Perfect Days- A Summer Invitation

The times are urgent: Let’s slow down
~Bayo Okomolafe

Perfect Days- A Summer Invitation

Dear Subscriber First Name,

I continue to be inspired by movies set in Japan. During a retreat at Tassajara Zen Mountain Center in Carmel Valley, California, I had the chance to experience firsthand the central themes of Perfect Days (2023). Directed by Wim Wenders, the film is a quiet, poetic meditation on the beauty of the everyday and the dignity of a simple, intentional life.

The film follows Hirayama, a solitary man who cleans public toilets in Tokyo with care and reverence. Despite the apparent mundanity of his work and life, he finds profound contentment in small rituals -tending plants, reading, photographing shadows, and listening to cassette tapes of classic rock.

At Tassajara, my work assignment this year was to clean the public toilets throughout the Zen center, from one end of the valley to the other. Every morning, a fellow retreatant and I would set out with our supplies, aiming to clean as many toilets as we could within the time given. I found myself enjoying this task in much the same way Hirayama seems to enjoy his work in the film.

Having watched Perfect Days twice before this summer’s retreat, I was able to relate deeply to its themes of impermanence, imperfection, and simplicity—and to deepen my understanding by engaging directly in similar tasks. Here are some of my reflections, along with a few invitations for you to consider:

Finding Beauty in the Ordinary

In the film, Hirayama’s life is minimalistic, repetitive, and humble—yet full of quiet beauty. The story slows down to let us appreciate the light through leaves, the rhythm of cleaning, and the echo of music in solitude.

At Tassajara, I too could slow down through repetitive work and notice the care and delicate attention each toilet had received: an altar, fresh-cut flowers, carefully chosen natural wood handles, handwritten signs.

Where do you find beauty in your daily life?

Dignity in Work
By portraying Hirayama's devotion to his job, the film reframes how we value labor. Cleaning toilets, often seen as menial or undesirable, becomes a meaningful act of care and pride.
I could feel this, even after just a few days in the valley. Returning day after day, I was able to make each space a little cleaner, a little shinier, a little more inviting, as I became familiar with the place and its needs.

How might you bring devotion and dignity to your work—even when it feels repetitive, boring, or insignificant?

Minimalism as Liberation
Hirayama’s pared-down life shows how freedom and peace can come not from having more, but from needing less. At Tassajara, this is apparent everywhere even in the design of the paper towel holder.

Where can you find a sense of “enough” in your life—in yourself, in your relationships, and in the way you live?

A Summer Invitation

What Perfect Days-inspired experience could you invite into your life this summer—one that encourages you to slow down and reflect on what truly makes your life meaningful?

Warmly,

Anne-Marie
July 8, 2025 (428.11 ppm of atmospheric CO2, 425.5 ppm a year ago, 350 ppm safe level)

Poem

You Reading This, Be Ready by William Stafford

Starting here, what do you want to remember?
How sunlight creeps along a shining floor?
What scent of old wood hovers, what softened
sound from outside fills the air?

Embark on a journey into the magic and symbolism of mandalas—sacred circles found in cultures and traditions around the world with my friend Joy Khoo. MCC.

Discover the beauty and power of the mandala, hear inspiring real-life stories connected to these timeless symbols, and learn how they can serve as tools for reflection, creativity, and personal growth.

Get a 20% off for 3-, 4-, or 7-night stays with this code prpjoykhoo, valid for first-time guests to the Ranch and granted on a space available basis.

All details here.

Forward to a Friend

Contact Me

Perfect Days- A Summer Invitation

Where do you find beauty in your daily life?

How might you bring devotion and dignity to your work—even when it feels repetitive, boring, or insignificant?

Where can you find a sense of “enough” in your life—in yourself, in your relationships, and in the way you live?

A Summer InvitationWhat Perfect Days-inspired experience could you invite into your life this summer—one that encourages you to slow down and reflect on what truly makes your life meaningful?

Poem

You Reading This, Be Ready by William Stafford

Journeying with the Mandalaat Rancho La Puerta, Mexico - August 2-5

A Summer Invitation

What Perfect Days-inspired experience could you invite into your life this summer—one that encourages you to slow down and reflect on what truly makes your life meaningful?

Journeying with the Mandala
at Rancho La Puerta, Mexico - August 2-5