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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN): H03m1
DISCORD NAME & TAG: KashootMyself#2546
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?: MST
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?: Yes
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER: I have just come back from a very long break (one year) from SRP so my character doesn’t do much. Before I had left I just got my character into college as a bachelor, so during weekdays and school hours they attend classes and that's about it. I don’t know too many people on the server as of right now hence I’m just getting back into it all. I plan to be very active on the server upon acceptance even though I believe myself to be active as is, I often get online at least once a day for an hour or two, on a scale of 1-10 I’d say a 6.5/7. Due to the fact I may be going to college for my nursing diploma this year I may not be as active or responses may be delayed heavily as I will always put this part of my life first, though I am wanting to make this work and believe I can, hence the application.
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 don’t currently know anything of this religion though I am willing and fully prepared to! I want to learn and understand this religion and am capable of doing my own research to help myself understand anything I may not, I am always willing to learn new things and am excited to learn more about other people's cultures & religions as I myself am intrigued by these topics.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?: I have drive to learn and understand what I am applying for. I am also a quick learner and have applied for many things in the past such as student council and clubs at the high school. I am a very religious person myself so it will be easy for me to understand certain concepts others may not. I do not have experience in this line of work though I am willing to take on the challenge of fulfilling the role of a shrine maiden while learning new and exciting things in the process! I believe I have what it takes to understand what it means to take on this role through sheer determination and drive to learn unlike other applicants who may slack or are less active.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?: Yes, I understand and accept this.
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME: Miyazaki Shizuka
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss): Miss
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80): 21
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY: Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER: 030-860-2232
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?: I am applying to work at the monastery because I am accustomed to this lifestyle due to my past. I believe I should continue this hence I apply this to my everyday life as is, being around others who believe in the same things as I and understand what it means to be a part of this traditional japanese lifestyle as well as religion is something I look forward to. I hope to make long lasting relations with my coworkers and help others while working at the monastery. I am devoted to my culture and religion and hope to be around others who feel the same, and help others who may want to learn about this religion, convert or seek redemption for their past.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY: It was built in the mountains due to the relationship between nature and religion in the year 744 by Buddhist monks as it was originally meant for buddhism and is one of the oldest structures in Karakura. One of the most prominent buildings is the hall of worship, as this structure holds both the offering box and the sacred bell which alerts the Kami of the incoming prayer. Up the mountain is the old shrine which was believed to have survived the fires in 1176 and 1578 due the fact it was built closest to the heart of the Kami, placing it under its protection.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Miyazaki Shizuka
Miyazaki was brought up in a very poor household, her mother was a maid while her father was a gardener. Both worked for large estates day in and day out, at the age of 14 her father was given a proposal by the man of the house, stating that if he were to have Miyazaki arranged in marriage to his eldest that he and his wife would live comfortably for the rest of their days. This arranged marriage would also mean Miyazaki would never see them again, the deal was settled and she was set off to marry someone she had never met before. Once she had moved in she was forced to take classes that will teach her to become a proper young lady, these classes were some of the hardest she had ever endured as for her mistakes she was slapped, burned or abused by the teacher. As for her fiance he had only wanted her for her youngness and beauty, thus was used by him as well and in the end no where was safe for her. At the age of 17 she made an escape plan, in the dead of night she would sneak out and run. Run as fast as she could until she couldn’t see the building any more, run until her legs had grown weak and her lungs ran out of breath to continue. She passed out in the middle of nowhere, considering the place she lived was only so large it was very easy to escape into the countryside where she had found her peace. As she awoke she was greeted by an old woman who had taken her in and eventually sent Miyazaki off to Karakura out of her own kindness, where the learning opportunities were far better than that small town could ever offer.
This is where Miyazaki Shizuka started her new life, though beaten and bruised, burned and abandoned, she now hopes to create a new start and make new memories in a new town where nobody will ever mutter the names of her past.
Throughout Miyazaki’s life she has always been a devoted believer in Shintoism, this part of her life and her beliefs allowed her to escape the cruelness of the world she was brought up in and experiencing around her, it was her escape from her life. To this day she believes it was her consistent belief and devotion that got her to where she is today and away from the wretched life she was forced to live before. Shintoism led her to where she is today.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The main duties of a Shinto Priest is to perform purification rituals and ceremonies, though the priest is not required to lecture, preach or act as a spiritual leader. Rather they are there to ensure the continued satisfaction of the relationship between the Kami and the worshipper through offerings, evocation of the Kami, and mediation of the deity’s blessing. A miko or shrine maiden traditionally serve as shamans, spirit mediums and ritual dancers. They help with organising pilgrimages (description of an individual's journey through life, the outline of the path to which you will take to reach the gods), provide religious entertainment and assist in ritual prayers. These women were and are often unmarried, virgins who served as ‘vehicles’ for divine relations.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
-Slightly bow before the water basin.
