120th Anniversary of Oyasama
Happy 120th Anniversary of Oyasama!
Did you check out the live view camera aimed at Church Headquarters? Kay and I did while the Service was going on. Pretty exciting! That link, by the way, is:
http://www.tenrikyo.or.jp/cam/view1.html
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Have you planned anything special for your spiritual maturity this year yet? This is a perfect time to do something to nurture your faith.
I have decided to attend the Head Ministers Qualification Course One from April 27 to May 15 after my group pilgrimage with the ladies for Oyasama's birthday and Women's Association Convention. That class is going to be in Japanese (the English one in June). A friend said she would pay for my HMQC 1 if I took notes for her and kept her company!
So this will be exciting for me to learn more about the teachings, and on top of that, my kids get to experience Tenri Day Care Center. It is going to be so fun for Akira who will be turning 3 in Jiba. Hopefully, he will pick up good habits (like sharing, taking a nap, and going potty on his own!) at the Day Care, and learn a lot of Japanese. It will also be nice because my family will get a chance to see both Akira and Riki. (I always joke with my parents that they have to come visit the States, or the next time they see Akira, he'll be growing a mustache!)
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Another very important and exciting thing this year is the TENRI FORUM (July 15-17)!!
There is a new link up for a survey to see what people are interested in. Please take a moment to fill out this simple survey and show the committee your support! They are working really hard to make this a really great Forum.
http://www.mahoroba.ne.jp/~kaigaibu/cgi-bin/form/survey.html
If you are participating in the International Hinokishin Corp (July 18-24) or taking your kids to the Children's Pilgrimage, please make sure you come a little early to take part in the Forum (day care will be provided, but you must request for it).
Reverends Jiro Morishita, Marlon Okazaki, Kenneth Hasegawa and John Lewis are some people who will be speaking at the Forum. (Chi ching! I think that just increased some participants!) There will also be people from Europe, Australia, and every other continent other than Antarctica! It is not so often that we get a chance to share our views of Tenrikyo with such people, so please join us!!
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For those of you who were in Jiba on the 26th, please share your experience!
posted by Hiroko @ 5:30 AM
9 Comments:
I love your blog by the way. Very informative and I look forward to your updates!
Yes, I was there on the 26th!! It was freezing, but quite refreshing as it had been 20 years since I last exprienced an anniversary service. Because my mother usually attends, I am usually the one to hold up the fort in her absence. But this time around, I got to go because I had the opportunity to bring 5 people with me to share the experience. 2 of which came during an off season time and enjoyed it so much, they wanted to have their daughters and friend experience it as well. That friend by the way who was so impressed after having read the Instruction Two, was blown away at the amount of people who were there at the service on the 26th. She had never seen a church structured with everyone facing each other in prayer. She was also impressed with everyone's selfless focus on others around them. She told me that this is one religion she would like to introduce to her son. I was again, floored at the immense power of Jiba, and reaffirmed that we are all truly blessed by God the Parent's grace.
Sincere Testimony to the acts of Spreading the Fragrance.
My son and I were also in Tenri on the 26th of Jan. Bitterly cold it became on the 26th . But periods of intermitting sunshine peaked through the Yamato horizon. Attempts to make it close to the inner Shinden were fruitless. My Kaicho, his wife, eldest son, my son and I settled for the inner courtyar's cloth benches. Following a hour's worth of bitterly cold, my Kaicho sent everyone but himself back to the dorms. On the 27th my son and I were finally able to make it into the inner santuary. There my son experienced his first AM service as a 6 year old. More developed and understanding in his maturity , my son asked what ichi-retsu, summa, and Kanrodai meant. Furthermore, i experienced the reception of a thought of which i am sure was not of my own doing or origin. The thought was "now what have you done Howard to grow in the faith?"
