Vol. 34 No. 66 - I AM the Witness

Vol. 34 No. 66 - I AM the Witness - December 22, 1991

I AM the Witness

Dear Mother,

Following the seven-week Montessori course in the summer of 1987 at the Inner Retreat, you invited all the students to a joyous luncheon with you at The Ranch Kitchen. What an absolute delight it was to meet you in person! I was so elated that all I could say to you was, “Mother, it took me twenty years to find you!” In your very soft, sweet voice you asked me, “What took you so long?” Until today I have not been able to answer that question.

From the age of three until I found the Teachings, I always knew that I was the most fortunate person on planet earth!

As you know, I am an American of Japanese ancestry. My parents were born in Osaka, Japan, and moved to the United States in 1921. I was born in Pocatello, Idaho, and was blessed to have grown up bilingual. My mother made certain that I learned to speak, read and write the Japanese language before kindergarten. She knew that once I started school, I would pick up the English language very quickly.

My early years were very happy years, filled with the finest studies and experiences of both the American way of life and the Japanese traditions. My parents were Buddhists, but my mother would always tell me that three great Teachers influenced her life at all times: Gautama Buddha (Hotoke-Sama), Kuan Yin, the Goddess of Mercy (Kannon-Sama), and Jesus the Christ (Kirisuto-Sama). Whenever I accomplished something good, she would say: “God is always with you and therefore you are most fortunate. Always give the credit to God” (Kami-Sama no okage-desu).

On many occasions when my mother spoke to me about her three favorite Teachers, she would state that someday I would meet a great spiritual leader in America. She told me that this is why I had to be born in America. In fact, her mother had told her that all of her children must be born in America. Each time my mother would speak of this, I would put the thought in the back of my mind that I should one day seek and find this great spiritual leader.

My family moved to California in 1936. I was just entering my teens when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor in December 1941, beginning World War II. My life was suddenly interrupted. All Japanese Americans living on the West Coast (approximately 120,000) were shortly thereafter placed into ten concentration camps under the War Relocation Authority. It was a frightening experience. The entire camp was surrounded by barbed-wire fences. U.S. soldiers patrolled with rifles with real bayonets and kept constant watch from high guard towers. We were virtually prisoners.

For me, however, the three and a half years of incarceration turned out to be a blessing. I was so busy that the years just flew by. I started teaching classical Japanese dance and drama to students, ages four to fifty. We put on a stage show every weekend at one of the thirty-six sections of the camp. (More than 10,000 people were in our Relocation Center.)

In addition to teaching, I coordinated, directed and performed in many beautiful dance and drama productions. I also attended school and participated in as many student activities as I had time for. By God’s grace, I was chosen to deliver the valedictorian address for my graduating class of 280 students.

After the war, I continued teaching Japanese classical dance and drama until my early twenties. I taught in Chicago and later in Los Angeles.

In my mid-twenties I went into several successful business ventures with my brother. Success enabled me to purchase expensive homes, cars, furs, jewelry and to travel extensively to different parts of the world.

Eventually I realized that I had no further need for a life-style of material success and personal recognition. I somehow knew that it was time to give it all up. With each success, I would hear myself saying to myself, “So what? What’s next? You haven’t done anything yet!” I felt that there was something very important missing in my life. It was at this point that I seriously began my search for God and for you, Mother. I knew it was time to look for the spiritual leader whom my mother had said I would one day meet.

Twenty-four years ago, in August 1967, I traveled throughout Europe for eight months. I made Paris my base, leasing an apartment there for six months. I kept looking for this unknown someone whom I knew I must find. I stayed in the best hotels throughout Europe and attended beautiful operas, symphonies, ballets and dramas. I went to art museums, combed the bookstores and studied the cultures of each country. I even traveled throughout the entire country of Israel, thinking that this person might be in the Holy Land.

