Message from the International Spiritual Training Center
All Negative Thoughts Disappear to Start Anew
Gladis Breton, California
I am originally from Peru. There was a period in my life there that I went through a lot of stress. I became very depressed and did not find any meaning in my life.
One day, a colleague took me to a meeting at the Seicho-No-Ie Center in Lima, and from that day, I started to go to the Center every day after work. I bought the Holy Sutra, Nectarean Shower of Holy Doctrines and read it every day at home. After a week, I noticed that I felt better and was in a much better mood.
For the first time, I decided to participate in a Spiritual Training Seminar being held at a retreat outside of Lima. This 3-day seminar changed my life. I felt so happy to have found this beautiful philosophy that I had been seeking for many years. I became determined to learn more about Seicho-No-Ie.
In 1993. after staying for 2 years in Sao Paulo, Brazil, studying and deepening my understanding of the teachings at the Brazil Missionary Headquarters, I became a Regional Lecturer and deepened my understanding of the truth. And I returned to Lima and began working as a secretary. At the same time, I began interpreting lectures from Portuguese to Spanish at the Peru Missionary Center. I was Vice President of the local White Dove Association and had the opportunity to travel all over my country, spreading the philosophy and helping people to solve their problems through the awareness that we are children of God, perfect and harmonious.
I moved to the United States in 2001 because of my work. I was not aware that Seicho-No-Ie was so close to me in Northern California. Through the internet, I got the phone numbers of a group in San Francisco and San Jose I called many times but unfortunately I was unable to get hold of anyone. Everyday I kept reading the Spanish Holy Sutra that I always keep with me.
About three years ago, I called the group in San Francisco again and a Mrs. Kitajima’s phone number was given to me. I called her and joined the local meeting group in Orinda, California that she led. I was so happy to learn that I could continue learning and spreading Seicho-No-Ie here and since that time I have become more committed and active to help propagate the teachings.
In February 2009, I was able to attend my first ISTS in Pleasanton, California and I was so inspired with the program and energy of the participants. It was also the first time my husband, Jeremy, whom I married in 2004, participated in such an event and it made me so happy that he too was able to learn more about Seicho-No-Ie.
The Seminar itself was absolutely wonderful. It was very spiritually uplifting and made me feel even stronger than ever about wanting to propagate the Seicho-No-Ie teachings to everyone I meet. I understand it was the first seminar to be held in the Northern California Missionary Area in 10 years. The leaders and members of our Area worked very hard to make it a success and I am so grateful to have been blessed with the fruits of their efforts. We all felt so connected and so much in oneness with one another. Isamu Shigemori, who is physically challenged and confined to a wheelchair, was also there and his enthusiasm and positive nature were contagious. Thanks to the care and love of the leaders and the staff of the ISTC, he was able to participate throughout the 3-day event.
I was particularly moved to be able to participate in the Mind Purification Ceremony and the Ancestral Memorial Service. Being able to rid myself of all of my negative thoughts through this ceremony allowed me to clear my mind and start anew. The Ancestral Memorial Service was very moving also. The atmosphere of the room became at once very spiritual and it was a wonderful opportunity for us to show our gratitude to our ancestors.
I made a commitment at the Seminar to start a Spanish language study group on Sundays at the Truth of Life Center in San Jose once a month and I will work very hard to propagate these teachings to as many people as I can.