Home
About
the Project
44 Study Areas
Macrobiotic Summary Report
Healing Stories
Books and Links
The Rice House
Contact
us
MACROBIOTICS
IN THE UNITED STATES: An Assessment of Services and Activities
Study
Areas in Massachusetts:
Berkshires Area Boston
Berkshires
Area, MA
Map
of Berkshires Area
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
The Berkshire area macrobiotic community
was created following the establishment of the Kushi
Institute (KI) that has
operated at full scale since 1986. It is the premiere center for
macrobiotic education. The KI itself provides Americans
and foreigners alike an opportunity for macrobiotic education and for
personal healing in an idyllic setting for residential courses. KI
provides a focal point for people in the area and meals can be
purchased by non-residents.
Many of the early
macrobiotic leaders such as Michael Joutras, Jeremy and Susan Higa, and
Ed Esko remain in the area although no longer officially associated with the KI. All
the people we spoke to outside the KI have been macrobiotic for ten years
or more, and are or have parented a second generation of macrobiotic
practitioners. Macrobiotics seems to be firmly rooted in the Berkshires.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
Periodically at a local café.
They used to be monthly and attracted between 25 and 40 people.
There are no regularly scheduled potluck dinners.
Education
Centers:
The KI is
undoubtedly one of the best macrobiotic schools in the country.
Seminars:
Aside from KI events, Jeremy Higa lectures about every 2 months at the
periodic dinners.
Newsletter:
None.
Support Groups:
Only as part of the
occasional dinner-lecture.
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
None.
Resident
Counselors:
From the KI: Charles
Millman, John Kozinski, Michael Joutras ,
Jeremy Higa and Edward
Esko.
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Carry Wolf, Bettina Zumbdick
from the KI; Susan Higa from Great Barrington
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
None.
Work
Study Programs:
At the KI; Way to Health and four Levels of study.
Jeremy Higa conducts lectures periodically.
Other
Counselor Interests:
Ed Esko is involved
with Amberwaves with Alex Jack. He
also developed a company called Kina--a body care line.
Ed developed the formulas for these products.
Michael Joutras works at Nikken Products as a Wellness Consultant.
Nikken technology includes far infrared, advanced magnetic technology,
living water etc. Michael also offers shiatsu massages.
Jeremy and Susan Higa teach at the Strengthening Health Institute
in Philadelphia run by Denny Waxman.
Promotional
Activities:
None
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
One of the finest
collection of books, cassette tapes and videos are available at the Kushi
Institute office in Becket.
Web
Sites:
http://www.macrobiotics.org/ ;
http://www.amberwaves.org/ ;
www.kushiinstitute.org
Cottage
Industries:
Berkshire Mountain Bakery:
organic sourdough breads.
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
Kushi Institute; the dining
room is open to the public; 4
restaurants with vegan options.
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Wild Oats in Williamstown,
MA.
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Clearwater Natural Foods in
Lenox, MA; Guido's Fresh Marketplace in Pittsfield and Great Barrington,
MA; Locke Stock and Barrel in Great Barrington, MA.
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
Berkshire Co-Op Market
in Great Barrington, MA
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
No.
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Abundant Services: Kushi Institute; 5 resident counselors & 3 cooking
teachers. Abundant Activities: Kushi Institute macro school;
lectures/seminars; KI started full time in 1986.
Area Description: The Berkshire area consists of several small towns, the most important of
which is Becket, the home of the Kushi Institute (KI). It is located in Western Massachusetts, not far from the New
York State border. Nearly all
the macrobiotic practitioners in the area were connected for various time
periods with the KI as staff or students.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities: Becket, Great Barrington, Hinsdale, Housatonic, Lee, Lenox,
Pittsfield, Worthington
Link
to Macrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Berkshires Area, MA for this project who also earn money by
providing Macrobiotic
services
Boston, MA
Map
of Boston
Summary and
Impressions
of the Macrobiotic Community:
Brookline was the earliest Macrobiotic Center established in the
early 1970's by Michio and Aveline Kushi.
