#Ikigami Konko Daijin

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Those who practice faith don’t just worship Kami. They also sincerely help people in emergencies or in sudden adversity without expecting money or thanks in return. If there’s a fire, they quickly go and help extinguish it. Such is true faith and kindness. Bear this in mind in whatever you do. I Yamamoto Sadajiro 49 「神に参るだけが信心ではない。至急の時には、お礼を当てにするようなことでなく、格別の親切を尽くすがよい。急難にかかっている人がいたら早く行って助けてあげ、火事があれば早く行って火を消す手伝いを潔くすれば、これが真の信心親切となる。何事にも心がけておれ。」 I 山定・49

I Yamamoto Sadajiro 49

[livingwithkami]

“Kami-yo” in “nin-yo” By Reverend Shinkichi Kawai

“Now we are asked to live our lives with a “true and sincere faith” as our Founder taught. Amid in the society of the progressive worldwide secularization, we have to live “Kami’s Way” in our daily lives.

In Oboecho (Record of Revelations), the following revelation was written in 1880: Kami-Sama revealed,

  “Right now the world is human-centered. All things are done by people’s own power, and many people are going against the teachings of the universe. Those who follow my teachings shall become connected to kami, and thus a living kami themselves. Long ago, it was a Kami-centered world. Now it is a human-centered world. Because of this, I shall teach people to return to a Kami-centered world. Difficulty and suffering are caused by people’s own hearts. Whether or not they can live a peaceful world also depends on their own hearts.” As stated, we are living in “nin-yo (human-centered world). And many people live confused, hurt, and suffer from various hardships. “The True Way of Faith” which is “the Way of Kami and people” was opened in this “ninyo,” and the world of inochi (life) to be helped will be born continuously. Therefore, “Kami-yo (Kami-centered world)” should be realized in “nin-yo” within Konkokyo, Konko hiromae, and believers’ home.

What kind of world is it that the inochi life can be helped? The inochi life does not mean an individual life nor biological life. This is the whole life that flows continuously from ancestors to descendants. It is the life that pass through the past, present and future. 

Through a continuation of practicing “the True Way of Faith,” we are able to live our lives receiving the divine blessings in any situations. In any moment, we can walk such “the Way of Kami and people.” When our lives were tuned in by Kami-Sama, our ancestors and descendants who related to our lives are also saved at the same time. In this way, the way to receive blessings is open.

The world of secularization continuously cut deep into our lives. Now, it is the time bringing light of “Kami-yo” into right in the middle of “nin-yo” through our faith. Let us seek and practice true faith.

Seek, convey and support “true and sincere faith, and nurture, enrich, broaden and deepen the true and sincere faith

When we consider the Konkokyo as a practical “way” rather than an organized religion, we could describe our “way” as a “Way of Faith.” Our Founder taught, “Practice a sincere faith.” Therefore, the network of “care” should be brought out so that we could understand how to enrich, broaden and deepen the true and sincere faith.

Let us take “Toritsugi” as an example. “Toritsugi” consists of place for mediation, mediator, and the art of toritsugi. “Teachings” and faith stories are also important.Services and etiquettes are essential. There are all kinds of actors to nurture our faiths.

The Konkokyo faith has been enriched by a tradition that could nurture each individual faith. Therefore, our faith has been nurtured through tradition. For example, this tradition has been nurtured by a long history of Konko Church of Amagi, which is still alive in Hawaii. In the same way, varieties of faith from traditions exist in Konkokyo.

Our current mission is to create better conditions for each individual faith, so the faith will be nurtured and enriched.

For these reasons, we have to rediscover what could make our faith lively. Furthermore, we need to establish an environment and “care” network to learn and be guided to the “way” of “true and sincere faith.””

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

All people are children of Kami. There is no one who does not belong. 「天が下の者はみな、神の氏子である。天が下に他人はない。」II 佐光・12

II Sato Mitsujiro 12 

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Tenchi Kakitsuke. Ikigami Konko Daijin, Tenchi Kane no Kami isshin ni negae. Okage wa waga Kokoro ni ari. Kongetsu konnichi de tanomei. Divine reminder. Through Ikigami Konko Daijin, to Tenchi Kane no Kami, pray with a single heart. The divine favor depends on one's own heart. On this very day pray.

