Omamori

[marzsomeone]

Anyone owns Omamori from Shrines? I am thinking of getting one for my family. However, I understand that these have to be destroyed - Otakiage, at the end of the year. anyone doing so?

 

[MajiMax]

Just do it whenever you get to re visit the shrine lo, I just did it yesterday, holding it for two years.

 

[purpleberry]

Just do it whenever you get to re visit the shrine lo, I just did it yesterday, holding it for two years.

You discarded it at the same temple?

 

[MajiMax]

Ya, impromptu trip to Kyoto when I was at Okayama for day trip then go back hakata at night

 

[thwysg]

Just do it whenever you get to re visit the shrine lo, I just did it yesterday, holding it for two years.

Oops, what if they were still somewhere in the house and I didn't get to revisit the shrines? I bought quite many omamori from different shrines to give away.

 

[dimitri_can]

just dispose at any temple.

 

[MajiMax]

Oops, what if they were still somewhere in the house and I didn't get to revisit the shrines? I bought quite many omamori from different shrines to give away.

If you buy to give away then the person you give to, doesn't know have to discard properly, how? That's the reason I never buy for ppl lol.

 

[kanashii23]

TIL of Otakiage . Bought quite a number to give to ppl from Kiyomizu dera 2 years ago

 

[Foress]

omg i never throw away sia must throw one??!?

 

[thwysg]

omg i never throw away sia must throw one??!?

You're not supposed to throw. It's not respectful for these charms to end up in the rubbish bins. Thus you return them to the shrine so that they can burn at the end of the year.

 

[marzsomeone]

Ya will be good if can know someone from Japan, so can renew the omamori and help us send it back to the shrine for the Otakiage

 

[kifo]

there is a way to dispose of the omamori without going through the otakiage... I see if I can google it up

 

[kifo]

here is the proper way to dispose off the omamori at home properly

1. 半紙か白い紙、なければ新聞紙の上にお守りを置きます。

2. 塩を、お守りの左・右・左の順にかけます。

3. 紙でくるんで処分します。

 

[thwysg]

here is the proper way to dispose off the omamori at home properly

Even for those with the cute pouches? I could always use the salt to cleanse but that's just for the papers right?

 

[XasakuraX]

If i want to keep them ok? Or must return back at shrines after 1yr?

 

[kifo]

yup as far as I know, you dispose off the pouches too... I return the whole omamori to the shrine as well.

 

[kifo]

If i want to keep them ok? Or must return back at shrines after 1yr?

you can read a basic introduction to what is the purpose behind the omamori on Wikipedia

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Omamori

it also explains why you don't open the pouch, so naturally you dispose off the entire omamori...

 

[stanley_home]

i was thinking about this today, actually bought a few for friend n relative. then saw people throwing white envelopes at a bin in temple. realise siao liao need return...

 

[marzsomeone]

Found this on a site

Omamori have a limited lifespan. They are usually considered only effective for one year, or until they become damaged. If something bad happened to the omamori, it breaks or gets destroyed, then it's doing its job. Especially with migawari omamori 身代わり お守り, which acts as a "scapegoat", the thinking goes that the bad things happen to the omamori and not to you. Omamori should be replaced every year because otherwise they will absorb too much bad luck or run out of spiritual power. This ties in with Shinto beliefs about the importance of renewal. For a religion that tears down and rebuilds its most important shrine every 20 years, replacing a little omamori every year doesn't seem like such an inconvenience.

You shouldn't just chuck it in the trash. That's considered disrespectful. Instead, you should take it back to a Shinto shrine, ideally the same one you bought it from. At larger shrines, especially at busy times like New Year, there might even be a disposal box or an omamori conveyor belt to take your used charm to be ritually purified and burned in a ceremony. Otherwise, just return the omamori to a shrine or temple attendant. They'll know what to do. You can pick up a new omamori while you're there.

If you don't live in Japan, all this can seem rather daunting. Popping down to a shrine isn't that easy. There is a Shinto shrine in America that will dispose of your omamori properly if you mail it to them. However, don't get too worried about omamori disposal. Plenty of Japanese people keep them for longer than a year. One of my high school students still has the study omamori his mother gave him on his first day of elementary school. Some are even passed down in families. So if you want to keep your omamori, go ahead.

 

[Morugana]

Just keep it forever as a memento