My name is Mario Kawakami, an Ordained Minister of Seicho-No-Ie. I share my personal experiences and my day to day thoughts. I hope this would help you be interested in and understand the truth. The content of this blog does not necessarily reflect on Seicho-No-Ie officially. All the contents shared in my blog are my own personal opinions for which I take full responsibility.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Way to Infinite Abundance Part 4
Exercise 1: This exercise is to enlarge the size of our "mental cup." In order to enlarge it we have to change our perception. If we think the same way that ordinary people think, it doesn't work. To enlarge our mental cup means to actually think large, believe that we have already received greatly and enjoy what we have received. The following is an example how you should perceive a thing or situatin. My acquaintance and my mother in Japan istalled 2KW and 3KW solar panel system almost 5 years ago. They use photovoltaic electricity in their homes and the extra energy which has been produced by their solar panels is sold every month. They received almost $50 every month. Since November 2009, a new regulation of purchasing electricity of photovoltaic electricity was implemented in Japan, their extra income suddenly increased $100 each month. Imagine that you had installed the solar panel system 5 years ago and now you have an extra $100 income. How do you perceive this in order to enlarge your mental cup?
Answer (an exmaple): This is one of the ways you can perceive this situatin. Because of the new regulation my acquaintance has an extra $100 income every month. To accumulate this for a year, it will become $1,200. In Japan a regular saving account's interest rate is 0.004%. in order for him to receive $1,200 interests a year, he has to have $3,000,000 in his saving account. He decided to think that he has $3,000,000 in his bank so that he is able to receive $100 every month as its interest. In this way he is able to actually think in his mind that he has $3 million in the bank and as a result he enjoys $100 of the interest every month. By thinking this way we are able to enlarge our mental cup. This is only an example, but you can think anything in this way and enlarge your mental cup. Consiquently, you will be able to receive what you visualize in your mind.
Friday, September 17, 2010
Way to Infinite Abundance Part 3
Recently many people expressed their disagreement of the new law which was authorized by the Governor of Arizona State for police to allow to identify aliens by asking their identifications. It is said that this might increase more discrimination of minorities in this state. Some people are outraged at this law. However, I haven't heard much about sympathy toward Greece. It is because I think many people don't know about the situation of Greece. This means people in the U.S. do not care much about Greece or I may say that we lack love toward Greece. The lack of love means the lack of awareness of the world or universe. The TOL Vol. 8 explains about this:
"Since the universe is a single living entity, it may, for example, be compared to the human body. When an injury occurs on the skin, a change takes place nor just on the skin, but in the entire body system, which senses the disharmony that has taken place, and the material needed for the healing is transported to the necessary spot by the blood supply of the entire body. A similar phenomenon occurs when we as individuals run up a deficit. The material supply of the entire universe goes to work at once in order to fill this deficit. Therefore, there can be absolutely no poverty when we awaken to the Truth that our lives are joined with the grand flow of universal life. The universe is an infinite source of abundance. When we are supported by this infinite abundance, how can there be any poverty?" (p. 120)
The awareness of connecting to the universe is the realization of oneness of all of everyone and everything in the universe. Once we have this awareness, our individual deficit would be filled up automatically. This awareness concludes everything comes from our minds which realize the oneness of all. The Fonder of Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, wrote, " 'When I pray, heaven and earth respond; and when I move, the whole universe moves.' Indeed, it is all my fault that there are still wars being fought on this earth." (TOL magazine July issue, 1983, Tenth day message) Because of such a grand awareness of oneness of all, our founder realized infinite abundance and established churches and temples worldwide.
Now, I would like to explain how to realize infinite abundance in 12 ways with actual exercises using the Truth of Life Vol. 8 as text.
