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Old 08-07-2010, 05:43 PM   #83
Rev.K. Barrish
 
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Dojo: Tsubaki Kannagara Jinja
Location: Granite Falls, WA
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 42
United_States
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Re: What paths lead to internal power??

Hello everyone, sorry for slow reply, Tsubaki America Jinja was very busy all day to receive sanpaisya, so this is my first chance to stop by the computer.

Mr. Burgess, thank you for your kind thinking.

Mr. Philipson, basic meaning of my post was to try to explain from the Jinja Shinto perspective MYO HO JIGEN JIN PEN JINTSURIKI

“妙法 Myoho: it is to understand Kannagara. Kannagara is the law of the Great Nature. We human beings can receive infinite courage, power and wisdom by resonating with and progressing in harmony with the ceaseless movement of the Great Nature.

示現 Jigen: Ji is to indicate and gen is to manifest. It mean to practice correctly the way of Kannagara. This means to respect the life you received from your ancestors and revere the kami (generative force of Nature), and to practice and hand down correctly Kyozon Kyoei/ co-existence and co-prosperity. This is the method to receive inspiration and power from Nature/Kami and to achieve good result.

神変 Jinpen: It means that, the Great Spirit of the kami enters into a body of those who are genuinely doing best and it’s effect actually appears in one’s action. 神 kami should be pronounced as Shin and 神力 should be pronounced as shinriki. When it’s divine power appears through the human body, the pronunciation should be as jinriki and an effect of Jinriki is called as 神通力, Jintsuriki. This change to a sonant from a resonance means actual embodiment of the kami power.

神通力 Jintsuriki: It does not sound as Shintsuriki. Sarutahiko Okami (Kami of KI, Aiki Oyagami/ancestor kami) is the kami with mysterious power of Jinpen and it is tha kami that manifests us infinitely this Jintsuriki. We seriously hope to become a person with Jointsuriki, who is capable of catching the power of the kami by a whole body.”

The basic meaning is that Aikido is a spiritual technology by which a human being can harmonize with and manifest the KI power of Great Nature.

Here is something written by my late teacher, Rev. Yukitaka Yamamoto who was the 96th generation Guji (High Priest) of Tsubaki Grand Shrine in Japan where and installed the Guardian Kami of Aikido in O’Sensei’s Iwama Aiki Jinja:

Master Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, visited Tsubaki grand shrine in spring of 1958, guided by master Michio Hikitsuchi of Kumano Aikido dojo. As soon as master Ueshiba arrived at the shrine, he told me he would practice the misogi (a waterfall purification) at Konryu-Myojin's waterfall of Tsubaki Grand Shrine, and he practiced misogi with me.

