海外に住む日本人のblogをよく見る。若い時に自分にもそうした可能性はないわけではなかった。しかし母子家庭で育ち、いずれ親の面倒をみないといけないと決めていたので帰国することは既定の方針だった。
しかし、自分に兄弟がいて、選択の自由があったら当時の上司から紹介されたところに就職し、米国にそのまま住み続けるという人生もあったかもしれない。三年間に及んだカルフォルニアでの生活も「私に大きな影響を与えた時代」。
Live in USA
Introduction
From 19XX to 19XX, I had served as a post-doctoral fellow at S. University in California. It provided me a great opportunity to study not only biosciece as my professional carrier on but also American culture. After I returned home, I occasionally visit California to attend scientific meetings and visit friends. California is a something very special for me. I spend my secont springtime there. Californian dream was not a just a catch phrase for me, but a real dream.
It is impossible to describe the American culture in the one way, because it is extremely heterogeneous and diverse. In California, this situation is typical. We may call it a salad bowl(rather than a melting hot). All elements are mixed disorderly in one bowl and the never blend completely together. But somehow, they are harmonious like a tasty seafood salad. If I say shrimp is a American culture, many arguments must start. Some one will claim " No! tuna is!" Other speak out "Do not forget sea weed!"
In this paper, I am going to pick up one piece of American culture, so-called counterculture. It is neither a majority nor standard of American culture. You may say it is one back street of American ways. I believe, however, it has an important effect upon the majority and square American societies. People occasionally shuttle between the main stream and the back street and they bring back a piece of different ideas to the square world. Although, some of the ideas are too silly or foolish to survive in the real world, they may keep them in mind and may come to life again someday.
The counterculture was born and grew in the 60's in U.S.A. Especially, California was a central to this movement. Many young people moved to California like the Goldrush. The greatest numbers of hippies assembled at the Haight-Ashbury district in San Francisco. " Tune in, turn on, drop out" was the most famous slogan of the movement. Standard American values and assumptions were challenged by this movement. Sons and daughters opposed their parents, opposed their values and assumptions as Bob Dylan sang.
Now the 60's have gone and Times have changed. It is, however, not difficult to find it's inheritance in today's America. Although they are not what they used to be, they have kept expressing their message to the world.
In this paper, three communes which I visited will be introduced. They are not related each other legitimately and some of them supposed to be not relate to any counterculture movement. I believe, however, that they are sisters and brothers which were born from the same mother.
Initiation
After spending the first month with a Japanese researcher who work for a company in silicon valley, I moved to a shared house in Palo Alto. It was located south of Stanford university medical center. It took 20 min to get to work from the house by bike. This location was important, because I did not yet have a driver licence at the time. I did not, therefore, pay much attention to other factors like rental cost or house mates etc. When I moved to this house, I realized that I was the only male who lived in the house. Although I knew that both sexes can share the same house, I never expect that this house is a female castle. Kelly, she was a kind of leader in this house. She was in her late 30'. She was an engineer and worked for --- in Fremont, which is a --- industry company owed by ---. Later, she started her own business with two partners making software for --- computer company. Ann, she was a young French girl and worked for the --- school in Palo Alto. Later, she moved back to France and now lives in Paris. Cathy, she was a undergraduate and majored in ---. Later, she left the university without a degree and went back to L. A. We lived in a Californian style house with 4 bedrooms 2 bath rooms near an entrance of Free way 101.
Kelly was divorced. Her two kids live in same town with her sister during weekdays. Kelly has a simple but nice country house in Tassajara valley, a part of Camel valley, and she spends weekend with her kids there. The house is located near the end of a paved road, where a gate house of Tassajara Zen Center has located. We(I, Ann and our friends) occasionally visited her house and spent the weekend there.
That was an initiation of my freak life.
