LET US SURRENDER EVERYTHING TO GOD
Message by Kyoshu-sama, our Spiritual Leader
Paradise on Earth Service, June 15 & 16, 2007
Hall of Worship, Atami Sacred Grounds, Japan
Good morning, and thank you for coming to today’s Paradise on
Earth Service.
With a deep sense of awe, I realize that God, Who is living for all
eternity, is advancing His plan of creation in each one of us by giving His
divinity to each one of us. God is thus giving birth to His children, who
can assist and make successful His worldwide plan.
Following this plan of creation by God, Meishu-sama was newly
born as a true child of God, as the one who brings the light of salvation.
God, in oneness with Meishu-sama, is advancing His plan for the
universe in each person – in keeping with the great harmony of the
universe – activating and utilizing everything from the past, present,
and future, using it in the present time. It is the divine work of
projecting Heaven, which is a realm of essence – of the highest and
finest vibrations – to this Earth plane, which is a realm of phenomenon
– of the lowest and coarsest vibrations.
Together with Meishu-sama, we were originally prepared in
Heaven, which is a place of creation’s beginning, and we have been sent
now to this Earth, which is a place of creation’s final phase. We have
been born not only as children of humans, but also as children of God;
and we look up to Meishu-sama as our model and try to return to the
original spirit, life and consciousness that are within us, and to breathe
the breath of this original life. We are now being raised and nurtured so
that we can be newly born and serve in this Great Plan of God.
As a member of this group of people, I participated in the service
today with you. And during the service I offered my gratitude to God for
His abundant blessings, and prayed that God’s work be praised more
and expanded more, in the name of Meishu-sama, and also that I can
be used more, together with all of you, in God’s Work.
Friends of the MOA Museum Foundation
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I understand that members of the Izunome Kyodan in Japan and
throughout the world are diligently giving service to help in God’s Work
for the salvation of humanity and the creation of Paradise on Earth, as
people connected with Meishu-sama – who brings us the light of
salvation.
I also understand that you are giving your sincere hoshi and
dedication for the further improvement and beautification of our Sacred
Grounds in Kyoto, and that many of you became “Friends of the MOA
Museum Foundation” to support our two museums, one in Hakone and
one in Atami, which were created by Meishu-sama.
Sandai-sama, our third spiritual leader, is now chair-person of the
Board of the MOA Museum Foundation, and in this position is doing her
best to advance Meishu-sama’s ideal of “salvation through art and
beauty” through our museums. She is also actively practicing her own
personal art pursuits – painting and drawing. When I look at her art
endeavors, and her love of art, I really appreciate that many of you are
trying to support this important part of our work.
Those art pieces that Meishu-sama collected are important
treasures of humanity. I try to look at them and come in contact with
these art objects as often as possible. We need to keep in mind that it
is important to preserve these art objects and keep displaying them for
as many visitors as possible.
Sonen Jissen
I understand that many of you are doing “Sonen Jissen”
(practicing one’s faith through daily prayer and meditation) and also
“gratitude Sonen Jissen” daily as part of your practicing Meishu-sama’s
basic teachings at your home, at your place of work, and at your schools.
I appreciate your efforts in this area.
Rev. Watanabe is taking the initiative in this effort, and many of
you are doing this continuously. Through this Sonen practice, my
intuition is that your Sonen, or consciousness, is expanding and
becoming deeper.
Many reports of the results of Sonen Jissen are being sent here
from all over the world. When I read them, I am impressed by the fact
that many of you are not only happy that your illness was healed or your
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sufferings are alleviated or improved as a result of Sonen Jissen. But
also, you are happy that you realized your own limited thinking or your
own egotistical attitude as a result of Sonen Jissen, and are grateful
that you are being protected and nurtured by God and Meishu-sama in
spite of such limitations. I am impressed by reading many such reports,
and I am sure Meishu-sama is happy with the humble and honest
attitude of many of you.
Leave our Worries in God’s Hands
What mostly troubles us or gives us headaches on a daily basis are
illnesses or financial difficulties in the family or among those close to us,
or disharmony and conflicts among friends or family members. We
treat these troubles as something personal, as private matters.
However, we can look at these personal troubles as typical
examples and prototypes of the larger problems of the world, what
Meishu-sama called “disease, poverty and conflict,” because, after all,
all our human activities are related to and influencing each other,
overcoming the difference in time and space.
When you face many different troubles, you become worried and
feel distressed and annoyed. Even if they are minor troubles, I believe
that Meishu-sama is making you worry and feel distressed so that God
can forgive, purify, save and revive humanity, who neglected and
ignored God in the past, through these minor troubles happening to
you.
Whatever troubles your mind, if you keep these worries and
concerns in your mind for a long time as they are, you will keep
radiating negative and dark vibrations from you and will disturb other
people and everything around you. That is not in harmony with God’s
Will.
The fact that something is bothering you means that Meishu-sama
has already shown the light to the mental darkness that has clouded
humanity for a long time, and is about to welcome many people to
Heaven.
