Tenrikyo understands prayer and healing as two dimensions of a single movement toward the “Joyous Life” under the care of God the Parent, Oyagami. Prayer is not merely a request for favors but a deliberate act of aligning the mind with divine intention, expressing gratitude, and purifying the inner “dusts” of selfish tendencies and negative attitudes. It is carried out both individually and communally, at home and in worship spaces, as direct communication with the divine parent. Formal Services, with prescribed words, music, and hand movements, embody this orientation of the heart, turning prayer into a disciplined, embodied practice. Through such prayer, the practitioner seeks to realign thought and conduct with the benevolent guidance of Oyagami, rather than to bend the divine will to personal desires.

Healing in Tenrikyo is interpreted through this same spiritual lens. Illness and misfortune are seen not as punishments, but as occasions of divine guidance that reveal the condition of the mind, especially the “dust” of greed, arrogance, and other distorted attitudes. Genuine healing therefore involves more than the removal of physical symptoms; it calls for inner transformation, the sweeping away of these mental impurities and the cultivation of sincerity, gratitude, and joy. When the mind is corrected and brought into harmony with Oyagami’s intention, the path opens for divine grace to manifest as healing in body, heart, and relationships.

Within this framework, the Sazuke occupies a central place as a concrete expression of Tenrikyo’s understanding of healing prayer. Bestowed upon those who have received specific instruction, the Sazuke is a “Divine Grant” offered through set hand movements and sacred words, sometimes accompanied by the laying on of hands. The practitioner does not claim personal power; rather, the act is understood as mediation of Oyagami’s working, with God the Parent regarded as the true healer. This rite is typically offered with deep sincerity and faith, in the awareness that lasting cure depends on the ongoing purification of the mind as much as on any outward change in physical condition.

Prayer and healing thus converge in a life of service and mutual support. Acts of hinokishin—selfless service arising from gratitude—are seen as natural fruits of a purified mind and as part of the healing process itself, both for the one who serves and for those who are served. Community prayer, shared participation in the Service, and the offering of Sazuke together create a spiritual environment in which individuals are encouraged to move from suffering toward a more expansive, joyful way of living. In this way, Tenrikyo’s view of prayer and healing ultimately points beyond individual benefit to the realization of the Joyous Life for all.