The Small “Live-for-Others” Habit That Brought an Unexpected Miracle

In Japan, there is a long-standing belief that cleaning the restroom purifies one’s fortune and attracts blessings. For many Western readers, this may sound unusual, but in Japanese spiritual culture, cleaning is not merely a chore—it is an act of purification, a way to cleanse not only the environment but the heart.

This idea is so widespread that even major celebrities quietly practice it. When I asked ChatGPT for names, I was surprised to see several extremely influential figures:

• Hideki Matsui (MLB/Nippon Pro Baseball legend)

• Ichiro Suzuki (one of the greatest baseball players of all time)

• Kazuo Inamori (founder of Kyocera, deeply spiritual leader)

• Shouzaburo Kageyama (founder of Yellow Hat, known for “cleaning philosophy”)

• Hitori Saito (mystic entrepreneur, once Japan’s top taxpayer)

• Takeshi Kitano (Beat Takeshi, iconic filmmaker/comedian)

Many Japanese believe that when you clean a restroom—one of the “lowest” places—you are polishing the soul.

A Season of Hardship and a Call to Move

Over a decade ago, I lost my job and spent nearly a year and a half without a steady income. With a family of five to support, part-time work was not enough. I relied on credit cards to fill the gaps, and existing debt piled on until the balance became frightening.

In the midst of the anxiety, I suddenly felt a very strong inner prompting—
a kind of spiritual nudge:

“It’s time to move. There is a reason you must go.”

Believing this was God's guidance, I gathered my family and moved to another state—our seventh.

The Filthy Restroom and the Beginning of My Practice

At the new workplace I had been introduced to, the first shock was the condition of the restroom.

It was truly filthy.

And so began my daily practice of cleaning it.

Because the company culture was harsh, I knew my supervisor would yell something like, “Stop wasting time! Get back to work!” So I cleaned in secret.

The first day took half a day just to return the restroom to a level where a normal person wouldn’t recoil. After that, every time I entered, I quickly wiped the toilet and floor, and performed a deeper cleaning each Saturday when my supervisor was off.

This became my quiet, hidden spiritual discipline.

Meanwhile, my pay barely covered basic living expenses. There was no foreseeable way to pay off my debt.

“There Is No Shortcut.” —A Timely Spiritual Message

During the early months, work relationships became so difficult that I decided one Sunday:

“Tomorrow, I’m quitting.”

But after Hoon Dok Hae that morning, as Hyun Jin Nim and his family were leaving, he walked right past me and softly said:

“There is no shortcut.”

It felt as if he had seen straight into my heart.
A spiritual arrow.

I stood frozen.

Then I thought, “He’s right. Spiritual growth takes time. If the saying goes that you must sit three years on a cold stone, then I’ll give it three years.”

Looking back, that single sentence changed the entire trajectory of my life.

A Longing in My Heart

Throughout those years, I carried a quiet hope:
To travel across the United States, meet old brothers and sisters in the movement, and help clear misunderstandings about Hyun Jin Nim.

It seemed impossible at the time.

But the restroom cleaning continued—my small act of live-for-others devotion, hidden from everyone except Heaven.

Five Years Later: The Spiritual Shift Arrives

Almost exactly five years into that job, something completely unexpected happened:

I was suddenly transferred to headquarters and given a raise.

Then, my new role required me to travel almost every month to cities across the U.S.—exactly what I had once prayed for. During free time, I reconnected with brothers and sisters I had long hoped to meet again.

There were even business trips to Japan, allowing me to visit my parents and reconnect with Japanese members—another quiet hope fulfilled.

And the debt?
The burden I thought I’d be paying until retirement?

It disappeared astonishingly quickly.

(Yes—Biden’s financial relief helped, but the timing was uncanny.)

To me, this wasn’t a coincidence. It was the natural return of years of humble spiritual practice.

I Still Clean Restrooms—Everywhere I Go

Even today, I clean restrooms whenever I use them—at home, restaurants, gas stations, anywhere. Often, there is no brush, so I fold toilet paper layers, dip them into the water, and scrub off stains by hand.

Why do I continue?

Because this is something the ego—or what I jokingly call “little Satan”—would never do.

It is the perfect training to separate from selfishness and purify one’s spirit.

Can anyone imagine Satan willingly sticking his hand into dirty toilet water to clean someone else’s mess?
Absolutely not.

That is why this practice is so powerful.

And honestly, I do not believe in “pay-for-salvation” rituals, expensive spiritual offerings, or commercialized ancestor liberation. But real, concrete, humble action?
That has a tremendous spiritual impact.

Takeshi Kitano’s Remarkable Testimony

Takeshi Kitano once said something like this:

“I don’t think I’m more talented than anyone else. Yet somehow everything I do gets praised.
It doesn’t make sense.
The only thing I can think of is this:
I’ve been cleaning toilets for more than 30 years.”

When I researched famous people who practice toilet cleaning, ChatGPT added this comment:

“It is especially common among athletes and business leaders, who practice it as training in humility, self-discipline, and spiritual fortune.”

Humility and Gratitude—The Core Virtues

Hyun Jin Nim always teaches that
Humility and gratitude are the most important virtues.

For someone like me, with many fallen tendencies, toilet cleaning is a perfect spiritual discipline. It makes me humble, grateful, and grounded. And as a bonus, it seems to bring a bit of good spiritual fortune—
sometimes literally “good luck” (un), which in Japanese is humorously pronounced the same as “poop.”

A practice that purifies your spirit and brings a little luck?

I’d say that’s a sacred bargain.
(^‿^)