Report of the Festival of gratitude to Goi-sensei – Sunday, November 2, 2025
<Greeting by President NAYA>
<Chanting: “Human Beings and the Way of True Living”>
<Reading: An Essay by Masahiro YASUOKA>
[Director YOSHIKAWA]
[A Person of Grace and Refinement]
—Impressions of Goi-sensei—
The human spirit consists of intellect, emotion, and will. I believe the center of these is emotion. When these three elements are harmoniously unified, the person’s character is well-rounded; however, many people live in a divided state. Some are overly emotional and lack reason, others are too rational and become twisted, or rough and rigid in manner. Even the will easily strays from its proper course. Emotion, however, is a reflection of one’s personality—an overall expression and outflow of the heart.
Goi-sensei was a man of deep feeling. In other words, emotion can also be described as richness and grace. If intellect is the logic of the mind, emotion is the logic of the heart. The virtue of living together with all beings and nurturing life as one with all things is called jin (benevolence). Jin-ai—compassionate love—is mercy toward all people. This compassion and benevolent emotion is the most noble element of character. A person need not be intellectual or talented, but must, above all, be a person of feeling.
Goi-sensei was by nature a man of feeling—that is what drew people to him.
Goi-sensei had rhythm—he was musical. For example, a perfect machine remains quiet even as it operates, yet it has rhythm. When a human being becomes harmonized in this way, we call it fūin—grace and inner rhythm. Goi-sensei possessed this grace.
Goi-sensei was natural. He had none of the pretentious airs sometimes found in religious figures—no affectation, no artificiality. He was utterly natural, and that is why it felt so pleasant to talk with him.
Goi-sensei was pure and bright. Human beings must be pure and bright. No matter how intelligent one may appear, a person with a shadow in their heart cannot be genuine. One must be bright and open. Goi-sensei was such a person—without shadow, full of light. He was genuine. I believe that anyone who could not sense this refreshing presence upon seeing him even once could not be considered genuine themselves.
Beyond that, whether he possessed talent or power was of no concern to me.
<Prayer for World Peace>
<Reading of Goi-sensei’s Poem “The Dawn of the World”>
[By Rika-sensei]
I
Dawn is breaking, dawn is breaking—the dawn of the heart.
Now is the dawn of the world of Earth.
The ideals of Heaven are being fulfilled on Earth.
The path opens—the Path of Light.
II
Dawn is breaking, dawn is breaking—the dawn of Japan.
Young lives proclaim the coming of the daybreak.
The resounding harmony of World Peace spreads widely.
The Pillar of Light unites Heaven and Earth.
III
Dawn is breaking, dawn is breaking—the dawn of the world.
Nations and races shine together in the Light,
United as one Life in radiant harmony,
Opening the way in the vast Universe.
—from Hymn of Peace
<Beyond Borders, Toward a World United in Divinity>
[Yuka-sensei]
Everyone, thank you very much for participating in the Goi-sensei Thanksgiving Festival. This year marks 109 years since the birth of Goi-sensei and 45 years since his ascension to the divine world.
Even now, forty-five years later, I believe that the bridge of light that Goi-sensei created to connect Heaven and Earth shines even more powerfully, more brightly, and more beautifully upon this Earth.
I often speak about the “baton” recently. Even though Goi-sensei is no longer with us in the physical world, each one of us has firmly received his baton. That is why Goi-sensei’s will, his way of living, his state of being, and his prayer continue to resound and live vibrantly here on Earth. I feel truly proud of that in my heart.
As the President mentioned earlier, many letters addressed to Goi-sensei are beautifully displayed on the altar today. Goi-sensei is not only looking at each one of those letters carefully, but—this is just my personal imagination—I feel as though the Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities of the writers, together with Goi-sensei, are having what you might call a “three-way meeting,” like in a school: watching over each soul with great love, saying things such as “Ah, this child has come this far,” or “You’re going through a tough time right now, aren’t you?” or “Don’t worry, everything will be all right.”
Through each of those letters, Goi-sensei and the Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities are sharing deep love and purification, watching over our paths—past, present, and future—with tender care. I hope that through these letters, you too can feel Goi-sensei’s immense love and blessings.
Of course, the most important purpose of this Thanksgiving Festival is to express our gratitude to Goi-sensei himself and to his teachings. Yet at the same time, we also give thanks for being able to pray, for all the divine and spiritual connections that have guided us to prayer, for the Guardian Spirits and Guardian Deities who protect us, for our fellow practitioners—both in spirit and in this life—for our families, for nature, for the unseen, and even for the “dissolving appearances” that allow us to grow through challenges.
