NeoShinto

' Author's Note: This is to be considered out of date and pending revision. The basic concepts will not change much, but it will become more focused on the personal kami than that of objects. This will have grown out of the Secular Spiritualism phase of the Anti-Theistic Era. '

neoShinto (presented in-cannon in camelCase) is a new-age religion. It revolves around the concept of Kami, universal energy and purification. It is a "rules light" religion, offering more suggestions than hard rules and teaching the reader that religious faith is no replacement for scientific fact.

neoShinto is, at it's core, a religion about the manifestation of cosmic energy within physical objects / matter and how we interact with them / they interact with us. It deals with the same energy within ourselves, the cultivation of these energy beings, personal harmony with one's internal energy and the purification of the self. At the fringe, it deals with trying to direct and manifest the energy essentially as a variety of kinds of magic, with harmonizing with your personal energy to unleash secret, latent powers and ascending to what amounts to godhood after death.

The Cosmic Energy
The whole of Neo Shinto revolves around the idea that there is, in fact, a cosmic energy that permeates all things across this plane of reality. This is the font of all things in this path. It is a more advanced form of Shinto that dispenses with nature-centric worship and focuses on how we shape reality. It retains belief in kami, but discards the concept of deified spirits (and gods in general). Instead, the Kami are manifestations of the cosmic energy that (at this point in the future) has been proven to permeate the universe. This energy is without form, like static over the radio. Kami are formed by things that change the flow of this energy, either by altering it or entrapping it. Most physical objects, at creation, trap this energy and make a kami (thus, we with our science and manufacturing make "gods") I suppose). Writing, speaking, music and certain object modification fall into the altering category. People contain an inner kami which forms during gestation (influenced by the mother's kami, background influences and the father's contribution) and realizes over the goring up period - usually maturing at about 17.

The form of an object, it's materials and outside influences dictate the kind of kami that will manifest. This is mostly our perception of the intent that dictates what kami is ascribed to objects. The outside influences include, but are not limited to, material, demeanor of the labor involved, location it is placed / made and how pure the process and tools involved in it's making were.

Natural objects, being less refined and organized, have weak kami. Iron, rocks, trees, etc all need cultivation, sculpting or refining to enhance them. Our own kami are weak at birth, and need cultivation and discipline throughout life to mature strongly. Man-made objects typically have strong kami. Buildings, weapons, computers - these concentrate highly skilled labor, disciplined individuals (with their own kami) and high quality refined materials into one package. The final form and intent of the man made object also typically influence the nature of the kami - sword bound kami are blood hungry and fierce, computer kami clever, building kami protectivve. Natural kami are likewise influenced, but are often far more discordian.

Thus, nearly everything has a kami within it. Most very small objects, some animals and certain materials are exceptions. Plastics, for example, never house kami of their own. Thus, things made from or mostly made from plastic do not have any. Extremely refined materials (particle board, MDF, etc) also don't house any because it's mostly junk. Most dead tissue also houses none, so your food is rather kami-free.

Object Kami
The Kami of a final object is a culmination of the kami within it's raw forms and the kami retained during it's make, plus any influence by the laborers involved. Take the sword for example. The elemental iron's kami is refined into workable iron, more into into steel, the blade making process yields a kami within the blade (retaining both iron's and steel's), as does the process for hilt parts and their materials. The final product has a kami within each part of the sword, the elemental / refined parts and the whole sword itself. Thus, a traditional swords with brass fixtures has a kami for the iron of the blade, the steel of the blade, the copper of the habaki (refind as it is shaped), the brass of the guard, mekugi, seppa and fuchiara, as well as kami for the ito, the samegawa, the wood of the menuki and tsuka core, the whole of the blade itself, the fixtures individually, and the sword as a whole. Thus, unless I can't count, that is 15 kami. These are all influenced by the sword smith who made it, as well as the people involved in refining the materials and the environment all this is done in. A lot goes into this seemingly single object that we do not see. Now, a sword of so many kami, even if worked in a pure area by a pure smith for a long time (the longer an object is near an influence, the more it is influenced) will not be harmonious. It will work, but it will likely have various problems and may negatively influence the user.

