YOGIC HERALD JAN 2020

Right Mind and the
Fourfold Path
Similar to Buddhism, Happy Science
teaches that Right Mind—the right way
of thinking—is the prerequisite to
happiness and a return to our divinity
and heaven. To accomplish Right Mind,
Okawa has developed The Fourfold
Path known as “The Principles of
Happiness,” four modern methods of
freeing ourselves from worldly worries,
stress and suffering that may, if
followed long enough, lead to
enlightenment. The Fourfold Path
consists of four interrelated principles:
the Principle of Love, the Principle of
Wisdom, the Principle of Self-reflection
and the Principle of Progress.
knowledge of divine truth and the
spiritual world which, through practice,
leads people to experiences, which in
turn become wisdom. The Principal of
Self-Reflection is based upon the Noble
Eightfold Path which Okawa has
restructured to suit modern people,
emphasizing the practice of selfreflection
to increase awareness of
wrong thoughts and inaccurate
perceptions about life and the divine
nature. The Principle of Progress
focuses on self-improvement and
success and attaining happiness through
positive action in the world that then
positively impacts others and society.
Similar to Christianity and the teachings
and example of Jesus, the Principle of
Love teaches people to achieve a gentle
selfless love for others— a love that
gives—that is also aligned with
compassion, the attainment of which
lies at the very heart of Buddhism. The
Principal of Wisdom emphasizes the
importance of gaining intellectual
“As humans, we do face a lot of issues,”
says Utebi. “After reading many of his
books and listening to his lectures, I
discovered that all these worries that I
had in my life kind of disappeared in
front of me. Yes, they still exist, but I’m
now able to handle and cope with
things and embrace my life in a very
positive way.”
Jan. 2020 www.yogicherald.com 49