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I recently stumbled upon the following article posted by "ren" back in 2004 on a religion website. I have edited the text some, so it flows a little better.
In the article, ren makes a point-by-point comparison between Japanese witchcraft and Wicca, the neo-pagan religion founded in the 20th century, based on ancient European spiritual practices.
I found it interesting because witchcraft isn't often spoken of with regard to Japanese culture. As Christianity had in the West, Shintoism and Buddhism trumped the Old Religion in the Land of the Rising Sun ...but its vestiges remain.
Here is the article:
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I took some time to study the Japanese language so I could also study Japanese witchcraft, which is called in their language, onmyoudou. I have read several sources on this practice, and I believe in many ways it mirrors the practice of Wicca.
Onmyoudou means "Way of Magick and The Universal Source." On basically means vibration, as in “sound,” the building material of all things [similar to Aum in the East Indian language]. It is also the relationship of the patterns in such things as the stars, seasons, and nature. Myou, magick, is the understanding of turning ideas into reality. Dou means way, path, science [like Dao in Chinese, which also means "way"].
The practitioner of onmyoudou is called an onmyou-ji [or ji, for short]. Onmyou-ji reached their popularity in Japan in the 10th century, but have their origins in China, where onmyoudou is still practiced today. Onmyou-ji were popular with Japanese dynasties, and consisted mostly of men in their prime. Though most historically-documented onmyou-ji were male, in fact many practitioners were also female.
Onmyou-ji focused on the art of functionality, simplicity, power, beauty, and ultimately the perfection of life. Ji ascended to the dynastic court by impressing people with their psychic abilities and skill in foretelling the future, but they weren't just diviners for the Emperor. Like the Druids of ancient Europe, the onmyou-ji were their own intellectual class in 10th-century Japan, consisting of politicians, war strategists, diplomats, negotiators, economists, mechanics, and educators.
Beliefs and Practices
Onmyou-ji consider the pentagram a sacred symbol, symbolic of the Dou, or "way." The pentagram is an arrangement of the five elements, and the creative and destructive cycle in nature.
The onmyou-ji practice shamanism. They believe in spirit animals. They consider writing to have magickal properties. Similar to the way Wiccans employ Runes, Greek characters, or Ogham, onmyou-ji believe kanji, or Chinese script, could be empowered with myou or ki, magickal energy, in order to create change.
Onmyou-ji are Taoists in that they work with male, female, and uniting forces and recognized them in nature. This is similar to Wiccan beliefs in the Goddess and God manifested in everything. Furthermore, the onmyouji believe harmony of male and female forces is needed for the practitioner to cast spells.
Onmyou-ji chant, as do Wiccans. Onmyou-ji believe in reincarnation, and other originally Indo-European beliefs channeled through China to Japan. Onmyou-ji controlled the oni, or spirits, through the use of hitogata, or paper dolls.
Onmyou-ji are also spiritists in that they work with the dead, who are a form of oni. This is similar to the Wiccan concept of working with the ancestors. Powerful onmyou-ji are believed to have the ability to raise the dead back to life. There are also detailed explanations of lucid dreaming techniques in ancient onmyoudou texts.
Finally, the onmyouji believe in Karma, or the Laws of Return. These principals were recorded as sakanagi, meaning, "backlash," i.e., “What you do will be returned upon you, so have a clear conscience." This is basically the teaching of sakanagi.
The popular archetype of the “Kabuki ghost,” which can be seen in modern movies such as The Ring, has its origin in onmyoudou beliefs. The image in this entertainment is said to contain oni, "evil powers" and true horror in which spirits speak to the living.
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| The fox spirit, or kitsune, carries out the will of the onmyouji, was a messenger to the divine realm, and could be a shape- shifting trickster. |
In the article, ren makes a point-by-point comparison between Japanese witchcraft and Wicca, the neo-pagan religion founded in the 20th century, based on ancient European spiritual practices.
I found it interesting because witchcraft isn't often spoken of with regard to Japanese culture. As Christianity had in the West, Shintoism and Buddhism trumped the Old Religion in the Land of the Rising Sun ...but its vestiges remain.
Here is the article:
_____________________________________________________
 | |
| Tools of the trade: a modern-day onmyoudou's magical "kit." |
I took some time to study the Japanese language so I could also study Japanese witchcraft, which is called in their language, onmyoudou. I have read several sources on this practice, and I believe in many ways it mirrors the practice of Wicca.
Onmyoudou means "Way of Magick and The Universal Source." On basically means vibration, as in “sound,” the building material of all things [similar to Aum in the East Indian language]. It is also the relationship of the patterns in such things as the stars, seasons, and nature. Myou, magick, is the understanding of turning ideas into reality. Dou means way, path, science [like Dao in Chinese, which also means "way"].
The practitioner of onmyoudou is called an onmyou-ji [or ji, for short]. Onmyou-ji reached their popularity in Japan in the 10th century, but have their origins in China, where onmyoudou is still practiced today. Onmyou-ji were popular with Japanese dynasties, and consisted mostly of men in their prime. Though most historically-documented onmyou-ji were male, in fact many practitioners were also female.
Onmyou-ji focused on the art of functionality, simplicity, power, beauty, and ultimately the perfection of life. Ji ascended to the dynastic court by impressing people with their psychic abilities and skill in foretelling the future, but they weren't just diviners for the Emperor. Like the Druids of ancient Europe, the onmyou-ji were their own intellectual class in 10th-century Japan, consisting of politicians, war strategists, diplomats, negotiators, economists, mechanics, and educators.
Beliefs and Practices
Onmyou-ji consider the pentagram a sacred symbol, symbolic of the Dou, or "way." The pentagram is an arrangement of the five elements, and the creative and destructive cycle in nature.The onmyou-ji practice shamanism. They believe in spirit animals. They consider writing to have magickal properties. Similar to the way Wiccans employ Runes, Greek characters, or Ogham, onmyou-ji believe kanji, or Chinese script, could be empowered with myou or ki, magickal energy, in order to create change.
Onmyou-ji are Taoists in that they work with male, female, and uniting forces and recognized them in nature. This is similar to Wiccan beliefs in the Goddess and God manifested in everything. Furthermore, the onmyouji believe harmony of male and female forces is needed for the practitioner to cast spells.
Onmyou-ji chant, as do Wiccans. Onmyou-ji believe in reincarnation, and other originally Indo-European beliefs channeled through China to Japan. Onmyou-ji controlled the oni, or spirits, through the use of hitogata, or paper dolls.
Onmyou-ji are also spiritists in that they work with the dead, who are a form of oni. This is similar to the Wiccan concept of working with the ancestors. Powerful onmyou-ji are believed to have the ability to raise the dead back to life. There are also detailed explanations of lucid dreaming techniques in ancient onmyoudou texts.
Finally, the onmyouji believe in Karma, or the Laws of Return. These principals were recorded as sakanagi, meaning, "backlash," i.e., “What you do will be returned upon you, so have a clear conscience." This is basically the teaching of sakanagi.
Vestiges Today
The popular archetype of the “Kabuki ghost,” which can be seen in modern movies such as The Ring, has its origin in onmyoudou beliefs. The image in this entertainment is said to contain oni, "evil powers" and true horror in which spirits speak to the living.
 |
| Kitsune in modern anime. In Japanese folklore, fox spirits were said to frequently disguise themselves as beautiful women and trick men into marrying them. |
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