Breath Journey

The ancient city of Kyoto is home to some 1600 Buddhist temples and more than 400 Shinto shrines. Dating back to 711 A.D., Fushimi Inari has been dedicated to the Shinto god of rice and sake, harvest, and prosperity. The image you see here shows the temple’s torii gates, the entrance pathway leading into the sacred Shinto shrine.

This precious space, lined like a forest set aflame with brilliantly orange vermillion columns, is vibratory. Crossing through the boundary between the secular world and the holy realm constitutes an unforgettable passage. Repeated walks provide not only remembered experiences, but opportunities for moving deeper into ourselves.

I recall being suddenly aware of my breathing pattern as I walked. How many times a day do we inhale and exhale without thought? For the most part, we simply count on it happening as our bodies instinctively take care of us. The regularity of breathing is miraculous. This realization centered my focus. With every inhalation, upon every exhalation, I moved forward in my journey of loving and learning.