Llewellyn Journal - The Power of Shinto
There is no necessity to be of Japanese heritage or cultural understanding to practice Shinto. Being a shamanistic religion with few binding rules and practices, it can be practiced anywhere. Though Shintoists in other parts of the world are lacking shrines in which to worship, Amaterasu and the kami are believed to be everywhere; a person does not need to be in Japan to appreciate Shinto’s poetic powers. Shinto can be emotionally touching without a person ever setting foot in Japan. And while Shinto is deemed “Japanese” and indeed has had a great hand in the country’s development and societal structure, there are many aspects of it that are worldwide. Reverence for the earth is not solely from Japan. Especially these days, with our worries for the environment’s future, taking care of the earth is becoming more and more important to a growing number of people. Finding strength in a goddess like Amaterasu, whether at a literal level (for those who believe she truly exists) to a metaphorical level (for those who believe there is profound analogical meaning in her tales) also has its pull. Some people find Shinto’s rituals very soothing, while others may prefer to walk their own path. Shinto is very much a belief system for the individual.
Shinto has managed to make itself the best of both worlds. And while it’s authentically Japanese, it’s also, at its heart, authentically a help to the world. Even if people don’t live in Japan, or don’t go to temples, or don’t word-for-word hold onto the stories of the kami, there’s something there they can take away. They can take away Shinto’s versatility, its long life, its meeting of the sacred and the mundane. Shinto, like Amaterasu, can hold a mirror up to us, and show us we’re also part of this earth, and how important it is we appreciate this.
There is no necessity to be of Japanese heritage or cultural understanding to practice Shinto. Being a shamanistic religion with few binding rules and practices, it can be practiced anywhere. Though Shintoists in other parts of the world are lacking shrines in which to worship, Amaterasu and the kami are believed to be everywhere; a person does not need to be in Japan to appreciate Shinto’s poetic powers. Shinto can be emotionally touching without a person ever setting foot in Japan. And while Shinto is deemed “Japanese” and indeed has had a great hand in the country’s development and societal structure, there are many aspects of it that are worldwide. Reverence for the earth is not solely from Japan. Especially these days, with our worries for the environment’s future, taking care of the earth is becoming more and more important to a growing number of people. Finding strength in a goddess like Amaterasu, whether at a literal level (for those who believe she truly exists) to a metaphorical level (for those who believe there is profound analogical meaning in her tales) also has its pull. Some people find Shinto’s rituals very soothing, while others may prefer to walk their own path. Shinto is very much a belief system for the individual.
Shinto has managed to make itself the best of both worlds. And while it’s authentically Japanese, it’s also, at its heart, authentically a help to the world. Even if people don’t live in Japan, or don’t go to temples, or don’t word-for-word hold onto the stories of the kami, there’s something there they can take away. They can take away Shinto’s versatility, its long life, its meeting of the sacred and the mundane. Shinto, like Amaterasu, can hold a mirror up to us, and show us we’re also part of this earth, and how important it is we appreciate this.
