Laura:
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Have you ever walked into a place and felt a giant, whoa?
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Maybe it was standing on top of a
windy hill, finding a secret for in
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the woods, or sitting in a garden
where the flowers smell delicious.
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That feeling like the grounds beneath
your feet is extra special, is
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exactly what we're hunting for today.
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Welcome to Faithfully Explore.
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I'm Laura.
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Today, we're virtually hopping on
a plane to Japan to see the world
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in a whole new way through Shinto.
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In this tradition, the world isn't
just a place where we walk and play.
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It's actually alive with Kami
or special spirit energy.
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Think of it like a silent invitation
to step into a world of pure
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wonder, but how do we find that
wonder in our real everyday lives?
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Let's head to Japan and find out!
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Faithfully Explore! Intro:
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faithfully Explore!
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is the name.
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Learning together is our aim.
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Beliefs around the globe we'll track,
filling up our Belief Backpack.
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Laura: Ready to learn a secret
about how some people see the world.
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It's called Shinto.
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Can you say that with me?
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Shinto Shinto.
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High five.
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You nailed it.
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Shinto is a very old
way of living in Japan.
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It's all about saying thank
you to the world around us.
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Think of it like a giant, lifelong
game of I Spy, where you're looking
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for the beauty and magic in nature.
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Now, let's learn a special word, Kami.
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Say that with me.
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Ka-mi Kami.
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Perfect.
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Now imagine the whole world
is a giant, beautiful house.
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Most of the time, we just see the
walls and the floor, but Shinto
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teaches us that this house has
special guests living in it.
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These guests are the Kami.
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They aren't humans, and they
aren't exactly like superheroes.
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They are powerful spirits.
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Think of it like this:
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The big twisty tree in your
backyard isn't just wood and leaves.
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It is the home of a Kami who
has lived there for hundreds of
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years, watching the forest grow.
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The waterfall you see
isn't just splashing water.
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The roar you hear is the voice
of a Kami showing its strength.
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The wind isn't just air moving.
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It's a Kami traveling across the sky.
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Kami are everywhere in the
mountains, the rivers, the sun, and
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even in some very special people.
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They are the life force or the sparkle
that makes nature feel so alive and whoa.
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Does a Kami have a face?
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Sometimes in stories, they might
look like animals or grand kings,
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but usually they are like the wind.
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You can't see them, but you can
definitely feel their power.
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So where do people go to offer thanks,
prayers, or quiet respect to the Kami?
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They go to a shrine, also called a jinja.
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When we visit a shrine, we aren't just
saying thank you to a tree or a rock.
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We are saying hello to
the spirit inside it.
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It's like noticing a friend is in the
room and giving them a respectful wave.
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You can usually spot a shrine
because it has a big, beautiful
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gate at the entrance called a Torii.
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Walking through that gate is
like entering a respect zone.
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It's a signal to your brain that
you are moving from the busy
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world into a quiet, sacred space.
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At a shrine, people might:
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Offer thanks for a sunny
day or a good grade.
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They might make a wish, like asking
for their family to stay healthy.
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Or they could join a party.
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Shinto festivals are called Matsuri.
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Imagine giant parades, yummy
snacks, and loud music.
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It's like a birthday party for the earth.
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When do people do Shinto?
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There isn't a Shinto school or a
service you can go to every Sunday.
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Instead, Shinto is part of everyday life.
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People visit shrines whenever they feel
like it, maybe on New Year's day, on
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a festival day, or just when they want
a quiet moment to sit under a big tree
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and say, thanks for being awesome world.
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Let's go on a mind trip to one of
the most famous shrines in Tokyo.
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Imagine we are walking on a wide
path made of tiny smooth stones.
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Crunch, crunch, crunch.
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On both sides of us, huge trees
rise up like friendly green giants.
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The light becomes soft and cool as if the
sun is wearing a leafy hat just for us.
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Up ahead, we see the Torii gate.
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It stands quietly like
it's been waiting for us.
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This gate is like the start line.
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Once you walk through it, you
aren't just in a park anymore.
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You're in a special sparkle zone.
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Before we walk through, we pause.
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In Japan, it's polite to give a little
bow before passing under the gate.
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It's like saying, "Hello, I'm
coming in with a respectful heart."
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Try it with me: bow your
head gently and lift.
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Great!
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You just gave the shrine
a respectful hello.
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Now let's step through.
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As we follow the path, the sounds change.
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The city traffic fades away, and
the forest starts to whisper.
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We find a stone basin filled
with ice cold, clear water.
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This is the temizuya.
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People use a long wooden ladle to wash
their hands and rinse their mouth.
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It's like hitting a reset
button on your brain.
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It's a way of telling the Kami.
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I'm washing away the grumpies so I
can be my best self while I'm here."
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Let's practice:
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Hold out your hands.
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Pretend to pour water over
one hand, then the other.
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Take a tiny pretend sip to rinse.
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Now take a deep breath.
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Do you feel a little calmer?
