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Panorama
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Report from Japan
Master's Loving Blessings Fill
[Qunma] After the four-day Christmas Retreat in Florida in December 2001, Master met with the Japanese initiates staying on at the Florida Center and promised to let Japanese initiates use Her log cabin in Qunma County, Japan. This great gift was a surprise for the initiates, who immediately informed their Japanese brothers and sisters of this exciting news after returning home.
However, winter temperatures are very low in the area where the cabin is located, and it sometimes snows, ruling out camping and retreats. So everyone waited for spring.
When May came, nearby initiates reported that the flowers and trees in the area took on a flourishing look under the warm sunshine; although it was still relatively cold early and late in the day. The Japanese initiates decided to hold a one-day retreat at Master's cabin while they were there and to prepare it for future group meditation sessions.
Retreat Insights
By brother initiate Totani Shinya, Yamanashi, Japan
During the last weekend of May, Japanese fellow practitioners held a one-day retreat at Master's cabin in Qunma County. But I was busy with work, preparing for a bakery renovation project. Besides, a TV station was coming that weekend to interview me for one of their programs. Just when I was wondering whether I should bypass the opportunity to attend the one-day retreat, the station called to reschedule my interview. I am sure that it was a loving arrangement by Master to let me attend the retreat.
Thanks to Master's blessings, we had a sunny weekend for the retreat. A strong wind was blowing when we arrived, but the blustery weather ceased while we were putting up our tents. Late May to mid-June is the most comfortable and beautiful season of the year in Qunma, and the cabin is located in a scenic villa area, so initiates were psychologically prepared to face weekend crowds of visitors. However, contrary to our expectations, there were very few people around during the retreat, and it was so quiet that we only heard the soothing sound of the flowing stream nearby.
Initiates from distant Tokyo had to change buses on their six-hour journey to the retreat. Some initiates even had to leave home as early as Friday. Although it was a long trip, none of us looked tired when we arrived, and everyone enjoyed the happy atmosphere of the gathering.
Although not many people attended, this one-day retreat was comparable to an international retreat in terms of its tasty food, neat setting and tranquil atmosphere. All of the positive aspects of the retreat were attributable to the initiates' careful arrangements and plans, and to Master's love and compassion, which gave us an enjoyable retreat in a beautiful location. After the retreat, all of the initiates' faces shone with contentment and happiness.