Though I thoroughly enjoyed every country, culture and experience, I had such a longing to see America–the same longing I had experienced when I left America earlier in my life to study for eighteen months in Japan. On both trips I could not understand my loneliness. I was not lonesome for any particular individual. I longed to see America, the Statue of Liberty and the Golden Gate Bridge. Each time I returned to America, the country of my birth, and saw either the Goddess of Liberty standing majestically in New York Harbor or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco Bay, tears would flow down my cheeks for no apparent reason.

Upon returning to America in 1968, I continued my search. Thoughts that I might find the spiritual leader I was seeking at a university led me to enroll as a freshman at the University of Southern California. This venture turned out to be a great blessing!

I entered the university with valedictory students who were sixteen through eighteen years old from all parts of the United States. I witnessed and helped the students through the various traumas and problems characteristic of the late teen years: the drive for scholastic excellence, the pressure to achieve, grades and tests, boyfriend/girlfriend problems, et cetera.

At the end of my sophomore year, I suddenly decided, while viewing the campus and eating my lunch, that I should become a teacher instead of continuing my studies in international relations. I successfully completed my studies in education and earned my bachelor of science and my master of science degrees.

When I received my bachelor’s degree, I didn’t feel the same joy that everyone else felt. I asked myself again: “So what? What’s next? You haven’t done anything yet!”

And when I received my master’s degree, I thought: “Why don’t I feel anything? Golly, something is wrong with me! So what? Now what’s next?”

For the most part, however, my years at the University of Southern California were very happy, delightful years filled with studying, learning and belonging to and participating in various organizations. I was even happier when I taught second- and third-graders for three years immediately after I completed my studies at the university. I absolutely could not believe that I was being paid for such a fantastic teaching position, which I loved and enjoyed so thoroughly every day!

In the summer months I continued to take classes at the university, taught four- and five-year-olds how to read and write using the phonics method, volunteered at the LAC/USC Medical Center Psychiatric Hospital (children’s ward) and traveled whenever I could squeeze a few days or a week or two of free time into my busy schedule. All the while I was constantly looking for the one who would be my spiritual leader.

After three years of teaching, I returned to the University of Southern California as a full-time student in the doctorate program. Upon receiving my prestigious doctorate degree three years later, I again wondered: “Why don’t I feel something like everyone else?” It was supposed to be such a wonderful, happy occasion. This time I looked up to heaven and, while my fellow graduates were hugging and shouting, I cried out: “God, what is wrong with me?” There was no answer. So I said to myself: “So what? What’s next? You haven’t done anything yet!”

After turning down several offers for administrative positions in public schools, I returned to the teaching field for another five years, this time to work with gifted young teens. My enthusiasm for teaching inspired the school counsellors, program coordinators, principal and vice principals to work harder themselves. I tried to instill within the other teachers a joy for teaching and the desire to excel. Four years later, our school received the School of Excellence Award from the president of the United States. What a great honor for the entire student body, teachers and administrators! I was delighted that I had chosen to teach rather than go into administration.

Finally, in the summer of 1985, I recognized that I needed to seriously begin my spiritual studies and to pursue a spiritual path on a full-time basis. I researched where I might go for these studies and I found a New Age community at the top of the Ozark Mountains of Oklahoma. The forest was heavenly with an abundance of green pines and other very tall trees, squirrels, chipmunks, deer and a variety of birds. The Illinois River ran nearby with streams here and there.

I had a beautiful home built at the top of a mountain with a breathtaking, peaceful view of the forest. I intended to remain there for a long, long time. I continued to purchase more and more spiritual books, which I studied very thoroughly for seventeen months. I even visited the entire country of Peru in South America looking for my spiritual leader.

Then on January 1, 1987, I thought about Nicholas Roerich and his thousands of magnificent paintings, of which I had only seen a few hundred. I immediately wrote to the Nicholas Roerich Museum and inquired about purchasing the 12” x 14“book containing Nicholas Roerich’s famous paintings. The museum immediately answered my letter and stated that the book would be ready in July 1988.

