[Yuka-sensei]
Good morning, everyone.
[Maki-sensei & Rika-sensei]
Good morning.
[Yuka-sensei]
Thank you very much for joining the Video Prayer Gathering on November 22.
November 22 is GOI-sensei’s birthday, and I was told by the staff recently that today’s Video Prayer Gathering marks the 100th session. I feel deeply grateful that we have reached this milestone, and my heart is filled with appreciation.
The fact that we have truly continued for 100 sessions, and that the milestone day is today, makes me feel such divine guidance. And we have been able to continue this far only because all of you have been offering prayers together with us like this. I wanted to begin by expressing that appreciation. Thank you very much.
[Rika-sensei]
Thank you very much. Following that, on November 22, which is GOI-sensei’s birthday, Fumi-san from MPPOEI in the United States designated this day as Global Peace Pole Day, and every year, on November 22 U.S. time, they hold an online celebration event. (In Japan time, it will be tomorrow, November 23, starting at 9:00 a.m.)
During that live broadcast, they celebrate GOI-sensei’s birthday and take time to share with everyone the role and global spread of the Peace Pole.
It is truly wonderful to see the essence and vibration of GOI-sensei steadily spreading throughout the world. And for us on this side, rather than simply spreading it, we would like to deepen more and more in this place—within the Byakko field—our understanding of the dimension from which GOI-sensei brought down these prayers and this Truth.
Today as well, we will read aloud together a passage from GOI-sensei’s teachings, and from there, we have prepared a text that may transform the way we see our lives and the world. We hope you will listen to it with us. Thank you very much for being with us today.
[Maki-sensei]
On the very day of GOI-sensei’s birthday, I feel it is a joyful coincidence that we can offer this video prayer together like this. When I spoke with Fumi-san, she mentioned that if GOI-sensei were still with us, he would be turning 109 this year.
Even after his return to the Divine World, the great Divine Mission of bringing peace to the world has continued without interruption, being carried forward and expanding. This is truly a blessing.
And to be part of this flow—where we, together with all of you, inherit that precious baton and pass it on to the next generation—is something I feel is profoundly sacred.
As the Earth enters a time of great transformation, the axis we must never lose is truly contained within the words of this prayer.
The profound message contained in the simple prayer, “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” continues to encourage the evolution of humankind in every era, guiding us to perform the work needed for the world to become peaceful, no matter how greatly the world transforms.
If we never lose sight of that essence, and if all of you continue to cherish this message in every age while looking at the world as it changes (as it evolves), I truly feel that GOI-sensei will rejoice and lovingly watch over us from the Divine World, and that the many Deities will continue to support our intentions.
Today as well, I hope that by connecting with all of you, we can send out this prayer to many people. Thank you very much for being with us today.
Now, I would like to pray together with all of you the Prayer for the World Peace. Thank you very much.
《Prayer for the World Peace》
Thank you very much. Now, I would like to move on to the special program. Rika-sensei, please.
[Rika-sensei]
Once again, thank you very much.
Today, I will be reading an excerpt from a book titled “GOI-sensei’s Collection of Talks.” Although the book is already out of print, it contains records of the talks GOI-sensei gave in various places in the past.
Some of you may feel, “I wish I could have the book in hand and read the words myself,” but unfortunately, that is no longer possible. However, we will take our time and read it carefully here, so I hope you will listen closely.
What I will read today is a passage that I myself read a few years ago, and at that time, there were parts I could not understand. But recently, I suddenly felt, “Perhaps this is what GOI-sensei was saying.” It is not that I have grasped it fully, but the meaning of GOI-sensei’s words gently began to come through. Because of this experience, I felt that this was a passage I would like to explore more deeply with all of you, so I chose it for today. Now, I will begin reading.
《Reading of GOI-sensei’s Talk》
Human beings truly exist as nothing but their own solitary self. When seen with the physical eyes, it certainly appears as though many people are around, but that is only how it looks.
From the perspective of someone who has understood the Truth, as in my own case, the only being that exists—in both the physical world and the Divine World—is this single Self alone in the universe. In the truest sense, there is only this one Self.
My other name is “Ku-Dokuson Goi Masahisa Nyorai,” which means, essentially, that only this Self exists. Unless one realizes that only this Self exists, one cannot understand this.
In my case, I truly and genuinely understand this.
