Earth Day celebrations on April 22 this year were sadly overshadowed by the Corona crisis. The news and social media were dominated by the virus, and ecological concerns were pushed aside.
However, one Shinto shrine that bucked the trend showed … Read the rest
Green Shinto has written of the meaning of Setsubun before, and covered the bean-throwing rite at various Kyoto shrines (see here). But we have never been to Matsuo Taisha for Setsubun, and this proved to be the most enjoyable … Read the rest
Posted on February 2, 2020 by John D.
Yes, it’s that time of year again, when we get to … Read the rest
Divination is an important part of shamanistic religions. Through the aid of unseen spirits, shamans claim ability to see into the future. In fossilised cases such as Shinto, where shamanistic possession is retained in symbolic form only, omikuji fortune telling … Read the rest
This morning we enter a new historical period called Reiwa as Emperor Naruhito begins his reign. It’s a very different feel from the beginning of the Heisei Era in 1989, as there is no death preceding the ascension of the … Read the rest
It’s not uncommon for Westerners to have a rosy-eyed view of shamanic and post-shamanic cultures (amongst which Shinto can be classified). The Ainu cult of the bear is an example, since in an animist-based culture one might presume the animal
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