Seeking Meishu-sama
The late Rev. Shuhei Shimpo was a minister of Izunome Kyodan in Japan. He served in various positions, including minister-in-charge of Heian-kyo (Kyoto Sacred Grounds) and as an executive director at the Sangetsu Department. He was a flower-arranging instructor and an accomplished artist. After he retired from ministry, he taught art and devoted his time to painting and giving lectures to visiting groups at Heian-kyo.
The two short clips below are from a lecture he gave during a visit by an overseas pilgrimage group. Additional footage of his lecture was previously shared. His talk was about connecting with Meishu-sama and the Sacred Grounds in Japan, and cultivating art and beauty to raise one’s vibration.
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Conveying live translation involves more that simply exchanging words from one language to another and communicating the essence of the original content can be challenging. The group included members from different cultural backgrounds who spoke different languages. Below is an updated extract of the English translation provided by the diligent Rev. Shintaro Yamamoto.
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I would like to share something about cultivating faith and connection with Meishu-sama. Every member has a different relationship with Meishu-sama. Likewise, everyone has a different experience when they visit the Sacred Grounds. It is up to the individual to directly nurture his or her faith. When we devote our focus in this manner, we don't have to discuss, criticize or worry about the level of faith of other people. The most important aspect is the personal relationship between you and Meishu-sama. This is the right attitude of faith. This is like the balanced cross. Cultivating your own faith represents the vertical. Refraining from comparing one’s faith to that of others is the horizontal.
Meishu-sama was asked many questions by members during the Q&A sessions that he held for them. Many of the questions focused on how a person could increase one’s power of Johrei. Meishu-sama said that the power of Johrei differs from person to person, but that anyone could increase the efficacy of Johrei if they truly wished to.
I received my Ohikari (Sacred Focal Point) at the age of ten. Today, I am seventy-five years old. I cannot remember the number of times I have given Johrei. Through such opportunities, I was allowed to have many wonderful Johrei experiences. Having always been curious about the power of Johrei, I often asked Meishu-sama questions like: “What is the correct posture while giving Johrei?” or “What kind of prayer should I say before or during Johrei?” or “Toward what part should I direct the Light?”
There is one thing I consistently practice – while giving Johrei, I try to calm my heart by surrendering everything to Meishu-sama as I pray for the happiness of the receiver. While giving Johrei, I also project a view of the Sacred Grounds in my heart, as I have experienced it during my visits. I have visited many countries and channeled Johrei on many locations but wherever I am, I always project a view of the Sacred Grounds on the screen of my heart while giving Johrei.
I believe you will have many opportunities to give Johrei, so please capture these views in your heart during your visit. The more sincerely and magnificently you can project this image, the stronger the Light will become.
When we focus on beauty, culture, music and art with attention – we feel it completely in our hearts and minds. Meishu-sama said that we have to cultivate our faith with this same attitude and he established the art museums for this purpose. I receive the vibration of the art objects that Meishu-sama collected and when I give Johrei, I also mentally project the images of these works or art. In my room, I always keep a postcard of the art pieces.
I make a daily effort to try to surround myself with beauty. Through such efforts, we can get closer to Meishu-sama and feel his divine spirit, which can help purify and elevate our hearts.
- Rev. Shimpo
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A Remark on Art
The true significance of art in general is this: to deepen a person’s intelligence and lead his or her soul to a higher level by conveying the artist’s spirit through the senses. If it is purpose is only to amuse, then it cannot be called art. The same thing can be applicable to literature, drama, dance, etc. To appeal to the popular mind through art, eliminate brutality from a person’s character, and to make one more civilized in the true sense, these are the raison d’etre of art.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
On the Importance of Art
By coming in contact with something beautiful, we can be inspired by the loveliness of the form and this is important. But far more important than the physical beauty is that which is within. When we can sense the spirituality of the creator of a lovely art form we can receive true inspiration. This contributes to our spiritual elevation and expanding consciousness in every way. Interest and visual appreciation of physical beauty can fade. But when we can feel the loveliness of nature we become more aware of the beauty of the creator, and we begin to develop our inner beauty, that of the spirit, and so receive greater inspiration.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
On flowers
We believe it is vitally important to raise the consciousness of everyone through beauty. We wish to encourage people to cultivate flowers and to distribute them as the best method for the popularization of beauty. This begins with decorating the rooms in our individual homes and in other buildings. It is true that we see flowers placed in many middle and upper-class homes, but we feel this is not enough. Our aim is to encourage everyone to place arrangements in every place of every kind, so wherever people go they will see flowers and enjoy them. I don’t have to tell you what a refreshing atmosphere it would add to an office or study to have a single flower displayed in a vase. Ideally speaking, I would also like to see arrangements placed in every jail and in each prison cell. I believe the good effect these would have on the inmates’ consciousness would be immeasurable. In this way, when the time comes that wherever there are people there are flowers, the negativity of today’s world will be considerably alleviated.
~ Mokichi Okada (Meishu-sama)
Museums created by Meishu-sama
Seeking Meishu-sama
A word on the teachings