Chapter One

And where do I start my story? Let me go back and let my story begin here.

So much is hidden, so many little co-incidentals that we take for granted. So many moments that we fail to cherish or recognize. This is the journey of life.

It was such a rush, one moment I had just finished and come to grips with a death, a death that had all the hall marks of a fast and untimely demise at the hands of the demons.

In a World that had by now taken away out independence and ability to put our signature on it. 

A tear of blood forced from my eyes by a cowardly act decided upon by life, its grip over me was so strong that I forgot my debt to it. And my reward was?

My reward was justified by not seeing life for what it is. Another life another journey, no more mistakes.

Before I knew it, the screaming screeching unforbading sounds of another birth were under way. 

How clear the sounds of the nurses and doctors frantically trying to keep me alive, and those days after splashed like a kaleidoscope of colour in my mind.

My tiny velvet like skin was tickling against the energies of the room, every thought, every movement was rebounding across it and stabbing me with such precision it was as though my body was been mapped out, and the points that caused the most disruption to my body were highlighted.

Of all the nurses on duty that day, one stood out-dressed in a silly white uniform and black shoes, she was the Matron to be feared I thought.

“We are sorry! She said as though it was of no value if I lived or died, and the fact that she was already five hours late for dinner had not even come into the equation.

I have sent for the priest, if that will help she said standing over my mother’s bed.

Mum was been helped by young a nurse, who at the best of times in the last twenty-four hours, had managed to not only cheer my mother up but had decided to ensure that all the family were looked after.

"Matron, nurse said let us try something different please! As she sighted the priest heading down the hallway toward the two bedded room

Good evening I am father Douglas, ahh this is the young fellow he said peering down over me with a nose that would have made the cardinal of dongool proud to have access to when he was forcing open the gates of Roche castle with a broken old slab of bark, which crumbled as it hit the massive gates.

There was no way; given the short time between lives could I have be ready, and adjust accordingly to my new surrounds.

 “He can`t eat or drink” were the only words I could make out or wanted to hear! An easy escape I thought, back to sorting out my past visit and untimely death.

"Matron has mentioned that you would like me to bless the young boy he said" yes please father, I heard coming from the one I was to later call dad who also was looking down at me trying to hold back the tears,

His name is Yemon, and with that Father Douglas placed his Bible in his hands and carried on with the last rights.

Matron! Please can I try something? what is it girl came the snapping reply, my mother used to give us this special mix of milk and berries when we had trouble eating, can we try it please!

" well she said it can`t hurt" within five minutes nurse was back and in her hands the golden keys that will ensure my continuous journey that started so long ago will continue for so long to come.

I can still taste the milk as it touched my throat and found its way around the little channels in my body, even today the taste of some milks forces me to check that I`m not one of the famous dribblers, those world renown people that when you talk of certain things they change into some hideous creatures deformed by the pleasure or mere mention of money or food.

And so it came to pass a "life was saved"

Such is life that my journey got a foot hold in a direction that twisted and turned in one direction and then another.

Those few short years before my seventh birthday have been engraved in my soul, for it told me a story of commitment to family and of trust. Something for some reason had been missing in my mind, or at least something that I had possibly missed in my last journey here.

And at that time in my life I “struggled” for want of a better word to be here, the many nights of lying awake in bed trying to work out my place in this little bundle of activity, my new family.

As with most kids at that age and having the luxury of been born in a remote area with nothing but fresh air and an insurmountable haven of adventure spots in the local hills.

However! There was always in the back of my mind a desire to find my way home, a home that has been lost to me for these long years.

Our small street was exactly that a small street, backing onto the local football field and then on to the ranges, two kilometers in the opposite direction you could smell the sea air and hear the crashing of the waves as they continuously rolled back and forth never knowing if they should stay or they should go.

This was also my dilemma stay or go, I felt a decision had to be made and had to be made now.

With this in mind I made my way down to the local creek I often went to and found the quietness I yearned for,  where I could listen to the silent whispers chatting to me and giving me advise about this and that. On this day I had made up my mind that this was it!

So with a rope I got from the shed off down the track and along the little creek where I would often look for little fish, catch them and put them back in the water watching them swim off into the distance.

As I neared my favorite place I threw the rope over the tree and tied it around my neck, this was the moment!

No need to say goodbye since I had accidentally slipped into the wrong birth anyway. Slowly I made the rope tighter and took one foot of the rock I was delicately balancing myself, tiptoeing and swaying on the rock and then crouching down, I went to take my other foot off.

