SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY APPLICATION
───────────────────────────────────────
Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
wethecreature
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
wethecreature#6625
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
MST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
N/A
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
No.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I have great activity on the server! I am usually on every day for a couple of hours, though I have a lot of classes after school, so I sometimes will not be online.
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 am not very knowledgeable about Shintoism, though I have always been interested in religions such as Shintoism and Buddhism, and I am prepared AND willing to learn a lot more about the religion. (I actually learned a lot from writing this application really-)
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I believe it is my character’s personality and interesting motivation for wanting to be a part of the Monastery community that makes me stand out over other applicants. I also have the dedication to the job. Though my schedule is very tight, I want to be as committed as I can, and I’m willing to work out ways to fit this into my schedule.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
I do.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Sora Mirosaki-Lim
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
No title, she just goes with Sora.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
21
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
She is not married, though she is in an unofficial relationship.
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
(030)-007-3516
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
I want to cleanse myself of what I have experienced and serve the community.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
Seinaru Monastery began construction on June 6th, 744, and finished in the winter of 762.
Yeah… that’s about all I know. Though, I also have read that far later, in early 2004, the head priest of the shrine burnt it down, leaving only one shrine, the shrine to Yama-No-Kami. It also was originally a Buddhist shrine that over time slowly changed to be something else!
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD
Dear Mr. Kyohanashima,
I hope that you receive this and consider it because I am requesting that I be considered as a new Shrine Maiden of the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. While I have little experience with the work of a shrine, and I was never really religious, I am a caring person, and I am sure I could handle caring for the shrine. Although I was never very religious, I have endured some things and focused on very bad things throughout my short life, and I wish to have a fresh, healing experience by serving the shrine, the community, and Shintoism. Please consider me and I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Your Friend, Sora Mirosaki
BACKSTORY (100+ ):
Sora Mirosaki was born to a young Japanese couple on May 21st, 2001. Her mother and father were virtually uninterested in her, as she was never meant to exist, and was completely accidental. Often, she’d be taken care of by her parent's careless friends while they were off having dinners and getting drunk and spending their life savings in the shopping district. Though eventually, this rapid spending caught up with them, and they were broke, and could no longer afford to pay the massive amount of loans they had taken from the bank while drunk on wine. Her parents, who were way too broke to keep feeding her, and in all, didn’t want to put in the effort to do so, left her when she was at the age of 16. Living alone on the streets, she’d always resented the richer people who had it all, such as the Government, the KPD, and other rich, important members of society, who, unlike her, had money and happiness. Sora was desperate for a way to express herself and her feelings, which were growing vicious and full of rage as she held it in. So she began to write. Write about the government about the rich, about the people who she thought didn’t deserve what they had. She stared through the souls of every person in society and focused on some things that she shouldn’t have. She attempted to get into the business of crime, but she failed, and finally, she stopped. And now, in the present, to leave her past behind, she has chosen to try to go on the path of being a Shrine worker, to serve the community, and the gods, and have a fresh new way of living life…
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The main duty of a Shinto Priest is to perform purification rituals and ceremonies and communicate with the gods. A Shrine Maiden, usually a young female, is trained to do sacred cleansing and perform the sacred Kagura dance. They are often hostesses to visitors to the shrine, cleaning, performing daily tasks at the Shrine, and much more.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
When entering the shrine, you will find a trough of water where you must wash your hands before you enter. First, you must take a wooden ladle, and scoop up some water. Second, you will rinse your other hand with water, cleaning it, before doing the same thing for the other hand. Third, you wash out your mouth, then you clean the ladle. This is supposed to cleanse you. Now that you have finished, you may enter the shrine.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
When the person who wishes to give offerings arrives, they will give their offering to the shrine priest. Then, the shrine priest will carry out the giving of the offering to the Kami and will tell you if the Kami is appeased.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
First, you must invite those you want to come a few weeks in advance, and during that time decided on utensils and decorations for the upcoming ceremony. Second, you must clean the room and set out utensils, as well as lay out the seasonal flowers. Third, Guests must wash their hands and spiritually prepare, before walking in through a small door. All guests must bow when they come in. Fourth, you will cleanse the utensils. Cleansing the utensils isn’t the act of cleaning them, as that has already been done beforehand. This is just symbolic. To do so, you must get The Fukasa (Silk Cloth) and wipe down each utensil one by one. Then you will put The Chasen (The Whisk) In The Chawen (Tea Bowl) with warm water. Fifth, you will then make the tea and will give it to your guests, serving the important guests first until there is no tea left. Sixth, you will clean the utensils and tools, starting with The Chawin (Tea Bowl). The bowl is then given to the most principal guest to admire and then is passed on to the rest for them to admire. Lastly, after the ceremony is over, the guests will bow to the host and leave, it is also common for them to say thank you on the day after the ceremony. The tea bowl used during the ceremony will be presented to the guests in turn, which will then be passed down to the guests. When guests receive the tea bowl, the front of the bowl should be facing them. Once the guests have the bowl, it should be held in the right hand and then placed on the left palm. You should always bow and raise the tea bowl to the host once before sipping. To drink your tea, rotate the bowl clockwise, so the front is now not facing you. Take your first sip and compliment the host on their tea. Clean the lip of the bowl once you have sipped your tea and then turn the front of the bowl back to face the host. There is also a sitting position called seiza which you must sit in during the whole ceremony. This sitting position is crossing your legs and placing your heels underneath your bottom. For a tea ceremony, you should wear a Kimono (though this is a loose rule) and it is also advised that you were socks, as you must take off your shoes when you enter the tea room.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda, and Kagura Suzu are and what they're used for:
Tamagushi- is a form of Shinto offering made from a sakaki-tree branch decorated with shide strips of washi paper, silk, or cotton. At Japanese Weddings, funerals, and other ceremonies at Shinto shrines, Tamagushi are ritually presented to the
Kami
Ofuda- An Ofuda is a talisman made of many materials like cloth, wood, paper, or even metal. Ofuda are considered to be imbued with the power of gods, and are commonly found in Shinto and Buddhist shrines.
