Vol. 24# 11
Invitation to the Ikigami Konko Daijin Grand Ceremony
The Konko Churches of Gardena and Los Angeles's Ikigami Konko Daijin Grand Ceremony will be held at the Konko Church of Gardena Service Hall on Sunday, November 10, at 10:00 a.m.
The Ikigami Konko Daijin Grand Service is a ceremony that honors the virtues of our Founder Konko Daijin and reaffirms our gratitude for the eternal mediation of Ikigami Konko Daijin, which the Founder revealed to us. We also pray to mediation that divine work in our own lives.
We encourage you to invite your family and friends to attend the Ceremony.
Ikigami Konko Daijin
Ikigami Konko Daijin is the divine name that was bestowed on the founder by Tenchi Kane No Kami on September 24, 1868. From an early period, the founder was called "Otani's Living kami." At that time, "living kami" meant a person who possessed extraordinary miraculous powers and was worshiped as a kami.
In response to this, Konko Daijin himself continued to take the stance that "I am not a living kami (ikigami), but people call me an ikigami," and "I am not an ikigami, I am merely a farmer." However, it had long been Konko Daijin's wish to become a kami through faith. So, he taught and counseled those who came to worship him how to help Kami and become a kami themselves. Kami bestowed the title "Ikigami Konko Daijin" on Konko Daijin, who was able to manifest his divine workings while still alive through his mediation work, and who was realizing his faith to help people and show them the way to become a kami every day.
What is Ikigami?
Ikigami is the birth of kami within you. The ideal human form that Ikigami Konko Daijin sought throughout his life is expressed in phrases like "Kami’s beloved child," "Kami exists because of people, people exist because of Kami, and both thrive through mutual support," and "Kami and people living together in harmony". The underlying theme is that humans live in relation to Kami, and through this relationship, they can manifest the workings of Kami within themselves.
As Konko Daijin taught, "I will teach you to have faith and help you to become a kami." Faith manifests the divine activity that resides within people and allows them to become a kami. The path that Konko Daijin walked was indeed the path to becoming a kami.
He then continued, "You are children of Kami. To be Ikigami means that kami is born within you. I am beginning to receive the blessing, and you can receive the blessing in the same way." He continued to teach that he was not the only special person. Rather, since everyone is a child of Kami, the path to becoming a kami is open to everyone.
To become a kami means to open one's heart to Kami’s teachings, to understand the truth of the life we are given, and to continue to live in a way that saves oneself.
At the same time, the way to manifest the kami within you is to convey to others the blessings you have received from Kami. "If you receive blessings from someone who has taught you, then you must also teach others. Without this, you will not be showing gratitude to Kami. Without this, the role of a believer is not complete." This is how one becomes a kami - revealing the workings of Kami to other people.
Konko Daijin taught, "If you save one person, you become a kami to that person. If you save ten people, you become a kami to ten people." Helping others is the same as becoming a kami.
Rev. Kametaro Nakayama - Reason for Happiness - continued from October
My second happiness is not to think of my discomfort as a form of distress. Of course, because I only have one leg, I can't do everything by myself, but apart from tying the strings on my obi and hakama, I can go about my daily life with almost no help from others.
I use a toothbrush to brush my teeth, wash my face in the bathroom, and eat with chopsticks, spoons, and forks held under my arms. I also shave my own beard. In elementary and middle school, I wrote with my feet, but after entering university, I started holding a pencil in my mouth to take notes. I use the remaining three centimeters of my arm to hold an umbrella and ride a bicycle.
My hobby was photography, but I stopped after losing my camera in the war. However, I still printed and enlarged the photos myself. I also lost my sewing machine in the war, but when I was living with my family in Tokyo, I made summer clothes for my eldest son who was attending the Faculty of Engineering at Tokyo Metropolitan University, and clothes for my second son for elementary school.
Although there is no end to looking back, the reason I was able to do anything with my mouth, my three-centimeter arms, and my one leg is because my mother worked in the mines all day in addition to side jobs until dawn. I couldn't bother my mother to help me, so I had to be creative. When you absolutely need something, Kami will show you the way.
I wear a watch on my three-centimeter wrist, but I can discreetly check the time when I look at my chest. This is only possible because my arms are short; if my arms were longer, it would be difficult to secretly check the time.
People who have had legs amputated above the thigh say that if their residual limb is short, it is a problem because it will slip out of the prosthesis, but I think that having a short residual limb is more convenient. If I get tired while standing, I can remove the prosthesis and sit on it. When I get on the train, I use the prosthesis as my own chair, so it's not so bad if there isn't a seat available.
It's better to have a long prosthetic leg, but once it's cut, it can't grow back. Most people would give up, but I accepted my shortness and found satisfaction and joy. I'm grateful for that.
My third happiness is to be cheerful and bright. I was bullied and called a one-legged scarecrow or a tumbling doll, but I never felt jealous. While many people compare themselves to others and feel inferior, thanks to my mother's faith, I have been able to see hardships in a positive way and live each day with gratitude and enjoyment.
There are many people in the world who feel cynicism and jealousy because of disabilities, poverty, or poor looks, but I am proud of my inferiority. A way of life that takes pride in one’s shortcomings consists of "suffering earnestly, living in reality, loving one’s destiny, and making the most of one’s destiny."
Cheerfulness is important in any situation. If you act reluctantly, you will not get good results. If you work cheerfully and energetically, there will be fewer dangers, your work will be more efficient, and you will feel better. Even In your occupation, being considerate and cheerful will leave a good impression on others, which will ultimately lead to prosperity.
Cheerfulness and honesty are important in the family, society, and in the nation. If you want to raise cheerful and honest children, it is necessary for the parents to demonstrate these characteristics within the home. Cheerfulness is not something frivolous. It should not depend on movies, stand-up comedy, or alcohol. What would you do without these things? Think about the worst-case scenario. What if you lost your sight? What if you lose your hearing? What if you could no longer eat?
True cheerfulness is not something that can be obtained through external materials but comes from within one's own heart. It is something that one creates by oneself. This creative cheerfulness comes from faith, and true cheerfulness cannot be born unless one has a vibrant life force within one's own life. I believe that the path to nurturing this vibrant life force is through the Mediation of Ikigami Konko Daijin.
As mentioned above, the reasons for my happiness are my good health, my few shortcomings, and my honesty and cheerfulness. There have been many times in the past when I cried and suffered, but looking back now, I no longer bear any grudges, and I am grateful for everything, and I am reminded of my happiness. All of this is the result of my mother's faith, the guidance of many elders and teachers, and the Mediation of Konko Daijin.
To be continued in next issue
Exercises for the Mind/Heart/Spirit |
007 Let's Practice Smiling |
You may smile because you're happy. But I believe it's also important to smile to become happy. A smile has the power to attract others and bring happiness to those around you. Even in the midst of a tough life, try not to forget to smile. Today, make a conscious effort to smile." |
Konko Church of Gardena and Los Angeles Announcements
Morning Service and Gardena Shinto-kai meeting
On Sunday, November 3, we will be holding a morning prayer at 9 a.m. After praying, let’s clean the inside and outside of the church. The Shinto-kai meeting will be held after the cleanup. If you are interested, please join us.
Gardena Church Work Committee Study Group
The GCWC will meet on Sunday, November 17 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. to work on preparing discussion questions using From Farmer to Founder. Please contact Rev. Uzunoe if you are interested in joining this group.
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