A conjectural guide to the unseen world of occult forces lining the Kumano Kodo, Japan’s oldest pilgrimage route.
Once every few decades, a book comes along in which the author astutely dives into, and plans to optimize, the pilgrims’ experience. The latest such book is Kumano Kodo: A Pilgrimage to Powerspots. In it, the authors J. Christian Greer and Michelle K. Oing use true stories, mind-blowing visions, and ancient rituals to immerse you in the sacred world of the pilgrims.
Fascinating and humorous, this travelogue fuse is an emblematic guide to the “recently minted UNESCO heritage site”. A spiritual journey during the walk of Kumano Kodo. The book will introduce you to the magic hidden in everyday life, history, the moon and stars, nature, mythology, sacred sex and… more!
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This book is dedicated to Raz&Kaz
Grand Masters of the Kyoto O.S.G.H. Lodge
by J. Christian Greer & Michelle K. Oing
The references give a very true picture of the history of the Kumano Kodo UNESCO heritage site. As the title indicates, one of the authors’ main goals was to present the development of the powerspots as it was influenced by internal and external political processes. Although political history predominates, social, economic, and cultural phenomena are taken into account…
Greer & Oing tell a story about the daily life of the Japanese, about their customs and beliefs, about the ways in which they fought for survival. They take you into the wonderland of myths, legends and superstitions that have accompanied man’s life from birth to death. Thus they try to introduce you to a world of symbols, in the midst of whose chaos you could find a piece of yourself.
…placard describing a pilgrim who died of hunger on this part of the trail.
Further, the journey takes Greer & Oing to an inspiring powerspot, the Koguchi Trailhead, where pilgrims can see each of the 3657 mountains of the Kii peninsula, “at least this is what the records claim”. Among the many new things, while reading, one will learn how Onsen eggs are prepared in Yunomine and that you can buy a pack of beer from a vending machine 🙂
At the core of pilgrimaging is the sacramentalization of everyday life.
by J. Christian Greer & Michelle K. Oing
The book is full of illustrations, mandalas. These full-colour collages are an artistic blend between traditional Japanese graphics and a futuristic metaverse. J. Christian Greer, in addition to being one of the authors of the book, is also theirs, and with them, he has captured the time of existential transition and multiplicity not only in Japan but for all of humanity.
“ Kumano Kodo Pilgrimage to Powerspots” presents the richness, beauty and diversity of Japanese customs through the authors’ intuition and curiosity. The title is a comprehensive source of knowledge for anyone who wants to explore the diversity of Japanese traditional rites.
A priceless gift, the book will take travellers and digital nomads to the forgotten world of pilgrims.
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