WeSpace Hiroshima

 WeSpace is hosting an online Memorial Space for HIroshima and Nagasaki as follows; Anybody can join for free. Please read our WeSpace page on Facebook. If you do not have an access to Facebook, that is fine, just note that it is an witnessing and presencing space, not a discussion forgum.

Registration Links 

Hiroshima Aug.7th Sat. (note NOT on the actual day of bombing ,6th )

https://fb.me/e/VdVanpGT

Nagasaki  Aug. 9th Mon. holiday
https://fb.me/e/1Cf4s1YnB

 This article is a  personal account behind re-connecting with Hiroshima by Shougen, co-facilitator of WeSpace

 For the 1 st time ever, and especially, unfortunately, more so than while in Tokyo, the consequences of atomic bomb in Hiroshima & Nagasaki became real for me, Shougen, when visiting Hannover, Hiroshima's sister city in Germany.

  On August 6th 2016, I was in Hannover, waking up to the grey day  of mourning where rain  clouds hang heavy. 

When Jana, Dietrich and I arrived at the Church where the ceremony was to be held, the Mayor of Hannover and the Abbot of the Church were there already, but what impressed me were the number of citizens who had gathered already despite the early hours of the morning. I felt their intention.
In accord with their own will, there, each person was there, to join the city and communal statement for peace, no more nuclear weapons on the earth.
  This fact alone impressed me. Perhaps it was an expression of individuality, an integrity which I so miss witnessing in Japan especially for cause that could seem far away. Yes, to be with  one anoother, not because the other is your beloved one, or your country man, but simply because you are called to BE so .

Church with NO ROOF:
The citizens each in her colorful rain gear were already gathering under the no-
roof church . No roof?
Bombed during WWII, the roof-less buildings such as this church remain as
such, under the German policy to remind and educate people of the
consequences of war, never to be involved again.
How different is this compared to the Japanese government policy?
The very real description of the effect of the atomic bomb on human flesh, had been removed from the exhibition because it would be too shocking for the children (and others) to see.The doll representation, the paintings were put away in a storage somewhere unaccessible by us. What good
does it do? 
  If anybody is going to be shocked, they ought to be!

WHY NOT GET SHOCKED?

We need to feel the shock if necessary to remember, to register not just in our hearts or in mind, but kinesthetically, the indescribable violent crime committed against innocent human beings under the excuse of war. 

An altar had been set up, encircled with paper cranes in various colors.
Around the stone walls were the crayon drawings by children,
obviously wishing peace in Germany and in Japan.

THE BELL 
The Mayor began looking at his watch.
Exactly at 8:15 am, he hit the bell then went to the microphone for a Peace
speech under the rain.

Then the tea ceremony had begun. My job, assigned just that morning, was to hand first,the sweets, to the Mayor, then the tea bowl-on -the -stand to the Abbo so they could each place it on the altar, a dedication to all the deceased spirits.

A WHOLE DAY ORDEAL
After the tea ceremony was over, someone came and placed cardboard boxes and beer bottle cases upside down in a circle, as an instant sitting stool.
A meditation circle was to be held ALL DAY LONG, each period lasting 25
minutes, followed by 5 min. interval, resumed again, and again and again throughout the day, non stop.

The time keeper was a member of some sort of religious/spiritual group but no words were exchanged; no explanation for meditation, just an inviting empty stools for anyone to join at any time to offer a moment of peace and silence through their presence.
I looked at the list and there were different sects of various groups, why, they
would come together and cooperate to hold such space!
The day of Hiroshima continued throughout the day onto the evening.

to be continued in the next episodes

FILM VIEWING IN THE CITY HALL- A citizen’s initiative
LANTERN FLOAT IN THE LAKE, REVISITING THE SPIRITS