Anime Lectio: The Idaten Deities Only Know Peace

                                                              1. Why do Anime Lectio? 

Anime Lectio is a time for us to stop and take a breath. Between work, activities, family life, and social media, our minds are always moving. We rarely take time to contemplate and ask, why am I watching this anime? What’s the point of all this? And, how is this making me feel? 

2. Put away all distractions 

(phones, work, etc.)

We are so enslaved to things that stimulate our minds. Let this be a moment for us to free our minds, look inside of ourselves, and be at peace.

3. Deep Breathing

Take several deep breaths. Let your mind relax. If you’ve had any questions, desires, or struggles that you’ve been hiding or stuffing away, let them rise up to the surface. 

4. Open yourself to God’s Presence

Remember God places all our thoughts and desires inside of us, and He uses them to draw us closer to Himself. God gives us a community to help us understand who we are and what He is calling us to do. The faces of other people you know and don't know are like signs of God’s presence.  

5. Think About What’s on Your Mind in Relation to the Anime

Think about what’s been on your mind in relation to the anime.  The following is an example of such thoughts written by me.

When we ask for people to help us with something, we usually have a certain way of asking for this help. When we want help, we want it in a certain way, which is our way. The help you get may not be given in the way you ask for it, but you still get it depending on who you are asking for help, what they think about what you are asking for, and what you need, not just want. This is how prayer works, which isn't only important in life at all times, and in all ways, but also in this anime.

6. Brief and written explanation of the anime

Pay attention to how the brief and written explanation of the anime seen on this blog, or seeing the anime for yourself since that's better than any explanation, might “speak” to you or shed light on the things that have been on your minds.

The anime starts off in an era of unprecedented peace where the current "Idaten," or "battle," deities only know of peaceful times with the exception of one who was still around 800 years ago when demons threatened the existence of mankind, but were sealed away by other "Idaten" deities.  The one who was still around during the demon threat was entrusted by the other "Idatan" deities to protect the seal they made in order to seal themselves away with the demons, which is why she is serious when it comes to training the current "Idaten" deities (and is serious herself when it comes to fighting).  The demons do become a threat again and the "Idaten," as well as humanity itself, need to prepare themselves for this threat, which they do in their own ways.

7. Reflect on the anime

Has this brief and written explanation of the anime, or seeing the anime, shed any light on what's been on your mind? The following is an example of a reflection on the anime from me.

As I said when thinking about what's on my mind in relation to the anime, prayer isn't only important in life at all times, and in all ways, but also in this anime, and prayer works in a certain way. In the anime, the "Idaten" deities are a response to the prayers of humanity, but they answer these prayers in a certain way. Instead of saving all of humanity, they focus on saving who they can in order to focus on stopping the threat of the demons. The "Idatens" also have their own personality. While some are interested in fighting, either to save others or to just get stronger, others are more interested in using their minds to think about how to solve the demon problem without fighting or having other people do the fighting for them. This is also true on the demon side as well, meaning that the demons have their own personalities and ideas of what to do about the "Idatens." Humanity is made of people with their own personalities and ideas. Other beings, like demons and "Idaten," are no exception to this.

8. Final Prayer

Please voice any prayer intentions for friends, family, or people around the world that relate to this anime. The following is an example written by me.

Let us pray for an understanding of what we need and not just want, as well as realize that who we pray to has their own wants and needs.