Shintoism is the Indigenous religion of Japan and promotes a spiritual way of life in harmony with nature and all forms of life.
Shintoism is Japan’s major religion which co-exists with its second-largest religion Buddhism. Interestingly, both religions are often practiced simultaneously by Japanese people due to the similarity in values and the absence of contradicting beliefs.
What is Shintoism?
Shintoism is the belief that humans and the natural world are connected and that the spirit of God or Kami lives in natural things such as animals, mountains, and rivers.
The belief goes further to also signal God’s existence in ideas of growth, creation, and judgment.
Indeed, Shintoism does not have clear-cut practices or doctrines that need to be followed, but simply an acknowledgment of the spiritual forces that reside in all living things and ideals.
The Co-Existence of Shintoism
Buddhism is Japan’s second-largest religion with its origins in ancient Indian and Chinese philosophies. Given its core values related to the acceptance and transcendence of suffering through the detachment of the mind from the physical body, it’s quite an easy religion to adapt for most people, particularly Shintoists who have no concrete doctrines.
What I’ve noticed is that Shintoism is practiced by all kinds of people regardless of their religious or spiritual standing. It’s only a matter of to what extent you adapt ideas of Shinto philosophy in your life. For instance, simply showing respect and gratitude for the things you have such as food, shelter, and people in your life is a Shinto practice.
Thus, even a follower of Abrahamic religions such as Islam, Christianity, and Judaism can adapt elements of Shintoism in their everyday life, even if not to the highest degree. In fact, Shintoism is quite easy to adapt even for atheists, as it requires to pledge or oath nor are there any specific practices to adhere to, rather, it is a mindset for every day life.
Is Shintoism too Lacksy Daisy?
Yes and no. Shintoism may not be as “satisfying” as Abrahamic religions where there is a clear destination for your soul after you die.
However, the “lacksy daisy” elements of Shintoism make it appealing to all of mankind, particularly with guidelines that are very easy to get on board without discarding your current beliefs.
Furthermore, it’s hard to call Shintoism truly lacksy daisy or unimpactful when its influence can be seen all over Japan and through the world’s infatuation with Japanese culture and tradition which, ultimately, has its roots in Shinto philosophy.
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