When luck isn't a good thing

TIM BUNTING

KIWI YAMABUSHI

山伏

キウイ

When luck isn’t a good thing

On a scale of 1 to 100, how lucky would you say you were?

Yesterday when we were talking to the Buddhist monk, he told us about the invention of Mikuji, which are pieces of paper your reach into a box for with your fortune on them. Originally, there used to be 100 pieces of paper numbered 1 to 100, 1 being the luckiest, 100 the unluckiest. These were then rolled up, and placed in a box for people to draw out. After that, the monk would look at the piece of paper and read out the fortune.

Then the monk said something that took me by surprise.

The luckiest number, 1, is not the best number. If you are the luckiest, it means things only get worse from there. On the contrary, being the unluckiest means things can only get better.

When you climb Mt. Haguro, oddly the climb starts with a descent. You first start climbing the mountain by climbing down. This is by design. This descent represents going down into the depths of hell, because once you’re there, the only way to go is up.

Tim
March 24, 2022
2:54 pm
0 comments

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Hi, I’m Tim Bunting AKA the Kiwi Yamabushi, a New Zealander who became a Yamabushi Ascetic in the Dewa Sanzan mountains of north Japan. I’m part of the Yamabushido team, and we host life-altering Yamabushi training on the Dewa Sanzan (website link). People come to us for the ultimate mindfulness experience, to reach the next level, or simply connect with nature and themselves.

I’m on a mission to summit all 100 Famous Mountains of Yamagata Prefecture to spread the splendour of this fabulous location, and in dedication to all those who lost their lives out in nature, including my father.

On my daily blog I post thoughts of a practicing Yamabushi that I hope people can use to better themselves and live as fulfilling a life as possible.

Sign up to the weekly Mountains of Wisdom newsletter, follow me on social (Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, TikTok, Clubhouse, all @kiwiyamabushi), or send me an email via the link below to stay in touch.

Tim.