NY Terakoya: An Afterlife Dream-- A Blief in Japan

An Afterlife Dream…

July/August are the month that Obon festivals are held in Japan. Obon is one of the most important Japanese traditions. People believe that their ancestors' spirits come back to their homes to be reunited with their family during Obon and pray for the spirits. For this reason, Obon is an important family gathering time, and many people return to their hometowns.

A while back, I heard an interesting and inspirational story about a spiritual premonition from a fiend of mine who has been helping others through his volunteer activities.

The mother of my friend, soon after she died, appeared in her son’s dream and spoke to him these words:

I came to your dream because I wanted to thank you. When you make your transition, and go to the spiritual realm, you will see a river before you-believe it or not!

You will be asked to change your clothes to a white robe, and then guided to cross the river. Along the way while crossing the river, your white robe will change color depending upon the amount of wrongdoing and sins you have committed in the physical realm. Observing how other people were doing, I noticed that some of their robes became grey in color, while other robes turned black. I wondered what color my robe would become, but my robe did not change into any color.

I began to ponder how my robe could have stayed clean and white when I arrived at the other side of the river. Situated on the riverbank, I encountered a guard with a scary face. He was making a mental note of the color changes of robes of those crossing the river, and directing them to certain areas depending upon the color.

Staring at me with a suspicious look, the guard said, “This is not supposed to be happening. Your robe should be of another color.” Looking into his notebook carefully which had recorded all lifetime sins, he suddenly nodded and said with a smile, “You have a good son. Your son’s accumulated virtue by helping others has kept your robe white.”

The mother, repenting, said, “I did not think that your activities were of importance, but now I understand how wonderful and latently effective they have been. I am happy now. Thank you.”

With that significant message being said, the mother disappeared into the shining Light.

You don’t want to be so spooky, but this story, I believe, is a typical story that has been known to people through folk tales or Buddhist temples in Japan. Many Japanese people do not belong to religious organizations but do believe reincarnations, and worship ancestors, and sometimes act like a religious person.
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大好評のNY寺子屋のフェイスブックページ。
https://www.facebook.com/NewYorkTerakoya


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NY寺子屋とは？
「人生観が変わり、よりよい一歩を踏み出した人たちがいます！」

日程：毎月第二土曜日開催　午後１時半より５時まで

場所：ニューヨークマンハッタン、ユニオンスクエア近く個人宅

問い合わせ：
http://www.facebook.com/NewYorkTerakoya
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＜NY寺子屋主旨＞

日本の伝統文化の再確認や、人と人のつながりをテーマに活動する「NY寺子屋」は、「人間力を鍛える」を念頭に、これまで「江戸しぐさで学ぶコミュニケーション法」や環境問題、EM活用した家庭菜園、右脳を使った学習法などのセミナーを開催してきました。

『今失われつつある昔大切にされていたこと』をテーマに、『粋（ｲｷ）』な日本人とは」について考えます。そして、社会貢献できる人材を育てます。

終了後のお茶タイムで、メンバー同士の交流をはかるのも楽しみの一つ。素晴らしい出会いが待っていることでしょう！