The Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies and the Centre for Myth Studies at University of Essex present an Open Seminar:
Professor Megumi Yama
Kyoto University of Advanced Science
The concept of kami and Japanese creation myth
Thursday 9 March, 5.30 – 7.00 pm
University of Essex, Colchester campus, Room 5A.120
All Welcome
The Centre for Myth Studies, and the Department of Psychosocial and Psychoanalytic Studies, are delighted to welcome Professor Megumi Yama. This will be the first in-person event hosted by the Centre for Myth Studies since February 2020, so it would be wonderful to see as many of you as can attend.
Although the Japanese word kami is usually translated into English with terms such as deity, god, or spirit, none of these words precisely captures its full meaning. What makes this concept more ambiguous and chaotic is that, due to the syncretization of Japanese religions, the same word kami is used both for god and goddess in Buddhism and the numerous spirits in Shintō. In fact, the ambiguous nature of kami itself is considered to be not only unique in religious and cultural meaning, but also noteworthy in terms of its deep embeddedness in the Japanese psyche. Many Japanese accept the concept of kami without even being conscious of its historical religious basis. We can find these kami in the Kojiki, the oldest Japanese creation myth. In the very beginning, before the appearance of the ‘First Parents’ who created the world, many generations of invisible kami float in and out of ‘being’ one after another. They gradually take kami form, moving from intangible to tangible, from invisible to visible, from abstract to concrete. Although each embodies a separate kami, ultimately, they show orientation as a whole. I would like to argue that through exploring this orientation in a connection of seemingly fragmented images, an important theme may emerge. Such a concept may finally lead to the Buddhist idea of jinen – a state in which everything flows spontaneously, just as it is. If time permits, I would also like to touch on some motifs from the animated film “Your Name” by Makoto Shinkai, which I hope will be helpful for understanding the concept of kami in Japan.
Megumi Yama, Ph.D. is a professor of depth psychology and clinical psychology at Kyoto University of Advanced Science. She is also engaged in clinical work as a Jungian-oriented psychotherapist. She has written many articles and books, including translations, both in English and Japanese. Her books include To the Depth of Words (Seishinshobo, 2003), The Creation of “Black”: A Painter who never Stopped Painting Siberia—the Depth of Creative Activity and his Work of Art (Tomishobo, 2016), Haruki Murakami: Novel as Method—a Decent into the Depths of Memory (Shin-yo-sha, 2019), and A Psychotherapeutic Reading of the Japanese Animated Film “Your Name”: The Power of Invisible Imagery (Shin-yo-sha, 2022).
Though this is primarily an in-person event, attendance is also possible by Zoom. Please register your place at: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/open-seminar-the-concept-of-kami-and-japanese-creative-myth-tickets-560414945187
Essex Myth 