Mujitsu and Tairaku's Shakuhachi BBQ

Greetings from Long Island, NY.. My names Bryan, I'm 23 years old, and I'm currently working in the Nut import industry. (Certainly not my passion...)

I came across the shakuhachi after being miserable for a few days at my previous job... surfing wikipedia on Japanese culture, geography... I was tempted to take my savings and start a new life. One spent wandering tiny villages and islands... really idealistic. I realized my dream wasn't too feasible at the time... I decided against the move. At the same time, I also wanted to introduce an instrument into my life... I felt it would give me discipline, focus, and peace.

And after discovering the shakuhachi, reading its history and its muscial qualities... I felt it suited me perfectly. I consider myself a casual Taoist, and always enjoyed obscure practices... Shakuhachi not being a very prominent instrument here in the states...

Today I practice very casually, having played on and off for about 6 months. I find it very peaceful, and I'm glad that I don't put too much pressure on myself to be a 'great' player. The shakuhachi, in my opinion, provides a very relaxed learning experience, and sounding great isn't necessarily playing great. Playing great is just itself... enjoy the playtime.