Majestic Power | Flame of Hope Book

My First Flame of Hope Chant

It happened when I first studied Tao Shiatsu at the Kyoto dojo,
and later joined the Flame of Hope Chanting.

Before long,
an indescribable emotion suddenly rose within me.

Tears began to flow—
stronger and stronger—
running from my eyes and nose, unstoppable.

It was as if an endless stream of tears
had been waiting to be released.

By the time the mantra began,
I was already sobbing.

“Why is this happening?”
I had no idea.

And yet, when it was over,
both my heart and body
felt astonishingly light.

What was that experience?

Not tears of sadness,
but something entirely different.

Even now, from time to time,
they still overflow without warning.

Then, one day, I understood.

The chant purifies the karma of self and others,
transforming it into light,
guiding all beings
toward infinite evolution.

And I realized this—
not with my mind,
but with my whole body.

In that moment,
a warm, deep sense of happiness
enveloped me completely.

*A mantra is a sacred phrase that practitioners repeat in meditation or prayer. Such sacred utterances exist across many spiritual traditions.