Shinto worship: traditions and practices

Shintoism (meaning the way of the gods) is the oldest indigenous belief system in Japanese history. His beliefs and rites are practiced by over 112 million people.

At the heart of Shintoism is the belief and worship of kami, the essence of the spirit that can be present in all things.
According to the Shintoist belief, the natural state of human beings is purity. Impurity derives from daily events but can be purified through ritual.
Visiting shrines, purifying, reciting prayers and making offerings are essential Shinto practices.
Funerals do not take place in Shinto shrines, since death is considered impure.
In particular, Shintoism has no sacred divinity, no sacred text, no founding figure and no central doctrine. Instead, kami worship is central to Shinto belief. Kami is the essence of the spirit that can be present in all things. All life, natural phenomena, objects and human beings (living or deceased) can be vessels for the kami. Reverence for kami is maintained by the regular practice of rites and rituals, purification, prayers, offerings and dances.

Shintoist beliefs
There is no sacred text or central divinity in Shinto belief, so worship is conducted through ritual and tradition. The following beliefs shape these rituals.

Us

The fundamental belief in the heart of Shinto is in kami: formless spirits that animate anything of greatness. For ease of understanding, kami are sometimes referred to as divinity or deity, but this definition is incorrect. Shinto kami are not higher powers or supreme beings and do not dictate right and wrong.

Kami are considered amoral and do not necessarily punish or reward. For example, a tsunami has a kami, but being hit by a tsunami is not considered punishment by an angry kami. However, kami are thought to exercise power and ability. In Shinto, it is important to placate kami through rituals and rituals.

Purity and impurities
Unlike illicit actions or "sins" in other world religions, the concepts of purity (kiyome) and impurity (kegare) are temporary and changeable in Shinto. Purification is done for good luck and tranquility rather than adhering to a doctrine, although in the presence of kami, purity is essential.

In Shintoism, the default value for all human beings is goodness. Human beings are born pure, without "original sin", and can easily return to that state. Impurity arises from daily events - intentional and unintended - such as injury or disease, environmental pollution, menstruation and death. Being impure means separating from the kami, which makes good luck, happiness and peace of mind difficult, if not impossible. Purification (harae or harai) is any ritual intended to liberate a person or object of impurity (kegare).

Harae originates from the founding history of Japan during which two kami, Izanagi and Izanami, were commissioned by the original kami to bring shape and structure to the world. After a bit of struggle, they married and produced children, the islands of Japan and the kami who lived there, but eventually the fire kami eventually killed Izanami. Desperate to displease, Izanagi followed her love to the underworld and was shocked to see her corpse rot, infested with worms. Izanagi fled from the underworld and purified himself with water; the result was the birth of the kami of the sun, moon and storms.

Shinto practices
Shintoism is supported by adherence to traditional practices that have gone through centuries of Japanese history.

Shinto shrines (Jinji) are public places built to house the kami. Anyone is invited to visit public shrines, although there are some practices that should be observed by all visitors, including reverence and purification from the water before entering the sanctuary itself. The kami cult can also be done in small shrines in private houses (kamidana) or sacred and natural spaces (moors).

Shinto purification rite

Purification (harae or harai) is a ritual performed to free a person or an object of impurity (kegare). Purification rituals can take many forms, including a priest's prayer, purification with water or salt, or even a mass purification of a large group of people. A ritual cleansing can be completed through one of the following methods:

Haraigushi and Ohnusa. Ohnusa is the belief of transferring impurity from a person to an object and destroying the object after the transfer. When entering a Shinto shrine, a priest (shinshoku) will wave a purification wand (haraigushi) consisting of a stick with strips of paper, linen or rope attached to it over visitors to absorb impurities. The impure haraigushi will theoretically be destroyed at a later time.

Misogi Harai. Like Izanagi, this purification method is traditionally practiced by completely submerging under a waterfall, river, or other active body of water. It is common to find basins at the entrance to sanctuaries where visitors will wash their hands and mouth as a shortened version of this practice.

Imi. An act of prevention rather than purification, Imi is the imposition of taboos under certain circumstances to avoid impurity. For example, if a family member had recently died, the family would not visit a shrine, as death is considered unclean. Similarly, when something in nature is damaged, prayers are said and rituals are performed to appease the kami of the phenomenon.

Oharae. At the end of June and December of each year, oharae or the ceremony of the "great purification" are held in the shrines of Japan with the intent of purifying the entire population. In some circumstances, it is performed even after natural disasters.

Kagura
Kagura is a type of dance used to pacify and energize the kami, especially those of recently deceased people. It is also directly related to Japan's origin story, when the kami danced for the Amaterasu, the kami of the sun, to get her to hide to restore light to the universe. Like much else in Shinto, the types of dances vary from community to community.

Prayers and offerings

Prayers and offerings to kami are often complex and play an important role in communicating with kami. There are different types of prayers and offerings.

norito
Norito are Shinto prayers, issued by both priests and worshipers, who follow a complicated prose structure. They usually contain words of praise for kami, as well as requests and a list of offers. Norito is also said to be part of the priest's cleansing of visitors before entering a sanctuary.

Ema
Ema are small wooden plaques where worshipers can write prayers for kami. Plaques are purchased in the sanctuary where they are left to be received by the kami. Often they present small drawings or drawings and prayers often consist of requests for success during exam periods and in business, children's health and happy marriages.

ofuda
Ofuda is an amulet received in a Shinto shrine with the name of a kami and is intended to bring luck and safety to those who hang it in their homes. Omamori are smaller and portable ofuda that offer security and protection for a person. Both need to be renewed every year.

Omikuji
Omikuji are small leaflets in Shinto shrines with writings written on them. A visitor will pay a small amount to randomly select an omikuji. Unrolling the sheet releases luck.

Shinto wedding ceremony

Participation in Shinto rituals strengthens interpersonal relationships and relationships with the kami and can bring health, safety and luck to a person or group of people. Although there is no weekly service, there are various life rites for the faithful.

Hatsumiyamairi
After a baby is born, it is brought to a shrine by parents and grandparents to be placed under the protection of the kami.

Shichigosan
Each year, on the Sunday closest to November 15, parents take their three and five year old sons and three and seven year old daughters to the local shrine to thank the gods for a healthy childhood and to ask for a lucky and successful future. .

Seijin Shiki
Every year on January 15, 20-year-old men and women visit a shrine to thank the kami for reaching adulthood.

Marriage
Although increasingly rare, wedding ceremonies traditionally take place in the presence of family members and priests in a Shinto shrine. Typically attended by the bride, groom and their immediate families, the ceremony consists of the exchange of vows and rings, prayers, drinks and an offering to the kami.

Death
Funerals are rarely held in Shinto shrines, and if they do, they only need to appease the kami of the deceased person. Death is considered impure, although only the body of the deceased person is impure. The soul is pure and free from the body.