No Hostility. Beautiful and Peaceful Mind Makes You Happy

Truth suggested by Shinto Round Mirror 

If you go to a Shinto shrine, the temple usually has a round mirror in the back of the middle. What does a round mirror mean? Temples are supposed to have God in them, but they don't have a Buddha image. There are no statues in Shinto shrines. So when you look into God in the shrine, you see your own face in the round mirror. Furthermore, there is no scripture in Shinto. This is because Shinto suggests the truth of the world without the use of words. For example, the mirror suggests the truth of the world. Know thyself, that is.

round mirror

round mirror in a shrine

my home shrine

The Mirror Rule

According to "the Mirror Rule," by Yoshinori Noguchi, life is a mirror that reflects your mind. 

So it is not easy to try to control others or the environment in front of us. We tend to look outside ourselves for problems. But in order to change the environment and others, we need to change our own mind, our subconscious mind, which is the main source of the problem. The environment you are in, the circumstances you are in, how you interact with people and how they treat you, are all part of you. The first step is to take control of your own mind.

Make your mind a world where we are all good friends

The only way to control your own mind is to harmonize everything in your mind. If you ridicule others, even in your mind, you will eventually be ridiculed by others. In other words, the person you ridicule is yourself in your mind. The nasty people you associate with, such as people you don't like, people who are mean, people who are angry, etc., are yourself in your mind. 

Ever since I was a junior high school student, unpleasant guys have appeared on a daily basis. It continued until I was in my mid-40s. Of course, the jerks I met in my teens, 20s, and 30s were different people. But at some point I realized they were the same type. And I realized that they were my own inner beings.

So I envisioned in my mind, with all my emotions, a world where all people were getting along and helping each other. Within a few days, the people around me became very kind to me. Everyone I met smiled at me. When I looked at my face in the mirror in the morning, I saw that my face was smiling at me. I deeply understood that it was best not to make enemies in my heart. Since then, I have been trying to make my heart a world where everyone is good friends and helps each other.

Reconciliation with the inner children

All the happiness and unhappiness that comes into your life comes from within yourself. If the trauma from your childhood remains, it will continue to attract similar situations. If this is the case, the first thing you need to do is realize that the trauma in your mind keeps writing the same script. I have a memory of being kicked out of my home by my mother when I was a child. That memory became an inner child in my mind. She had been writing the script all along and distorting my life. 

For example, it's a story of not being able to stay home in peace. Because of that, I moved frequently after high school. But at some point, I realized that my inner child was there. And I made her understand that she didn't have to worry about anything else. 

Then I was finally able to live in the same place with peace of mind. The painful memories of the past become my inner children. It is important to reconcile with our inner children so that we don't let them distort our lives unconsciously.

Mindlessly cleaning and polishing your insides

My recommendation for cleaning your mind is to clean your room. For example, when I encounter difficulties, I clean my room for long periods of time, mindlessly, because I know that a clear mind makes the environment comfortable. 

Even though I know that a clear mind makes the environment more comfortable, it is actually difficult to do so. Moreover, in such times, thinking and worrying about it often clouds the mind instead. 

So one of the most effective things you can do at such times is to clean your room. I clean the mirror, polish the metal pipes in the bathroom, wipe the floor and many other places. In addition, I throw out anything that I haven't used in over a year. This gives me a good idea and improves the outside environment and solves the problem. 

For example, in the summer of my senior year of college, when I was looking for a job, I had five interviews with five companies in a row, and I didn't get any job offers. That's when I started wiping the floor. Eventually, my worries left me and my attention was focused solely on cleaning. Then the phone rang and I received a job offer. How did the situation improve in this way? It's because my mind was in tune with a brighter future. 

When you try to change your mind and it doesn't work, I recommend that you try to clean out your room.

Summary

When things don't work out, check your mind for enemies and traumas nestled in it. Make your mind a beautiful and peaceful world. Cleaning your room is a great way to clean out your mind.

Shortcut to Happiness in Autumn

Enjoy the seasons of life through the seasons 

People who enjoy the seasons enjoy the seasons of life. There is fun to be had at every stage of life. And to enjoy the seasons is a rich life itself.

                         

Autumn in Japan

It's autumn. The memories of the heat wave are far behind us. 

For a richer life, we should enjoy autumn to the fullest. Autumn in Japan is from September to November, when the hot and humid summer heat eases. 

In September, the lingering heat of summer still lingers, and there are many days when you can stay in short sleeves during the day. 

However, it gets cold in the morning and evening, so a cardigan is useful. 

October 1 is a good day to change from summer clothes to winter clothes, and the number of days to wear short sleeves will decrease after that. 

The sounds of autumn, the light of autumn, the breeze of autumn... these provide a sense of relief after the hot summer is over. 

