May/Buddha
One of my grieving books discusses what they call mystical experiences – that is, things that are not “rationally explainable.”
Since April, I’ve had several things happen that could fall under the mystical umbrella: These moments involved a book, a rainbow, and a light that was on with no logical explanation. But an encounter in Hawaii was so special – maybe explainable, but in my mind, too big to be a coincidence – that it trumps them all.
As mentioned earlier, we booked a night boat trip to see manta rays; it was a small boat so it was just us, our friends and the captain and guide. When we got to our spot in the ocean and were waiting for it to get dark, the guide – who a young, fourth-generation Hawaiian who introduced himself as “Buddha,” -Â mentioned somewhat out of the blue that they do ash scattering/memorial services on the boat. They said a recent one was particularly moving and spiritual, and Buddha told us the ashes being scattered were that of a mom and dad who died together – which of course got my attention right away.
Buddha described to us how he told the adult children that Hawaiians believe the deceased’s spirits live on in the form of energy and that, while they don’t believe in incarnation per se, they do believe the deceased can come back to visit in the form of a spirit animal. He also said the circle (as in circle of life) is very symbolic and as part of the service the boat moved in a circle. After that happened and after prayers were said, he told us, a very rare type of whale suddenly popped up and circled the boat. He’s never seen this happen before, and he told the children that the whale must be his parents’ aumakua, or spirit animal.
I was crying by this point (with Zoe holding my hand), and the boat was otherwise completely quiet. I told Buddha that my parents had died six weeks ago and I felt it meant something that we were in that boat being told this story. We talked a bit more – with him saying that dead ones’ energy also serves to strengthen the family, and telling me more about the spirit animals. I told him we had seen a cardinal – which was my mom’s favorite bird and is very significant to me and my sister – on the beach just that morning, and he said “That’s your mom’s spirit animal†after noting it’s not that common to see them on the beach.
An hour or so later, I climbed off the boat in the dark feeling a sense of calm and peace, feeling – again – that I was meant to be there and to have met him. And, then, after I suggested we keep in touch and he used my phone to send himself a Facebook friend request, I looked down and saw his name and knew this all had to mean something.
His first name was Brandt.
-M
