SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY APPLICATION
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN): RandomlyDenied
DISCORD NAME & TAG: randomlyaccepted
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?: PST
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?: Yes, and I can use it.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I am pretty active on the server; typically, I am on for 4-5+ hours a day and active the most on my main account. I have other daily duties, such as extra ballet classes, work, school, and studying, but I always find the time to get on SRP and do my duties. I am also an EMS on my account dontpayurtaxes and am somewhat active, but I will be active on my shrine account if accepted.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Maiden
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I have a lot of knowledge about Shintoism and everything related to that; it is hard to show that in just one question, so I will try to show it in the other questions. I have many books related to Shinto and I also taught Culture and Ethics and went in depth about Shintoism. I am also ready and prepared to learn more about the religion and teach people about it too!
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I have been part of the faction before, though I do suspect that there have been major changes to how procedures are done. I still had that experience as a maiden, knowing how to act and interact with guests. I also have a vast knowledge of Shintoism and traditional Japanese culture, which I can use to help me with role-play and even teach other people about. I love learning about tradtional Japanese culture and roleplaying it out, I am also quite an active person. Though there may be other applicants then me I am hoping I will be able to come back to the shrine as I do miss it a lot.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes, I do acknowledge that I will have to attend mandatory training to be taught more about Shintoism and procedures.
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In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME: Randamu Heddo
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss): Miss
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80): 32 (Might be changing)
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY: Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER: 030-419-4908
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
“Ever since working at the hospital, I always kept thinking about the shrine; I have always missed it which is the my main motivation for coming back to the shrine. Though working in medicine is quite rewarding, the shrine always felt like home, a safe place. I miss my duties here, from something as simple as teaching someone about Shintoism to something more like helping ward off evil spirits. It always brought me joy. The shrine staff, too; I have always said the shrine is like a second family because it is."
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
"Oh my! It's been quite a while since I learned about the history of Shinsei Seinaru Monastery, though I can remember some bits. After the monastery burnt down, it was reconstructed in 1618 and currently houses Chiharu-Yamatsumi, who is a mountain kami, and it is said that she used to have a twin who turned into a yokai. There is a building there that has survived the fire, and it is said that this is where the other kami used to reside. It seems like I need to brush up on my knowledge about the shrine…"
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Mitsune-Shiro Saiky,───────────────────────────────────────
Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN): RandomlyDenied
DISCORD NAME & TAG: randomlyaccepted
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?: PST
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?: Yes, and I can use it.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I am pretty active on the server; typically, I am on for 4-5+ hours a day and active the most on my main account. I have other daily duties, such as extra ballet classes, work, school, and studying, but I always find the time to get on SRP and do my duties. I am also an EMS on my account dontpayurtaxes and am somewhat active, but I will be active on my shrine account if accepted.
WHAT POSITION ARE YOU APPLYING FOR?:
Shrine Maiden
WHAT KNOWLEDGE DO YOU CURRENTLY HAVE OF SHINTOISM AND ARE YOU PREPARED/WILLING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT THE RELIGION?:
I have a lot of knowledge about Shintoism and everything related to that; it is hard to show that in just one question, so I will try to show it in the other questions. I have many books related to Shinto and I also taught Culture and Ethics and went in depth about Shintoism. I am also ready and prepared to learn more about the religion and teach people about it too!
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I have been part of the faction before, though I do suspect that there have been major changes to how procedures are done. I still had that experience as a maiden, knowing how to act and interact with guests. I also have a vast knowledge of Shintoism and traditional Japanese culture, which I can use to help me with role-play and even teach other people about. I love learning about tradtional Japanese culture and roleplaying it out, I am also quite an active person. Though there may be other applicants then me I am hoping I will be able to come back to the shrine as I do miss it a lot.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
Yes, I do acknowledge that I will have to attend mandatory training to be taught more about Shintoism and procedures.
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In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME: Randamu Heddo
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss): Miss
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80): 32 (Might be changing)
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY: Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER: 030-419-4908
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
“Ever since working at the hospital, I always kept thinking about the shrine; I have always missed it which is the my main motivation for coming back to the shrine. Though working in medicine is quite rewarding, the shrine always felt like home, a safe place. I miss my duties here, from something as simple as teaching someone about Shintoism to something more like helping ward off evil spirits. It always brought me joy. The shrine staff, too; I have always said the shrine is like a second family because it is."
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
"Oh my! It's been quite a while since I learned about the history of Shinsei Seinaru Monastery, though I can remember some bits. After the monastery burnt down, it was reconstructed in 1618 and currently houses Chiharu-Yamatsumi, who is a mountain kami, and it is said that she used to have a twin who turned into a yokai. There is a building there that has survived the fire, and it is said that this is where the other kami used to reside. It seems like I need to brush up on my knowledge about the shrine…"
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
It was lovely meeting you a few weeks ago, and I hope you are settling well at the shrine. If you remember, this is Randamu Heddo; I was a maiden at the shrine for quite a while before advancing my medical career. Though working in medicine is a thrilling and enriching experience, I always felt myself slowly drifting away from the kami from the tsumi that I experienced daily from working at the hospital. Though I pray daily and visit the shrine often, I always miss it. Life was much better when I was a shrine maiden, and everything was fine, but even my mother was disappointed in me, which I do not feel proud of. I hope you will allow me to return to the shrine again and reconnect with everyone there.
