本日はお盆の最終日ですが、私は特別なスピリチュアル体験を経験いたしました。お盆は、古くから日本に伝わる風習で、故人の魂を家にお迎えしてご供養する時期とされます。人々は亡くなると成仏し、魂は霊界へと導かれるのですが、このお盆の期間中は、この世と霊界がつながり、ご先祖様がそれぞれのご家族の元に帰ってこられると考えられております。
そのようなお盆期間ですが、私は現代社会で日々忙しく働く歯車の一員として、世間はお盆連休中にも関わらず、皆が気兼ねなくクリックするネット販売の荷物の配達業務をしておりました。ある住宅街に到着し、車を停めて公園を見た瞬間、誰かが泣いているような幻想が景色に広がっているように感じられました。このような心霊的な経験をしたことがなく、突然の出来事に驚きと恐れで思わず私も、もらい泣きをしてしまいました。
しかし約2〜3分後にふと我に返り、配達先の住宅に向かい始めました。するとその時、頭の中に直接話しかけるようにどこからか声が響きました。「せめてお盆の期間中だけは、私たちの供養をしていただければ…。せめて、線香やささやかな甘味でお迎えしてもらえれば…。」という故人と思われる女性からの切実な内容でした。その声を聞いて、私は日々の忙しさに埋もれて古来からの風習を忘れてしまっていたことを痛感いたしました。私自身だけでなく、現代社会の多くの方々も同じように、日常の忙しさに追われて大切な習慣を蔑ろにしてしまっているのではとも思いました。少なくともお盆連休中は、ゆっくりと休息を取り、故人たちと向き合うひとときを大切すべきだなと反省しました。
Today is the last day of Obon, and I experienced a special spiritual experience. Obon is an ancient Japanese custom that is a time to welcome the souls of the deceased into one’s home and make offerings to them. When people die, their souls are guided to the spirit world, but during Obon, it is believed that the earthly world and the spirit world are connected and ancestors return to their respective families.
During such Obon period, I was working as a member of a busy cog in the daily grind of modern society, delivering packages for online sales that everyone clicks on without hesitation, despite the fact that the world was on Obon holiday. The moment I arrived at a certain residential area, parked my car, and looked at the park, I felt as if an illusion was spreading across the landscape, as if someone was crying. I had never had such a psychic experience, and I was so surprised and frightened by the suddenness of the event that I, unintentionally, started to weep as well.
But after about two or three minutes, I suddenly came to myself and started heading toward the residence where I was to deliver. Then, as if speaking directly into my head, I heard a voice from somewhere. I thought to myself, “If you could at least make a memorial service for us during the Obon season…. At the very least, if they could welcome us with incense and a little sweetness…” This was the earnest request of a woman whom I assumed to be the deceased. Hearing these words, I realized that I had been so busy in my daily life that I had forgotten the ancient customs of the time. I also realized that not only myself, but also many people in today’s society have been so busy with their daily lives that they have neglected important customs. At least during the Obon holidays, we should take a rest and cherish the time we have to face our deceased loved ones.
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