ON SHIKINEN SENGU, THE SHINTO CONSTRUCTION RITUAL AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL PSYCHE

This paper explores the relationship between Shinto and environmental consciousness. Shinto is considered the indigenous spirituality of Japan. Unlike Western monotheistic religious traditions, it presupposes no separation between the spiritual and natural worlds. Instead, Shintoism teaches humans as integral parts of nature. One of ways it does this is through its rituals which condition the human psyche to harmonize with the spiritual in nature. This paper focuses upon the ritual called Shikinen Sengu, which is performed at the famous Ise Jingu shrine. The Shikinen Sengu ritual involves the rebuilding of the structure. The process of building and rebuilding conditions the human psyche to be sensitive to the spiritual aspects of the environment. This ensures not only the renewal of the shrine, but the renewal of environmental consciousness through the generations.