Compass of the Times by Keiko Takahashi
June 2016
Compass of the Times 147
Connecting Ideals and Reality
Keiko Takahashi
The Era of Hatred
As you all know, triggered by the Syrian civil war, more than four million refugees have fled to Europe, and since last year this has become a major social problem in the countries accepting these people. EU countries were willing to accept refugees at the beginning, but as the number of refugees increased and the countries’ public opinion became negative, these countries have gradually become warier.
Even in Germany, which had shown the most positive attitude to the acceptance of refugees, a complicated situation is beginning to emerge within the country. Right-wing protests frequently take place, claiming that the government should give priority to Germans and reject the refugees. These protests have been increasingly supported by the general public.
In addition, taking advantage of the refugee influx, members of Islamic extremist organizations such as IS (Islamic State) have entered Europe, leading to suicide bombings, intensifying the animosity to refugees and immigrants. Such feelings of loathing of immigrants, and desire to expel those who are foreign, are not limited to Germany and many other EU countries that are shaken by the refugee problem.
In addition, taking advantage of the refugee influx, members of Islamic extremist organizations such as IS (Islamic State) have entered Europe, leading to suicide bombings, intensifying the animosity to refugees and immigrants. Such feelings of loathing of immigrants, and desire to expel those who are foreign, are not limited to Germany and many other EU countries that are shaken by the refugee problem.
The Era Where People Are Tired of Seeking Ideals
In the United States, the on-going presidential election
has given rise to a strange fanaticism and bewilderment. Candidate Donald Trump, who will most likely be the nominee for the Republican party, is known as a real-estate tycoon. Despite the criticism throughout the election period against his racist remarks ostracism of Muslims, and violent speech against illegal immigrants, he has received the highest support among the republican candidates. Some point out that this could be the candid feeling of many US citizens.
As if resonating with such trends, the issues of hatred such as “hate speech” and “hate crime” are becoming a problem. Speeches and gestures that agitate hatred and trigger confrontation between people, groups, and countries different from one another have been spreading particularly on the Internet where a high degree of anonymity exists.
Human beings obtained the ideals of equality beyond race and gender through the period of civil rights movements that occurred around the world. These led to the ideals of democracy, and the ideals of a new
community that surpassed the concept of nations, as exemplified by the EU. However, in the face of diverse problems and obstacles, people, who were supposed to be advancing toward such ideals, are now tired of seeking those same ideals and are inclined to take an easy and selfish way of life.
In Order to Connect Ideals and Reality
Of course, the Soul Doctrine that we advocate is the way of life that is against such trends.
No matter how different we are in terms of ethnicity, nationality, and race, the “soul” is what originally underlies the self and is the common foundation of us all. In other words, the soul aspires to “connect different things.”
What we should focus our mind on more than anything is the “connection of ideals and reality.” All of our aspirations, ideals, visions, and blueprints derive from our soul. They do not exist in our present reality.
Ideals are exactly what we know in our hearts from the However, it is these ideals that lead us toward the right future. experiences of distant pasts that we harbor as eternal life.
The Month When We Think of the Soul
June is traditionally called minazuki (waterless-month) in Japan. However, the more accepted theory on minazuki is that it means the “month of water” instead. Water permeates into all life-forms, goes back and forth among them, and gives life to them as if it were the Holy Spirit. June is the season which is filled with such an atmosphere.
In GLA, June is the month when the Utsushimi (living body) Gathering is held for commemorating the departure of Shinji Takahashi Sensei. Utsushimi Gathering is the time to remind ourselves that all of us are souls who live the present time in a physical body. It is the “month of the soul.” Thus, I sincerely wish to spend this month always thinking of the power of the soul which
connects people, and connects ideals and reality. I would like to continue thinking about the way of life as a soul.
Preliminary translation as of June 6, 2016
GLA member-volunteers translated Takahashi Sensei’s words.
We would appreciate your feedback for the sake of our improvement.
Please feel free to write your thoughts or comments to us at:
inquiry@gla-intl.com
or mail to: International Dept., GLA
2-18-3 Kaminarimon,
Taito-ku, Tokyo, 111-0034, Japan
Thank you for your kind support.