Connecting Spirit Spirit w ith ith Nature
First Issue First Sprin Sp ring g 2016
Ninja Master's New Trial Returning to The Old W ays T h e H e a l th th B e n e fi ts ts o f M e d i ta ta t io io n SHUGENDO life of a company employee Informat Information ion & N ew s
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Returning to The Old Ways The traditional s tyle of Mountain Training has been revived after laying dormant for 150 years at Mt. Mt. Koshikidake. Koshikidake. A report of this rebirth and a photographic journey.
Connecting Spirit Spirit w ith ith Nature
Spring Sprin g 2016
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T he H ealt ealth h B ene fi fitts of M edi editat tatiion We have all heard that meditation is good for health, but what benefits can we expect and how long would w e have to pra ctice to achieve them. In this this article meditation meditation specia list Martin Faulks investigates the scientifically proven bene fits to an ongoing medi tatio n p ra ctic e.
M iyoshi yoshi''s V iew
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Yuji Miyoshi is a professional photo grap her and Shugendo pra ctiti oner . His unique point of view helps capture the deeper side of Japanese life.
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Oh! Bent-Oh! Because of the Nature element in Shugendo, we ofte often n practi practice ce while while fast fastin ing, g, thereb thereby y stressing the i mportance mportance of healthy eating. Japanese has a unique food culture. One of it’s specialties is the obento. This is a lunch box full full of season seasonal al delicacies. delicacies. Dr. Megum Megumii Miyata Miyata is a physician physician and a well regarded regarded specialist of organic organic vegetable vegetables. s. She often introduces her Oh-bento like a box of jewels.
Traditional al Japanese Re cipe 36 Simply Tradition
How to make Komats Komatsun una a with Seasame Dressi Dressing ng
37 SHUGENDO life of a company employee 3
Many lay people are studying Shugen Shugendo. do. But practitioners such as Mr. Zenyo Kai are very rare. He has been working for a trading company as a representative of Japan, and at the same time devoting himself to rigorous ascetic practices. His pre senc e is we ll know n a mong fe llo w asc etic s. He pro vid es us wi th a n e xample of how to handle both work and practice effortlessly in daily life. Let's see what he can tell us about the way of the Shugenja. Shugenja.
Ninja Ninj a Master Master's 's New Tri Trial al Stephen K. Hayes was the first American who introduced ninja sel - defense arts to the the we st. Now adays he is pioneering Shugendo Shugendo pra ctic e in the USA . Step hen takes his foll ow ers into the mountains and teaches how to live in harmony with the Universe. This is his new trial, to seek the path of true awakening. Now you can read more of his story here.
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Info In forma rmati tion on & News
Ninja Master's New Trial
Secre Shugendo Training o
he Nin a Mas er
Black belt hall of famer Stephen K Hayes is one of the worlds best known martial artists. We know of his training w ith Maasaki Hatsumi in Japan and of his time w ith the Dalai Lama. However, few peo ple know of his rel igio us bac kground. Stephen K. Hayes first started practicing Shugendo when he visited Japan in the 1970' s. He had realized the similarities in the process of practice betw ee n marti al arts and Shugendo and dedicated himself to learning more. For him both are ascetic practices which push practitioners to their extremes, both physically and mentally. In 2014, he visited a secret location in the northeastern part of Japan and trained with ascetic mountain monks. Here he learned the arcane pra ctic e of Shugendo cal led Has hira moto Shinpo . Forming a link between the two practices, he has c omb ine d hi s N inj a s ki ll a nd s pi ri tua l enlightenment into one art form. Many of his disciples were surprised that he was still trying to learn and challenge himself. Some of them may realize that his goal is the harmonization of pow er and mind. His new trial has attracted many who seek eternal peace beyond power.
