Look what I just bought!

[AsahinaKimi]

Its called an Omamori. This one has the Asahina kamon (Family symbol) on it. What is an Omamori?


Understanding Omamori


These are small amulets you get in both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples called omamori, which are for protection. In Tanabe’s and Reader’s excellent book, Practically Religious, they describe omamori this way:

Omamori are amulets that represent manifestations of a spiritual entity such as a god or buddha….These amulets normally consist of a prayer or some form of religious inscription, invocation, or sacred text placed in a brocade bag or similar container and carried on the person. Sacralized by religious rituals that transform them into busshin (spiritual offshoots) or kesshin (manifestations) of the deity, they are physical objects that contain the spiritual essence and powers of a deity or buddha. (pg. 46)

The notion of spiritual offshoots is a feature of Shinto religion, but Reader and Tanabe talk about the notion of migawari omamori , substituting for the bearer, taking on the bad fortune themselves) in the context of Buddhist amulets too. There are many stories of Jizo Bodhisattva for instance taking the place of someone in order to protect them from harm, both in antiquity and even contemporary life.

Anyway, omamori come in various sizes, styles, and for different types of protection: health, passing exams, safe childbirth, love, traffic safety and general protection. It’s very common to pick up one at a famous temple or shrine if you visit, and as you can see, I’ve picked up a few. These are not all the Omamori in our home, but the ones I could readily find:

more...http://jkllr.net/2011/04/14/omamori/

[Fozzledick]

1. I'm wondering what sect reveres Hello Kitty.

Is she a Bodhisattva now, or perhaps a fearful demon?

[AsahinaKimi]

2. As you might guess Children

go with their parents to the Shinto Shrines and are taught what to do and how to behave.


It must all seem very scary and strange to them at first. Seeing a Hello Kitty Omomori would be something they would know, and so be comforting to them, that such a familiar image is there to help them feel at home at the Shrine.


I think its wonderful that they can find something of comfort at the shrines.

You can see here more hello kitty Omamori available for purchase.

[Fozzledick]

3. The sentimentalist in me thinks that's just so cute.

But the cynic in me is thinking of a Hindu saying about giving a child a yellow leaf to stop them from crying for gold.

[Paul E Ester]

5. The hello kitty decoration is because you are supposed to keep these with you.

They are meant to be kept on your person, for a child you might attach it to their backpack so the amulet is with them. The outside is just a case, the inside has the particular prayer written on a paper inside, which is the magic part.

I'm told you are not supposed to open them and look at the paper inside. At some point they would get worn out and you'd bring it to the temple to burn it. I keep mine in a pocket in my bag.

[ellisonz]

4. Cool!

[SoapBox]

6. Very interesting.

Thanks for this.