Shinto - Religion

The Shinto Religion

The Shinto religion is Japan 's native religion . The origin of Shinto is not known , but there is evidence that it dates back to at least 200 B .C (Shinto .org . Shinto is a loosely defined religion that doesn 't have elaborate teachings or group worship (Shinto .org . The rituals and worship of Shinto are based in animism , the idea that all things including rocks and other facets of nature , have some spirit or god in them . Modern Shinto worship is primarily shrine-based ( Jinja Shinto and is heavily based in

the ritual and divinity of daily life (Shinto .org . Shinto was named in the 6th century BC , after the introduction of Buddhism from China . It is composed of the words shin ' meaning Japanese ' and tao , meaning gods ' or spirits (Shinto .org . Shinto is loosely based in kami , or gods , but no particular gods take precedence over the others . Each shrine is dedicated to a different kami , often the spirit of a place , natural feature or particular aspect (Shinto .org

There are three main tenets of Shinto . The first is that both nature and humans are a manifestation of a creative , life-giving power (principles known as musubi and kami . The second principle is that either adverse natural events or human actions (tsumi ) can obstruct or pollute the native creativity . Third , humans are seen as having the means needed to overcome these obstructions and continue the creative path (Boyd Williams , 2005 , 14 . There is no belief in the afterlife except as ascension to kami (Shinto .org

Kami is usually translated as deity ' or god , but as Boyd states the term can apply to either the natural or the human entity . The only requirement is that there be something unusual ' or superior ' to the entity designated as kami . Every entity has the potential to attain the state of kami (2005 , 15 . Musubi , or creative life energy , is energy inherent in all parts of the natural world , including humans and the environment . In to attain the state of kami , the musubi of an individual life form must be superior to others of its type (Boys Williams , 2005 , 15

Tsumi is the idea of pollution or adversity , expressed in Western terms as evil . These polluting conditions are primarily the presence of death , but can come from a number of causes , including social taboos surrounding bodily fluids , sexual activity and adverse natural actions such as lightning strikes (Boyd Williams , 2005 , 15 . Tsumi leads to spiritual imbalance that must be redressed or straightened ' in for musubi to manifest properly (Boyd Williams , 2005 , 14

Tsumi can be countered in many ways . One such way is O Harai , the Great Purification Ceremony there are many other purification ceremonies that can be used to purify and remove the bad influence of tsumi , including public ceremonies or matsuri , formal shrine ceremonies and ascetic practices (Boyd Williams , 2005 , 15 . The goal of these ceremonies is to affirm the musubi in the human participants of the ceremony , clearing...