BY STEPHEN K. HAYES PHOTPGRAPHS BY DAVID GLOVER & WAYNE ADAMS
In 2015, there ere three Sh gendo weekend workshops led by Stephen K. H ay es . T he y t o ok p la c e i n L o s Angeles, California, Boulder, Colorado, and mountainous western Nor th C aro lina . Each workshop drew in over 50 peo ple . All we re curi ous Wes terne rs who w ere moved to find out more about Shugendo. Some of the people h ad ma ny y e ar s o f me d ita ti o n
pra ctic e, and for some it as their first time. In each of the practice sessions, Stephen K. Hayes taught variations on two standard Shugen meditations. First was A- ji Kan meditation, in various forms. We can imagine our onsciousness going out to take responsibility for becoming the e ntire universe. We can see healing white light coming in and gray defilements
going o t. vag ely familiar ith F do Myo- Oh, W e c a n w i l l o th er s t o h e al , b y and so an exercise in merging with and visualizing taking on others’ troubles bec oming Fudo wa s some wha t of a and meeting those inside with ego- risk. Stephen found a w ay nonetheless nullifying force. We can imagine going to help westerners adjust to the into our own bodies all the way down pra ctic e. Other wa lking and sea ted to microscopic levels, and perfecting meditations w ere offered during the our cellular structure. special programs. In North Carolina, a Second was the Fudo mantra prayer raging waterfall taki-gyo w as featured. bea ds medi tatio n, in var ious forms . In People seemed relaxed and brave, essence we merge with Fudo Myo-Oh until they faced the waterfall and knew by vis uali zing him as our inner they had to go under. Senior students essence and repeating his mantra c oa c he d t he i r j un io r s i n ho w t o hundreds of times. This was especially effectively go under the falls, and it challenging, as most people were only was a powerful experience for all.
Practitioners of the ninja martial art are used to wearing black clothing, and so everyone smiled to see each other dressed all in white for Shugen mountain practice. For 30 years we have practiced some of the various exercises taught by Shugendo. It is interesting to see how open people are to this Japanese practice, now that we are encouraged by Shokai Koshikidake to make this pr actice come to life. Shugendo seems a perfect fit for the West. People are more interested in a useable form of spirituality, rather than an allegiance to one specific religion. Shugendo focuses on the direct experience of the practitioner. Each pra ctiti oner bri ngs to Shugendo his or her own specific history, and Shugendo accepts this personal experience in an inclusive way. It is also important to Westerners that Shugendo is a l ay phenomena. It is unlikely that many people in the ninja martial arts will choose to make their living from spirituality. However, they can practice a spiritual way of life. Shugendo gives them a base for spiritual exploration and advancement. Stephen K. Hayes notes, “I have from the beginning of my martial arts te a ch in g w o r k, b ac k i n t he 1 9 60 s , emphasized a moral aspect to the training. If I am going to teach someone the secrets for damaging another person, I must also teach them a morality that helps them to live w ith their choices. The stronger and more fierce a person becomes, the more room he or she has to be compassionate, even gentle, with other people. Shugendo gives us the base of spirituality. It is like yin and yang. Perfect balance.” We had very good results in 2015. What will 2016 bring? Will even more people attend? Shall we try some other locations for training? Will more people make a commitment to advancing their knowledge and reliance on Shugendo as a spiritual path?
Returning to the Old Ways BY SH OKAI KOSHIKIDAKE PHOTOGRAPHS BY YUTAKA UJII
The Guardian Moun ain T he r e i s a m ou nt ai n c a ll e d Koshikidake. It dominates the West edge of Ou mountains in Yamagata Prefecture. Koshikidake rises only 2 0 16 m a b o v e s e a l e v e l, b ut i n antiquity it used to be treated with special admiration. It is positioned to the N or th / E a st fr om the Emperor’ s Palace in Kyoto which was traditionally regarded as an unlucky direction (Kimon). Thanks to its “ unfortunate” geographic location our Koshikidake Mountain had been regarded as a Guardian Mountain by the Emperors of Japan. It kept evil spirits aw ay during pe ac etime . But its duty to the Court ceased to exist soon after the establishment o the Kamakura Shogunate. They resented the spiritual power of this mountain. All supporters of the E mp er or ' s fa mi ly ha d to b e destroyed, even those supernatural in nature. The mountain ascetic pra ctic es had be en bur ie d for hundreds of years, but they were revived in 2005 by the Koshikidake family - who had managed, over 72 generations, to secretly keep up the succession of the prohibited rituals.