Tassajara Zen Center
Tassajara Zen Center is a Buddhist Monastery which was owned by San Francisco Zen Center. To get into the Zen Center, we had to drive 12 miles of a steep, dusty and winding road from the gate. It was a sort of adventure! After one hour drive, we can finally reach the Tassajara valley. It is a quite remote area in wooded mountains southeast of Monterey, Elevation 1,500 ft(1). One of the most important specialty of this center is hot springs. The Zen Center owns a natural hot springs. Hot water springs in a small river near a temple and a couple of bath houses(for male and for female) were built on an opposite side of temple. We must cross the small bridge to bath houses. It was opened to the public from May 1st to Labor Day. In winter, It becomes totally Buddhist Monastery. Prior reservation and confirmation are required for all. Drop-in visitors are not accepted. All visitors are expected to respect the spirit of a monastic community. No alcohol, no tobacco, no soft drinks are allowed. There is no electricity but they had kerosine lamps. Although there is strict and simple atmosphere, it is not easy to reserve the space. Tassajara used to be one of the oldest hot springs resort during the Goldrush. It was once abandoned until it was owned by San Francisco Zen Center. The early stage of the Zen center, Buddhist group was leaded by a Japanese Zen priest, Suzuki shinryu Rhosi(1905-1971) who trained for many years in Eihei-ji in Japan and already reached a high stage of study(2). He came to United States in 1958, at age of 54. He was intending only a short visit but he finally became a permanent resident in San Francisco. After he died, American Buddhist group has been running this Center. Now Tassajara Zen Center becomes one of the most famous hot spring resort. His grave is located on a hillside and watches quietly many changes of Tassajara, now and then.
The first visit to Tassajara was very impressive and exciting. It was the first contact with counterculture movements for me, if I call so. When I first knew this kind of Orientalism in U.S.A., it was something very funny. It was more curious than interesting. Blond and blue eyes Americans wear the Buddhist priest close(Kesa in Japanese)! On top of that, we saw many female monks who made a lotus(Zazen in Japanese, way of sitting) to get Satori.
Satori is the most important purpose of Zen practice. Psychologist may call it an altered state of consciousness. One of my friend pointed out that some of Zen practitioner started Zazen because of it. She suspected that they used to be a drug users. Today, drugs are strictly restricted. To get high without drugs, however is perfectly legal. Although I had many suspicions, I gradually became impressed by the seriousness of the practioners. Their figures may be funny and full of whims. Who can, however, stay such remote and joyless place without strong will to achievement?
I could not observe the details of monastery life because of my short and limited visit. They start morning session before dawn and ended evening one around 10 pm. During summer time they serve visitors in spare moment of these sessions. Although I do not have any record about the fee, I recalled that it was almost same as three stars hotel. The San Francisco Zen Center was greatly depended on the Tassajara hot spring resort financially. The Zen center posses their cheap employees as monks. The Zen Center also owns Green Gulch farm in Marin county and a famous vegetarian restaurant, Green, in San Francisco. The Green serves French-Jananese versions of vegetarian foods(3). People have to make a reservation to get seats in the restaurant even lunch time. Overall their business is great success.
Esalen Institute
It is located 175 miles south of San Francisco and 300 miles north of Los Angeles(4). The land was once a home of a native American Indian(It was known as Esalen or Esselen) and is a part of Big Sur. If you visit this place, you will be impressed by the magnificent landscape. Mountains in wooded with american cedars fall directly into the Pacific. It also has a natural hot springs. Springs are clean and rich. They are indeed natural gifts from heaven. I would say I find an America holiness there.
You must drive south to get the institute on California route 1 from Monterey. I knew about the institute because some of Tassajara's visitors are also occasional Esalen's visitors. They recommended it as a remarkable hot spring. It is, however, primarily an educational and experiential center rather than a hot spring resort.
