Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman: Quakers and Sufis

Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman: Quakers and Sufis

Quakers and Sufis

"Move beyond any attachment to names.

Every war and every conflict between human beings
has happened because of some disagreement about names.

It’s such an unnecessary foolishness,
because just beyond the arguing
there’s a long table of companionship,
set and waiting for us to sit down.

What is praised is One,
so the praise is one too,
many jugs being poured into a huge basin.

All religions, all this singing, one song.
The differences are just illusion and vanity.

Sunlight looks slightly different on this wall
than it does on that wall
and a lot different on this other one,
but it is still one light.

We have borrowed these clothes,
these time-and-space personalities,
from a light,
and when we praise,
we pour them back in."

- Mevlana Jelaluddin Rumi, 13th century Sufi Poet

“There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath different names: it is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no form of religion nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity.” – John Woolman, 18th century Quaker preacher

“The humble, meek, merciful, just, pious, and devout souls are everywhere of one religion, and when death takes off the mask, they will know one another though the diverse liveries they wear here make them strangers.”
– William Penn, 17th century Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania

I am an autodidactic student of world religions. It interests me to learn how people in various times and places have dealt with the questions that seem to perpetually and univerally trouble mankind, such as: How do we explain evil and suffering? Why are we all painfully aware of our propensity to fall short of our own moral ideals? What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?

In the course of my studies, I've found intriguing parallels between Sufism and Quakerism. It strikes me that Sufis are to Islam what Quakers are to Christianity. Sufism and Quakerism are both based on the core idea that it is possible to directly and experientially encounter God. Both tend towards the inward and mystical. Both emphasize peace, equality, truth and simplicity. Both see God as loving, compassionate, merciful, gracious and present. Both are often viewed with suspicion or even contempt by guardians of "orthodoxy".

Of course, there are differences between Quakerism and Sufism as well. Each was born in a different place, time and culture and grew out of a different world religion.

Yet the affinities strike me as remarkable. I think it is a subject worthy of further investigation.

Some Muslims and observers see Sufism--or something like it--as the future of Islam. What if, likewise, Quakerism--or something like it--is the future of Christianity? Wouldn't it be interesting if Christianity and Islam, in the form of Quakerism and Sufism (or forms very similar) came to a point of seeing one-another as beloved siblings, travelling together on the same journey home?

I know I'm getting a bit pie-in-the-sky-I'd-like-to-teach-the-world-to-sing here but imagine the implications if, someday, two-thirds of the world's population--the Christians and Muslims--found common ground in the Living Presence of the God of Love? I imagine too that there are similar sects with similar values within Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, etc. As someone once said, "It's like there are two layers to a religion. An outer (exoteric) layer, and an inner (esoteric) layer. The outer exoteric layer is the layer of the layman, the fundamentalist, the literal minded, the zealot, the man-on-the-street. The esoteric layer is the layer of the mystic." Mystics of various faiths seem to recognize one-another as kindred spirits.

What if the trajectory of mankind's history is towards unity within God's Presence? I find that narrative much more compelling--and indicative of the Father whom Jesus revealed--than the doom and gloom Armageddon narratives espoused by so many within both Christianity and Islam.

Is it possible for a Christian such as myself--who believes that Jesus is the Savior of the World--to entertain such ideas? Yes, as a matter of fact, it is.


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POSTED BY DANIEL P. (DANNY) COLEMAN AT 8:25 PM

10 COMMENTS: Brigid said...

Danny, good comments. I am post-Catholic, post-evangelical, post-pentecostal/charismatic, currently Angican and Quaker who occasionally visits a Vineyard church.

I have always had a strong interest in religions other than my own. Inherited from my father, I think. In mid-life I did a degree which includes a major in studies in religion and I have done some theological studies but failed to continue due to breast cancer.

I cut my teeth on modern Catholic mystics i.e. Thomas Merton and William Johnston and the people to whom they referred. There are times when one can find sound charismatic churches who touch on this sort of mysticism but it is rare and they don't usually have wider understanding to give a firm foundation. I found Quakers - but I don't understand what a neo-quaker might be.

I love the Tao te Ching. Taoist thoughts have impacted me a great deal. Similarly with Rumi. I sometimes attend the Remembrance of Rumi but missed it this year. There are formal classes here in Melbourne but I haven't done that either.

In recent years, my path has taken me into a spirituality based on God as Creator and Designer operating in an earthly creation.12:47 AM 

Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman said...

Thanks for sharing, Miss Eagle! And thanks for visiting all the way from Melbourne.

I added the 'Neo' to 'Quaker' because I don't personally feel much connection to alot of the stodgy old Quaker baggage, such as the endless ruminating over the Hicksite/Gurneyite/Beanite splits. Also because, like you, I have incorporated other strands (such as Vineyard) into my Quakerism. I have also jettisoned certain doctrinal views (such as Dispensationalism, Eternal Conscious Torment, Condemnation of Homosexuals, Biblical Inerrency, etc.) which seem to make me not an Evangelical Quaker, yet I am a follower of Jesus and believe He is the Savior of the world, which seems to put me outside of the "Liberal" Quaker camp. So, "Neo-Quaker" isn't so much a group that I've joined but rather what I sometimes call myself, just because I'm not sure what else fits.8:44 AM 

Karen O. said...

Intriguing ideas. Thanks for the post, Danny.1:30 PM 

Brigid said...

Thanks for your reply, Danny. I guess I'm a neo-Quaker too. Fortunately, in the Land of Oz, those disputatious bits of Q history are absent. As for some of those historic pieces of Christian doctrine, a couple of them I have never heard of. Can't have set the world on fire as much as Jesus did, I'd say. In Australia, there is much to think about in relation to the state of the Christian church. I am oft reminded of the Biblical passage that speaks of strike the shepherd and the sheep will be scattered. I think it is a lot like that here.2:19 PM 

Anthony said...

Dear Danny, I have been interested in Sufism and Quakerism for over 20 years and am writing a pamphlet/booklet called "Becoming a Friend of God: the Path of Sufism and Quakerism." I see many affinities between these two mystical branches of their respective religions and I think Friends would benefit from a deeper study and involvement with Sufism, and vice versa. (Some of my best Friends are Sufis.) I also agree with you that Quakers need to get over their internal arguments and focus on connecting with the Living Presence, the Inward Light/Friend. You can read more at laquaker.blogspot.com or email me at interfaithquaker@aol.com. Yours in friendship and peace, Anthony3:26 PM 

Tom Smith said...

If you haven't looked into Jainism, you might some parallels there as well. I guess I seem to be in the "Liberal" side since I do see "Christ" in various religions that don't use the "name." My personal identification is with Jesus and his "story" in the Gospels as the fullest and for me the foremost "embodiment of Christ."4:54 PM 

Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman said...

Thanks for the info Anthony! I'll check out your blog and I look forward to reading your booklet when it's completed.5:36 PM 

mindful searcher said...

Thanks for the intriguing post. You've given me some food for thought and study.8:37 PM

Jamal London said...

I am from a Catholic heritage, with only my Irish grandparents, on my mother's side, with once a strong link to the Church. But I've always loved the mystics, and ended up attending sufi halaqas and becoming fluent in classical Arabic.
I read Merton as a young man, Rumi, Jami; and the Quakers were just a name- a good one(and I'm from England). But over the last few days I've found the works of Rufus Jones, or they have found me, waiting patiently. And now this beautiful article by Daniel Cole. I've translated it into Arabic, and sent it to my friends in war-torn countries like Syria and Yemen. Already, a friend in Sanaa, Yemen, has found the link between Quakers and Sufis uplifting on a day bombs fall from the sky.4:29 AM 

Anonymous said...

Great conversation here. Lately I’ve been fascinated by common threads found in classical psychology and mysticism. I feel once we really zoom out and see the whole, not just the parts, it’s the same theory and framework which evolved over thousands of years in the shadows of mainstream religious establishments. Khizr (patron saint of all seekers of mystical experiences) seems to be a central real and mythical figure who appeared to have transferred the secret knowledge of human psychology to various people across centuries. It’s the same framework for attaining liberation that is found in Vedanta, Sufism, Tantra, Kabbalah, Quakerism and Psychosynthesis... humans are conditioned to understand whole by understanding it’s parts... a useless exercise. We need to start with the whole and parts will make sense. Khizr could be the key. Look him up.12:16 PM

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Sufism, Quakerism, and Universalism by John Marsh - Quaker Universalist Voice

Sufism, Quakerism, and Universalism by John Marsh - Quaker Universalist Voice

Sufism, Quakerism, and Universalism

by John Marsh

PUBLISHED

Saturday, 02 Apr 2011

TOPICS

John Marsh reminds us of the mystical connection between Sufism, Quakerism and Universalism—a subject I am exploring in a new book, “Becoming a Friend of God” ( http://laquaker.blogspot.com/2010/11/becoming-friend-of-god-path-of-sufism.html). John shares with us this beautiful poem by Rumi along with reflections on Silence.  As the great Sufi teacher Baha Ad-din Naqshband once observed, “God is silence and is most easily reached in silence.”—Anthony Manousos

Only Breath
Rumi (Coleman Barks translation)

 

Not Christian or Jew or Muslim, not Hindu
Buddhist, sufi, or zen. Not any religion

or cultural system. I am not from the East
or the West, not out of the ocean or up

from the ground, not natural or ethereal, not
composed of elements at all. I do not exist,

am not an entity in this world or in the next,
did not descend from Adam and Eve or any

origin story. My place is placeless, a trace
of the traceless. Neither body or soul.

I belong to the beloved, have seen the two
worlds as one and that one call to and know,

first, last, outer, inner, only that
breath breathing human being.