Kagura Suzu- Kagura Suzu are a set of twelve bells used in the Kagura Dance. The set consists of three tiers of bells suspended by coiled brass wires from a central handle: two bells on the top tier, four bells on the middle tier, and six bells on the bottom tier.
───────────────────────────────────────
───────────────────────────────────────
Out-Of-Character (OOC) Section
IN-GAME NAME (IGN):
wethecreature
DISCORD NAME & TAG:
wethecreature#6625
WHAT IS YOUR TIMEZONE?:
MST
LIST ANY PREVIOUS BANS:
N/A
DO YOU HAVE A MICROPHONE?:
No.
DESCRIBE YOUR ACTIVITY ON THE SERVER:
I have great activity on the server! I am usually on every day for a couple of hours, though I have a lot of classes after school, so I sometimes will not be online.
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 am not very knowledgeable about Shintoism, though I have always been interested in religions such as Shintoism and Buddhism, and I am prepared AND willing to learn a lot more about the religion. (I actually learned a lot from writing this application really-)
WHAT MAKES YOU STAND OUT FOR THIS ROLE OVER OTHER APPLICANTS?
I believe it is my character’s personality and interesting motivation for wanting to be a part of the Monastery community that makes me stand out over other applicants. I also have the dedication to the job. Though my schedule is very tight, I want to be as committed as I can, and I’m willing to work out ways to fit this into my schedule.
DO YOU ACKNOWLEDGE YOU WILL HAVE TO ATTEND MANDATORY TRAININGS TO BE TAUGHT MORE ABOUT SHINTOISM AND THE ACCORDING PROCEDURES?:
I do.
───────────────────────────────────────
In-Character (IC) Section
SECTION 1: Character Details
CHARACTERS FULL NAME:
Sora Mirosaki-Lim
CHARACTERS TITLE (E.g. Mr. Mrs. Miss):
No title, she just goes with Sora.
CHARACTERS AGE (E.g. 21-80):
21
CHARACTERS MARITAL STATUS:
She is not married, though she is in an unofficial relationship.
CHARACTERS NATIONALITY:
Japanese
CHARACTERS PHONE-NUMBER:
(030)-007-3516
WHAT IS YOUR MOTIVATION FOR APPLYING TO WORK AT THE MONASTERY?:
I want to cleanse myself of what I have experienced and serve the community.
TELL ME WHAT HISTORY AND INFORMATION YOU KNOW ABOUT THE SHINSEI SEINARU MONASTERY:
Seinaru Monastery began construction on June 6th, 744, and finished in the winter of 762.
Yeah… that’s about all I know. Though, I also have read that far later, in early 2004, the head priest of the shrine burnt it down, leaving only one shrine, the shrine to Yama-No-Kami. It also was originally a Buddhist shrine that over time slowly changed to be something else!
WRITE A LETTER TO THE MONASTERY LEAD
Dear Mr. Kyohanashima,
I hope that you receive this and consider it because I am requesting that I be considered as a new Shrine Maiden of the Shinsei Seinaru Monastery. While I have little experience with the work of a shrine, and I was never really religious, I am a caring person, and I am sure I could handle caring for the shrine. Although I was never very religious, I have endured some things and focused on very bad things throughout my short life, and I wish to have a fresh, healing experience by serving the shrine, the community, and Shintoism. Please consider me and I’m sure you won’t regret it.
