Oharai: The Ritual of Great Purification

'Oharai' (お祓い) is one of the most important concepts in Shinto. It refers to the general rituals of purification performed to cleanse a person, place, or object of 'kegare' (穢れ), a state of pollution or defilement. This is not a moral judgment like 'sin' in Western religions, but rather a temporary impurity caused by contact with death, disease, blood, or wrongdoing, which dulls one's spiritual vitality and offends the kami. Being in a state of purity ('kiyome') is essential before approaching the kami, and oharai is the means to achieve this state of spiritual cleanliness.

The Role of the Haraegushi

The ritual is typically performed by a Shinto priest ('kannushi'), who uses a purification wand called a 'haraegushi' (祓串). This wand, made of a wooden stick with zigzag-shaped paper streamers ('shide') attached, is waved over the subject of purification in a specific left-right-left motion. The rustling of the paper is believed to absorb the impurities and transfer them away. This can be done for individuals attending a ceremony, for new cars to ensure traffic safety ('jidosha oharai'), or before a groundbreaking ceremony for a new building ('jichinsai') to purify the land. The priest often chants a prayer ('norito') during the ritual, calling on the kami of purification to assist in the cleansing.

The Great Purification

A major form of this ritual, the 'Ōharae' (大祓, Great Purification), is performed at shrines nationwide twice a year, on the last day of June and December. This is a chance for the entire community, and indeed the entire nation, to be purified of all the transgressions and defilements accumulated over the previous six months. During this ceremony, worshippers often use 'katashiro' (形代), small paper dolls representing themselves. They breathe on the dolls and rub them on their bodies to transfer their impurities onto the paper. These katashiro are then collected and destroyed by the priest—often by burning or casting them into a river or the sea—symbolizing the removal of the impurities and allowing everyone to face the next half of the year with a fresh, purified start.

"To be clean is to be close to the divine. Oharai washes the dust from the soul."

The concept of oharai is central to the Shinto worldview. It is a proactive and optimistic faith that believes impurity is not a permanent stain, but a temporary state that can be cleansed. The digital ritual on our platform, where you perform bows and claps before your wish is sent, is a modern interpretation of this purification process. It's a mindful pause, a way to virtually cleanse your intentions and prepare your heart before approaching the kami, ensuring your wish is sent from a place of sincerity and respect, in the true spirit of oharai.