****
Within Silence below stories, below emotion, below even concepts, the world opens up to include everything held in forgiveness and love. It can’t be taught, only pointed to. It must be experienced directly. It comes when the conditions are right as a matter of grace and more than grace, of alchemy and personal transformation in which the universal is seeing through you, just you in all your particularity. It changes everything, leaving room for virtues to arise without effort, because of what’s needed in the moment, and action thusly. The early Friends (who were startlingly awake) knew this intimately; today we are lost in words as if these familiars are a sufficient explanation of the world. There is a deeper calling to return home. The student asks “What is Buddha?” The master responds “Great intimacy!” This is what’s meant by rediscovering Friends in the time of the founding, at least to me. May we all be intimate with the universe in its oneness and in its particularity, which are one and the same, and act accordingly from where we are truly home.

Sufism and Quakers | Politics of Soul - matthew bain 2013

Sufism and Quakers | Politics of Soul



Sufism and Quakers


OCT 23


Posted by matthewbain


Quaker meeting

I am a Muslim who sometimes attends my local Quaker meeting. In England, Quaker meetings offer unstructured worship where one sits in silence until someone feels moved to speak. In my local meeting I can generally enjoy 30 mins of silent meditation or dhikr until someone speaks. In the silence, Quakers wait on God “as if none were present but the Lord” and the metaphors they commonly use to describe God are spirit and light, which map to the Sufi concepts of ruh and noor.

The ‘Quaker Faith and Practice’ book which sets out the current rules for Quakerism in England says that you need to be “broadly Christian” to be a Quaker (i.e. to be a member of The Religious Society of Friends which is the English Quaker congregation). However, many Quaker meetings (including my local one) make no distinction between members and regular attenders. There is no requirement for an attender to be Christian, as long as one is “in sympathy” with the meeting.

In fact, I have found a number of Quakers to be in sympathy with Sufism. One lady at my local meeting is planning a return trip to Konya after a moving visit. She asked the Sufi brethren who were her guides in Konya to take her to Rumi’s mausoleum but they insisted on taking her to Shams first. Soon after arriving at Shams’ tomb she was overcome by emotion and found herself kneeling on the floor weeping! However, when she was taken to Rumi’s tomb she found it quite ordinary in comparison. When she asked the Sufi brethren why, they asked her “where do you think Rumi is?” In death there is nothing to keep Rumi apart from Shams so Mevlana can be found at the tomb of his friend.

LA Quaker: Becoming a Friend of God: the Path of Sufism and Quakerism 2010

LA Quaker: Becoming a Friend of God: the Path of Sufism and Quakerism



Saturday, November 20, 2010

Becoming a Friend of God: the Path of Sufism and Quakerism



I have been busy these past few months working on a pamphleet/booklet about Sufism and Quakerism, two mystical paths that I have walked in my life and want to share with others. So far, I've written nearly 15,000 words and plan to keep writing as long as Spirit leads. It's been a joy to plunge into the ocean of mystical writings associated with Sufism and to discover many unexpected affinities with Quakerism. I will post my work as it evolves and would appreciate your feedback. My hope is to publish this work as a follow-up to my pamphlet "Islam from a Quaker Perspective."

Outwardly, Quakerism (the mystical branch of Christianity) and Sufism (the mystical branch of Islam) may seem worlds apart. Sufism is associated with dervish dancing, exotic Middle Eastern music, and the ecstatic poetry of Rumi. Quakerism is associated with peace activists, plain-dressed people sitting in silent worship, and William Penn, the founder of Pennsylvania, and the icon of oatmeal. But there are deep affinities between these two spiritual paths, and it is no accident that Quakerism and Sufism refer to its practitioners as “Friends.”

In this collection of short essays I explore the similarities between these spiritual paths and suggest how they can help us to become more intimately connected with our true selves and with Reality. These mystical paths also have a prophetic dimension—a social witness against materialism and injustice--that is much needed in today’s world. We live at a time when most people in the industrial world inhabit a “virtual reality”—a world of television, movies, and the internet—a world where we are defined by what we buy rather than who or what we are. In this unreal world of compulsive consumerism we become addicted to our desires, and eventually become prey to fears and anxieties. These fears become the seeds of bigotry, violence and war.

Mysticism, as practiced by Quakers and the Sufis, can help free us from our fears and our addictions and lead us onto the path of true freedom. As we come to know who we truly are and become acquainted with our true self, we can also form deep, life-transforming relationships with others, based on the realization that each person is sacred and therefore worthy of our deepest attention and respect. This is the way of Friends.

Sufism is the mystical heart of Islam. It emerged in the 8th century CE as an Islamic ascetic movement. Some scholars see connections between Sufism, Buddhism and Christianity and no doubt such connections exist, but most Sufis see their practice as deeply rooted in Islam. Early practitioners of Sufism include Hasan al-Basri (642-728) and Rabiah al-Adawiay (d. 801), the first great female Sufi teacher and poet. Perhaps the most famous Sufi is Jalal a-din Rumi who founded the Mevlevi order (known as whirling dervishes) and has become the most popular poet in America, thanks to Coleman Barks’ imaginative translations. Sufis played a political role in Islamic history, often standing up for the rights of the poor and oppressed. Sufism has also encouraged women to be spiritual teachers and leaders.

Quakerism began in the 17th century in England as part of the Puritan movement to reform Christianity by restoring it to its primitive roots. Quakers believe that each person can have direct access to God or Christ through the Inward Light and the practice of silent worship. Quakers are perhaps best known for opposing war and for championing the rights of women, African-Americans, homosexuals and other oppressed groups. Like Sufism, Quakerism is a mystical faith that emphasizes the direct experience of the Divine Within rather than outward rituals or the words of scripture.

I became a Friend, that is, a Quaker, in 1984 at about the same time that I encountered my first Sufi, a spiritual teacher from Sri Lanka named Bawa Muhaiyaddeen (who was known as “Bawa” to his followers). Coleman Barks, a student of Sufism known for his brilliant translations of Rumi, described Bawa as “one living in the state of union… and totally present in each moment… It was exhilarating to be there where he sat on his bed in Philadelphia, like breathing ozone near a waterfall” (Rumi, The Book of Love, p. 118).

I met this Sufi saint in Philadelphia, where he was well known and much appreciated by many Quakers. Some Friends even joined his Fellowship.

At that time I was editing a multi-faith publication called Fellowship in Prayer (now called Sacred Journey). The pay was modest, but the perks were priceless: thanks to this job, I had the opportunity to interview and worship with a remarkable array of spiritual teachers from various faith traditions.

One of my assignments was to interview Bawa, who first came to the United States in 1971 and established the Bawa Muhaiyaddeen Fellowship in Philadelphia. This Fellowship grew to over 1,000 followers in the Philadelphia area, with branches spreading throughout the United States and Canada, as well as Australia and the UK. I knew very little about Sufism at this time, but I was eager to learn more about it. Having just earned my Ph. D., I asked one of Bawa’s followers a decidedly academic question:

“I have heard that Eastern religion emphasizes union with God, while Western religion emphasizes communion with God. What does Sufism emphasize?”

The man smiled, paused to reflect, and then replied, “If a plane is flying at 30,000 feet, and another plane is at 20,000 feet, but you are on the ground, what difference is it to you the altitude of the planes?”

This zinger was just what I needed at this point in my spiritual journey. I realized that to understand Sufism (or any other mystical practice), it wasn’t enough to ask academic questions. I would need to walk the path, or at least one very much like it.

I’m not belittling academic studies. I have the utmost respect for scholars of religion, particularly ones like Huston Smith and Karen Armstrong, who have dedicated their lives to promoting interfaith understanding. If you want to know about Sufism, I heartily recommend the work of Seyyed Hossein Nasr, Laleh Bakthtiar, Carl W. Ernst, Llewellyn Vaughan-Lee, Idres Shah, Hazrat Inayat Khan, Kabir Helminksi, and Annemarie Schimmel. 

I have also provided a short list of books by and about Sufis for those who want to delve more deeply into this topic.
But books alone will not give you a taste of Sufism, any more than cook books will give you a taste of haute cuisine. To understand Sufism, or any other religious practice, you must acquire first-hand knowledge and experience. As the Psalmist says: “Taste and see!” (34:4). Fortunately, if you are interested, you can easily find opportunities to connect with Sufism and Quakerism and taste the Truth they seek to embody. The appendix lists some of the leading Quaker and Sufi organizations here in the United States.

For the past twenty five years, I have practiced Quakerism and had close friendships with Sufis who have opened my heart and mind to what it means to be a “Friend of Truth/God.” During this time, I also followed the example of Huston Smith and learned about various religions by practicing them. For nine months, I lived in a Zen Buddhist center in Providence, RI, and practiced meditation.

I also spent a year at Pendle Hill, a Quaker center for study and contemplation near Philadelphia, where I studied with many outstanding Quaker teachers, such as William Taber, Sonya Cronk, and William Durland.

Since 9/11, I have adopted many Muslim practices, such as fasting during Ramadan, praying five times a day, and worshipping with Muslims whenever I have the chance. I also make it a daily practice to read the Qur’an or some other Muslim devotional work along with the Bible.
Prior to 9/11 I didn’t have a single Muslim friend, but today many of my dearest and closest friends are Muslims and I have come to feel a part of the Muslim “family” here in Los Angeles. I owe an eternal debt of gratitude to kindred spirits such as Shakeel Syed, John Ishvardas Abdallah, Sherrel Johnson, Noor Malika Chishti, et al.

In 2002, I published a pamphlet called Islam from a Quaker Perspective which attempts to explain Islam to Quakers, and Quakerism to Muslims, in the most succinct possible way. This pamphlet was co-published by three Quaker organizations—Friends Bulletin, Wider Quaker Fellowship, and Quaker Universalist Fellowship—and circulated over 5,000 copies in 100 countries. It was even translated into German.