Koshikidake M oun ain has recovered i s spiri ual power. No w ad ays pr ac titio ner s co me to pa rtic ip ate in Mo untai n Tr ai ning not onl y from Japan, but from abroad as well. They come from all walks of life, from varying trades and professions. Yo u could s ay that they come from different Worlds altogether. T he rituals, during Mountain Training, must be performed as a collaboration of all pa rtic ip ants . Mo untai n Tra ini ng i s like a che mistr y o f the co mbin ed effo rts of the w hol e community.
Yama (Mo ntain) is a threatening stage for people holding on to their mortal desires. It is the territory of the divine s p ir i ts w h o c u r s e t he u nw o r th y. A forbidden land to the greedy. How can w e enter into such mountains then? There is a way. Koshikidake’ s ancestors used to br ea k into Go d's terr ito ry by pe rfo rming an ancient custom of placing the dead in a coffin allowing their party to safely pass to the land of spirits. In the present time
Y a ma s hi ( M o nt ai n M o n ks ) o ff er pr aye rs to Go d and Bud dha at a sma ll hal l where the God of Koshikidake Mountain i s w o r sh ip p ed . T hi s o l d w o o d e n h a l l be co mes thei r co ffin. The y she d their bo di es in ther e and form a funer al pr oc es si on in ord er to cr os s to infer nal regions. The head prac titioner conducts the matsugo- no- mizu ( water of the last moment) ritual to accept their spiritual death.
Once practitioners enter the mountains, they lose their daily routines and gain spiritual pow er t hr o ug h a r i go r ou s pi lgri mage . While chanting they c li mb u p the s te p s towards the summit, be tw ee n the ea rth and heaven, where Gods and Buddha resides. They are pe rmitted to pray and encounter intimately the holy existence of Kami. The experience is be yond human understanding at that moment. Bringing the pa rtic ipa nts cl os er to the Divine.
On the ay do n, practitioners visit the sacred spring. Water is the so rce of life. They submerge into the waterfall as if w earing the shield of power taking away their exhaustion. Then, at end of this pilgrimage, they are further purified b y ritual jumping over the fire. This symbolizes the entrance to the place where gods dwell, as well as initiating real practitioners as the guardian shamans of this sacred mountain. One w ould think that this is it, but it is just a beginning. Their Mountain Training just has begun. ~ To be continued in the next issue. ~
The Health Benefits of Meditation BY MARTIN FAULKS
We all kno that meditation is good for yo , t hat health enefits can yo expect? How long do you have to practice before you can see the results? And how often is it best to practice? Over the last two decades there have been over 3,000 sc ientific studies on the benefits of meditation including from such respected institutes as Harvard. Many of these studies are focused on specific types of meditation and show some very particular emotional effects such as increased awareness, compassion or social bonding. However, recent research has gone a long way to show how altering a person’s state of mind can affect the
Improved Diges ion Studies have shown that those who practice meditation have far less i n c i d e n c e o f d i g e s t i v e u p s e t o r h e a r t b u r n. M e d i t a t i o n h a s a l s o b e e n s h o w n t o a i d p a t i e nt s s u f fe r i n g fr o m i r r i t a b l e b o w e l s y n d r o m e , i n m a n y c a s e s pr o v in g b e tte r tha n mo st o the r fo rm s o f me d ic a tio n. O the r st ud ie s s ho w m e d i ta t io n a s b e n e fi c i a l i n d e a l i ng w i t h o t h e r d i g e st iv e p r o b l e ms including diarrhoea, bloating and constipation. Lowers Blood Pressure A study proved that meditation effectively lowered blood pressure when pr ac tic ed for a numbe r of w ee ks. Thi s ap pe ar s to w or k by bri nging ar ound calmness and also helping the body to become less responsive to stress hormones. This is similar to the way medication used to low er blood p ressure works. Anti-Inflammatory Meditation has be en clinically proven to lessen the symptoms associated with inflammation, arthritis, asthma and some skin conditions such as psoriasis. This seems to w ork through stress reduction, as all the above problems typically worsen w ith increased stress, and so it follows that by helping reduce stress the symptoms reduce also.
