New Worlds of Body, Mind & Spirit Since 1901
| Today is the first day of the festival known as Nagasaki Kunchi. Recognized by the colorful "Dragon Dance," its underpinnings-which originated in the 1600s-might be seen as the inverse of Saint Patrick "driving the snakes out of Ireland." The fiery, snake-like dragon makes his way through the festival, symbolically driving out the forbidden "hidden Christians," and promoting more traditional regional beliefs such as Shinto and Buddhism.
Although many of us now possess the unalienable right to choose our own spiritual path (unlike residents of medieval Ireland or of Nagasaki after its "Christian Period"), we can still harbor lingering negativity from harsh spiritual upbringings. Today, do your own dragon dance and drive lingering demons of fear-based spirituality out of your consciousness for good. Light red and orange candles, play festive music with a good beat, drape brightly colored scarves about your body, and dance, snake-like, with the spirit of freedom. |
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