[Update August 5th: I’ve finally finished all of my planning for the new Bell Shakuhachi. Interestingly, we have our first apartment viewing tomorrow! We qualified for some government aid recently. This boon allows us to apply for apartments with enough space for me to have a dedicated workshop within. We shall see…]
The Bell Shakuhachi: A Winding Path to Reinvention
It’s been a while, and I know you’re wondering what’s been happening. This update is a quick recap of my odyssey, focusing on the Bell Shakuhachi moving forward. The short version: Bells are coming soon, sooner, even.
A Revealing Recap
In 2022, I made the tough call to end production of my beloved Bell Shakuhachi — the world’s first replicas of Jinashi and Jimori natural bamboo bore flutes. But the crafting in my mind never stopped. Propelled by nearly two decades of blood, sweat, and tears dedicated to the Bells, I spent the last three years in deep contemplation and innovation, not just for the instruments but also for my role as a shakuhachi teacher.
This intense period unfolded amidst significant life events. In 2021, I herniated a disc in my back which left me nearly incapacitated for weeks on end, then often in some pain no matter what, and with random reinjuries in which everything would start all over again. Even then, I strapped on a back-brace to continue working on the Bells, lifting heavy molds and casting materials.
Then came the unexpected family events. My partner’s mother decided to move back to Spain, and we joined her, helping prepare her house for sale before our mutual move. Soon after, we faced the sudden passing of my partner’s grandfather in Spain, followed by the heartbreaking news in Spring 2023 that my own mother had suddenly passed away.
Two years have gone by, much of it forcibly removed from my craft due to these moves (my equipment, bamboo, everything has been in storage in Spain since late Summer 2023). After a year in Spain, where my partner couldn’t find work, we’ve now settled in France.
Roots and Renewal
Through all of this, beyond constantly refining ideas for the Bells, I’ve been searching for a workshop. My unique needs for crafting the Bells led to rejections from collective spaces, making it impossible to find a suitable location. Then, sitting in our tiny 17m² apartment, I had a realization: this very space could be my workshop, if we moved out, of course. It’s an expensive solution for me, but with no other viable options emerging, I must make it work.
Today, after I finish writing this, I’ll be back to my daily search for a new apartment to live in. On a brighter note, my partner has found her dream job here and my health has also seen significant improvements. I believe my back has healed; I’ve been pain-free for months, maybe a year now. I’ve been able to heal myself through a combination of good information, careful exercise, and diet — just like with the debilitating RSI I had in my forearms over a decade ago,
A Final Form Emerges
As for my Bells, after countless hours of refinement and discarding less viable or unsavory paths… I’ve now arrived at what I consider the final form for Bell Shakuhachi. All in theory of course, in my mind and on paper. We’ll just have to wait and see… and hear! (Sign up to the newsletter)
Get ready, J
P.S. I’ve been spending time meditating in Churches, Cathedrals, and other historic places of Christian worship, such as the Couvent des Jacobins in my photo below (it houses the remains of Thomas Aquinas). I’ve enjoyed many “aha” moments in these spaces, and I’ve also heard some amazing organ concerts and witnessed rituals with chanting.
My last conversation with my mother, when I told her I was moving to Europe, ended with her saying, “Promise me you won’t get married in a Catholic Church.” She, a devout Jehovah’s Witness, and I, the child who chose “Pagan” paths (Buddhism, shakuhachi, meditation, and so on). But marriage in a Catholic Church? a step too far. I had to smile. These minds of ours.
My mother’s finally rests.
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