命神宮 Myōjingū
Lifeist shrines are called 命神宮 (Myōjingū), where 命 (inochi/mei/myō/mikoto — "life") takes its sacred role. In Lifeism's branding, 命 often replaces 神 (kami/god) in traditional contexts, reflecting the religion's focus on life itself as the sacred principle.
Relationship to Shinto
Lifeism considers itself an extension of the Shinto shrine tradition. Just as Shinto shrines honor kami — the sacred spirits and forces of nature — Myōjingū honor the sacred principle of life itself, along with the many irreducible dimensions of the sacred.
Sacred Space and Structure
A Myōjingū is a space where life's sacredness is celebrated. The ideal form is an open-air complex of many buildings, functioning as a bridge between a Catholic Church's organization and a Shinto shrine's spiritual aesthetic.
- Mandatory: An alo subshrine and a main sanctuary (which may be the alo shrine itself).
- Family Shriness: Require an ancestral subshrine for the lineage.
- Regional Shrines: County-level shrines must include a pantheon for local deities.
- Local Shrines: Shrines below county rank must include a subshrine for the county deity.
- Expansion: Shrines are encouraged to include as many subshrines as possible to represent the diversity of life.
The Symbol 命
命 has four Japanese readings:
- inochi — the standard native Japanese reading, meaning life
- mei — the standard Sino-Japanese reading
- myō — an archaic reading
- mikoto — an honorific suffix used after shrine and deity names
Lifeism uses 命 in place of 神 (kami/god) to centre life itself as the sacred principle.
Ritual Practice
Shrines are the home of Lifeist practice. See the full Rituals page for details.