30th School Personnel Spiritual Training Seminar in Brazil
Study of Seicho-No-Ie’s Educational Method
In Brazil, the 30th School Personnel Spiritual Training Seminar was held from January 9 to 13 at the Ibiuna Spiritual Training Center in Sao Paulo. The number of participants was 479. Ninety-three of them were first-timers.
This Spiritual Training Seminar has been held every year since 1983 for teachers, Regional Lecturers, Enlightenment Leaders, and others who wish to study Seicho-No-Ie’s educational method.
This time, the theme of the Seminar was “If I Move, the World Moves.” The study was centered on the Law of the Mind, “the world around us is a reflection of our mind.”
The Seminar was guided by six lecturers, including Ms. Maria Teresinha Braga (Regional Lecturer). The texts used included Shosetsu Shinsokan (Detailed Explanation of Shinsokan) by Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi, and Kagayaku Mirai ga Matteiru (Bright Future Is Waiting) by Rev. Seicho Taniguchi. Prof. Lui Cesar Espirito Santo of the Catholic University of Sao Paulo, a special guest lecturer, gave a lecture entitled “Place of Education Is Sacred.” He stressed that it is important for the teachers to help students realize that they are not merely physical but much greater existences.
On the fourth day, a total of three educational workshops were held, one in the morning and two in the afternoon. The workshops included Origami (paper folding) and paper craft, recreation, and play. Also there were workshops on how to cope with juvenile sexual inclinations and the meaning of “A child is a mirror of his parents.” The workshops were designed to help gain a deeper understanding of the teachings. There was an active exchange of opinions.
The Seminar program also included 14 lectures, Mind Purification Ceremony, Ancestor Memorial Service and a practice of Shinsokan for Mutual Prayer.
Also there was a program for the children who came with their parents, including an explanation by the staff from the fire department on emergency first-aid treatment, an outdoor activity led by boy scouts, and an art and crafts class. It was well received.
Remarks by Rev. Junji Miyaura, Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie Latin America
“Seicho-No-Ie’s educational method is accepted widely as a new educational method for children. Those involved in education gather at this Spiritual Training Seminar from across Brazil and the number of participants is increasing every year. When it is practiced, this educational method can have an important influence on the children’s lives and at the same time, it will be a precious experience for the teachers as well.”