H e r e a r e t he t e n e n e f i ts m e d i t a ti o n p r a c t i c e .
h i c h c o n s i s t e nt l y s h i n e t hr o g h i n a ny a t he n t ic
Calmness The most powerful effect of a consistent meditation practice is, rather p re d ic ta b ly , in ne r c a lm . T hi s s ee ms to b e c au se d b y the p ra c tic e o f le a rn in g to a l lo w th o ug hts , n o m a tte r w h at t he y m a y b e , to p a s s b y w h i le i n meditation without attachment or response. By practicing this skill it seems t o t r a n s fe r i n t o n o r m a l , e v e r y d a y l i f e a n d s o h a s t h e b e n e f i t o f a l l o w i n g u p s e tt in g t h o ug hts t o o c c u r w i th o ut a n o v e r l y n e g a ti v e r e s p o n se . T h i s means that negativity is dealt with rather then dwelled upon. Emotional Balance On the whole meditators demonstrate less neurotic behavior and more balanced individuals. They respond and adapt better to changes in life and to the emotional pr es sur es thes e bri ng. Whe n re ad ing thro ugh stud y afte r stud y into med itati on, it soon becomes clear that this could be a way to cure unhealthy emotional states such as anxiety, depression or guilt. During meditation it se ems that the mind is cleansed, bringing about balance and emotional freedom. Increased Immunity Meditation has also been proven to boost immunity in recovering cancer pa tie nts. One stud y sho w ed that w hen pr ac tis ed da ily med ita tion re duc ed the ris k of breast cancer recurrence. Further studies have shown that regular practice bo os ts w hite bl oo d ce lls in the el de rly , giv ing them a gre ate r re si sta nce to ill nes s.
Medi a ion Preven s Obesi S t u d i e s s h o w t ha t t ho s e w h o m e d i t a te h a v e g r e a t e r i m p u ls e c o n tr o l a n d s o t e nd t o e a t a m o r e b a l a n c e d d i e t . T h e e x a c t r e a s o n f o r t h i s i s n ’ t c l e a r a n d c o u ld b e d u e t o a n um b e r o f f a c to r s s u c h a s a n i m p r o v e d f o c us , a g r e a t er a b i l i t y to i g n o r e d i s t u r b a n c e s o r c a l m i n n e r c o n f l i c ts . T h i s s e e m s t o b e m o s t a p p a r e n t w h e n l o o k i n g a t t h e p e r s o n ’ s e a t i ng h a b i t s . T h e c h a n g e i n t he i r e a t i ng p a t t e r n s e e m s t o s t e m f r o m t he i r a b i l i t y to p r e v e n t e m o t i o n a l e a t i n g , which in turn leads to an improved diet and prevents obesity. M editation may help you live longer I t l o o k s l i k e t he l e g e n d s m a y b e t r ue . S t u d i e s s h o w t ha t a n e s s e n ti a l p a r t o f h um a n c e l l s c a l l e d t e lo m e r e s , w h i c h d e t er m i ne h o w o u r c e l l s a g e , a r e pr o te c te d b y me d ita tio n p ra c tic e. R e se a rc h is s til l in the e a rl y da ys , b ut the re i s d a t a s u g g e s ti n g t ha t “ s o m e f o r m s o f m e d i t a t i o n m a y h a v e s a l u ta r y e f f e c ts o n t e lo m e r e l e n g th b y r e d u ci n g c o g n it iv e s tr e s s a n d s tr e s s a r o u sa l a n d increasing positive states of mind and hormonal factors that may promote telomere maintenance.”
S o , a s y o c a n s e e m ed i ta ti o n ha s great benefits and must be one of the b es t thi ng s yo u c a n d o fo r yo ur he al th. Studies show that many different types of meditation have very similar effects, b ut tha t ch o o si ng a p ra c tic e tha t yo u really like is p robably the most likely t o h a v e t h e b e s t e f f e c t. M o s t s t u d i e s indicate that meditating for as little as 20 minutes a day for a few weeks is e n o ug h t o b r i ng a s s o c i a te d h e a lt h b en e fit s .
Reduces he risk o hear diseases and s rokes Heart diseases is the biggest cause of death in the world. Studies show that meditation is more effective in high risk individuals than a exercise class.. Regular meditation practice brings about a 48 % reduction in heart attack or stroke. This seems to be caused by lower stress, decreased blood pressure a more healthy outlook on life. Increased Fertility Studies show that w omen are more likely to conceive when practicing meditation due to the calming effect on their mind and body. Likewise it seems that the stress reducing effect of meditation may also bo ost male spe rm count and thus fertility.