It was the magnet of the macrobiotic community until 1986, when the
main activities of the Kushi Institute (KI) were moved to Becket, MA, in the western
Berkshire Mountains. Brookline was the
location of the KI from the late 1960's until it moved to
Becket, MA in 1986. The Kushi
House and other study houses--notably Clyde Motosue--continue to operate
in Brookline and nearby. Once
the home of four thriving macrobiotic restaurants--Open Sesame, Five Seasons,
Satori, Masao's Kitchen. Masao's Kitchen in Waltham is now the
only macrobiotic restaurant in the Boston Area.
Erewhon, a health food store begun by the Kushi's was the first whole foods market in the United
States. It now no longer operates. A lthough,
organized community activities have waned since the KI moved, the Boston
area remains an established base for many macrobiotic practitioners,
estimated by Yogen Kushi to be between 200 and 500 people.
Warren Kramer, a senior macrobiotic counselor with an extensive
Kushi Institute background,
also teaches, cooks, and continues to be very active in the area.
Macrobiotic resources are still very extensive; services and goods are
readily available.
Paid
or Potluck Dinners:
There are monthly potluck dinners, and Warren Kramer has monthly
dinners and lectures at the Brighton Store of Bread and Circus.
Education
Centers:
No.
Seminars:
Warren Kramer's monthly
dinners and lectures at Bread and Circus.
Newsletter:
None except Yogen
Kushi's internet Non-Credo.
Support Groups:
None
Visiting
Counselors and Cooking Teachers:
None.
Resident
Counselors:
Warren Kramer; Karin
Stephan; Michio Kushi (at Kushi House); Marc van Cauwenberghe.
Resident
Cooking Teachers:
Warren Kramer; Evelyn
Harboun
Professional
Cooks or Caterers:
Margo Marver; Gina and
Emanuel
Work
Study Programs:
None.
Other
Counselor Interests:
Karin Stephan teaches
yoga and organizes macrobiotic vacations; Warren Kramer teaches at the KI
in Becket once a month, and travels extensively.
Promotional
Activities:
None
Publications,
Books, Cassettes:
At whole food
supermarkets
Web
Sites:
Yogen Kushi's Non Credo
has had about 650 visitors and about 1200 "hits" from November,
2001 to January, 2002;
http://www.shaws.com
Cottage
Industries:
None.
Macrobiotic
Restaurants:
Masao's in Waltham.
20 restaurants, in addition to Bread and Circus Whole Foods Market,
with vegan options
Natural
Food Chain Stores:
Bread and Circus, Wild
Harvest
Independent
Natural Food Stores:
Teaberries, Newburyport
Natural, Common Crow, Good Health Natural Foods, Healing Naturals
Natural
Food Co-Ops:
Harvest Co-Op, Cape Ann
Food Co-Op
Mail
Order Buying Clubs:
None
Macrobiotic
Community Assessment: Abundant Services: 4 counselors & 3 cooking teachers.
Healthy Activities: monthly pot luck and monthly dinners/lectures;
Stronger community when KI was in Brookline; 5 macro restaurants at one
time; now 1; Michio Kushi started macrobiotic teaching in the late
1960’s.
Area Description:
Boston is the
state capital and the largest city in New England.
It is also New England's leading business, financial, government
and transportation centers. In addition to its commercial importance, the Boston area is
one of the nation's great educational centers.
The metropolitan area population is 3,227,700.
Municipalities with Macrobiotic services or community activities: Acton, Arlington, Bedford, Bellingham, Belmont, Beverly, Boston,
Brighton, Canton, Framingham, Franklin, Gloucester, Medway, Natick,
Newtonville, Quincy, Raynham, Reading, Saugus, Stoneham, Waltham,
Wellesley Hills, Winthrop, Roslindale.
Link
to M acrobiotic
Practitioners who were
interviewed in Boston, MA for this project who also earn money by
providing Macrobiotic services
Arizona
California
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Florida
Illinois
Indiana
Kansas
Louisiana
Maine
Massachusetts
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Ohio
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Tennessee
Texas
Utah
Washington
This
work was supported by Grant/Cooperative Agreement Number U48/CCU409664-09
from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are
solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent
the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.