Thanks to the variety of deciduous broad-leaved trees and their climatic characteristics, Japan's autumn leaves are beautiful.

Autumn in Tokyo

Fall foliage viewing is one of the best things to do in the fall. If you don't want to head all the way to Tokyo, there are plenty of places to see the autumn colors. One of them is the East Gardensof the Imperial Palace. It is home to a beautifully landscaped Japanese garden, and it is free. And it's free. You can enjoy the seasonal flowers and trees there. The colorful foliage - red, yellow, yellow-green and brown - is the very stuff of life.

 

Imperial Palace East Gardens 

Stop worrying and simply enjoy the beautiful season

To enjoy the beautiful season is a simple shortcut to happiness. 

Especially since autumn is the season of harvest, the richness of life itself. 

I want to take a deep breath and take a leisurely walk in nature, taking in the beautiful colors of the season.

Conclusion

Autumn is the season of harvest, the richness of life itself. People who enjoy the seasons enjoy the seasons of life. It's a shortcut to happiness.

Art and culture at Tokyo National Museum online in English

Art and culture enrich the inside

I went to the Tokyo National Museum onSeptember 21, 2020 with my daughter. It was a pleasant autumn day in Tokyo.

This day is a free viewing day. The following 3 days in a year are free viewing days:

1. May 19th (Tuesday), 
2. September 3rd Monday, 
3. November 3rd (Tuesday / holiday)

The Tokyo National Museum is a museum of Japanese and Oriental cultural properties (arts, archaeological relics, etc.). 

Reservations must be made prior to your intended visit.

The purpose of my visit to the museum this time was to trace the memories of old things. I'm sure things have memories. I wanted to connect with the thoughts of my ancient ancestors.

Changes in consciousness appearing in ancient objects

I felt that the times would obviously change significantly.

1．For example, a clay figurine.

1-1. First, the clay figurines of BC

No.8 is "goggle-eyed" clay figure, which is very unique among variety of humanoid figurine from the late Jōmon period. It's like an alien in a spacesuit.

1-2. Next, the Kofun period when war and centralization began

 

The expression of the Jomon period in BC is full of mysterious charm. The haniwa around the 6th century dates from the Kofun period (Tumulus period), when the war and centralization began, and it seems that the expression is somewhat melancholy.

2．Another example is a vessel.

2-1. First, the vessels of BC

2-2. Next, modern vessels

Modern vessels are sophisticated and beautiful, but BC vessels have a mysterious energy.

Touch the spirit of ancient ancestors

Another purpose is to see the toes of the stone statue of Sakhmet, the goddess of ancient Egypt. The head of the goddess is a lioness. She is also the goddess of the sun. In Egyptian mythology, Sakhmet is a warrior goddess as well as goddess of healing.

Like my daughter, Sakhmet has a long second toe. 

It's nice to have something similar to this unique goddess of ancient Egypt.

Art and culture are elements of inner affluence. 

Tokyo National Museum has Japanese and Oriental cultural properties, available online in English. 

English Online Videos

Memory in Objects at Rest Affects Our Life in Real

Memory in architecture and objects 

Maurice Halbwachs (1877-1945)  was a French sociologist, famous for his advocacy of the concept of Collective memory. According to him, the past is inscribed as a trace in space and held collectively through this trace. 

Difficult academic reasoning aside, it is true that sometimes I get a strong sense from architecture or objects. I know that there is certainly something like memory in objects at rest.

Two contrasting experiences of architectural memory in Scotland 

A trip to Scotland in 1995 gave me a sensitivity to the presence of an invisible force. As soon as I enter an architecture, I recognize it as negative or positive.

I traveled to Inverness, Scotland in 1995 when I was a student at L.S.E in London. I studied Philosophy at that time.  At Inverness, I touched on the memory of these two contrasting types of architecture.

Landscape in Inverness

Architectural with Happy Memory in Scotland 

A wonderful stay in Inverness, Scotland, was at the Manor House, Loch Ness Country House Hotel at Dunain Park.　It was the best stay of my life. If it comes true, I want to stay again in my lifetime. 

It had a beautiful garden surrounded by the scent of herbs. The staff were friendly and sophisticated and made my stay comfortable. Most importantly, the food was excellent. It was similar to French food, but with a beautiful, delicate, herb-based sauce that was delicious. The furniture, including chairs, tables and shelves, was tasteful. 

I enjoyed reading and talking to regular customers in the drawing room.　I felt the time pass happily. As I looked out of the window at the garden, I felt as if there were dainty fairies in the garden.  Perhaps it was just my imagination, but it was a strange sensation.

Architectural with Sad Memory in Scotland 

In the same Inverness, I booked a stay at the castle. 