Fo o e i o a io e ga di g s die s i e e e i s o https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Research_on_meditation
e di a io
le ase isi .
Miyoshi's View BY YUJI MIYOSHI
御 神 渡 り Omiwa ari In the Suwa basin, where I live, there are two legendary Gods. They are lovers living at opposite sides of the Suwa Lake. Once a year, in early February, the male god crosses the lake fromthe South shore to visit the female god. His steps leave footprints in the cracked ice in form of floe lifted and piled up above the frozen lake. I was there one time, at midnight, witnessing his invisible figure crossing w ith thunders resonating all around the mountains. I was afraid that I might be swallowed beneath the i ce if I moved even a little bit. The next morning, a Shinto priest blessed their secret date and the trace of their love melted away soon after. I believe that there must be someone envious of their love, because Omiwatari do es not occur in recent years.
桜
Sakura
“Sa” Divine lands of “Kura”, where the petals of blossoming trees are misted by the night dew which reflect the rays of morning light. Ancient Japanese meaningof word “Sa” is “rice crop”. “Kura” means the residing object of a divine spirit. It is believed that on a starry night, the Mountain Deity descends upon a village with stellar lights and dwells in cherry trees. During this season that deity also becomes a Guardian God of the rice fields. I faced himal one at a shrine upon a hill.
斐 ヶ 岳
Kai Komaga ake Kai Komagatake Mountain has been considered to be the s piritual ba se o f Koshin region. It is one of the main mountains for a religious linage called Ontake- Kyo. Due to the steep mountains surrounding this region, it was closed to the outside world for a millennia. The villagers used to visualize the divine beings, living in the other world, beyond those mysterious mountains. No w , pe op le her e sti ll have faith in Mountain Gods and talk to them in prayers. O ne d a y, I t a lk ed t o Marishiten dwelling at the Kai Komagatake Mountain. H is s mil e w as li ke a be auti ful ra inb ow , and sa id Kami still live there.
Oh! Bent-Oh! BY MEGUMI MIYATA Foo d e ate she d Hi s grace on T hee . (Thy body is itself that which you eat) L if e fo r m an y h a s b e c om e m ar ke d b y a n unprecedented level of convenience whereby a large amount of daily activity and work can now be pe rfor med w hil e se ate d. If we take for granted the saying ' you are what you eat' what impact is this modern lifestyle having on our bodies? The hallmarks of this kind of convenience add up to become the cause of what we now label lifestyle related d iseases. In times gone before when obtaining food required greater effort carrying 'O bento' was an integral part of life. No w ad ays foo d has be co me sta nda rd ize d, pre dic tab le and effic ie nt. We ar e ab le to ea si ly obtain it wherever we are without giving any thought to its preparation or origin. This convenience is driven by a mindset which seeks to accumulate profit and reduce production and material costs. The way w e have organized society has had an impact on the nutritional value of the food we eat and much of this is damaging to our health. Carrying O bento in this situation can be a way to protect our bodies and minds.
Bamboo ware
Ben wood ware
T h e a tte n ti o n t o d et a il i n t he a y th e O e n to l n c h o x i s a r r a ng e d r ed c e s d a m a g e t o t h e f o o d w h i l e o n t he m o v e , a t t he s a m e t i me k e e p i n g t he f o o d f r e s h a n d r e t a i n in g i t s t a s te a n d a r o m a . O b e n t o i s m a d e w i t h t h is i m a g e i n mind and care is taken with each individual portion. If we focus on portability we should choose a lunch box made from plastic or alloy.
Japanese lacquer ware called Jojo i
If th e s e ns i i l iti e s o f th i s a y o f th i nk i ng re s o n a te should try a traditionally crafted Obento lunchbox.
i th yo
th e n y o
J a p a n e s e t r a d i ti o n a l c r a f t s c o m e w i th a p r i c e , b u t t he y w i l l l a s t t h e t e s t o f t im e a n d d e v e l o p c h a r a c t e r . T h e c o n t e n ts o f t he O b e n t o n u tu r e o u r b o d y a n d t h e O b e n to c a n b e r e v e r e d a s a t r a n s p o r t e r o f li fe .
