LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS

V O L U M E 2

Published by Seicho-No-Ie
U.S. Missionary Headquarters
July 2008
[ For Internal Use Only]
The life in all things, particularly in people, is

very precious and important. May this world be

filled with gratitude and thoughts of peace such

as being able to say, “Thank you for being born,”

and/or, “Thank you for giving me life”…

 TABLE OF CONTENTS

Prayer to Bring Supporters and Followers Together ............1

Reader's Meetings ....................................................................3

Individual Counseling ..............................................................9

Environmental Conservation Efforts and Initiatives ..........10

The Sundial Way of Life............................................................11

Reflecting on the 7th ILTS ........................................................12

 PRAYER TO BRING SUPPORTERS AND FOLLOWERS TOGETHER

God permeates everywhere. I now reside within God. And God resides within me. God
and I are one. God is me. God is goodness. That is why I am goodness. I never think of
negative things. I think of only that which is good and positive, and put that into prac-
tice without fail.

God is love. God is love. That is why I am love.

God calls love. Much love comes to me. All people love me.

All people love me.

I also love all people.
Where there is love, there is no loneliness. I am not lonely. I am filled with joy.

Good friends come together. Good supporters come together.

Supporters and followers of the Humanity Enlightenment Movement come together.
(Risou Sekai, “Ideal World,” April 1972)

LET’S SHARE SEICHO-NO-IE WITH AS MANY AS POSSIBLE

(Partial omission) Through our experiences, we have realized in many different ways that
if we hang on to the “world of imitations,” happiness will never manifest. As I’m sure you
all know, there are many people who remain attached to the “world of imitations,” get
caught up in it, get angry, resent and hate others because they don’t realize this. Nations
also make this mistake and begin wars with one another. To bring this situation to normalcy
and manifest the peaceful and carefree “True-Image world,” “Real World,” the “kingdom
of God” itself, as many as possible must recognize the “wonderfulness of the True Image.”

The Movement that is working towards this is the Seicho-No-Ie Movement, and is a correct
religious activity, but there are many religions which have not yet come this far. Going
from a mind that simply seeks materialistic blessings to one that recognizes that the wisdom,
love, life, abundance and all the infinite blessings and power of God is already within us,
and when as many people as possible try to express that and put it into outward action,
that is in essence the path to the realization of world peace, and is the mission of
humankind, and the “privilege” that God has given us.

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However what is happening now is less than sufficient. The current situation is such that
there are many people who do not know “Seicho-No-Ie.”

(Partial omission) It is my hope that we will start with something easy—start with letting
people know that “Seicho-No-Ie” is not the name of a restaurant or the name of a hotel. It
is my hope that we will begin by getting people to know “Seicho-No-Ie,” having them read as
many Seicho-No-Ie books as possible, and listen to Seicho-No-Ie talks. This is the point
from which I would like our Movement to begin.
(January 1, 2002, New Year’s Day Ceremony Message)

*************

I believe the main point of propagation is to share the teachings with those who do not
know them at all. Of course, it is also important for those who do already know the teachings
to get together and pursue their study of the Truth. However, when we think about the
current situation in society today, I believe it is of the utmost importance to share the
teachings with those who are worrying and suffering because they have not as yet ever
touched upon the Seicho-No-Ie way of thinking—“man is essentially Buddha, a child of God.”
(Message at the February 29, 2000 Seicho-No-Ie Delegates Meeting)

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 READER’S MEETINGS ARE WONDERFUL!

Along with being an opportunity for members and newcomers to study the Seicho-No-Ie teach-
ings and deepen their faith together, Reader’s Meetings are also very important opportunities to
further advance our Movement.

By holding Reader’s Meetings, we can help many people realize their dreams through their faith
and also give them hope for the future. It is an opportunity for us to experience joy that we cannot
feel when we are studying the teachings alone.