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That's the feeling of temizuya.
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Now look with your imagination,
eyes for two secret Shinto clues.
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Clue number one: the Sacred Rope.
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Look for a thick, twisty straw rope
tied around a tree or a building.
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It's like a do not
disturb sign for the Kami.
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It tells everyone this
spot is extra special.
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Clue number two: the lightning paper.
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Hanging from those ropes are white paper
streamers folding into zigzag shapes.
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They flutter in the wind, like
tiny white lightning bolts.
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Hold up your pointer finger
and draw a zigzag in the air.
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Zigzag, zigzag.
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Boom.
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You just made an invisible streamer.
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Near the entrance to the main building,
you'll see two statues that look
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like a mix between a lion and a dog.
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These are the Komainu, the brave guardians
who protect the shrine from bad vibes.
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Most Komainu come in pairs.
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One has its mouth open and
one has its mouth closed.
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Open your mouth wide like an ah lion dog.
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Now close it tight like a mm lion dog.
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Ah.
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Mmm.
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Ah mmm.
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Now freeze and pretend you're a statue.
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Congratulations.
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You are now an official guardian of calm.
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When people get to the heart of the
shrine, they don't just stand there.
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They use a special rhythm of respect.
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It goes like this.
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2, 2, 1.
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First, they bow twice
deeply from the waist.
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Then they clap twice.
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This wakes up your heart and
says, "Hey Kami, I am here."
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Then they bow one last
time to say thank you.
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Let's try it.
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Bow twice.
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One, two, clap twice.
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One, two.
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And now bow one last time.
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Brooklyn: Laura, do you have
to be Shinto to do that?
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Laura: Great question.
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Anyone can visit a shrine.
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You just have to be a good guest.
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Think of it like visiting
a friend's house.
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You follow their rules, speak quietly,
and say thank you for the visit.
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Before we leave, notice the
colorful wooden plaques and
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paper slips hanging nearby.
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Omikuji are lesson slips.
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You pick one to see what kind of
advice the world has for you today.
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Omamori are tiny, colorful fabric charms.
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People carry them in their backpacks
to remind them of hope, safety,
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even good luck on a math test.
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If you ever see these in real
life, remember they aren't toys.
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They're little pockets of peace
to help you carry the shrine
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sparkle with you wherever you go.
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What do you think?
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If you could make a good luck wish
at a shrine today, what would it be?
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It's game time.
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this is called Respect Detective.
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I'm going to describe a
moment and you decide is it
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respectful or not at a shrine.
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If it's respectful, you whisper respect.
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If it's not respectful,
you shout, try again.
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Ready?
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Moment one: Mohamed runs through the
shrine area yelling, "Look at me!
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Look at me!
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What do you say?
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Definitely, try again.
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Shrines are quiet places.
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Moment two.
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Olivia doesn't understand the
ritual, but watches quietly
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and asks a kind question later.
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What do you say?
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Respect.
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You knew that one!
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Moment three: Leo sees the
hand washing water and splashes
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it like a swimming pool.
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Try again.
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The water is for a
gentle cleansing ritual.
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Moment four: Alexis sees a
beautiful tree tied with sacred
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rope and climbs it for a photo.
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Try again.
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This is disrespectful to a
space that many consider sacred.
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Moment five: Gia notices a candy
wrapper on the ground and quietly
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picks it up and throws it away.
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Ooh, that's a big respect.
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Caring for the place is part
of caring for what's sacred.
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You are excellent respect detectives!
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Now, explorers, put on your Belief
Backpacks because we're about
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to cross the Friendship Bridge.
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let's cross our friendship bridge.
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This bridge connects our
world to a neighbor's world.
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When we visit a new place like a temple,
a church, a mosque, or even a quiet spot
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in the woods, we become kind detectives.
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We look for the beauty.
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We listen to the quiet, and if we
see something we don't understand,
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we use our favorite discovery rule.
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Instead of saying, "That's weird!"
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We say, "Tell me more."
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But Laura, what if I don't
believe in the same things?
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What if I don't believe in Kami.
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Laura: That is totally okay.
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Being a friend doesn't mean
you have to change who you are
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or what your family believes.
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Think of it like visiting a
friend's house for dinner.
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They might have a different favorite
game or eat a different food than you do.
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You don't have to start
liking their food best.
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You just have to be a great guest.
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You can think the Torii gate is beautiful,
enjoy the cool water of temizuya, and
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love the trees all while staying 100% you.
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You can use the Friendship
Bridge everywhere.
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When you meet a new kid at school,
when you smell a lunch that's new to
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you, or when you hear a language that
sounds like music you haven't heard yet.
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Are you ready?
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Let's cross the bridge.
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What's inside our belief
backpack this week?
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First, open your wonder eyes.
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Look closely.
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Can you see the magic in a tiny dewdrop?
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Or hear the secret whisper of the wind?
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Some people call this God.
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Some call it a great mystery,
and others call it Kami.
