Harae

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Harae (祓) is the general term for rituals of purification in Shinto. The kanji can also be read 'harai'. The purpose is to remove sins (罪, tsumi) and impurities (穢れ, kegare), concepts which include bad luck and disease as well as guilt in the English sense. Harae often involves symbolic washing with water, or having a Shinto priest shake a large paper shaker (called an Ōnusa 大麻) over the object of purification. People, places, and objects can all be the object of harae.

References

Shinto no Iroha (神道のいろは）, Jinjashinpōsha (神社新報社), 2004, (ISBN 4915265994)
Mihasi, Ken (三橋健), Wa ga ya no Shūkyō: Shinto (わが家の宗教：神道), Daihōrinkaku (大法輪閣), 2003 (ISBN 4804660186)

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