THE 23RD SEICHO-NO-IE EUROPE SPIRITUAL TRAINING SEMINAR ATTRACTS 49 PARTICIPANTS
Study of Practice of Religious Life in Modern Age
The 23rd Seicho-No-Ie Europe Spiritual Training Seminar was held from July 27 to 29 at a youth hostel in Bad Kissingen in central Germany. The number of participants was 49, up by 25 percent (10 people) from the previous year. The participants’ breakdown by country was 36 for Germany, 5 for Austria, 4 for France, 1 for Sweden, 1 for Switzerland, 1 for England and 1 for Japan.
The Seminar was guided by Rev. Mutsuji Yamaoka (Ordained Minister, Chief of Publications and Public Relations Department), who was dispatched from the International Headquarters, and Rev. Yuji Otsuka (Resident Ordained Minister stationed in Europe). They spoke with German interpretation.
Practicing Shinsokan Meditation
by leading in Englsh and German
Using as his texts Seimei no Jisso (Truth of Life), Vol. 1 and other publications and also using graphic images, Rev. Yamaoka gave four lectures, including “What Is Seicho-No-Ie?—On the Teachings that All Religions Emanate from One Universal God” and “The Power of Words That Creates Your Fate.” Since Europe is culturally Christian, he based his explanation of the teachings, “Only God-Created perfect world exists,” “all phenomena are manifestations of only mind,” and “all religions emanate from one universal God” on Seicho-No-Ie’s interpretation of the Genesis, Chapter One. He also used Ashimoto kara Heiwa o (Realizing Peace by Faith) by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi and stressed that giving of oneself to others is a religious way of life in the modern age.
Rev. Otsuka gave the introductory lecture and guided Mind Purification Ceremony, Ancestor Memorial Service, and Shinsokan for Mutual Prayer. He explained Seicho-No-Ie’s fundamental teachings and emphasized the importance of practicing three important religious practices. He also explained, in an easy-to-understand manner, the difference between the spirit world and the Reality of the God-created World, which is a subject of great interest in Europe.
Four people submitted applications for the Holy Mission Fellowship membership and 60 copies of German translations of Seicho-No-Ie books were sold. The Seminar was a success.
Comments from the participants included: “I was able to understand the lecture maintaining that Seicho-No-Ie’s philosophy, which expounds the sole and absolute God, is the key to bringing about peace in the world.”
Rev. Yamaoka spoke of his expectation for the future expansion of the Movement, saying, “Many of the participants understood the relationship between the God-created world and the phenomenal world and their grasp of the truth was great. I felt that if the participants of this Seminar energized the Readers’ Meetings in their respective countries, Seicho-No-Ie will steadily expand in Europe. I believe that if a specific theme is selected and the environmental activity is begun in Europe, it can have a great impact on Seicho-No-Ie world-wide.”