| A Second Life |
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| — This Is Your Last Chance — |
Whether or not you choose to engage in self-correction is, fundamentally, your freedom.
That much is true.
In fact, countless people in this world live without ever knowing the true reason why they were born.
Most people believe that life happens only once.
And because they believe life happens only once, they strive so hard.
Because life is thought to be a one-time opportunity, people wish to live happily, freely, and enjoyably.
That is why there are so many different versions of happiness and fulfillment.
And now, amid all of that, you have encountered a question:
"Is that really true?"
And in reality, you are being told:
"No — that is not the whole truth."
At this stage, it may still feel to you like nothing more than a simple invitation.
But once you have encountered this call, I do not believe responding to it remains entirely optional.
Because sooner or later, you yourself will begin feeling that you exist within what I call the "Flow of Consciousness," and within that flow, you will find yourself unable to avoid responding.
Just now, the phrase "Flow of Consciousness" suddenly appeared.
Here, the word "flow" does not merely mean the changing values of society or the passage of historical trends.
It refers to a far greater flow — one that includes all such things within it.
That vast flow gently carries all humanity within itself, including those who are increasingly overwhelmed by uncertain times.
And to resist this immense and tranquil "Flow of Consciousness" is, in truth, impossible.
Yet human beings continue choosing ways of life that run against it.
Even now.
And for some time yet to come.
People still struggle to notice the existence of this great and gentle current.
Perhaps you, too, are still among them.
And yet I feel that, through the many events that will unfold across Japan and throughout the world — and through the events occurring within their own personal lives — there will gradually appear, here and there, people who begin sensing something immeasurably greater than humanity itself.
And they will come to realize that this "something" is not a god, a Buddha, or some mysterious external power.
That realization will eventually become words.
And then it will become action.
Still, a little more time will be necessary before this fully unfolds.
It will take more time for the existence of the "Flow of Consciousness" to truly permeate humanity.
Perhaps I have wandered slightly from the main topic.
But in truth, there is no external reason forcing people to engage in self-correction.
There is only the "Flow of Consciousness" itself.
Human beings living within that flow gradually guide themselves into situations where self-correction becomes unavoidable.
In other words, it is not so much that we "must" engage in self-correction.
Rather, we eventually find ourselves unable to avoid it.
And because such a situation is inevitable, I wish to tell those who have encountered this message:
This is not merely a casual invitation.
Sooner or later, you, too, will begin engaging in the correction of yourself.
And even knowing how difficult that practice may become, I still say:
Please continue.
Now then —
Why was I born?
I was born in order to correct myself.
Those who live the remainder of their lives with such a clear sense of purpose will likely begin feeling, however faintly, that they themselves exist within the "Flow of Consciousness."
And even that faint realization will quietly fill them with happiness and gratitude as they approach the closing moments of their lives.
Even if they pass away quietly and alone, it will not merely be a lonely death.
If one can die knowing why one was born, then it no longer matters whether someone is physically present at the final moment or not.
It is enough simply to feel quietly within oneself:
"I existed within happiness.
I existed within joy.
Thank you for the time in which I was able to truly face myself."
That is what I hope for.
There is no greater blessing than to have time in one's life to devote energy toward understanding what must be corrected within oneself and how that correction may take place.
And if, before death, one can come to know with certainty that such time has become profoundly valuable for one's future existence, then that would be ideal.
Though admittedly, this may not be easy.
So at the very least, I hope these thoughts may remain somewhere quietly within your heart.
Up to this point, I have written mainly for those who have already passed the midpoint of life and are now wondering how they should live — or how they should spend the time that remains.
I have written that:
And that through this process, we gradually come to understand within our own hearts what true joy and true happiness actually are.
That has been the central theme of these pages.
And yes — it is true.
There is no purpose in life greater than coming to know one's true self.
And if one follows these steps sincerely, then eventually, almost without realizing it, one begins sensing the path one is truly meant to walk.
Something within begins resonating quietly.
And with that resonance comes a deep and gentle joy.
It is likely accompanied by a kind of peace you have never experienced before.
However, there is still one final and essential element necessary to complete this process.
Even if you recognize your dark and mistaken patterns and begin moving toward correcting them, something is still missing.
The final step remains incomplete.
And so, as the final and most essential part of this book — indeed, its very core — I would now like to write about:
Meditation
— and more importantly, Correct Meditation —
But before moving into that subject, let me first present the structure underlying everything written in this book.
Please keep this framework in mind.
Why are we born?
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We are born in order to awaken to ourselves.
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What does it mean to awaken to oneself?
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It means coming to know one's true self.
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What is the true self?
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Consciousness. Eternal life. Energy.
Conclusion
I am heart.
I am feeling.
And the essence of human beings is consciousness.
This framework is shared throughout all books in the Flow of Consciousness series published by UTA Books.
If you wish, I encourage you to read the other books in the series as well.