dragonsmeet

During one of our earlier visits to Japan, as a break from our teaching schedule, our hosts took us to the Shinto Shrine of the Sun Goddess Amaterasu at Ise.

The name ‘Amaterasu’ can be translated as ‘shining in heaven’. The story goes that she had two brothers – Susano (Mmm ….interesting link there!!), the summer storm god and Tsukuyomi, the god of the Moon and night. (Another fascinating note that the idea of the Sun as female and the Moon as male has its roots in several ancient systems including Tibetan and Norse.)  Amaterasu split with her brother Tsukuyomi after he killed the goddess of food, the break-up giving rise to the division of night and day. She had problems with Susano too, which led to her retreating into a cave, effectively removing the life-giving Sun from the earth. The other gods did all they could to lure her out and when eventually she did emerge, she returned to the sky.

Japan has a long tradition of being linked to the sun. Historically referred to as ‘The Land of the Rising Sun’ Japan continues its link to Amaterasu through its national flag and the items linked to her – the mirror, jewel and sword – that comprise the Japanese Imperial regalia.

We arrived after dark at our hotel for our first night’s stay. I was not at my strongest as I was recovering from the Noro stomach virus. As I rested before going to sleep and probably because of my weakened condition, I slipped into ‘other’ awareness very easily.

I found myself gasping for air. I was up to my neck in water and the ceiling was just above my head. The water was continuing to rise and I knew I was about to drown. There was no panic. I focused on where and who I was. I knew that I held a religious post with many responsibilities and that at least one person I am close to now, was a colleague, and they had already died. I realised too, this was a tsunami and with that I simply let go.

The following day we visited the famous shrine of Amaterasu. There was a familiarity about the place that was a little unsettling, even to being able to find small hidden shrine, tucked away down a narrow pathway. We were rewarded by a gentle breeze that moved the shrine curtains, a sure sign that our presence was noted. We went from there to Mikimoto Pearl Island to learn about pearls and to watch the amazing ‘ama’ the lady pearl-divers, do a demonstration on how pearls used to be collected. How fit are they!

That night, as my consciousness slipped, I became aware of a huge pearl. Apt, I thought, given where we had been that day! I then realised that there was a claw holding that pearl. The pearl then raced away from me, down and down into the earth. I followed it until I came face to face with an enormous dragon. It scared me, it was so BIG. Nevertheless I stood there, holding my ground and now holding the pearl. The dragon roared and flames engulfed me. But I was OK. Shaken, cleansed but definitely OK. I then jolted back into full consciousness.

The next day we went to Meoto Iwa where the famous ‘husband and wife’ or ‘loved-one and loved-one’ stones are found just offshore, joined together by a heavy rope of rice-straw. We were there at low tide (as you can see by the image below), as at high tide the sea fills the gap between the rocks.

In the summer the sun rises between these stones and aligns them with Mt Fuji, in the distance. Whilst fondling the bronze sculpture of the huge frog and looking to the stones, my awareness slipped again.  This view was SO familiar, yet from long ago. I could also see people doing ritual bathing in front of the rocks. Later, I discovered the ritual bathing still happens here.

I thought little more about this until my return to the UK. As an astrologer I was very aware that my natal chart was ‘active’ at this time with transiting Pluto conjunct my natal Mars. On a whim I looked up the correspondences to the Mars placement in (A T Mann) Tad Mann’s book ‘Divine Plot’ (available from Amazon as pre-owned). In this book Tad Mann correlates natal planetary placements to past- life/other-life timings. My Mars placement correspondes to around 1707 AD. To quell my curiosity I googled for tsunamis in Japan at that time.

SHOCK!

On 28^th October 1707 at 2pm the largest earthquake at 8.6 (until the recent one in 2011) occured At Hoei. The subsequent tsunami caused thousands of deaths. The landfall of the wave would have included  the Toba/Ise/Meoto Iwa area. It is also thought that it may have triggered the last-known eruption of Mt Fuji in mid-December that year!