On this day of gratitude, may each of us send all our heartfelt appreciation to Goi-sensei.
Though my talk has become a bit long, we will now move on to the next part of the program, “Beyond Borders, Toward a World United in Divinity.”
During the pandemic, even within our own country, opportunities to feel the strength of our unity and the power of fellowship, or to gather together in person, became very limited. Yet even while we were apart, our prayers and our divinity transcended all separation—continuing to move as one great current, upholding the ever-shining Pillar of Light.
At the same time, the seeds that Goi-sensei sowed have not only sprouted strongly within Japan but have also spread and taken root throughout the world. Goi-sensei’s will and the Prayer for World Peace are blossoming across the globe today.
As I listened to Rika-sensei’s words, I too felt that we have entered such an era.
That is why, in this 2025 Thanksgiving Festival, we are introducing not only our fellow members in Japan but also our friends around the world who are creating and feeling the dawn together.
Though distance may sometimes cause us to forget or lose touch, our companions across the world are steadfastly continuing to sow new seeds.
Let us take this moment to return our awareness to them and send our heartfelt gratitude to every place where our divine friends continue to shine.
After the ceremony, we would like you to take your time to look through the booklet again.
On pages 15 and 16, there are messages from Jenny-san in Australia of Nanamaru, and from Fumi-san in the United States.
Then, on page 17, there is a message from Caroline-san in Scotland, and on page 19—although she is not a member—there is also a message from Tess-san, a writer who is now passionately working on the YUMI Project.
She too expresses the greatness of Goi-sensei and the prayer, sowing that as a new seed for the future.
Please take a look at each of these writings, and feel how, even after 45 years since Goi-sensei’s ascension, those seeds have continued to spread and multiply ever more widely.
And finally, not only in written form but also as a video message, Caroline-san, Elaine-san, and Kaoruko-san from the Allanton Sanctuary have sent us a very short video message.
Please enjoy watching that as well.
Now, let us proceed.
＜Message Video from Allanton＞
【Yuka-sensei】
As you can see, our family extends throughout the world—united completely as one in divinity, based on Goi-sensei’s teachings.
Each of us, in the place where we are, is earnestly working for the peace of the world.
I hope that today, you will also send your warm thoughts to all those around the world who are walking this path together.
Thank you very much.
【Maki-sensei】
Everyone, thank you very much for joining the Festival of Gratitude to Goi-sensei.
Before we form together the Divine Spark IN, I would like us to once again reflect on what kind of beings we human beings truly are.
We are divine beings, and at the same time, we are living in a world where mistaken thoughts from our past lives up to the present appear and disappear.
In other words, we are divine—and we are beings who experience the process of things disappearing as we live.
However, when what is disappearing appears before us, when we find ourselves in darkness, we sometimes feel ashamed, or find it difficult, or feel powerless to think of ourselves as divine.
When we are caught in the swirl of the disappearing aspect, we may even forget that we are divine beings.
Yet in such moments, by forming the Divine Spark IN, we remember that we are divine beings ourselves, and we realize that within us dwell infinite love, infinite wisdom, infinite potential, infinite ability, and infinite health.
By empowering that divine self, even while placed in the midst of the disappearing aspect—indeed, precisely because we are in the midst of it—we can express that magnificent divine ability from within ourselves and clearly recognize our true being.
And by living in this way—never losing sight of our divinity no matter the circumstances—we awaken to and walk together upon the path of light that connects Heaven and Earth, which Goi-sensei wrote about in his poem.
Now, together with everyone, let us form the Divine Spark IN seven times.
Let us directly connect with the divine consciousness that declares “human beings are originally divine itself,” and radiate that truth and energy to all humanity.
Thank you very much.
＜Seven consecutive Divine Spark INs＞
＜Reading of Goi-sensei’s Poem – “Wind”＞
【Yuka-sensei】
I do not know from where I was born.
My body, before I knew it, had grown large,
Running over seas and crossing mountains.
At times I speak with a gentle voice,
At times I roar with a terrible cry as I run.
Humans love me when I speak softly,
But when they see me running and howling,
They cover their faces, frown, and glare at me.
From the end of summer to the coming of autumn,
I run madly, clutching countless pillars of rain.
Madly, madly, madly I run.
People are struck down by my force,
Rivers overflow and houses crumble.
Even as I hear their cries and screams,
I cannot stop my own surge.
Pitying the humans I drive before me,
I too become sorrowful,
And as I race on, I pour out great tears of rain.
Gradually my pace eases,
And my heart begins to calm.
Turning back toward the receding land,
I glide quietly over the sea.