When this becomes clear, anything that appears before or around you—whether it seems good or seems bad, whether it is a person, a thing, or an event—everything is nothing but the appearance of your own Self.
Therefore, every event and every human figure unfolding before your eyes is the form of your own thoughts reflected outward into the world.
What can be understood and practiced only by one who is enlightened is impossible for ordinary people to hear and immediately carry out as-is. It is far too difficult to accomplish.
Thus, even if someone hears such teachings and understands them intellectually, if something unpleasant or inconvenient happens to them, they may become irritated or unable to endure it. Closing one’s eyes to such feelings will not work, and if one ends up blaming oneself every time, the Truth one has just heard becomes harmful instead of helpful.
What is most essential is not to tremble, worry, or fuss, but to gather courage—even once—and cleanly admit, “This was the impurity attached to my own soul.” Once you acknowledge that, all you need to do is quietly and swiftly wash it away.
Whatever the case may be, the fact that your feelings are unsettled ultimately means that the root of the problem lies within yourself.
In other words, it is entirely your own responsibility. Complaining to anyone about anything will not resolve it. At this point, shifting responsibility to someone else is meaningless.
What appears to be an unfavorable situation for yourself is actually something that manifests as your own responsibility. Therefore, truly, you should resolve everything yourself. Yet even so, you cannot completely resolve it with your own strength alone, can you?
That is why you must sincerely turn to the heart of your Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities—the divine parents who gave birth to this small life of yours—and entrust everything to them, saying, “Please, I ask for your help.”
Then the Divine will say, “It is impossible for you alone, so I will take care of it properly,” and the Deities will completely cleanse the impurity, washing it all away at its root.
This is what is called “a prayerful heart,” or “the heart of entrusting through prayer,” or simply “the heart of entrusting.”
[Rika-sensei]
What may seem extremely strict—or appears strict at first glance—is the Truth that everything appearing before us is our own responsibility. When we hear this, we tend to interpret that Truth as something that leads us to blame ourselves. GOI-sensei said, “In the universe, there is only this one Self,” but I myself could not understand what “this one Self” truly meant. When I thought of “self” as “this physical body with this individual personality,” I could not comprehend it at all, because so many different people exist around us. However, when I began to think of the Self as “the Life of God,” “God Itself,” then I realized that what exists is only God. Whether I look at others or look at the world, what exists is only God. From that standpoint, when I thought, “Even the fading-away phenomena, the painful experiences, and all such workings are also the workings of God, are God Itself,” I suddenly felt—gently, softly—that this Truth of “only one Self exists” is connected to that understanding. So, I would like to ask Yuka-sensei and Maki-sensei to each share a word on how they felt. Yuka-sensei, how about you?
[Yuka-sensei]
Thank you very much. I feel that what I am about to say connects with what Rika-sensei just shared. When reading this passage, “There is only one Self in the universe,” I could understand it intellectually, but I often wondered how I could actually apply this in my daily life. Honestly, that was difficult for me, and I read it while facing it seriously and reflecting deeply on it. In that process, what arose in me was “the breathing method.” In another of GOI-sensei’s writings, there is a section about “becoming one with God,” which also connects strongly with what Rika-sensei said. Returning one’s awareness to “unity with God” is something that encompasses everything, dissolves everything. The Divine Heart is love, and everything returns to love; that is the only place there is, the only place to return to. That is where I want to return my consciousness. Then I wondered, “How do I embody this in my daily life? How do I remember it in everyday situations?” And I felt that the most powerful method for me right now is the breathing method, and returning all thoughts to “Ware Soku Kami Nari, Jouju, Jinrui Soku Kami Nari.” There is only that one Source, and nothing else. Using the power of breathing to consciously return myself to that state—this is what I have been practicing, and because of that, after hearing today’s reading from Rika-sensei, I felt that I would like to offer the breathing method later in today’s main program. GOI-sensei wrote the following: “True prayer is a declaration of life. Prayer is the act of declaring your own life. Prayer is the declaration that ‘My life is one with God. My life is the life of God.’ It is not the physical mind or worldly desires that pray. Prayer is when the Direct Spirit and Divine Spirit declare to the Universal God, ‘I am one with You.’” These words connect deeply with what Rika-sensei read today, and I felt strongly that this is truly the way we can apply the teachings in our daily lives. Thank you very much.
