The World Peace Prayer Society was founded in 1955 by Masahisa Goi (1916-1980). Mr. Goi grew up with a great fondness for the arts, and he was a gifted poet, writer and singer. Above all, however, he dedicated his life to humanity.

Masahisa Goi was a close acquaintance of Morihei Ueshiba , who once said that Goi was the only person who truly "knew his heart".

The devastation caused by the Second World War affected Mr. Goi in a profound way. He searched for ways to respond to the desperate cry for peace, not only in Japan but around the world. Through steadfast commitment and faith, Mr. Goi attained much insight into the spiritual nature of humankind and he discovered the universality of the prayer May Peace Prevail on Earth.

A Peace Pole is a hand-crafted monument that displays this message on each of its four or six sides, usually in different languages. There are more than 200,000 Peace Poles in 180 countries all over the world dedicated as monuments to peace. They serve as constant reminders for us to visualize and pray for world peace.

Mr. Goi believed that as more and more people are touched by this prayer and begin to live and act in the spirit of this message, a great transformation would take place in global consciousness, bringing about peace and harmony in our personal lives as well as in the world at large.
 

 


Every year, in December, Aikido of Monterey celebrates that year's accomplishments with a potluck dinner and a donation of gifts to ten children in Monterey County who are in various stages of protective custody or foster care. Adult students purchase gifts on the wish list that is provided by Social Services, and Youth Program kids and parents provide stocking stuffers.


The wrapped gifts are picked up at the dojo by a Social Services worker. We never meet the children who receive the gifts, but each year we are rewarded by a feeling of giving and knowing we made a child's difficult time a little brighter.