I have been involved in woodworking for over 45 years. I started as a young man of 10 years old, constructing my first creation, a bar.
About 17 years ago I was working at a festival on the California coast when I heard this amazing sound. I was drawn to it. It was Taiko. The group performed several times that day and each time I found myself standing before them in amazement. (If you’ve picked up this book, I’m sure you know the feeling I experienced that day.)*
That was my first exposure to what would later change the entire course of my life.
*Page 1 of my book “THE ART OF TAIKO DRUM MAKING”
Contact: embaaark@yahoo.com if you’d like to purchase a copy.
Six years ago my wife passed away and I went to Barcelona , Spain to get away from it all. I met a woman there who introduced me to S.G.I. Buddhism, a life changing practice based on chanting the words Nam Myo Ho Renge Kyo. This woman is now my beloved wife and my life has changed completely. The philosophy of this Buddhism states that we can change even the most tragic and terrible things in our lives into beautiful elixir. Poison to Medicine. Hendoku Iyaku in Japanese.
I am now creating, with all my knowledge of wood, beautiful S.G.I. Buddhist altars and Butsudans. To Read more about what is a butsudan please go to:
http://www.sgi-usa.org/newmembers/resources/thealtar/thebutsudan.php
I have even created a “green” butsudan made out of a discarded pine dresser and gun rack. This model is called “New Beginnings” and I’m excited by the fact that I’ve literally changed the karma of the gun rack to a world peace altar! To see photos please go to: http://bbberg.wordpress.com/2010/07/30/butsudans-keith-hicks/
And to see photos of my Taiko drums please go to:
http://bbberg.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/taiko-drum-making-keith-hicks/
And http://bbberg.wordpress.com/2010/08/01/more-taiko-drum-photos-keith-hicks/
Love and peace
Keith Hicks