Tenseishinbikai Religious Organization

2-21-07 

I've been studying a religious group called Tenseishinbikai for about five months now. I befriended one of their members because he was cute, and found his religion absolutely fascinating. Now I visit their church and events, and I teach a group of them English in return for a family-style vegetarian meal and great conversations. They seem like wonderful, kind people. 

Of course, I have also found many Japanese people who are skeptical or outright mean towards members. For example, just the other day, while my landlord was in my house looking at a ceiling leak in my shower, a member of the church came to my door to give me the monthly newsletter. (I hadn’t met this particular member; maybe he was new in town). He was young, in his 20s, and very friendly. We started talking and I told him bout my buddy and how much I love the local church. To my surprise, my landlord walked into the hallway and asked him, in clear, cold, super polite Japanese, “What are you here for?"

The guy said "Hello! I’m a member of the religious organization Tenseishinbikai." My Landlord said, "Well, I'm not a member,  that's for sure. We are very busy right now so be on your way.” 

I felt insulted, and the young man clearly got uncomfortable. I just continued the conversation we were having about taking a trip to Honshu in March to visit my buddy who plays the oboe at the church's headquarters. I asked if he was going, too. “I am!” He said. “That's great! I'll see you later then!” I replied and walked him to the door. The boy looked me in the eyes and said, most genuinely, “thank you so much.” I closed the door, and went back into the kitchen. My landlord came out of the shower room and said, again in polite Japanese, “They are bad people, you know.  They are a bad organization, ne.” I said, in polite Japanese, that maybe that is true, but I am friends with some of them and even though I already have a religion and don’t plan on converting to theirs, I enjoy their conversations and kindness. He then smiled, looked me in the eyes and said half-seriously, “They seem kind on the outside, but they are bad on the inside.” 

I wanted to ask why, but he turned, left the hallway, and went back into the shower room. The answer probably involved how they try to get members and financial supporters. But like TM and other new-age religions, they believe theirs is actually better than others because it is transreligious. It recognizes that getting stuck in religious absolutism is a significant cause of today’s global problems, and thus they believe their specific method of meditation and healing is altruistic and reasonable and necessary for “paradise on earth” and the new "Human Civilization" to emerge as a stage in evolution. Hierarchies are bad, and that idea is better than all the rest. Like other religions, they have their own performative contradictions. 

But the interesting thing about their religious practices is that they perform an ancient healing yogic posture used by both Jesus and Buddha. It's common, but in this modern world, it just looks weird and awkward putting your open palm up close to someone's head while meditating. It is especially strange when they do it in the middle of work without explanation. It's similar to the hopping done by the TMers, which really weirded-out my mom). 

they call it this hand-healing Jorei, and it's just another new religion trying to revive the rituals and healing methods of the past. Jorei, their main form of worship involves one person sitting and imagining (and believing, although that is not necessary) that healing power is coming out of the other person’s open palm as light, directly into their life, body, and mind. And the person doing the Jorei, holding their hand up, is not supposed to think about anything. If possible, they completely clear the mind. And if thoughts come, there is nothing you can do about it, so just let them pass. But you must keep your hand up and be wearing a special amulate around your neck. If your hand gets tired, change hands, but keep the connection there. 

They believe that whatever healing happens, it is not you doing it anyway, but is the universe healing itself, so you don’t have to do any special visualization or concentrative meditation. Just sit there with your hand up and the miracles will happen by themselves. Now, one rational reason why this healing can and does work to some degree is what is known as the placebo effect. The sick or sad person, by believing that this will work, constructs healthier, positive thoughts in their mind, and this helps relax the body and aids in the natural healing or evolving process. It works that way for the receiver as well as for the giver: The giver, in needing to fulfill some psychological urge to help others, to help heal and bring about peace, can hold her hand there and believe that she is finally helping in a meaningful way. 

The give of the Jorei miracle may not feel anything "spiritual" necessarily. Maybe a little pain in the arm after a while, but they do feel like they are helping, and that can be very beneficial. And, in a way, the receiver is actually giving the Jorie to the giver, by letting that person perform the ritual. 

It’s perfectly ok for non-believers to sit in front of this person patiently while they do this ritual. It is a gift to them, the giver. We do similar things when we accept to watch a dance or eat cultural food. It might seem strange, but it is a wonderful chance for someone to share with you his or her interests and pleasures. Whether or not subtle energies and spiritual "ki" and fire energy is being transferred during Jorei is of course up for debate. No doubt the Jorei affects people, though. I think ultimately even "nonbelievers," like myself, benefit from Jorei, with our co-workers appearing more friendly and happier day after day, creating a more peaceful atmosphere. This is so much like TM; only TM has scientists proving that meditation benefits the mind, body, and world. 

Their philosophy is fascinating but also flawed in their inability to see that other philosophies and methods of peace are good too. They are caught in absolutism, or ethnocentrism, trying to convert others. This is very annoying for some. But they really are harmless, I think. And to me, well, they are reviving an ancient yogic poster long forgotten by the masses (even Jesus did this one, remember!) And so did Buddha, and their members seem happy and healthy enough. I’d say they are actually a positive influence in the world. They definitely promote the idea the there is one God who has many different religious names. That is a good, beneficial, tolerant idea, I guess. To each their own. And I have of course received Jorei a few times, and it was a great feeling (because I did my meditation and also tried to imagine what it would feel like to have light pouring into my forehead, and it felt great!). But that doesn't mean I'm going to join the organization. They want me to, but I'm just not that interested.  

I think Tenseishinbikai is far more grounded than TM, for lack of a better term. But they both speak of the Age of Enlightenment, and the Effortless order and organization of Natural Law. They also both promote the immediate end of the use of fertilizers and they both have huge dome-shaped temples. 

Here is a video they hand out.