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When you stop to really look and
really listen, the whole world
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starts to feel like a beautiful gift.
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Second, use your kind body.
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Being respectful isn't just
about thinking, it's about doing.
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Try this: take one giant bow,
breathe in and blow it out slow.
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Now give a tiny, gentle bow.
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When we move our bodies carefully, it
helps our hearts feel calm and ready.
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Third, be a friend to the forest.
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In Shinto, trees, rocks, and
rivers aren't just stuff.
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They are special and alive with spirit.
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Treat a flower like you'd
treat a best friend.
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When we take care of nature, we are
saying thank you to the whole Earth.
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Grab those zippers, pull them up, zip.
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We're ready to go.
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We've learned that Shinto is
about noticing the sparkle in
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nature and being a good guest.
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But what kind of heart
does a Kami really love?
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To find out, let's listen to one
of the most famous stories in
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Japan, The White Rabbit of Anaba.
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Once upon a time in the magical
land of Japan, there lived 80
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brothers who were all young.
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Gods called Kami.
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They were going on a long
trip to meet a princess.
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The 79 older brothers were very
loud and a little bit bossy.
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They marched in front wearing
fancy clothes and talking
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about how great they were.
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The youngest brother, Okuninushi,
walked at the very back.
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Because he was the youngest,
his big brothers made him
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carry all of their heavy bags.
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He had so many bags piled on
his back that he looked like a
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walking mountain of suitcases.
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When the big brothers reached
the beach, they saw a little
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white rabbit crying in the sand.
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The poor rabbit had no fur,
and its skin was red and sore.
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" Why are you crying?
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Little Bunny," the brother asked,
but they weren't being very nice.
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They were actually giggling.
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The rabbit told them a secret.
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"I wanted to cross the
ocean, so I played a trick.
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I told the sea crocodiles to
line up so I could count them.
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I hopped across their backs like a
bridge, but when I reached the end.
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I laughed, and I told them I tricked them.
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One crocodile got very grumpy
and pulled off my fur."
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The mean brothers laughed even louder.
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They gave the rabbit
some really bad advice.
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"Go swim in the salty ocean, then lie
on top of a windy hill to dry off.
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That'll fix it."
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The rabbit did what they said,
but the salt made its skin sting.
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The wind made it feel even worse.
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The poor rabbit sat on the
sand and cried big sad tears.
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A long time later, Okuninushi
finally arrived, huffing and
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puffing under all those heavy backs.
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When he saw the rabbit, he didn't laugh.
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He dropped all the bags.
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Thump!
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And ran over to help.
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"Oh no.
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You look like you've had a very bad day."
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Okuninushi said softly.
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He listened to the rabbit's story.
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Then he gave the rabbit some help.
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"Go to the river where the
water is cool and fresh.
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Wash off all that itchy salt until
your skin feels nice and clean.
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Find the tall, fuzzy plants called
cattails, growing by the water.
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Gather their soft yellow pollen.
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Roll around in that soft pollen.
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It's like a warm golden blanket that will
protect your skin and help you heal."
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The rabbit did exactly what
Okuninushi said as soon as he
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rolled in the golden pollen.
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Poof.
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His soft white fur grew back
faster than you can blink.
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The rabbit wasn't just a regular bunny.
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He was a magical messenger.
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He looked up at Okuninushi with a
twitchy nose and said, "Your brothers
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might act big and tough, but you
are the one with the hero's heart.
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You are the one the princess will choose."
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And the rabbit was right!
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Even though his brothers got there first,
the Princess saw right through them . She
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chose to marry Okuninushi because he was
the only one brave enough to be gentle.
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Okuninushi became a great leader
and a protector of the land.
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In fact, he was so full of love and
sparkle that he eventually became one
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of the most famous Kami in all of Japan.
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Today, people still visit his grand
shrine to say thank you to the Kami
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of Kindness and Happy Families.
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The lesson: being a hero isn't about
being the loudest or the fastest.
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It's about having a heart that is helpful,
respectful, ready to do the right thing.
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When you choose kindness,
you're acting just like a Kami.
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Just like Okuninushi we've carried
a lot in our backpacks today.
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We learned that being a hero isn't
about being the loudest or the fastest.
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It's about having a heart that stops to
help, A heart that listens, and a heart
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that sees the sparkle in everything.
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Brooklyn: I'm going to look
for the sparkles today.
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Laura: I'll bet you'll find them maybe in
a ladybug, a bright green leaf, or even
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in the way you help a friend at school.
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Thank you for being such brave and
respectful explorers with me today.
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You've been listening
to Faithfully Explore.
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I'm Laura and I'm so glad we could learn
about the whispers of the Kami together.
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Before you go, give yourself one big happy
clap to wake up your heart for the day.
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Until next time, stay curious,
stay kind, and keep exploring
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that wonderful world around you.
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Faithfully Explore! Outro:
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Faithfully Explore!
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is about you.
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Let's grow kinder together, it's true!