In this pamphlet, I focused on mainstream Islam and showed that there are many parallels between mainstream Islam and Quakerism. I deliberately omitted any reference to Sufism, however. I did this in part because I wanted to explain what the majority of Muslims believe and practice, and thereby help readers appreciate what James Michener called “the world’s most misunderstood religion.” In this current work I go deeper and explore the inner world of Islam and Christianity as I have experienced it through my study and practice of Quakerism and Sufism. I will examine a wide variety of motifs which are interwoven with the theme of spiritual friendship:

· Mysticism and the path of Friendship.
· The scriptural basis for becoming a Friend of God.
· What is the “Word of God” according to Sufis and Quakers?
· Yearning for the Divine and the Double Search.
· Simplicity, silence and becoming intimate with one’s true self.
· Find a balance between the male and female.
· Stories and Narrative Theology.
· Befriending the poor, the sick, the oppressed to become God’s Friend.
· Becoming a nobody in order to become a true Friend

My hope is that what I have to share abut Sufism and Quakerism will inspire you to go deeper in your spiritual life and to become more intimate with the source of truth within you and within every living being you encounter.

Posted by LA Quaker at 6:59 PM




10 comments:


Daniel WilcoxNovember 23, 2010 at 10:26 PM

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for the info on the simillarities/differences between Sufism and Quakerism.

I haven't studied Sufism, but it does seem very different from the Islam of killing.

If you remember last time I posted a comment about how I was surprised that you were supportive of the Islamic tradition.

You responded by saying Islam is peaceful.

Below is an example of why I still disagree. Notice this tragic evil isn't a case of insurgents but of the very government of Islamic Pakistan persecuting and planning to execute a Christian. Very tragic...

>>Muslim men working in the nearby fields ran over and began harassing Asia, pressuring her to renounce Christianity. When Asia refused, the men forced themselves into her home where they tortured Asia and her four children. Among other allegations, Asia was accused of denying that Muhammad was a prophet and was sent to prison. She has been condemned to die for her actions.

>>Her offense? She is Christian. According to a CNN reporter, “A town cleric in her home town declared Asia’s death sentence as one of the happiest moments of his life.”

Any comment?

Of all the Muslims I have known, I only knew one who was committed to peacemaking. All of the others were nice, but committed to Islamic war against Jews. And now more and more against Christians.

Any response?

In the Light of God,

DanielReply



AnthonyNovember 25, 2010 at 10:01 PM

Dear Daniel, I cannot condone the behavior you cite, nor would most Muslims I know. My Muslim friends would be the first to admit that there is deplorable amount of ignorance and bigotry in the Muslim world, but most of it is cultural, not intrinsic to Islam. There was a time when Christians behaved as badly, if not worse, than the Muslims you describe. Look at how the Catholic Church treated Jews and Muslims in Spain during the "reconquista." And look at the withhunts, inquisitions, witchhunts and religous wars. Even today many of those who fight under the American flag see themselves as Crusaders.

For a historical view of Islam during its golden age, I recommend Maria Menocal's book "The Ornament of the World" for a look at Muslim Spain as a model of what Islam could be.

I know of no Muslims who are committed to war against Jews per se, but many who oppose Zionism and support the legitimate rights of Palestinians.

Finally, when troops who are predominantly Christian invade Muslim countries, occupy their lands, and kill and torture many Muslims (with pictures for all to see), it is not surprising that poor, oppressed Muslims would resent Christians and treat them badly. If the United States were occupied by a Muslim army that killed those who opposed the occupation, I'm sure many Christians would retaliate against innocent Muslims. Sadly, that is what happens when empires wage war, or try to keep the peace, Roman style.Reply



AnonymousNovember 25, 2010 at 10:31 PM

There is nothing that exists, save The Divine One. There is nothing beside The One.
We are all, therefore, within this Oneness.
The major religions agree on this. It is in the scriptures.
The same message has been delivered, time and again, at different times, in different languages. Please, let us stop arguing about the languages, and heed the message.
And let us not heed those who would distort the message to further their own ambitions.
Peace, in every language.Reply



Daniel WilcoxNovember 26, 2010 at 12:03 PM

Hi Anthony,

Thanks for the book recommendation. I'll check it out.

I am glad you have met different Muslims than me:-) The ones I knew (who were nice persons) were dedicated to killing.

I certainly agree that Christians in history have been intolerant and killers in the name of God. And most of the Christians I know still are for killing:-(

But that is not reason for Muslims to kill hundreds of unarmed Christians his last year and with Muslim governmental support.

As for Palestine/Israel, I lived there. What all the religious people there need to learn to do is to SHARE. They are all so vindictively self-centered.

The place for them to start is for the Israeli government to stop stealing Palestinian land, to even offer back some of the land that they took in 1948.
And for the Palestinians to ask forgiveness for all the innocent civilians they've killed in cold blood (not in a battle but in markets, weddings, etc.).

Once the two groups start living by basic human caring they wouldn't need weapons.

The place for them to start is to ask forgiveness.

As for Muslim Spain, the last scholarly book I read on Islamic Spain was critical of the intolerance of the Islamic government.

True, Jewish persons had it better there than in Christian Europe, but Muslim Spain wasn't the nice place that so many think it was (at least not according to the last couple of books I read).

But I look forward to reading Menocal's book.

Thanks for the dialog,

DanielReply



AnonymousDecember 31, 2010 at 4:45 AM

As a Quaker married to a Sufi I look forward to reading your work. Would you be willing to publish some excerpts or share some resources for further inquiry/reflection?Reply



Ian WhitemanApril 5, 2012 at 2:19 PM

An interesting site to have stumbled upon.

I was brought up in a Quaker family, lived in an English Quaker town and went to a Quaker school. Good, impressive people but who ultimately couldn't answer the urgent questions of an 18 year old who wasn't going to take silence for an answer. Quakerism seemed to me like a sanctuary for principled souls who saw nothing they liked in the big wide world out there - of Royalty, Catholicism and Wars etc.

In the early 1970s Islam was a natural step for me, fresh from the 60s excesses but still protected somewhat by a Quaker childhood, although the inherited suspicions about holy war, oppression of women, prejudice about Turks and Arabs etc., had to be first laid to rest. Sufism is integrally part of Islamic law and very misunderstood (by Muslims as well). I have met other muslims like myself who came from Quaker families and who have said the same....Islam is the logical next step - it's the completion of true Christianity. A return to the primordial religion.Reply



AnonymousJune 12, 2015 at 4:53 PM

I have studied Islam with Timothy J Winter (Cambridge University) and in Istanbul on an MA program me there. I cannot agree with the positive assessment of Islam expressed by the author of this piece. Islam has always been committed to offensive war in order to expand the boundaries of Islamic rule. This is well documented. Those who do not submit to this rule are killed. The Christians and Jews who did unwillingly submit to Islamic rule in places like Spain, Syria and Turkey (the once Byzantine Empire) were put under a tremendous social pressure so that lots of Christians converted to Islam in order to alleviate these social constraints. Non~Muslims were humiliated when paying the jizyah tax (read All Ghazali on this). As for women in Islam: women do not have social equality with men. Worse is the fact that Islamic society condoned sexual slavery. Even the Sufi All Ghazali mentions that it is permissible to have sex with ones wive or wives and ones "slave captive". According to one academic source most slavery in the Muslim world was for this purpose. Indeed the Sultan in Constantinople had 1000 concubines! Many well known Sufis hasd slave captives who were obliged until sale to satisfy their master. This was all sanctioned by verses from the Qur'an. In short: I can see very little similarity between a religion that condones offensive war, social inequality of men and women, and sex slavery and Quakerism! ~ The author also described Quakerism as _"mystical Christianity"; but I would argue that both Orthodoxy and Catholicism are mystical in their deepest roots. All of the great saints who built these faiths were mystics. Mount Athos is the heart of modern Orthodoxy and its a mystical heart! The Jesus Prayer, etcetera. Most Catholic thinkers regard the Carthusian vocation as the highest and they are pure mystics. I spent some time in a Carthusian monastery and it is a life given over to prayer, asceticism and love of God. Quakerism in my opinion has yet to produce a mystic as pure or profound as Gregory Palamas or St John of the Cross.Reply



UnknownJuly 21, 2015 at 9:43 AM

Hello!

I just stumbled on to this site, and would love to know if you ever finished this pamphlet. And if so, how might I get a copy?

I'm a Sufi, and am currently researching the Quakers in the context of a piece I'm writing for lightningdpress.com on the poet Basil Bunting and how his lifelong relationship with the Friends informed his experience in terms of his long "Sonata" poems. But I am also personally very interested in that intersection where I believe I see Quakers, Catholic Workers, Sufis, Ismaili Muslims, radical mystic Jews, engaged Buddhists, and progressive (Neo)Confucians meeting. I'm fascinated by this this deeply ecumenical intersectionality, and multi-religious expressions of it in particular. I would love to hear any thoughts or experiences you'd like to share.

Please contact me, if you like, at xishraqx [at] gmail [dot] com.

Thank you!!

Peace,

JeffReply



AnonymousFebruary 4, 2017 at 9:07 PM

Hello. Janis Ian posted a Sufi quote on facebook about how words should go through three gates before leaving the mouth: 1)Is it true? 2)Is it necessary? 3)Is it kind? And immediately I thought how lovely & familiar it was to me even though I had never heard it before.

I'm Catholic, but always had an affinity with the Quakers and since the Sufi quote sounded Quaker-like, I wondered whether the Sufis were the Quakers of Islam in desperation, trying to find ways to make people understand that Muslims are not the monsters they are made out to be in the media. I often try to love and understanding against the hatred and incitements I encounter online so this page you have kindly maintained was a delightful find. Thank you & all the best. YC, London.UKReply



AnonymousOctober 3, 2017 at 7:58 AM

Islam is not the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It comes not even close to it.
A common name in Islam is Abdullah. It comes in many form and languages. It means: slave of Allah. A slave has no rights. If he does not do his job he is thrown out. He does not inherit.
Christians are Children of God (and that through Jesus Christ) Christians inherit the Kingdom of God.
Hans, a Quaker.Reply

Quakers and Sufis and… | Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman

Quakers and Sufis and… | Daniel P. (Danny) Coleman






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PROGRESSIVE CHRISTIAN

Quakers and Sufis and…
JULY 15, 2017 BY DANIEL P. (DANNY) COLEMAN
3 COMMENTS




“Move beyond any attachment to names.