I recall the one fleeting time in my life
When my heart was tender and gentle,
And I call out to Great Nature:
O Nature, O Great Nature,
May I ever be the gentle and mild me.
May I be the one ever loved by humankind.
Just as it is humanity’s wish
That all suffering and conflict vanish from the world,
So too I wish my heart to be pure peace itself.
As if answering my call,
The clouds in the sky clear away,
And the sun of dawn shines with radiant glory.
—from Hymn to Peace
＜Gratitude to the Earth World＞
【Yuka-sensei】
We will now begin the Practice of Gratitude to the Earth World.
The poem by Goi-sensei that I just read truly expresses his character, exactly as Yasuoka-sensei described him.
“To live in oneness with all beings and nurture life”—in these words I deeply feel Goi-sensei’s heart of compassion and benevolence.
With that same compassion and benevolence, we too, at this very moment, together with Goi-sensei, as Goi-sensei himself, will pray for all beings and all aspects of humanity other than the Wind, wishing for peace.
We will form the Mudra, sending love, compassion, and benevolence to each and every element of the Earth, so that all beings—together with humankind—may live in harmony upon this planet.
When each element is announced, I would like everyone to read the title together and form the Mudra. Now, everyone, thank you very much.
Sea, Earth, Mountains, Food, Physical Body, Water, Plants, Animals, Minerals, Celestial Phenomena, Air, Sun, Mother Earth.
Thank you very much. To conclude, let us form the Divine Spark IN once together.
＜One Time of the Divine Spark IN＞
【Yuka-sensei】
Please close your eyes and feel that all beings and humankind have become one, shining with divinity, and that this light is reaching every corner of the world.
＜Prayer for the Oneness of All Beings and Humanity＞
【Yuka-sensei】
Thank you very much.
＜Entrance of Masami-sensei and Hiroo-sensei＞
＜Time of Gratitude to the Honorees＞
【Yuka-sensei】
Once again, I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to all the award recipients.
At the same time, I extend my deep appreciation to all members who have not reached a milestone this year, to those who continue their local gatherings, and to more than 14,000 people who have attained divine awareness.
The Byakko Shinko Kai continues to flourish today because of the dedicated activities and support of everyone—researchers, Nanamaru, lecturers, HSK members, general members, and all those serving in various ways.
From the bottom of my heart, I thank you all. We will now play some music.
At first, please connect with your inner self that is linked to prayer, and send gratitude to yourself.
Then gradually expand your circle of gratitude—to your guardian spirits and guardian gods, to Goi-sensei, to friends and acquaintances who led you to this movement, and to all members with whom you can pray together.
Let us take this time to send gratitude to everyone.
After you have sent much gratitude from within yourself, please also take a moment in the latter half to feel the vibration of gratitude returning to you.
At this very moment, in Japan and all over the world, our family of prayer is joining together in sending gratitude.
Once you have finished expressing your gratitude, please open your heart to receive the gratitude being sent from many others as well.
May we clearly experience this circulation of gratitude here and now during this Festival of Gratitude to Goi-sensei.
Since our time is limited, I have prepared slides to serve as a guide.
When the first slide appears, please send prayers and gratitude—it represents the first half of the time.
When the music reaches its midpoint, another slide will appear to remind you to receive the vibration of gratitude.
Please refer to the screen as an indication—“Now it’s time to receive,” or “I’ll continue to send gratitude.”
Of course, you don’t need to follow that at all.
Simply send and receive gratitude freely, in your own rhythm and your own way—that is perfectly fine.
Music will begin now.
Please send gratitude to many people, and also receive the vibration of gratitude from all visible and invisible beings.
Thank you very much.
＜Time for the Exchange of Gratitude＞
A single teacher, Goi-sensei, born on this Earth 109 years ago—his profound love and divine truth continue to shine, to reach, and to bless this world even now.
To that, we offer our heartfelt gratitude. Thank you, everyone.
＜Dharma Talk by Masami-sensei＞
【Masami-sensei】
Everyone, I have just watched the video.
What has brought us this far is each and every one of your precious, heartfelt prayers and Mudras, and your faithful practice of the teachings of Goi-sensei over so many decades.
The image of all of you—those who have engraved Goi-sensei’s guidance deep into your hearts and souls—has clearly connected with my own heart.
We are already united as one.
Each person is not living by their own life alone—some are praying now at Fuji Sanctuary, some from home, and some of our fellow members are praying from their hospital beds. Yet, we are all connected.
Even if your body cannot move, even if you cannot speak, your prayers—“May Peace Prevail on Earth,” “May humanity be happy”—enter more and more deeply into my body and consciousness.