In the meantime, on January 26, just twenty-five days later, my friend called me from the community bookstore stating that I should quickly come to see a collection of books by Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet. Copies of My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord and Climb the Highest Mountain were on display on the counter. For some reason the storekeeper had ordered and displayed these two books and ten other books by the same authors that particular week. Until that day I thought that I had purchased all the important spiritual books.

Upon arriving at the bookstore, I was so excited to see the displayed books and others by the Prophets that contained so many of Nicholas Roerich’s paintings! I read parts of the introduction to My Soul Doth Magnify the Lord and Climb the Highest Mountain and I knew that I had finally found the books I had been looking for that would lead me to my next venture.

I immediately purchased twelve books by Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet and for the next ten days I was in total bliss as I read the books. I knew that I had found a gold mine of spiritual studies and lessons. And within the covers of these books was the added bonus of eighty-seven beautiful paintings by Nicholas Roerich!

After reading these twelve books, I discovered a copy of Kuthumi’s Studies of the Human Aura on my bookshelf, which I had purchased in 1977 in Los Angeles and had taken to Oklahoma. To top this, I later learned that the Ashram of the World Mother in Los Angeles had been only five blocks away from an apartment complex my brother and I had owned and that Camelot was only thirty-five minutes on the freeway from my home. I had heard it said many times that when the student is ready the Master appears and that timing is very important. How true!

I continued to read the books over and over again through the month of February and the first half of March. I also completed all of my commitments in Oklahoma. At that time, I recalled that just twelve months earlier I had glanced through a book entitled Morya: On the Quest for the Holy Grail at the home of the community’s leader and minister. When I inquired about the book and mentioned to her that I wanted to purchase a copy of it, she emphatically stated that it was not a book that I should buy nor a book that I should read.

Although I thought this was a strange response, I dismissed the incident from my mind. She actually stated that Master Morya was her teacher and her guru and that I had no need for him. Therefore, when I purchased the twelve books by Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet at the bookstore, I made sure that this minister did not know about it!

On March 21, 1987, I packed my car with anything I might need for three months and started for Montana. I was determined to attend the Spring Quarter of Summit University at the Royal Teton Ranch. I knew that Mother was conducting the 1987 Easter conference in Dallas, which was certainly close to Oklahoma, but I no longer desired to attend conferences in big hotels. I practically flew my car to Montana and arrived in Livingston at four o’clock in the afternoon on March 23. I then turned onto a country road labeled 89 on my AAA Triptik.

I drove about twenty miles on this country road without seeing a single car traveling in either direction. Then, from out of nowhere, I saw a vehicle in the far distance in my rearview mirror. I stopped my car in the middle of the road and waited for this very slow-moving vehicle to approach me.

A tiny pickup truck finally arrived and parked to the right side of the road. A man got out of the truck and his first words were, “Lady, don’t you know that this is a busy highway? Park your car to the side of the road as I did.”

I looked as far north and as far south as I could up and down this road and I still could not see a single vehicle anywhere. Nonetheless, I did exactly as he had instructed me, all the while thinking that this man had certainly not driven on the Los Angeles County freeways!

As we stood between the two parked vehicles, he calmed down enough to ask me how he could be of help. I told him that I had been driving more than twenty miles down this road and needed directions to Corwin Springs. He loudly repeated, “Corwin Springs!” and paused a second before he said, “You don’t want to go there!” He spoke as if he knew something I didn’t know.

I asked him why I should not drive to Corwin Springs. He proceeded to tell me about “that lady” on television and that she was always on television. I told him that if this lady is on television I would like to meet her. At this point he began walking back to his vehicle, so I got back in my car and kept driving south at a faster speed, knowing that I had the road all to myself.

