The Grant of Safe Childbirth (Obiya-yurushi)

by Yoshikazu Fukaya

God the Parent created human beings and the world where neither had existed. God the Parent is humanity's Parent of Origin and the source of life. Oyasama's causality was that She had the soul of the model of woman (Izanami-no-Mikoto) when God the Parent created human beings. Thus, She is the mother of all people in the world. Further, we are taught that Jiba, the spot where the Kanrodai (the Stand for the Heavenly Dew) is placed, is the Jiba of Origin where human beings were conceived. Jiba is the homeland and the Home of the Parent for all humanity. In the Ofudesaki, we read:

This is the Residence where I began this world. Therein lives the original Parent of human beginnings.

Ofudesaki VI:55

Oyasama revealed the blessings of a safe delivery before any other form of miraculous salvation out of Her parental love to save women from the pain of childbirth by all means. This grant, called the "Grant of Safe Childbirth," is possible because it is bestowed by the Parent of Origin at Jiba, the Residence of Origin.

During the first twenty or so years after the Teaching was founded, Oyasama was either ridiculed as being possessed by a malevolent spirit or as being insane. Yet the sight of the inestimable blessings from this "Grant of Safe Childbirth" caused the very same people who previously would not even lend an ear to Her to listen to Her words for the first time and to come yearning for Her in their search for salvation.

When people requested the Grant of Safe Childbirth at that time, Oyasama used to breathe upon and stroke the belly of the expectant mother or give them goku (sacred gift). Oyasama later taught the Service for Safe Childbirth as a prayer for the blessings of safe childbirth. At present, the rice that is specially prepared, offered at the Kanrodai, and blessed by performing the Service for Safe Childbirth is bestowed as the sacred rice for the Grant of Safe Childbirth.

When a mother-to-be who has received the Grant of Safe Childbirth firmly has faith in God the Parent as the true Parent and passes each day completely leaning upon God the Parent after casting away all her concern, she is assured the blessings of a safe and relatively painless delivery in a short period of time. God the Parent also enables the mother to make a smooth recovery from the physical changes that occurred during pregnancy and childbirth. The Grant of Safe Childbirth makes traditional practices such as wearing a maternity band, leaning against an object, or adhering to taboos on certain foods completely unnecessary. A mother will be protected so that she can largely live her daily life in an ordinary manner. It need not be mentioned that the newly born baby also receives God the Parent's vivid protection.

The Grant of Safe Childbirth can be bestowed on any woman who is at least six months pregnant. Either the expectant mother herself, her husband, or one of his or her parents should bring an application prepared by her church and completed by her directly supervised church to the Home of the Parent to receive this grant at the Residence where the everliving Oyasama resides.