Imagine this: All the people that you have invited come to your Reader’s Meeting. And, through
having touched upon the words of the Truth, they feel happy, their smiles shine, and, seeing all
this, you, too, feel tremendously happy…Reader’s Meetings also provide people with an opportuni-
ty to talk about their dreams and share their joy.

The GOALS of the Reader’s Meeting Leader should be to make the meeting one where:

• Friends invite friends, and there are new people who come to the Reader’s Meeting each time.
• People say, “I’ll be here next time, too!”
• Being together as a group makes everyone happy
• By participating each month, the participants will gradually deepen their faith
and just naturally give of their love to others.
• There will be participants who become future leaders and members of the Seicho-No-Ie Movement.

To those who are planning to begin a Reader’s Meeting, as those who have been hosting them can
tell you, you will experience the “joy of giving,” and your life will begin to shine even more
brilliantly! When you shine, so will your community! When your community shines, it will
transmit joy and happiness throughout the world! This is the wonderfulness of Reader’s Meetings!

So, now—let’s all hold WONDERFUL Reader’s Meetings!

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 THE SIGNIFICANCE/MEANING OF HOLDING READER’S MEETINGS

Reader’s Meetings are the frontline of activity where we can proceed forward with the
Humanity Enlightenment Movement-International Peace by Faith Movement and
achieve the Seicho-No-Ie goal of “realizing world peace by faith.”

I believe that people will come to Reader’s Meetings if it is a place that is fun or comforting,
or is a place where one is helped spiritually, or can help find a way in which to resolve
one’s problems. However, while it may be easy to say, trying to hold an “appealing
Reader’s Meeting” like this may be difficult on the person hosting the meeting. If it were
me, I believe I would have to start by studying the teachings of the Truth and comprehend
it broadly and deeply, and also try to expand my own knowledge as to what it is that people
in society are concerned about now and what is currently happening in the world today.

Moreover, it might be difficult to create an atmosphere like this if the Reader’s Meeting is
always held with the same members in attendance. If that’s the case, we need to invite
new people. I think there will be testimonies that come from the Reader’s Meeting host
inviting new people, holding the Reader’s Meeting regularly, studying various things,
using the three correct religious practices as a foundation, and working towards the goal
of making the event as wonderful as possible.

I also was the leader of a Reader’s Meeting when I was in high school, and also when I was
in the Youth and Young Adults Association, and it is from the testimonies that come from
these Reader’s Meetings that the leader finds much joy.
(Mrs. Junko Taniguchi Seicho-No-Ie White Dove Magazine, September 2001)

THE JOY OF PARTICIPATING IN A READER’S MEETING

• Being able to study the Seicho-No-Ie teachings

• Being able to get together with fellow-Seicho-No-Ie members
• Being able to see your real/true self
• Being able to gain self-confidence
• Being able to lead a joyful, happy life
• Finding hope in everyday life
• Finding harmony in inter-personal relationships
• Being able to be grateful to all people, things and circumstances
• Being able to resolve personal problems
• Feeling spiritually and emotionally free
• Feeling healthy

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 Making Your Reader’s Meeting Great!
--You are the connection between the attendees and God!--

The key to making a fun, wonderful Reader’s Meeting is to be sincere and enthusiastic in
the pre-planning, holding and follow-up of the event. As leader of the Reader’s Meeting,
you make it possible for the participants to learn the teachings of the Truth through the
various texts and lectures. In other words, you are a valuable pipeline between the
attendees and God.

By becoming a Reader’s Meeting Leader, you will be spiritually polished and shine even
more than you are now, and that is because you will be able to heighten your awareness
of always being one with God. And you will feel even happier as you see the increased joy
in those who participate in your meetings. Wanting those who attend to enjoy themselves
—that feeling will bring out the love in you.

