Patience

Members of Meishu-sama's movement know that all suffering is purification, or the elimination of toxins or clouds which have been accumulated. Until we are sufficiently purified to a high degree by the divine Light of God, we cannot enjoy an ideal state of existence. With this understanding, we can not only endure, but also will be grateful for the purifying process, looking forward to the better health that will result from it.

Many people have joined our fellowship having experienced beneficial physical results from Johrei or having received help with some other difficult problems. These people have become conscious of the actual working of the invisible Light. Naturally they are very grateful and enthusiastic, especially those who have had miraculous results. Others took our introductory course because their friends or relatives were helped. Still others were interested in the philosophy, its concepts of the new age and the new way of life.

Some go through long and difficult stages of purification physically, mentally, emotionally, or financially. It is then that doubt or skepticism may creep into their minds. According to our teaching, any form of suffering is the result of clouds being dispelled, clouds which we have formed during our lives perhaps without realizing it.

However, in our age, a time in which everything is prefaced by the word "instant," - instant coffee, instant tea, and so on, most people demand instantaneous relief and do not try to understand the true cause of their difficulty. They often become impatient and think, "How long must I suffer? Does the divine Light really exist? Does Johrei work in my case? When does heaven on earth come? I cannot stand this any more."

It is at such times that people need most to be in the Light. The Johrei center is our focus of Light and close personal contact with it will make our spiritual cords stronger, enabling us to receive more Light. (If we cannot physically make it to the center, we can make contact through thought.) Prayer at the altar together with the minister and/or other members has often brought marvelous results.

Johrei works in all aspects of life. God knows each one's situation. Members have told me, I stopped coming to the center because I lost my job, or I stopped coming to the center because I am in financial distress. These are the very times when people need to be in the more intense Light to overcome their financial purification. The fellowship is not operating for the sake of money. If people have no money to give, we are more than glad to help anyway.

Sometimes people who have had quick and miraculous results from Johrei quit coming to the center. At first they are naturally overjoyed and tell many of their friends about Johrei and even bring some of them to the center, but after a time they stop coming because they no longer feel the need for it. By not continuing to come they have lost the opportunity to receive the true spiritual benefit which could have been theirs had they kept their contact with the high vibration of the dine Light of God.

Many people who experienced long and difficult stages of purification would sometimes envy those who had quick results and wonder why Johrei did not work in the same way for them. However, as they kept coming to the center for Johrei and prayer, their spiritual understanding advanced, and they acquired a firm faith which never wavers regardless of circumstances. Whether or not Johrei works quickly depends on each individual's spiritual, mental, and physical condition. Johrei works according to the immutable law of God.

When I joined this fellowship, I had many problems - sleeplessness, sinus trouble, migraine headaches, ulcer of the stomach, tension around the shoulders, and more. After a few sessions of Johrei, I found myself sleeping much better. Then I developed a severe purification in the form of spitting headaches. I was so happy once when, after two Johreis, an almost unbearable headache disappeared, although it came back repeatedly for several months. Milder headaches followed off and on for several years until at last I was relieved of the migraines. My stomach trouble disappeared also, and after a while I felt much better, even though I continued to experience painful purifications occasionally with loss of appetite and vomiting. Years later I had a most severe purification - vomiting blood - which continued off and on for months, but after that my health improved noticeably.

Severe as my purifications were, compared to the many difficulties I suffered prior to going the fellowship, the purifications were easier to bear; moreover, when after each purification I saw noticeable improvement in my well-being, I felt gratitude, and my faith became stronger.

I greatly value these experiences, for they have brought me an understanding I could not have gained any other way. I also feel that without Johrei, my life on earth would have been over before now. In the midst of long purification, if we have faith and keep our inner vision clear, God often encourages us in mysterious ways and guides us.

We can have emotional purifications as well as physical ones. For example, in Japan and elsewhere some people have become disappointed and stopped coming to the Johrei center because they have been criticized or ridiculed, and others have stopped coming because they are influenced by members or other people who are criticizing the organization. On the other hand, many people attain higher spiritual understanding and work prayerfully, humbly, and constructively while completely overlooking criticism.

In encouragement of members who have had difficulties and suffered, Meishu-sama said: "In some cases, upon joining our group, suffering becomes more severe. Sometimes the more sincere the person, the more he or she suffers. Unless the person's faith is strong enough, it will cause him or her to vacillate. But this is a most important time. While God's blessings will reward a person abundantly for his or her sincerity, the person's spiritual clouds must first be dispelled to a degree in the same way that an unclean container must first be cleansed before it can be used for wholesome food. If the person endures his or her suffering patiently, the person will find himself or herself unexpectedly rewarded when the purification is complete."

Since ancient days, people who rendered great service to humanity experienced unusual hardships. It is true that the greater a person's mission, the greater his purification must be. To those who were misunderstood or criticized unfairly, Meishu-sama would say that we should not worry about what others think of us. As long as we are obedient to God's universal laws, we should be happy. God knows our hearts. If we have true faith in God, we need not even try to correct people's misunderstandings about us. These are soul tests. Time will solve the problem.

A rather influential person came often to see Meishu-sama. The man became more and more ambitious in seeking power and money. When Meishu-sama would not yield to his desires, he started to speak ill of Meishu-sama and the fellowship. He even employed other people in an attempt to influence Meishu-sama. Some of the ministers, seeing this, were disturbed and advised that steps be taken to stop the man's coming, but Meishu-sama only smiled and said, "As long as he comes, there must be some purpose for it in God's plan or he would not be here. We will see the meaning if it later."

Meishu-sama continued to see the man, lovingly talked with him, and blessed him. We learned later that the acquisition of the property in Atami, which is now a part of the sacred grounds of our fellowship, was made possible through this man.

To those who were overly concerned about the faults and wrongdoing of others, Meishu-sama said, "They will take care of themselves. Trust God. Let us think of the sufferings of humanity and use our energies for its alleviation instead." When we have reached this level of consciousness, we can truly experience real serenity of mind and function as potent builders of a more enlightened civilization.

Meishu-sama said: "God sees the innermost soul, but humans too often do not. Since our first duty is to obey universal law, not human law, we need not be overly concerned about criticism. Our main concern must be to act in good faith and in accordance with cosmic law, helping as many people in need as possible by channeling Johrei and awakening them to their spiritual natures. Let us free ourselves from the desire for recognition. The truly sincere worker, because of his innate humility, is seldom recognized by the world at large. So long as we permit criticism or desire for recognition to influence our thoughts and deeds, our spiritual understanding and our faith is shallow."

In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus said, "Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness' sake, for there is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad for your reward is great in heaven, for men persecuted the prophets who were before you" [Matthew 5:10,11,12].

July 01, 1964 From: The Light of Johrei- Rev. Higuchi