Therefore, even though we may not see one another’s forms or meet as we once did, the record of all you have done has not disappeared—it is accumulated here at Fuji Sanctuary.
It is also engraved in people’s hearts, and even more deeply in the hearts of our members.
All your noble acts—the times you gathered for ceremonies on rainy days, snowy days, windy days, even during storms—such steadfast determination is no ordinary thing.
It is the result of the good causes you have cultivated through past lives.
Each of you was born in this lifetime to save humanity, and your presence as members of Byakko Shinko Kai is truly sacred.
Although I cannot meet you in person, our hearts are connected.
The vibration of gratitude that flows from your hearts constantly reaches me, and I am truly always happy.
Now, I am almost 85 years old, yet I remain healthy.
Every day—yes, about ten hours a day—I walk.
I walk, walk, and walk—purifying, purifying, purifying—so that all people may be happy, may awaken to their divinity.
I walk wholeheartedly, letting this prayer resound through my being.
The more I walk, the stronger and healthier I become—my back is straight again, I never feel tired, and I continue praying with even greater vitality.
The energy that each of you sends forth when praying “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” Goi-sensei gathers into me.
Through that, I receive the life energy from all of you, and that is why I am so full of strength.
So please, to those who are bedridden, suffering, or hospitalized—do not worry.
The prayers of our members are reaching you, flowing with vitality and light.
Why do I wish to continue living long?
It is because, together with all of you, I wish to see humanity truly united as one world beyond borders.
This was my promise with Goi-sensei himself:
Unless the borders between nations are removed, the world cannot become one.
As long as there is “America,” “Korea,” “North Korea,” “Germany,” or any divided nation, true unity cannot be realized.
As long as I live, I wish to live until the borders disappear.
Once the borders are gone, all humanity will be equal—man and woman, Japanese and American, people from wealthy and impoverished nations—there will be no discrimination at all.
And the ones making this possible are none other than each one of you, our devoted members who are alive now.
Therefore, I truly wish that each of your precious lives be used for the peace of all humankind.
For all humanity to live in peace, as long as we continue to say things like “I hate them,” “I suffer,” “That country hurt us,” “This country attacked us,” “They are wrong,” “We are right,” and keep creating divisions, our physical bodies can never truly be healthy.
We must pray for the happiness of all humankind.
No matter which country it is—whether those currently at war, America, Russia, or any others—the people of those nations are all divine.
The countries themselves are not evil.
It is karma that compels such conflicts.
Therefore, dear members gathered here today, those in hospitals, and those praying at home—within all of you flows the powerful, pure energy of gratitude from Goi-sensei.
Why?
Because the existence of your physical bodies is precious and essential.
As long as you continue to pray in this physical world, human consciousness will transcend borders.
One by one, the borders between nations will vanish—the border between America and Russia, between China and Mongolia, and eventually all borders everywhere.
And when all borders disappear, what will happen?
All humanity will become one.
Without borders, there will be no rich countries or poor countries—no discrimination at all.
All people are sacred human beings—divine and precious as they are.
Those who are working to realize such a world are you, the members here now.
Every single one of you is fulfilling your magnificent divine mission.
Even those who are bedridden at home, praying “May Peace Prevail on Earth,” even if their bodies cannot move, their very act of prayer is dissolving the borders of this world.
Each one of their lives is erasing the lines that divide nations.
I always feel this deeply—in my heart and in my body.
It is you who are removing the borders of the world.
Each one of you is precious beyond measure.
Please, with courage and conviction in your hearts, let us continue to pray together.
I am now almost 85 years old.
I once fell and broke my legs badly, but after surgery I recovered—and miraculously, I can walk again.
I healed myself through my own consciousness.
The doctors were astonished by the speed of my recovery—it was such a miracle that my name was even posted at a well-known university hospital in Japan.
That is how powerful consciousness is.
It is consciousness.
Doctors may assist, but healing ultimately comes from within yourself.
Therefore, everyone—you will recover.
Even if you cannot move, even if your legs are broken, your prayers are saving many lives.
Even if you cannot act physically, you are saving people with your heart and soul.
Not one of you should be lost.
Please, live for humanity.
Pray for humanity.
Your existence is my pride.
It is the pride of Japan.
I am always, from the depths of my heart and soul, sincerely grateful for all of you.
From morning I pray, and before sleeping at night, I sit in seiza on my futon and say,
“Dear members, truly, thank you so much.”
Thank you for everything.
Let us continue together.
Let us live on.
Thank you very much.
May you all be well.
＜Notice from the Goi Peace Foundation and Byakko Shinko Kai＞
＜Closing Remarks＞
The End.