Yesterday, I spoke about Amaterasu as a symbol of power struggles—a force of battle energy—and I still believe that's true.
When we turn our hearts to Amaterasu, thoughts and feelings of conflict, family pride, the drive to be the best—all of these begin to surface.
But there's another important association with Amaterasu: the miko (shrine maidens).
Each one of you has lived as a miko many times throughout your countless past lives.
The experience of being torn away from your mother at a young age and taken to a place for "training"—to hear the voice of the gods—is something that surely resides in your heart.
So when you think of Amaterasu, the feelings that arise are not just about fierce pride or dominance, but also deep sorrow and pain.
There's the grief of being separated from your mother, of growing up under harsh conditions, undergoing endless training from a young age.
And if you failed to demonstrate the expected "abilities," you were discarded like trash.
That kind of pain—indescribable and heavy—still lingers inside.
If you meditate sincerely, you will inevitably reach that memory.
Those buried emotions will begin to emerge.
So as we now turn our hearts toward Amaterasu in meditation, it's fine to face the drive to be the best.
But more than that, I encourage you to connect with the dark, unspeakable feelings from when you were very small—the ones you don't want to touch, the ones you wish you could avoid.
If you can feel that pain when facing Amaterasu, gently say to it: "That's not the truth. Let's return to the Mother."
Just repeat that message, simply and sincerely.
You were so small.
You didn't know where you were being taken.
At first, they may have spoken to you with kind words, saying things like, "You are special," "You're amazing."
But the truth is, you were taken to a terrible place.
If you pleased those in power, things may have gone smoothly for a while.
But in the end, you were used up and discarded.
You lived a pitiful life and died broken, like a piece of worthless rubbish.
You carry many such memories in your heart.
Please return those memories to the heart of Tomekichi Taike.
I hope the gentle version of yourself will be reborn.
There are many, many companions walking this path with you.
That's why I believe that turning your heart toward Amaterasu is a truly important practice.
Feelings of apology and remorse naturally arise when we do so, which is why meditating on Amaterasu matters deeply to me.
(From the second day of the Kashihara Seminar, May 2016 / Kashihara Royal Hotel)