Shinto: The origins of the Japanese mind and its significance in modern times

Shinto is nearby

When you hear the word "Shinto", the first thing that most people think of is a shrine. Visiting shrines at milestones in life and making various prayers, such as visiting shrines, shrine visits, Shichigosan, warding off evil spirits, praying for passing exams, and praying for traffic safety, has become a very natural practice for Japanese people. In recent years, it has attracted attention as a power spot, and more and more people have been visiting shrines across the country. However, the current situation is that little is known about the teachings of the gods enshrined at shrines, that is, the essence of Shinto.

Shinto is a faith that respects, thanks, and worships the ancestors who are the founders of the Japanese. At the same time, it is a path that uses the power of his ancestors, that is, God, to rule the nation and enable the Japanese to have good fortune. Shinto is the basis of the quality of Japanese people such as spirituality, values, and behavior, and by experiencing this rich wisdom, we can find the purpose and meaning of life.

Desire and "natural mind" - conflict between two minds

In Shinto, it is believed that within our minds there is a mind of "desire" that creates various worries and sufferings, and another "natural heart, the will of God" given to us by the gods (Japanese ancestors). The "natural heart" is a pure heart that is born with and is said to be connected to God's will. Since ancient times, Japanese people have been building a country by controlling and exorcising various desires (appetite, desire for money, desire for honor, feelings of treating, excessive sexual desire, etc.) based on this "natural mind." He was deeply aware of the importance of controlling desires. This is because, as the words "It's best to be treated for a long time," it was thought that mental disorder not only leads to personal ruin, but also to national chaos.

The creation of modern Japan is the result of the gods, our distant ancestors, overcome various difficulties and make tireless efforts to create the country of Japan. For us, exorcising our own desires from the heart is an eternal challenge.

Country building, labor view, and labor as a ritual

Just as our distant ancestors, our gods, created Japan, we can approach our ancestors' way of life by working with a high ambition to "create a better Japan." Working with the desire to create a better country is a path that leads to Shinto. This way of thinking flows at the root of Japanese people's views on work. The sense that working is not merely a means of obtaining a living, but a ritual, and training to train oneself in this world, or a rough practice, was deeply rooted in the Japanese people in the past.

The reason why it miraculously recovered from the burnt fields after the war and became an economic powerhouse was the strong spirit of "creating a better Japan." However, in modern society, where we are in an age of material abundance and ingestion, people tend to be arrogant, lose sight of their true nature, and it is difficult to control their desires.

They are trapped in the desire to "have more money, status, and honor," and compare themselves to others, becoming servile towards those wealthier than them, and on the other hand, they scorn others in their poor and professions. In this way, the only measure of "whether or not you have money" has become one of the values ​​of Japanese people today. And suffering amidst conflicts of desires。

In this situation, we tend to forget the "natural Japanese heart, the will of God" that lies deep inside our hearts.

The Japanese "natural heart" - manifestation of God's will

We have the same "natural heart, the will of God" as our original ancestors. This "natural heart" of Japanese people appears in a variety of situations. For example, when a disaster such as the earthquake hits, people try to overcome difficulties without looting or rioting, and try to cooperate with each other and overcome difficulties is truly a sign of a "natural heart." Also, even though they are in a difficult situation, they try to help each other without forgetting to care for others, which is similarly a sign of their "natural heart." This action is nothing but the will of the gods (ancestors) who created the country of Japan.

For us, this may be a very normal behavior, but at the very core it is possible to do this because God's will is deeply involved. It is only because of the "natural heart = God's will" that social discipline and ethics are formed, allowing people to live in order.

Even when people are not looking, we often see such things in our daily lives, such as those who try to do the right thing, those who do kindly behave without asking for reward, those who care about others, and beautiful clean, clean streets. Isn't the "natural heart, the will of God" that is the root of these actions that we should pursue throughout our lives?

The wounds of the heart that comes from sin, impurity and desire

Among the prayer, "purification prayer" is the phrase "to exorcise sin and impurity." Specifically, this "sin and impurity" refers to excessive desires (such as appetite or sexual desire). An ancient Shinto teaching is that we must not hurt the precious will of the god, the "natural heart," deep within it, by desire. There is nothing more important than this for us to return to our "natural heart = God's will."

Japanese gods and ancestors have worked hard to build a better nation based on "the natural heart = God's will." He was not driven by desire. The reason why "purifying" is necessary is that we can approach God by acting in the same way as our ancestors.

This way of thinking is the fundamental belief in Shinto. The most important thing is to regain our true self, our true heart, the will of God. Rather than satisfying one's own desires, the actions of creating something better lead to a heart that cares others and a heart that tries to help others.

The will of God and the inherited DNA that is close to you

There are 81,336 shrines (according to the Agency for Cultural Affairs) all over Japan, and the hearts of the gods, written in classical literature such as the Kojiki, Nihon Shoki, and Hotsumatsutae, still live on to this day. More importantly, our gods are ancestors who are connected by blood to us. Therefore, in us, descendants of the gods, their DNA is inherited. We are born with God's will. Gods are objects of gratitude, and are also those who already reside in our own hearts.

All men are already given the spiritual status of God at birth. However, most people don't notice it and don't look at it. This is because they are controlled by desire and become invisible. And we have the illusion of our desires as our true feelings.。

The true true feelings are the "natural heart = God's will" that God has given you since birth.

That "natural heart" lies deep within the depths of exorcising one's own desires. It is something that is not something that is taught to others and understood, but that is something that is self-convincing.

To this end, we live our lives every day with the aim of exorcising the impurities of our hearts, desires, and returning to our "natural heart."

We are all on our journey back to our "natural heart, God's will."

To eliminate impurity, eat less and realize

And to reduce filth, we must try to eat a diet that doesn't pollute the body, namely changing the way we eat and gluttony and practicing eating less. It is no exaggeration to say that all human desires begin with this appetite. The stronger the appetite, the more other desires, the more trouble they tend to suffer, and the more suffering they tend to get.

Conversely, when it becomes normal to refrain from eating, you will be free from desires and your mind will be free.

If you continue to refrain from eating in this way, the "natural heart, the will of God" inherited from your ancestors will be revived. By continuing to eat this way, you will eventually understand God's will and act unconsciously in this way. This is the path of enlightenment.

In modern society, it is common for us to live a life filled with desire. However, if we can look at our hearts and realize God's inner will in our lives, we should be able to live a richer life.

Shinto is the path to awaken our own inner divinity, and it is not something special, but exists in our everyday lives. We are always with God and live our lives embodying His will. I think that realizing this and living a life with gratitude means following Shinto teachings.

Shokey Hayashi

Exorcist/Radionics Technique Researcher

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Born in Aomori Prefecture in 1965, he has been suffering from troubles, illnesses and injuries caused by spiritual phenomena since childhood. However, one day, when he was 20 years old, he attended an event, had a mysterious experience at the venue, and was hit by lightning energy from the heavens, as if piercing the spinal cord from his brain, and his psychic abilities blossomed. He then began studying psychology and psychiatry, and now he has combined psychiatry and consciousness engineering. Established "Radionics exorcism" using our own radionics techniques. "It's possible to treat your fortune" beyond exorcism, memorial service, and healing.