Power spot (spirituality)
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In some Japanese new religious movements, power spots (パワースポット) are special places scattered around the earth. They are also called "energy spots" or Qi fields. The phrase is an example of a wasei-eigo loanword.
In the book "Power Spots of the World: A Travel Guide to Healing and Self-Recovery," it is explained that power spots have water that is said to heal, rocks that are said to speak to people, or fault lines that emit magnetic forces.[1]
In new age thought in Europe and the United States, a "spiritual vortex" is a place where vortices erupt with energy from the earth. Sedona, Arizona is a famous example.[2][3]
Hiroshi Aramata claims that "a power spot can be thought of as a place where the power of the earth (qi) is felt." He points out that although the term power spot is new, there have been attempts to obtain the power of the earth for a long time. Aramata suggests that in Japan, the Kumano Sanzan Pilgrimage is a very old example. Aramata believes that the pilgrimage to Kumano Sanzan was an epoch-making event because it was possible for people of any status or gender to gain power by simply paying a visit to a certain place, something that could normally only be obtained through Shugendō. Similarly, the Okagemaeri (ja:お蔭参り) to the Ise Shrine was advertised as a way for people of all genders to obtain power that only Shugenja could obtain.[4]
According to All About, many places that have come to be called "power spots" or "spiritual spots" were originally places of faith and nature worship. Such places were traditionally called holy places (霊場, reijo) or sacred places (聖地, seichi).[5]
History[edit]
In historical nature worship, in addition to wind, thunder, clouds, etc., mountains, earth, rivers, and lakes are also objects of worship.[6] This is especially true of earthly places, especially among agricultural peoples. Mountains are considered sacred places and are often regarded as the home of divine spirits and the land of the dead. In Japan, mountains with beautiful shapes such as Mount Fuji, Mount Hiko, and Mount Haku, mountains that are believed to bring rain, and mountains with unique shapes, hot springs, or ponds, have been worshiped since ancient times and are still worshiped today (see: mountain worship).[6] Rivers and lakes are considered sacred, especially by North American Indian tribes, and there are many legends and myths about them as places where water spirits and water gods live.[6]
In Japan, after 1975, Masuaki Kiyota, who claimed to be a psychic, used the term "power spot" to mean a place to take in the energy of the earth, and the term spread in the early 1990s.[7]
In the 2000s, public interest in feng shui and new spiritualism increased. There was also a boom in junrei to places such as shrines and temples. Hiroyuki Ehara, chairman of the Japan Spiritualism Association, began calling shrines and temples "spiritual sanctuaries" (スピリチュアル・サンクチュアリ).[8]
In August 2010, Yoimuri Shimbun reported, "Shrines and Mountains called 'power spots' are gaining popularity throughout Japan as places where special powers can be obtained". On September 23, 2010, NHK Hi-Vision broadcast the program "Kumamoto Wind, Earth and Sky Mystery: Kumamoto Power Spot Grand Tour".
Japanese power spots[edit]
- Mount Fuji[9]
- Mount Miwa
- Mount Ontake
- Mount Hakone
- Ise Grand Shrine
- Kamado Shrine[10]
- Chikubu Island
- Lake Biwa
- Mount Takao
- Suwa Shrine
- Kurama-dera
Overseas power spots[edit]
Sedona, Arizona is said to have a vortices where power flows out of the earth like a vortex according to a new age spiritualist named Page Bryant, and is considered a sacred place for spiritualists and is visited by many tourists.[11] Hiroshi Aramata considers some overseas locations to be power spots, including the Guiana Highlands and the Chocolate Hills of Bohol Island in the Philippines.[4]
In popular culture[edit]
- In the Pokémon media franchise, Stonjourner, a rock Pokémon intended to resemble Stonehenge and introduced in Sword and Shield, has a special ability called "Power Spot".[12]
- A power spot is a plot device in Tokusatsu series Magic Bullet Chronicles Ryukendo.
See also[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ 世界のパワースポット-癒しと自分回復の旅ガイド [Power Spots of the World: A Travel Guide to Healing and Self-Recovery] (in Japanese). ヴォイス. 2001-09-01. ISBN 978-4899760160.
- ^ "What Is A Vortex in Sedona". Visit Sedona. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Mysterious vortexes are more popular than ever. Here's how to tap in without the crowds". Los Angeles Times. 2023-11-07. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ a b Ono, Toden (2010-03-01). パワースポットめぐり―ココロもカラダも元気になる癒しの聖地へ [Power Spot Tour: To the Sacred Places of Healing to Energize Both Body and Mind] (in Japanese). 学研プラス.
- ^ "癒しの旅／癒しの旅関連情報 - パワースポット". All About (in Japanese). 2006-12-05. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ a b c "自然崇拝". 宗教学辞典 [Dictionary of Religion]. University of Tokyo Press. 1973. pp. 234–237.
- ^ Masuaki, Kiyota (1991). 発見!パワースポット [Discover Power Spots!] (in Japanese). Ohta Publishing. ISBN 9784872330328.
- ^ 「江原啓之神紀行」シリーズ. Magazine House. 2005–2007.
- ^ "Top 10 power spots in Japan". Japan Today. 2015-06-24. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Power Spots and Omamori – the Key to En-musubi's Popularity". Japan National Tourism Organization (JNTO). Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ Sandford, Jason (2017-09-06). "News obit: Page Bryant, psychic who identified Sedona, Asheville vortexes, dies". Ashvegas. Retrieved 2024-01-11.
- ^ "Stonjourner | Official Website | Pokémon Sword and Pokémon Shield". Pokémon.com. Nintendo, Game Freak. Retrieved 2024-01-11.