To combat this, a final ritual is performed to harmonize objects. This subdues the lesser natural kami (which tend to me weaker than refined natural or totally man made kami). The harmonized kami becomes a single entity that is the sum of it's parts or greater. Conversely to the hand made sword, a machine made one will have much less influence of it as littlle human labor is involved. Object's kami can influence another's, but it takes longer than most machining processes - thus, the CNC mill that carves the blade from bar-stock does not have much, if any, influence on the blade. Thus, even after the kami are harmonized into one, it is less influenced and often considered weaker - laborious influence often brings out the best, amplifying the inner kami.

There is a school of thought that when kami are harmonized, it actually condenses them into the object's base parts. The above sword (f.e.), when harmonized would not be a full sword kami, but one for the blade, scabbard and hilt. A car would be body and engine, a computer interface and mainframe. This school is often not distinct, and faithful often mix the two from object to object based on personal taste. It meshes with the original above concept as well; if you harmonize the base components separately (unattached), then the parts are harmonized within themselves, not the whole.

Additionally, the refinement of materials yields predictable kami (which is why man made goods are superior). Pure copper is pure copper; all copper has the same kami. If a statue and a ring are made from copper and harmonized, the kami will be vastly different (statue kami influenced by it's shape but likely inspirational or memoritive, the ring very likely a kami of remembrance). Some materials cannot house a kami. Plastics are an example, as well as unstable substances like drugs and gunpowder.

This is one of the most basic and pervasive elements of neoShinto: Things have a spirit.

Purification
The second most basic element of neoShinto is Purification. In many ways, this is the most important aspect of practical neoShinto, second in overall importance only to Kyoudousekinin, which is discussed later. Purification is central to living a good life. As we go about our day, influence from other kami and energy patterns pull us off center, and we must purify ourselves to return to our center. Failure to do so will result in us not being ourselves. The most common way to achieve purification is to bathe or shower, then sit briefly in quiet contemplation. Contemplation can be done as part of the bathing, or as part of the recommended 15 minutes of meditation a day. Clean clothing must be applied, and the old washed. Purifying one's self after the Three Taboos (discussed below) is based on the taboo. When entering a shrine, temizu is performed; first the left hand is washed, then the right, then the mouth, then the feet. Do not swallow the water or spit it back; spit it between the feet.

Spaces can also be purified. Buildings often are regularly blessed and cleansed, by priests if fortunate. Physically cleaning an area removes some common malign influences. Burning incense does as well. Mashimi, or one's "Sacred space" is created by purifying the area and then typically performing kigoutama. How one purifies the space is personal, but it typically involves relaxing the self to calm music, cleaning the area, performing some ritual (like symbol drawing), burning icense and medatating there. Feng Shui also has influences with some. It is said that energy flowing through pure spaces is enhanced, and that kami are made more potent within.

Objects can also be purified, to remove malign influence. The example of the sword continues: Though taking lives and shedding blood in skilled combat pleases many sword (weapon) kami, the malign blood of the now slain foe and the sudden release and dissipation of his kami is bound to be a negative influence on you both. Much like purifying the space, cleaning the object and keeping it in a pure/less influential place is a good plan. Typically you bless the cleaning agents / buy those that are blessed. Water is the universal cleaner, having the mightiest natural kami, but sometimes special mixtures are called for on certain objects. This tends to be personal, but conventions exist.

