needed for survival, not just of me, but of the entire group.  There are strange parallel universes happening. Houses a mess in some places, yet then a house with futons or laundry out drying in the sun. People lining up for water and food, and yet a few people out walking their dogs. All happening at the same time. Other unexpected touches of beauty are first, the silence at night. No cars. No one out on the streets. And the heavens at night are scattered with stars. I usually can see about two, but now the whole sky is filled. The mountains are Sendai are solid and with the crisp air we can see them silhouetted against the sky magnificently.  And the Japanese themselves are so wonderful. I come back to my shack to check on it each day, now to send this e-mail since the electricity is on, and I find food and water left in my entranceway. I have no idea from whom, but it is there. Old men in green hats go from door to door checking to see if everyone is OK. People talk to complete strangers asking if they need help. I see no signs of fear. Resignation, yes, but fear or panic, no.   They tell us we can expect aftershocks, and even other major quakes, for another month or more. And we are getting constant tremors, rolls, shaking, rumbling. I am blessed in that I live in a part of Sendai that is a bit elevated, a bit more solid than other parts. So, so far this area is better off than others.  Last night my friend's husband came in from the country, bringing food and water. Blessed again.  Somehow at this time I realize from direct experience that there is indeed an enormous Cosmic evolutionary step that is occurring all over the world right at this moment. And somehow as I experience the events happening now in Japan, I can feel my heart opening very wide. My brother asked me if I felt so small because of all that is happening. I don't. Rather, I feel as part of something happening that much larger than myself. This wave of birthing (worldwide) is hard, and yet magnificent. Thank you again for your care and Love of me,   
With Love in return, to you all, Anne".                


21 comments:

jude said...

beautiful nat, glad to see the weaving used for such a wonderful project

Nedra said...

I wept as I read your friend's letter. I find her positive words so inspirational! I have heard that there is no looting, and that people are treating each other with kindness and respect. What an example the people of Japan are to all of us!

Queen Of The Armchair aka Dzintra Stitcheries said...

what lovely feelings these will have nat when they are displayed...what can i say about that letter...so very very touching...what a people...dzintra

Anne-Lise at Rag, Tag, Bobtail said...

An amazing letter, thanks for sharing.

deanna7trees said...

your prayer flag is beautiful, as i knew it would be. thanks for linking to mine.

Needled Mom said...

What an amazing story, Nat. I so enjoyed your sharing it with us.

I am sure that your beautiful flag is filled with prayers for the many people in Japan.

Unknown said...

Thank you Nat for sharing your beautiful letter~It will be a lesson to me today and always~♥ Eileen

ria vogelzang said...

Thanks for the letter, Nat! It's amazing!
And I hope many more flags will be seen for Japan!!
Love and a big hug, Ria.

kaiteM said...

a beautiful insight.

Jacky said...

Thanks for sharing the letter from your friend Anne, it give us a better perspective of life after the tsunami/earthquake for those in affected areas.
Your prayer flags are beautiful Nat...I know what you mean, each stitch you are thinking of the people of Japan and their plight.
Jacky xox

Terry said...

Such wonderful inspiration. Your prayer flag and Anne's letter.

The world is becoming smaller and smaller as we are able to see and respond so quickly to each other.

Nice dying on the pennents.

Dot said...

Thankyou for sharing your letter from your friend Anne. It is inspirational. I think your prayer flags are beautiful and will help bring comfort to those in Japan. A lovely thing to do.
And I loved your post below with the results of your dyeing with Jacky. She has been telling me how much she has been enjoying her days with you. Your results are stunning. I love all of them but are particularly drawn to the green one.
Have a lovely weekend!
Dot x

Sue said...

Anne's letter has filled my heart to overflowing. Thank you so much for sharing.

Betty said...

What a beautiful idea. I cried when I read that letter. Have been saying prayers for the people of Japan.

QuiltSue said...

Thank you for letting us read your friend's letter. It really puts our silly problems into perspective doesn't it?

Simone de Klerk said...

What a wonderful gesture, those flags for positive energy for Japan!
Our problems become so small, compared to all this!

Cheryl Razmus said...

Nat, your flag is wonderful and has such a soothing, grounded sense with a touch of elegance, which reminds me of the Japanese culture itself.

Janet said...

your flag is gorgeous Nat, I love it and so will the recipient. Such a good story but still ful of struggle, our thoughts are still with them all.

Morna Crites-Moore said...

I love your flag - thanks to Joe for helping me discover your blog. I look forward to exploring. :-)

Morna Crites-Moore said...

The letter from Anne is beautiful and quite inspiring. I wish she would start blogging about what is happening.

Lorri Scott said...

What an amazing letter and the prayer flag is so very beautiful! I can feel the care put into the work of the flag just by looking at it.

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...