Gene Kunitomi
- 66 years old
- Born Mar 27, 1942
- Died Jul 23, 2008
- San Francisco, California, United States
About
Gene's Memorial Service on September 20th
You are invited to a Memorial Service for Gene Kunitomi
In Celebration of his life, his gifts and his very human nature.
Ripeness is what falls away with ease.
Not only the heavy apple, the pear,
but also the dried brown strands of autumn iris from their core.
To let your body love this world that gave itself to your care
in all of its ripeness, with ease, and will take itself from you
in equal ripeness and ease, is also harvest.
And however sharply you are tested -- this sorrow, that great love --
it too will leave on that clean knife.
- Jane Hirshfield
Saturday, September 20, 2008
400 Upper Road, San Rafael, CA 94903
1:15 pm - 1:45 pm (Arrival in Parking Area, see below)
2:00 pm – 3:30 pm (Ceremony)
3:30 pm – 7:00 pm (Celebration, Food, Community)
Please arrive in the parking area by 1:45 pm and
carefully follow the parking instructions below.
The Celebration at 3:30 pm is a POTLUCK event. If you plan to join us, please bring a gourmet dish (main, side, salad, or dessert) that would serve 5 to 10 people (avoid chips, dips, cheeses, breads, etc.) and also bring the type of beverage you enjoy drinking.
Please let us know right away whether you plan to join us so we can plan for the event. RSVP to: Lynda Sheridan at lynda7711@comcast.net
We Need Volunteers! If you are willing to help out before the event (with set-up), during the event (with food), or after the event (for clean-up), please email Lynda at the address above. This is a community event, and we need the entire community to make it happen.
Also: Jan has been saddled with a lot of debt and expenses after Gene’s passing, so there will be a donation basket if you are able to make a financial contribution to help with expenses. Make checks payable to Wakan, Inc. All donations are gratefully appreciated. (They are technically not tax-deductible.)
Also: Please visit this wonderful website: http://respectance.com/Gene_Kunitomi -- where you can add your memories and thoughts about Gene. Upload any photographs you have of Gene, as well -- it’s easy to use. Thanks to Steve Unger for setting it up.
Directions and Parking Instructions
400 Upper Road, San Rafael
From North of San Rafael: Come south on 101 to the N. San Pedro exit, also called the Civic Center exit. Turn East (left), underneath the freeway, onto N. San Pedro. Then *]
From San Francisco and South: Drive to Marin via the Golden Gate Bridge, continuing North on 101. After the Central San Rafael exit, take the next exit, N. San Pedro / Civic Center, and continue East (toward the right) on N. San Pedro. Then *]
From the East Bay: Take the Richmond/San Rafael bridge to Marin, following the signs to 101 North. The exit after Central San Rafael is N. San Pedro. Follow N. San Pedro East (toward the right). Then after getting onto N San Pedro (East) from 101:
Drive 2.3 miles (about 7 minutes) toward the East, past the Civic Center and toward China Camp State Park. You will pass one stop sign near a 7-11. Continue on N.S.P. After you pass Pt. Gallinas Ave. (on your left), you begin to climb a small hill. Near the crest of the hill, you will see Upper Road on your left. CONTINUE past Upper Road and take a careful Left into Buck’s, a boat storage area. Drive forward until you see a long fence leading to a large open space on your right. Turn right into the dirt parking area and drive as far forward as possible toward the power tower, and park. Lock your car.
A shuttle car will pick people up about every ten minutes or so, between 1:15 pm and 1:45 pm. The shuttle will be available to take you back down to your car between 3:30 pm and 4:00 pm. If you are arriving or leaving at other times, plan on walking about 5 minutes up the hill to 400 Upper Road (or down the hill to the parking area after the event).
Please do not attempt to drive or park on Upper Road (unless you are dropping off passengers who cannot walk). There is no parking available on Upper Road. Our neighbors get touchy and they tow cars parked on their property.
Call Lion Goodman at 415-472-6500 or Lynda Sheridan at 415-383-5466 if you have any questions.
We look forward to joining with you in community
to celebrate Gene’s life and times.
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Lyrics: Bright Angel
Lion Sep 25, 2008
Lion
---------------------------------------
Bright Angel
by Susan Osborn
And when I let go,
and fly to the sun,
take my remains
where the wild rivers run -
and scatter them there
in the dry desert air
where the bright angel falls.
There are times when my spirit,
weary and worn,
goes for the peace
of the sweet canyon dawn;
to rise from my sleep,
dreamless and deep,
to the canyon wren’s song...
And then live out my days
in the ancient one’s ways,
dancing on ledges
and riding the waves,
listening to voices
through millions of years -
I’ll laugh with their laughter
I’ll cry with their tears.
La la la la…
In Memoriam - by Lion
Lion Sep 25, 2008
In Memoriam
Deer Shadow lived his life out loud,
Without compromise, without excuses, without the kind of concern for others’ feelings that turns men into overly sensitive new age wusses.
But oh, he was sensitive.
He wore his T-shirts inside out, he said, because he didn’t like the feeling of seams on his skin.
Sensitive enough to navigate dangerous whitewater rapids “just so” and come out unscathed.
Sensitive to any form of domination, authority, or unfairness, which he pushed back on with equal force.
And sensitive to others’ needs and pain, wherever he felt like being sensitive.
