Make a Wish
Ema, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Ema, Fushimi Inari Shrine
Ema, Kitano Tenmangu Shrine
Post of the Day: Adding a bit of light to the darkness as we get through the pandemic together.
This series features travel photos from my archives, shared with you while staying close to home.
July 27th, 2020
Ema, or Japanese wishing plaques, are found at temples throughout Japan. Purchase an ema by making a donation, then write your wish on the ema and and hang it up to release your wish to the kami (spirits). The ema hang until burned during a temple ritual or special event.
Tomorrow, we’ll visit Kitano Tenmangu Shrine and the monthly flea market which takes place around it.
Until then,
Kelly
compassandcamera.wordpress.com 
Cool! I love to see the ways different cultures send out prayers and wishes. I just looked this one up, and I see that the burning after a while symbolizes the liberation of the wish from the person who wished for it. Which then made me think of the Buddhist concept of non-attachment, which made me wonder why they were wishing for things in the first place! I don’t know enough about any of it, but I like the idea of wishing or praying for something but then relinquishing it (hopefully after it’s been granted!).
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It’s SO interesting that you mention non-attachment. It has been top of my mind for the past week. I’ve been thinking a lot about this and how much attachment affects daily life, especially when things are so not normal right now. I think it’s important to hope and wish, but maybe letting things go allows them to return in another form. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, mind-reader twin from a parallel universe, LOL! 🙂
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And thank YOU for putting that positive spin on letting things go. Right now I am feeling very attached to an old way of life, and it’s hurting me. I rarely get attached to things, but I do suffer from nostalgia and wishing for certain routines or freedoms that are really gone right now and may not be coming back. I am going to follow my mid-reader twin’s thinking for a few days (at least) and see if that helps!
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Let’s focus on it together and see where it takes us. I have a milestone birthday coming up soon, and it’s been completely thwarted by the virus. All the ideas I had of how I wanted to celebrate are out the window. I’m in the process of releasing my attachment to them. Looking forward to seeing what shows up instead!!
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Again, Kelly, this reminds me of Burning Man and the thousands of messages that people leave in the temple to be sent skyward when the temple burns. –Curt
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Cool! Yes! Very much the same! Although they don’t burn the temple in Japan, LOL. 🙂
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I always have mixed feelings about the burning of the Temple at Burning Man, Kelly, since they are often such beautiful structures! But the message is powerful. –Curt
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I wish we had temple traditions like this somewhere near me. People would have sooooo many wishes to post — and even though there’s no checking to see which have come true, it’s the act of wishing, hoping, praying that makes many of us feel fulfilled and hopeful. Thanks for sharing these pics.
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That is an EXCELLENT point. The act of wishing, hoping and praying is so important. This would be a really inspiring and hopeful tradition to be able to do right now in these difficult times. We could all use some hope. ♥
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