An event that has happened no more than three or four times in my life occurred at that moment, there was no big voice saying STOP! No mum or dad coming to rescue me.

Instead it was a moment of clarity a moment when I was engulfed by a force that I knew and loved, I was told simply, Yemon this is not your time and we are here to watch over you.

How strange it was to recognize this feeling and yet not been able to embrace it, the yearning of been a part of it was so strong yet so far away. I was told of my journey and that there would be many hardships to overcome.

The extent of some of those hardships in later life would be a true test for me, and each time that test came along I wanted to find my true home amongst the places in my memories, a place that links my heart and soul to it.

In later life I would come to call this experience simply “Satori” a moment when the forces of the universe join our physical body and simply say hello.

A total feeling of bliss, and understanding that we are indeed on a journey of learning and that we must capture this moment and cherish it for as long as we live.

It is god’s way of saying hello I`m still with you.

Of course my interpretation of God is different than everyone else`s, and I have enjoyed the experience that Satori has given me since it opened my eyes to so many exciting moments, and has given me an ability to not just concentrate on a physical path but also a spiritual path.

Am I greedy for having experienced Satori? Sometimes I think so, and I continually ask myself why doesn`t everyone have this moment.

 Like the million dollar a year job or yacht at the local mariner it is not for everyone, but could be.

I have not experienced those fruits yet and sometimes wish I could, a reality bite comes sneaking up behind me and kicks me in the butt. Move forward Yemon don`t be lazy.

As my teenage years started to fade without any real standout moments I tried different jobs and sports and ended up involved in Martial Arts for the rest of my life, this gave me a great love for driving myself and eventually others to the border line and their ability to push past the boundaries holding them back.

I am a believer that people must experience both physical as well as spiritual growth on the inner journey in life, and that neither can be separated, even if sometimes we lose our way.


How much of what we do and what we experience is put down to coincidence, yet when we re-visit these memories we see there is a deliberate and calculating series of events that somehow justifies itself by a major event in our life

My life was emerged in Martial Arts and many trips to many Countries and my favourite of all places the quite serenity of Japan, first Shimizu then Matsuyama.

It was here in Matsuyama that I had my next life changing experience, although not a “Satori” it has the tell tale signs of something to come.

 As a sea person that loved to swim and get into the waves, it was a welcome relief that there was a beach within thirty minutes.

The dojo was a little out of walking distance from the beach so I needed to get the train, the train for the beach stopped just outside a very old monastery where there were always people visiting and doing the things one does at these places.

The station its self is very small I often say it was the size of an outside loo, as I went in to the small hut to wait for the train there were two middle aged Japanese men there.

One dressed in tradition Japanese clothes and one in western style suit. I sat myself down opposite on the small bench, which probably would suit one or two more people on the basis they were of a very slight build.

As I looked over to the gentleman and said my best hello greeting in Japanese the man in the traditional clothing replied in perfect queens English hello and asked what was I doing in Japan?

I am visiting Ashi dojo was my reply, and where are you from? New Zealand I said.

Both gentlemen had an aura about them that should have been a signal to me to bid my farewell.

Sitting there answering their questions without asking them one felt uncomfortable, until the gentleman in the traditional kimono introduced himself as Kenzo and started explaining what they were doing there in this small little hut of a railway station.

 We have been traveling the World he said with a small smile, but with an air of seriousness about his tone,

We travel and meet people we believe have a chosen path that they may have already discovered or are about to discover.

 As I sat there observing their dress one thing caught my eye, a small detail but one that would show its head many years to come, their second and fourth fingers on their right hands were unusually long and on both persons they had a distinct blue colour about the sides.

Just arriving from Germany several days earlier they had, for some reason ended up at this spot. There was a genuine feeling of concern from his words as he described their desire to see the World and meet particular people.

For me it was special, I knew they were there to meet me, but still not too sure why!

As Kenzo and his friend began chatting away in Japanese, several people showed up to catch the train if and when it actually arrived, as this was a very relaxed area sitting just outside the gates of the local monastery.

As people walked in and saw my new friends they smiled and gave a salutation and retreated outside rather than interrupt the conversation.

Sitting there looking at them and trying to work out if they were religious nuts! Or, some sort of cult leaders, and looking at the bizarreness of the obvious.

Why was the man in the Kimono speaking perfect English and the one in the suit not able to? Or was that the impression I was meant to see?

They knew my thoughts as in the next breath Kenzo said, it was always the way they traveled, he was a student of the Master!