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A New Way Of Serving

Kozo Hattori
2 min read
Last week, I shared at Awakin Circle Santa Clara that I had been diagnosed with stage 2 cancer. The love and support I got from the circle was overwhelming. Nipun gave me a huge book by Awakin Call guest Michael Lerner that had been sitting in his closet waiting for the perfect time to be gifted. Viral shared a story about a Japanese man he and Nipun met on an airplane when they were teenagers who recovered after being given a prognosis of 8 weeks to live. Harshida offered to make me home made vegetable juice when I told her I was fasting and couldn’t eat her delicious food. Kara cried tears of compassion all night and told me that she loved me. Emails came in with love, concern, and insight into different treatment programs. I feel loved, hugged, and cared for by the whole ServiceSpace ecosystem.

I am grateful for every hug, smile, and prayer. When I joined ServiceSpace, I didn’t realize that I was being reborn into a new family, but this experience makes it obvious—to quote Sister Sledge, “We are family” or to quote Lilo and Stitch, “Ohana means family—family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten.”

It occurred to me the other day that the question of “how can I be of service?” has changed. The “I” that wants to serve, now includes a cancer diagnosis. So I am wondering “how can being diagnosed with cancer serve others?” I am feeling into this area of service and welcome any insights and/or suggestions.  
Posted by Kozo Hattori on August 2, 2015
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16 Reflections shared

Jyoti Aug 2, 2015
Kozo, For me, your showing up fully, cancer or not, is inspiring enough. I know that may not be service enough for you.... so I'll think more about your challenging question. And thank you for always being a part of my family, even if it took this long for us to actually meet. Jyoti
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Michaele Premet-Rosen Aug 2, 2015
Sending out love & light to you, Kozo.
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Harpreet Sandhu Aug 2, 2015
Dear Kozo...

I have always looked at situations like these as a hint from the universe that I need to give more attention to my body, and specifically in that area that is affected. That I need to put my life force energy there, and replace the other energy that has taken over and is working against me.

As I have understood: the body is the temple and the store of all our energies - good, bad and karmic. And we need to cleanse the temple.

I believe that part of our learning in this life, is to help the body drop the energies (or become neutral or forgive) that are being a block to the full flow of the universal divinity.

In that light, I see this as an opportunity for you to heal some old hurts and pains and angers.

If you like, I would be very happy to work with you to heal this to on an energetic level.

The blessing of the Lord are with you always, even to the end of the world!

Harpreet
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Preeta Aug 2, 2015
Kozo - sending you love and good wishes; your amazing light continues to shine.
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Mindyjourney Aug 2, 2015
Dear friend, such a loving kind force of service you are <3. Sending you much love and blessings :). I have a lovely healing guided meditation cd by Kelly Howell that i would be honored to share :).
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Somik Raha Aug 2, 2015
Kozo -- sending you love and prayers. Thinking of you brings the word "service" to my mind. You are living service.

I have come across the work of a non-profit called Harmony Hill that supports people with a cancer diagnosis in various ways(http://www.harmonyhill.org/cancer/), including family retreats. Offering it in service: [View Link]

I know someone who works there that I'd be happy to connect you to, if this is at all of service.
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Yoo-Mi Lee Aug 2, 2015
Sending you love and light, Kozo, and hold you in a virtual embrace. Warm hugs and lots of love.
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Audrey Lin Aug 2, 2015
Thank you for sharing this, Kozo. It's inspiring to witness the spirit with which you are taking everything in stride, and still asking how you can be of service with this new diagnosis. Sending gratitude, stillness, and big hugs.
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Tim Huang Aug 2, 2015
Kozo, sending you lots of love and many hugs from Bhutan..you are so strong and you are a true inspiration. Thank you for sharing your truth. Thought this quote (some bread for the journey) might resonate with you:

“Wounding and healing are not opposites. They're part of the same thing. It is our wounds that enable us to be compassionate with the wounds of others. It is our limitations that make us kind to the limitations of other people. It is our loneliness that helps us to find other people or to even know they're alone with an illness."
- Rachel Naomi Remen
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Zilong Wang Aug 3, 2015
Dear brother Makala Kozo, hugging you tightly with all best wishes of healing and transformation! A friend shared this poem, which came to mind, as this update from you left me dumbfounded --

There is a great fire that longs to burn you
Don’t let fear imagine a separation.
It is only yourself, burning for the truth,
The truth burning for itself.
Knowing this, give yourself, without reservation:
In ecstasy the fire burns.

- jennifer welwood

Love you, brother! We are in this together!
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Pancho Ramos Stierle Aug 3, 2015
Beloved brother Kozo, I give thanks to the Universal Love, for your existence in this glorious Planet contributes to amore [amusing typo! amore = "Love" in Italian! :-)] harmonious, playful and wiser Earth. Just wanted to remind you how well loved and loving you are, and that the possibilities of life transcend our wildest dreams. Who knows what shapes our lives will take from now on? For example, you might enjoy another incredible story of our dear friend and sister Yuka Saionji. Her mother was diagnosed with brain cancer and not only she is still alive today, but later she gave birth to this inspiring human being many of us are so moved by. Sister Yuka is an embodiment of love and the living evidence that prayer/meditation/contemplation manifest with a force our minds [...]
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Pancho Ramos Stierle Aug 3, 2015
May peace and health prevail in our hearts, minds and Earth!
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Mia Tagano Aug 4, 2015
Dear Dear Makala Kozo - When I first heard this news, my heart sank and tears came to my eyes…a heaviness wafted over me but reading your post and all those of your noble friends, I realize you and we are being given an opportunity to live life with more awareness, knowing our choices matter and that love and kindness is our necessity rather than a casual action. We are all dying as we live but we have choice as to how we live. Let us choose to live fully, moment to moment - full with love gratitude and in service. Thank you for the inspiration :)
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Deven P-Shah Aug 5, 2015
Hi Kozo:

Thank you for sharing. In the spirit of holding the space together ... it gets that much richer every time one of ours opens up.

I have read and thought of about collected conscience - the one that we all are, the conscience that makes us all one. It is always healing, soothing, nurturing, growing ... that healing energy/synergy/being is us - every one of us.

The trying moments of physical ailments, or emotions, or worries, or fear ... can block that healing energy inside of us. I know that has been the case with me so many times.

How inspiring to see your true inner core shining so brightly even with your health condition.

Smiles and Gratitude, Deven
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Birju Pandya Aug 5, 2015
Dear Makala Kozo, I hope to see you tonight :) Thanks for inspiring with your weekly presence!!! Gratitude for your walking this path in a fashion that others can witness and learn from
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Neil Sep 16, 2015
Much love brother. We are with you, from around the world, in many invisible ways. Love
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