Inwardly Hold a Great Hope

A renewal. A single-hearted effort. The frame of mind transformed. The sacred mirror.

[konkokyo]

Konkokyo in Russia!

There has been a renewal for the Konkokyo in Russia website! Please take a look here, and please feel free to share.

Конкокё на Русском 金光教ロシア語ウェブサイト

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For further information about the Kyoha Shinto faith Konkokyo in Russian, as well as if you'd like to join a Russian-language group and possibly as well a worship group, please email:

[email protected]

Thank you!

[mozevvelnik]

御神米 Goshinmai in Konkokyo.

Resource: 御神米入 | https://okamotoshinki.com

Goshinmai(御神米 "Sacred Kami Rice", "Divine Rice") is an envelope of rice paper with a dozen of consecrated uncooked rice. Tenchi Kane No Kami prayers are performed over the rice. It is then washed with consecrated water and dried under the sun before being left to rest under the moonlight. The next morning, the rice is sprinkled with sacred blessed sake and placed in a small triangular white rice paper envelope.

Rice is a symbol of life and Goshinmai symbolizes the blessings of Tenchi (天地, Universe). Rice is grown because everything in nature works in harmony with each other, including humans. It represents the virtue of Tenchi Kane No Kami and the wish that these blessings are never forgotten.

Goshinmai can be forward by visiting a church and making a donation at the Toritsugi Mediation Desk, but it is also given to believers who ask for a blessing with a sincere heart. Goshinmai is believed to help with illness, recovery from injury, childbirth or difficulties in life.

One who receives Goshinmai can eat it either raw or cooked. The rice can be kept in a special pouch on one's altar, in one's purse, or on the windshield of one's car. All of this reminds us of Kami-sama's blessings and that He is constant presence with us.

The main thing is to take care of Goshinmai and cherish it, remembering Kami-sama's daily blessings.

Rev. Olivia's Bernkastel(@livingwithkami) Goshinmai, photo by @konkokyo

[livingwithkami]

The shrine felt peaceful today

[livingwithkami]

On April 24th, I offered red roses to Kami-sama for a little belated St George's day (it is cultural for me being part Italian). 🌹 Now, 3 weeks later, there's a lovely little red rose "bouquet" growing in front of the shrine. In everything you offer to Kami-sama in gratitude, Kami-sama will give back as well. 🙏🏻It is Aiyo kakeyo (interdependence)🌹

[chasinggoldenlight]

Something I like about Konkokyo #1

When sharing Konkokyo with others, the goal isn’t to make them a Konkokyo believer but rather to present the ideas and beliefs of Konkokyo that can potentially enrich their life. 

Konkokyo isn’t forcefully evangelical like other religions that I’ve witnessed. The founder, Konko Daijin-sama, emphasized that all people are children of the Divine Parent and that we should respect other religions. 

There’s a verse in our sacred scriptures that goes like this (I’m paraphrasing!): “A parent has three children: a rabbi, a Shinto priest, and a Buddhist priest. If someone insults one of their children and the work that they do, would that make the parent happy? This is why we should respect other religions. Kamisama (God) is our Divine Parent and we are all their children.”

[blossomingkami]

Konkokyo Wallpapers I made!

[livingwithkami]

Upload files for free - Shinto Beginner Pack Zipped.zip - ufile.io

Download Shinto Beginner Pack Zipped.zip for free from ufile.io instantly, no signup required and no popup ads