Here are some suggestions to help you as you hold your meetings:

1. Pre-Event Preparation—Always remember it’s not you, it’s God who is doing everything!

The most important thing for you is to keep in mind that you are always one with God.
Always look to God for direction. You are not the one holding the Reader’s Meeting. It is
God, working through you, who is holding the meeting. Always keep that in mind and
pray in that way.

1. Decide on the date, time and place

2. Set the program—Reader’s Meetings are generally held for 2 hours.

Be sure to adhere to the start-time in particular.

3. Find out who the Lecturer for the meeting will be. Talk with the Lecturer to familiarize
him/her with what happened at the previous meeting, how many people to anticipate,
and find out what the theme will be, what texts will be used, etc.

4. Send flyers, postcards, e-mails letting people know about the meeting.

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2. Day of the Reader’s Meeting—Always keep sincerity first and foremost!
Look after each and every single person who participates!

Sincerity and devotion are important. Everything will be fine as long as you have the
desire to take care of and look after every one who participates in the event.

Kind smile, loving words and praise

—these are the key points for a Reader’s Meeting Leader!

Holding a Reader’s Meeting is a wonderful opportunity to put what we’ve learned into
practice. Greet everyone with a smile! Your smile is the best thing you might be able to
give the participants. Try and use bright, positive words. Some attendees may have problems
and feel negative—in those instances also, don’t be negative along with them. “Face
darkness with light”—good, positive words and phrases, praising and blessing the per-
son—this will help extinguish the negative. Look for the wonderfulness in all participants and
express what you see with your words, expressions and attitude.

BEFORE IT STARTS
• Arrange the books, magazines, any music to be used, flyers announcing other Seicho-No-Ie
events, Holy Mission Fellowship registration forms, magazine subscription forms, etc.
• Make sure everything is neat and tidy.
• Purify the meeting place and bless the participants by reading the Holy Sutra before
everyone gets there.

DURING THE MEETING

• Greet the participants warmly. Make them feel welcome.
• Delegate responsibilities-MC, Opening prayer, etc.
• Praise, applaud and always smile beautifully.
• If there are newcomers, make sure that the Seicho-No-Ie-specific words/terminology
are explained.
• Take photos
• Ask for feedback.
• Make sure everyone knows when the next meeting will be held.
• Afterwards: If you have rented/borrowed a venue, make sure everything is as neat
and tidy as possible.

3. Follow-up—Keep in daily contact with the wonderful people

who came to your Reader’s Meeting

After a successful Reader’s Meeting, you will undoubtedly feel content and satisfied as a
result of seeing the joy in those who participated. It is the moment when you will think,
“I’m glad I became a Reader’s Meeting Leader!” It’s a waste to think that only once a
month. Let’s try to keep in contact with the wonderful people who came to the meeting
by sending them notes or e-mails, or even calling them. There may be those who have
problems, and hearing from you will be a wonderful healing and source of comfort to them.

• Call, e-mail or send notes thanking those who attended.

• Call, e-mail or send notes to thank the Lecturer.

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READER’S MEETING (SAMPLE) PROGRAM
• Hymn

• Prayer to Worship God

• Opening Prayer

• Introduction of Speaker

• Self-introductions

• Lecture/Reading Circle
There may be instances when holding a Reader’s Meeting that the Lecturer, for some reason, cannot
make it. Even then, however, the Reader’s Meeting can still go on, and that is by having a reading
circle. By taking turns reading from the Seicho-No-Ie books and magazines and giving each person
an opportunity to comment will help deepen understanding of the teachings of the Truth and also
familiarize the people with the Seicho-No-Ie writings. By reading together in this way, we can also
discover things that we didn’t notice when reading it on our own. Everyone can develop and
heighten their knowledge of Seicho-No-Ie and grow.

