In Japan (Tokyo, specifically) during June is the Sanno Matsuri, one of the main features of which is a ritual which cleanses one of sins, even unconscious ones. As in other such rituals, sins are passed on to a doll, leaving one cleansed and free from the consequences of sin, peaceful and happy.

Such practises often have a basis in the Shinto faith, and are usually accompanied by aspiration and devotion at a Buddhist altar in pursuit of meeting the highest hopes that our ancestors might have had for us.

The pan-theism of Shinto has parallels with ancient British Paganism, just as Buddha was the best possible example of the most enlightened possible conduct – he is the East’s highest example of good conduct and equivalent to the image called to mind when Westerners ask, “What would Jesus do?”

However, Buddha was a man, not a god or a prophet per se, and as such, the ways he espoused were rational and ethical, and the foundation of practises which can be appreciated even by those who might consider themselves athiests or agnostics.

This touches upon an important existential question: because we are inescapably part of the human condition, and often subject to happenings which defy reason and even fairness, is it necessary to have a faith? Are the adversities of life trying to show us that we should have a faith? It can certainly be helpful to blame an uncaring god for the problems which befall us!

Kendo Nagasaki would point out that even though the human mind must certainly be stilled from time to time, it is a considerable ally in making sense of life. It’s a good idea to take a leaf from the book of Shintoists and Pagans, and acknowledge that however much we know about a seed becoming a tree, that it happens at all is still a miracle of nature; and likewise, the Buddhist (and Bushido) practice of respecting what our ancestors would have wanted for us is an excellent form of pro-social motivation. And, of course, both Buddha and Christ remain ideals to which to aspire.

In light of these arguments, what Kendo would have us consider is that while it is not necessary to “sign-up” to an orthodox, structured religion, the human condition is eased greatly by respecting the invisible yet miraculous forces of nature, and by having regard for the intangible yet enduring hopes of our ancestors. These add up to a humility towards certain crucial forces of life, and great strength and peace can come from such conscientious consideration of these more subtle aspects of the world around us.

…and the act of passing sins on to a doll? Even this time-honoured tradition can be seen as an aspiration, a gesture which symbolises a further level of concern for rightness, harmony, and well-being, to be taken advantage of when the festival comes around.

Kendo observes that the human condition – however it is challenged – is ideally about reflecting upon all possible perspectives, reasoning them through and meditating upon them, in life-long pursuit of the wisest possible world-view. Ironically, done right, it may be possible to have faith in the outcome of such an approach, which, even without (or in addition to) practising an orthodox religion, could well be described as living most spiritually.