Shinto Beginner Pack / Shinto Starter Guides

Hello everyone,  I have compiled a series of documents for those new to Shinto. There is a total of 12. The following writing is also found in the first document “0. Preface and Orientation” in the package. I will possibly post some of the other articles I have written here on this blog, but ultimately I’ve made this as I will be going on a long-term break, stepping away from the broader Shinto community and only going to focus on Konko Faith, and events at my shrine, and personal writings at my own pace. The information contained in these documents has been gathered from my mere 10 years of study and experiences of Shinto practice, especially from my teachers and mentors, and my 6 years of experience licensed and ordained as a Shinto priestess of Konko Faith. (For Shinto learning, this is hardly a long time).  At the time of writing this, I’m a 28 year-old Canadian. I still have so much to learn and be taught. So please do not take this as me writing a complete, perfect guide. I have dated all the documents to show the time they were written and the information therein will evolve and grow in the future as well. There are some documents not written or compiled by me, too. I am deeply grateful to the authors of these documents for the valuable information that can help orient beginners to Shinto, and about home practice. These documents were especially and particularly compiled for those who live far from shrines. Even if you read through these documents, it will only provide you with a very bare bones understanding that has not really begun to scratch the surface of really deeply understanding Shinto with your heart.  There will always be more things to learn and understand, it is a lifetime period of learning, training, and most importantly: experiencing. I sincerely urge you as well to reach out to other priests and shrines, get involved in the Shinto community where you can. If you are blessed to live near a shrine, please get involved with the shrine and visit, as you will learn about Shinto so much easier there and experiencing than only reading. I have learned all I know thus far from other priests, elders, and mentors, and experiences thanks to their involvement in my life. Thank you so much. Sincerely, Rev. Olivia Bernkastel

[livingwithkami]

Shinto and LGBT+ culture: Connected from the ancient to modern era

Throughout the years and even now, I have often been asked the view Shinto holds in regard to LGBT+ people and culture. As someone who is both nonbinary feminine and pansexual, with most of my loved ones being apart of the LGBT+ community, and some who practice Shinto as well, this is a topic that is very close to home and personal for me. I wanted to write about this for a very long time, and talk about this in my last article about Shinto and sexuality, as they are related. However as this is such an important topic to me, I felt it deserved it’s own article. There are so many things I want to express in regard to this topic so this won’t be the only article about it!

Historically speaking in Japan, there are many examples of LGBT+ people and practices that were present, a prominent and most-cited example being that it was commonplace and even a part of samurai culture to be in gay relationships. It wasn’t until the Meiji era in 1868, and the influence of Western culture, that it began to be viewed as uncivilized and wrong. As a result, a stigma began to rear it’s ugly head, and many important LGBT+ rights began to be lost. Under pressure, openly gay and lesbian relationships; writings and art of them too - began to disappear. Trans and gender nonconforming people began to be pressured to conform to their assigned gender at birth, instead of being able to be who they are freely. In addition, stricter gender roles and heavier patriarchal ideals were enforced even further. While it wasn’t absolutely perfect or progressive and there were still plenty of issues, with the advent of the Meiji reformations, any sort of openness and potentiality for progression was completely shattered.

However, much time has passed since 1868, and in the current era in Japan, thanks to the enduring influence of the past despite the Meiji reformations, and the present influences of Buddhism, and especially Shinto itself - the hostility towards LGBT+ people is not as severe when comparing with other countries. Despite the old Western influence remaining in that we still lack full legal equality in Japan, progressions and reforms are happening fast and in great number, despite the current political party’s objections - and for that I am very grateful.

Thankfully, there are lots of excellent resources about the LGBT+ history as well as the present situation in Japan and Japanese culture in English, in published books and online - so I won’t get too far into it for this article since I want to focus on the Shinto side in particular which isn’t as often talked about.

The answer to the question on everyone’s mind of this topic - “What is Shinto’s view on LGBT+ people?” isn’t an easy answer. Shinto is the farthest thing from a monolith. There is no dogma, and no unified organizational structure overseeing all of Shinto in itself. Jinja Honcho comes close to a sort of unifying organizational force, but there are still the 12 government registered sects of Shinto, hundreds of individual shrine faiths that while not officially registered as sects, are essentially as such in that they don’t align with Jinja Shinto’s common views - such as the focus on Amaterasu Omikami - for example. Shinto also encompasses the thousands of varied folk practices in rural areas; and holds a very long and complicated history.

