Peace Prayers in Three Forms
Rika Saionji, Vice Chairperson of Byakko Shinko Kai, introduced the final portion of the ceremony:
Thank you, Mr. Elgin, for your beautiful message, and to Mr. Ben Bowler and everyone who sent us your precious messages and prayers for this day. The last few years have been particularly influenced by the coronavirus, and this year, the addition of wars. We have had lonely experiences of separation and division from others, nature and the world. I feel that this year’s SOPP theme—bringing out loving and forgiving compassion and healing the earth—is an important consciousness. Healing and loving oneself deeply is healing and loving the world. We believe that the world outside does not exist only out there, but also within us.
In the first half of the program, I hope you were inspired by the different messages and prayers. In the second half, we would like to offer some quiet moments of prayer. As Mr. Elgin shared, having quiet time is important. We also believe that our prayers together are truly a gift for ourselves and for the world. We would now like to connect with you and the world through prayer, and resonate with the world and nature, with the vibration of love.
We will show you three clips made at Fuji Sanctuary. I hope you will feel the good vibration from here. We will start with a prayer of Gratitude for All Life on Earth, then prayers for the peace of each country of the world, and then finish with the Divine Spark IN. So, let us now pray together, heal ourselves and heal the world. Thank you very much.
An uplifting scene of ocean waves under bright sunshine created a soothing transition as participants prepared themselves to offer these prayers. The subtitles on screen read, “We are loved by all life. Let’s have a little quiet time to feel that love.” During the prayer of Gratitude for All Life on Earth, each line of the prayer was accompanied by a video clip showing that aspect of the natural world.
Gratitude for All Life on Earth
(prayed by all participants together)
Thank you, dear Oceans.
Thank you, dear Mountains.
Thank you, dear Earth.
Thank you, dear Animals.
Thank you, dear Plants.
Thank you, dear Minerals.
Thank you, dear Water.
Thank you, dear Air.
Thank you, dear Heavenly Phenomena.
Thank you, dear Sun.
Thank you, dear Planet Earth.
May Peace Prevail on Earth.
Prayers for Peace in Each Country
Over images of the blue planet Earth spinning in space, the subtitles read: “Each of us living on the earth is also a part of great life. Let’s bring love and healing to people all over the world,” inviting participants to join in the Prayers for Peace in Each Country, the second core program of the SOPP.
The video shifted to images from the continent of Asia, and then to the outdoor prayer field at Fuji Sanctuary, where Byakko staff members carried the flags of each country in Asia. One by one, each flag was presented in front of the camera as the country’s name was announced, and the word ‘peace’ in that country’s national language(s) was spoken aloud and displayed on screen (in its original script, and with Japanese and Roman alphabet pronunciations), for participants around the world to join in sending out wishes for peace in each nation. When the flags of all Asian nations had been presented, a prayer for all of Asia was offered: May peace be in Asia.
Then, the video moved on to scenes from the various countries in Africa, followed by prayers for peace in the nations of that continent. The same was done for Europe, North America, South America, and Australia/Oceania, followed by a prayer for peace in “all the other regions of the world” (with a flag of the planet Earth). For each continent or region, the flags were presented at a different outdoor location at Fuji Sanctuary. As the video swept across the prayer field toward Mount Fuji, a final prayer, May peace prevail on Earth, was displayed on screen and spoken aloud three times. The view of the prayer field and Mount Fuji remained on screen, allowing participants a chance to feel their connection with the divine essence of people all around the world.
Divine Spark IN
The Divine Spark IN (pronounced ‘een’) is a wordless prayer comprised of a precise combination of hand and arm movements and deep, peaceful breathing, which helps us to attune ourselves to the divine being that resides within us. It was demonstrated at the 2018 SOPP, as a method of praying that is easy to learn and practice, so that as many people as possible may quickly connect with their inner divine nature and contribute to building a peaceful world.
The IN was introduced with scenes of people performing it in various locations around the world, accompanied by the following words:
We are divinity itself, love itself.
All living things are full of love.
Each person remembers that all human beings are originally divine.
Let’s perform the Divine Spark IN together.
The performance of the IN (by Yuka, Maki, and Rika Saionji) included subtitles showing the thought, or meaning, that accompanies each movement:
Inhale: our whole being concentrates
Exhale: the mind becomes empty
We invite divinity from heaven
Our true existence radiates light
We receive divinity from heaven
This divinity is within us
The divine masculine and feminine are unified
Our true self emits divinity to humanity
The light spreads to each human being
The divinity in everyone resonates from within
Everyone remembers the divine self
Humanity is divine
Following the IN, the gentle music continued, and scenes of nature accompanied the following words on screen:
The earth is beautiful, full of love for all living things.
Each person turns their awareness towards noticing this.
By letting the love within us resonate as a world peace symphony, we envelop the earth with compassionate and healing energy.
May peace prevail on Earth.