Goshintai is the bunkon (shared spirit) in which the Spirit of Ōyamanezunomikoto is sealed. Let’s keep our precious goshintai (bunkon) in our hands and live each day feeling the presence of Kami. By coming into contact with Shinji every day, we become aware of the way we hold our kokoro—what we need to correct, and what we need to work on. We can put this into practice only by offering kigan through the goshintai. You will steadily learn how to live in a way that brings you joy and fulfillment.

 

December 15, 2024  Seikon no Gi

This is a ritual in which a Kami ’s Shisha uses the power of Kami to purify the kokoro of each shinja and to place the Spirit of Kami into goshintai for the new year. Kami ’s power resides in it to protect each person by anticipating the movements of the new year so that they can live a fulfilling life every day.

January 23, 2025 Seirei no Gi

This is a ritual in which a Kami ’s Shisha removes the Spirit of Kami from the previous year’s goshintai that has been returned. Also, it is held to purify each person’s thoughts that have been put into goshintai. There, each person’s jittai will also be enhanced.

Receive goshintai as soon as possible as the new year approaches

As it turns to a new year, please be the first to receive goshintai prepared for the new year at the Shinsōhonbu or Hikari no Yakata nationwide. In order to avoid the concentration of people, Shinsōhonbu will have a designated time for people living in different areas from January 1st to January 2nd. Please check the event schedule for Hikari no Yakata.

Please return the previous year’s goshintai as soon as possible.

The year’s worth of thoughts is put in the previous year’s goshintai. Please be sure to return the goshintai by the date below so that it can be thoroughly purified at Seirei no Gi on January 23rd. If you are living overseas or are unable to return the goshintai after January 23rd, please return it as soon as possible.

Please Exchange Kankazari and Shimekazari Before the New Year

Kami ’s Spirit is sealed in Goshintai, and it is the basis for saving each person. In order to enshrine this object of worship, it is important to show respect by setting up an altar, setting up kankazari and shimekazari, and preparing offerings. Every year, on December 15th, when Seikon no Gi is held, each family’s altar at home should be cleansed and kankazari and shimekazari should be exchanged to prepare for the arrival of a new goshintai. Please wrap the old kankazari and shimekazari in paper and dispose of them at home.

The correct way to enshrine goshintai is listed in the Shinja’s Guide located at Nanohana Hiroba. As the new year begins, let’s enshrine goshintai as soon as possible.

*Please purchase shimekazari that is the right size for the place where you will be enshrining the goshintai. Shimekazari No. 2 is suitable for conventional altar. Shimekazari No. 1 is suitable for the new type altar with narrower width. Please be sure to order the correct one.

Purify Anjukyo and celebrate the New Year

In the morning and evening, we greet Kami as well as the souls of our deceased ancestors. It is important to convey our gratitude to our families every day so that we can respect to our hotoke and connect our family’s spiritual path.

Anjukyo is the hotoke no za in each family where the souls of the deceased and ancestors are enshrined. There, not only a frame inscribed with the name of the deceased Shinshi, but also a frame inscribed with the souls of our ancestors from generation to generation, and greetings are placed there even for families who have not yet sent their family members to the spirit world.
Before we welcome the new year, let’s repurify Anjukyo as well as the Goshinkyo (altar). For families who do not yet have an Anjukyo, let’s take this opportunity when the pathway to Anmyōden was built this year, to prepare a new one for the home to further connect the Kokoro no Michi.
Instructions on how to set up Anjukyo can be found in the Shinja’s Guide located at Nanohana Hiroba.