In other words, to put it simply, there is no true existence of an authority to speak for all of Shinto in and of itself as a whole practice. There are authorities in each tradition, such as the Head Shrines where the faith and worship of a kami began, that maintain the general beliefs, history, myths, stories, and rituals. But as Shinto in it’s very essence is not dogmatic - every tradition, shrine, and each individual priest can and will have differing views and opinions about the various different aspects. It can even be as split down to two priests working at the same shrine having completely different interpretations on beliefs.

While Shinto is a practice that has a lot of freedom in interpretation and encouraging individual thinking, I strongly feel, personally speaking, this is not a “free card” excuse to dishonor the core values that makes Shinto, well, Shinto - the Way of Kami. Respecting and honoring nature, supporting each other, caring for each other, respect to our ancestors, working to be good people, taking care of the community, and so forth. This is the common thread that unites all of Shinto - the different traditions, the shrines, and the practices.

That being said, while there isn’t a simple and direct answer to Shinto’s view on LGBT+ people as a whole - I can say one tradition at the moment has made a groundbreaking announcement on matters for the LGBT+ community. This year the Head Shrine of the tradition I follow, Konkokyo Shinto, openly, officially announced and confirmed support of the LGBT+ community. This makes it the first Shinto tradition to do so. The Head shrine is also supporting the Konkokyo LGBT Kai (Group), run by LGBT+ clergy, with other clergy and laypeople members who work to support the activities of our group - myself and my partner included.

Many of our Konkokyo shrines had been holding same-sex marriages for many years, but with this decision, we now are also actively supporting the community as a whole, with our shrines being safe spaces for LGBT+ folks. Having the official approval from the Head Shrine is so validating and I feel so proud and happy to be a priestess of Tenchi Kane no Kami and of Konkokyo. I wrote a full article about the announcement here: http://witchesandpagans.com/pagan-paths-blogs/living-with-kami/konkokyo-lgbt-kai.html

I can only hope other traditions follow suit, and have their support be clearly defined.

Informational pamphlet from the Konkokyo LGBT Kai, about clergy and laypeople, as well as terminology

While there may not be an official support from Jinja Honcho, other Head Shrines, or traditions (yet!). I still know of there being a lot of openness and acceptance. For example, Tsubaki Grand Shrine of America has also been holding same-sex marriages for over 20 years, and welcoming of LGBT+ parishioners and worshipers. In Japan, many other shrines have been holding marriage ceremonies for same-sex coupes too. Within the Jinja Shinto sphere, I know an ordained priestess who is a trans woman, and openly bi and gay priests too. Generally speaking in the Shinto community as a whole, it is very open and accepting. I have only encountered a few people who have not been accepting, but thankfully they are not the majority.

This makes sense as well, as historically Shinto has generally had LGBT+ friendly views - being LGBT+ was not seen as tsumi, or a “wrong deed that went against nature - a crime”. There are records of ancient miko of the Izu Islands, who were said to be “men who lived and thought of themselves as women”, but it was very clear in the ancient era only women had the power to be miko - female mediums, spiritworkers, and priestesses in the ancient era - so the miko of the Izu Islands were truthfully trans women. There are other examples of miko not from the islands who fell in the same definition in ancient times. In addition, even some of the nature-spirit and ancestral kami themselves were viewed and are still viewed as being gay. For example, an excerpt from “Male Colors: The Construction of Homosexuality in Tokugawa Japan” by Gary Leupp writes,

“During the Tokugawa period, some of the Shinto gods, especially Hachiman, Myoshin, Shinmei and Tenjin, "came to be seen as guardian deities of nanshoku” (male–male love). Tokugawa-era writer Ihara Saikaku joked that since there are no women for the first three generations in the genealogy of the gods found in the Nihon Shoki, the gods must have enjoyed homosexual relationships"

In addition, one could understand quite a few nature-spirit kami as transgender, genderfluid, nonbinary, and agender too. For example, the first three kami, Ame no Minakanushi no Kami, Takamimusubi no Kami, and Kamimusubi no Kami could be interpreted as agender, as they are said to be genderless in their myth. The next example would be Tenchi Kane no Kami, who is said to be a kami who is encompassing of all genders, but also genderless too. One could interpret them as nonbinary or genderfluid.