The Three Taboos
Like most religions, there are taboos. Unlike most religions, these taboos do not damn to to an afterlife (there isn't one). Instead, bad things will continue to happen to you until you are purified. These taboo are simple: Lies, rape and theft. Rape pollutes your kami and strong rituals over many sessions with the help of another (usually a priest, but these are expensive even if surefire) is required. Lies vex you, and bad things will happen until you purify yourself, but this is minor ard requires simple peace making and bathing. Theft will cause the object's kami (if it has one) to vex you until you get rid of it and purify yourself and the area it was in.

Drug use is not any kind of taboo, but they do note that you should purify with relaxation, a period of abstinence from the substance, meditation and bathing periodically to purge malign influences. It is known that substance abuse addles the self (citing extensive medical data), and impedes Kyoudousekinin, but it's not looked down upon within the religion itself. Killing is also not a taboo, but as mentioned above in object purification the release of their kami and blood (as well as your own wrath) should be cleansed from your body and kami. All sex acts are highly encouraged (even orgies) as an important human expression. Supporting hedonistic desires is a good survival technique. Faiths of denial are often targeted as it tells you what you can't do - nobody likes that.

Kyoudousekinin - Harmoney with your kami
The highest teaching is Kyoudousekinin, solidarity with one's kami. It is a lifelong (usually) journey that for some is impossible. It is obtained when you are in harmony with your kami, when your tastes and thoughts reach near total alignment. It is self actualization and self realization. It is impeded by impurity, lack of reflection and the taboo, sometimes even set back by them. When you reach it, you gain good health and longer life, becoming a paragon of what you are inside. How you achieve this and what manifests depends on the person and their kami. Creative types become genius authors or artists. Intellectuals become insightful moguls of knowledge. Warriors become expertly skilled killers and or defenders. How you reach it makes sense - practice in what appeases you and your kami, appreciation and socialization of similarly pathed others, purification of the self, meditation and contemplation.

Some fringe believers (which are growing in number) believe that upon harmonization, you attune yourself to ascend to godhood upon death. This is not held as true by mainstream priests, as the religion rejects the idea of kami transcending death of it's vessel.

Mashimi - Sacred Space
One's sacred space is tied in with the highest teaching of neoShinto. It is said that the best meditation is had within your own sacred space, and that there you are most potent. These spaces range from a small sacred circle to an entire purified and personally pleasing room. The sacred space is more attitude than actuality, but taste and ascetics are very important. Here, the final bits of purification are obtained by relaxation and or meditation. It should only be entered by those invited, and when anger, violence or intrusion happen (or any taboo) it needs re-purification. Not every subscriber really bothers with these; it varies.

And that is the core concepts of the faith. No gods to bow down to, no real rules, no holy days or suggestions. Very little if anything telling you how to live your life. No heaven or hell. Only you, your inner spirit and personal realization and actualization. It is low on the "hit list" of religions. Where it gets stranger is in some of the fringe beliefs, which are hinted at in the core texts but not held at face value by all who subscribe.

Magic
Belief in literal magic is not part of the core beliefs. It is considered fringe, but practitioners typically have some kind of interest in at least one form, at some level of intensity.

Bunshotama - Writing Magic
Writing is one way to influence existing kami, as well as to manipulate ambient cosmic energy. As mentioned before, kami manifest by either trapping or influencing background energy. Making physical objects traps the kami, which can slowly be influenced after it's make if the conditions are right. Writing on the object also alters it. Typically, writing will manifest background energy alone, but if an object with a strong kami is inscribed upon, the kami itself will be influenced. Thus, the above swords could have an incantation inscribed that tempers or even enhances its natural properties. Incantatons on a building (grafiti or officially carved) do the same. The better the workmanship, the more potent the alteration.

Writing incantations on paper can also influence local energy. Some incantations will manifest their own kami, f.e. a luck prayer will make a kami of luck available within the object written upon. Some kami don't mix writing a love poem across a gun barrel is bad - violent kami and loving ones bicker. Good condensations of cosmic energy can be trapped in all kinds of writing, from inspirational speeches to poems. A mere sentence can capture significant amounts of energy. How it effects the individual varies case to case; it's a matter of one's kami synergizing with it.