If so, you can actualize your mission as an intermediary and bridge
to guide people to God. You can decide in your mind, “I want to
surrender myself, together with many people who are here with me, to
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Meishu-sama, who brings us the light of salvation.” God is waiting for
you to make such a decision. This is such a wonderful mission and
opportunity given to us now, and I hope we don’t postpone this
opportunity for our descendants.
If you keep this in your mind, and keep practicing Sonen Jissen –
with the thought of sending light to the members of humanity who
remain in the darkness, and their ancestors – you will be able to serve
in Meishu-sama’s larger work of salvation.
Meishu-sama is trying to appear and manifest his work through us
freely, using the dimension that is beyond our comprehension and
understanding. Therefore, we can distress and worry in any way, but
ultimately, we need to emanate the thought, “In the name of
Meishu-sama, I leave everything in God’s hands. May God’s wish be
realized.
This also applies to our Johrei. When we give Johrei, we need to
have the same thought – that we leave the outcome in God’s Hands and
pray that God’s wish may be realized. By continuing to emanate this
kind thought while doing Johrei, we can come closer to Meishu-sama
and come closer to God’s wish, and then, we will be able to witness
remarkable results beyond our imagination.
God’s Divine Essence within Us is the Ultimate Source of our
Love
At this time, I would like to ask you, “what are we looking for and
seeking – what is our goal – while we are practicing this Sonen Jissen?”
At this year’s Risshun Service in February here at this Hall of Worship, I
talked about a heaven within us and that we are all trying to reach for,
and come closer to, this heaven within us. But what are we seeking,
specifically? Everybody in this world is looking for happiness. And I
believe, happiness really means love.
That is the reason this word love is used everywhere in the world.
It may be extremely difficult to experience true love, and to love truly.
But I would like to experience and taste this true love, together with you,
and have the joy of sharing this true love with everybody.
Meishu-sama taught us to practice love for others, to wish for the
welfare of others, not just for our own welfare. I believe that the
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starting point to practicing this love for others is for us to really
understand Meishu-sama’s teaching that says we are all the sum total
of our numerous ancestors.
For example, when we experience something joyous and are
grateful for something, we have to ask ourselves, “Is it just my feeling,
or, are my ancestors also happy about this?” Such reflection has to
come up immediately, naturally. Your attitude of consideration for your
ancestors and thinking about them would naturally expand to love for
others, to consideration for the welfare not only of yourself but also of
others.
I believe that the ultimate source of our love is our divine essence
given to each of us from God. Meishu-sama taught us that a person’s
soul is the individualized part of God, a divine spark. This divine spark,
the divine essence within us, which is our own life, is the ultimate
source and essence of love.
Meishu-sama composed this verse, “Let’s sing today loudly, the
joy of receiving life, the priceless gift from God.” In this poem, he
teaches us that our greatest joy and happiness is that we have been
bestowed life from God. He also composed this verse, which is in our
Prayer Book (page 69 or 71), “Since I became aware, from deep within
my own heart, of God’s love for me, I no longer feel lonely.”
Our Life Belongs to God
At this time, we have to think, who owns our precious life? We
have been given our life, our soul; but to whom does this soul belong?
On this point, Meishu-sama wrote several verses, such as, “Your
precious life does not belong to you. God bestowed life upon you; your
life is in His Hands.” Also, “Life, your precious life, belongs to God. How
can one be prosperous, without living in accord with His Will?” From
these verses, it is clear that we have been given our life, our soul, and
we do not own our soul, but it belongs to God. Meishu-sama used the
expression that our soul is an individualized part of God, a divine spark.
In this way, we are children of God, Who gave part of His own life
to us and allows us to be alive now. This is the sign of God’s deepest
love for us. But usually we humans cannot recognize this, are not
aware of this fact.
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In our daily lives, we are acting as if we are the owners of our life.
But if our life is not ours, but belongs to God, then, we have to
understand this, and return and surrender our life, our soul, to God.
When we inhale and exhale our breath, we do it unconsciously. We
think that the air has existed since ancient times, and that we inhale
and exhale by ourselves, with our own power. But the truth is, God
created air and allows us to breathe. If so, instead of breathing by
ourselves, we can inhale and receive the breath from God, and exhale
and return it to God.
Another verse by Meishu-sama says, “The ultimate form of
romantic love is to adore, admire and love our True God.” Of course, it
might be very, very difficult for us to reach this level, as indicated in this
verse of Meishu-sama, to adore, admire, love and seek God. God’s love
for us is so great, so deep, so limitlessly big that I cannot respond with
the same scale of unlimited love, of deep and big love, for God. But at
least I would like to respond with my utmost love for God. I would like
to respond to God’s love, and return and surrender my life, my soul and
my consciousness, along with the inhaling and exhaling of my breath. If
I can do that, then, God will give me a new life, along with new breath.
God Forgives our Shortcomings
Since God’s love for us is so great and so profound, usually we are
not aware of it; we take it for granted and are accustomed to it. God
loves us as His children, but usually we cannot recognize that big love;
and because of this, we sometimes harbor the feelings of ingratitude,
complaint, and dissatisfaction. God watches us constantly with that
limitlessly great love because God is waiting for us to awaken, suddenly
one day, to our own limited mind, to our arrogant and selfish mind.