Then we have Amaterasu Omikami herself as well. In one myth, she dressed in masculine warrior clothing and hairstyle when she confronted her brother, Susanoo no Mikoto. One could interpret this in many ways in regard to how she expresses her gender as a kami that is not always fully feminine. In addition with regard to her sexuality, depending on one’s interpretation of the cave myth and Ame no Uzume no Mikoto’s exposure of her breasts, one could see her as having either lesbian, bisexual, or pansexual attraction. This interpretation can be further supported in the ancient practices of the miko priestesses of Amaterasu Omikami. In some of these practices, the priestesses would ritually be wed to Amaterasu Omikami, and also share of an intimate bond with her in sacred ceremonies.

This practice was not only limited to Amaterasu Omikami, but many other female kami as well, such as Ame no Uzume no Mikoto herself, and Konohanasakuya Hime no Mikoto. Since both Ame no Uzume no Mikoto and Konohanasakuya Hime no Mikoto also have husbands, Sarutahiko Okami and Ninigi no Mikoto respectively, this also can be interpreted in a lot of different ways that is not particularly heteronormative.

Inari Okami is one of the most prominent examples, and often seen as a LGBT+ icon - sometimes they are a man, sometimes they are a beautiful woman, and sometimes they are androgynous, sometimes they are no gender at all, and sometimes they encompass many or all genders. One can interpret this as Inari Okami being known as a shapeshifter, or some may see Inari Okami being multiple kami as one - I feel the interpretation of Inari Okami as genderfluid, or nonbinary, or any other expression, is also just as valid.

People may not agree with these interpretations or even see the concept of kami having gender like people is incorrect, or foolish to believe. However, if the kami mythologicaly and traditionally are said to have genders, have sex, attractions, and marriage - I believe it is not out of place as an interpretation. Someone personally seeing some kami as a part of the LGBT+ community for their own personal belief harms no one. On the contrary, it can help to develop a deeper bond, trust, and understanding between us and the kami. Which that sincerity is key and most important.

Now, I say this in regard to nature-spirit kami in particular, but in Shinto, once-living humans are also worshiped and respected as ancestral kami, often referred to as “mitama-no-kami”. Someone who is a part of the LGBT+ community and has passed away is worshiped and enshrined as a mitama-no-kami just the same as anyone else, and to be properly respectful, they would still be honored as who they were when they still had a physical body - that does not change.

In addition, as I mentioned earlier, samurai had various romantic gay relationships. They too are enshrined as mitama no kami. One may know famously about Oda Nobunaga, who is enshrined as a mitama no kami, and Ranmaru’s romantic relationship. As well, there is one such famous example of a mitama no kami who was most likely a trans man - Uesugi Kenshin. Many have said he could have been a woman in disguise - but - he had various medical checks and observations of his body by professionals at the time, and was still referred to as a man and could act as leader of the Uesugi clan without falter.

It is even recorded he experienced illnesses pertaining to his abdominal area every month around the same time of the week, but this did not change any existing records in regard to his gender. It is also extremely odd that for a daimyo (samurai warlord) at that era, where it was common to have multiple concubines to secure a successor, he did not have any biological children and even faced a succession crisis that led to adoption. Of course, there is no way we can confirm historically of whether he was a woman in disguise or a trans man, but there is a lot of evidence historically pointing to him being trans. He is now enshrined as a mitama no kami at Uesugi Jinja in Yamagata Prefecture.