From the first, this hot spring was special attraction . In the 1870', Tom Slate, the first western owner, had been suggested by a local Indian doctor that his crippling arthritis could be cured by the magical healing powers of this hot spring. Later, he opened this hot spring to the public. After he died, this property fell into the hands of the Murphy family. One of the family members, Michael Murphy studied Indian philosophy and finally dropped out Stanford university in the early 50's. He had been interested in establishing the place where seekers could to explore their minds. Later, the place became a non-profit organization. He first brought Fritz Perl who was a Gestalt therapist and then many thinkers including a Psychologist, Abraham Moslow, a deep muscular bodyworker, Ida Rolf and a Zen master, Alan Watts held frequent lectures. Although many workshops were held there, it was encounter groups that made Esalen famous. In the workshops, participants encounter strangers, open their mind to them, fight them and often hurt themselves. Such encounter sessions were a completely new development. While Esalen was absorbed in the encounter therapy, the rest of the country tittered. A movie, Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice, which was loosely based on Esalen, was made as an encounter group with wife-swapping. But what indecent playground challenges its members with course on new approaches to their lives?! It is no doubt that Esalen was a pioneer and mecca of the Human Potential Movement. In the final paragraph, I will discuss about the movement and its relation with the counterculture movement.
Esalen developed various special residential programs and seminars which focus on education, philosophy and the physical and behavioral sciences. Visitors may either take these seminars or residential programs. Seminars are provided weekdays or weekend bases. The tuition fee is rather expensive( $630 for weekdays and $325 for the weekend, 1989). The room, which is quite simple, is shared by two or there participants. Meals are rather good and vegetarian food is always provided. The following introduction is one of example of the seminars(5).
" Yoga, Body Work, and Somatic Awareness Practices
by Deborah Anne Medow & Til Luchau
A strong relationship exists between the inner sense of the body and the way we do what we do in the outer world. It could be said that inner somatic experience shapes outer activity. When learning yoga and massage together, this inner/outer relationship becomes apparent. The inner practice-yoga-gives a clear, proprioceptive sense of what it is like to be a body. This inner sense naturally informs the outer practice of giving a massage with a knowing authenticity and sense of presence.
In this workshop, participants will be given instruction in massage and gentle forms of ashtange yoga, with awareness practices designed to integrate the somatic lessons gained from each. It is appropriate for both beginners and those with yoga or massage experience. Bring loose, comfortable clothing.
from Esalen catalogs(6)
They also provide many other workshops such as Gestalt practice, Meditation, Massage, Martial arts including Aikido and Tai Chi. Overall these workshops are quite body-mind oriented. Not only ordinary people but also trained professionals participate in the workshops.
Regarding the financial condition of this institute, many workshops are a major financial source, of course. The institute also has monthly work study programs, which are work-oriented programs. Participants must work 32 hrs a week in such areas as gardening, landscaping, the farm, maintenance, kitchen, and cabin. Most evenings and one intensive weekend, they study a particular program such as gestalt, body work, etc. Although these programs are rarely restful and the cost of these program is rather expensive, many people seem to apply the programs. They must pay $1,000 for the first month and $950 for the second and following month. These programs, as you see clearly, provides a cheap soure of self-paid labores. Overall, their business is a great success.
Harbin hot springs
Harbin hot springs is a large historical resort which locates in a rugged foothill canyon, south of Clear Lake. Elevation is 1,500 ft. It was once abandoned, restored and now it is expanded by a non-profit organization with a residential program. Although their goal seems to be another Esalen institute, the reality is far from it. They do not have many natural gifts. The springs are rich in hot water but the water is not very clean because of poor maintenance. They do not have a very magnificent landscape. When I first visited Harbin to attend a yoga workshop, I smelled a funky foul atmosphere. One of residents mentioned that Harbin used to be a hippies playground. Maybe she is right. The Harbin community also provides various seminars such as at Esalen. We do not, however, have to take them. Most of people, indeed, come to Harbin just to relax while others hope for some adventure. In hot springs, clothing is optional. It is shocking, but fun. It is quite Californian.
Discussion
California is a really young state. People come to California from different places, even different nations. They bring different culture, but they hold same dream, Californian dream. Many girls left their home towns to become actresses. How many girls, however, could live in Biverlly Hills? California is no doubt attractive. The blue sky is special and the land is rich. Young people do not hesitate cut away from their roots to be member of "the freedom state, so-called California Republic". No wonder the counterculture was born and grew up in this new frontier. They can do anything what they want. Indeed, many have tried everything. They did not have to mind their neighbor. They were also strangers. "Mind your own business" is American way of life, isn't it. They did not have to worry about tomorrow. California is too rich to worry. There is no place like California. California was perhaps born to be mecca of the counterculture.