-Hold the wooden dipper/ladle with your right hand and begin pouring the water onto your left, switch and repeat this process.
-Switch your hands once again, pouring the water into your cupped left hand. Bring said water to your mouth and rinse, do not swallow.
-Once your mouth is rinsed, spit out the water though be sure to cover your mouth to not be seen.
-Re-rinse your left hand and pour all remaining water out of the dipper/ladle and dip it for the final time in the water for the final purification, placing it back in its respective place.
It is important to do this process in one, clean, fluent motion. Thus keeping it low to keep water from falling back into the basin and making sure to have enough water in the dipper/ladle to perform this cleansing ritual so you don’t have to go back multiple times. Clean and precise is key.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
First and foremost, bow before the shrine and begin clapping your hands twice. Traditionally the offerings to the Kami are agricultural foods such as rice, rice cakes, sake, seafood or products found on the mountain which were gathered previously. Once the offering has been made you bow once more and begin your prayer to the Kami. Upon finishing you will clap your hands twice and respectfully leave.
Other offering rituals may consist of a coin toss and bell. You simply toss a coin into the offering box, called the Saisen-bako. Shake the rope and a bell will ring, once rung you will bow and clap your hands twice. Pray to the Kami and make a wish, when finished you will bow once again and respectfully leave.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
On the ceremony day the host will cleanse the room and bring out fresh flower arrangements, laying out the tools neatly and properly.
Guests of the ceremony are to prepare themselves by washing their hands outside the tea ceremony room in symbolic gesture of purification.
When guests are being seated the ones with more experience are served first thus making the seating arrangement quite important to the ceremony.
The host will then begin the ceremony with a purification ritual, cleansing the ceremonial tea utensils using a fukusa, the host will then heat the tea bowl using hot water and purify the whisk in said water. This purification ritual is a symbolic gesture of cleansing the guests souls.
The host then prepares the thick matcha or traditionally called, koicha, whisking it in a chasen until foamy. This is served to the principal first then guests one by one, ranked by experience until nothing is left. Then the usucha (thin matcha) will be prepared in a similar manner and given to the guests in the same order.
Once all the tea has been made and served it is time to clean the ceremonial tools, the clean tea bowl will then be handed to the principal and then passed down amongst the other guests.
Upon the ceremony finishing and everyone leaving the host will bow to each and every one individually, seeing them out.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is a piece of paper attached to a sakaki leaf with a hemp string, it is an essential element to Shinto rituals and festivals, it is also used to pay formal homage during official visits.
An Ofuda is a paper tag used in Shinto and Onmyōdō for purification, exorcisms or as wards. These paper tags are sometimes used with Shide, commonly at Shinto Shrines or by Miko (shrine maidens). They are placed within people's homes or kept with the person as protection.
Kagura Suzu is a set of twelve bells used in kagura dance, ringing the bells called the Kami and allows the one to acquire positive energy and authority while repelling the evil.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Junshi | The God Of Provocation
This refers to the medieval Japanese act of committing seppuku (a voluntary suicide) for the death of their lord.
This was a ritual of which vassals would commit suicide once their masters had died in belief of “following them till death” regardless of whether they had died naturally or not and was eventually outlawed by a number of clans in the 1600’s due to it being practiced so widely.
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Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN): H03m1
DISCORD NAME & TAG: KashootMyself#2546
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?: MST
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?: Yes
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER: I have just come back from a very long break (one year) from SRP so my character doesn’t do much. Before I had left I just got my character into college as a bachelor, so during weekdays and school hours they attend classes and that's about it. I don’t know too many people on the server as of right now hence I’m just getting back into it all. I plan to be very active on the server upon acceptance even though I believe myself to be active as is, I often get online at least once a day for an hour or two, on a scale of 1-10 I’d say a 6.5/7. Due to the fact I may be going to college for my nursing diploma this year I may not be as active or responses may be delayed heavily as I will always put this part of my life first, though I am wanting to make this work and believe I can, hence the application.
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 don’t currently know anything of this religion though I am willing and fully prepared to! I want to learn and understand this religion and am capable of doing my own research to help myself understand anything I may not, I am always willing to learn new things and am excited to learn more about other people's cultures & religions as I myself am intrigued by these topics.
