How can preparation make travel safer rather than relying only on luck?

Seeking favorable conditions and avoiding harm is not limited to the seventh lunar month. Ordinary outings, travel, and even pilgrimages require attention to practical risks. We once had a tire blowout in the inner lane of a motorway, a very dangerous moment. Religious participation does not make safety on the road something to take for granted.

A fellow practitioner recalled seeing a white figure beside the road while cycling in junior high. The same number appeared repeatedly over the following week, and a motorcycle accident happened later. The actual collision began when an oncoming vehicle struck the motorcycle ahead, which then struck the practitioner. After recovering for two or three weeks, another outing brought another fall; these were not two falls on the same day or within one week. Our faith-based discussion of the figure, soul-calming, and harmful influence cannot omit the collision and claim that the white figure was established as the cause. Before injuries heal, physical condition and riding circumstances also need attention, beyond curiosity about the unseen.

Riding on sparsely populated mountain roads at night requires considering the time, cold, visibility, and whether you are hurrying. Unseen explanations are religious interpretations, not a reason to bypass immediate conditions or give every accident one cause. In isolated places, encountering a criminal may also mean nobody is available to help. Care matters beyond ghost month, New Year, or the Lantern Festival. This does not forbid all outdoor activities; it warns against assuming strong fortunes make preparation unnecessary.

When organizing activities, consider how participants will actually behave. Racing against time may increase speed, making bends and other route risks especially important. I have discussed staff testing the activity in practice beforehand to identify needed adjustments. Protective measures still require attention to the scene. Calling it a game is no reason to prepare less.

Shallow water now does not guarantee that it will remain unchanged. Rain may fall upstream without falling downstream, and an old incident I recalled also involved a deliberate release of water. Check weather and activity arrangements before departure, and be willing to adjust when conditions change. Do not keep playing without concern simply because everything seemed fine on arrival.

I once traveled to Green Island after a typhoon, when waves were still high and many passengers vomited severely. The typhoon’s departure did not mean every risk had passed. I repeatedly reminded people about mountain and water dangers in rain and around typhoons. Even without a particular intuition, we still need to reduce risk. Not sensing anything wrong does not mean there is nothing to notice.