Your Friend, Sora Mirosaki
BACKSTORY (100+ ):
Sora Mirosaki was born to a young Japanese couple on May 21st, 2001. Her mother and father were virtually uninterested in her, as she was never meant to exist, and was completely accidental. Often, she’d be taken care of by her parent's careless friends while they were off having dinners and getting drunk and spending their life savings in the shopping district. Though eventually, this rapid spending caught up with them, and they were broke, and could no longer afford to pay the massive amount of loans they had taken from the bank while drunk on wine. Her parents, who were way too broke to keep feeding her, and in all, didn’t want to put in the effort to do so, left her when she was at the age of 16. Living alone on the streets, she’d always resented the richer people who had it all, such as the Government, the KPD, and other rich, important members of society, who, unlike her, had money and happiness. Sora was desperate for a way to express herself and her feelings, which were growing vicious and full of rage as she held it in. So she began to write. Write about the government about the rich, about the people who she thought didn’t deserve what they had. She stared through the souls of every person in society and focused on some things that she shouldn’t have. She attempted to get into the business of crime, but she failed, and finally, she stopped. And now, in the present, to leave her past behind, she has chosen to try to go on the path of being a Shrine worker, to serve the community, and the gods, and have a fresh new way of living life…
SECTION 2: Self-Knowledge Details
What duties do Shinto Priests and Maidens have?:
The main duty of a Shinto Priest is to perform purification rituals and ceremonies and communicate with the gods. A Shrine Maiden, usually a young female, is trained to do sacred cleansing and perform the sacred Kagura dance. They are often hostesses to visitors to the shrine, cleaning, performing daily tasks at the Shrine, and much more.
What are the steps needed to be taken at the purification trough before entering the Shrine?:
When entering the shrine, you will find a trough of water where you must wash your hands before you enter. First, you must take a wooden ladle, and scoop up some water. Second, you will rinse your other hand with water, cleaning it, before doing the same thing for the other hand. Third, you wash out your mouth, then you clean the ladle. This is supposed to cleanse you. Now that you have finished, you may enter the shrine.
How are offerings to a Kami performed?:
When the person who wishes to give offerings arrives, they will give their offering to the shrine priest. Then, the shrine priest will carry out the giving of the offering to the Kami and will tell you if the Kami is appeased.
How do you perform a tea ceremony ritual?:
First, you must invite those you want to come a few weeks in advance, and during that time decided on utensils and decorations for the upcoming ceremony. Second, you must clean the room and set out utensils, as well as lay out the seasonal flowers. Third, Guests must wash their hands and spiritually prepare, before walking in through a small door. All guests must bow when they come in. Fourth, you will cleanse the utensils. Cleansing the utensils isn’t the act of cleaning them, as that has already been done beforehand. This is just symbolic. To do so, you must get The Fukasa (Silk Cloth) and wipe down each utensil one by one. Then you will put The Chasen (The Whisk) In The Chawen (Tea Bowl) with warm water. Fifth, you will then make the tea and will give it to your guests, serving the important guests first until there is no tea left. Sixth, you will clean the utensils and tools, starting with The Chawin (Tea Bowl). The bowl is then given to the most principal guest to admire and then is passed on to the rest for them to admire. Lastly, after the ceremony is over, the guests will bow to the host and leave, it is also common for them to say thank you on the day after the ceremony. The tea bowl used during the ceremony will be presented to the guests in turn, which will then be passed down to the guests. When guests receive the tea bowl, the front of the bowl should be facing them. Once the guests have the bowl, it should be held in the right hand and then placed on the left palm. You should always bow and raise the tea bowl to the host once before sipping. To drink your tea, rotate the bowl clockwise, so the front is now not facing you. Take your first sip and compliment the host on their tea. Clean the lip of the bowl once you have sipped your tea and then turn the front of the bowl back to face the host. There is also a sitting position called seiza which you must sit in during the whole ceremony. This sitting position is crossing your legs and placing your heels underneath your bottom. For a tea ceremony, you should wear a Kimono (though this is a loose rule) and it is also advised that you were socks, as you must take off your shoes when you enter the tea room.
Explain what a Tamagushi, Ofuda, and Kagura Suzu are and what they're used for:
Tamagushi- is a form of Shinto offering made from a sakaki-tree branch decorated with shide strips of washi paper, silk, or cotton. At Japanese Weddings, funerals, and other ceremonies at Shinto shrines, Tamagushi are ritually presented to the
Kami
Ofuda- An Ofuda is a talisman made of many materials like cloth, wood, paper, or even metal. Ofuda are considered to be imbued with the power of gods, and are commonly found in Shinto and Buddhist shrines.
Kagura Suzu- Kagura Suzu are a set of twelve bells used in the Kagura Dance. The set consists of three tiers of bells suspended by coiled brass wires from a central handle: two bells on the top tier, four bells on the middle tier, and six bells on the bottom tier.
───────────────────────────────────────
Last edited:
