FROM HAIKU, MAUI (HAWAII)

An Essay on Japan Quake/Tsunami: Why Japan?

Lessons in Tough Love

 Mother Earth is not amused and has let her wayward children know... more than once

Three major reasons why Japan and the rest of us are being taught a lesson

HAIKU, Maui, Mar 14 - Ever since Japan was struck on March 11 by the worst earthquake in its recorded history, I have been asking myself and my spirit guides the question "why Japan?"  What's are the message the Creator and the spirits are trying to send to it and to the rest of us humans?  So I've done tons of research, both in planetary and celestial realms.  And here's my conclusion...

Like any responsible parent, Pachamama (Mother Earth) is trying to teach its wayward children a "tough love" lesson.  She is sending us a message: "You cannot abuse your parents with impunity.  You do not own this planet.  You did not create it.  You are merely temporary guests in my home.  So you have to behave respectfully and lovingly."

What Mother did not say was, "or else."  She acted it.  And not for the first time.  She has done that repeatedly.  But this time, it was with an exclamation mark - a 9.0 Richter scale earthquake and devastating tsunamis that have killed over 10,000 people in Japan, based on current estimates.

I feel that are three major reasons why Japan is getting in the ear from Mother right now:

• Loss of Spirituality, Rise of Atheism, Materialism

• Patriarchal Society: Treatment of Women

• Whale Hunting: Disrespect for Mother Earth and Sacred Life

Let's consider them one at a time...

Loss of Spirituality, Rise of Atheism, Materialism

Shamans know that we must constantly "feed the land" (Mother Earth) and the waters (oceans, lakes, rivers - Mama Kocha) with our love in order to show Her our love and appreciation.  We usually do it with Despachos - sacred offerings which are burned in a sacred fire ceremony and sent to Mother and all our other spirit guides.  I did one, for example, on Friday night, March 11, dedicating it to the Japanese quake/tsunami victims.  And to my dear friends in Japan whom I made over the last 25 years of visiting that beautiful country. 

(Thank God, my friends are okay.  In fact, just to show you how wonderful some Japanese are, one of them sent me a text message of Friday warning me for me and my family not to go anywhere near the ocean.  Imagine...  here he is, in the middle of the worst disaster his country has every had, and he is worrying about his friend in Hawaii!).

So when Goddess of Fire (Pele) showed up again for a second night in a row in my Mystic Medicine card deck, I did another fire ceremony for Japan the following night (Saturday), this time with Tibetan bowls, too.

Despachos can also take other forms than those traditionally done by the Inca shamans.  I have planted trees as gifts to the Mother.  And I have made beautiful music for Her, such as, for example, at the Saturday night fire. 

Different cultures use different methods of communicating with the spirit world, but the principles are the same.  At the Ming Tomb in China, for example, I saw the "Mailbox to Heaven" that the Chinese emperors of the Ming Dynasty used.  They wrote out their prayers on a silk cloth which they set on fire in this special box (right). 

Tibetan monks also use fire ceremonies to send their prayers to the spirits (left).  Click here to watch an amazing one, a real trance, using not just singing bowls but also gongs.

Shamans also know that, in order for our prayers to be heard, we must pray from the heart, not the head. If words help bring out feelings of love and compassion, they are helpful. But if they are expressed without genuine feelings, they are just empty words falling on deaf ears.  The Andean mountain spirits (Apus) and the female earth spirits (Santa Tierras) taught us that in our many conversations with them in Peru (Peru: Conversations with Andean Mountain Spirits, June 2009 and Conversations with Mountain Spirits, July 2008).

And if a shaman's prayers are heard by the spirits, wonderful things can happen.  Such as the Miraculous Healings (Jan 26) and More Divine Healings (Feb 18), for example.

In other words, it is important to be connected to the land (and ocean) and to show it to the Mothers (Goddess of Earth and Goddess of Water) by our prayers and actions. 

Japanese: Least Spiritual of All Major Nations

So the first thing I check out is to see how agricultural Japan's economy is relative to other major nations.  Only about 3% to 4% of its labor force are literally close to the land.  That's higher than in America and Britain (less than 1%), but lower than France (4%), Australia (4%), Russia (10%), China (40%) or India (52%).

But that's only the physical connection, the opportunity to feed the land with love, rather than deplete it.  Next I compared spirituality in Japan to that in other major countries.  And I was shocked.  Some 84% of Japanese claim no personal religion and and 64% do not believe in God! 

In the U.S., by contrast, despite our materialistic living practices which we export around the world, 83% of Americans belong to a religious organization, and 58% say they pray at least weekly.  Also, 59% of Americans living in Western states (the "Unchurched Belt") report a belief in God, but in the South (the "Bible Belt") the figure is as high as 86%.

In France, Britain and Germany, majority of the people are also non-believers, though none are as high as in Japan.  Take a look at the world spirituality map, for example, based on data from a Japanese source - Dentsu Communications Institute.  The darker the color, the more non-spiritual the country is.  You can see that Japan, China, New Zealand and Scandinavian countries lead the world in this ignominious respect.

Just to double-check, I also looked at religion in New Zealand, another country on the Pacific "Ring of Fire" (right) that was recently struck by several major earthquakes.  New Zealand's population increased 7.8% between the 2001 and 2006 censuses. The most notable trend in religion over that time was the 26% increase in the number of people indicating no religion.  As of 2006, over 48% of New Zealanders were non-believers.

Big Quakes Followed Arrival of (American) "Black Ships"

I next checked out the history of Japan's big earthquakes, at least in recorded history. They started on Dec 23, 1854, following the arrival of four American "Black Ships" in 1853.  They ushered the United States presence and influence in this Oriental country (click on Gunboat Diplomacy and Great Ansei Earthquakes). 

Ever since, Japan has been gradually becoming more and more "western," meaning materialistic, under the guise of "modernization."  Perhaps foolishly, seen now in hindsight, the Japanese society willingly rushed to embrace foreign values and cosmology.  They lost their authenticity and spirituality.  And became enamored of man-made technologies, at which Japan excelled.

Now Mother Earth is reminding them and us who is in charge.  Entire towns, neighborhoods, factories and homes that took many years or decades to build disappeared in a matter of minutes.  Unfortunately, in some cases with the occupants still inside.  "Mother giveth, and Mother taketh away."

An angry Mother Earth was a scary feeling.  I have communicated with many mountain and earth spirits and have only once come across an angry one (it was a male mountain spirit in Peru in July 2008).  And he was angry at the shaman, not the people.  I've also heard of cases in Peru where shamans were punished by the spirits, even by death, if they showed tendency toward greed and materialism.  But I have never heard of an angry female earth spirit till now.

So I called on my master spirit guides and asked them to reconfirm my understanding of the first reason Japan was hit by the double quake/tsunami whammy.  The first card I drew was Goddess of Earth.  Three times in the five days before March 11, including the day the earthquake struck  The second one was Goddess of Fire (Pele).  Also twice.  So there was no doubt in my mind anymore about who was behind it.  And now I also understand the reason the goddesses are angry with Japan: Loss of spirituality (and thus love of God and Goddesses), coupled with rise was materialism.

Patriarchal Society: Treatment of Women

But that's not all.  When I further probed the spirits for possible additional reasons.  Their answer came in the form of the ANCIENT WISDOM mystic medicine card (right). Japan is a very male-dominated society, as was the ancient China. That could be another second reason Pachamama may be reminding Japan to take better care of and listen to its women.

Here are some excerpts from the ANCIENT WISDOM card:

As the Hopi Elders say, “when the wisdom of the Grandmothers is heard, the world will heal.” In ancient times… women would drum their prayers to the rhythm of the Earth. Male and female spirits were united and strong.

In the painting, Grandmother marches with the shield and drum of protection for Mother Earth and her children. Mother Earth is crying for us to listen to Her rhythm and remember the Union (Duality - male and female spirits).

The Grandmother also reminds us that there have been times thousands of years ago when men and women shared power and love in complete balance and harmony.

