Purification, Ritual in June for Happiness through Year: Chi no Wa Kuguri
Japanese like purification. Since ancient times, the Japanese have spent the year doing this Shinto ritual, keeping their mind clean and full of energy. An annual ritual held at shrines in June is “Chi no Wa Kuguri” which passes through a ring of bunch of “kaya,”a type of plant.
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| Chi no Wa Kuguri at Tokyo Daijingu |
Many Japanese people go to shrines to have their consciousness purified. June is liable to rain and it is easy to get slack inside. Moreover, it is a turning point for one year, so it is also important to remember the beginning of the year.
The Way to purify by Chi no Wa Kuguri
It is common to go through the figure 8 three times while chanting. The most basic way to go through a kaya ring is as follows.
- 1st lap: Bowing in front, crossing Kaya's ring with your left foot, and returning to the front in a counterclockwise direction
- 2nd lap: Bowing in front, straddle Kaya's ring with your right foot, and turn right to return to the front
- 3rd lap: Bowing in front, crossing Kaya's ring with your left foot, and returning to the front in a counterclockwise direction
- Finally, bow in front and cross the ring of Kaya with your left foot to go to the main shrine and worship.
You can chant mantra without saying aloud. Typical one is:
- Harae tamae, (please eliminate troubles)
- Kiyome tamae, (please purify me)
- Mamori tamae, (please protect me)
- Sakihae tamae (please make me prosper)
Purify while experiencing "8"
Passing through the big circle of Chi no Wa Kuguri while chanting the mantra is a casual mystical experience. It also makes a lot of sense to move to the figure "8." In the unconscious dimension, "8" means eternal richness and reincarnation. It is also an infinity mark. Passing through the circle and turning to figure eight, I feel refreshed by being released from the mysterious and trivial daily hassles. If you can imagine yourself in the shape of a figure that circles between the circles in a figure to be purified, you can do it in a room without a kaya ring.