Every war and every conflict between human beings
has happened because of some disagreement about names.

It’s such an unnecessary foolishness,
because just beyond the arguing
there’s a long table of companionship,
set and waiting for us to sit down.

What is praised is One,
so the praise is one too,
many jugs being poured into a huge basin.

All religions, all this singing, one song.
The differences are just illusion and vanity.

Sunlight looks slightly different on this wall
than it does on that wall
and a lot different on this other one,
but it is still one light.

We have borrowed these clothes,
these time-and-space personalities,
from a light,
and when we praise,
we pour them back in.”

– Jalal ad-Din Muhammad Rumi, 13th century Sufi Muslim poet

“There is a principle which is pure, placed in the human mind, which in different places and ages hath different names: it is, however, pure and proceeds from God. It is deep and inward, confined to no form of religion nor excluded from any, where the heart stands in perfect sincerity.” – John Woolman, 18th century Quaker


“The humble, meek, merciful, just, pious, and devout souls are everywhere of one religion, and when death takes off the mask, they will know one another though the diverse liveries they wear here make them strangers.”
– William Penn, 17th century Quaker and founder of Pennsylvania

As a student of world religions, it interests me to learn how people in various times and places have dealt with the questions that seem to perpetually and universally occupy humans, such as: How do we explain evil and suffering? Why are we all painfully aware of our propensity to fall short of our own moral ideals? What is the meaning of life, the universe and everything?

In the course of my studies, one of the many intriguing things I’ve stumbled upon are the parallels between Sufism and Quakerism. 

• It strikes me that Sufis are to Islam what Quakers are to Christianity. 
• Sufism and Quakerism are both based on the core idea that it is possible to directly and experientially encounter God. 
• Both tend toward the inward and mystical in practice yet lead to compassionate engagement with the outer world. 
• Both emphasize peace, equality, truth and simplicity. 
• Both see God as loving, kind, merciful, gracious and always present. 
• Both have often been viewed with suspicion or even contempt by the guardians of orthodoxy.

Of course, there are differences between Quakerism and Sufism. Each was born in a different place, time and culture, with a different religion as its seedbed. Yet the affinities strike me as remarkable. I think it is a subject worthy of further investigation.

Some Muslims and non-Muslim observers see Sufism–or something like it–as the future of Islam. What if, likewise, Quakerism–or something like it–(such as a Buddhist-Christian hybrid) is the future of Christianity? 

Christianity and Islam, in their more mystically oriented expressions (such as Quakerism and Sufism), see each other as fellow travelers (or even beloved siblings) together on the same journey home.

Maybe it’s a bit pie-in-the-sky-I’d-like-to-teach-the-world-to-sing, but imagine the implications if, someday, two-thirds of the world’s population–the Christians and Muslims–found common ground in the inwardly-experienced living presence of the God of Love–far above doctrinal barriers? As Rumi wrote, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing there is a field. I’ll meet you there.”

Expanding beyond just Quakers and Sufis, there are similar sects with similar values within Hinduism, Buddhism, Judaism, etc. The mystics. The esoterics. Every religion has it mystics, who tend toward inclusivity and openness, as well as its non-mystic exoterics who tend toward exclusivity and literalism and fundamentalism. The fundamentalists see other faiths as competitors while the mystics of various faiths recognize one-another as kindred spirits.




What if the trajectory of our human story is toward interdependent unity with each other within God’s presence (in whom we “live and move and have our being”) without losing our wondrous variety? I find that narrative much more compelling–and indicative of the God whom Jesus revealed–than the doom and gloom Armageddon narratives espoused by so many literalists within both Christianity and Islam.

Is it possible for a Christian or a Muslim or a Buddhist or a Hindu or a Sikh or an atheist or whatever to entertain such ideas of non-exclusive access to the Truth while remaining true to their own belief system? I believe it is. In fact, I think doing so is truer to the heart of all the world’s religions and to the best in human nature. It is how we were meant to be and how we will survive as a species.

Animism in Contemporary Japan | Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-

Animism in Contemporary Japan | Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-

Animism in Contemporary Japan

ABSTRACT




‘Postmodern animism’ first emerged in grassroots Japan in the aftermath of mercury poisoning in Minamata and the nuclear meltdown in Fukushima. Fusing critiques of modernity with intangible cultural heritages, it represents a philosophy of the life-world, where nature is a manifestation of a dynamic life force where all life is interconnected. This new animism, it is argued, could inspire a fundamental rethink of the human-nature relationship.

The book explores this notion of animism through the lens of four prominent figures in Japan: animation film director Miyazaki Hayao, sociologist Tsurumi Kazuko, writer Ishimure Michiko, and Minamata fisherman-philosopher Ogata Masato. Taking a biographical approach, it illustrates how these individuals moved towards the conclusion that animism can help humanity survive modernity. It contributes to the Anthropocene discourse from a transcultural and transdisciplinary perspective, thus addressing themes of nature and spirituality, whilst also engaging with arguments from mainstream social sciences.

Presenting a new perspective for a post-anthropocentric paradigm, Animism in Contemporary Japan will be useful to students and scholars of sociology, anthropology, philosophy and Japanese Studies.



TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter|40 pages
Introduction
A theoretical map: Reflections from post-Fukushima Japan 1
Abstract
GET ACCESS

Part I|2 pages


Animism as a grassroots response to a socio-ecological disaster


Chapter 1|36 pages
Life-world
43A critique of modernity by Minamata fisherman Ogata Masato 1
Abstract
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Chapter 2|30 pages
Stories of soul
Animistic cosmology by Ishimure Michiko 1
Abstract
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Part II|2 pages


Inspiring modernity with animism


Chapter 3|48 pages
Animism for the sociological imagination
110The theory of endogenous development by Tsurumi Kazuko 1
Abstract
GET ACCESS

Chapter 4|46 pages
Animating the life-world
Animism by film director Miyazaki Hayao
Abstract
GET ACCESS

Chapter|26 pages
Conclusion
Postmodern animism for a new modernity
Abstract
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Chapter|7 pages
Epilogue
The re-enchanted world of post-Fukushima Japan 1
AbstractYou do not have access to this content currently. Please click 'Get Access' button to see if you or your institution have access to this content.


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Rethinking Human-Nature Relationships in the Time of Coronavirus: Postmodern Animism in Films by Miyazaki Hayao & Shinkai Makoto | The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus

Rethinking Human-Nature Relationships in the Time of Coronavirus: Postmodern Animism in Films by Miyazaki Hayao & Shinkai Makoto | The Asia-Pacific Journal: Japan Focus







Rethinking Human-Nature Relationships in the Time of Coronavirus: Postmodern Animism in Films by Miyazaki Hayao & Shinkai Makoto
Shoko Yoneyama
August 15, 2020
Volume 18 | Issue 16 | Number 6
Article ID 5455






Abstract: Issues we are confronted with in the age of the Anthropocene, such as climate change, extinction, and the coronavirus pandemic demand a fundamental rethink of human-nature relationships, but at the same time we are faced with a ‘crisis of imagination’, which is highlighted by the paucity of stories or narratives that enable us to fully engage with these issues. We have a ‘climate crisis’ as well as a ‘crisis of culture’ and both derive from the same source: epistemological limitations in the paradigm of modernity. The most problematic limitation is the fact that our social scientific knowledge has blind spots when it comes to nature and spirituality which makes it almost impossible for us to rethink human-nature relationships in a meaningful way. Miyazaki Hayao and Shinkai Makoto, however, directly illuminate these blind spots by making nature and spirituality central features in their animation films. This opens up new epistemological and ontological spaces in the hearts and minds of a global audience, making it possible to imagine something new. And that ‘something new’ is ‘postmodern animism’ which emerged from the fusion of a critique of modernity with the intangible cultural heritage of grassroots Japan. Postmodern animism is a philosophy that sees nature as a combination of the life-world and the spiritual-world thus enabling us to engage with climate change and the COVID-19 pandemic in a radically different way. It helps us to conceive a new paradigm that is more suitable for the Anthropocene.

Key words: coronavirus, COVID-19, climate change, Anthropocene, animism, postmodern animism, nature, spirituality, human-nature relationship, Miyazaki Hayao, Studio Ghibli, Shinkai Makoto, life-world, spiritual-world, Tenki no Ko, Weathering with You



Korean translation published in a magazine Green Review is available here.



1. Introduction

As the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps around the world, it is not hard to predict that ‘there is going to be a quite radical rethinking about our way of life’.1 The longer this crisis lasts, the deeper this rethink will be. But how deep, should or could it go? For example, the need to rethink human-nature relationships has been felt widely for some time in the context of climate change. Some even say that the coronavirus crisis ‘will give us the jolt we seem to need to start behaving and thinking in a different way’.2 But again, how deep, should or could this rethink go?

In The Great Derangement: The Climate Change and the Unthinkable, Amitav Ghosh suggests that it is hard to address climate change outside science because the climate crisis entails a ‘crisis of imagination’ plus a ‘crisis of culture’.3 We do not have stories that enable us to fully engage the crisis, Ghosh argues, because both the climate crisis and literary fiction derive from the existing modern paradigm which is based on the enlightenment. Although Ghosh presents detailed analysis of different genres of stories, the issue is probably not so much about the actual genre but is more about the fundamental epistemological limitations that cut across stories of all genres. Whether it is literary fiction, sci-fi, fantasy, or a disaster story (including climate fiction or ‘cli-fi’), an epistemology of a human-nature relationship that is different from the one we now have is rarely presented in the context of everyday life in our contemporary society. In other words, stories of climate change are rarely told with a sense of the ‘here and now’, while at the same time providing epistemology other than modernity,4 namely, anthropocentrism based on the human-nature dichotomy.

