Elaine Maria Bowser was born in Brazil and has been a Johrei member for 43 years. However, after 10 years of membership she became inactive. 27 years later, in 2017, she arrived at the Johrei Center asking to have her Ohikari re-blessed. Currently she gives service at the Orlando Johrei Center in Florida.

Elaine has been married for 12 years and her husband is an American who comes from a Christian family. They met in Brazil, when the company he worked for sent him there and they began their relationship. When he ultimately was transferred back to the US, she came with him and moved to Racine, Wisconsin, where there is no Johrei Center nearby.

Although her husband grew up as a Christian, he respected and never objected to her involvement in our faith system.

In 2020, in the year of the lockdown, he accepted her offer to channel Johrei to him, a practice which they engaged in virtually every day.

In 2021, he was diagnosed with early stages of prostate cancer, where follow up exams only needed to be occasional. Elaine intensified the channeling of Johrei to her husband, and subsequently, 6 months later, new exams revealed that his PSA score was significantly lower. He felt great relief and happiness about his improved condition, and attributed this great blessing to Johrei.

In July of 2022 the couple moved to Florida. Elaine felt elated to be able to be active in the Orlando Johrei Center, which is very close to their new home, allowing her to attend and give service on a weekly basis.

Yet, for no apparent reason, after they moved to Florida, she stopped giving her husband Johrei. She knew inherently that it should be quite the opposite; that she should continue channeling Johrei to her husband minimally with the same frequency as before.

Last year, when she went to talk with her Minister, Elaine receive guidance to engage in our basic practices of faith, and to channel Johrei to her husband daily. But Elaine did not follow the guidance that she received, and time went on without her channeling Johrei to him.

Her husband had come to the Johrei Center with Elaine on several occasions, but had typically chosen to wait for her in the parking lot, or go for a walk, rather than actually enter the Center. On those times when he in fact accompanied her into the Center, he opted not to receive Johrei from her or anyone else.

Elaine and her husband began to experience conflict, and she once again went to speak to her Minister. At one point Elaine related that she felt particularly uncomfortable when she was in the presence of his family members, and that she felt a disturbing distance from each of them and admitted that she had made no efforts to become closer! She regularly thought: “What am I doing here? I don't like being with these people! I don't belong here! These people have nothing to do with me!” She said that she wanted out, but marital circumstances were forcing her to stay.

The Minister asked Elaine if she had included her husband's family lineage and his individual ancestors in her list of Sorei-Saishi enshrinements. She replied that she had not, and the minister advised her that the feelings she had for his family were out of order, and that she should feel gratitude for his family members, because she was tied to that family due to the spiritual cords that exist with her husband. She further advised Elaine to say a prayer asking forgiveness for her negative feelings, and also to express gratitude through materializing a special donation dedicated to their acceptance of her renewed consciousness.

Elaine did exactly as the Minister instructed and was able to do so from the depths of her heart. Her prayer asked for forgiveness and expressed gratitude for her being able to be part of their family. On the same day she requested inclusion of both her husband’s family lineages and individual spirits into her Sorei-Saishi enshrinement profile.

Her husband had never shown interest in knowing more about our movement. Yet, the very next morning, he began to ask Elaine questions about our services; what they were like, what members typically did, and numerous other questions regarding our church. He wanted to know if there was something in English that explained our philosophy and he even researched on the Internet and on the Miroku Association website.

Elaine had arranged to speak with her minister the next morning, and her husband urged her to access some materials that he could read in English.

His interest had certainly peaked.

Through this experience, Elaine realized the great impact with which the spiritual world influences our lives and she came to understand that when we pray deeply with our most sincere feelings, our ancestors both accept our requests for forgiveness and receive our gratitude, sending us answers that reaffirm our Faith and our trust in God and Meishu-sama.

Elaine’s husband recently returned from a trip, and Elaine expects that they will imminently meet with the minister, so that her husband can access answers to his questions, and begin studying more about our movement.

Elaine’s commitment is to continue dedicating herself to the Divine Work as an increasingly bright instrument, sincerely praying for the wellbeing and growth of her family’s ancestors, while carrying out the guidance that she receives, and engaging most fully in our practices of faith. Thank you very much!