Hello, and thank you for having this thread!

I first found out about Shinto in college about 17 years ago, in a comparative-religion course. I was drawn to it right away because of its focus on nature. I think we also saw a video of a Shinto shrine in Japan, which was in a hilly area with a stream/waterfall near it. I loved the greenness and peace of the site, and the sound of the running water. It was a peaceful feeling I'd never felt before.

I'm a European-descended Westerner, and somewhere along the line I got the notion that Shinto wouldn't be very available to me here in Midwestern America, or that it wouldn't be realistic for me to practice it, or even that I may not be completely welcome for cultural reasons. (My college did a good job celebrating diversity, but not such a good job of sharing common ground between cultures/traditions -- in my experience, that is.)

I'm very glad someone posted about European traditions that are similar to Shinto.

Over the past year, I've been on a religious search. Somehow the way it's gone so far has got me stuck between Catholicism and Buddhism. The two have a lot in common, but I feel like I relate more to the saints than to the spirits in Buddhism (in the branches where there are spirits...). This is probably because I don't know enough about Buddhism.

The actual priests and other Catholic church employees I've talked to have been wonderful. They have tried to integrate psychological health with Catholic worship.

I agree that Buddhism can be very cerebral. A wonderful person here on Beliefnet recommended Jodo Shinshu to me, and it looks wonderful. Still, I can't decide. All I know is I seem to have a deep need for nature and for supernatural "people" to pray to.

I did participate (just as a visitor/musician really) in a European-style pagan Solstice celebration last December 21st. The spiritual experience I received from it was marveling at nature, even in small things like evergreen branches and bird feathers: the way they were constructed.... it's hard to explain.

Does it look possible for someone like me to practice Shinto?

Meanwhile, I'll check out the helpful links people have posted. Thank you!!

Blessings in any language --
D.