It is in this context that I see the significance of the works of Miyazaki Hayao and Shinkai Makoto, two renowned animation film directors from Japan who have enormous global influence. Although their films may appear to be ‘fantasy’, using the medium of animation to present images of the unseen world as well as the super-human powers of their protagonists, their stories often address the seriousness of every-day life struggles. This makes it difficult for their stories to be dismissed as purely ‘fantasy’ (this will be discussed more later). More importantly, I argue that their works play a significant role in the Anthropocene, which is inundated with existential threats such as climate change, extinction, and the threat of further zoonotic pandemics. Their works are important because, I argue, they provide a cultural frame of reference that helps us imagine a new kind of human-nature relationship.

A need to rethink human-nature relationships has been recognised since the 1990s by social scientists such as Latour, Haraway, and Descola.5 More recently, even the Vatican publicly announced a need to re-interpret biblical human–nature relationships.6 This, however, is not an easy thing to do. As Plumwood points out, human-nature dualism is a ‘western-based cultural formation going back thousands of years’,7 which conceives that the human is superior to non-human because the human essence is thought to be ‘the higher disembodied element of mind, reason, culture and soul or spirit’,8 which gives justification to use non-human (i.e. nature) as a mere resource or instrument for humans: this is anthropocentrism. Anthropocentrism increased during the Enlightenment, which further elevated the position of humans as the users of science which enabled us to control nature for our benefit, a trend which is even more pronounced in modernity through industrialisation and the advancement of technology. As a consequence, we now live in the Anthropocene (the ‘age of humans’), a geological age in which the planetary impact of humans is recognised. It is even predicted that some humans who control our meta-data will soon be ‘Homo Deus’ (‘human god’).9 Even within social science, the rethinking of human-nature relationships has been dominated by the ‘culturalisation of nature’ where ‘“natures” are seen as the outcome of human agency, or of a hybrid form of agency’,10 suggesting that the human-nature divide has been rethought to remove the dichotomy, but in a way that augments anthropocentrism.11

The COVID-19 pandemic is defying the arrogance of anthropocentrism. Sooner or later, the virus will be controlled as a vaccine or effective treatments become available. But we are now experiencing an overwhelming sense of uncanniness that has engulfed the entire human society. In the midst of the Anthropocene, an unexpected ‘Anthropause’ has occurred: a global slowing of modern human activities:12 when not just the virus but also ‘nature’ is suddenly present in surprising ways -- a kangaroo appearing in the CBD of Adelaide, mountain goats roaming the streets of Llandudno in Wales, wild boars trotting around the city of Haifa, etc.13 Ghosh suggests that this sense of uncanniness has been present with climate change for some time. He writes:

No other word [but uncanny] comes close to expressing the strangeness of what is unfolding around us. For these changes [associated with climate change] are not merely strange in the sense of being unknown or alien; their uncanniness lies precisely in the fact that in these encounters we recognize something we had turned away from: that is to say, the presence and proximity of nonhuman interlocutors (emphasis added).14

He writes that: ‘we have now entered a time where wild has become the norm’;15 ‘nonhuman forces have the ability to intervene directly in human thought’;16and ‘one of the uncanniest effects of the Anthropocene [is] this renewed awareness of the elements of agency and consciousness that humans share with many other beings, and even perhaps the planet itself’.17

But again, do we have stories that enable us to imagine the different epistemology and ontology needed to rethink human-nature relationships (or more precisely, anthropocentrism) in order to respond to the sense of wonder that comes with the COVID-19 pandemic, or the ‘Anthropause’— an uncanny yet powerful sense of wonder such as that captured in a song composed during the pandemic, being inspired by Rachel Carson: ‘Nature Came to Me’?18

My argument is this: Miyazaki Hayao and Shinkai Makoto provide stories that are significant at this historical juncture because they provide a cultural frame of reference that presents epistemology based on a different notion of human-nature relationships. They do this by centering nature and the spiritual world at the core of their work. As I argued in my book, Animism in Contemporary Japan: Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-Fukushima Japan (Routledge 2019), nature and spirituality constitute two blind spots of our modern paradigm, the fundamental way the world is perceived and understood in the knowledge-base of social sciences, or more broadly, the west.19 In other words, nature and spirituality are precisely the concepts that need to be reconsidered when we rethink human-nature relationships in order to engage the Anthropocene, climate change, and the zoonotic pandemic.

Our conceptualisation of spirituality is the key here as it is the hallmark of humanity that places us next to god and above nature in western civilisation. Precisely because of that, within western ontology, it is difficult to imagine something radically different in the endeavor to rethink human-nature relationships. Miyazaki and Shinkai help us to take the first step, to imagine something totally different, a different epistemology and ontology, because they not only address the question of nature and spirituality but also visualize and give actual images of the unseen world, that reach millions of people around the world.

With this thesis in mind, let me discuss their work more closely, first Shinkai’s, then Miyazaki’s. Special attention is paid to Shinkai’s 2019 film, Weathering with You, as it directly addresses climate change and the Anthropocene. This work will be contextualized with reference to Miyazaki’s work which presents a more robust philosophical foundation on the topic of human-nature relationships, more specifically, (postmodern) animism.



2. The Anthropocene and Weathering with you

Climate change manifests mostly as abnormal and often destructive weather patterns. Weathering with You (Tenki no Ko天気の子, literally, Children of Weather) directed by Shinkai Makoto is the first animation feature film to have climate change and the Anthropocene as its main theme. The film was released in Japan in July 2019 and became a ‘mega hit’ with box-office revenues exceeding 13 billion yen in the first 10 weeks.20 It has also been released in many other parts of the world, 140 countries in total.21

The use of the word ‘Anthropocene’ in the film is limited, however. It appears only once, and only for a second, and in katakana (アントロポセン), in a university brochure the protagonist is reading. The word is not translated in the subtitles, either in English or Chinese, and is therefore unlikely to be noticed by most audiences. The scene does not appear in the trailer or any other promotional materials, nor does the word appear in either the novel version of the story written by the director and released simultaneously with the film,22 or in the official visual guide23 published shortly after the release of the film. Nonetheless, there is no doubt that the Anthropocene, which encapsulates climate change and abnormal weather, constitutes the social and ecological milieu in which this story unfolds.24

Weathering with you is a love story between a 15-year-old girl (Hina), who, using the power of prayer, is able to change rain to clear weather, and the protagonist, a 16-year-old runaway boy (Hodaka), who is from a small island and is determined to live in Tokyo. Neither of them has a guardian to care for them in Tokyo. The film presents super-realistic illustrations of the everyday lives of desperately poor young people. Hodaka had no money to buy food and so stayed in McDonald’s over a cup of coffee for days. Hina gave him a hamburger but was fired for that and consequently almost drawn into the sex industry.

In order to survive, the pair start an online ‘weather business’ that promises 100% delivery of fine weather at the specified location and time. Hina becomes a highly-sought-after ‘sunshine-woman’ (hare-onna晴れ女) in a world which is engulfed in abnormally rainy weather, particularly, localised torrential rain.25 Hina is a contemporary ‘shinto maiden of weather’ (tenki no miko 天気の巫女) ‘known to exist in ancient times in every village and every county’ in Japan, an elderly monk in the story explains.26 Weather maidens are like ‘an extra fine thread that connects the sky and people’ and are ‘a special kind of person who can listen to people’s earnest wishes and convey them to heaven’, the monk explains further.27 The sad fate of a weather maiden, however, is that her life ultimately has to be sacrificed to calm down the crazy weather.28 Thus, Hina and Hodaka are forced to choose between Hina’s life and the ‘public good’, i.e. good weather for all, which is a solution for one of the detrimental impacts of the Anthropocene. In reality, however, it is too late. Hina has used so much of her power before she learns about the fate of a weather maiden that her body has become transparent. Her disappearance/death from this world (i.e. her human sacrifice) results in dazzling sunshine in Tokyo.

Hodaka who is in love with Hina is determined to save her, even after her disappearance/death. He goes through a shrine gate (Torii 鳥居) on the rooftop of a dilapidated building, which Hina had discovered to be a gateway to the other world (higan 彼岸). Hodaka’s strong wish takes him to Hina who he finds lying on a grassy field on top of a cloud, the gateway to the world of the dead.29 He eventually rescues her, and they travel back to this world. As they fall down from the sky holding each other’s hands, Hodaka shouts that he does not want good weather; he wants Hina more than he wants blue skies; and says it is okay to leave the abnormal weather as is.30

Hina’s return to this world indeed caused the abnormal weather to return. At the end of the story, Tokyo has had nothing but rain for three solid years, leaving one third of the megalopolis submerged. Tokyo has become a completely different place. Hodaka realises that the two of them changed the fate of the world when he chose Hina over ‘normal’ weather and they rejected Hina becoming a human sacrifice (hito-bashira 人柱).31

The anime image of inundated Tokyo, that appears toward the end of the film became almost a reality when the megalopolis was flooded by Typhoon #19 (Hagibis) in October 2019 (officially named as Eastern Japan Typhoon, Reiwa 1 令和元年東日本台風) when the highest rainfall on record occurred in north-eastern Japan,32 killing 104 people and leaving 3 missing.33 In another devastating downpour that hit Kyushu in July 2020 (officially named as Torrential rain of July, Reiwa 2 令和２年７月豪雨) 78 people lost their lives with 7 missing (as at 20 July).34 The number of downpours with rainfall of 50mm or more per hour was 82, surpassing the record set by Tyhoon Hagibis in the previous year.35 The first two years of Reiwa have thus extended a devastating record of rainfall. This, however, is part of the long-term trend. The Meteorological Agency reports that in the previous four decades (1976-2018), the incidence of torrential rain of more than 50mm an hour, increased by about 50 percent; and even heavier rain of more than 80mm per hour increased by about 80 percent.36 And Japan is not alone in experiencing increasing rain, and water-related disasters. Similar trends and disasters have been observed in China.37 It is likely that more disasters caused by heavy rain will occur in Japan and other parts of north-east Asia for years to come.








