SHINTO---OR LIVING MINDFULLY WITH THE KAMI By The Rev. Dr Ian Ellis-Jones

Minister, Sydney Unitarian Chalice Circle

I have made something of a study

of Shintō, both here in Australia as

well as in Japan, and for the most

part I see much to admire and like

in this quite unique system of

spirituality.

As is the case with Buddhism,

Shintō is a religion in some of its

manifestations but not others. To

the extent that it is a religion, it is

one that is unique and 'peculiar' to

Japan, and one that primarily

consists of numerous rites, customs, and festivals.

We can also say this---Shintō is not really an ‘ism’, but more of a

teaching or set of teachings. Ritual, as well as the observance of

ancient festivals, ceremonial customs and sentiments, pilgrimages

to old shrines, and not belief, lies at the heart of Shintō, and ritual

can be very, very transformative. Never underestimate the power of

religious ritual.

So, what exactly is Shintō? Well, Shintō is the authentic, primal,

indigenous ('native'---although the Japanese were not the original

'natives' of Japan) spirituality of Japan with its roots stretching

back to about 500 BCE. It lies at the root, and the heart, of

Japanese pride and patriotism, culture, social and family structure,

ethics, artistic and sporting life, and much else. Some have referred

to Shintō as both the 'soul of Japan' and the 'Japanese way of

living.'

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Today, there is a great deal of interest in the West in this spiritual

and at times contradictory path which has no dogma or doctrine, no

founder or central figure, no idols, no concept of absolute or original

sin, no sacred books as such, and no mandatory precepts or

commandments. Shintō, with its respect and reverence for nature---

Shintō calls it ‘Great Nature’---and its acknowledgment of the

interconnectedness of all things, has great relevance to the

Japanese as well as non-Japanese.

If you want to appreciate the fragility and yet preciousness and

here-and-now-ness of life, delve into Shintō. If you want to stay

rooted in nature, and show respect, gratitude and love toward

nature, indeed all living things, Shintō has something special to say

to you. If you want a simple, flexible, and largely naturalistic

spiritual system with no religious fundamentalism attached to it,

and little theoretical speculation about the supposed afterlife, and

which provides numerous opportunities in this life for personal

improvement and mental cultivation (especially by stilling the

mind), look into Shintō. If you want to affirm the innate goodness

('no-sin') of human beings, and are sick of religions which divide the

peoples of the earth into the 'saved' (or 'chosen') and the 'unsaved'

(or the 'rest'), with the latter destined---or perhaps even

predestined---to go to Hell, then check out Shintō. If you want to

live life to the fullest here-and-now, try Shintō. You will not be

disappointed---unless your mind on matters religious and

spiritual is well and truly already closed.

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The word ‘Shintō’ means, variously, the ‘Way of the Kami,’ the ‘Way

from the Kami,’ the ‘Way according to Kami,’ the ‘Kami-like Way,’

and the ‘Way to [the] Kami.’ By way of explanation, the Japanese tō

of Shintō is from the Chinese word tào [dào] (as in Taoism)

[modernly: Daoism], meaning, of course, the ‘Way.’ The Shin is to be

read as Kami---at least where the character occurs in isolation---the

meaning of which I will now proceed to discuss.

So, who or what are the kami? ‘Gods,’ we are ordinarily told, but

that is not quite right. Some say ‘angels,’ ‘spirits,’ ‘souls,’ 'spirit-

souls,' 'superior and extraordinary beings,' or ‘natural forces’ are

better English descriptions, but none of those is quite right. Indeed,

there is no one English word that encapsulates what is meant by

the Japanese word kami. Indeed, it has been said that even the

Japanese people themselves do not have a clear idea regarding the

kami. In a narrow but very correct sense, we are talking about the

supposed native and indigenous spirits of Japan, as distinct from

foreign deities (eg those of Chinese Buddhism), but Shintō is no

crude animism despite what you might have read or been told. (Got

that?) The celebrated Shintō high priest Yukitaka Yamamoto wrote

of the nature of kami in these words: 'any divine being or indeed

anything in the world or beyond that can inspire in human beings a

sense of its divinity and mystery.' I think that's helpful---and more

than sufficient for present and other purposes. This is also helpful--

-it's the text of a 'Poem Revealed to Mikado Seiwa':

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'If we keep unperverted the human heart, which is like unto Heaven and received from the Earth, that is God. The Gods have their abode in the heart. Amongst the various ordinances none is more excellent than that of religious

meditation.'

One sensible (in my view) thing about these so-called gods, these

kami, is that they are not all unfailingly just and benevolent.

Indeed, some are quite nasty and cruel. Such is life, especially the

workings and effects of natural forces. This, for me, makes so much

more sense that trying to hold on to a concept of one omnipotent

(all-powerful), omnibenevolent (all-good) God where there is so

much misfortune and gratuitous suffering in our world.

