Japan's mountain acentic hermits...
Japan's mountain acentic hermits... For more than 1,400 years, Yamabushi monks have been walking Japan's sacred mountains, believing that this harsh natural environment can bring enlightenment.
p09fzfjt.jpg
In an ancient forest of towering cedars, all was silence except for the chirping of unseen birds. Suddenly I heard the tinkling of a bell. Through the mist, a dozen figures emerged, walking in single file. Led by the Tolkienian figure of a man with a long grey beard, they looked like ghosts, dressed all in white.
They were Yamabushi: Japanese mountain worshippers. For more than 1,400 years, centuries before anyone spoke of "forest bathing", Yamabushi monks have been walking the sacred mountains of Dewa Sanzan (literally, "the Three Mountains of Dewa Province") in Yamagata Prefecture. But theirs is no pleasure hike. Through immersion in nature and rigorous self-discipline, the Yamabushi seek spiritual rebirth.
p09h7g78.jpg
p09fzfk8.jpg
p09fzfjd.jpg
p09h6y5s.jpg
http://www.bbc.com/travel/story/2021...tm_source=digg
Reply With Quote
