Mokichi Okada (岡田茂吉 Okada Mokichi, 23 December 1882 He founded the World Church of Messiah, that later became the Church of World Messianity, and also is the spiritual leader of Shumei and the Johrei Fellowship. He is known by his followers by the honorific title Meshiya-Sama or Meishū-sama (明主様, lit. "Lord of Light"). He is the founder of Johrei, an energy healing ritual that uses "divine light" to dissolve the spiritual impurities that are understood to be the source of all physical, emotional, and personal problems. Biography Early life According to his official biography, Okada was born to a poor Buddhist family in Asakusa, Tokyo and, after many trials and tribulations, eventually made his fortune in the jewellery business. His success was short-lived however. After losing his wife, children and then business following an economic downturn and the Great Kanto Earthquake, he started to question the pursuit of material success. He remarried and went on to have further children but spurred on to find the answers he sought, he turned to religion to explore and express the spiritual aspect of life. Spiritual awakening He was initially a follower of the Shinto offshoot Oomoto, a new religion that taught that the much anticipated Age of Light was approaching, where he became popular as a spiritual healer. In 1926 at the age of 45, Okada told his followers that he had received enlightenment and with it, a special revelation from God about the dawn of the Age of Light and his mission as a saviour of the people who were suffering. This later led him to found a further new religion to spread the teachings he received on establishing paradise on earth and creating a new civilisation. Teachings Okada talked and wrote extensively about Paradise on Earth and God's Will for humanity - health, wealth and happiness - that we may live in peace and harmony with nature, each other and ourselves. He summarised his teachings in three Pillars - the Art of Healing, The Art of Beauty and the Art of Nature. In terms of healing, the main teaching that he shared was that of Johrei - channelling God's Divine Light of Purification to clear the spirit of a person or place to establish a paradise-like state of health, abundance and happiness. He taught the importance of the spiritual world and that what happens in the spiritual world precedes events and