Otakiage Completed

The burned fiercely, atop the snow covered ground.

The many articles from last year were purified and then added to the pyre, returning the energy to the realm of the kami.

So many blessings and protections—we offered prayers of gratitude for the gifts received from these amulets. And many personal notes were sent, writing of  experiences of protection and healing.

Thank you to all who attended in person, and who sent in their omamori, ofuda, and other shrine items.

One thing in particular that I noticed on this day:  birdsong.  The snowstorm had ended, although still blanketing the ground. And it seemed that the birds knew the seasonal cycle was moving toward spring. There was a different lilt to their songs—a brightness that I associate with the coming of spring.

It all went hand in hand with the renewal and purification.