Current countdown..where is the peace?

After I wake up tomorrow.. it will be down to one last Saturday left in Tokyo.

For today, I ran out and met up with friends to watch a Shomyo Chant @ Spiral Garden @ fashion street Aoyama. Although Spiral Garden is an art gallery, today, leading priests of different sects come together, harmomizing on shomyo chant.

Of course I didnt quite fully comprehend during the sacred chanting, but after the performance, Miki-chan gave us all a more in-depth explanation. I followed-up with further research at home. This is traditional Japanese Buddist chanting; performing a 1,200 year old song, along with a scared ceremony that was practiced during the Edo period.

Although the instrumental tone was repetitive, I thought that was the best part as there were sho mouth organ, hichiriki pipe, and others played along with the chanting. I have never seen these unique instruments upfront.

The costumes were colourful yet solemn. Apparently this has attracted interest from around the world with its multilayered sound and power.

The ceremony was meant to ensure the "rebirth of women". Women in white kimono were blindfolded as they crossed an area covered with white cloth symbolizing a bridge from this world to heaven. As part of the audience, I believed I was blessed too.

Relocating home to Singapore seems more difficult compared to the initial move to Tokyo. Well, I had one full month with no work responsibilities to prepare back then. Now, I dont have such a luxury, sometimes with the many many tasks left and yet interesting deadlines for - work, packing, bank account, phone line, gifts, shopping - I feel like cracking.

I feel like I have to constantly remind myself, not to allow the tight deadlines and stress to weigh me down, to discourage me with no purpose, or interfere with how I handle my life or my ability. This is the last two weeks of the one year assignment.. I cannot afford to crack.