Weeping Demons and Shinto

               The category of clips I chose was the Weeping Demons video clips. I must admit, I chose it because of the name and was completely surprised by what I seen on the clips. That definitely was not what I was expecting. After viewing the clips, I was able to relate them to two of the three principals of the general characteristics of a life lived in reverence of Kami.
               Principal #1: to be grateful of the blessings of Kami and be diligent in the observance of the Shinto rites. From the conversation the demon had with the wanderer, one could learn from the demon's own experience to be grateful to mother nature and be conscious of human nature with the earth and with one another. The demon's story of his life as human expressed his remorse for abusing mother nature by pouring milk into the river and burying crops deep into the earth a bulldozer for his own benefit. He never imagined that another human would come along and turn his home into a radiation desert of demons and overgrown dandelions. (This also identifies with the Shinto ethic that sins can be based on human interactions with one another).
               Principal #2: to be helpful to others and in the world at large through deeds of service without thoughts of rewards. Although the demon did not actually provide a service for the wanderer, he used his own life experiences as an example of why he felt someone should be grateful of the earth outside of that desert. Early on, the demon tells the wanderer that he is a weaker demon and will be probably be eaten soon by a demon with 2 or 3 horns. This just lets me know he has nothing to lose from the conversation with this wanderer.
             These clips also seemed to identify with the idea that the human spirit remains forever and can inhabit various other worlds with Kami. The demon led the wanderer to the site of the weeping demons after explaining that those particular demons are condemned to a life of suffering and so they spend their time weeping from their painful horns. Although they pray to be dead, none of them have ever been killed.

The Tao of Pooh

The Tao of Pooh

·         Reading “The Tao of Pooh” was a really easy read in that Benjamin Hoff used the familiar Winnie the Pooh to explain the principles of Taoism. Although the reading was easy, I won’t say that I loved it because I absolutely hate dialogue pieces. Hoff feels as though Taoism is the perfect way since it is ancient and does not seem to be as confusing as some other religions and beliefs. He provides much criticism towards other beliefs and religions when trying to explain why Taoism is a better choice.

·         According to Hoff, I learned the following principles of Taoism. The “Uncarved Block” is similar to Winnie the Pooh in that the uncarved block represents the idea that “things in their original simplicity contain their own natural power”. In the book, Pooh also recites the “Cottlestone Pie” riddle which explains the principle that “things are as they are” or the idea of everything having an inner nature that controls its actions. Wu Wei, also called the “Pooh Way”, means using your inner nature and the things around you to go with the flow of life. The story of the old man and the water was used as an example to explain what Hoff meant by the “Pooh Way”. The old man learned to live the natural ups and downs of the water and survived by not trying to fight against the superior power of the water. The chinese story about the “Stonecutter” was used to explain the principle that everyone was is special and one must look into your inner self to find out what you are supposed to do. And lastly, the great secret or T’ai Hs, is the idea that emptiness and nothing are the key to development.  

·         I do not agree or disagree with the statement that America is a culture of busy backsons. He uses Rabbit as an example of how Americans are always busy and In Taoism it is not a good thing to always be busy. I agree that the average American is very busy, but I’ve learned that the conditions/reasons why these Americans are so busy varies between people and cultures. Everyone needs a moment to relax away from their busy schedules, so I can even understand why Taoism believes it is not a good thing to always be busy. But because followers of Taoism are not a part of American culture they may not understand the things we as Americans have to do to keep up with such a fast paced society. Even in reading “Zen Wrapped in Karma Dipped in Chocolate”, Warner explains how a Buddhist in America still had to work because America does not have a traditional support system in place for those Zen Buddhist in America. This is why I would say I disagree with the statement because of the fact that every culture and person is different.

·         I do not feel as though Taoism is a solution to the problem of American culture and Americans as individuals. The idea of individuality and being able to think for one’s self is a characteristic common to the American people. It is a part of the freedom we enjoy in America as citizens. Although the principles of Taoism are easy to understand and follow, there is not much room for the types of freedoms we have here. And most importantly, I am aware that people are different in the way that they act, think, and live.