Anyway, this is how I see it. The word kami is a shorthand

description, a code-like word, denoting the innate sacredness or

holiness of all life---something that is overwhelmingly transcendent

and awe-inspiring, even if it be the extraordinary in the ordinary,

and which is sensed as a result of some emotional or intuitive (as

opposed to intellectual or rational) stimulus. Speaking personally,

although I reject the assertion that there are higher and lower levels

of reality, I have no difficulty in recognizing the transcendence, both

in time and space, as well as power, of nature itself over human

beings, together with our utter dependence upon nature for the

continuance of our lives both physically and otherwise. In short,

there is a special quality about life that is ... kami-like.

There is said in Shintō to be myriads of kami in and over all things,

but collectively they are all one. Again, it is a case of the One---that

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is, the one life---becoming the many, but remaining forever One. We

all are children or descendants of the kami, we all have the ability

to get closer to the kami (particularly through Great Nature, which

is the 'living scripture' in Shintō), and we all have kami nature (cf

buddha nature in some forms of Buddhism), and the innate

potential to not only restore our original kami nature but also

actually become kami.

Now, one doesn’t have to believe in the literal truth or existence of

the kami. I don’t, and I also reject those bits of Shintō that I regard

as crass superstition. (I do, however, respect the right of others to

see things quite differently, as many do.) For me, the use of the

word kami is in the nature of a metaphor, referring, as mentioned,

to the innate sacredness and holiness of life---all forms of life. If you

want to cultivate your kami nature---that is, renew yourself---

perhaps the best way of doing that is to revere and get closer to

nature. Shintō reminds us that we all have a duty to properly

manage, develop, protect, restore, enhance and conserve the

natural environment.

Shintō has no theology in the Western sense, but it does have a

very colourful mythology---indeed, more than one of them---to

which is appended much folklore. Again, one need not believe in the

literal truth or existence of the mythological hierarchy comprising

myriads of superior and inferior deities that, it seems, developed out

of the old ancestor-cult in Japan.

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And gone---hopefully forever---is that rather nasty, grotesque,

militaristic, ultra-patriotic national cult of comparatively recent but

questionable provenance (namely, 'State Shintō') that was for a

time the state religion of Japan. It is no longer a case of Japan

being a 'divine country (kami no kuni) which excells all others'

('Oracle of the God of Atsuta'). Nor is it a case of the divine descent

of the Japanese race and its [generally assumed to be] 'living god'

emperor, who on that ground believed themselves to be superior to

the people of other countries, as well as divinely commissioned to

force the rule of the sun goddess upon the rest of the world.

No, today it is the much more sensible and palatable case that all

people come from the same sacred, holy source. Amaterasu, the

sun goddess, is thus the mythological ancestor of us all, and not

just the emperor of Japan who supposedly was her descendant and

representative. Thus, Shintō now ascribes divinity---that is, basic

goodness and holiness---to all human nature, not just the

Japanese. (If nothing else, Shintō has always shown a remarkable

ability to evolve and adapt. It's a pity so many of the world's other

religions are unwilling to do the same.)

Shintō ritual and practice provide numerous and regular

opportunities all designed to bring us into more conscious---and for

the most part, largely spontaneous---communion with nature and

the divine. It's all about connectedness---and interconnectedness.

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We need to cultivate purity, cleanliness, honesty, sincerity, and a

reverence and respect for all forms and manifestations of life. A

commitment to the all-pervading path or way of Shintō does not

exclude the pursuit of other spiritual traditions and practices. As in

all religions, love is the ultimate virtue. In the Shintō writing

'Oracles of the Gods of Kasuga,' one reads, 'The Lord will visit the

home where love reigns. Love is the representative of the Lord.' In

other words, love is divine (cf. 1 Jn 4:8).

So, how might someone who is not Japanese practice Shintō

without actually being or becoming Shintō? Well, here are some

suggestions---and please note that word, ‘suggestions.’ There is

nothing dogmatic in Shintō. There are no 'musts.'

First, spend more time mindfully appreciating Great Nature, and do

all you can to protect, restore, enhance and conserve the natural

environment. The original Shintō shrines were groves of trees---how

appropriate! Develop a reverential sense of the sacred (particularly

in trees, plants, animals, forests, lakes, streams, mountains, and all

natural matter, but also, of course, as respects your fellow human

beings), and learn to live in harmony with nature, for we are not

above, beyond or separate from nature as we tend to think in the

West. Maintain a real, ongoing sense of awe, reverence and

gratitude toward nature, recognizing the interconnectedness of all

things. As Shintō teaches, we are all offspring or ‘child-spirits’ of the

great original Spirit of Life to which we all ultimately return, and in

which we all live and move and have our being.

So, treasure the mysterious and the awesome. In the words of the

great mythographer Joseph Campbell, 'Shintō, at root, is a religion

not of sermons but of awe.' I like that.

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Secondly, be 'clean within and without, reflecting the truth like a

mirror.' Practise physical (‘outer’ or ‘bodily’) and spiritual (‘inner’)

purity---that is, 'pure bodies and pure hearts'---for purification is at

the heart of Shintō. We are not talking about asceticism in some

narrow flesh-denying sense, nor does Shintō have any silly hang-

ups about sexual orientation or behaviour. 'Cleanliness' is said to

be the balance of body, mind, and soul. There is a Shintō saying,

‘To do good is to be pure. To commit evil is to be impure.’ That

applies at the personal level as well as to society and the world at

large. Pollution is ‘evil,’ as is anything that obstructs the workings

of Great Nature. Another Shintō saying (from 'Oracle of Atago (the

Fire-God)') is:

'Leave the things of this world and come to me daily and monthly with pure bodies and pure hearts. You will then enjoy paradise in this world and have all

your desires accomplished.'