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?: I have drive to learn and understand what I am applying for. I am also a quick learner and have applied for many things in the past such as student council and clubs at the high school. I am a very religious person myself so it will be easy for me to understand certain concepts others may not. I do not have experience in this line of work though I am willing to take on the challenge of fulfilling the role of a shrine maiden while learning new and exciting things in the process! I believe I have what it takes to understand what it means to take on this role through sheer determination and drive to learn unlike other applicants who may slack or are less active.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?: Yes, I understand and accept this.
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME: Miyazaki Shizuka
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss): Miss
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80): 21
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS: Single
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY: Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER: 030-860-2232
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?: I am applying to work at the monastery because I am accustomed to this lifestyle due to my past. I believe I should continue this hence I apply this to my everyday life as is, being around others who believe in the same things as I and understand what it means to be a part of this traditional japanese lifestyle as well as religion is something I look forward to. I hope to make long lasting relations with my coworkers and help others while working at the monastery. I am devoted to my culture and religion and hope to be around others who feel the same, and help others who may want to learn about this religion, convert or seek redemption for their past.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY: It was built in the mountains due to the relationship between nature and religion in the year 744 by Buddhist monks as it was originally meant for buddhism and is one of the oldest structures in Karakura. One of the most prominent buildings is the hall of worship, as this structure holds both the offering box and the sacred bell which alerts the Kami of the incoming prayer. Up the mountain is the old shrine which was believed to have survived the fires in 1176 and 1578 due the fact it was built closest to the heart of the Kami, placing it under its protection.
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD :
Dear Monastery Lead,
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. I am writing this to you to explain my interest in becoming a shrine maiden as I am a devoted follower of Shintoism myself and believe this is something I must accomplish to give back and say thanks to the religion I have believed in since the beginning.
I hope to learn and fully understand what it means to become a shrine maiden, to help others find their way and pursue their own path in the interest of Shintoism. I am capable of carrying out and fulfilling the many enduring tasks of being one of the many shrine maidens at the monastery and believe I am suited for the job. To be able to help others and help the religion I believe in, the one thing that has strived me to continue pushing forward in my life is something I have yearned for quite some time.
I hope you take my application into consideration as I look forward to spreading the knowledge of this religion and working with others who believe in carrying out the noble deeds of it with clarity and sincerity.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Miyazaki Shizuka
I hope this letter finds you well and in good health. I am writing this to you to explain my interest in becoming a shrine maiden as I am a devoted follower of Shintoism myself and believe this is something I must accomplish to give back and say thanks to the religion I have believed in since the beginning.
I hope to learn and fully understand what it means to become a shrine maiden, to help others find their way and pursue their own path in the interest of Shintoism. I am capable of carrying out and fulfilling the many enduring tasks of being one of the many shrine maidens at the monastery and believe I am suited for the job. To be able to help others and help the religion I believe in, the one thing that has strived me to continue pushing forward in my life is something I have yearned for quite some time.
I hope you take my application into consideration as I look forward to spreading the knowledge of this religion and working with others who believe in carrying out the noble deeds of it with clarity and sincerity.
I look forward to your response.
Sincerely,
Miyazaki Shizuka
BACKSTORY (100+ Words):
Miyazaki Shizuka
Miyazaki was brought up in a very poor household, her mother was a maid while her father was a gardener. Both worked for large estates day in and day out, at the age of 14 her father was given a proposal by the man of the house, stating that if he were to have Miyazaki arranged in marriage to his eldest that he and his wife would live comfortably for the rest of their days. This arranged marriage would also mean Miyazaki would never see them again, the deal was settled and she was set off to marry someone she had never met before. Once she had moved in she was forced to take classes that will teach her to become a proper young lady, these classes were some of the hardest she had ever endured as for her mistakes she was slapped, burned or abused by the teacher. As for her fiance he had only wanted her for her youngness and beauty, thus was used by him as well and in the end no where was safe for her. At the age of 17 she made an escape plan, in the dead of night she would sneak out and run. Run as fast as she could until she couldn’t see the building any more, run until her legs had grown weak and her lungs ran out of breath to continue. She passed out in the middle of nowhere, considering the place she lived was only so large it was very easy to escape into the countryside where she had found her peace. As she awoke she was greeted by an old woman who had taken her in and eventually sent Miyazaki off to Karakura out of her own kindness, where the learning opportunities were far better than that small town could ever offer.
