November at Seicho-No-Ie
- Rev. Mario Kawakami
- Nov 15
- 6 min read
Seicho-No-Ie New York Public Lecture
On Saturday, October 26, 2025, the Seicho-No-Ie New York Missionary Area held the annual Public Lecture at the Seicho-No-Ie New York Center. Our guest speakers were Rev. Bruce Mallery, National Ordained Minister, and Rev. Mario Kawakami, Acting Bishop of Seicho-No-Ie U.S. Missionary Headquarters. The event was held in person and also broadcast on Zoom.
Mrs. Shoko Iwata served as MC, and Ms. Rosa Ozaki read the Divine Messages of the Lighter of the Seven Golden Candlesticks. Ms. Jacqueline Fleming, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees, delivered a beautiful opening message, and Mrs. Adalgiza Rodrigues Spinelli shared a powerful testimony. Rev. Kawakami also introduced the testimony of Mr. Gerson Viana, featured in the July 2025 issue of Truth of Life magazine, and Gerson shared his testimony via Zoom.
We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who helped promote the seminar, prepared delicious refreshments, and arranged the beautiful flowers.
Let’s Use Gratitude to Bring Peace into the World
Part 1
I attended the Seicho-No-Ie Northern California Missionary Area’s Public Lecture in September, where I had the opportunity to give a lecture. Today, I would like to share a summary of that talk with you.
The theme is “Let’s Use Gratitude to Bring Peace into the World.” This theme contains two key words: gratitude and peace.
First, I’d like to ask you a question: compared to the past, do you think the world is becoming more peaceful, or worse than before?
In Seicho-No-Ie, we promote peace within families, communities, and the world through faith. To advance this movement, however, we must first develop a correct understanding of modern society.
To illustrate this, I’d like to share a few questions from Hans Rosling, author of Factfulness. These questions are designed to test how accurately we perceive the current state of the world. Rosling presents thirteen questions, but I’ll share just three with you today.
Questions:
1- In all low-income countries across the world today, how many girls finish the first five grades of school?
A: 20%
B: 40%
C: 60%
2- In the last twenty years, the proportion of the world population living in extreme poverty has…
A: almost doubled
B: remained more or less the same
C: almost halved
3- How has the number of deaths per year from natural disasters changed over the last hundred years?
A: More than doubled
B: remained about the same
C: decreased to less than half
Correct answers: 1–C, 2–C, 3–C
When I first encountered these questions, I thought I could answer about 90% correctly—but in reality, I only got around 30% right. I realized that what I believed to be “common sense” about the world was actually based on a narrow and biased perspective. With such limited understanding, it’s difficult to make sound judgments.
In Seicho-No-Ie, we are taught that our lives and futures are created by our minds. But if our minds perceive the world incorrectly, how can we make correct judgments? Since today’s theme is “Let’s Use Gratitude to Bring Peace into the World,” it’s essential that we first see the world clearly. We should not assume that what appears in the media represents the full truth.
Much of what is reported in the news focuses on extreme or sensational events designed to attract attention. If ordinary things were reported, people might not tune in. For example: “Today, people eat three meals and sleep peacefully through the night.” That wouldn’t be considered newsworthy. Yet, peace in our daily lives is sustained when ordinary things happen in ordinary ways.
In the same manner, our physical and mental health are maintained through steady, balanced habits—eating nutritious food, exercising moderately, and living mindfully. This daily discipline is how true peace is achieved.
In our next newsletter, we will focus on the topic of gratitude. When you give thanks, bless, and worship from the bottom of your heart, nothing will be able to harm you. Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi’s powerful words about gratitude will resonate deeply within your heart and transcend cultural boundaries.
Rev. Mario Kawakami
Acting Bishop, Seicho-No-Ie U.S. Missionary Headquarters
Chief, Seicho-No-Ie New York Missionary Area
Testimony of Edson da Silva (Café)
Good morning, my name is Edson Paresi da Silva. I was born on January 20, 1952, in Villa Maria, Sao Paulo, Brazil. I’d like to share how I came to know Seicho-No-Ie. I won’t mention any names, due to military and political sensitivities, as it was a very tense time in Brazil and many of the individuals involved are still alive.
When I was about 23 years old, I was serving in the military and was put in charge of security for a restricted area. That night, I was responsible for rotating the guards every two hours—at 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 AM. After the final rotation, I discovered that several weapons, including pistols and rifles, were missing. I immediately questioned those on duty, but no one admitted to knowing anything.
Because I was in charge, I was held accountable. Authorities suspected that I might have been involved in some kind of conspiracy or political movement. I was imprisoned without clear evidence, and I remained in jail for about four weeks.
One night, while sleeping under a chair in my jail cell, I found a Seicho-No-Ie magazine called Ascendedor (meaning "Lighter" or “One Who Bring Light”). It was full of spiritual guidance, wisdom, and prayers. I began reading it deeply. The Prayer for World Peace particularly moved me, and I started reciting it regularly. That small magazine became a light in the darkest period of my life.
A few nights later, after praying and reading from the magazine, I had a vivid dream. In the dream, I saw one of the guards go into a storage area where military equipment was kept. He discreetly took something and hid it under his shirt. It was very clear. When I woke up, I had a strong sense that this dream was not just a dream—it was a message.
I quietly shared what I had seen in the dream with someone I trusted, suggesting they keep an eye on the man I had seen. About a week or two later, that same guard was caught red-handed. He had gone to the storage area, just as in the dream, and tried to smuggle a hidden gun out under his shirt. Security personnel had been watching him and apprehended him on the spot.
Once the truth came out, I was cleared of all charges and released. It was like being reborn.
I am deeply grateful to Seicho-No-Ie and Rev. Masaharu Taniguchi. Through the teachings, I learned to forgive, to trust in divine wisdom, and to understand the true power of the mind. I realized how powerful gratitude is, and how divine guidance is always available to us when we open our hearts.
Since that time, Seicho-No-Ie has remained a guiding light in my life. I am a professional musician, and I have never had an agent or manager, but through the teachings, I learned how to visualize success and use the power of the mind creatively. I imagined a better life, and today, that vision is my reality.
I have a beautiful family, a loving wife, and I am blessed with the freedom to create and choose my path. I live with a deep sense of purpose, and I know I’ve become a better human being thanks to these teachings.
I sincerely hope to continue receiving this wisdom even beyond this life, because as human beings, we enter through one gate and leave through another. Life is sacred.
Today, I view people with more compassion and respect. We are living in a difficult transitional time, but I believe everything that happens is permitted by the universe and contains a lesson. I am so grateful and so blessed.
Thank you very much, thank you very much.
Beautiful Nature in My Town
If you would like to learn more about this park, please visit:
If you would like to share nature photos from your county, state, or place you have visited, please email them to: nyma.office@sniusa.org with the subject line “Beautiful Nature in My Town.”
Beautiful Nature in My Town Bear Mountain State Park is a 5,205-acre park located on the west bank of Hudson River in Rockland and Orange Counties, New York. The park offers scenic hiking trails, a beautiful lake, and picnic and BBQ areas for visitors to enjoy. These photos were taken in October by Mario Kawakami. |
Thank you very much!
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