Yaoyorozu no Kami
Yaoyorozu no Kami (八百万の神, Eight Million Gods) are gods belonging to the Shinto religion. The phrase "eight million gods" in Shinto religion doesn't mean there are exactly 8 million gods. It means there are too many gods to count[1].[2][3] At the time infinity wasn't a known concept.[4] And 8 is a lucky number in Buddhism
This doctrine says there are countless Kami, including those that control natural phenomena such as the ocean, mountains, and wind, as well as those that are closely linked to human life. Ancestors and influential figures who have achieved great things for their communities are also respected as "Kami." Many Shinto customs and stories were documented in Kojiki and Nihon shoki, written records from the Nara Period..[5]
All things, including the Gods, humans, and objects, come from Ame-no-Minakanushi, the first and supreme God. Ame-no-Minakanushi is the source of the universe and life, and is considered the principle of life. Life is at the center of both universal and human doctrines because everything originates from this supreme life. The nature of life is to expand itself.[6]
Some of the 8 million kami are tutelary deities, but most kami do not receive any worship.[7]
Shinto believes in multiple gods and acknowledges that Kami are present in everything, such as weather, geography, and landscape. Yaoyorozu no Kami describes the numerous gods that exist in the world. These gods are often depicted as having human-like qualities and forms. They are believed to be protector deities that can bring blessings or harm to humans. They are also called "guardian gods" that provide blessings to people, but they can also torture or harass humans. This dual nature of Kami makes them both revered and feared..[8]
The concept that all things are manifestations of the divine in Shinto has resulted in the integration of foreign deities into the religion. As a result, Shinto has incorporated Buddhist and Confucian elements, over time..[8]
In popular culture[change | change source]
Marie Kondo has applied it to organizing[9]
References[change | change source]
- ↑ Yong, Ced (2023-04-15). "120 Shinto Gods and Goddesses to Know About". Owlcation. Retrieved 2023-05-16.
- ↑ kuroneko (2021-01-12). "The Meaning Of Yaoyorozu No Kami【Spirited Away】". All About Japan Anime (in Japanese). Archived from the original on 2023-04-12. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ "Kami: the Eight Million Gods of Shinto - Tale of Ronin". 2022-09-22. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ "Shinto". www.cs.mcgill.ca. Archived from the original on 2023-05-30. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ "Nitta Shrine -English site-". nittajinja.org. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ Tomoeda, Takahiko (1930). "The Essence of Shinto". Pacific Affairs. 3 (4): 343–349. doi:10.2307/2750558. ISSN 0030-851X. JSTOR 2750558.
- ↑ "Shintō - Shintō literature and mythology | Britannica". www.britannica.com. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Shinto of Japan". Encyclopedia of Japan. Retrieved 2023-04-12.
- ↑ PhD, Marc Ericson Santos (2019-06-25). "Yaoyorozu no Kami: The Philosophy Behind Marie Kondo's Tidying Method". Ascent Publication. Retrieved 2023-04-12.