Meiji Shrine in Harajuko

Yesterday we visited the Meiji Shrine in Harajuko, which is on of the biggest in Japan. At one point we spent time at an area that was dedicated to prayers that people could write on small wooden slates and hang them onto boards provided. As quite a few prayers were written in English, I took a few moments to read them. As I did, I began to feel how much suffering was actually concentrated at this particular spot and expressed in many calls for alleviation.

Suddenly I felt a huge wave of this reality move through me to the point I was utterly overwhelmed by the collective emotion of pain. Suddenly the body was in tears and because the intensity was so much, it became impossible to remain in that area. I had to walk away.

I was rather surprised by the experience.