Everyone arrives at 7:00 p.m. carrying something to eat or to drink.
We sit down and chat. A little bit in every language, 3 words in English, 2 in Turkish, a sprinkle of French. A translator arrives! Finally an English-speaking Turkish friend, Murat, can translate Canan’s questions. “What is most important in the Message?” Canan asks Eduardo. He answers in English and Murat translate “overcoming suffering” and we have started.
Jonturk is also there “but where does this name come from?” A Multilanguage explanation takes place where we are confused with the French words for “peoples” and “young” in the context of a faraway rebellions. But Jonturk, whom we met during the World March in 2009, takes his name from the young Turks who rebelled.
At 9:00 p.m., Christophe, the man from Toulouse has been Master of Chai (the tea we drink in Istanbul), and it is time for ceremonies.
Eduardo asks tentatively, “Will you understand me if I read the ceremony in Turkish?” Our friends answer yes. Eduardo guides the Service in Turkish.
It is so moving and inspirational to be there, in this salita, in the Eastern coast of Istanbul, and to listen to this ceremony in Turkish for the first time. I cannot understand the language but it seems to me I understand its sense even better. And I smile.
Driiiing. The doorbell rings and I get up to open to Elena. We go to the kitchen to let the others finish the experience.
They finish and we join them for the Well Being. This time it is Murat who guides the ceremony.
The after, like the before, in Turkishfrenchspanishenglish. With some extra sly moves, like using google translator. The Master of tea is still active, passing bakhlavas, chatting, laughing.
Lots of laughter with Elena’s (young Italian artist, passing through Istanbul) breathtaking story. She tells us in French, translating a little in English, passing to German, which she speaks well since she lives in Berlin for Canan, who wants to understand and without hesitations, calls her daughter on the phone, who explains it to her mother. The telephone ends up in Eduardo’s ears, who tries to explain to the daughter why so much laughter instead of meditation.
We are overcome, the situation is so surreal and so funny. Everything is so serious and then it isn’t. We laugh until we cry.
The evening ends with a little walk through the neighborhood streets. We take some cool air. We speak of today and tomorrow.Nelly
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