Heddo, Randamu
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Randamu Heddo grew up in a large family with many brothers and sisters. One of Randamu's favorite things was visiting the shrine with her mother. After her classes, she always went up to pray and talk to the shrine staff while she did her homework; the shrine staff always recognized her and got excited when she came up. At a very young age, Randamu knew she wanted to work at the shrine, and during her senior high years, she would often volunteer at the shrine during festivals and other significant events. Before she started her journey at the shrine, she wanted to get her Bachelor's first, so she went to school to get her Bachelor's in Biomedical Sciences, majoring in Biomed and minoring in Shintoism.
Finally, she started her journey working at Shinsei Seinaru Monastery, where she became a shrine maiden and worked there for a few years. Though she always enjoyed working at the shrine, she always felt left out in a way; a lot of her brothers and sisters had careers working in medicine or law enforcement, so eventually, Randamu finished her certifications and worked at the hospital but never thoroughly enjoyed it. She always felt like the shrine was calling back to her, and after some thinking and quite a sad break-up, she decided to try to return to the shrine, where she would devote all her attention to it like she had done before.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
On SRP, the duties of a priest and maiden are very similar and don't have tons of differences (At least when I was a maiden last time) but in real life they do have quite some differences.
First of all, to become a maiden, you need to graduate from high school, and you can start your path to becoming one. Becoming a priest though, you need to seek higher education in a special course to pass an exam to earn a certification.
Now, onto duties! The duties of a Miko (shrine maidens) may include helping with rituals, performing the kagura, cleaning the grounds, and just assisting with the overall upkeep of the shrine. They wear red hakama along with red or white hair ribbons. During rituals, they are usually assisting the Kannushi or Shinakan. A Shinto priest or Shinkan's main responsibility is the maintenance of the shrine and helping lead the worship of the kami. They are seen as ritual experts in a way.
On SRP, maidens and priests usually share the same duties though there are extra duties they may provide which can be tarot card reading, serving green tea, or even teaching about shintoism. During events where spirits may be active, like during October, you may see shrine staff fighting and sealing them off.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
The temizuya ritual is very important before you enter the shrine, as it helps purify your body and get rid of any evil that you may bring in. To perform this, you grab the hishaku dipper in your right hand and scoop up some water. Pour a bit on your left hand and then switch and do it on your right hand. Switching your hands once again, you place a bit more water in your right hand and rinse your mouth - It is important not to drink it or spit it back in the basin. Finally, you rinse your hands once again before setting the scoop down and enter the shrine.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
When you walk up to the torii gate, it's essential to bow and enter from the sides, as the kami pathway is in the middle. The first step is to offer your offering. Usually, this is done with money (like a 5 yen token), but it could be other things like flowers or rice; these objects would go on top of the offering box. You can ring the bells - this announces your presence to the kami before you perform the ritual. You start with two bows; these should be formal 90-degree bows to show your respect towards the kami. Next is clapping; this should be done twice, and your hands should be chest high with the palms facing together as this makes a sharp sound - it said this sound helps purify the environment. Holding your hands together, you can now pray, and if this is your first time praying, you must introduce yourself to the kami and let them know you are. Finally, you may exit! It's best to exit from the sides of the shrine.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
A tea ceremony is a relaxing activity and can be done in numerous ways. First, the guests will sit down and bow to the host before performing a temizuya ritual and entering the tea house. Tea equipment is shown on the tatami floor, and guests can view it and ask questions. Sometimes, a meal will be prepared, and the guest can eat the meal before the tea is served.
To serve the tea, the kettle is set over the fire or something to make it warm, the water is added to the cup, and the chasen is placed into this warm water to soften the bristles. Now the water is discarded, and the bowl is dried; this helps warm the bowl up. You can then add the scoops of matcha, how many scoops depends on whether you are making thick or thin tea. This is the same with water; how much water you add depends on the type of tea. You can then start mixing the tea with a quick flick and rotation with the wrist, and the tea will get bubbly and frothy. There is one last swirl at the end, and the tea is now served.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
The Tamagushi is a branch that helps connect the soul to the kami, assisting in closer worship. The main branch comes from a Sakaki tree and it has shide (zigzag paper streams) that can be made of washi paper, silk, or cotton. A priest typically assists in this ritual and may be used during weddings, funerals, and other ceremonies.
To use the Tamagushi during the offering, you place your right hand on the stem while holding the branch end from below with your left. You will then slide your left hand down to the stem while moving your right hand behind the leaves and pause with the branch before you. You can then give it your blessing and prayer on the branch before you lower it down, turning it clockwise with the stem pointing towards the kami. Bow twice, clap twice, and once again bow just as you do when making a regular offering. The final steps are slightly bowing to end the ritual and then bowing toward the priest leading the ceremony.
Ofuda is a talisman made of different materials, from paper to even metal! It is known to have a charge of the kami, which can help in various purposes. Usually, ofuda are used for protection—from something simple like safety in your home to something more extreme like against the yokai. You typically see them hung up around shrines or even in homes in the Kamidana. A more portable version of the ofuda is called an omamori.
Kagura Suzu is an instrument typically used in the kagura dance. It typically consists of twelve bells with three tiers, which are used to call the kami while performing the ritual dance. This dance is performed for various reasons, but it is usually performed for purification, which is why it is performed during major festivals.