[Rika-sensei]
Maki-sensei, how about you?
[Maki-sensei]
As I listened to this reading, what truly remained in my heart was the following: “Whether something appears good or appears bad, whether it is a person, a matter, or an event, all of it becomes one’s own appearance. Everything unfolding before one’s eyes is the reflection of one’s own thoughts appearing in the outer world, and in that sense, there is only the one Self.” This resonated very deeply with me. Both the good and the bad—the moments when we think, “This person is wonderful,” and the moments when we feel anger or the desire to criticize someone, thinking, “Why would this person do such a thing?”—all of these are not about that person themselves, but rather the karmic thoughts we ourselves produced in the past. We look at the form of the person standing before us and project those thoughts onto them. And how we face that appearance becomes one expression of the Divine. When we can forgive it—not only forgive it but connect with the love behind that person’s action, the love at the very core—and reach a point where we can even feel “dear” toward it, then the mistaken thoughts carried from our past into the present truly dissolve and transform into Light. I feel that this is precisely what GOI-sensei meant when he said they “become impurities that fade away.”
Therefore, the mistaken thoughts we carry from past to present arise from the belief, “I am different from God. I am separate from God.” All words and actions expressed from that separated consciousness remain as the appearance of fading-away phenomena. When those thoughts manifest, we see them in the appearance of the person before our eyes. But if we criticize or condemn them again, that becomes yet another fading-away appearance, carried into the future and remaining there. That is why we must recognize that the fact that it appeared before us means it has arisen so it can disappear. If we do not cling to it, it will fade away. And even when deep resentment or an inability to forgive someone arises, as long as we hold onto criticism, condemnation, or hatred, then neither our past nor our future has changed at all.
But when that appearance arises before us, that is precisely the moment it is meant to disappear. If in that moment we can forgive, connect with the deeper essence within that person, cherish it, love it, even feel “dear” toward it—then we can realize that beneath anger lies something deeply important to that person, something they cherished that was not honored, and that is why anger manifested. When we can think, “Ah, that must be what happened. I see,” then we are not comforting that person; we are sending love to the past version of ourselves who could not recognize this truth at that time.
When we can do this, we truly rise one dimension higher—a divine dimension—and we grow. And through that growth, we gain confidence, saying, “I have grown.”
And what happens when we grow is that our understanding of our own divinity, and our deeper understanding of the existence we call God, expands. As that understanding deepens, our view of the world that unfolds before us widens and deepens as well. This allows us to forgive more, love more, accept more, and let things flow more easily.
In other words, no matter what happens, we do not move within the whirlpool of emotional thoughts. Instead, we quietly see what is unfolding before us with gratitude—returning to the middle path, to our true self at the center, to the unshakable self that remains directly connected to God at all times. Through repeatedly returning to that place, we grow. And the more we cultivate an unmoving self in the face of what appears before us, the more we become our Divine Self.
Therefore, these fading-away appearances are, in fact, testing us. When such a situation or person appears before us, it is asking: “How will you face this now?”
If we think, “This appearance before me is simply the past version of myself,” it becomes easier to forgive.
And when we can forgive, love, and let it flow, we rise even higher. As we continue to rise, when someone similar appears again, we will find that we feel absolutely nothing toward it—we can simply live the present moment calmly and steadily.
The self that cannot forgive or that feels hatred is still the past self. It is past experiences that bring forth those emotions. In those moments, we are not living the present. We are not living “the here and now.”
When we act from emotional thoughts—such as anger—we are actually pulling up the past experiences (memories) and living from them. And feelings such as fear or anxiety are the imagination pulling in a future that has not yet happened, based on past experiences. In both cases, we are living from the past, not from the present moment.
We are able to fully rejoice in our life in this very moment only when our consciousness is truly in the middle path. And in order to savor and experience this present moment from the perspective of our Divine Self, we must live by quietly and steadily cherishing each event that arises, appreciating what happens, tasting it, and feeling gratitude for being given such experiences. When we turn our attention to the fact that meeting this person at this very moment has given us the opportunity for many fading-away phenomena from our past to disappear instantly, this naturally leads us to gratitude. And when we cannot connect to gratitude no matter what, by connecting with the Prayer for World Peace through “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” I believe that the existence before us will cease to trouble us and simply fade away. Today, I feel that we have truly connected with the deep Truth behind GOI-sensei’s words, “In this universe, there is only one Self.” I hope that each of you, within your own situations, can also think, “In this universe, there is only one Self,” and see that the people before you—whether they seem good or bad—are sacred beings who appear so that the fading-away phenomena of your past and present may manifest as thoughts or events and disappear. When you can look at the people and situations unfolding before you in this way, within your own present circumstances, we can all meet again from a higher level of consciousness, beyond notions of good and bad. This is the consciousness of being one with God, and it leads to what Masami-sensei said: “There is no difference. There is no division.” There is no division in this world; division arises only within the mind.