Like many cultures around the world, Japan has been entrenched in a patriarchal framework for many centuries.  But this was not always the case. Just as Japan embraced and adopted western materialism, it had imported patriarchy from its neighbor, China. 

Japanese mythology and other historical documents lend a light to the Matriarchal society of Japan's far past. A prominent figure in the Shinto religion was the sun goddess, Amaterasu. It is believed that the first recorded emperor, and subsequently the entire Japanese Imperial Family, descended from Amaterasu (Bingham & Gross, 1987). Furthermore, it has also been acknowledged that between the years "...572 and 770 half the rulers of Japan were women," (Giele & Smock, 1977, as cited in Reischer & Fairbank, 1958, p.484).

As the 6th century CE rolled around, China had become the most advanced nation in the area. Naturally, the Japanese were eager to adopt its practices, and consequently, China's highly developed patriarchal culture spilled over into Japan (Giele & Smock, 1977). Despite women's historically high status, patriarchy eventually came to rule Japanese society for over 1000 years. (Source: Status and Role Change Among Japanese Women, Apr 2007).

Fast-forward to present time, Japan has made great strides in the last half century toward emancipating its women.  But it still has ways to go.  During this writer's many trips to Japan over the last quarter century, for example, I have met with hundreds of business people who attended my workshops and presentations.  I am yet to meet a single woman in such sessions.  The women in business in my experience have all been in administrative and other support functions.  Powerless, in other words. 

Of course, Japan is only one of many patriarchal societies around the world.  So this is only a contributing factor to Mother Earth's anger, not the exclusive reason.  Yet it is an important lesson for all of her children around the world: "When the wisdom of the Grandmother is heart, the world will heal."

Whale & Dolphin Hunting: Disrespect for Mother Earth and Sacred Life

In Native teachings whales are metaphorically described as swimming libraries. It is believed that within the vast intellect of a whale is held the Akashic records, containing all knowledge and experience in the history of all life. Whales are honored as the Record Keepers of the cosmos. Their strange song rings a knowing of astral realms and elemental depths beyond our comprehension. Except for some people, like Grandma Chandra, a multi-dimensional being, who seems to be able to communicate with them without words.  Whales are an audible reflection of the cosmos, dreaming and awake at once. (Source: Whale Medicine- Akashic records, cosmic knowledge, Dec 2010).

Now, even if you didn't know about the sacred nature of whales and their connection to the universe beyond an average human's comprehension, I would hope you would be opposed to inhuman killing of any animal.  This is how the whales are being killed by those who hunt them, like the Japanese (left).

Although whaling fleets may be highly sophisticated, equipped with sonar, helicopters, long-range explosive harpoons and factory ships, the actual kill is barbaric. The whale is killed by a 90kg, 2 meter-long iron harpoon, shot from a 90mm cannon. The harpoon head contains a time-fuse grenade which, literally, blows the whale's insides apart seconds after impact. This does not usually kill the whale immediately and it may suffer for hours before finally dying.

Why would anyone do that?  For profit.   The products derived from whaling include animal feed, industrial oils, fertilizer, perfume, soap, shampoo, gelatine and margarine. Yet cheap and plentiful substitutes now exist for these whale by-products. No wonder most nations have outlawed and condemned whale hunting.  There are three countries that still do it.  Japan, Iceland and Norway (click here to see photos of Iceland volcano eruptions a year ago, like the one on the right).

Last month, environmental activists have forced Japan to suspend whale hunting (see Japan suspends whale hunt after 'harassment' by activists…, Feb 16, 2011). But not before the Japanese fleet killed between 30 and 100 whales– a fraction of its quota – since it arrived in Antarctic whaling grounds late last year.

The Sea Shepherd's vessel (left), the Bob Barker, located the fleet as soon as it arrived and has been pursuing the Nisshin Maru as it heads towards the Antarctic peninsula below South America. The harpoon ships are unable to kill whales unless the mother ship is there to process them. Japanese broadcaster TBS said the government believed the situation had become "so dangerous" that it had no choice but to suspend the hunt and recall the fleet.