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When people speak ill of you, you think that because you practice faith, you must endure it. Therefore, you endure. However, this is not enough. You must also give prayers for them to reform their hearts. 「人に悪く言われた時に、信心しているからこらえなければならない、と思ってこらえるくらいではまだいけない。先方の心をどうぞ直してあげてください、と拝んであげるようにならなければいけない。」 II 片次・3

II Kataoka Jiroshiro 3-2

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

A heart in prayer will reach Kami. Tenchi Kane no Kami has a web like a spider's enveloping the world. If a dragonfly gets caught in a spider web, the web trembles and the spider will come out. Kami is like the spider. The Way of Kami is spun around the world. Even if you feel far away from a hiromae (worship hall), your prayer will reach Kami." "願う心は神に届くものである。天地金乃神は、くもが糸を世界中に張ったのと同じことである。糸にとんぼがかかればびりびりと動いて、くもが出て来る。神も同じことで、空気の中にずっと神の道がついているから、どれほど離れていても、拝めばそれが神に届く"

II Goka Keishun 5

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Ikigami Konko Daijin monthly service was today. (at Hilo, Hawaii)

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A few people living in this world have evil hearts, but most people feel sorry and do something when they see someone pitiful or hear of someone who is troubled. This is the heart of Kami. This is real compassion. 「広い世間には、鬼のような心を持っている者もないとは言えないが、人間であったら、気の毒な者を見たり難儀な者の話を聞けば、かわいそうになあ、何とかしてあげたらと思うものである。神の心は、このかわいいの一心である。」 III尋球・5

III Jinkyu Kyogoroku 5

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

Little bit about myself.

I'm practicing Konkokyo personally. I have two wonderful ministers at the Hiromae I attend services at. I also have the love and guidance of many other ministers online. I hope to be a priestess like my teachers someday.

There are other blogs about Konkokyo on tumbler. livingwithkami is an excellent recourse that is run by people more experienced than me. However I am transgender and pansexual so I hope to lend my insight from an LGBT perspective.

I hope to write many insightful things here. <3

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

Our Mitama matsuri was today. We gave thanks for our ancestors. (at Hilo, Hawaii)

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Those who have just started practicing faith immediately get upset when others speak ill of them. They are not able to repress their anger and some of them even retaliate. However, when they deepen their faith a little, they will get angry but be able to tolerate others speaking ill of them since they keep in mind that they are practicing faith in Kami. As a person deepens their faith even more, they will not get angry even when others speak ill of them. On the contrary, they will feel sorry for those people. III Jinkyu Kyogoroku 191-3, 4, 5 「信心の浅い時には、人から悪しざまにそしられるとすぐ 腹が立って、こらえきれないで、しっぺ返しのようなことをする。しかし、信心が少し進んでくれば、人からそしられると、腹は立つけれども、信心しているからと思ってこられるようになってくる。信心がずっと進んでくると、人からそしられても腹が立たない。腹が立つどころか、かえってその人が気の毒になる。」ー III 尋球・191

III Jinkyu Kyogoroku 191-3, 4, 5

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

When practicing faith, there are more blessings which cannot be seen than those which can be seen. 「信心していれば、目に見えるおかげより見えないおかげが多い。」II 津治・14

II Tsugawa Haruo 14

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Do as much as you can for others, and have a heart that cannot help wanting to give. Don't be concerned with only yourself."  週末のため経典ですけど、もちろん、いつも覚えていましょう。 「人にはできるだけのことをしてあげ、人に物をあげたくてしかたがないという心を持ち、自分だけよいことをしたいというような心を持つな。」II 大秀・5

II Onishi Hide 5-1

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The Hiromae in Hilo. I attend services here every day.

[livingwithkami]

Livingwithkami emblem

I made a new emblem for my blog, Living With Kami. I thought I should explain the meaning as you will see it from now on all my posts. It's based off a Hiougi fan (Hinoki wood fan), the Konkokyo crest, and the 5 Sacred Colours Gohei. The hiougi has elements with the design on fans usually for Urayasu no Mai, a type of Miko dance. It has a double meaning of my role as a Miko, but also using Hiougi fan to be humble and hide my face. In addition, I use an unpainted Hiougi as a Shinto priestess (Shinshoku).

The butterflies are a symbol of change and growth, and also spiritual symbols of the soul. The two birds are phoenixes, which represent rebirth and renewal. There's plum blossoms at the base of their long tails, which represent strength and preserverence (plum blossoms last through Winter) and similarly they hold pine branches in their mouths which represent eternal life and vitality, and endurance.  The Konkokyo emblem is because I'm a priestess for Tenchi Kane no Kami-sama, and Konko Faith in particular. Lastly, the 5 Sacred Colours Gohei is also an important symbol in Konko Faith. It's the Gohei Ikigami Konko Daijin-sama made when he accepted the divine calling to help people via toritsugi mediation (mediating between Tenchi Kane no Kami-sama and people).  It's a symbol to me to remember that sacred duty, for my resolve to help people via toritsugi, the core of all my work for Tenchi Kane no Kami-sama's wish for everything to be in the way of the universe, of nature, working in harmony and interconnectedness.  ---  Please note I am still taking a step away from the wider Shinto community and generally writing about Shinto - I’m only focusing on Konko Faith, events at my shrine, and personal writings at my own pace. Thank you

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

Ikigami Konko Daijin monthly service today. (at Hilo, Hawaii)