Litha Altar

It's a bit late now for pictures, I suppose, but I did want to share some insight into my Litha altar from earlier this month because it highlights a couple of new design elements.

If you're familiar with how I usually lay out my altar, it's pretty immediately obvious what one of those changes is - I've got my BOS moved over to the left side instead of centered. I actually don't like that as much, because it feels a little off-balance to me, but I just bought the navy blue altar cloth at Kinkakuji in Kyoto, and I didn't want my binder covering up the design. Naturally, it got covered up anyway. Go figure.

I also bought this little guy in Japan - he's my new (read: only) crystal ball. In actuality, I'm reasonably sure the ball is glass, but it works as a focus point, and it's being held by a precious little bunny, so how could I refuse?

And then there's this. I mentioned it a few posts ago, but this is a (bad) picture of my new chalice from Aunt C. It's hard to tell with the poor lighting, but it has a purple triple moon symbol on it with a triquetra in the middle.

Finally, this little guy is a Daruma doll. I'll probably blog more extensively about them later (especially if and when I use it), but in essence, one paints a single eye black and makes a wish, and then paints the other eye when the wish is fulfilled.

July 3rd, 2014

Kinkakuji Temple

Kinkakuji is a Zen Buddhist temple located in Kyoto, Japan, and was founded in 1397. The original building was burned down during the Onin war; in 1950, it was burned down again by a monk later diagnosed with schizophrenia and a persecution complex. The present structure was rebuilt in 1955, and is one of the most famous temples in the island nation, attracting huge numbers of tourists annually. The name "Kinkakuji", translated as "Golden Pavilion", comes from the exterior of the temple itself, which is coated in a layer of gold leaf. The gold is used as a purifier of the worshippers, mitigating pollution in the soul and negating unhealthy attitudes towards death. Beyond the beauty of the building itself, the temple is noted for its extensive gardens, which are considered an excellent example of the Muromachi design style.

The Pavilion is sacred for a number of reasons. For one, it functions as a "shariden", holding the Buddha's ashes. It also houses a hall of worship for Kannon Bosatsu, the Japanese goddess of mercy. Known in other Buddhist sects as Avalokiteśvara, or "The God Who Looks Down", Kannon is a Bodhisattva embodying the compassion in all manifestations of Buddha. According to Mahayana doctrine, this Bodhisattva has sworn to refuse its own Buddhahood until all sentient beings have achieved Nirvana. 

Wikipedia (because nothing on that website is ever wrong //sarcasm font//) lists the Japanese mantra to Kannon as "おん あるりきゃ そわか" or "On Arurikya Sowaka".

The temple. The building is not actually open to visitors so far as I could tell (I think it's open only to monks), but there's a boardwalk all around the lake, and plenty of opportunities to make donations and pray outdoors. 

The phoenix roof ornament with a crow sitting on top. Japanese phoenixes have the same essential meaning of life and rebirth that they do in other parts of the world.

Me with the temple - proof that these aren't just photos from Google Images.

At all the shrines and temples we went to, the expectation was that one would donate some small amount of money (usually the equivalent of a dollar or less) before praying. Here, the most powerful prayers are those where the visitor's coin lands in the little metal bowl. As my history teacher put it: "Buddhists were the original capitalists".

At this temple, I bought a safe travel amulet, as well as a wooden bracelet for my uncle (it seemed like the sort of thing he would wear) that is supposed to convey good health.