The castle is owned by an old German couple. I was the only guest in the castle. As they showed me around the castle, I sensed a small screaming negative presence at the end of the corridor. 

It was late in the evening. I went into my room where I would be staying. After a while, the lights suddenly went out. And the furniture in the room started to clatter and shake. In the darkness, someone was approaching me from the corner of the room. I stiffened in horror. 

But I knew it was not safe to sit still there. So I took a deep breath and got myself together. Clenching my fists, I walked out of the room. It happened in a split second. 

Then I told the German couple that I couldn't stay here, and I left the castle and stayed in a nearby business hotel. 

The owner of the castle was said to have been killed, according to a story I heard later, but his body had not been found.

 

Former Residence of Prince Asaka in Tokyo, Japan

Another experience was in Tokyo: I went to Tokyo Metropolitan Teien Art Museum in September, 2020 with my two daughters.

The tickets of the museum

This building is the Former Residence of Prince Asaka. It was built by a Japanese craftsman based on an Art Deco style design. 

Giant perfume bottle

The prince and his family left the imperial family on October 14, 1947, at the behest of GHQ. And they left this mansion. 

                              

The combination of high artistry and memories of the lives of noble people made me feel heavy energy. 

The trees and gardens surrounding the mansion cleansed, lightened, and blew away its weight. In a sense, from this museum, I may have enjoyed the autumn of art and meditation.

Japanese garden in Teien Museum

Resonate with architecture with happy memories to be happy

Some buildings have happy memories and others have negative memories. 

This is especially true in older buildings. If you have the freedom to choose, it is better to spend time in a building with happy memories. 

Because such buildings evoke a sense of happiness. 

Everything is a wave, and if one is in tune with the happy wave, one will become happy.

Creating a happy resonance in your living space 

Compared to our relationship with people, it is easier to change our relationship with things. 

To the extent that we have a choice in where we live and what we do, we can change it to something positive. 

A tuning fork of the same vibrational frequency resonates, so it is helpful to spend time in good places and with things that we like in order to maintain a happy tone. 

"You are what you have in a sense..."

On the other hand, it's not a good idea to hoard things you no longer use. Because that's not a good relationship. And it is important to keep it clean.

Conclusion

Architecture has memories. So we want to spend time in architecture with happy memories. Our relationship with our possessions is also important. To make your life happy, it's beneficial to just get your living space in order.

                              

Divine Intervention

Unbelievable Divine Guidance 

Sometimes unbelievable divine guidance happens. 

My father and mother's marriage, for example, was due to the fact that their two mentors' hospital rooms were across from each other. 

The old teachers told each other stories of the young men and women who visited them.

👴"A good-natured young lady came to visit me today. She is unmarried."

👵"An honest and serious young man came to see me today. He is also unmarried."

👴"Yes, we'll arrange an introduction for them."

👵"Yes, we will."

Then the young man and woman, i.e., my parents, were married. 

The next year, I was born.

Just when you forget, the thing you wanted comes to you.

God's intervention comes from a completely unexpected place. 

I try so hard to want something, and in my case, it usually doesn't work. 

But sometimes, just when I forget, what I want appears: a master's thesis I wrote in 1999 that I had lost and given up on. 

But 20 years later, in April 2020, someone had a copy of it in electronic form. At the time I wrote it up, I gave a copy to a few people, and one of them gave it to someone else. 

That person was kind enough to scan it and keep it in electronic media. I happened to meet with that person and was able to regain what I had lost. 

God made my wish come true over time. I am continually grateful.

Blessings that saved me from a desperate plight 

In December 2001, I traveled to Dusseldorf via Copenhagen. My flight was delayed and I didn't make a good connection, so I arrived in Dusseldorf at midnight. 

I had to take a train. The last train was announced and I jumped on it. I asked the other passengers in broken German if I would be arriving at the station I wanted to go to. He kindly replied that it was the third station. 

When I arrive at the station, another problem I noticed: it would take 20 minutes to drive from the station to the hotel. 

It was already past midnight. I didn't want to walk in the dark and cold. 

Then a taxi came by. It was as if it had come for me. I told the driver the name of the hotel and he took me to my destination without any hesitation. 

But it was 1 a.m. and the hotel door was closed. I was about to freeze to death. Then the hotel staff came from behind and unlocked the door for me. It was truly a miracle! I walked into the warm room and cried tears of gratitude. 

I later learned from my birth chart that it was dangerous to travel at this time of year. 

Many blessings protected me.

 

Surely there is divine intervention

There is, after all, divine intervention. Because sometimes there are miracles that can't be explained. Astrology might say it's the influence of the planets. In any case, it seems that there are some things that humans cannot understand. Gratitude, with all my heart.