Founder Of The Satori Method – Exclusive Interview With Edi Matsumoto
- Brainz Magazine
- Jul 25, 2022
- 6 min read
Edi Matsumoto is an experienced health, wellness, and spiritual coach. After working with Mother Theresa in Kolkata, India, while she was alive, Matsumoto devoted almost 30 years to healthcare, helping thousands of patients with physical and mental wellbeing. She is the founder of the Satori Method based on her experience as a nurse practitioner, certified wellness coach, and facilitator of a spiritual course. Satori is a word for awakening or enlightenment in Japanese. Unlike the traditional spiritual methods in which one devotes decades to one discipline, she combines positive psychology, meditations, the law of attraction, theory, practicum, and modern technology all in one program to meet the individual needs. She is a bilingual speaker, author, and an accomplished artist. Her mission is to help people uncover the state of fundamental well-being they were born with and unleash their creativity.
Edi Matsumoto, Creativity and Satori Coach, Artist
Introduce yourself! Please tell us about you and your life, so we can get to know you better.
I am a coach and an artist, and most recently, I became a fashion designer. Last year I created outfits with my artwork that I could wear for my art show openings, and people liked them so much that they recommended that I should create more and do a fashion show. Long story short, I did a fashion show this spring. I asked 15 of my neighbors and friends to model for me. They were 14 to 90 years old, from XS to plus sizes. The show was so successful that I decided to continue creating more wearable art and offer them through local boutiques, online, and in my studio in downtown Carmel.
Until last year, I worked at a hospital as a nurse practitioner. I volunteered at Mother Theresa's Home for Dying Destitute in Kolkata, India, in my 20s. After working alongside medical volunteers there, I decided that I wanted to work in health care. I left my native Japan, moved to the U.S., and became a nurse practitioner, diabetes educator, and health and wellness coach. I worked in clinics and hospitals for 30 years before I retired last year to concentrate on my coaching and art business. Now I can work at my own pace and enjoy doing what I love to do. I loved being a nurse practitioner, but there were lots of rules, regulations, and restrictions that I did not enjoy much, so I feel quite liberated and fulfilled now.
What is your business name, and how do you help your clients?
I have multiple businesses: E.M. Consulting is my life coaching business. I started as a health and wellness coach at a hospital many years ago. I helped people take control of their blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol with lifestyle changes, whether they were on medications or not. After taking a spiritual course in 2015, I became one of the facilitators of the course. At about the same time, I went back to school to study art and earned a second master's degree in visual art. Finding that many fellow healthcare professionals are burned out and stressed, I explored various ways to reduce stress and maximize mental, emotional, and spiritual well-being. Instead of my previous health and wellness niche, I launched a coaching business to help burned-out professionals reevaluate their lives and shift their paradigms toward a more fulfilled life and career. I often use art to help people get unstuck and express themselves. I offer my coaching both in English and Japanese.
Edi Matsumoto Art and Design: I also paint and create wearable art on the side. My painting and wearable art are created with empowerment in mind by using symbols, representation, and healing colors. I combine the Japanese aesthetic with vivid colors and bold patterns. I have a wide range of collections, from Japanese motifs such as geisha, samurai, and floral patterns, to abstract or geometric designs. The material is wrinkle-free, machine-washable, and moisture-wicking, so they are perfect for busy professional women who travel a lot. Plus, the designs are based on my art, so they are unique, artistic, and colorful outfits. I make accessories like scarves, shawls, tote bags, clothing like kimonos, various dresses, and home accessories like pillows and placemats. People can see my collection at www.edimatsumoto.com.
What kind of audience do you target your business towards?
For my coaching, I enjoy working with spiritual (not necessarily religious) and artistic people who want to improve their professional and personal lives. People who feel stuck, burned out, or stagnant have a yearning to do more and be more. I help them clarify their goals in life, shift their mindset, and take action toward their goals to make their dreams come true. I use positive psychology, meditation, breathing, art, and other modalities as I see fit to empower and support them.
What would you like to achieve for yourself and your business in the future?
I want to help people have a fulfilling life by sharing the tools and wisdom in a fun and beautiful way. I plan to combine all three elements of my business (coaching, fine art, and wearable art) and offer a Goddess workshop or retreat in Carmel, CA, hopefully next year. I want to invite women who want to work on their life goals, cultivate and unleash their creativity, and express themselves with physical and artistic expression. At the end of the retreat, they will have great portrait photographs or artwork that remind them to be the highest and most beautiful version of themselves.
Who inspires you to be the best that you can be?
I listen to the universe, and it gives me an infinite number of ideas and opportunities. In a sense, I am like a conduit that communicates with the universe and sometimes, I am overwhelmed with ideas and inspirations that come through me (lol). I also encountered many mentors who impacted me greatly. The first mentor was my third-grade teacher, and more recently, I have been mentored by business coaches locally and online. Mother Theresa still has a significant influence on me. She knew her calling since she was young; she overcame various hardships and did everything she could to serve others. I learned that each of us could discover our life's purpose, learn to shift our mindset to overcome obstacles and limiting beliefs, be the best version of ourselves and create the best life possible. And most of all, we should enjoy our lives.
What is your work inspired by?
One of my passions, of course, is art. Many of us learned to suppress our feelings and desires and not fully express our feelings. I am learning to express myself in art, and I want to help others find a way to express their feelings and desires using their creativity through art, work, or language. I am passionate about supporting women to find the freedom to express and pursue their dreams. In turn, I am inspired by my students and clients, who become freer, happier, and more accomplished.
Tell us about your greatest career achievement so far.
I have worked as a nurse practitioner, am board certified in advanced diabetes management, and have become a go-to person for diabetes care in my area. I have taken care of thousands of patients over the past 30 years. I have published many articles in medical journals and lectured at universities and hospitals in the U.S. and Japan.
As an artist, my work has been shown in museums, galleries, and online galleries nationally and internationally and in prestigious art magazines such as Fine Art Connoisseur and American Art Collector. Some of my work has been appraised at $10,000-$35,000. What’s more important than appraisals is when my work, for example, an individual portrait, has a significant impact on the person’s life.
Tell us about a pivotal moment in your life that brought you to where you are today.
Coming to the U.S. in my mid-20s was like starting my life over from scratch. I am grateful that I got an education as an international student and eventually landed a fulfilling, successful career.
About 15 years ago, I showed my husband a little sketch I did when I was traveling in Paris years before. He was so impressed that he suggested that I should take art classes. I was busy working as a nurse practitioner at that time, so going to art school was the last thing on my mind. But taking up art classes turned out to be a pivotal decision. Art became my passion and outlet for my creative energy that I could not express in the healthcare world. Now my whole life revolves around art. I sometimes wonder how different my life could have been if he did not discover the hidden artist in me back then and pushed me to pursue art. The artistic talent in me could have been dormant until the end.
Retirement was another huge pivotal moment. I was lucky to retire last year to devote my time to my art and coaching business. I have worked hard all my life, but the more I study business, the more I am convinced that there is more than hard work to have a successful and fulfilling life. Many successful people are sharing their knowledge and formula these days. I am still constantly learning, but I have enough knowledge and experience to share with others, which can save time and energy for them. It is about shifting mindset, working smart and actively creating the life we want. It is possible and it is fun.