While there is still so much I want to talk about on this topic, and I could most likely write a book! I want to mention something perhaps not directly related as much but a fun mention: the rainbow’s colours are sacred in Shinto, as seen in the 5 sacred colours used for many different sacred items in Shinto. Red, Yellow, Green, White, Violet. The colours are said to represent the 4 directions around the world, and our own soul.

I hope then, that in all 4 directions around the world, people can come to realize that LGBT+ rights are also human rights, and we aren’t odd, strange, nor dangerous. We are all apart of nature, all apart of this universe together. Let’s respect the various colours of everyone’s own souls, and work to uphold and support each other as a whole, unified community with love.

[livingwithkami]

November thoughts by Rev. Shohei Suenaga

In the latest email from the Konko shrines in North America, there was an article by the Rev. Shohei Suenaga. I really enjoyed to read this article! With Rev. Suenaga’s permission, I was allowed to share it with you all here on Tumblr. I hope you will enjoy the read as well! - Rev. Olivia

November Thoughts by Rev. Shohei Suenaga Happy Thanksgiving! I think Thanksgiving is a day for each of us to give thanks to all people and all things.  Konko-Sama shared these words at our Central Worship Hall in Okayama, Japan with a group of foreign exchange students from Australia; “People live within Kami, Kami lives within people. At birth, we receive a part of Kami (Kami’s heart). We must be aware of the existence of Kami-sama in our hearts.” Since long ago, Japanese people have called “people "or "things” that are great - a “kami.” Even nowadays, people call great sports plays “Kami tteru pure–” which means the play is “Out of this world” or an “amazing play,” and wonderful customer service is called “Kami Taiou” which means “responding like a kami.” I think “kami” is very familiar to Japanese people. Our Principal Mediator Rev. Heiki Konko says “People live within Kami, Kami lives within people.” “People live within Kami” means people are allowed to live within nature, the universe. If there are no workings of the universe, we cannot live, much less eat, drink or do anything. I think the amazing workings of the universe should be called “Kami.” First, we should appreciate the universe, which is always taking care of us. And “Kami lives within people” means all people have Kami in their hearts. For example, if someone is drowning in a lake, you would probably want to help out, in most cases. This is the Kami in your heart. Wouldn’t the person saved think the person who saved him or her was (actually) Kami-sama? Principal Mediator Rev. Konko says all things or situations like this, we must be aware they are all part of Kami and have gratitude. I think it is very fortunate if you appreciate everyone around you as Kami-sama. By all means, please say “Thank you” to the people next to you. And going forward, let us make Thanksgiving Day a day to truly give your thanks to all. Thank you very much.

[livingwithkami]

金光教横須賀教会秋季例大祭と120記念祭の準備

Konkokyo Yokosuka Shrine’s Autumn Grand Ceremony and 120th Anniversary celebration preparations

Today I took out all the shrine furniture and cleaned both altars, the offering tables (called as “an"案 or "hassoku” 八足), and the offering trays (called as “sanbo” 三玉).

Then, I opened the doors on Kami-sama’s altar. The energy is so strong!

I then replaced the hassoku and sanbo in the proper order and everything else.

I added the needed offering plates and replaced the new sake offering bottles (called as “heishi” 瓶子) water bottle (called as “mizutama” 水玉)

Then I cleaned up the whole genkan (area for shoes) and added the numbered plates for the worshipper’s shoes so no one will get mixed up!

I cleaned the shrine garden and outdoor bathroom areas too ^^

Then, I offered fresh rice and mochi, the sake, and water. I also put the western alcohol offerings, and okashi (snacks).

Finally, I arranged the whole pet bottle offerings on the right side, of various tea and water. These were offered by people when we do free talk /listening to others for free at Yokosuka chuo station. All those bottles were offered from people’s kindness toward us!

I then washed all the fruits and vegetables to be used in the offerings. Masafumi-sensei did the fruits offerings and stored them, so the boxes with the towels over them are all the vegetables resting to be arranged tomorrow.

Tomorrow, all that’s left is doing the salt offering, the vegetables, and dried food (called “kanbutsu” 乾物) offerings. On the day of the ceremony, we will do the fish offerings, and that’s all!

I also need to print out new temizuya signs, how to offer tamagushi leaflets, and Masafumi-sensei’s sermon. After that, I’m all done! ^^

[livingwithkami]

Today’s 9/8/2018 ceremony completed at Konkokyo Yokosuka Shrine. Thank you to everyone who came! 今日の月例祭終わりました。皆さまありがとうございました! 🙇

Japan has just faced another two major natural disasters with typhoon Jebi and now the earthquake in Hokkaido. If you would like to help, please click these links below:

Help 🇯🇵

Kansai/West Japan and Typhoon relief

https://www.timeout.com/tokyo/news/flood-and-rain-disaster-in-west-japan-how-to-help-the-relief-and-recovery-efforts-071018

Hokkaido Earthquake Relief Fund

https://objapan.org/2018hokkaido-earthquake-relieffund-en/

[livingwithkami]

Reflections of August

A tumultuous month, but one of growth. As September begins, the fire inside that was being whipped in the wind, will now begin to glow brighter and brighter. It will be needed for the inevitable Winter after the Fall.

This past month was a time of new beginnings. Like a seed that has been planted in the soil, it will take time to see a big change, but you can feel the sense of something new, of something different. You can feel something stirring, changing, and will someday evolve into something much greater. This is the way I can describe August of 2018.

In Japan, August is the month of ancestors and spirits. It was Obon season, a time to show appreciation to those who have gone before us. As beautiful and fun as Obon is, it also gets people thinking about spooky stories. Visiting haunted houses, and ghost story telling, called “Kaidan” 怪 Kai (mysterious, strange, bewitching) 談 Dan (telling, talk) are popular Summer evening events people love to do.

This year was the first time our shrine did an overnight Kaidan event. With a party of about 10 people, including myself, we enjoyed good food, drinks, games, storytelling, and afterwards, the guests slept over at the shrine. It was a wonderful time we are definitely going to do next year. But the thought that struck me throughout that time was;

“This is what a shrine should be! This is the heart of a shrine, isn’t it? To be a part of the community, to connect the community, and to support the community.”

After the event, the other clergy here and I determined, we should try to do more new events like this. When people are sincerely happy, Kami-sama is also happy. It’s a win-win situation.

Since then, I had been working more on shrine projects, and also starting to get back into Youtube videos and vlogs. I think, the more people know, the more I want them to feel welcome.

We also all agreed it would be good to open our shrine not only for fun events, but for people in need within our local community. People in abusive, troubling, or critical situations, we want to have our doors open for.

In fact, just last night, one person was in such a need. My partner handled the situation and kept the person company, even though they came to the shrine after hours. We set up for them to sleep over at the shrine and let them rest, and my partner was there to talk to as well.

Experiencing that last night really moved me as well, in a similar manner to the Kaidan event, but on a deeper level. To see it happening, to help this person, made me so happy in a way I can’t describe. In the words of my sensei, my teacher, back in Toronto,

“If I can help even just one person sincerely, I am happy.”

I really understood his words then. Sometimes his teaching was hard to understand, but last night, I got a glimpse of the true meaning. If our shrine could help even one person in such a time, I feel so humbled and grateful.

— — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — — —-

As per usual, we held three ceremonies this month which went smoothly. This morning, we held our September 1st ceremony which also went well!

I am also in the process of being formally registered as a priestess of the Yokosuka shrine. All this time, I had been formally a priestess of the Toronto shrine, working at the Yokosuka shrine. But I have been approved by my sensei and the Head Priest here to be formally a clergymember here, so I’m very thankful.

Next article will be about using special tools for preparing offerings and sacred items for Kami-sama, and how it is important to be very focused when doing such. I touched on it a little bit in my posts on other social media, but I definitely want to go into more detail.

Thank you for reading!

