Is a dream only a dream?
Emmanuelle, a French Yamabushi, is holding her first solo exhibition in Japan this month, featuring works inspired by her pilgrimages to the Dewa Sanzan, Guadeloupe, and various locations across Japan. The theme is “Is a dream only a dream?”
A way with no end
“Do you ever have the same dream every night?”—Five years ago, Emmanuelle`s journey began by actually visiting the places that appeared in her dreams. Without knowing where or how that inspiration would lead her, she accepted it and continued to follow it.
Although she is now known as an artist, she wasn’t always aware of it from the start. She, too, was a professional who worked hard amid responsibilities and pressure. In a society that demands she fulfill her obligations, she continued her pilgrimage to her roots in Guadeloupe, as well as to various parts of Japan—including the Dewa Sanzan, Hokkaido, and Okinawa—without knowing where it would lead her. She let go of thinking and simply followed her feelings.
During that pilgrimage, she published two picture books. These are stories chronicling her own adventures and the mental landscapes she encountered there—a record of her spiritual journey.
Her journey began as a pilgrimage for herself, undertaken in response to the call of her heart. Yet the world she reveals to us in this solo exhibition allows us to sense something beyond the visible reality of the present. It evokes the wisdom of those who have lived rooted in the land, the connection to ancestors, and the timeless passage of time spent in the mountains in constant prayer.
Spiritual Practice Is for Both Self and Others
According to a Yamabushi elder, spiritual practice is based on the concept of “Bodhisattva practice,” which is for both self and others—that is, it is a practice that benefits both oneself and others. However, there is a set order to this practice. It begins with “self-benefit,” that is, one’s own practice. From there, one gradually moves toward “benefiting others.” If you prioritize benefiting others first, you will end up pushing yourself too hard. Self-benefit comes first, and as that deepens, it naturally leads to benefiting others.
Our Path of Personal Growth and Service to Others
Drawn to the yamabushi way of life, we have not only participated in yamabushi training ourselves but have also enjoyed taking part in local festivals and community service as members of the community.
And so, to share Yamabushi training with people around the world, we began offering training in English. Many people have participated so far, and we have provided a space for self development and transformation.
At the same time, we must also turn our attention to the communities that sustain this tradition and faith. Toge district in Tsuruoka City, Yamagata is one of the living heritages of mountain worship in Japan. For 1,400 years, this area has lived with lessons from mountains and inherited dense relationships between pilgrim lodges and seasonal pilgrims widely settled in Japan. However, Toge is currently suffering from the loss of local vibrancy that originated from the gap between public and community perceptions, along with the introduction of tourism development. With the struggle to protect many cultural and historical properties in this area, Toge is in danger of losing its own story and context of culture-historical values.