As nat re a akens et een the periods of Winter and Spring, the s n's right rays reach our body and mind. At this time, we take young leaves and shoots into our bod y, send ing a signa l to our bod y c loc k.
Koma suna wi h Seasame Dressing K om ats na i s a ls o kno n a s J a p a n e s e m u st a r d s p i n a c h, a l e a fy green vegetable, the outer leaves of a head forming plant of the Brassica rapa variety. This was a new variety o f a n e xi s ti n g v e ge ta b l e c a l le d Kukutachina and w as first cultivated in the beginning of the Ed o per iod in a v i l l a g e c a l l e d K o m a ts u ga w a , i n the Edo district of Tokyo. The place n am e K o m as ts u w a s g iv e n t o t he vegetable as that was where it was pr es en te d to Y os him une Sh og un during a falconry festival. It is mild tasting and can be eaten raw o r c o oke d . It is al so recommended to be used in healthy vegetable juices.
Early Spring is the season w hen we should eat buds and stems. Seasonal asparagus has become more widely available and makes an excellent ingredient for Obento because it is easy to prepare and looks appealing. As plants begin to sprout their beneficial properties are increased. Sprouted bro cco li and soyb eans for examp le have know n anti canc er pro per ties . When purc hasi ng foo d from a supe rmar ket it is eas y to forge t tha t v egeta ble s have sea sons . As with Shugendo, it is important to understand the natural rhythms and cycles of life.
T he e l o r e ci p e i s fo r the d is h seen in the bento lunch box featured o n t he l e f t . T h i s i s a s t a p l e i n t he traditional Japanese diet. Ingredients 1 bunch of Komatsuna or other leafy vegetable such as spinach (260g) 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds 1 tablespoon (or less) of sugar 2 tablespoons of soy sauce a pinch of salt I'll make Obento w ith all m love .
Method First wash the komtsuna. Boil water in a saucepan, then add a little salt. Add the komatsuna still in a bunch, pl ac in g the st al ks in fir st an d bo il lightly for 2-3minutes. Rinse in cold w a t e r , d r a i n , a n d g e n tl y b u t f i rm l y squeeze out the w ater. Cut into 3cm
long sections starting from the stalks. T o m a ke t he d r e ss i ng , c r us h t h e s e sa me s e ed s i n a s ur i ba c hi ( a J a p a n e s e m o r ta r ) . T o t hi s a d d t he sugar and soy sauce and s tir. A d d t he d r e s si ng w h i l e g e nt ly s e p a r a ti n g t h e k o m a ts u na a n d t o s s well until coated.
“SHUGENDO life of a company employee” By ZENYO (YOICHI) KAI January 15, 2016
importance of each c lt ral ackgro nd especially when I respond to people abroad. It is not enough to say “let’s do it together” - it takes more than that. I have to explain my background in S hu ge nd o, a nd o ft en c l ar i fy my viewpoint on religion as well. I hope that the following article will help demystify all your concerns about Shugendo.
2 . Tea ching history and background in my Shugendo For the Shugendo Kyoshi, I believe I should have mentioned that “ I entered into Dempo Kanjo Dan （伝法灌頂壇) ”. T ha t i s to s ay , “ I w a s i ni ti a te d thoroughly in the Shugendo altar based on the Esoteric Buddhism dogma at Sambo-In temple ( 三 宝 院 ） in Shingonshu sect’s （真言宗） Daigo-ji complex”. Historically, people have placed us into t wo ma i n g ro up s w he n t he y t ry to
1.In roduc ion Nine year s have pas sed sinc e I acquired the title of SHUGENDO KYOSHI ( 修 験 道 教 師 ) ( Teacher of Shugendo) at Daigo-ji Temple ( 醍醐寺） Kyoto Japan. In this article, I will describe the Shugendo life of a company employee. M y c o mp a ny n ame i s M its ub i sh i Corporation LT, Inc. ( “ MCLOGI” ) , which is a total logistics solution pro vid er for Internati onal busi ness . As yo u m i ght n ote , my c o mp a ny i s a subsidiary of Mitsubishi Corporation –
Trading Company called Sogo Shosha ( 総合商社). Thus, my daily life always involves communication with foreign countries. In my case, those Countries include: U. S. A. , Russia, Estonia, Germany, and Thailand. Fortunately, since my collea gues know that our ancestral traditions and culture pro vid e a key to under stand ing the Japanese w ay of thinking, it seems that th ey a r e t ry ing to u nd e rs ta nd my SHUGENDO life as well. I do hope so … Meanwhile, I feel strongly about the
introd ce this iss e to o r society: ・ Honzan-ha sect （本山派） ・ Tozan-ha se ct（当山派） The former is from Tendai-shu sect （ 天 台 宗 ) , the latter from Shingon-s hu sect. In this context, Daigo-ji temple kept holding its traditional succession for over one thousand years - since the temple' s founder SHOBORIGEN DAISHI（聖宝理源大師)（A.D 832 – 909). In the scheme of Shob's teaching, we could say that Daigoji’s Shugendo is almost colored with Shingon Esoteric Buddhism（ 真 言 密 教 ) . And also, it is constructed based on the teaching system called “Saisho Ein Samaya-ho” (最勝恵印 三昧耶法). This is because Shobo had great reverence and affection for KUKAI KOBODAISHI （空海弘法大師)(A.D. 774－835） as well as ENNO-GYOJA （役 行者)(A.D. 634－701).
