Practical Wisdom for the Modern World
CEREMONY
© 1981 JAPANESE DUTCH SHINZEN FOUNDATION
Four Seasons Family Company
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SHINTOCEREMONY Shinto ceremonies herald new beginnings. Examples include the new year, a new season, birth, marriage, the coming of age for young adults, or for young children, reaching the ages of 3, 5 and 7 years. Ceremonies are held to mark the construction of new houses, offices and factories. Ceremonies are held at the beginning of an event such as an exhibition, a conference or the launch of a new product. Ceremonies are woven into the fabric of everyday life. They contribute to the sense of nature as a source of material and spiritual energy. Ceremonies enhance the awareness that everybody is sincerely involved in the successful carrying out of a new project. The ceremony expresses respect and gratitude for nature and gently binds the spiritual and mundane worlds together. The core of this tradition is a deep sense of nature. Nature has the dynamic power of renewal. By attuning to its dynamics, we receive the energy to face all problems and hardship of daily life and to enjoy life.