Ama and Amakami
The words that we study in this article all begin with ama which is written with the cosmic allograph for the Wosite a . Ama is the Wosite word for cosmos, which includes sun, stars, and galaxies. It also describes a highly respected person. The a in ama is written with the cosmic spiral of a.
Kami is a word from ancient times which is still used today. Kami is a powerful force of nature or a person who possesses great power and has earned great respect. Amakami is a special term, a title, for a secular-spiritual leader in Wosite times. Amakami was a leader who stayed connected with Ama Cosmos. Amateru is the best-known Amakami in Hotuma Tutae. Let us try to understand Amakami through Wosite analysis.
First, for Ama, look at the right of the illustration below, and note how Ama is written in Wosite. The usual form of a has been replaced by a spiral that opens to the left. This is a special ideogram, an allograph, of a when it is associated with Cosmos or Universe. In Wosite analysis, we treat it the same as the basic circular utuho-tai for a.
The ideogram below it in the figure is ma, the circle of utuho-tai with an overlaid T-glyph indicating strong will. Therefore Ama refers to the energy from the Original Presence, the presence that originated Universe.
Finally the term we analyze is amakami. The ideogram for ka means shining, as in kaguya. It also implies megumi wo watasu, sending blessings. Mi is a wind-like energy which is balanced and sent down. The amakami of the past always shone brightly for his people, sending them abundance equally, without thought of personal gain.
Amanohara (also Ahara) has important meanings in ancient Japanese. (See our later posts on Ahara and Takamanohara.) Amanohara is the place of the Amakami’s Congress. Amakami as the leader communicated with Ame Cosmos and the ancestors who returned there. This meeting of communication with Universe was held at the miya, Amakami’s residence. The meeting is called maturi.
Although now we think of matsuri as a festival at a miya Shinto shrine, the original meaning of maturi was connecting with Universe and its laws for the welfare of the people. By connecting with Universe, Amakami was following the Amenaru-miti, the Laws of Universe. This was Amakami’s most important responsibility.
Amanohara has the greater meanng of Cosmos and all the Laws of Universe. Regretfully now, these meanings of Amanohara have been lost to modern people.
Amemiwoya is the Great Source, that which produced Universe, the essence of existence. Amemiwoya generated Universe, and is the Presence of the Origin. Amemiwoya is Energy from the Original Presence. Amemiwoya taught the To no Wosite, the Amenaru-Michi, and other great teachings of The Way.
Ame is the universe. Mi is a high honorific of great respect. Woya usually means parent. But Amemiwoya is not a person, rather “Something Immensely Great”.