Table of Contents

Preface     11
Shinto for the New Millennium     18
Times are changing     20
A wake-up call to the Shinto establishment     22
Revival of original Shinto     23
Exchange and co-existence among religions     25
The idea of child-spirit (bunrei)     26
Reverence towards nature     29
Variety of religious perception     31
The flexibility and tolerance of Shinto     32
What is Shinto?     34
Shinto is a religion unique to the Japanese people     36
Shinto has no founder     38
Shinto has no doctrines     39
Shinto has no precepts or commandments     43
Shinto has no idols     46
Shinto has no organization     51
The tragedy of "not-having-any"     51
Japanese atheists and faithless Japanese     53
Characteristics of Shinto     56
What is koshinto (ancient Shinto)?     159
What is Jinja?     62
No need for a "building"     64
Kannabi, iwasaka, himorogi     66
The mystery of iwakura-rock seat     69
After the Spirit of Kami descends a place becomes jinja     72
The properattitude of mind for welcoming Kami     74
Why jinja avoids kegare (impurity or uncleanness)     78
Opening the path to Kami     79
The domain for the lower-level spirits     81
What is the household shrine (kamidana)?     83
The Idea of Misogi (Purification)     86
Four types of purification (seimei seichoku)     88
Misogi is the cornerstone of Shinto     89
Misogi was originally practiced in the ocean     91
The conceptual level of misogi     94
Purifying materials     99
Cutting off contact with unclean spirits     102
Keeping our thinking "clean and bright"     104
The Idea of Harai     106
What is Harai     108
Harai with heaven or celestial cleansing     109
The mystery of the great purifying words (oharai no kotoba)     112
The great incantation (daijinju) of Yamakage Shinto     114
Harai of the spirit of sounds (otodama)     115
Harai with earth and salt     116
Harai with human beings     117
What is kegare?     121
Human beings have the potential to become Kami     124
The idea of musubi     125
Koshinto: Theory of One Spirit, Four Souls     128
The philosophy of one spirit, four souls (ichirei shikon)     130
One Spirit (ichirei)     130
Four Souls (shikon)     130
The great spirit of the universe of the great circle     131
Systematic table of ichirei shikon     132
The function of shikon     137
The spiritual structure of human beings     140
Death and the theory of Four Souls     142
Koshinto: View of the "Other World"     146
Where do human beings go after death?     148
Ancient views of the world after death     149
The spirit-soul's journey     155
The spirits of kami protect the dead during the transition to the other world (yukai)     157
Why do kannushi not perform the funeral at the Shinto shrine?     159
What is the memorial service for the dead?     163
The Systematic Training Method of Chinkon     166
The Kami within     168
Living in the flow of eternity     169
The meaning of chinkon     171
The sequential order of chinkon     173
The awakening of the soul (furutama)     175
The breathing method     180
How to get rid of worldly thoughts      182
Beginning with "one thought, one mind"     183
Various realms     184
The secret knowledge of Yamakage Shinto     186
Seeking the clean and bright heart/mind     188
What are the characteristics of persons experiencing the deep realm?     189
The path to service     191
What is prayer?     193
Prayer as a dedication of gratitude toward Kami     195
Sincere wishes are truly realized     196
What to do when you visit a shrine to pay respect to Kami?     197
Prayer is chinkon     200
Looking steadily into your inner mind is chinkon     200
Afterword     202
Notes     204
Appendix I     208
The many names of Kami     208
The hierarchy of Kami     211
Polytheism and monotheism     212
Appendix II     215
Practice chinkon at Yamakage Shinto training center     215
Misogiharai no kotoba     216
Oharai no kotoba     217
Daijinju and ajimarikan     221
Ama no kazoeuta     222
Dedication of gratitude toward Kami     223
Additional Terms     224
Biographical Notes      228