This is where Miyazaki Shizuka started her new life, though beaten and bruised, burned and abandoned, she now hopes to create a new start and make new memories in a new town where nobody will ever mutter the names of her past.
Throughout Miyazaki’s life she has always been a devoted believer in Shintoism, this part of her life and her beliefs allowed her to escape the cruelness of the world she was brought up in and experiencing around her, it was her escape from her life. To this day she believes it was her consistent belief and devotion that got her to where she is today and away from the wretched life she was forced to live before. Shintoism led her to where she is today.
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The main duties of a Shinto Priest is to perform purification rituals and ceremonies, though the priest is not required to lecture, preach or act as a spiritual leader. Rather they are there to ensure the continued satisfaction of the relationship between the Kami and the worshipper through offerings, evocation of the Kami, and mediation of the deity’s blessing. A miko or shrine maiden traditionally serve as shamans, spirit mediums and ritual dancers. They help with organising pilgrimages (description of an individual's journey through life, the outline of the path to which you will take to reach the gods), provide religious entertainment and assist in ritual prayers. These women were and are often unmarried, virgins who served as ‘vehicles’ for divine relations.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
-Slightly bow before the water basin.
-Hold the wooden dipper/ladle with your right hand and begin pouring the water onto your left, switch and repeat this process.
-Switch your hands once again, pouring the water into your cupped left hand. Bring said water to your mouth and rinse, do not swallow.
-Once your mouth is rinsed, spit out the water though be sure to cover your mouth to not be seen.
-Re-rinse your left hand and pour all remaining water out of the dipper/ladle and dip it for the final time in the water for the final purification, placing it back in its respective place.
It is important to do this process in one, clean, fluent motion. Thus keeping it low to keep water from falling back into the basin and making sure to have enough water in the dipper/ladle to perform this cleansing ritual so you don’t have to go back multiple times. Clean and precise is key.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
First and foremost, bow before the shrine and begin clapping your hands twice. Traditionally the offerings to the Kami are agricultural foods such as rice, rice cakes, sake, seafood or products found on the mountain which were gathered previously. Once the offering has been made you bow once more and begin your prayer to the Kami. Upon finishing you will clap your hands twice and respectfully leave.
Other offering rituals may consist of a coin toss and bell. You simply toss a coin into the offering box, called the Saisen-bako. Shake the rope and a bell will ring, once rung you will bow and clap your hands twice. Pray to the Kami and make a wish, when finished you will bow once again and respectfully leave.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
On the ceremony day the host will cleanse the room and bring out fresh flower arrangements, laying out the tools neatly and properly.
Guests of the ceremony are to prepare themselves by washing their hands outside the tea ceremony room in symbolic gesture of purification.
When guests are being seated the ones with more experience are served first thus making the seating arrangement quite important to the ceremony.
The host will then begin the ceremony with a purification ritual, cleansing the ceremonial tea utensils using a fukusa, the host will then heat the tea bowl using hot water and purify the whisk in said water. This purification ritual is a symbolic gesture of cleansing the guests souls.
The host then prepares the thick matcha or traditionally called, koicha, whisking it in a chasen until foamy. This is served to the principal first then guests one by one, ranked by experience until nothing is left. Then the usucha (thin matcha) will be prepared in a similar manner and given to the guests in the same order.
Once all the tea has been made and served it is time to clean the ceremonial tools, the clean tea bowl will then be handed to the principal and then passed down amongst the other guests.
Upon the ceremony finishing and everyone leaving the host will bow to each and every one individually, seeing them out.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda and Kagura Suzu is and what they're used for:
A Tamagushi is a piece of paper attached to a sakaki leaf with a hemp string, it is an essential element to Shinto rituals and festivals, it is also used to pay formal homage during official visits.
An Ofuda is a paper tag used in Shinto and Onmyōdō for purification, exorcisms or as wards. These paper tags are sometimes used with Shide, commonly at Shinto Shrines or by Miko (shrine maidens). They are placed within people's homes or kept with the person as protection.
Kagura Suzu is a set of twelve bells used in kagura dance, ringing the bells called the Kami and allows the one to acquire positive energy and authority while repelling the evil.
(OPTIONAL) Based on your character; which other Kami would they worship?:
Junshi | The God Of Provocation
This refers to the medieval Japanese act of committing seppuku (a voluntary suicide) for the death of their lord.
This was a ritual of which vassals would commit suicide once their masters had died in belief of “following them till death” regardless of whether they had died naturally or not and was eventually outlawed by a number of clans in the 1600’s due to it being practiced so widely.
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