The extent to which this is believed by subscribers varies. This is probably the most common "supernatural" belief held by neoShintoists. This is backed by many shrines having significant numbers of written prayers on specially prepared paper, any many objects having shinto prayers or other incantations written on them.

Kotodama - Speaking Magic
Speaking proper words properly also influences the energy present around you. This is akin to a magic spell from old fiction, but typically has more subtle effects. There is little that can be gleaned from the background levels of cosmic energy, however, give that most human cases of speach ability lacks the power to alter it and shape it while also making it linger. This form of functional verbal magic is only held at face value by a minority of subscribers. When (if) they do work, these are momentary instances of power, manifesting for a mere moment before fading away. Most that are claimed to work are for luck (when something bad is incoming) or strength (when someone is trying to move things they normally would not be able to).

Power words are also said to unleash one's kami's potential. The effects are more potent and tangible because it is empowered by the inner kami - thus is a constant source of concentrated energy. It is typically believed that to be able to perform these feats consistently with potency, one must have become harmonious with their kami. This is a more popularly believed form of supernatural verbal magic than the above. These are also usually instantaneous, and often have been ascribed to the same effects as the above. The difference is mainly in the believed source. Kiai, energy blasts, luck, inviability - all of these have been ascribed to kami power words. The two are not mutually exclusive amongst fringe believers. Some effects can also be long lasting, typically long lasting protective wards or what amounts to hexes on others. These typically appear to require special (obscure) rituals and places of power.

Another school of thought has object kami being tapped for energy effects via power words. This appears to be a relatively recent addition to the mythos.

How power words and incantations are decided depends on the user. Ancient incantations have survived this far, as have new ones "proven" to work. It is convention that power words that unleash latent potential within your own kami are extremely personal, and will make themselves known as you approach harmony with your kami.

There is belief that kami-based and cosmic-based kotodama can be practiced to gain reliability, strength and controllability. It is not known how common this belief is, and would assume that the functional magics these people possess are closer to learned abilities than to manifestations of a set power. This is a subset called "kotodamado".

Naturally, as this uses kami or cosmic energy, the potency increases as you enter more and more pure areas - or so it is believed.

Kokorozashitama - Magic of the Will
Kokorozashitama is essentially kotodama, except it is silent and driven by one's will, not their spirit, kami or by vibration of cosmic energy. It typically has the same ascribed effects as the above, and is typically silent. Think psychic ability, but still making use of external power sources. Less flashy effects are ascribed to this kind of functional magic.

Kangentama - Music Magic
Music is popularly thought to have some kind of influence, but the mainstream belief is that it basically apeases your internal kami and those within objects. Some believe the sounds can influence the cosmic energy within solid ear-shot, empowering those within or hexing them.

Kigoutama - Symbol Magic
Kigoutama is a corollary to bunshotama (written magic like prayers, poems and wishes). It relies on symbols (typically a variant of a double circle in a vinn diagram) written in special mediums or with a special tool to influence local cosmic cenergy. This is most popularly used to help purify one's mashimi. It can be combined with bunshotama to enhance the effects of both. Another use is to ward off malign influences. These circles don't always have to be visible; typically they are simply drawn in the air down towards the floor.

Kami no taisuuhai - Worship of Object Kami
Object worship is becoming more and more popular, especially on Ousho. Here, the Kami within certain personal objects become revered, and special steps are taken to appease them. The appeasement of Kami is quite common amongst mainstream neoShinto subscribers, but these fringe believers take it to another level. Here, special spots are purified and decorated for the object in question, and rituals and offerings are made to them specifically (incense, sake, etc). Meditation on the object in question is also an activity, as is building special shrines for them. It was first recorded amongst a group of Ronin of the Road a few years previous who enshrined their weapons (rifles to knives) and began to revere them as something more than mere objects with their own personality. More research is required.