1) Know the Truth (To become wealthy means to be close to God.) (p. 140)
2) Enlarge the size of one's "mental cup." (p. 133) Exercise 1
3) Give and you shall receive. (p. 144) Exercise 2
4) Be grateful to what you have been given. (p. 145) Exercise 3
5) Give love to all things. (p. 149) Exercise 4
6) Use what you have now as effectively as possible. (p. 152) "Elisha said to her, 'What shall I do for you? Tell me, what do you have in the house?' " (2 Kings 4:2) Exercise 5 & 6
7) Obtain wisdom through prayers. (p. 153)
8) Harmony in home is necessary. (p. 156)
9) Unemployment is because you are lacking in desire to serve others; or you have graduated from the previous work. (p.156-160)
10) Visualize clearly in your mind what you want with strong emotion. (p. 164) Exercise 7
11) Self and others are one. (p. 168)
12) Be joyful. (Truth of Life, June 1983, refernce 2) Exercise 8
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Way to Infinite Abundance Part 2
(1) I am naturally grateful to everyone and everything bfore going to bed instead of recalling bad things, misfortune or failures which happened during the day. (TOL Vol. 8, p. 3)
(2) I cleanse my mind everyday like washing my physical body in the shower. (p. 4)
(3) Gratitude naturally wells up in me because I am good at seeing good points of others and trying to not see bad poins of others. (p. 6)
(4) God's world is infinite abundance, so I am peaceful even being unemployed with lack of saving. (p. 79)
(5) Whenever I hear negative news such as the finacial crisis in Greece, I feel that I want to help them to change the situation of that country's negative deficit to the positive. (p. 120)
(6) Since working for others is pure joy, I work for others to increase my spiritual joy. (p. 128)
(7) I don't think of my sickness and/or poverty or collapsing of my company. I also don't express these negative things verbally. (p. 131)
(8) My spouse and I are harmonious and I don't even have any arguments/fights with my family members. (p. 156)
How many "Nos" do you have? Please add "Yes" in the previous 13 questions and "No" from these 8 questions. Do you have more than 10 points? How about more than 5? These questions will tell you about your attitude which is positive or negative. If you have total point zero, your attitude is always positive and I would say that you completely trust in God. You must be very prousperous, enjoy your life and enjoy beling alive; you are the one that manifests the Seicho-No-Ie way of life.
These questions include pages so that you can refer to the pages of Truth of Life Vol.8 or Truth of Life magazines. For example, there is a question, "(10) It is nice to understand infinite abundane; however, it is better for me to have actual material wealh in this physical world. (p. 79)" It is explained in the TOL Vol. 8 as follows:
"Ways of obtaining temporary health and happiness, partial satisfaction, or some limited freedom may be found almost anywhere. Yet, it is possible to attain a state of health that is perfect and eternal as true existence, and to make ours into a state of freedom that is as universal and unrestrained as Truth itself. The only way to do this is to open the portals to the True-Image of life; that is, we must understand the True Image of existence and keep our thoughts focused continually on the True-Image World......When one grasps the heart of the matter, everything finds freedom. If one relies on some other method without grasping the heart of the matter, there may be some results, but all one gets are 'bits and pieces.'......So long as we look at the world through our five senses, or consciousness does not see true existnce. Instead, our consciousness becomes a victim of phenomena or temporal form. No matter how many seemingly true objects we may see through our five senses, all that we see are still things of the phenomenal world--the world of false, temporary appearances. However, when we turn our attention away from phenomena and quietly meditate on the True Image of existence, that is, the perfect thing-in-itself, which lies at the very heart of all people, things, and circumstances, our consciousness becomes intuitively aware of what is real." (pages 79-81)
Seeking the mateial results which are phenomena instead of grasping the core of the matter, i.e. True Image, is the same as getting only "bits and pieces." In other words we don't grasp the whole picture and everything doesn't go well. Those who answered this question "Yes" means that their minds have tendency to first seek phenomenal benefit or results.
