I celebrate the beginning of the New Year and am sincerely grateful to the beautiful earth which nurtures all of humankind, as well as all living things.  May this year be filled with much happiness of you and yours, and may peace prevail throughout the world.

We in Seicho-No-Ie, in parts throughout the world, are doing various things in hopes that the earth will, according to God's Divine Will, be forever harmonious and prosperous for generations to come.  The measures that are being taken are ones which have come down from us unchanged from the time of the founding of our Movement.

Seeing the devastation of last year's Great Tohoku Earthquake, as well as the surprising changes that have come from nature in recent years, we have been able to confirm that living a way of life that "grows together with nature" is the greatest challenge that humankind faces now.

In Seicho-No-Ie, members are reflecting on their own lifestyles and are proactively doing what they can - from small things that individuals can do to receiving ISO14001 certification which is an internationally recognized standard - to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and spread "a way of life that 'grows with nature.'" Seicho-No-Ie U.S. Missionary Headquarters also received ISO14001 certification at the end of November 2010.

In 2013, our International Headquarters will move its offices into the forest, and while carrying on a contemporary lifestyle, the staff will strive to practice a way of life that is kind and gentle to the environment in concrete terms.  Wonderful ideas on how to "grow together with Nature" will undoubtedly come from the experiences they garner there.

It is our hope that you will join us in our efforts to live God's Divine Will, and along with sharing with others the happiness and joy of doing so, let us do whatever we can to ensure that we leave a beautiful planet for generations to come.

With prayers for your happiness and peace on earth, in gassho,

Rev. Yoshiko Teshigawara