I n a n ot he r a c kgr o nd o f S ho o ’ s teaching, we need to understand that he, including Kukai’s pupils, stayed in Nara （ 奈 良 ） in order to study Mahayana Buddhism （ 大 乗 仏 教 ） at Todaijitemple （ 東 大 寺 ） and some dominant temples there. Therefore, in their minds, there was always Mikkyo （ 密 教 ） Esoteric Buddhism as the final stage that Mahayana Buddhism evolved. They were studying the Mahayana Buddhism theory and logic there in order to truly learn Mikkyo Esoteric Buddhism. The study there, however, was too academic. There was a large number of students who were unsatisfied even though the study level was very high and was supported with the nation wide scale.
Frankly, they, as monks, not as st dents, could not find out any actual remedy for peo ple liv ing in our soc iety. At that time, the students and monks unsatisfied with Nar a life we re ado ring Enno- Gyoj a as a legendary presence, and finally went into Yama （山 ） = Mountain. Their aim was very simple. They understood the fact that Enno- Gyoja could make use of Genriki （ 験 力 ） divine powers in any way he wished through a psychic ability he had gained by training in Mountains. Therefore, there was an important reason that Shobo incorporated Shingon Esoteric Buddhism into Shugendo faith. Shobo finally learned the answer that, as one of the faithful, he had long been waiting for.
3.M pical weekda schedule The introduction has become quite long. The following is my typical weekday schedule: 03:30 : Wake p 03:40 : Shower 04:20 : Read a Shinto ritual prayer 04:25 : Do stretching exercise 04:45 : Religious service 05:25 : Breakfast 06:00 : Leave home 07:25 : Arrive to the office
07:35 : Work 12:00 : Lunch 13:00 : Work 18:30 : Leave the office 19:30 : Arrive home 19:40 : Religious service 20:00 : Take a bath 21:10 : Go to bed
4.G ood balance among work, amil , and SHUG ENDO W h e n p e o p l e s e e t he a b o v e s c h e d u l e , t h e y o f te n a s k : “ W h e n d o y o u t a l k w i t h y o u r fa m i l y ? ” “ I s i t a c t ua l l y p o s s i b l e t o d o s o ? ” I c a n s a y , “ Y e s , I h a v e e n o u g h t i m e t o t a l k ! ” B u t , I h a v e t o c o n f e s s t ha t t he r e a r e m a n y c h a l l e n g e s t h a t a r i s e a s I s t r i v e f o r t h i s g o a l . M y w i f e i s e x tr e m e l y i m p o r t a n t i n t hi s a r e a , a s n o th i ng w o u l d b e a c c o m p l i s h e d w i t ho u t h e r u n w a v e r i n g s u p p o r t a n d u n d e r s t a n d i n g . F o r t h is , I w a n t t o i n t r o d u c e m y S h i s h o ’ s t e a c h i n gs （ 師 匠 の 教 え ） g i v e n t o m e . T h a t i s “ H a n s o H a n z o k u ” ( 半 僧 半 俗 ) , “ H a l f t he c l e r g y , Half the laity”. A n d a l s o , m y S h i s h o u s e d t o s a y , “ F i r s t w o r k （ 一 に 仕 事 ） , S e c o n d training （ 二 に 修 行 ） , n o T h i r d , a n d n o F o u r t h ”（ 三 、 四 は な い よ ） … In t he n e x t e d i t i o n , I w i l l d e s c r i b e h o w I a m t a c k l i n g m y S h u g e n d o l i f e m o re a nd m o re i nto e v e ry a s pe c t o f d a il y r o uti ne s a s a c o m pa ny e m p l o y e e . S t a y tu n e d … ~ To be continued ~
FROM EDITOR
NE
Ha ngai a nd Hokisen Sh gendo faces serio s a sit ation in Japan. I ant you to take a look at two photos posted in this article. Those specific items used to be carried by Shugendo pra ctiti oner s in the pas t. One is a hat ca lle d Hanga i ( 斑蓋 ) made with thin cedar board and the other is a talisman called Hokisen( 箒 扇 ) , made w ith tied bamb oo pie ces and a pea coc k feathe r ( p rote cting against evil spirits).
