Spirits & Black Magic in Sukyo Mahikari

I have been reading Joe’s blog and one of the things I noticed he talks about regularly is the black magic and conjuring spirits that were used at the dojo from which he practiced. I did not really witness much of what I consider to be black magic…but as far as conjuring spirits go…its hard to be sure. It depends on whether you believe a person lashing out during an okiyome session is a disturbed spirit that fears the light or a spirit that is attacking the person because okiyome possesses some kind of negative power (conjuring spirits).

It was said that Kotama Okada was released from his position as an SKK minister after dabbling in spirit conjure, among other things. According to SKK ministers, Okada began practicing Johrei (okiyome) in a way that provoked the surrounding spirits. Johrei centers do not typically have problems with spirits, but Kotama practiced Johrei in such a way that spirits would start to become angry and lash out. Of course, Kotama would teach in his doctrine that if a spirit is communicating during okiyome that it is a positive thing, as the spirit has been provoked because the light is so strong…it means the spirit will eventually leave.

This is not true, however, according to modern Wicca, Pagan, and Voodoo practitioners. I have read a bit about these Neo-Pagan religions who practice magic and from what they claim it is very simple to conjure/provoke a spirit. The most typical way to do this is through a séance, but there are other ways such as channeling. Channeling is somewhat like okiyome in the sense that the person attempts to open themselves up spiritually and blank their mind and receive the light; this makes them more vulnerable to angry spirits taking possession according to the modern day witches. Okyiome is similar to channeling because of the ritualistic aspect of it which, according to Wiccan practitioners, attracts spirits.

Some of the Wiccan sites I have looked at have said similar things, “People who are spiritually curious are usually spiritually sensitive. A spirit can be easily channeled by a spiritually sensitive person. The main objective of a negative spirit is possession of your body and mind. The spirit wants a home and is looking at your body as its next house. Spirit possession is widely misunderstood. Possession usually happens gradually and in stages. How does a person get possessed? The more spiritual sensitivity you have the more open you are to possession.
Risk increases with pendulum diagnosis, succumbing to trances (possibly okiyome), metaphysical healing (again possibly okiyome), and drugs.”

According to Wiccan sites; possession is usually not a total possession. The person usually has the majority of control. The person can live and function in their life; however, it takes a large amount of control to attempt to live normally. The spirit is always there confusing the person's thinking clamoring for attention.

Usually the spirit is friendly enlightened, and protective until the person tells it to leave permanently. Then the spirit gets agitated and begins to show its true nature. The nature of the spirit is one of hatred. The spirit then concentrates energy to destroying the person.
According to Wiccans, spell casting is becoming more and more accepted by mainstream society, for one simple reason; it works.

One can’t help but wonder what else Yoshikazu Okada was dabbling in while he was experimenting in various religions. Sukyo Mahikari released a statement saying that Kotama participated in several different religions; could Wicca, Voodoo, or Paganism be one of them?

I find it profoundly disturbing that Okada was a minister of the SKK for many years, received Johrei from the practitioners in their dojo…but yet for some odd reason, never allowed members of Mahikari to offer him okiyome. Could it be that the SKK was right and okiyome offered in the fashion from which Kotama taught is dangerous? Was he really conjuring spirits intentionally that could harm the spiritually sensitive individual? Something to think about.