The damage caused by Tyhoon Hagibis & Tokyo at the end of Weathering with You.39




In this compelling reality of climate change, what would be the take-away message of the film? Is it ‘Pursue your own interest and forget about climate change’? The answer is ‘No’.

First, both Hina and Hodaka did their very best for the public good (i.e. to bring about clear weather) to the extent that it killed Hina. Second, precisely because of his sense of responsibility (and guilt) about choosing Hina’s life over ‘climate change’, it became Hodaka’s life project to tackle climate change. After rescuing Hina from the world of the dead, Hodaka kept thinking ‘for two and a half years to the extent that the brain gets worn out’ about how he could help mitigate climate change, and he decides to study for a degree in agriculture to learn something useful for climate change.40 Third, for Hodaka who feels guilty about ‘changing the world’ (i.e. depriving it of fine weather by rescuing Hina), Director Shinkai gives words of assurance to negate his feelings of guilt. One is the point made by the ‘old-lady’ Tachibana, for whom Hina & Hodaka had previously failed to deliver fine weather. When Hodaka apologizes for having ‘caused’ the flooding which necessitated her moving out of her beautiful traditional house into a small high-rise apartment, she says smiling, ‘why do you have to apologize?’ She tells him that the inundated bay area was originally sea, reclaimed by humans, and therefore it simply returned to its original landscape.41 The other assurance is the words of Suga, a calculating ‘middle-aged-man’, who had previously sheltered Hodaka. When Hodaka confessed that he and Hina had ‘changed the world’, he laughs the idea off, saying ‘weather had been out of sync in any case’ before they tried to change it,42 suggesting that it is unfair to blame youth for not being able to solve climate change.

The director himself writes that he would not impose a story on a young audience where climate change is solved at the expense of their lives. He is also keenly aware that mitigating climate change will be incredibly difficult and thus, in the movie, should not be solved ‘easily’ by sacrificing Hina’s life. Shinkai deliberately chose to present this story that may be taken as ‘politically incorrect’, because the take-way message of the film is not so much ‘solve climate change!’ but ‘live!’ in an age when it has become increasingly difficult for the young to live.43

In the time of coronavirus, the take-away message - ‘Live!’ - has become even more relevant especially for the young who have limited employment prospects now and in future. Before further elaborating on the film’s central message (‘Live!’), let me come back to the main concern of this article: the human-nature relationship, as it is also inseparable from the theme of the film (‘Live!’). The point here is that Shinkai (as well as Miyazaki) presents nature as a source of spirituality and life, negating the human-nature dichotomy in a way that is different from the ‘culturalisation’ of nature.




3. Nature, Spirituality & Life

Nature and spirituality are the central features of Shinkai’s two major films: Weathering with You and Your Name (kimino na wa 君の名は), among others. Shinkai is also renowned for his exceptionally beautiful and detailed illustrations of scenery, in particular, light, rain, clouds, and sky. Spirituality is a constant theme in his films and his illustrations of light convey a strong sense of spirituality. Moreover, the presence of the other world (the unseen world or the world of the dead) is presented as reality in his films. The distance between the dead and the living is blurred or almost non-existent and the main characters are able to travel between both worlds in both Weathering with You and Your Name.




Spiritual Image in Weathering with You ©2019 Tenkinoko Sakusei Iinkai44



The cosmology underlying the films is expressed clearly by two elderly women. For instance, the grandmother in Your Name explains the significance of the concept of musubi (産霊):



The guardian deity of the land is called musubi in the old language. This word has many profound meanings. … To tie threads is musubi, to connect people is musubi, for time to pass is musubi. We use the same word for all of them. It is the way to refer to kami [god, deity, spirit] and the power of kami. … To eat or drink something like water, rice, sake, is also musubi, because what we take in is connected to our soul.45



Likewise, Tachibana, the ‘old-lady’ client in Weathering with You explains that obon (お盆), 13-16 August, is the time when the deceased return to this world from the sky, from higan (彼岸 Pure Land/Heaven). She conducts a ritual burning of a small ceremonial bonfire (mukaebi 迎え火) to welcome the souls of her ancestors, so that her late husband can come back, carried by the smoke from the fire. She encourages Hina to walk across the small bonfire, so that she can be protected by the soul of her mother who had died the previous year.46

While musubi, obon, and higan, are not original concepts of Shinkai’s films, but are part of Japanese culture,47 the fact that they constitute key elements of his stories is significant. Furthermore, nature is also seen as a spiritual source of life in his work. Even rain, the cause of all the problems in Weathering with You, is presented as a source of life, rather than a problem to be dealt with. Shinkai has the protagonist Hodaka say:

The sound of the rain was much gentler and more intimate, it was like the beautiful sound of a drum from afar played just for us – a special sound like a drum that comes from a far-away place taking a long long time to reach us. That sound knows our past and future, never denounces us for decisions or choices we make, and quietly accepts all history. Live! The sound was saying. Live. Live. Just Live (my translation).48

The sound of rain connects Hodaka with all the memories of life from ancient times and commands him to live no matter how difficult it is. Here again, the notion of nature presented by Shinkai is not only spiritual but is also closely connected to life, the source of life, or life itself. I argue that this notion of nature as the source of spirituality and life is something Shinkai has inherited from Miyazaki. Shinkai himself acknowledges the strong influence Miyazaki had on him.49

Miyazaki Hayao of Studio Ghibli is renowned for his magnificent and detailed illustrations of nature. Underlying his artwork is his distinct view of nature as he himself explains:

The major characteristic of Studio Ghibli – not just myself – is the way we depict nature. We don’t subordinate the natural setting to the characters. Our way of thinking is that nature exists and human beings exist within it. … That is because we feel that the world is beautiful. Human relationships are not the only thing that is interesting. We think that weather, time, rays of light, plants, water, and wind – what makes up the landscape – are all beautiful. That is why we make efforts to incorporate them as much as possible in our work (emphasis added).50






‘The Forest of Shishigami no.5’ in Princess Mononoke
©1997 Nibariki・GND/Yamamoto Nizo





Miyazaki’s perception of nature, however, is not limited to its physicality. It is coupled with a sense that ‘there is something there’,51 and his illustrations of that ‘something’ have played a key role in his films. As I wrote elsewhere,52 Totoro in My Neighbour Totoro is an embodiment of that ‘something’, as is the Forest Spirit (Shishi-gami) in Princess Mononoke. The best expression though of this ‘something’ in Miyazaki films are the kodama, thousands of spirit-like beings that appear in Princess Mononoke. As he explains below, he wanted to express the spiritual-world in nature.

I wondered how to give shape to the image of the forest, from the time when it was not a collection of plants but had a spiritual meaning as well. I didn’t want the forest just to have many tall trees or be full of darkness. I wanted to express the feeling of mysteriousness that one feels when stepping into a forest – the feeling that something is watching from somewhere or the strange sound that one can hear from somewhere. When I mulled over how I could give form to that feeling, I thought of the kodama. Those who can see them do, and those who can’t don’t see them. They appear and disappear as a presence beyond good or evil.53




Kodama ©1997 Studio Ghibli





The most radical aspect of Miyazaki’s depiction of that ‘something’ in the unseen world is that he considers it to be not just spiritual, it is actually life itself. In other words, for Miyazaki, spirits are living; spirituality is life rather than a purely religious concept. He writes:



I have felt that ‘there is something in the forest’. … Well, it’s a feeling that ‘something is there’. It might be life itself.54



Miyazaki’s perception of nature is closely related to his sense of spirituality, which in turn is closely related to his notion of life. Because they are underpinned with this notion of nature having extra layers of meaning (i.e. spirituality & life), Miyazaki’s films convey an image of nature that is radically different from the dominant understanding of nature in our modern society. In our modern (largely ‘western’) civilisation, nature is juxtaposed with humans, it is the antithesis to humanity, with spirituality, or lack of it, being the distinguishing factor. In the modern/western world spirituality resides in humans but not in nature.55

This nature-spirituality-life nexus presented by both directors has significant theoretical implications. Through their art, both Miyazaki and Shinkai embed in the minds of millions of people from all parts of the globe, the epistemology that humans are part of nature, instead of being a separate category, and nature is a vital force containing both the spiritual world and life. And as I argued in my book, Animism in Contemporary Japan: Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-Fukushima Japan, this nature-spirituality-life nexus is represented by the concept of animism, in particular, the concept I call ‘postmodern animism’.



4. Postmodern Animism

In Animism in Contemporary Japan: Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-Fukushima Japan, I argue that what I call ‘postmodern animism’ emerged as a grassroots response to the socio-ecological disaster in Minamata.56 My argument is based on the biographical analysis of four prominent intellectuals from postwar Japan: Miyazaki Hayao as well as Minamata fisherman Ogata Masato, ecocritical writer Ishimure Michiko, and sociologist Tsurumi Kazuko. Postmodern animism represents new knowledge that arose from the fusion of critiques of modernity and the intangible cultural heritage of grassroots Japan. It represents a philosophy of the life-world, where nature is seen as a manifestation of a dynamic life force in which all forms of life are interconnected. It is animism imbued with modernity while deliberately keeping the core components of animism: i.e. nature and spirituality.

As I touched upon earlier, nature and spirituality are the two lacunae of our social scientific knowledge, a big void in our paradigm of social science. We do not talk about nature, instead we talk about the environment. We have ‘environmental problems’, not ‘problems of nature’. In particular, we do not consider nature to have spiritual elements within it. This is because, as discussed earlier, nature has been seen in contrast to humans in our modern paradigm which is based essentially on Judeo-Christian beliefs, and spirituality/soul has been considered a key factor distinguishing humans from nonhumans.

Furthermore, as pointed out by Max Weber, modernity is constructed on the notion that the world is disenchanted.57 Thus, animism, and recognition of spirituality in nature is considered the antithesis of modernity. In other words, animism has been viewed as anti-modern, and modernity is anti-animistic. Precisely because of its contradiction of modernity, animism presents a powerful theory and philosophy to illuminate our modern society in order to bring about the fundamental change demanded by destructive repercussions of the Anthropocene such as climate change, extinction, and zoonotic pandemics.