Dr. Taniguchi tells us of the significance of reading Seicho-No-Ie books

together in the following passage:

…The members should bring a copy of the textbook so that all participants can read a section in
turn and afterwards exchange opinions and thoughts on it such as “I was impressed with a section
on a certain page.” This helps you to notice what you would normally miss and appreciate it all the more.
This is how your life grows, the same as with scenery. You might miss beautiful scenery if you were by
yourself. But if you had a companion and if he or she pointed it out to you, saying,“Look, there is such a
beautiful view there; it would probably make a nice picture,” then you would notice the beauty of the
scene you had missed until then. Similarly, if people gather and exchange opinions on a book they read,
sometimes they can appreciate the beauty of life they might have missed…
(Life’s Reader, pp 13-14)

• Discussion

Discussions are a very important part of Reader’s Meetings. It is a very important time when people
can open up their hearts and thoughts. Keep the following in mind when having discussions:

• Keep the mood light and positive with smiles, praise and applause.
• Share testimonies that have to do with the topic of the lecture or the section from the
Seicho-No-Ie magazine/book that was read.
• When someone is talking, be sure to focus on that person, nod and keep eye contact.
• It may be difficult for first-timers to talk in front of the group. Make it easier for them
by asking questions, etc., in order to draw them out.
• Try to have each person say something.

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• Announcements

Along with announcing date and time of the next meeting, as well as other events, talk
proactively about the various publications that are available, including the magazines
for propagation, and also introduce details regarding the Holy Mission Fellowship:

• Magazines: There are many people who have been led to Seicho-No-Ie and
helped/saved through having read the Seicho-No-Ie magazine. The best way to spread
the words of the Truth is to use one of the Seicho-No-Ie magazines that would be easily
and readily accepted by those who are not familiar with Seicho-No-Ie. Along with sub-
scribing and thoroughly reading the monthly magazines personally, Reader’s Meeting
Leaders should make it a point to encourage participants to become subscribers as well.
Always have the following available at all your meetings:

• Copies of the magazine

• Subscription forms

Holy Mission Fellowship: Encouraging people to join the Holy Mission Fellowship is
promising them happiness, and is the first step in the participant’s practicing love. Not
only that, but it is also the foundation of the Humanity Enlightenment Movement-
International Peace by Faith Movement. Give first-time participants copies of Seicho-No-
Ie magazines and information regarding the significance and meaning of the Holy
Mission Fellowship and provide them with a detailed explanation of what exactly it is.
Always have the following available at all your meetings:

• Holy Mission Fellowship pamphlets

• Holy Mission Fellowship application forms

• Closing Prayer (Includes the “Prayer for World Peace”)

• Meeting Leader thanks everyone for coming and announces the date of the next meeting,
encouraging everyone to attend.

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 INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING
--How to Share the Teachings of the Truth--
--The Principles of Individual Counseling and Its Practice—

The goal of individual counseling is to help the person realize that “man is a child of God,
originally without sin.” It is to give them a realization of the Truth and release their mind
of its constraints.

The goal of Individual Counseling is not to heal an illness. This is like a by-product of
counseling. In Seicho-No-Ie Individual Counseling, we help the person gain the “child of
God” realization and continue to counsel the person until he/she can practice that in
daily life.

The only way in which we will receive true blessings is when we have sincere faith and
feelings of gratitude and appreciation. It is then that we receive true blessings.

When we practice the love of “oneness of the self and others,” God appears, and not only
is the person being counseled helped, but the lecturer providing the counsel is as well.

Steps to Individual Counseling

• In Individual Counseling, the child of God self is being given the opportunity to provide
guidance for the other person who is also a child of God.
• When we are about to begin Individual Counseling, we should not begin with a sudden
barrage of questions but instead have the person sit in front of us and begin with a
short Shinsokan.
• After Shinsokan, ask the person whether or not he/she has ever read a Seicho-No-Ie book.
The method of counseling will depend on how much the person knows about Seicho-No-Ie.
• What is important after prayer is having a smiling expression and using words of love
and praise. No matter what kind of person the other party may be, we must have a
bright and smiling expression.
• It is important to make the person feel comfortable and instill a feeling of trust so that
he/she will open up their hearts/minds.
• Individual Counseling is not pointing out the negative points of a person and trying to
make the person receiving the counseling repent. The basic teaching of Seicho-No-Ie
is love, so it is important that the person providing the guidance practice love.