Then he participated in a purification ceremony at Haraiden (the Shrine purification hall), and prayed at Honden (the main sanctuary). After I finished reciting the Norito (prayer) he chanted, "Su-U-Ah-Oh-Uh-Eh-Ih" then took the wooden sword and offered several Aikido moves to OhKami. At that time he said, "these are the basics of Aikido. Moves which unite the being with the great nature, all of them given by Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami." He continued, "Aikido is misogi. Misogi of ourselves. Aikido is the way of misogi itself, the way to become Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami and stand on the Ame- no-Ukihashi (the bridge between heaven and earth). In other words, the skills of misogi are Aiki, the way of uniting heaven and earth, the way of world peace, the way of trying to perfect humanity, the way of the Kami, the way of the universe.
He rested at my house and he told me and my father, "I have been given many teachings by Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami. OKami told me, 'By the work of Takehaya Susanowo no Mikoto, you will worship the Ame no Murakumo KuKamisamuhara Ryu O (Kami of Takemusu) and build an Aiki shrine and dojo.' Then I built the Aiki shrine and dojo in Iwama, Ibaragi prefecture in 1940. Since then I have been searching for the main shrine of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami. I heard Tsubaki Grand Shrine is the main shrine of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami, so I visited here today."
After that day master Ueshiba visited the shrine many times a year. When he came to the shrine in 1959, he said he would like to enshrine Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami at the Aiki shrine. In July 1960 I, instead of my father, took the Goshintai of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami (statue of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami) to the Aiki shrine in Iwama and performed the enshrinement ceremony. I went there with Mr. Shoji Gomi, who made the Goshintai, Mr. Akihide Isokai, and Mr. Masanori Fukuchi, shrine supporters. I remember that day: Master Ueshiba had great joy. It was a big ceremony with many participants, including master Kisshomaru Ueshiba of the Tokyo dojo.
After that he came to the shrine often. He planted a tree by the waterfall of the shrine. That tree remains there today.
I think master Ueshiba's words, "Aikido is misogi" are true. Human beings are born as children of the Kami and can become Kami. Misogi is the practice of uniting with the great nature and uniting with the universe. Of course humans have flesh and blood, but by practicing misogi we can elevate our spirits. At the same time, Aikido misogi is a way of harmonizing heaven and earth, a way of producing harmony and a way of uniting everything with the Kami. In other words, Aikido and misogi erase the mind that fights and and create a heart of harmony, a way of having a heart of Kami and a way of becoming the Kami of Takemusu.
Later, he had a trip to Hawaii. He went to attend the opening of an Aiki dojo. When he returned from Hawaii, he came to the shrine and reported his trip to Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami. He told me that he finished the misogi of Hawaii and showed me the key he had received as an honorary citizen of Honolulu.
In 1967 Mr. Akihide Isokai came to the shrine. At that time master Ueshiba said, "I can't go by myself already. At last the time has come. I would like to give Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami my address." So he sent mr. Isogai instead of himself.
Now I remember these things. These things remain with me, the faith of master Ueshiba and the Ueshiba who became Kami.
I would like to pray that the spirit of master Ueshiba shines on.
I am very glad that we enshrined him as one of the leaders at this Kototama ceremony.

Perhaps more helpful is this quote from Yamamoto Yukitaka Sendai Guji:

“Sarutahiko Okami, the main deity of Tsubaki Kannagara Jinja and Tsubaki OhKami Yashiro is the Kami (divine being) of guidance. The head shrine of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami, located at the foot of the Mt. Takayama in the Suzuka Mountain Ridge, has been worshipped from ancient time. In 3 B.C., 2000 years ago, in the 27th year of the 11th Emperor Suinin, Tsubaki Grand Shrine was formally established. Therefore Tsubaki O Kami Yashiro is one of the oldest shrines existing in Japan.
When the founder of Aikido, Venerable Morihei Ueshiba, visited Tsubaki O Kami Yashiro - head shrine of Sarutahiko Okami - and made special prayer, the secret of waza was brought forth through the divine revelation. Since then day and night he practiced Misogi Shu Ho to reach the state of unity between the Kami (divine beings) and human beings.
Venerable Morihei Ueshiba cultivated spirituality so profoundly that he created Takemusu Aiki, and he taught the great power and wisdom of Sarutahiko-no-O-Kami to students of Aiki. Later he was able to show Jintsuriki, special divine power. Jintsuriki means that Shinriki - or the ki of the Great nature - is transformed to Jinriki or, actual power or waza, which will be delivered by man after being absorbed and accumulated by man's spirit, mind and body. “

My personal opinion that internal power is natural—when we mix the Ki of Earth, the Ki of Heaven and the Ki of human being in the hara, kokyu comes forth….to have the experience of Aiki we must first cease doing what is not Aiki….by sharpening our senses through Misogi Shuho we can discern what is genuine and what is superfluous/ obstructing. We can then discover for ourselves the meaning of MYO HO JIGEN JIN PEN JINTSURIKI.

Yoroshiku onegaishimasu
K. Barrish
America Tsubaki Okami Yashiro Kannushi