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Shinto is the word for the ancient religion of Japan. However the name, signifying "Way Of The Gods", was only created in the sixth century c.e. to distinguish the native beliefs from those of the new religion, Buddhism, which was spreading from Korea and China. Shinto practices began in prehistoric Japan, but unlike other world religions there was no specific founder or sacred texts. The Kojiki or "Record of Ancient Matters", compiled by the scholar Onoyasulmaro in the later seventh and early eighth centuries c.e. is a text which illuminates the mythology and manners of Shinto. The earlier stories tell of the gods of creation and of the creation of the universe. After several generations of kami, the great pair Izanagi and Izamani produce Amaterasu O-Kami; Great Shining Deity of Heaven, Tsuki-yomi; Deity of the Moon, and Susanoo no Mikoto; Impetuous Male Deity, who are left to rule the universe. However a great many other kami are found in Shinto. They are related to animals, to natural objects and settings, as well as to abstract forces. There exists a balanced relationship among the forces of nature and man and the cosmos. The act of Misogi, or cleansing, is an important ritual in Shinto. Simply it involves the washing of hands before entering a shrine. Yet the philosophy of misogi encompasses cleansing in a broader sense. There is the cleansing of the physical body, of the emotional body, and of the environment. Such factors as diet, body movement, thought patterns, and speech are also involved For a more detailed account of the Kojiki and Misogi: [ Link: "What is Shinto? by Kannagara Jinja" http://www2.gol.com/users/coynerhm/shinto.htm ] |
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