This year the Japanese fleet, comprising four ships and 180 crew members, had planned to kill about 900 minke and 50 fin whales. But the whalers have been hampered in recent years by clashes with Sea Shepherd activists. Last year they returned to port with 506 minke whales, far fewer than their intended haul.

Nor are the whales the only targets of Japan's bestial killing methods.  They also slaughter dolphins mercilessly.   And they do it with assistance of the Japanese Coast Guard, meaning the government.  Brace yourself for some really gruesome scenes in this Sea Shepherd report, including several videos shot on Nov 6-8, 2010 in Taiji, Japan (click here for original source).  The dolphins are not only harmless to humans, but are also some of the most intelligent sea creatures.

Whale Hunting In the past: Stone Age people were hunting whales for food as long ago as 2,200 B.C. They hunted slow-swimming, coastal species such as the bowhead, grey and right whales. This subsistence hunting is still practiced by some societies such as the Inuit people of Greenland and North America, where the whale plays an important part in the people's survival.

It was from the seventeenth century onwards that the whaling industry began to develop as the demand for whalebone and whale oil increased. Sperm and humpback whales were hunted to such an extent that their numbers began to decrease. Whalers were able to hunt the faster roquals, such as the blue whale, when the explosive harpoon-gun was invented and faster ships were developed.

South Georgia became the whaling centre of the world in 1905, when the whalers moved into Antarctic waters. Huge factory ships processed the slaughtered whales at sea. During the 1930-31 season 30,000 blue whales were killed and processed. By the 1950s the blue whale had practically disappeared. The whalers then started hunting the smaller species such as the fin, sei and minke whales.

Summary

To summarize, three major reasons Japan has been struck with great earthquakes and tsunamis are: Its loss of spirituality, coupled with the love of materialism and man-made technologies, its patriarchal society with uneven treatment of women, and its disrespect for Mother Earth and the sacredness of life she creates (whales).  As an Andean mountain spirit told us, a group of shamans on a pilgrimage to Peru in July 2008, "those who are motivated by material gains and money, and those who are damaging Mother Earth, they will eventually have to face the Creator."  And suffer the consequences through events triggered by the Creator and Mother Earth.

As I prayed for Japan during fire ceremonies in the last two days, I asked the spirits to enlighten the Japanese people about these issues. What happened on March 11 was a wake up call.  If Japan does not heed these warnings, there is no doubt in my mind it will be struck again.  And again...

Entire continents have disappeared from the face of the earth when their occupants thought they could play God and ignore the laws of nature and of the universe (Atlantis, Lemuria).  I hope it doesn't have to come to that before people of Japan (and elsewhere) wake up.  Disasters, such as the Japanese quake/tsunami strikes were actually predicted by the mountain spirits we talked to in Peru in 2009 (click here to read a Footnote about that).

Moreover, on Sunday, March 6, this writer had a dream about being in an earthquake.  Big trees were snapping and falling down like twigs.  I thought it was in Maui.  But it would have been a heads-up about Japan.  Especially as the dream was followed up by three Goddess of Earth and two Goddess of Fire cards.

Also, on Sunday Feb 27, I had a dream about being in the midst of a big flood.  Dead horses were floating in muddy waters.  That day, I also drew the Goddess of Fire card.

I did not understand at the time that these dreams could have been forewarnings of things to come.  But now, looking in hindsight, looks like they might have been.

Finally, on the fateful day - Friday March 11 in Japan, Thursday March 10 here in Hawaii - I was guided my main benefactor Apu Huaskaran to do my first-ever two-hour meditation.  I finished it three hours before the earthquake struck Japan.  I spent most of that time editing my Love Despacho Tibetan bowls video, and the "Moonlight Sonata," both filmed at my sacred Huaca-Heiau two days earlier.