He had the drive of a Mack truck; pushing through barriers and limitations in the same way he pushed oars in the supply boat – with confidence, certainty, and clarity of goal.
Gene knew.
You couldn’t tell him anything that he didn’t already know or that contradicted what he already knew.
Stubborn? No, he wasn’t arbitrary in his firm stance. More like the certainty of a perfectionist, a concert pianist, a master at his craft, or a religious zealot that believes so strongly in one thing that others’ opinions are not merely wrong, but irrelevant, even non-existent.
And Gene was a lover. He loved women – as much as I do. We shared that obvious secret, belonged to the same club – the one in which men are out of control with their love of the goddess in all of her forms. We shared the secret handshake, and the sly wink, talking about females as if we were using a secret decoder ring to understand messages slipped under the desk in front of the teacher. He loved well and long, rarely giving up on a woman – or man – who could respond to his power, who could meet him in the ring of honest clarity, emotional battle, and intellectual courage.
Gene respected those who could stand up to his internal power.
One day at a men’s retreat, we confronted each other on a ropes course, as if all our history of working together and exploring together was brought all at once into sharp relief. Twenty feet above the ground, on a thin platform leading to a rope bridge, he told me that he should go first, even though I had arrived before him. There was something about fairness involved, how I was a selfish asshole, and he was, of course, right, and good, and deserving of his place ahead of me.
I wouldn’t have it. We confronted each other like two snorting bulls, face to face, nostrils flaring, yelling full force into the others’ face.
I was nervous, legs shaking, heart beating wildly. He was a force to reckon with. But I held my ground instead of giving way. The men around us were shaking, as well, uncertain what to do to avoid a fistfight there, twenty feet above the ground, on a thin wooden platform. Surely one of us would die that day.
That moment, painted with such sharp relief and clarity, was a turning point in our friendship. He respected me for confronting him, and, as I recall, later apologized for being wrong, and being an asshole himself. It may have been the only time he apologized to me, and it was a precious moment.
So this is how he lived, this Deer Shadow.
He was more than mere shadow. He was a big buck, confident of his prowess and masculine presence, the alpha male in a harem of females, snorting wildly and tossing his antlers, ensuring that everyone knew…. He was the Master, the One, the Only, the Clear, the Certain, the Deserving, the Center of All That Happened Around Him.
Deer Shadow. Gene Kunitomi. My friend.
Bien’ Viaje, my brother.
Good Journey to you.
Fly in the Heavens and Ride the Rapids on the other side of this world. I love you, Gene.
Lion
From Gene to Gene
Lion Sep 25, 2008
Thursday, June 13, 1993
Dear Gene,
The unknown, to do the unthinkable,
To walk to my (mind) edge, then over it
Frozen in fear, my body immobile
Staring blankly at the rock
Unthinkable to go back down
Impossible to climb upwards.
What do I do?
Calls from below, of friendship
& a common act of facing & overcoming challenge.
Slowly trusting my legs, my arms,
These sticky shoes – what am I hear for?
To do it or fail.
But to do it regardless of consequence.
My vision clears and small hand and toe-holds appear.
Tasting my balance, my strength,
My foothold – one by one, it all comes back
& I take a chance.
Little by little, success after success,
Foot by foot, I begin to climb.
I’ve made it.
Thank you. Thank you all.
For your courage and spirit.
Homage, memories
Aaiyn Foster Sep 20, 2008
... - this warrior...like an ancient warrior who fell out of the Great Sky - into this American washing machine ...... caught viscerally in the transition into the Aquarian Age, finding your way. . .every day, finding your way.....with as much grace as was possible in the moment.
What a gift - in our myst..... yes, I can feel your spirit so clearly - you are fine !
When I started to do a sacred clearing / blessing of Gene after he passed over, he was so clearly present saying....
"This is for 'everyone' - we are really one Aaiyn. We really are !"
And thus Gene lives ever... in the big picture.
Here on our little island off the coast of Maine - the moon is so close - huge, full, present ......we think surely it is ours - we who inhabit Casco Bay. Gene loved finding this world - where summer is near-incredibly lush, green - fresh. I am remembering doing Tai Ji with Gene at Sandy Beach; sailing; kayaking; drumming;feasting - and as I continue these joys I will consciously carry you forward dear friend - your pure, big love for this paradise.
What stands out for me, almost more, though were the times when Mark and Seiji were with Gene - his utter love and caring; his deep, utter delight in being with them here, or when we were all in the City together for Jan's 50th.
May each of you know that you will always be welcomed here in our home on the island - bonfire on the beach at Sunset for Gene, together.
We are there in spirit for the Memorial. Actually, I started this past Weds. - Gene felt so present; all was clearly sacred. So I have been having a Haddock Fish Festival in his honor (he fell in love with east coast haddock) - having it in different ways; taking time to honor him with thoughts, stories, memories. Last night Arthur and I sat in front of a great fire, did the same and threw our wishes for him into the great cosmic fire of passion. Thus was the eve...blessed also. Tonight.....curried mussles and haddock right down on one of the great old wharf restaurants - honoring, toasting, loving this gift of a human be-ing now spirit be-ing - who so calls for us to the stretch into this next chapter.
Blessings ~ ~ ~
Aaiyn. Foster
af@maine.rr.com
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