O contato com o “caminho” através das novas religiões japonesas

Abstract

In Brazil，followers of Japanese New Religions (JNRs) - most of whom are not of Japanese descent seek religion but are exposed to much more. The art of Ikebana and Tea Ceremony are some examples of this. From the 1970s，two JNRs - Perfect Liberty (PL) and Sekai Kyusei Kyo (known as Igreja Messiânica in Brazil)- have developed their own schools of kado (flower arranging, ikebana). Perfect Liberty has even created it’s own tea ceremony school called Chado PL. Here, I explore the Japanese classical arts of kado and chado (tea ceremony) as practiced by these followers and their relations with both doctrines. I argue that through the practice of JNRs，followers who otherwise may not have had contact with Japanese culture and arts are introduced to traditional Japanese values and furthermore incorporate them into their daily lives while trying to improve themselves as human beings.