top bar

Home > News Release > SNI-Online 20111102

Seicho-No-Ie News

Spanish-Language Spiritual Training Seminars in Brazil Draw a Total of 497 People

General Spiritual Training Seminar and Youth Spiritual Training Seminar Simultaneously Held

In Brazil, Spanish-language Spiritual Training Seminars (general Spiritual Training Seminar and Youth Spiritual Training Seminar) were held from August 30 to 31 at the Santa Tecla Spiritual Training Center in Rio Grande do Sul in the South. The number of participants totaled 497, which was an increase of 95 people (23.6%) over the previous time. The breakdown of the participants was 350 for the regular Spiritual Training Seminar and 147 for the Youth Spiritual Training Seminar, and by country it was 250 for Argentina, 29 for Bolivia, 18 for Chile, 2 for Columbia, 1 for Mexico, 2 for Nicaragua, 3 for Panama, 93 for Paraguay, 14 for Peru, 63 for Uruguay, 21 for Brazil and 1 for Spain.

This Spiritual Training Seminar has been held almost every year since 1987. Since the number of young participants was increasing over the last three years, it was split into a general Spiritual Training Seminar and Youth Spiritual Training Seminar. This is the third time that separate seminars had been held.

The texts used were Hidokeishugi towa Nani ka (What Is the Sundial Way of Life?) by Rev. Masanobu Taniguchi, Seimei no Jisso (Truth of Life), Vol. 1 by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi and other publications. The lecturers were Rev. Yoshio Mukai (Ordained Minister, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latin America), Rev. Sinji Takahashi (Ordained Minister), two Assistant Ministers and three Regional Lecturers/Enlightenment Leaders. The lectures were tailored to the audience: at the general Spiritual Training Seminar there were such lectures as “Connection Between God and Man” and “In Order to Gain Infinite Wealth.” At the Youth Spiritual Training Seminar the lectures included “In Order to Achieve Success” and “You and Nature (What Are You Doing to Protect the Earth? Gratitude for Everything).” Also, there were an explanation and practice of Ancestor Memorial Service, Mind Purification Ceremony, and Shinsokan for Mutual Prayer. On the third day, there was a joint session, “Cultural Presentation.” The participants from different countries performed traditional dances, songs and poems, clad in their national attires.

A male participant at the general Spiritual Training Seminar from Paraguay commented, “I was able to understand the meaning of the teaching, ‘man is a child of God’ and was deeply moved.”

Remarks by Rev. Yoshio Mukai, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latin America

Every year there were more and more young participants at the Seminar and this year there were more than 100. Between the two seminars the number of participants totaled about 500. Spanish-language Spiritual Training Seminars are becoming energized very much. We had participants from Nicaragua, where the Movement just began last year. I believe that the Movement in the Spanish-speaking area will expand even more.”