Saturday, January 3, 2009

Towards a Grand Leap



- from Dec.30th article -

Year 2008 seems like it went in a flash. I managed to work during the day, come home, write my daily blog and respond to hundreds of comments. In between, I had some editing to do on the book edition. Having been able to work twenty hours daily on all these things without getting sick, I am truly grateful for all the beings who supported me.

The daily messages would come to me while I am washing my face in the morning, or while I am driving the car to work. It comes in between the moments when I am stressed with job details and cautiously driving. I find it interesting as a brain science, how this works; the spiritual insight pouring into my brain while I am focusing on something very practical. Right after I return home, I write in at once. When I start to write, my mind is half gone into the divine realm and the content and expression may very well be an unexpected one. Then my wife and children looks at my serious face and tries to tease me. (laugh) In spite of this sabotage, I commit myself to finish the writing. I write exactly as the spirits tell me. Nothing more nothing less. Whether you like the idea or not is all up to you. It is your choice to decide to read it or not.

Early this year, around spring, I was told by the divine spirit to go a place on New Year’s Eve. It is very unusual for me to receive such revelation. I personally disrespect a Kamiwaza (an act on god's will) that demands one to go to a certain place at a certain time. On top of that I simply love sitting in the kotatsu (a table with heat source) watching TV on New Year’s Eve. I would hate to miss that. But the spirit does not seem to give up. Finally he checkmated me and it seems like I have no choice. If I successfully complete this mission, the lost third stone pillar of Mt.Haku will return to this land of Japan in a spiritual sense. Then the grand wheel will start turning from next year. Kamiwaza may sound like a big deal, but actually I just need to go and do something along with my family. Oh well… lets see how it goes.

- from Dec 31st -

Wishing you a happy new year.
Thank you so much for all your support in 2008.
Through the blog site, I have met so many people in such a short period of time. This is a very rare situation and I will truly treasure this experience.

If I come home safely after my mission, I will start writing again from the 3rd of January.

If I don’t… then farewell. Sayoonara ~

Ikashite-itadaite Arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live

Monday, December 29, 2008

Stones on a shrine site



Some people take stones from the site when visiting a shrine. Even the shrine permits to do so, why would they take it,? Do these people think that they could take home some good luck?

If a god spirit had been watching you take a stone, he/she will be sadden by your poor heart. You might accidently take a small stone stuck on your shoes. There is no problem if you didn’t do it consciously. It is wrong to consciously take the stone thinking that this might bring you good luck. If the stone has good energy, all the more, you should realize that the stone needs to stay in the sacred ground.

On the other hand, there are people who would take garbage home found on a sacred site. They want to keep the shrine clean and sacred because they care and have respect for the god spirits. They are acting on giving a gift of good environment for the god spirits, and taking away negative energy by picking up the garbage.

Picking a stone from a sacred ground that turns into something ugly and picking garbage from the sacred ground turning into a treasure like stories are told in fairy tales all over the world. Spiritually, this is true. Then, there are fairy tales about those who hear about it and intentionally go to collect garbage visiting many shrines knowing it will turn into treasures.

Looking from a kenzoku point of view, this is a very dangerous act. If you are an innocent child, you will immediately get sick with high fever and you will know that you had done something wrong. But if you are an adult who has been pilling up many wishful thoughts, your senses have become dull and you may not be able to see the truth right away. Later, bad things start to happen. It is best to return the stone where it belongs. If the place is too far away and you are not able to return it to the original location, take it to a sacred site, a shrine site or put it in a river.

In Shinto teachings, we say god resides in every natural element. When I visit the Izawa-no-miya of Ise Jingu, although the sacred path to the shrine is actually very short, it feels like hundreds of meters long. What I am trying to say is that the stone may look very small in this World of Reality, but it could be a very large rock in the World of the Gods’ dimension. You should not underestimate the power of a small stone.

Ikashite-itadaite Arigato-gozaimasu

Thank you for letting us live