Each day in our creation here I reflect on the experience of “MA,” so central in Japanese culture...MA usually translates as emptiness, or the space or interval between two structured events. It was described in the 14th century by Zeami Motokiyo, who codified Noh Theater and observed that what the performer does NOT do is interesting.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VI0xgxCOf8E
Here Iida-san reminds us constantly to create MA in what we do, to not run together our speech, expression and movements. On one level this just is a theatrical technique, something that lets the audience follow and fully appreciate what is presented. But it is really a practice in living wisely - each moment offers us a world of experience that is lost when we are caught up in either what is past or to come, and not fully present…
Living and working together here in Nishiwaga has been an such a luxury in preparing for our performance. Never before have I been involved in a project this long and large, and to prepare surrounded by nature and the mountains has been a precious inspiration. I’m slowly learning to value MA not just in our creation, but also in our shared meals and sake, the healing onsen waters, walking the yellow rice fields and deep mossy forests, savoring clouds of dragonflies, the sea of midnight stars and the riot of late Fall flowers now blooming everywhere…
I am grateful for the Traveler role that has come to me – it hasn’t always been easy but more and more I feel it touches and reflects something deep inside me, just as I chose “Girl From the North Country” as my song in our first days here. Only now can I see this is why I felt I had to come to Japan and be part of this project. Yes, this Snow Country and surly “winter is coming”, but there is still so much beauty and richness surrounding us, if we take the time to receive it. I feel we’ve been soaking all this up and know it must infuse and give life to Small Stars in East Wind!
(Johnny)
