Restoring Illumination of the Sun
Restoration of the Sun With the recent total eclipse, I thought I’d share with you one of the significant stories in Shinto. I revolves around Amaterasu Ō Mikami, the Kami of the Sun, her brother Susanō, and Ame no Uzume no Mikoto. Legend in the Kojiki tells us that there was a great dispute between […]
Dai Shizen meaning
Dai Shizen: Great Nature In Shinto we strive to live in harmony with 大自然 Dai Shizen. This translates as “Great Nature” but actually has a very broad meaning. First, let’s look at the kanji: 大 Dai: means “great” in the sense of acknowledging vastness and deep importance. 自然 Shizen: this is usually translated as “Nature” […]
Tsubaki Dai Jinja
Tsubaki Dai Jinja at Knapp Island Last Saturday was a momentous day here! Guji Yukiyasu Yamamoto (97th High Priest) conducted the solemn ceremony of Senza Sai to install the kamisama in Tsubaki Dai Jinja at Knapp Island. This shrine is imbued with a rich history. In 1987, Guji Yukiyasu Yamamoto arrived in Stockton, California as […]
Senza Sai
Tsubaki Grand Shrine At Knapp Island On March 23 we will conduct the sacred ceremony of Senza Sai to install the kamisama in Tsubaki Grand Shrine which is not in place at Knapp Island. We are very honoured to welcome the most senior priests from Tsubaki Grand Shrine (Japan) to perform this ceremony, led […]
Mists
Sweeping Away the Mist Sweeping Away the Mist A couple of mornings ago I was walking along the shoreline and visibility on the water was virtually nil. I could hear the blast of the ferry horn, but I could not see a thing on the ocean. And then as I stood peering into the gray […]
Walk Slowly Bow Often
Otakiage Completed The burned fiercely, atop the snow covered ground. The many articles from last year were purified and then added to the pyre, returning the energy to the realm of the kami. So many blessings and protections—we offered prayers of gratitude for the gifts received from these amulets. And many personal notes were sent, […]
Nature Art
This time of year brings such a wide range of colors and textures. The crimson red of the Japanese maple trees at the Centre take my breath away. The golden gingko leaves blanket the pathway. I love the smell of rain and am happy to see the cistern filling with water and the plants happy […]
Find Brightness
There are so many horrific situations in the world. The news brings us real time reports of sorrows, death, and destruction. It can be all too easy to be engulfed by darkness.But there is light all around us. We just have to look for it. To choose brightness. This is Shinto. This is the practice […]
Omamori
Omamori (お守り) are amulets for protection and blessings. The word “omamori” can be translated to “to protect” or “to guard.”
Sit Spot
Mindfulness in your backyard
Awe
When we are filled with awe in the presence of Nature, we begin to think about things outside ourselves. To see ourselves as part of a much larger continuum. To not see ourselves as the center or the pinnacle. When I look at this arbutus tree, I am in awe at its ability heal, to […]
May Your Mind Be Like the Ocean
May your growth be like that of trees Whose secrets is patience May your healing be like that of the forests Whose secret is regeneration May your blossoming be like that of the seeds Whose secret is transformation May your transitions be like that of the moon Whose secret is remaining beautiful and light through […]
Clouds in Each Paper
The “Web of Interbeing” is the concept that all phenomena are interdependent. I particularly like the explanation by Thich Nhat Hanh in the simile called Clouds in Each Paper: “If you are a poet, you will see clearly that there is a cloud floating in this sheet of paper. Without a cloud, there will be no […]
Have a Sacred Place
A sacred place is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a place, or a certain time, where you do not know what was in the newspapers that morning. You don’t know who your friends are. You don’t know what you owe to anybody. You don’t know what anybody owes to you, but […]
Forest Bathing
Qing Li, a physician and researcher on the healing properties of forests, has written a book Forest Bathing which offers a thoughtful introduction to the scientifically proven benefits of spending time among the trees.
鏡Kagami: The Mirror in Shinto
The Shinto kagami (mirror) is the mitama (soul) of Amaterasu no Ō Kami.
The sacred forest
The forest itself is a shrine where the kami dwell in the trees.
Fresh prayer flags for the stupa
Lama Rabten putting up new prayer flags at Jangchub Chorten (Enlightenment Stupa).
Walking meditation
Learn how to do Walking Meditation. We have several walking paths dedicated to this practice at Shin Mei Spiritual Centre.
New years greetings
Ōshogatsu: greeting the New Year