When I was finished, just before publishing it, I decided to take a dinner break.  I almost never watch TV.  But that night, I turned it on.  I don't know why I went to CNN.  Again, I almost never watch such "lamestream" media.  As I tuned in, CNN was broadcasting live coverage of the earthquake and the tsunami.  No CNN "Johnny-on-the-spot" producer-assisted commentary.  Just raw life as it happened.  The tsunami was hitting and devastating the towns along Japan's northeast coastline.  The earthquake had hit less than half an hour before. 

A couple of hours later, came a "severe Hawaiian tsunami warning."  It was followed by evacuations in the coastal areas of our islands.

So I feel the spirits were trying both to warn me and to prepare me for what was to come. Everything that has happened in the last four days, including the inspiration for this essay, points in that direction.

Epilogue: Divine Encouragement

Having sent out last night the draft of my “Lessons in Tough Love” essay to some friends for review and comments, I said to the spirits this morning (Mon Mar 14) that I did not have any specific questions.  I asked them to give me whatever advice I needed this morning.

The card I drew was the TRUTH. Archangel Ariel, looking like a white Madonna, is holding a pink earth, symbolizing unconditional love for all beings on the planet (right). Here’s her advice to me this morning:

“The more you speak the Truth from your heart, whether heard or unheard (by others), energetically you offer up a field of opportunity to others to tune in and learn to connect to their Truth… Your personal Truth is as it resonated within… Connect with the pink sphere (Mother Earth) in your heart. Let your inner Truth kindheartedly rule supreme in all you say and do.”

Without being asked to be my reviewer, guess Archangel Ariel, the Mother, is blessing this essay and encouraging me to go with it. I know from past experiences, every time I hesitated to speak my truth publicly, and sought other people’s reassurances before doing so, in the end I turned out to be right (i.e., “When Cultures Collide…” in 1996, and many other examples).

---

Bob Djurdjevic is a writer, musician and consultant based in Haiku, Maui, Hawaii.  You can find more of his research and columns at www.altzar.org (arts & spirituality), www.truthinmedia.org  (geopolitical) and www.djurdjevic.com (business).

* * *

Notice how smug the Japanese officials sound in the above story about how well prepared they are for earthquakes.

And then two days later, a "biggie" that shattered the smugness of the technology-infatuated societies, like Japan:

Japan earthquake: Tsunami hits north-east (BBC, Mar 9)

2011年3月28日月曜日

To All People Around the World

Please send your prayers of love and gratitude to water at the nuclear plants in Fukushima, Japan!

By the massive earthquakes of Magnitude 9 and surreal massive tsunamis, more than 10,000 people are still missing…even now… It has been 16 days already since the disaster happened. What makes it worse is that water at the reactors of Fukushima Nuclear Plants started to leak, and it’s contaminating the ocean, air and water molecule of surrounding areas.

Human wisdom has not been able to do much to solve the problem, but we are only trying to cool down the anger of radioactive materials in the reactors by discharging water to them.

Is there really nothing else to do?

I think there is. During over twenty year research of hado measuring and water crystal photographic technology, I have been witnessing that water can turn positive when it receives pure vibration of human prayer no matter how far away it is.

Energy formula of Albert Einstein, E=MC2 really means that Energy = number of people and the square of people’s consciousness.

Now is the time to understand the true meaning. Let us all join the prayer ceremony as fellow citizens of the planet earth.   I would like to ask all people, not just in Japan, but all around the world to please help us to find a way out the crisis of this planet!!

The prayer procedure is as follows.

Name of ceremony: "Let’s send our thoughts of love and gratitude to all water in the nuclear plants in Fukushima" Day and Time: March 31st, 2011 (Thursday) 12:00 noon in each time zone Please say the following phrase: "The water of Fukushima Nuclear Plant,  we are sorry to make you suffer.  Please forgive us.  We thank you, and we love you."

Please say it aloud or in your mind. Repeat it three times as you put your hands together in a prayer position. Please offer your sincere prayer. [from the heart]

Thank you very much from my heart.

With love and gratitude,

Masaru Emoto

Messenger of Water

投稿者 Emoto Peace Project 時刻: 16:39 1 コメント

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