• Love does not touch on the shortcomings of the other,

but focuses on the True Image that lies within.
• The Seicho-No-Ie teaching is not a way of judging others.
It is a teaching that worships the divinity in all people.

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ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION EFFORTS AND INITATIVES
Environmental Policy of Religious Juridical Person, “Seicho-No-Ie”

<Basic Understanding>

The global environmental issue is a serious problem affecting the entire globe and many
future generations.

What is required of humankind today is the religious mind of appreciating the blessings of
nature, worshipping the mountains, rivers, grass, trees, minerals, and energy as
manifestation of Life of God or Buddha, and being aware that we are given life to be in
harmony with them. We believe living a life that is based on this religious mind is the key
to solving the global environmental issue.

Since its founding in 1930, Seicho-No-Ie has spread to all humankind the way of life of
worshipping all creation as Life of God or Buddha based on the teaching that taught us
to “be grateful to everything in the universe.”

Seicho-No-Ie intends to widely disseminate this religious mind as well as to address the
environmental issues by practicing a religious life suited to the modern day, contribute to
conservation of the global environment through a variety of media and activities, and
hand down the “beautiful Earth” to posterity.

In his book, Learning from Nature, the Vice President of Seicho-No-Ie, Rev. Masanobu
Taniguchi states to the effect of the following:

“In order to resolve environmental issues in the true sense of the word, we must change
the way in which humankind looks at things. Of course, we need to find ways in which
we can lessen the burden we place on the environment in our daily lives and contribute
in even the smallest way to environmental conservation, but that will not change the way
in which man views things. (Partial omission)

We will share this teaching with as many people as possible. We must not stop at a surface
level of mere ‘environmental beautification.’ We must go deeper and live with the attitude
that, ‘We are all one life in God, so we are thankful to, respect all living things, including the
mineral resources of this planet as children of God and children of Buddha, and use them
with respect and gratitude.’ To do this, the attitude or way of thinking that ‘all things are
one,’must reach a ‘level of faith.’ This is something I would definitely like you to share. I
believe this is what humankind in the 21st Century definitely needs most.”
(Page 117-118)

Let us start where we can and implement things in our daily life that are considerate of the
environment. Let us devote time during Reader’s Meetings to study about and familiarize
ourselves with environmental conservation efforts and allow time for participants to share
what they are doing to help the environment as well. Let us also try to get involved with
concrete measures, such as community cleaning projects, etc., and do what we can,
beginning where we can, to help and preserve our planet for future generations to come!

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 THE SUNDIAL WAY OF LIFE

Friends, have you even seen a sundial? The main components of a sundial are a gnomon
and a graduated plate. Sunlight shining on the gnomon casts a shadow on the plate
which indicates the time. When there is no sunlight it is impossible to tell the time. On
a particular sundial I saw the following words inscribed:

“I record none but hours of sunshine.”

I call these words the sundial principle. In Seicho-No-Ie, we strive to remember, speak
about and think about only the bright and good times. To our happiness we apply the
power of the words to reproduce and the creative power of words.
(Dr. Masaharu Taniguchi, Seicho-No-Ie, First Issue)

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 REFLECTING ON THIS SEMINAR
This seminar was undoubtedly a wonderful experience for you. Please quiet your mind
and give thanks to each thing that helped make it so, and note the things feel we could
have tried harder to accomplish or do.

------- Gratitude for this Seminar---------

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People gaze at the brilliant harvest moon,

feel purified and cleansed and bless and praise it.

When they do, though it may be only momentarily,

they are able to distance themselves from the worldly

and idle thoughts of delusion of this world.

LEADERSHIP FUNDAMENTALS
V O L U M E 2