2001 Idaki Shin Ethiopia Concert "Cosmic Manifesto"

At fifteen my heart was set on learning,
at thirty I stood firm, at forty I had no more doubts,
at fifty I knew the will of heaven, at sixty my ear was obedient,
at seventy I could follow my heart’s desire without overstepping the boundaries of what was right.
- Confucius "The Analects" -

I visited the town of Gode in Ethiopia. I came across children starving because of drought. They looked at me with their big clear eyes, full of innocent grace. I wished to be with them, because the beauty of life was there. Their lovely hearts are gentle and wide open, welcoming us to a dimension of life that is connected to the vast universe where no boundary can be seen. Though a lot of sadness dwells in their eyes, their life is striving for a future. Admiring the life of others, and rejoicing in our encounter, they were sparkling and lively. A person living in one's body, observed by the eyes of others, has been controlled, deprived of freedom, and thus gives birth to a state of mind full of agony and spirits. The visible dictates all. Each substance is separated into a mere fragment. The challenge before modern man, to analyze everything to the full, is coming to an end in a ferocious abyss of chaos and contradictions.

The essential generator of a new environment, one that we desperately need, can be found nowhere in existing consciousness of mind, spirituality or language. Manifest deep within one's body is a harmonic fusion between an invisible time-space and an invisible inner being. So let us await the moment of acknowledgement and revelation, when a new mind-spirit shall be born. It even incorporates time lived through by people in the past, and brings forth the dynamism needed to open up an invisible future. This fresh spring of energy emerges from the core of each person. People of all races understand that the precious memory of their proper history and civilization promises a glorious future, so the mental and cultural amalgamation of people, races and nationalities shall create the future of mankind. This is the grace of human spirituality that paves the way for our species to live on, with the essentials of humanity foremost: sagacity, generosity, creativity, mutual reliance, dignity, hope, and everlasting happiness.

I declare, therefore, the urgency of gaining the ability vividly to sense the richness of one's body, and to understand what is happening internally. There may be deep despair. There may be innumerable hatreds and rancors. There may be anxiety. But you will be sure to find within yourself an ever-growing life, shining brilliantly behind all these shadows.

Pains from disease and the fear of living a meaningless life proliferated in the early life of Tadamitsu Saito. In my secondary school days, hovering between life and death several times, I felt a slight light of life residing both within my body and in those of the nurses who took care of me. It was my hope for the future. At the age of 33, I decided to dedicate the rest of my life to the pursuit of truth. I have withdrawn from all routine work. One day I felt energy of an unknown kind entering into my body. I was struck by a high fever, as if my soul and this energy from outer space were melting into each other. This was the beginning of the transformation I have experienced repeatedly, deep within myself. I started to meet with different kinds of people and circumstances, such as I had never imagined. Then I came to understand that the environmental conversion made inside my body is essential, and determines my entire life. Finally I found myself bearing a completely new nature, united with other people's lives, and also with nature around us, and thus corresponding automatically and vividly to both of them, at the core of my life.

Inside oneself there is an energy field directly connected to that of outer space, where both seem to be allowed to interact with each other. I cannot but call it the secret of the cosmic revolution, granting divinity in response to the question: Why was humankind born? Embraced by this vast universe, this field of energy shall become the cradle of one's creativity and originality. One meets with others and with the unknown dimension of nature. One's body resolves into another's. Changing together, developing inner potential, one realizes love and health common to all creatures. The border between mind and body disappears and one acknowledges the unity of one's soul, spirit and body.

I express this process of life by improvising on the piano, on synthesizers, and on other musical instruments. May it be acknowledged and felt by each of you, for awareness of this phenomenon will generate in your life an inexhaustible source of intuition, wisdom, creativity, and a new world order for peace.

Message from His Excellency Mr. Mahdi Ahmed Gadid Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia（2001/8/22）

I am indeed happy to see that the worldwide S.T. Concert (S.T. standing for Saito Tadamitsu or Sensitivity Training), being organized by the Cosmic Manifesto Executive Committee under the enlightened and prescient leadership of Mr. T. Saito and Miss K. Koma is finally taking place in my homeland, Ethiopia, on the 10th of November, 2001.

The audio-visual performance will be improvisatory in style, directly involving the numerous local spectators/audiences at the famous Meskel Square in Addis Ababa. Members of prestigious Ethiopian folklore music and dance groups would also join the event.

Some months ago, I had the pleasure to witness Mr. Saito's performance organized in Tokyo and was impressed by the expression of that inner cosmic energy solidly linking humankind and universal nature. I was convinced that this dynamic energy will, when fully expressed even transcend all earthly borders, ethinic, religious or political.

Finally, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to those who work hard in realizing the concert, which indeed reveals the stunning beauty of this land of ancient history and rich cultural heritage. Moreover, it serves to enhance the bilateral relationship between our two countries Ethiopia, and Japan.

Mahdi Ahmed Gadid
Ambassador Extraordinary
and Plenipotentiary of the
Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia