Wednesday, April 25, 2012

Dust in the Wind

Being aware about whom we are is one of the human’s biggest problems. I couldn’t say : “Everybody lives without money”  because this is a consumer society, though  in the life most people just do and live trying to have wealth, money and luxuries: they really don’t matter simple things which can make you happy and a better person.  I hold the opinion that you really understand the sense of the life, when you know that you are here to make mistakes, to learn, to love and to be a better person; on your death’s day you only let memories to the people, the money can become you happy, but it’s not going to be forever. We have to take advantage of every moment, one day we can be here, today is a gift, tomorrow is a mystery… but at the end everybody is going to be dust in the wind.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Shintoism

Shintoism is a Japanese religion. It is characterized by veneration of ancestors and nature spirits. If we see the etymology of this word, we can find and see that it comes of the Japanese words: Shinto that means “Gods”, and do, that means way.  Literally the Shintoism is the way of the Gods. The main idea is the connection between the actual Japan and its ancient past.  The people, who practice and believe in it, try living in harmony, always respecting the natural world.

This religion started around 500 – 600 BC and now the number of followers is believed around 3 – 4 million people. One of the vital parts of it is called “Harae” or purification rite, really it is the lifeblood of the Shintoism.  The most important symbol is the “Torii Gate”, its function in mark or show the entrance to a  sacred space: for the believers it represents the finite and infinite Gods’ ways.