Olivia Bernkastel Associate Priestess at Konkokyo Yokosuka Shrine www.livingwithkami.carrd.co

[livingwithkami]

9/1/2018 Ceremony

9.1.2018

Today’s first of September ceremony completed!

We got a lot of wonderful offerings, I’m so glad!

Speaking of which, on preparing offerings..

When we prepare offerings to Kamisama at the shrine, it’s important to do so keeping in mind both sacredness and sincere feeling in doing so.

I wear a mask, called a ‘fukumen’ so I don’t breathe on the offerings as I wash and prepare them, and help to arrange them for Kamisama.

We also use special items that are only to be used for Kamisama’s offerings or other sacred items. A special towel, scissors, rope, and as pictured, special houchou or Japanese knives for cutting the offerings, and more. (one knife is for vegetables, like peeling onion skin, and one is for removing the innards of fish offerings).

It is taken very seriously, since we want to express the sacredness, appreciation, and sincerity towards Kamisama.

As such, we never use our own daily household items to prepare offerings, or any other sacred item, such as shide or shimenawa, and so on.

[livingwithkami]

今日の御霊祭りできました! 皆さまありがとうございました🙇 ☀!

Today we completed the Mitama service to honor the ancestors and those who have passed for the month of August. It went great! Thank you to all who came.

- Rev. Olivia / オリビア

[livingwithkami]

—————————————————————————————————— This page will periodically be updated with new books and resources. If you have a recommendation (add or remove), please email me at...

 The reading list has been updated and broken links fixed. Namely, the list of Japanese shrines with English sections have been fixed (66 links!!) Please feel free to reblog and share!

[livingwithkami]

A PSA about Tenchi Kane no Kamisama

Hi, this is my friendly reminder that Tenchi Kane no Kamisama is not all-powerful /omnipotent, does not control everything, nor do they set destinies for people, make people suffer as a test, or control other peoples free wills.

In fact, to believe that is to believe the very opposite of who Tenchi Kane no Kami is. They are the energy of nature, they are the energy of the universe. Everything in nature is interdependent, and thus reflecting, so is Tenchi Kane no Kami.

They need our help, they need people’s help, which is what the core teaching, Aiyo Kakeyo, is all about. Kamisama needs us as much as we need Kamisama. Help ourselves, and help each other in the world. Suffering happens for various reasons and its awful, but Kamisama does not inflict it and wants to help us through it and alleivate it at all costs. This is also the whole point of Konko faith and toritsugi mediation. To alleivate suffering and help people.

Its about finding the light, finding the good and the blessings *despite* a bad situation - not trying to forcibly mentally twist a bad situation into something good, or let alone saying it was Kamisamas plan.

In the first place, why would Kamisama plan to make someone suffer if their whole goal is to end suffering and see the happiness of people?

It doesnt make sense. In the gorikais, the stories of Tenchi Kane no Kamisama, they are crying as well seeing people suffer. The last thing they want is to make others suffer on purpose, let alone plan it.

If someone says such a thing, dont believe such an ignorant saying. Whoever says that needs to go back to the basics and really understand Kamisama, since they dont know anything at all.

Anyway, Ive been seeing and hearing a lot of weird things and misconceptions, so I wanted to clear that up. This has been my psa as a priestess of Tenchi Kane no Kamisama

[divineblessingsofkami-blog]

“Those who practice faith don’t just worship Kami. They also sincerely help people in emergencies or in sudden adversity without expecting money or thanks in return. If there’s a fire, they quickly go and help extinguish it. Such is true faith and kindness. Bear this in mind in whatever you do. I Yamamoto Sadajiro 49 「神に参るだけが信心ではない。至急の時には、お礼を当てにするようなことでなく、格別の親切を尽くすがよい。急難にかかっている人がいたら早く行って助けてあげ、火事があれば早く行って火を消す手伝いを潔くすれば、これが真の信心親切となる。何事にも心がけておれ。」 I 山定・49”

— I Yamamoto Sadajiro 49