[Rika-sensei]
Truly, when fading-away phenomena appear, another person is always involved. And we tend to think that the other person is “not me.” But precisely because another person is involved, these phenomena can appear and then fade away. This, too, is the great working of the Divine—the working by which what appears ultimately disappears. Finally, Masami-sensei said something in the “Daily Guidance” section of the November 10 issue of this month’s Byakko magazine: “All things are fading-away phenomena. Whatever you did, at that moment you had to erase karmic ties from the past, and in order to erase them, another person was absolutely necessary. Without another person, the fading-away phenomena of your own past could never disappear. Even if your words or actions caused the other person pain, the fading-away phenomena of that person’s karmic ties were also present there. Their karmic ties were trying to fade away through you. When you forgive the past version of yourself, the other person is forgiven as well, and at the same time, through you, Divine Light shines throughout this world.” Such perfectly timed words were left for us in this month’s issue of Byakko. Understanding that “the only one who exists in this universe is the one Self, and everything that appears does so as one’s own responsibility,” I believe that if we live not by straining ourselves but by entrusting everything to the Guardian Deities and Guardian Spirits, we will arrive at the realization that “all is perfect.”
[Maki-sensei]
In order to truly arrive at the realization that all is perfect, we cannot be blaming others, criticizing others, or directing our focus outward. But the moment we can think even a little, “Perhaps there is something here for me to receive,” or “Perhaps I am being given an opportunity to change,” then I feel that we are being given the seeds of awareness that lead us to the understanding: “All is perfect. Perfect and lacking nothing.”
[Yuka-sensei]
Through the words shared by the two of you, I once again felt that the perspective—including the fading-away phenomena—behind “In the universe there is only one Self” was explained so clearly. And at the same time, what the three of us hold in common is the realization that by returning to oneness with God, we come to see that “everything is the Self; everything is the fading-away of our own past; and through others it is being erased for us.” I feel that everything converges into this understanding. Based on this, I believe we can allow GOI-sensei’s words to sink even more deeply into our being. And so, in order to directly experience what we have just discussed, through our own bodies, I would like to move now to the “Breathing Practice.” Today, after the breathing practice, we will proceed to the Gratitude to Nature Practice. This is aligned with the teaching shared earlier—“One is originally alone”—and at the same time, one with God. I hope that together we may experience this during the main program’s prayer session. Thank you very much.
As we now move into the breathing practice, I would like to read an excerpt from Masami-sensei’s writing, from the Byakko magazine, in the section titled “The Power of Breathing Practice.” Masami-sensei wrote: “Through the breathing practice, we draw in the primordial power of the universe and make use of the life force of the universe. This ‘ki’ is the key that sustains life itself.” And she continues, “In our original state, through breathing, the Universal God and the physical body are strongly united, interacting continuously without the slightest gap.” However, she also wrote that when we forget or deny our divinity, the power of this great breathing—which originally unites the Universal God and the physical body in a seamless, continuous exchange—becomes limited to the simple function of exchanging oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Yet breathing practice absorbs the life force, the ki, the power of the universe. Masami-sensei explains that the attitude with which we perform breathing practice is that of inhaling the sacred gift of the Universal God. She writes that by drawing directly and abundantly into our own bodies the infinite life energy of the universe, the manifestation of Divinity is fulfilled. Therefore, from now, with each inhalation we will practice: “Ware Soku Kami Nari, Dai-Jouju,” and with each exhalation: “Jinrui Soku Kami Nari.”
She also taught one more point: when inhaling deeply, we should consciously draw in the uchu-shi (cosmic particles), being aware of them entering the body. And at the same time, she said that while the physical eyes see only the surface of things, when we look with the “eyes of the universe”—as in the teachings of fading-away phenomena and the insights shared earlier by Maki-sensei and Rika-sensei—we connect with the great unseen world. Through breathing practice, we open the eyes of the universe. We heighten the awareness that sees the Universal Truth.
