God wasn't just inside the shrine. What the God of the Toilet taught me | Sakuragi Shrine #45

How are you doing?
I'm Yuiho, currently training to be a walking power spot✨

When I first started visiting shrines, I was only concerned with
“What kind of blessings will I receive?”
that sort of thing.

But now, more than the blessings,

“I felt this way today”

I find myself bringing home those kinds of feelings more often.

As I continued, the things that stayed in my heart gradually changed.

This time, what left the biggest impression on me at Sakuragi Shrine wasn't the magnificent main hall or the rare goshuin (shrine seal).

It was, surprisingly,the “God of the Toilet”.

That encounter changed the way I look at my daily life a little bit.

A casual detour became a place that stayed in my heart

“Sakuragi Shrine seems kind of bright, doesn't it?🌸”

While driving with my family, that comment was the reason we stopped by.

It wasn't that we had a special purpose; it was just a lighthearted, “Shall we go check it out?”

But strangely, those unplanned detours are often the ones that stay in your heart, aren't they?

When I entered the shrine grounds, the sky felt high, and the breeze was very pleasant.

“It feels so good~.”

I spread my arms and took a deep breath.

At shrines, you feel a different atmosphere at each one.

There are places that make you straighten your posture, and places where your heart quietly settles.

Sakuragi Shrine had a gentle, bright atmosphere that made me feel like I could let my guard down.

Maybe it's okay to enjoy shrines more freely.

The grounds were lined with cute, cherry blossom-themed amulets and charms, and a chinowa (grass ring) had just been set up.

My son asked,

"How do you do this?"

with great curiosity (laughs).

"Is this the right order?"

We laughed together as a family while passing through the chinowa and washing our coins.

In the area where you could play hopscotch, my son tried it over and over and was having a blast 🤣

In the past, I might have had a strong sense that,

"I have to be quiet at the shrine,"
"I have to pray properly."

I was worried about being disrespectful.

What if I made a mistake in the etiquette?

What if I did the ritual wrong?

I was too focused on those things.

But now, my way of thinking has changed a little.

Of course, a feeling of gratitude is important.

But I've come to think that God is warmly watching over us,
even during the time we spend laughing as a family,
and the time we spend enjoying the place itself.

I've come to be able to think that way.

A prayer ceremony had just begun at the main hall, and the sound of the drums echoed through the grounds,

"Oh, it feels like we've been welcomed 💗"

And I felt happy.

What the God of the Toilet taught me

The thing that left the biggest impression on me that day was the God of the Toilet enshrined in front of the restroom.

When I first saw it,

"It's really enshrined here!"

I remember being surprised.

A place we use every day as a matter of course.

I'm sure many of you have heard at least once that cleaning the toilet is important.

In the song "God of the Toilet," it's sung that there is a beautiful goddess in the toilet, but honestly, it didn't really click with me.

I didn't think anything special of it, and to me, a toilet was just a toilet💦

But when I saw the small shrine in front of the toilet, I felt a bit more upright.

"It was rude of me to the God. I should clean it properly."

I thought that naturally.

In the past, I used to think that gods were only in shrines or special places.

But as I continued visiting shrines, regardless of whether gods are actually there or not,

I came to realize that there are many things I want to cherish in my daily life as well.

A place I use every day.

A place where my family can spend time comfortably.

I realized that taking care of such ordinary places is also important.

That's why lately, rather than feeling like I "have to" clean the toilet,

It feels good to have no dirt✨

That is the mindset I am working with.

It is still not perfect, though (laughs).

But I am actually a little happy about that change in myself.

Today's realization

As I continued visiting shrines, my perspective on things changed a little without me even realizing it.

Laughing with my family.

The breeze feeling pleasant.

Wanting to clean the toilet (laughs).

Those simple, casual things are what stay in my heart the most now.

Sakuragi Shrine was also a place that gave me that kind of realization 😊

👇For those reading for the first time.
Start here.

⛩ Click here for a list of shrine articles.

✨ Click here for an article on how I made cleaning the toilet easy to keep up with.

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