SPIRIT-PROTECTION GUIDE
It is well known that Karakura is a graveyard, and restless souls who can’t find their way stay on this island far past their expiration date. It is almost as if its hauntings are what make the town famous.
But not everyone is drawn to the supernatural and even wishes to avoid it.
Today, we will discuss various methods to protect yourself from phantoms and ghosts that haunts around every corner.
Definition of Spirits
“The non-physical part of a person, which is the seat of emotions and character; the soul.”
Malevolent spirits bring dread, misfortune, and woe on those who have the ill luck of encountering one.
Benevolent spirits are helpful & positive, unlike their sinister counterparts. They are usually deceased loved ones, coming back to watch over you.
As we are closing in on October, we can’t avoid the blanket of dread draping our shoulders; we know what’s coming. But how do we prepare for it? For those who wish to avoid the encounters this ghost town brings, this report is for you.
There are things you can do to prepare and guard yourself from wandering souls.
There are classic methods, such as using salt; you sprinkle it around your property, which will purify the space and protect your peace. It’s considered a purification agent, easy and accessible to repel spirits.
More superstitious methods include placing scissors beneath your pillow, which was believed to ward off malevolent creatures and bad dreams.
The shrine is the location you want to go to regarding spirits, their traditional ways prove the most effective. The lovely maiden Amai put together a list for me to share and offers wonderful insight into the work they commit to.
The shrine suggests:
- Be sure to carry around something containing pure energy. Ofuda are primarily used for this as they ward off the spirits and mostly prevent them from being able to do you harm, as it contrasts with their negative energy. Other items like Omamori and Vials of blessed water can be useful too. The Omamori are naturally carrying the pure energy; the one best used for protection would be the protection one, of course. As for the Vial of Bless water, anyone can get that from the Onsen (The hotsprings at the shrine) as all the water there is blessed, it carries out the same purpose as the Ofuda and Omamori, but you can also sprinkle the blessed water around you to purify the space and if you're brave enough, chuck the water at the spirit.
- The use of shimenawa is only for cleansing land, rooms, etc. Shimenawa traps the negative energy within its ropes, including spirits. When a spirit is being particularly aggressive, it is encouraged that people come to the shrine to report it, and in serious situations, a sealing ceremony is conducted, which will leave the maiden or priest bedridden for weeks. The ceremony is very difficult.
- Lastly, just don't go seeking out the spirits. It's like being in a horror movie and peeking around the corner to see if the killer is there or not, a bad idea. The less you seek them, the safer you and the rest of the people will be.
My personal favorite is putting holy water in a spray-flask, efficient and fast!
There is a great amount of solutions and tricks to protect yourself from the undead, or if you wish to be protected at all, that is.
However, there is more than one way to guard yourself. Here, I have included a short list of what other religions do to practice ghost-safety. A broad spectrum of methods to ward away the evil.
Buddhism
In Buddhism, to protect yourself from the other side, you use your goodness as a shield; spirits cannot enter unless you let them inside.
Catholic
In catholicism, living a spiritual and virtuous life protects you from spirits.
Hinduism
In Hinduism, they can choose to do spiritual practices to guard themselves, such as chanting mantras and prayers to specific gods or goddesses. Wearing charms or yantras is said to help, too.
Islam
In Islam, spirits are referred to as ‘Jinn’, and it is counselled to seek refuge in Allah to truly protect oneself from trickster spirits. It is also said that you consistently read specific verses in the Quran.
It is safe to say that there are a lot of methods you can try to avoid interactions with the undead, and remember to reach out to spirits with the risks in mind. You never know who you might be talking to or who might be trying to trick you.
Stay safe!
I know I will.