A chill rushed along and through my body. My mind became clear..the path i had been taking was leading me nowhere and it was not to be my destiny. "Follow me in the path of spreading the fragrance", came to thought. And thus i returned to the vow to be in the service of Oyasama . One of which i had made more than 10 years ago . I was brought to the Tenrikyo faith by my Kaicho's youngest sister. We have both since remarried but remain friends. Wonderful it is to receive and give forgiveness from my former mother-in-law and now my friend and fellow follower of the Tenrikyo faith. Humility my Kaicho must endure as we are talked about from peering eyes of the past. And on the 26th my Kaicho and family went together to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of Oyasama. I will then surely follow the warmth and love exemplified by the followers of Tenrikyo. And thus begins my resolve to devote my life to spreading the Joyous Fragrance.
Howard
Toronto in Canada
(recap) My son and I were also in Tenri on this 120th Anniv. of OYASAMA. Bitterly cold it was. It was not untill the 27th did my son and I receive the opportunity to enter the inner santuary for the AM service. My son now 6 observed the sincere movements of the followers and he asked me, "dad what is ichi-retsu, summa, kanrodai"? On this morning i also made a resolve to become more involved in the path of spreading the Joyous Fragrance. A gentle warming feeling over-took my body surely not of my own imagination. It was the love of Oyasama reassuring me that my decision to become a greater follower is the right decision. Unknown only to my Kaicho untill now . I experienced something so wonderful over 10 years ago in the inner santuary. Rebounding from a broken relationship i was overcome by a feeling of peace and warmth on my second visit to the santuary. The hair on my arms were amast and all the stress and worries suddenly vanished. A firm hand and arm rested on my shoulders causing me to turn to my Kaicho's sister and asking her, "Did you just touch me"? This experience was not of my imagination nor originating from myself. Since that day i have always been warmly led to follow in the path of Tenrikyo. This Jan. i received a college bursary and suddenly i was in Tenri with my son. There are always two roads leading to Tenri. Which of the two roads will we take? I chose the road as paved by Oyasama and all the followers. If i can only strive to follow examples of faith, dedication and sacrifices of all the devoted members and kaicho's i would become one closer with Oyasama. For my Kaicho Iriguchi who walks with humility amongst the Chuka church, for his mother a retired Kaicho and also my former mother-in-law, and for my ex M. Iriguchi who brought me to the Tenrikyo faith i will always be grateful to you all.
Howard
Toronto Canada
Somebody asked me the dates of Shuyokai, Shuyokai, and Head Ministers Qualification Course, so here they are:
-Shuyoka (in Jiba) March 27-June 27
[I believe there is a preliminary course that starts a few days before the actual Shuyoka to acclimatize foreign students into life in Japan]
-Shuyokai (@ Mission Hdqts in Los Angeles)
June 1-30
-Head Ministers Qualification Course 1
June 27-July 14
-Head Ministers Qualification Course 2
This is where I need a little help, but I think
Aug-Sep
If anyone can answer the exact dates for HMQC 2, I'd really appreciate it. If there are any corrections or comments to be added, please feel free to sign in as "anonymous," as this cuts down on time needed to fill out info to sign in as a Blogger.
Thanks!
Hiroko
Correction!!
Shuyoka in Jiba is March 27 to MAY 27. Sorry!!
If you plan to attend, you need a visa, so please contact your church or Mission Headquarters immediately. That phone number of the Mission Headquarters in Los Angeles is (323) 261-3379.
Uh... Correction...
The Shuyoka in Jiba is March 27 - June 27 afterall.
How embarassing.
I also heard that the Head Minister Qualification Course 2 will only be held if 5 or more people request it, and that it will be held in the fall. I guess it's not Aug-Sep then. Anyone have more specific dates?
I believe that there will be another Head Ministers Qualification Course 1 in August 27 through September 14. The June course, for Course 1, is a special addition for this year only. I have no information about Course 2.
I look forward for you to return to blogging. It is Jan. 2009 and the bad economy probably reminds us to return to the basics.
Typing more in your blog helps to spread the Joyous Fragrance and is good hinokishin.
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