She further instructed: “Focus your awareness on the back of your eyes, at the back of your head, as you breathe. Through this, you connect with the universe and develop the power to overlook the universe.” We tend to be conscious mostly of the front of our bodies. But in this practice, I would like you to breathe while feeling your back side—your rear—and sensing the vast universe behind you.
Now please slowly close your eyes. First, gently inhale, pause, and exhale. As you exhale, allow your body to relax. At your own pace, slowly inhale—drawing in the life force of the universe, the primordial power of the universe, firmly drawing in the cosmic particles. As you exhale, slowly return the cosmic particles to the Universal God.
Through this breathing, our physical body and the Universal God are powerfully united. As you breathe, I would like you to simply feel: “We are receiving the primordial power of the universe, the cosmic particles. We are truly one with God, living as beings sustained by Divine Love.” Bring the cosmic particles of the Universal God throughout your entire body, and then, as you exhale, return them to the Universal God. Through the cosmic particles of the Universal God, the Universal God and the physical body are completely one. Everything is born from here, and everything returns here—please keep this in mind.
We will begin by exhaling. As you exhale—1, 2, 3, 4, 5—and then inhale.
《Seven Repetitions of the Breathing Practice Invocation》
With your eyes remaining closed, gently return to your natural rhythm of breathing, and please feel throughout your entire body that in this very moment, the Universal God, the cosmic particles, and your physical body were united as one without a single gap, truly in constant communion.
The very act of breathing itself is communion with the Universal God; it means that we are beings sustained by God, loved by God, and completely one with God. Please continue to breathe in a relaxed state, focusing solely on that.
Thank you very much.
Now, we will move directly into the Gratitude to Nature Practice. GOI-sensei teaches: “Life and life are united. The Universal God and the Direct Spirit and Divine Spirit are united. And the power of God flows forth exactly as it is. Prayer is the union of the life moving your physical body with the life filling the universe. Thus, the Prayer for Peace becomes one with the Universal God and dissolves the delusions covering the Earth with Light.”
With the vibration of the Breathing Practice still within us, let us now offer abundant gratitude in the Gratitude to Nature Practice, with hearts completely one with the Universal God.
We will now begin the Gratitude to Nature Practice, so thank you very much. During the Earth Gratitude Practice, when I say “Yes,” please join me in reading from the title.
《Gratitude for Nature》
[Maki-sensei]
Thank you very much, everyone. Now, with unified hearts, I would like us to form the Divine Spark IN once.
《One Divine Spark IN》
[Maki-sensei]
Thank you very much. Thank you all for joining today’s Video Prayer Gathering. To reach the 100th gathering today, on GOI-sensei’s birthday, together with all of you, is truly a blessing. I am deeply grateful for the time we have continued to share—time connected to prayer, to Truth, and to our own inner being—regularly, across time and space, building this together. I am also grateful for how each of us has continued to evolve and create in our respective places.
If someone had told me from the beginning, “Do this 100 times,” I don’t think I could have done it. But by continuing sincerely, doing what is given to us now, doing what is possible right before us, we realize—when we look back—that what once felt impossible can indeed be accomplished. And even if we cannot do it alone, when we are together with everyone, we can. Having companions, and having a high vision while cherishing what is right in front of us—these make what once seemed impossible truly possible. That is what I felt today. Thank you very much.
[Yuka-sensei]
I feel the same. When the staff told us, “It’s already the 100th time,” I realized anew how far we have come. This Video Prayer Gathering began because, during the pandemic, everyone could no longer come to the Fuji Sanctuary. Even after the pandemic ended, we have been allowed to continue in this way, and I feel deep joy and gratitude for that. I feel the happiness of continuing, the power of continuity. As I mentioned at the beginning, it is truly thanks to all of you who join us each time that we are able to continue. Thank you for your continued participation. And happy birthday, GOI-sensei.
《Announcement from the Goi Peace Foundation》
The next Video Prayer Gathering will be on December 6. Only two gatherings remain for this year. After those two, the Video Prayer Gathering will conclude. The second-to-last gathering will be on December 6, and we would be very happy if you could join us again. Thank you very much for joining us today.
The end.