Before Reading the Summary of the Shinji for July 15 and 23

The theme of Shinja Kokoro no Michi Benkyōkai for July is The Strength of the Unmei Is Honed in the Family. Why does Kami focus on the importance of the family in July? The reason lies in the guiding principle of this year shown through the Shinji for Kigansai at the beginning of the year.

With the Shinji for Kigansai on January 1, Kami has taught us what kind of environment we would live in this year and thus, what we must be mindful of. Based on this prediction and guiding principle, we have continued to learn the specific teachings every month. And this set of Kami’s education for the year will be almost completed with the Shinji for August, which means that in July we find many things having turned as predicted by the Shinji at the beginning of the year.

Now let us recapitulate the Shinji from Kigansai. The first lines said, “Strive to be the shinja whose kokoro is supported by the principles now that you know how the kokoro should be based on life’s principles.” This is the general theme of the guiding principle for this entire year which taught us that it is a must to live with our kokoro supported by the Shinji, or the principles. The reason was shown with the Shinji which said,“The state of the world (society) will continue to change. The power (changes) of the times is at work to harmonize nature (the universe).”

Kami has repeatedly taught us that society is in the midst of great changes. And especially this year, as this Shinji has predicted, we have seen many fierce changes and turbulences occurring one after another. They are all happening so that the world will return to the way it should be. Because we human beings have lived ways of life which are utterly different from the principles, the power of the times is at work to bring it back to the right way.

Human beings cannot stop these great changes. What we can do is to stay unconsumed and go with the flow, no matter how fierce and great the changes are. Therefore, Kami taught us,“Live each day knowing the kokoro to give back to society and remain unconsumed by the changes.”“Effort is needed to learn the teachings as a family and to build a family that lives by the principles.”

And with the last part of the Shinji, Kami showed us our task, a prediction, and the conclusion, saying, “Life is in Kami’s hands—strive to be the person (human being) who completes their life journey knowing that the time spent living as a human being is precious.” Now we understand the reason why Kami mentioned completing one’s life journey. All over the world, we see many people unable to live life the way they want to, engulfed in fierce changes in society. The power of the society that human beings have created is much meager and smaller compared to the power of nature. Because there is nothing we can do about it, the kokoro of many people are being swayed. As changes that human beings cannot avoid do occur in the hands of Kami, no matter how much we endeavor, we must focus on living out our given lifespan, in other words, completing our life journey.

In order to fulfil our unmei to the full and complete our life journey, we must deeply grasp the truth that the strength of our unmei is honed and enhanced in the family. When you go to The New Year Shinji and read it, you will understand the reason why the theme for July is The Strength of the Unmei Is Honed in the Family.

The theme for January was “Live Life Supported by the Principles”. Accept what Kami teaches us with an open mind and make it the mainstay of your life. Then, the theme for February was “Move with the Flow of the Times and Gain Meaning and Purpose”; you will be able to deal with the changes effectively and come to fulfil your strengths. And the theme for March was “Do Not Be Consumed by the Changes, Give Back to Society.” As we know how to go with the flow, the importance is to make use of the teachings more and live with the kokoro to give back. And Kami showed us specifically what to do, with the theme for April, “Strive To Create a Family That Lives by the Principles”. Even under the various restrictions on activities worldwide, those of you who have striven to create and have come closer to maintaining a harmonious family, must have enjoyed quality times with their families. And the theme for May was “Cherish Your Encounters with Others”. In order to be able to deepen our encounters, the teachings are indispensable. Therefore, in June, with the theme of “The Teachings Guide Us To a Life without Regrets”, the worth of the teachings was confirmed. And the theme for July is “The Strength of the Unmei Is Honed in the Family”. How one lives while they are alive now would become the jittai of the family. Seeing this, Kami gives unmei to our next life when we are reborn as descendants in the family lineage. This will be passed on to our posterity. Therefore, unless the way we live is elevated as a family, the Kokoro no Michi that gets inherited in the family will not be prosperous.

Shinji are not complete in one issue, but they are revealed in series. The Shinji for July consist of three serial pieces revealed for July 1, 15, and 23. Because this set of three pieces of Shinji deal with a big and crucial theme -- the family to inherit the Kokoro no Michi—a big and crucial principle is presented in the first Shinji, followed by the second and the third Shinji that convey nothing but what to realize and what to understand deeply.

 

In learning the Shinji, it would enable you to better understand what Kami means when you learn the whole passage classifying each part either as the principles, the realization, or the deep understanding.

The principles are the universal and immutable truths that will stay true regardless of  the time and place, such as the sun rises from the east and sets in the west.

The realization is what we must realize in the here and now. Kami is teachings us necessary things for us to realize such as, “If I keep on going this way, I will come to a dead end.”“If I take this route, I can get there sooner.” This is the realization.

And the deep understanding is what we must take in and make a part of how we see things and how we live; in other words, we must make it a part of our personalities. For instance, even though we have realized that we should not be impatient, but if we remain impatient, unable to suppress our impatient character, it means we have not reached the deep understanding. When we know the importance of patience and strive to be patient with the help of kigan, then it becomes our conviction, which means we have acquired the deep understanding of it.

The big and crucial principle showing the importance of the family that the July 1 Shinji contains, is the very first part of the Shinji, which goes as this--

Human beings inherit their jittai from their Kokoro no Michi and are given life (unmei).
Based on this truth, Kami places the soul at the time of birth.

This is the ultimate principle of how unmei is endowed by Kami. Human beings live their vertical Kokoro no Michi inheriting jittai from the parents to the children, and to the grandchildren. Discerning the jittai inherited, Kami gives unmei to each and every human being accordingly. This means the way one lives will be reflected to the lives of their descendants. The levels of the lives lived by people differ from person to person. Some live their lives respected and loved, while others causing much trouble and becoming isolated. The unmei is given according to the jittai one has inherited, or how members of the family have lived so far, which means that there exist ranks in the unmei. If you want to enhance the rank of your unmei-jittai, you must live rightly together with your family members. Strive to live by the teachings as a family, keeping the principles and the structures of the world in mind.

Based on this important principle, the Shinji for July 1 showed us what must be deeply understood and the two things that must be realized. These two things to realize were more of a general kind while the consequent Shinji for 15th and 23rd show us specific things to realize and understand deeply, which are shown from utterly different angles than the one on the 1st.