Postmodern animism is a reflexive animism for modernity, instead of being a ‘premodern’ and uncritical faith in spiritual beings in nature. It critiques modernity and constructs knowledge that can break through the theoretical and philosophical barriers that prevent action on climate change. In the Anthropocene - the age of humans - postmodern animism decenters humans and enables us to fundamentally rethink human-nature relationships. It attempts to bring back nature and spirituality to the core of our social scientific imagination and expands our knowledge base into different epistemological and ontological spaces.

One of the most influential advocates of animism in contemporary Japan is Miyazaki Hayao and communicating the significance of animism has been his life project.58 He states for example that: ‘I do like animism. I can understand the idea of ascribing character to stones or wind’.59 He also says that: ‘Animism will be an important philosophy for humanity after the 21st century… I seriously believe this’.60 His concept of animism is best represented by the comic book version of Nausicaä in the Valley of the Wind, a prodigious work of over 1,000 pages which took Miyazaki twelve years to complete. Through the process of writing this massive piece of work, he established his philosophy, which is animism. It is crystallised by the words of Nausicaä: ‘our god inhabits even a single leaf and the smallest insects’;61 and ‘life is light that shines in the darkness’.62 Although Miyazaki does not use the phrase ‘postmodern animism’, his concept based on his reflections and critique of modernity is nothing but postmodern animism.






The comic version of Nausicaä in the Valley of the Wind




‘Our god inhabits even a single leaf and the smallest insects’63



Shinkai also does not use the word animism to explain his films. However, as discussed earlier, his cosmology and the perception of nature as the source of life and the spiritual world is precisely that of animism. In the sense that nature=life=spirituality is presented through the experiences and beliefs of the young protagonists, his philosophy can also be considered as postmodern animism.



While the need to rethink the human-nature relationship has long been talked about, nothing radically different has been produced. As mentioned earlier, this is due not only to a lack of cultural frames of reference in modern scientific knowledge but also in modern stories, which are nothing but a product of modernity. In order to imagine something new, we need a new frame of reference, something new to open up our imagination to a radically different epistemology and ontology. The animation films by Miyazaki and Shinkai provide exactly that: a very powerful cultural frame of reference that enables us to imagine different ways of perceiving and living in the world, where nature and spirituality are core to our thinking and feeling. Nature and spirituality are also the core components of animism. Miyazaki and Shinkai, through their reflective and critical observation of modernity, presents in their films postmodern animism as a radical new epistemology of human-nature relationships.

Through their enormous influence at the global level, the two film directors have embedded in the hearts and minds of millions of movie viewers around the world, images, visions, and stories that introduce a new epistemology and new (but at the same time old) ontology, that are missing from the paradigm of modernity. Both provide stories that embolden us to imagine a new way of relating to nature and spirituality, which then challenges the very foundation of our uncritical approach to modernity that led us to the Anthropocene. Both directors inspire a fundamental rethink of human-nature relationships and contribute to the Anthropocene discourse from a transcultural and transdisciplinary perspective. They build a new kind of knowledge from Asia that may help us respond to the crises of the Anthropocene: climate change, extinction and zoonotic pandemics. In that sense, the works of Miyazaki and Shinkai are extraordinarily radical and significant.64

Putting this theoretical and philosophical significance of their films aside, both directors provide a more immediate, take-home message to the global audience, especially to young people: ‘Live!’. This message is highly relevant during the coronavirus pandemic when people who are socially disadvantaged in any way are directly confronted with an existential threat to their everyday lives, through the risk of infection, disability and even death; unemployment and an uncertain future; isolation; depression and anxiety; climate despair and pandemic despair……




5. Live! (ikiro 生きろ!)

The most direct take-home message of Miyazaki Hayao and Shinkai Makoto to the global audience is this: ‘Live!’. For Miyazaki, live (ikiro 生きろ!) has been a consistent message throughout his films, especially in Princess Mononoke, Nausicaä in the Valley of the Wind, and The Wind Rises. Although Miyazaki and Shinkai have never communicated directly with each other, Miyazaki had an enormous influence on Shinkai as pointed out earlier,65 and apart from the depiction of nature, Live! is another message that Shinkai ‘inherited’ from Miyazaki. In the context of climate change, Shinkai allowed the ‘dead’ (Hina) to return to this world to continue living. He embedded a message in the sound of rain: ‘Live (ikinasai 生きなさい)! Live. Live. Just Live’66 as seen above. When Hodaka and Hina are returning to this world and making a wish as they float through the air, they hear: ‘Our hearts say, our bodies say, our voices say, our love says, Live!’.67

The worlds of the protagonist in the films by Miyazaki and Shinkai are rarely rosy. Although Princess Mononoke is set in the Muromachi period (1336-1573), it is actually about the present time as the director himself states.68 San and Ashitaka represent young people who choose to live at the edges of the two competing worlds of humanity and nature, to be true to themselves: San on the nature side and Ashitaka on the human side, while at the same time pledging to love one another. Nausicaä in the Valley of the Wind illustrates a post-nuclear-war apocalyptic world. In the comic version, which is Miyazaki’s philosophical compilation, Nausicaä chooses to live in a polluted world knowing that her choice may lead to the end of the world; she does so because she believes in the power of life in the darkness, and does not believe it is possible to live in perfect purity. In the words of Donna Haraway, Nausicaä chose to ‘Stay with the Trouble’ (2016), i.e. she chose to live with others in the harshest and most hopeless conditions because Miyazaki believes in the sanctity of life no matter how small and powerless it is and no matter how difficult the conditions it has to endure.

Likewise, the title of Shinkai’s film, Weathering with You (instead of the more literal translation, ‘Children of Weather’) resonates well with Donna Haraway’s idea of ‘staying with trouble’.69 Both Hodaka and Hina choose to live in a world irrevocably impacted by climate change. Shinkai states that he wanted to present a story of a boy and a girl who chose to live in chaos rather than in a ‘normal’ world attained after they did the ‘right thing’ (i.e. to sacrifice themselves for the public good) because such a ‘happy ending’ would feel hollow and artificial.70 It is these orientations of both directors that make their animation films incongruent with the category of ‘fantasy’.

Where then can we, ordinary people, get the power needed to surmount such difficulties that are largely beyond our control? It is perhaps from a sense of connectedness – as Shinkai’s films suggest. First, is the sense of connectedness with people we love or feel are important to us. For Hodaka, it was the connection with Hina that gave him hope, aspiration, connectedness, love and courage, all of which were unknown to him before he met her.71 Interestingly, what connects them most closely is prayer. It connects them to each other, as well as to the spiritual world/nature, the world that is the source of all life (as suggested by the description of gentle rain above), or what I call the ‘life-world’ (いのちの世界).72 Prayer permeates this story. It begins with Hina’s prayer that she wants the rain to stop so that her mother can recover from illness and they can walk with together again under the blue sky.73 This prayer endowed her with the power to stop rain and bring about sunshine, which she then used to help others. Later, Hodaka prays to go to the world of the dead so he can see Hina again.74 His prayer indeed takes him to Hina, and he finds her lying in the gateway to the other world. She is then woken up by the image of his prayer, their prayers overlap and become one75 which then enables them to return to this world. In the very last scene, Hodaka returns to Tokyo after a three-year absence and finds Hina praying on the street, praying for him to return to her.76

Although they pray a lot, they are not the type of prayers that people use to ‘pray to God only when we are in trouble’ (苦しい時の神頼み). In this film, the prayers are more like an expression of the protagonists’ will or strong wishes (強い願い),77 which means they were connecting with themselves and each other more than with a spiritual entity. The solution suggested in the film is for each person to think hard about what they can do for themselves, or for people around them. Hodaka for instance states in the novel: ‘I have kept thinking about what to do to the extent that my brain feels worn-out, and I decided to major in agriculture at the university. I wanted to learn something necessary for this time that has been altered by climate change. Even this rather vague aim has helped me to breath slightly easier’, as quoted earlier.78 He intends to study agriculture at university. Indeed, this was the path he decided on as a personal response to climate change. It is in this context that the word ‘Anthropocene’ is shown in the film: on the university brochure that suggests that agriculture provides education for the Anthropocene.

The protagonist of Weathering with You thus learns to connect: 1) with the people he loves, 2) with nature as both a spiritual and a life force, and 3) with his own self by thinking hard about the issues affecting him. And as a result, he has developed his own response to a world threatened by climate change.

The ending of the film is positive. Shinkai concludes the story by saying that they will be all right (daijobu 大丈夫). He has Hodaka say: ‘No matter how wet we get, we are alive. No matter how much the world changes, we will keep living’.79 And that means for Hodaka to be all right in Hina’s eyes, rather than making Hina all right, as the lyrics of one of the movies theme songs, sung by the Radwimps, tell us. In other words, it is not ‘you’ll be all right’ in the eyes of society as defined by adults, but ‘we’ll be all right’ Hodaka says to Hina, after they have chosen to live together regardless of what happens in the world around them.80 Shinkai’s affirmation of personal judgements and the sanctity of life are the same as the two main messages Hayao Miyazaki gives Princess Mononoke: 1) to see the world properly without prejudice (くもりのない眼で物事を見定めるkumori no nai manako de monogoto o misadameru) and, 2) live (生きろ！ikiro!).81 Films by Miyazaki and Shinkai where the protagonists live bravely and meaningfully by choosing to ‘stay with the trouble’82 are exactly the kind of stories needed in today’s world which is full of unprecedented levels of uncertainty and anxiety: the age of the Anthropocene punctuated by the Coronavirus.

