You wouldn’t think litter has much to do with Shinto. Indeed you might suppose a religion based on purity would lead to a culture that is vehemently opposed to littering. And so it seems to the hundreds of thousands … Read the rest
Category: Purity and pollution (Page 3 of 4)
The International Shinto Foundation has a centre in midtown Manhattan, and in the article below Stacy Smith reports on a purification and explanation session that took place one New Year. It’s instructive not only for what it has to say … Read the rest
Comparisons of Shinto with other traditions often prove illuminating, and we’re lucky to have among the readership someone with expertise in the Greek tradition – Erik, author of the now-retired ExecutivePagan blog where some of the material for the … Read the rest
Sanctifying sacred space is a key element in Shinto. The sense of the numinous is evident in its shrines and sacred rocks. Most of the ‘power spots’ which have won popularity in recent times relate to Shinto.
In an … Read the rest
In one of his talks, the late great Alan Watts talked of detachment and mentioned that in Hinduism yoga practitioners are advised to observe without being attached. “Keep your mind like a mirror, pure and clean, free from dust, … Read the rest
At the end of June, many shrines hold an ancient Japanese purification rite called Nagoshi no Harae. In this ceremony started in the Nara period, people atone for their sins in the first half of the year and then … Read the rest
BBC’s The Why Factor is currently featuring a most interesting programme on sacred water. It’s 18 minutes long and you can listen on its wonderful website here by clicking on the Free Download.
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“Why can the seemingly everyday … Read the rest