Finally, I saw the Corwin Springs sign and the landmark tepee on the left side of the road. I stopped near the tepee. There were four or five cabins nearby. A young fellow was standing outside the first cabin so I introduced myself. I explained that I had just arrived from Oklahoma and that I was looking for Elizabeth Clare Prophet. I asked if she were indeed here at Corwin Springs. The young fellow nodded his head in the affirmative and pointed in the direction of ranch headquarters. At this time, a lady from inside the first cabin called him to come into the cabin. It was getting dark and cold so I got back in my car and returned to Livingston.

I checked into the Del Mar motel, which was run by a friendly couple who were concerned about my comfort. In the course of our conversation as I was checking in, they asked about the nature of my business in Montana. Naturally I told them I had come to attend Summit University for three months at the Royal Teton Ranch and to meet Elizabeth Clare Prophet. The couple looked at each other with real concern.

Shortly after I had settled in my room and was about to reread The Science of the Spoken Word, there was a knock on the door. The visitor was the owner of the motel, who with sincere concern kindly handed me a large manila envelope containing many newspaper and magazine clippings and audiotapes about Elizabeth Clare Prophet and the Royal Teton Ranch. She mentioned that if I read these articles and heard the tapes I might save myself a trip to Corwin Springs in the morning. I thanked her, closed the door and immediately placed the large envelope on the floor in front of the door so that I would remember to return it to her in the morning.

I again started out for Corwin Springs early the next morning. This time I made it all the way to headquarters! On my first day at the Royal Teton Ranch, I became a Keeper of the Flame and enjoyed hearing about Mother’s staff who were just arriving from Camelot and about other Keepers of the Flame who would soon be moving to Montana. I felt such a huge burden lift from my shoulders because I had finally found Mother and I was not late.

Summit University did not occur in 1987, but I stayed in Montana to learn how to decree, to listen to tape albums, and to read as many of Mark L. Prophet and Elizabeth Clare Prophet’s books as I could buy. Most of all, I enjoyed reading the Pearls of Wisdom.

The first time I gave the decree to Beloved Mighty Astrea, it took me three hours to give it forty times. It was very difficult for me but I did not give up. And I finally became very proficient in giving the decrees to Archangel Michael and Astrea.

From early morning to late evening I was busy learning. I came for three months–and four years and five months later I am still here enjoying every new day more and more!

FREEDOM 1987 came, then the Montessori course with Dr. Caspari (the first one held at the ranch), Winter ‘88 Summit University, and then staff life. When I graduated from Summit University Level I, I finally experienced real joy from the bottom of my heart–an inner feeling of such joy that has lasted and lasted. It grows more joyful each new day and continues year after year.

I realized that the reason I had not felt such joy at my other graduations was because my academic experiences had not nourished my soul. Summit University was a spiritual experience. It tutored my soul as well as my mind. Therefore real happiness and joy flowed from my heart. For the first time in my life I did not have to say: “So what? What’s next?”

Now one of my foremost dreams is to introduce the Teachings of the Ascended Masters to the people of Japan. The Masters’ teachings are so compatible with the spiritual beliefs of the Far Eastern people. I know there must be a way to reach their hearts. I pray daily that Japanese Lightbearers will find the path of the Great White Brotherhood. It is my desire that they will come to know the parallel paths of the Christ and the Buddha.

My twenty-year search for you, Mother, involved an abundance of varied and delightful experiences and lessons. However, since finding you four years and five months ago, the marvelous experiences and the lessons I have learned top everything I have known in this lifetime! Now I know not only that I am the most fortunate person on planet earth but that by the power of ten thousand-times-ten thousand I am even more fortunate than I ever thought!

Mother, two years after you asked me, “What took you so long?” I sat across from you as your guest at a Summit University President’s Reception dinner. At that time you answered this very question for me. You stated that if I had found you prior to 1987 or even four years earlier, I would not have appreciated the Teachings and the Community as much.

It is indeed by God’s grace and God’s love that my twenty-year search for you, Mother, has proven to be 100 percent God-victorious! I am at long last beginning to prepare for my life’s work.

Thank you, Mother, for your loving patience and guidance.

Your obedient chela,

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