Our Prayer Book contains another verse by Meishu-sama (page 47
or 49), which says, “Despite all the clouds accumulated on my spiritual
body, and all the mistakes I committed in the past, God, through His
great love, has abundantly blessed me.” We have to read and study this
verse carefully, contemplate its meaning, and reflect on ourselves
deeply.
As this verse indicates, every human being has many good or
positive points, and many bad or negative points. God embraces such
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human beings and forgives us, guiding us and nurturing us. Let’s not
forget this point. Do not think that you are an exception to this rule or
that you are a perfect human being, unlike all other people.
Let’s not consider ourselves special, being above others, and let’s
be careful not to judge and criticize others, even unconsciously, based
on our personal likes and dislikes, our personal yardsticks of good or
bad. Let’s pray that we be granted the courage to recognize such
tendencies within ourselves.
We need to recognize that we have both good and bad traits within
us. And we can leave both traits in Meishu-sama’s hands, so that these
traits and aspects within ourselves can be used positively, harmoniously,
in our lives to create the “great harmony” in the current, totally new
phase of God’s Work.
It is sometimes difficult for us to become aware of our own
shortcomings and faults; so, if others around us see such shortcomings
within us, they can help us, and together we can leave our own
shortcomings and negative aspects in Meishu-sama’s hands. In this
way, we can help each other and support each other so that we can
serve better, together, to practice Meishu-sama’s teaching of love for
others.
Return our Five Senses and Mind to be Purified and Used by God
God bestowed life on us, and our consciousness was formed. But
this consciousness of ours was formed based on our mental capacity
and our five senses. By our seeing and hearing many things, and
sensing and feeling many things, our ego and consciousness were
formed gradually.
But we used our five senses as our own and for our own benefit,
for our convenience – mostly for our selfish purposes. As a result, we
lost our balance and harmony, and our consciousness has lost balance
and harmony.
We have our five senses: that is, our vision through our eyes, our
hearing through our ears, our taste with our tongue, our sense of smell
with our nose, and sense of touch through our skin. Also, we have our
mind to recognize all these senses and control our sensing organs. But
at this time, we need to surrender and return to God all these senses of
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ours, and pray to God that these five senses of ours, and our mind, be
purified and be used solely by God.
Once we make up our mind that our senses be used by God, then,
our five senses would be nurtured and directed by God so that they can
be in tune more to essential matters than superficial matters. They can
then function in a better way, one which is more in harmony with God’s
wish. As a result, our eyes will open to see the world of essence, our
ears will begin to hear the messages from the world of essence, our
mind will grow and be elevated so it can be used at a different level, in
a higher dimension by God, than before.
Emulate Meishu-sama and Become a Resident of Paradise
Today we celebrated our Paradise on Earth service. Meishu-sama
declared that we will create Paradise on Earth, and wrote this verse
about it, which is also in our Prayer Book (page 95 or 97), “Because my
goal is to help others live in paradise, I must first create paradise in my
own heart.” We all wish to serve in the divine work of constructing
Paradise on Earth, as instruments of Meishu-sama. If so, we need to
study this verse and digest it and make the meaning of this verse our
own.
Each one of us can try to emulate Meishu-sama and become a
resident of paradise, with a paradise-like consciousness. Each one of us
can live our life daily, trying to grow spiritually – following the Will of
God for creation – and be newly born as children of God.
In order to accomplish that, our own mind and consciousness has
to receive the totally new eternal life and nourishment, and be nurtured
in a way different from how it has been nurtured so far. Meishu-sama
said that our consciousness is from God and is divine in nature, that our
soul is given by God and is our consciousness itself. We often use the
expression conscience, but this conscience is on a human level, and our
consciousness is different from conscience. Our consciousness is our
soul, our primary spirit; it is an individualized part of God, a divine
spark.
Our human conscience and mind, which we have nurtured so far,
changes frequently; they are not very dependable. Our consciousness,
which is divine in nature and is the conscience of God, has to watch over
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our own conscience and mind, and nurture them.
We have to monitor our own attitudes and thoughts, not those of
others. Meishu-sama wrote, “You can create your second self, which
can constantly evaluate the actions of your first self.”
What
Meishu-sama meant with these words is that we have to regulate our
own actions.
In order to remind myself constantly that this second self is my
true essence, I always think of the sacred focal point that I am wearing
on my chest, around my neck. This focal point is evidence that I am a
Johrei member, and through it I can transmit the limitless Light of God.
But also I regard this focal point as a constant reminder that I was
prepared originally in Heaven at the beginning of creation, together
with Meishu-sama, as an individualized part of God and as a child of the
true Light of God.
This sacred focal point also serves as a reminder that I received
this special blessing – of being able to be newly born as a child of God –
while serving in Meishu-sama’s divine work. With this in mind, I would
like to continue my efforts, together with you, so that I can live more in
harmony with God’s wishes.
In concluding my message today, I pray that the breath of life,
which is being created constantly by God, shall be shared with all
humanity – with all living creatures and all things – through your
inhaling and exhaling breath, and that everything will be revived, in the
name of Meishu-sama, who brings us the light of salvation. May God
bless all of you. Thank you very much.
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