More theoretically, at the same time, films by Miyazaki and Shinkai provide a frame of reference for rethinking human-nature relationships, by stimulating our imagination about nature and spirituality, and directing us toward a new epistemology and ontology for the Anthropocene. This is extremely difficult to achieve through academic work especially on a global scale, but their films have already started to achieve this, by redressing our ‘crisis of imagination’,83 and by providing stories ‘that are just big enough to gather up the complexities and keep the edges open and greedy for surprising new and old connections'.84








Notes
1

Mackay Hugh (2020) ‘Building community in a crisis’, ABC Radio: Conversations, 9 April 2020, 13m56s.
2

Diprose, Kirsten & Neal, Matt (2020) ‘Jane Goodall sayas global disregard for nature brought on coronavirus pandemic’, ABC South West Victoria, 11 April 2020.
3

Amitav Ghosh (2016) The Great Derangement: climate change and the unthinkable, University of Chicago Press, Kindle edition. p.9.
4

Ibid, p.72.
5

As represented by the works such as: 1) Latour, Bruno (1993) We Have Never Been Modern, Harvard University Press. Kindle Edition; 2) Haraway, Donna (1991) Simians, Cyborgs, and Women: The Reinvention of Nature. New York: Routledge; and 3) Descola, Philippe and Pálsson, Gìsli (eds) (1996) Nature and Society. London: Routledge.
6

Pope Francis (2015), Encyclical Letter Laudato Si of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home, Vatican Press, Vatican City.
7

Val Plumwood 2015, ‘Nature in the active voice’, in Graham Harvey (ed.), The Handbook of Contemporary Animism, Routledge, London & New York, p.445.
8

Ibid.
9

Yural Harari (2015) Homo Deus: A Brief History of Tomorrow.
10

Jacques Pollini (2013) ‘Bruno Latour and the ontological dissolution of nature in the social sciences: A critical review’, Environmental Values, 22, p.26.
11

The exception to this trend is the discourse called new animism that surfaced in the end of the 1990s. However, this does not as yet seem to have constituted a strong current in social sciences.
12

Christian Rutz, Matthias-Claudio Loretto, Amanda E. Bates, et al (2020) ‘COVID-19 lockdown allows researchers to quantify the effects of human activity on wildlife’, Nature, Ecology and Evolution, published on 22 June.
13

Ian Connellan (2020) ‘The “anthropause” during COVID-19: Wildlife going wild. What can we learn?’, Cosmos Magazine, 25 June. (viewed on 9 August 2020)
14

Ghosh (2016) Derangement, p.30
15

Ibid, p.7.
16

Ibid, p.31.
17

Ibid, p.63.
18

Thrush Song: Composer Paola Prestini and the Young People’s Chorus of New York City Celebrate Rachel Carson’s Legacy
19

Yoneyama, Shoko (2019) Animism in Contemporary Japan: Voices for the Anthropocene from Post-Fukushima Japan, Routledge, London & New York, pp.1-40. See a book review by Chilla Bulbeck (2019) ‘Postmodern Animism for a New Modernity’, Green Magazine, 5 July 2019.
20

Animehakku henshubu (2019) ‘Shumatsu anime eiga rankingu: “Tenki no ko” koshu 130 oku en toppa, “Hello World” wa 6-i stato’ [Weekend anime-film ranking: Box-office revenue for “Tenki no ko” exceeds 13 billion yen, “Hello Worlds” starts with rank 6]. (viewed 9 August 2020)
21

Eiga.com news (2019) ‘“Tenki no ko” Indo kokai kettei! Mumbai, Deli nado 20 toshi de 10 gatsu 11 nichi kara fugiri’, 10 August, (viewed 10 August 2020)
22

Shinkai, Makoto (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), Kadokawa Bunko, Tokyo.
23

Kato, Hiroyuki et al (eds) (2019) Tenki no Ko: Koshiki [official] Visual Guide, Kadokawa, Tokyo.
24

Ibid. pp.60-61, for Shinkai’s project proposal.
25

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), p.26.
26

Ibid. p.143.
27

Ibid.
28

Ibid. p.203.
29

Ibid. p.267.
30

Ibid. p.270.
31

Ibid. p.294.
32

Japan Meteorological Agency (2019) ‘Reiwa gannen taifu 19 go to sore ni tomonau oame nado no tokucho yoin ni tsuite’[Characteristics and factors of Tyhoon no.19 of Reiwa era and its associated rain], (viewed 18.11.2019)
33

Fire and Disaster Management Agency (2020) ‘Reiwa gan-nen higashinihon taifu oyobi zensen ni yoru higai oyobi shobo kikan to no taio jyokyo (dai 66 ho)’ [Damage and management by fire-brigade and other agencies towards the Reiwa 1 Eastern Japan Typhoon and heavy rain in Reiwa 1 – Report 66] 令和元年東日本台風及び前線による大雨による 被害及び消防機関等の対応状況（第66報）
34

Fire and Disaster Management Agency (2020) ‘Reiwa 2-nen 7-gatsu gou ni yoru higai oyobi shobo kian to no taisaku jyokyo (dai 30 po)’ [ Damage and management by fire-brigade and other agencies for the heavy rain in Reiwa 2 July – Report 3] (viewed on 3 July 2020)
35

Japan Meteorological Agency (2020) Reiwa 2-nen 7-gatsu gou no kansoku kiroku ni tsuite [On the observation record of the terrestrial rain in July 2020]
36

Japan Meteorological Agency (2019) ‘Oame ya moshobi nado (kyokutan gensho) no kore made no henka’[Trends of torrestial rain and extreme heat [extreme phenomena], (viewed 18.11.2019).
37

Au, Bonnie and Tsang, Yuki (2020) ‘Why has flooding been so severe in China this year?’, South China Morning Herald.
38

TeleTo News (2019) ‘Tyhoon no.19 Damages known so far’, (15 October, YouTube Video, counter 15 seconds)(viewed 9 August 2020)
39

Kato (2019) Tenki no Ko: Visual Guide, p.45.
40

Shinkai (2019), Tenki no Ko (novel), p.283.
41

Ibid, pp.286-7.
42

Ibid, p.292.


43

Shinkai, Makoto (2019) Tenki no Ko Visual Guide, Kadokawa, Tokyo, p.61.
44

Kato (2019) Tenki no Ko: Visual Guide, p.13.
45

Shinkai, Makoto (2016) Shosetsu Kimi no Na wa [Novel – Your Name], Kindle version, Kadokawa, Tokyo, location 780-793 of 2436 (my translation).
46

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), pp.138-140.
47

See for instance Rambelli, Fabio (ed) (2019) Spirits and Animism in Contemporary Japan, Bloomsbury Academic, London & New York.
48

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), p.202 (my translation).
49

Tsugata, Nobuyuki (2019) Shinkai Makoto no sekai o tabisuru [Journey to the world of Makoto Shinkai], Heibon shinsho 916, chapter 4.
50

Miyazaki, Hayao (2008) Turning Point: 1997-2008, trans. Beth Cary & Frederik Schodt, Viz Media, San Francisco, p.413.
51

Miyazaki, Hayao (1996) Starting Point: 1979-1996, trans. Beth Cary & Frederik Schodt, Viz Media, San Francisco, p.359.
52

Yoneyama (2019) Animism, p.182.
53

Miyazaki (2008), Turning Point, p.82.
54

Ibid.
55

Yoneyama (2019) Animism.
56

Yoneyama (2019) Animism.
57

Talcott Parsons [1930] 1974, ‘Translator’s note’, Chapter IV, Endnote 19, in Max Weber, The Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism, trans. Talcott Parsons, Unwin University Books, London (citation on p.222)
58

Yoneyama (2019) Animism, pp.179-198.
59

Miyazaki (1996) Starting Point, p.333.
60

Miyazaki, Hayao(2013) Kaze no kaeru basho [The place where the wind returns], collection of interviews by Ibuya Yōichi conducted 1990-2001, Bungeishunjū, Tokyo. p.199.
61

Miyazaki, Hayao (2012) Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind (Comic version: Deluxe edition 1), trans. David Lewis & Toren Smith, Viz Media, San Francisco, vol.2, p.158.
62

Ibid. p.511.
63

Miyazaki (2012) Nausicaä Comic, vol.5, p.518.
64

Miyazaki and Shinkai are not alone in presenting nature and spirituality in their work. Illustrations of the invisible world are one of the main attractions of Japanese pop-culture such as manga, anime, and computer games, all of which are part of a broader body of Japanese literature and scholarship. However, Miyazaki and Shinkai are at the pinnacle of the global influence of this aspect of Japanese pop-culture. Only Pokémon would perhaps carry the same ‘caliber’ as Miyazaki and Shinkai in its global influence and Pokémon is also firmly based on animism. However, Pokémon does not give a story in everyday life of human society.
65

Tsugata (2019) Journey, chapter 4.
66

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), p.202 (my translation).
67

Ibid, p.271.
68

Miyazaki, Hayao (2013) Zoku kaze no kaeru basho [The place where wind returns – The sequel] Rockin’ on, Tokyo, p.220.
69

Haraway, Donna (2016) Staying with the Trouble, Duke University Press, Durham.
70

Kato (2019) Visual Guide, pp.60-61.
71

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), p.249.
72

Yoneyama (2019) Animism, pp.43-78.
73

Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), p.12.
74

Ibid, p.262.
75

Ibid, p.266.
76

Ibid.
77

See for instance Shinkai (2019) Tenki no ko (novel), pp.207&262.
78

Ibid. p.283.
79

Ibid. p.296.
80

Ibid. p.295.
81

Napier, Susan (2019) Miyazaki World (Japanese translation, Naka, Tatsushi trans.), Hayakawa Publishing, p.65, p.282.
82

Haraway (2016) Staying with the Trouble.
83

Ghosh (2016) Derangement.
84

Haraway, Donna (2015) ‘Anthropocene, Capitalocene, Plantationocene, Chthulucene: Making kin’, Environmental Humanities, vol.6, pp.159-165. Quotation on p.160. For this point, Haraway references James Clifford, Returns: Becoming Indigenous in the Twenty-first Century (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press, 2013), p.160.