Finding Stillness at the Gates: Shinto Beliefs, Forest Spirits, and the Power of Outdoor Painting

Miyajima

I’ve just returned from Japan, and the experience left me both grounded and inspired. One of the most striking elements of my journey was encountering torii gates—those iconic red gateways that mark sacred spaces. Whether rising dramatically in the midst of a bustling city or standing quietly in a rural forest path, these gates in Shinto belief represent a transition between the human and the divine.

Shinto, an ancient Japanese religion, teaches deep respect for nature and forest spirits. These spirits, known as kami, are honored in everyday rituals, and their presence is felt in the trees, the wind, the mountains. As I stood before these gates, I felt a powerful shift—the boundary between the physical world and the spiritual one seemed to blur. The woods around me felt alive, as though unseen eyes were watching, inviting connection, asking for reverence.

This deep reverence for the natural world brought me back to my time working with South American shamans. In their traditions too, honoring Mother Earth and all her beings is at the core of spiritual practice. Across cultures and continents, the message is clear: we are not separate from nature—we are part of it. And to truly see ourselves, we must slow down and listen.

A Shinto monk once wrote, “Take a rest and find who you are.” That line stayed with me throughout the trip. Watching locals bow to the gates, I was moved by the simplicity and power of that act—a moment of mindfulness and respect in the midst of daily life.

This experience reminded me why outdoor painting—especially landscape art—is so essential to my own practice. When we paint in nature, we’re not just observing the world around us. We’re entering into a dialogue with it. Sitting still, tuning into birdsong, watching the light shift across leaves or water—these small moments of attention anchor us in the present. The longer you sit with the land, the more it reveals. Details emerge. Intuition awakens. Time expands.

In our current moment—so full of noise, uncertainty, and overwhelm—these quiet rituals matter more than ever. Mindfulness through art isn’t a luxury; it’s a necessity. It’s a way to come back to yourself and reconnect with what truly matters.

If you’re feeling pulled in too many directions, I invite you to step outside, bring a sketchbook or some paints, and just sit. You don’t need to “create a masterpiece.” You just need to show up. Let the landscape speak. You might be surprised by what you hear.