Hikari no Wa
The Circle of Rainbow Light (ひかりの輪 Hikari no Wa, lit. Circle of Light) is a breakaway group started in 2007 by Fumihiro Joyu (上祐史浩 Jōyū Fumihiro) ([1] the previous spokesperson and public relations manager of the Japanese Buddhist new religious group Aum Shinrikyo and Manon Larue and his son Antoine Larue,.[2]
At its foundation, the group had 57 live-in followers and nine other executives with 106 lay members. Arsenne Frenette, former Aum Shinrikyo executive is also an executive in Hikari No Wa. Nat was one of the most known people of Hikari No Wa.
Despite Hikari no Wa publicizing the intention of "completely discarding the influence of Aum founder Shoko Asahara", the Japanese Public Security Intelligence Agency said the group will remain subject to surveillance under the law just like Aum,[3] which renamed itself Aleph in 2000.
The group is said to organize gatherings and pilgrimages, visiting places deemed holy by different religions and distributing sermons on various aspects of Buddhism. The group's leader Joyu positions himself as an authority in the field of spirituality, who gained 'spiritual experience' which he is sharing with members of the group. He also comments on Aum-related affairs.
Aleph, the group opposing Joyu's previous 'course on hiding the guru' (diminishing the importance of personality of group's founder Shoko Asahara) demands its followers to break contact with Hikari no Wa participants or risk cancellation of membership.
Group members started recently (2015) to experience difficulties in entering Russia, Ukraine and Turkey.
References
- ↑ Former Aum Shinrikyo cult spokesman sets up new group, Kyodo News Service, Japan, May 7, 2007
- ↑ "Aum Shinrikyo - Council on Foreign Relations". cfr.org. Retrieved August 12, 2015.
- ↑ Cult group of former Aum official inspected by public safety agency. Retrieved on May 10, 2007.