Last summer, I bought a very nice Jinashi shakuhachi 2.2 made by the Spanish maker Jose Seizan Vargas because I was looking for a special flute to practice Koten Honkyoku. I was very curious to try to play on a Jinashi flute, explore its sounds and the difference with a Jiari shakuhachi. As I am not myself a shakuhachi maker, here is a link about what a Jinashi shakuhachi is, besides Jose’s website (even if you don’t speak Spanish, have a look at the pictures, it already explains a lot).

Even though I haven’t managed yet to give much time to this practice, I am very happy about the results. When I just want to blow, I grab this flute, and it feels just perfectly what I need at the moment. Pure happiness.

At the end of March, I gave a meditation concert during the Open Day of a traditional Japanese Zen Temple in my area, the Suiren-Ji in Bemmel (NL) and I decided to use this flute. I really loved the experience. My conception of a meditation concert is to share with the audience the experience of the sound, breath and silence. I don’t see it as a “performance”. The quiet and smooth sounds of the Jinashi shakuhachi were perfect to create a serene and concentrated atmosphere.
Playing in this temple is very special. I had a very emotional moment while playing Tamuke in memory of my deceased cousin Chantal, moment which helped me afterwards to take the next step in my mourning process. Emotions are part of meditation: accepting them, and letting them go. I am very grateful for it.

To get an impression of this concert, below are some pictures taken by my husband, and some home recordings of the flute (the meditation concert wasn’t recorded).

(Photos © Wim Scheenen)

To make this day even more perfect (!), Zeshin van der Plas, the senior zen monk of the temple, gave me a Chinese flute as present.
Deeply feeling blessed when I play there.