The emphasis in Shintō is always on removing obstacles and

barriers (within ourselves, between different people, and between

ourselves and nature), correcting one's own path---that is, the path

that leads to purity and righteousness---and helping to return

things to their natural state of purity, radiance, and, yes, godliness.

Further, when we speak of purity and purification, we are

concerned not just with self but also with the purity and

purification of our local community and indeed the whole world,

including, of course, and most especially, the natural world. But

change begins with oneself. Another Shintō saying I like---this one

is from 'Oracle of Tatsuta (the Wind-God)'---is this one:

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'If that which is within is not bright it is useless to pray only for that which is without.'

Thirdly, strive to be happy, for Shintō encourages a cheerful and

grateful way of life, and places great value on the pursuit of

happiness. Use and develop your intuition and practise

introspection---but not of an obsessive, self-centred kind---in order

to discover the true path.

Fourthly, be sincere in all your actions. Along with purity, sincerity-

--of an 'open-hearted' and mindful kind---is the guiding principle of

Shintō. It is written, ‘The first and surest means to enter into

communion with the divine is sincerity.’ Shintō texts refer to 'the

great way of single-minded uprightness.' Banish pride. 'If you desire

to obtain help from the Gods, put away pride. Even a hair of pride

shuts you off from the Gods as it were by a great cloud' ('Oracle of

the Gods of Kasuga'). And remember also to practise gratitude and

show love, for it has been said that Shintō is essentially a religion of

gratitude, love---and mercy. So, if Shintō is a religion, it is certainly

a very practical one.

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Fifthly, respect the spiritual paths and traditions of others, for no

one---and certainly no one religion---has a monopoly on the truth,

despite what some misguided but highly dogmatic people would

have you believe. Shintō seeks to allow each person's spiritual

tradition to evolve freely. So, we are to live in conscious, mindful

communion with all people, indeed with all forms and

manifestations of life. There is a Shintō saying, ‘The heart of the

person before you is a mirror. See there your own form.’ As already

mentioned, all people have kami nature, and we ought never to

place any artificial barriers---and that includes sectarian beliefs and

practices---between peoples of different nations, cultures,

ethnicities, and so forth. So, try always to believe the best about

people. Then, more often than not, they will 'rise to the occasion.'

Sixthly, develop and maintain a mindful awareness and sense of life

as a continuum, embracing the past, the present, and the future.

All things---and that includes the memory of persons now departed

this earthly life---continue to exist in the omnipresence of the

eternal now, as part of life's self-expression. In Shintō the emphasis

for the most part is not so much on the continuity of the individual

life but on the continuity and flow of life itself. Shintō treasures and

celebrates the truth that, though the forms of life are constantly

changing, life itself is indestructible and its ceaseless movement is

ever onward and 'kami-ward,' so to speak.

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Seventhly, you may wish to set up at home your own little Shintō

shrine (kamidana). There is plenty of good advice on the internet on

how to go about that. And there are some lovely Shintō prayers.

Eighthly, practise mindfulness with a choiceless acceptance of what

is. In the Shintō writing 'God of Fujiyama' we read, 'Every little

yielding to anxiety is a step away from the natural heart of man.'

There is much wisdom in that. Our 'natural heart'---or natural state

of mind---is one completely free of worry and anxiety, for such

a mind (cf. our 'original face') is fully rooted and grounded in the

here-and-now with no concern for what might---or might not---

happen in the future. Seek the sacred and divine in life's ongoing

onfoldment, that is, in the so-called ordinary and everyday. In the

words of the Shintō writing 'God of a Tajima Shrine':

'When the sky is clear, and the wind hums in the fir-trees, 'tis the heart of a God who thus reveals himself.'

Finally, if you want to go further into the practice (note that word) of

Shintō, locate and contact your nearest Shintō organization or

practitioner, for you will now ordinarily find at least one---and

sometimes, more than one---such organization or practitioner in

most countries (especially the larger Western ones). If you happen

to live in Japan, well, you know what to do---if you're interested.

First and foremost, Shintō is a praxis. Book knowledge,

intellectualism, and rationalism are never enough. Indeed, those

things can deflect one from the path. The essence of kami is beyond

words and reason. In the words of the noted Japanese philosopher

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and scholar Yamazaki Ansai, 'One should not bring reason to the

explanation of Shintō.'

In summary, this is Shintō in a nutshell. Stay close to nature. Show

respect and gratitude toward nature and the Spirit of Life. And

learn how to grow psycho-spiritually by acquiring, developing and

polishing those qualities referred to in this post that are the direct

result of one's contact with and reverence toward the Spirit of Life

that sustains, animates and nurtures all of life. That, dear

readers, is the kami-like way.

Note. The photos of Shintō shrines and related sites and environs were all taken by the author

on his various trips to Japan.