Now the 60' are long gone and The times have changed. Some counterculture movements have vanished while some other still remain. All, however, is not what it used to be. Because they have to survive in the real world. They might give up to keep their original shape but become mutilated by the reality.
In the first paragraph, I introduced one example of Orientalism. Orientalism is a counterpart of Christianity which is the basis of the western world. Orientalism is chosen, just as with Christianity. They did not need any other specific reasons to propose it against the square world. "It is not Christianity" was enough. I also suppose that orientalism has something in common with the drug culture or is connected with the drug culture. The drug culture is the most significant aspect of counterculture. Although drugs are strictly restricted in the States today, the phenomenon spread across the nation. It is no doubt that drug experience strongly shook Americans consciousness. They may find another consciousness during drug experiences. They asked themselves that their recognition based on modern western ego might not a solely reality of the universe? Aldous Huxley wrote a book, named The Doors of Perception. He described a new world in the book under the influence of drugs. No wonder that Orientalism including Buddhism and Taoism hits such western intellectuals who started to taste new consciousness. In Zen practice, logical thinkings is supposed to be abandoned. It is a total recall of the modern western ego which has been cultured since Descartes(1596-1650).
--- To be continue
Harbin HP
http://www.harbin.org/
The second paragraph, I introduced the typical model of the human potential movement. Some may oppose calling it the counterculture. They may claimed that this movement was products from purely clinical and sociological training by using psychology. I can not, however, ague that this movement was raised without any connection with counterculture movement. The movements was rather radical and was indeed born from the same atmosphere where the counterculture was born. I believe that human potential movement consists of brothers and sisters of counterculture movement.
According to Dr. Murayama, who is a professor of Kyushu Univ., Faculty of Education, 5 to 6 million people participated in these workshops from the late 60' to early 70'. Although I do not have any statistic data about the total participants up to the present, it must be quite a large number. It is a part of the culture rather than a brief fashion and Esalen was the ultimate mecca of the movement. Now their style has become less radical. Cynical critics may call it country club. Many organizations, so-called growth centers have become more money-orientated than experimental. Wealthy yuppies try workshops today as a status symbol. Have they sacrificed the spirit of resistance while becoming a part of the legitimate culture? I am not sure enough to say that. Maybe I am too sympathetic.
Why was the counterculture born and why did it grow America? Why did it not make an impression in Japan? It seems to be an interesting question.
The Vietnam war might be one of the reasons. While the war ended in a complete defeat of the U.S.A., some American started to think that their basic values and recognition might not be universal. For some of young people, this tendency became more serious, because they could have been killed cruelly in a jungle where different values took precedence. " Tune in, turn on, drop out" was indeed perfect slogan for such young people. In any case, this period was a significant turning point of America. The political and economical American power gradually declined. The counterculture might have been a seductive artificial flower at this turning point, as a lot of decadence grew out of that culture.
In this paper, I did not have sufficient time or space to discuss other important aspects of the movement. Sexual libertinism including gay power and women's lib is one of them. Although I have little information on them, they also seem to have become accepted in today's America. Especially, San Francisco is a mecca of the movement.
Tassajara HP
http://www.sfzc.org/tassajara/
Acknowledgments
I thank an ex-housemate, Kelly for a primary introduction of the movements. I also thank my yoga teachers, Sara and Ginny who introduced some of communes.
References
1 Hot springs and Hot pools of the southwest
by Jayson Loam and Gray Sohler, Wilderness Press Berkeley, 1985
2 Zen mind, beginner's mind
by Shunryu Suzuki, Weatherhill, New york and Tokyo, 1987
3 Tassajara Cooking
by Edward Espe Brown, Shambhala Boston and London, 1986
4 The California Highway 1 Book
by Rick Adams and Louise McCorkle, Ballantine Books New York, 1985
5 The Upstart Spring; Esalen and the American Awaking
by Walter Truett Anderson, Addison Wesley, 1984
6 The Esalen Catalogs published
by Esalen Institute, Big Sur
Esalen HP
http://www.esalen.org/
