Shinto in Japan / The nearest God / Kamidana and Butsudan
Sunday, July 3, 2016
In fact,most Japanese people don't know about Shinto.
Because they have never been taught about Shinto in Japanese school education.
So,Shinto is treated as something cultural thing not a religion.
Some people even think that we have no religion or Japan's national religion is Buddhism.
But Shinto is Japan's all.
Shinto is not just nature worship.
There are two main concepts in Shinto.
1, Ancestor worship
2,Nature worship (The Sun,The Earth,land,field,mountain...and so on)
These two concepts are not different each other,because all our ancestors were given birth by nature of the Earth.
And we are living on the Earth with foods from nature fields.
Human and nature are the same one.
In addition,ancestors and their living descendants are also gods of nature.
This point is really important.
People may think that human and god are separated.
It is not true at all.
God is nature. Nature is God.
Human is always born with a nature god's portion that is given by hometown's nature gods.
The portion is staying our right side chest as long as we live.
It is kind of a sacred battery of human.(The size is ping-pong ball)
So,babies are not born without local nature god's power.
We are all allowed to be born by nature gods.
The battery leave our body when we die.
Our body is consists of three things.
Physical body that was given by parents/Battery(Nature god's portion)/Individual spirit
Single individual spirit is not able to get birth.
Body and battery is needed.
(The battery is called conscience in other words.)
The inner god is the nearest god.
I have self inner god in my chest.Of course you do.
And our parents are also nearest gods.
Because they gave us our body.Our body is rental vehicle not own possession.
These all inner gods are connected each other in deep spirit world.
Because nature of the Earth is seamless like a ball.
The ball's beauty level is depends on level of human being.
One lump of our inner gods = God reflecting on the mirror
We have to show wonderful reflection to God.
Fatherhood god(The Polaris star/The center of the universe)
and motherhood god(The Sun/Mother of the Earth).
I didn't write in the illustration but there is the top of the GOD above the Universe god.
It has no distinction of sex and no individuality.(The mixture power of father and mother)
Lower things have each personality like human.
You don't have to seek the God.
God always with you.
Just realize about it.
You already have God's small part in your body.
It is the strongest amulet in the world.
You don't have to rely on spiritual goods or power stones,
Although all human have same value of inner god,
people's spirit level is quite different.
It depends on their EGO level.
If you cover up self inner god with thick cloud of EGO,
inner god will be not able to shine like the Sun.
To control EGO fully = Human's destination = End of rebirth system
Let's talk about Kamidana and Butsudan.
These items are the most important to our house.
Kamidana = Small shrine in Japanese house
Butsudan = Worship place for own ancestors
Both are important.
Both morning rituals make us great.
But Butsudan is more important than Kamidana.
Kamidana is easy to understand to foreign people.
Because they think that there are sacred thing/gods outside of people.
No,no no! Human is god too if you notice about self inner god.
Awareness of self inner god = People become Messiah
This is the truth in Christianity's concept.
No one can help you. You help yourself and others.
Why are you waiting help from others? It is very nonsense.
You are the God if you can realize about inner god.
So, they can't really understand about importance in Butsudan.
Because ancestors were normal people.
But they had each inner god while they were living.
In addition,it is said that Butsudan is Buddhism item,but it is not true.
Shinto is far older than Buddhism and ancestor worship was ancient Shinto's concept.
Look at the illustration again.
Parents and ancestors are near god from you.
Don't skip them.
Parents and ancestors are only one street which leads to the prime God.
If you cherish only top of the God,it is not good.
Nearest god(you) and Near gods(parents,ancestors,nature gods) are important.
This is ash powder for Butsudan table.
Please use the exclusive ash or baking soda for Butsudan table.
Salt is not recommended.
There are many rules in Butsudan ritual,but you just dedicate three incenses basically.