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The 2020 Zenyu Gathering was held June 28th on G.Live (live internet broadcasting)!

24,000 participants from all over Japan and abroad were connected and returned to the origin of GLA

On Sunday, June 28th, the 2020 Zenyu Gathering, which commemorates one of the Sacred Days for GLA members, was held on G. Live (live internet broadcasting).

Zenyu means best friends in life who support each other, strive to develop together, and seek the path together. The Zenyu Gathering is held in honor of the anniversary of GLA’s establishment on April 8th, for each GLA member to return to the origin of GLA and to confirm our foundation for stepping forward into the future.

This year 2020, after having the 50th anniversary last year, is the year for GLA to step forward for the next 50 years. Due to the effect of the novel coronavirus, Zenyu Gathering, which is usually held in April, was held together with the Utsushimi Gathering, which is held in June to honor GLA founder, Shinji Takahashi sensei’s return to heaven, and about 24,000 members participated from all over Japan and 22 countries abroad.

The first half of the program which began at 1pm, started by presenting how Keiko Takahashi sensei has guided GLA in the first half of this year.

Then, a video was presented that encapsulated the essence of GLA’s 51 year journey.

“Human beings harbor eternal life, and life has a purpose and a mission.” Shinji Takahashi sensei appealed to the world this truth a half century ago, and Keiko Takahashi sensei, who inherited this vision, in a miraculous way has brought forth many people who live according to the Study of the Soul for over past 40 years and has laid the foundation of GLA as a true religion. For each one of us, sensei is indeed, the ultimate best friend, and it was a time to deeply engrave in ourselves the joy and responsibility of being a member.

Afterwards, an unexpected present from sensei—aTele Symphony Concert was presented by a mixed group of 110 professional and amateur musicians and members of the GLA choir from Japan and abroad. Each one recorded a performance of “Sarai” (meaning “house” in Farsi), which was edited into one harmonic music piece. The beautiful harmony seemed to symbolize a network of bonds that connect across time and space to the home of the soul.

Lecture by Takahashi sensei – from Yatsugatake Inochi-no-Sato to All over Japan and Overseas

In the second half, the lecture by Takahashi sensei was given. On this day, sensei was present in the prayer hall of GLA Yatsugatake Inochi-no-Sato at the southern foot of Yatsugatake. Yatsugatake Inochi-no-Sato is the place where age-based seminars are held every year for two nights and three days. This year, since the novel coronavirus prevented the events from being held at the Yatsugatake site, sensei went there and brought the fresh wind of the place to us.

She walked quietly along the corridor leading to the prayer hall and put her hands together at the entrance of the prayer hall, and then she took the stage and stated that what we need more than anything else is faith as we live in the era of “unbelievable” symbolized by the novel coronavirus.

To have faith means to have a guidepost on how to live, to have a view of humanity and the world, and to live together with Something Great. Faith is, especially in Japanese society, considered a special thing but sensei said that it is the most natural activity of human beings, and it energizes our mind and strengthens the immunity of our mind against the ordeal of the novel corona Chaos.

And on this day, the final day of the One Day One Sheet Special Seminar, Sensei dialogued with three medical professionals who were playing a major role in the field of the corona epidemic while studying this seminar. Sensei unraveled the paths of their practices in terms of how they were led to their true aspirations by knowing themselves and how living with faith led them to their new life.

Finally, sensei stated that GLA is a community connected by faith, it is a house of faith, and the friends who gather are a family of souls.

Then, she offered a Prayer for Bodhisattva to God, the Great Existence for the paths of each individual GLA member.

The words and spirit of the prayer resonated deep into each person’s soul— While the world is in flux with high uncertainty in the era of “unbelievable”, it was a time for everyone to confirm in their heart the joy of having encountered the unshakable home of souls, the family of souls, and the mission to be fulfilled in the future from now.