The 1,006th session of Shuyoka (the three-month Spiritual Development Course) was held between April 1 and June 27 with thirteen classes, including the English and Chinese classes. This session took place at a time when the entire Tenrikyo community is striving to bring forth the fruits of the pre-anniversary activities in the third and last year of preparations for the 140th Anniversary of Oyasama.
During the three months, the presence of overseas students served as a catalyst for unity among all Shuyoka participants. Everyone who could stepped forward to offer language and other forms of support to the international students, whose fresh perspectives brought new energy to Shuyoka. There was an atmosphere that fostered mutual understanding and empathy that grew into spiritual exchanges beyond words. This nurturing of heartfelt connections across cultural and linguistic barriers offered a glimpse of the Joyous Life.
The English Class welcomed fourteen students from around the world, including Hawaii, Australia, Canada, Cambodia, Kenya, Brazil, and the Philippines. With English as the common language, both native and non-native speakers of English were filled with enthusiasm to work together to learn—or relearn—the teachings, highlighting the distinctive character of this international class.
The students’ backgrounds in the faith varied widely. Some were seeking to deepen their understanding of the teachings they already knew—including two who were attending Shuyoka for the third time and one who had already completed the Church Head Minister Qualification Course—while others were relatively new to the faith, such as one who had just embraced it this past February.
Each day in Shuyoka began with the morning service at the Main Sanctuary, followed by a morning training session and breakfast back in the followers dormitories. On Monday to Saturday, students commuted to Shuyoka for classes on The Doctrine of Tenrikyo, The Life of Oyasama, and the Mikagura-uta (The Songs for the Service), as well as service dance practices.
The Anecdotes of Oyasama also served as a supplementary textbook. Drawing on the stories in the book, students focused on key teachings and discussed how to put them into practice in their daily lives.
Learning opportunities extended beyond the classroom. During lunch, the students and instructors sat together in the dining hall, engaging in lively conversations about the teachings and sharing faith experiences.
In the afternoon, there were lessons in the musical instruments for the service and hinokishin activities. Once students returned to their respective followers dormitories, they engaged in hinokishin, attended the evening service, and participated in another training session.
Homeroom Instructor Masahiko Okamoto, a staff member of Tenrikyo Overseas Department, said: “This year’s Shuyoka English Class was a cheerful, friendly, and fun group. Moreover, true to the words of God, ‘I bring you together and protect you according to your causality,’ we had something in common. We each carried our own burdens—some bore deep emotional wounds, while others felt frustration that they could not break free from negative habits and temperaments. For all of us, including the class instructors, a common theme was ‘cultivating a sincere mind that can humbly receive help from God the Parent, Oyasama, and the people around us.’”
Assistant Instructor Burt Iwata, head minister of Wahiawa Church, noted: “I believe this Shuyoka was a timeout in my life so that I could adjust my thoughts and actions to align with the intention of God the Parent and allow me to experience more joy and satisfaction. . . . This was a very meaningful three-month timeout for me, and the challenge for me will be to implement what I learned in my daily life upon returning to Hawaii.”
Corey Kikuchi, who served as a class monitor for this year’s English class, said: “Living in Tenri, close to Jiba is always wonderful! It makes me so grateful and blessed to have this opportunity to experience Shuyoka for a third time. Meeting everyone from different countries and learning about their lives gives me a better understanding of how amazing the Tenrikyo religion really is. I’m more motivated now because my classmates have shown me that true joy exists everywhere all over the world!”