S & INFORMATION
He e a e 3 S ge se i a s S e e Hayes is offer ing this year. For some, it is a bit soon to have detailed information. NPMAC o “P o ec o o S e g Seminar” Newbury Park, California March18th–20th, 2016 http://npmac.com/events/stephen-khayes/ Bo lde Q es Boulder, Colorado June 24-26, 2016 http://www.boulderquest.com/
B t no a d ay s, j s t a c o p l e o f c r a fts me n m ake Hangai – no more than a few dozen of them are pro duce d in a year . Hoki sen had bee n d isc ontinue d all together. It cannot be found in any catalogue because there is no craftsmen left w ho can make it. As Japan becomes an aging society with a falling bir thrate, it is diffi cult to maintai n the supp ly of traditional implements. Craftsmen cannot earn their living because of a lack of successors in Shugendo. This means we will not be able to perform ritual ceremony and practice in the near future. Now Shugendo pri ests have to rea lize that the y hav e to change their way of thinking. Shugendo is not their specialty because Shugenja ( 修験 者 ) was originally a pra ctitio ner of auster itie s as half pri est and half layma n. They have to open the door of Shugendo for lay people and foreigners. I believe the harmony with nature as the starting point of Shugendo is a worldwide concept. I hope this magazine will give Shugendo a chance to be save, noticed and practiced, not only in Japan but to connect like minded practitioners all over the world. Shokai Koshikidake
18 A al Mo ai Q es Blowing Rock, North Carolina August 12-14, 2016 http://chquestcenter.com/ Stephen K. Hayes Ohio, USA Jinpen-Kosha Yamatake Ko (神變講 社 山竹講) is a traditional practitioners group of Shugendo in Kyoto belonging to Shogoin Temple (聖護院). We accept foreign practitioners all from overseas and teach basic manners of Shugendo. All welcome. Feel free to join us If you are interested. Jiho Ohashi
[email protected] Kyoto, Japan Koryu Shugen Honshu ( 古流修験本 宗) holds Mountain Training in May 27- 29 2016. If you are interested, please contact us by mail. Furthers details will be provided. Shokai Koshikidake shokai@c ronos.ocn.ne.jp Yamagata, Japan Contributions or letters to be considered for inclusion in this magazine.
Publisher, Hidehiro Yamakoshi Chief Editor, Shokai Koshikidake Associte Editor, Esther Waer Translation & editing, Martin Faulks & Riko Schroer We appre ciate all volunteer s taff – thank you
Landscape of Shugendo By Shokai Koshikidake
The daily drive along the road leading to my orkplace is like a arp drive betw een dime nsio ns. It is the link whi ch conne cts my var ious rol es such as pri est and tele vis ion rep orte r. At home I pra y. At wo rk I rep ort cri me and pol itic s. The dri ve betw een my home and my w orkp lac e is nece ssa ry for me to change my mental status.
Freewa to Yamagata Cit , Yamagata Prefecture.
I r ot e th e a o v e o n th e 5 th o f J an a ry i n 20 1 1 he n I j s t jo in ed Facebook. My situation now isn` t that much different. To practice Shugendo is like this.
