Core Vision: Harmonizing Communities through Decentralized Kinship
Bram’s call for small, resilient groups aligns with Shinto’s focus on localized harmony (wa).
Shinto Alignment:
- Reflects the ujiko (shrine community) structure, where local groups uphold rituals for collective well-being.
- Echoes kannagara (“way of the kami“) – living in tune with natural/social order.
- Decentralization mirrors Shinto’s rejection of top-down dogma; each community honors its unique kami (spirits).
Philosophy: “Golden Processes” as Ritual Cycles
Bram’s three processes resonate with Shinto cosmology:
- Lead (Negligible): Kegare (impurity) to avoid – distractions disrupting harmony.
- Metal (Linear): Temizu-like actions – practical tasks (e.g., farming, building) done with sincerity (makoto).
- Golden (Circular): Sacred cycles of reciprocity:
- Family/ancestor veneration (senzo kuyō),
- Seasonal festivals (matsuri) renewing bonds with kami,
- Stewardship of nature (satoyama communities caring for forests/rivers).
Key Insight: Protecting “golden processes” mirrors musubi (creative interconnection) – all life deserves reverence.
Groups as Modern “Ujiko”: Technology in Service of Kami
Bram’s tech-enabled groups can embody Shinto values:
- Local Resilience: Use open-source tools to coordinate matsuri, disaster prep, or environmental clean-ups (misogi for land).
- Transparency/Purity: Platforms must guard truth (makoto) and privacy – avoiding kegare (pollution) from deceit.
- Ancestral Connection: Digitally archive oral histories/rituals, honoring kami of place (chi no kami) and lineage.
Shinto Model: Like jinja (shrines), these groups become yorishiro – vessels inviting kami into daily life through shared purpose.
Ethical Warnings Through Shinto
- Reject Violence: Bram’s “violence is weakness” aligns with heiwa (peace) – conflict disturbs wa (harmony).
- Avoid “Caves” of Pollution: Bram’s cave allegory warns against tsumi (spiritual pollution) from falsehoods. Shinto demands harae (purification) through truthfulness.
- Combat Greed/Pride: Bram’s vices (greed, pride) create kegare – Shinto prioritizes humility before kami and nature.
Tensions and Resolutions
- Technology vs. Nature Reverence:
- Opportunity: Use open-source tools like “digital ema” (prayer boards) for community prayers or eco-monitoring.
- Caution: Avoid kegare from digital excess; tech must serve nature (kami’s realm), not dominate it.
- Global Groups vs. Local Kami:
- Groups outside Japan can honor local kami (e.g., land spirits) while adopting Bram’s framework – Shinto adapts to place.
- “Circular Processes” and Impermanence:
- Bram’s cycles reflect takama-ga-hara (heavenly plain) – eternal yet ever-changing, like seasons or kami blessings.
Call to Action for Shinto Practitioners
- Build “Jinja Groups”: Create local circles using Bram’s platform for:
- Matsuri planning,
- Environmental guardianship (satoyama revival),
- Ancestral storytelling.
- Guard Sacred Cycles: Protect “golden processes” (family, nature, rituals) as yorishiro of kami.
- Embrace “Process Trust”: Bram’s transparency principle (p.34) aligns with shōjiki (honesty) – a path to kami’s favor.
- Purify Digitally: Use open-source tech for harae – e.g., apps tracking local river purity or air quality.
“The kami do not descend where there is no reverence.”
— Motoori Norinaga (Shinto scholar)
Final Reflection
Bram’s project is a tool for kegare no harai (purification of pollution) in modern society:
- Decentralization restores wa (harmony),
- Group autonomy honors local kami,
- “Golden” stewardship renews musubi (sacred interconnectivity).
As the Kojiki teaches, humanity thrives when aligned with kami’s natural order. Bram’s vision – rooted in resilience and reverence – offers a path to rekindle this balance.
Explore: yetanotherprojecttosavetheworld.org
Act: Start small. Clean a local shrine stream. Plant trees. Share stories. Invite kami into your circle.
*Note: Bram’s mental health journey (p.42–44) mirrors Shinto’s view of life’s ebb/flow – moments of clarity (*satori) emerge through purification and alignment with nature’s rhythms.