We consider ourselves Shinbutsu Shuugou practitioners, with the knowledge that the Kamisama of Shinto and Japanese Buddhism cannot be separated from their culture of origin, and that includes region, history and traditions.

For that reason, we believe that although many Kamisama and Japanese Buddhist deities and buddhas are localized in Japan, or at least East Asia, other Kamisama, divine spirits and other mythological beings can embody non-Japanese entities. Although there are no Kamisama of, say, Mount Kékes, a divine spirit of some sort still embodies it, and is to be revered.

We believe in reincarnation, though we don't necesseraly believe that it's about wandering souls. We see reincarnation in a rather scientific way. When someone dies and their body dissolves, it lives on by nourising the Earth and the beings that live in it. Considering how far the food chain reaches, it's easy to assume that the dead live on in anything and everything.

Not all of us are spiritual, but the majority of us at least consider it something worth practicing.

✦ The Origin of Our Faith

We grew up in an atheist household, though, of course, cultural Christianity worms its way into everything. That, combined with our less than stellar upbringing that reportedly resembles religious traumatic events makes it especially odd on the surface that we ended up pursuing spirituality anyway.

In actuality what we've always been looking for was an anchor to exitence. A consistent and non-harmful personal code to claim, live by and be proud of. That, and an endless thirst of knowledge in general and about how the universe works.

What led us to Shinbutsu practice spcifically, was a game series titled Touhou Project (we talk more about it in Mitama in Art ). Through it, we've been led to find a tradition we truly identified with. Though, that isn't to say that we consider ourselves part of Japanese culture, because that isn't the environment or country we grew up in.

We always felt like we remained one foot in the Unseen World; like we weren't welcomed, introduced, initiated into humanhood. Even that we're the unknown humans fear so much.

Shinbutsu practices gave us words, and words gave us power over our feelings of not belonging.