Friday, September 3, 2010
Way to Infinite Abundance Part 1
I would like to discuss the "Way to Infinite Abundance." TheTruth is one, so the way to infinite abundance, health and harmony is the same truth. If we understand and practice this way of life, we will be able to become not only prosperous but also healthy and fulfilling life.
We have to know the truth that we are all children of God. We are already perfect and harmonious as we are. We don't have to add anything in order to become perfect. In other words, we are already healthy and wealthy in the True Image, and the True Image exists within ourselves. However, many people do not realize this truth and are struggling in their lives. Their minds do not have roots in the True-Image World. In the Truth of Life Vol. 8 it is explained:
"True peace of the soul, happiness of the soul, and the highest sense of security are not things which we can attain so long as we seek them externally." (TOL Vol. 8, p.59)
"Ordinary people may think that material possessions, money, physical strength, etc. come to them only after they had strained both body and mind in an attempt to bring them about from the outside. Material possessions, money, physical strength, and the like, obtained in this manner may appear for a while to be real, but they soon disintegrate if they do not have strong roots in the world of the mind. All true abundance, whether of wealth or physical health, must come from unstrained effort originating naturally in the self as well as in its environment after one has been deeply united with God within his soul. That which has been obtained in this manner has its roots in a different world in the infinite supply called God; therefore, it may appear precarious to others, but there is nothing more secure." (Ibid., pages 60-61)
How then can we connect to God? It is Shinsokan Meditation. God isthe source of infinite health, wealth and eternal peace. God gave everythig needed to His children. All we have to do is realize this truth and carry it out. The way to manifest it is Shinsokan Meditation to deepen our faith and deeds of love to carry out our faith. We have to do good for others and help others physically, mentally and spiritually.
Some people understand this interllectually but cannot perform it. Or, they may not exactly know what they should do. It is not difficult but they need to know their state of mind. They don't properly understand their minds. Therefore, I am going to explain this so that we realize infinite abundance in our lives.
Now, we know Shinsokan Meditation is essential for us to realize the infinite abundance, but what and how can we appy it in order to become wealthy. Here are some questions which will tell you in which direction your mind faces, whether your mental attitude is positive or negative, or whethr you actually believe in God or mterial existence. Please answer the following 13 questions. These are simple "Yes/No" questions. All you need to do is to honestly answer "Yes" or "No." You should answer "Yes" or "No" based on how you think but not what you think the proper answer should be.
(1) I sometimes think that being poor is good. (Vol. 8, p. 131)
(2) I have an inferiority complex of health, prosperity or happiness, or have the poverty (sickness, misfortune) syndrome (means that you are attracted to a negative situation. For example, you have used fear to influence a decision that has held you back because it goes beyond your comfort zone.) (p. 140)
(3) When I need $10,000, I wish I had $15,000 because having $15,000 is better than $10,000. (p. 120)
(4) In daily life I often talk about a blood pressure, a blood-sugar level or the rising and falling of the stock market. (p. 90)
(5) I sometimes think that my wish is not easily realized. (TOL magazine April 1983)
(6) I often think that I would be happy or successful if I had this or that. (TOL magzine June 1983)
(7) Sometimes I become angry and upset or suffer from losing money because of my stocks falling down. (TOL magazine October 1983)
(8) I give money when a homeless person asks me to spare money. (p. 53)
(9) I am nervous and worry about how much I improve. (p. 55)
(10) It is nice to understand infinite abundance; however, it is bette for me to have actual material wealth in this physical world. (p. 79)
(11) I would definitely worry if my company was bankrupt or I suffered from an illness. (p. 80)
(12) It is good for us to use more world resources because the more we use them, the more world resources increase in accordance with the law of the mind. (p. 117)
(13) Using a business class seat than economy class seat is fulfilling God's Will. (p. 124)
These questios can tell your state of mind as to how positive or neative you are in accordance with the explanation of the Truth of Life Vol. 8 and Truth of Life magazine from January to December issues of 1983. Now, how many "Yeses" do you have?