Toritsugi Mediation (con't)

In Japanese, the word toritsugi generally implies the act in which someone's requests, orders or matters are made known to another person or persons. Toritsugi is a very important key word in both Konkokyo philosophy and missionary work. It creates the aiyo kakeyo relationship between Tenchi Kane no Kami (Kami for short), the Principle Parent of the Universe and human beings, Kami's beloved children.

Facing Kami, the Toritsugi-sha or Toritsugi-Mediator, one who practices Toritsugi-Mediation, hears and accepts a person's request asking for freedom from his or her difficulties, and offers it to Kami. During this process, the Mediator accepts the seeker's suffering as his or her own agony, and prays wholeheartedly for the seeker's salvation to Kami-Sama. The Toritsugi-Mediator also apologizes to Kami for irreverances, knowingly or unknowlingly committed by seeker.

Facing the person who is seeking Toritsugi, the Mediator, who has already accepted Kami's request, hands down teaching that help the believer to realize that Kami is the eternal parent of all humanity, who loves each and everyone of us. He will also realize that Kami will help each and every one of us to freeing ourselves from our sufferings. In this way, the Mediator teaches the world and its people the way to salvation. In order for the mutual relationship between the Kami and humanity to be reborn again, Konko Daijin began "Toritsugi-Mediation" such an important religous undertaking.

The place where Konko Daijin practiced his Toritsugi is called kekkai. Toritsugi performed there has been called Kekkai-Toritsugi by the believers of the Konko Faith. The Founder performed Kekkai-Toritsugi on the right-side of a room called the hiromae. With a small desk close to the altar, he sat behind the desk and listened sharply to both the worshipper's and Kami's request. His left ear was directed to those who came to the Hiromae and his right ear was directed to the altar. In this way, he would face sideways to both Kami and people. He turned his face slightly to the altar when he prayed to Kami. And in the same manner, he would face the worshipper when handing down Kami's teachings. In this manner, the Hiromae was neither a place of delivering sermons to large audiences, nor a way of performing prayer rituals in front of the altar.

Konkokyo has used Konko Daijin's Kekkai-Toritsugi as its main method and form for all of Konkokyo's religious activities. This form and method of salvation has firmly continued, not only at the Hombu Hiromae (Headquarter's Worship Hall), but also at every Konko Church.
Kyoshu-sama, the head and main representative of the Konko Organization, performs Kekkai-Toritsugi at Hombu Hiromae. Like his predecessors, he begins from his Toritsug-Mediation from early morning to dawn. He sits at the kekkai everyday throughout the year. Anyone can meet him and seek his Toritsugi-Mediation without making an appointment.

Based on Kekkai-Toritsugi, Konkokyo's toritsugi activities have expanded and have taken on various forms. In the future, Konkokyo's toritsgui activities for saving people and our suffering world should be practiced and expanded on a wider-scale. In order to do this, we need to adapt Konko Daijin's Toritsugi-Mediation, in a form and method which is suitable to a particular countries' own history and culture.

By doing this, we will be able to fulfill Kami's wish:
"There is no one who does not of the blessings of Heaven and Earth, which allows people to live. Kami will let people know about the blessings of Heaven and Earth by sending Konko Daijin throughout the world where the sun shines, to every country, with no exception." (Oboecho 26 - 22: 3)

We will also be responding to Konko Daijin's hope to:
"I am aspiring for a blessings which will completely embrace the world with this Faith." (II Kuneda, Sangoro 11)

The hearts of Konko believers are constantly being awakened through the divine blessings of Toritsugi-Mediation that Konko Daijin started. As Konko people, we should try to creatively find new and various ways to help and save the suffering people of the world. We must also strive to become more like the Founder for the country in which we are living in.

In this way, the workings and blessing of Toritsugi-Mediation will be shared with the people of the world. And the whole world will become Kami's Hiromae, just has Konko Daijin hoped.