![]() Like all religions, Shinto has sometimes been interpreted in political terms. In Japanese, this kind of cosmic coincidence is called doonigigo ( 同音異議語)or "words that sound the same but have different meanings." For example, the word shisan can refer to the number 43, but it can also mean "stillborn," and that makes 43 an unlucky number.īy the same token, the number 17 is said as junana, which also means "great wealth" and this makes it a lucky number. The fear of certain words, usually because they sound the same as something considered unlucky, is intrinsic to kotodama. Such is the power of an ill-chosen word, the end of the wedding is even referred to as the “opening." Guests should avoid using the words “cut,” “break,” “split,” “go back,” “end,” or any words that suggest separation at the ceremony. You can also see kotodama at work in the traditional Japanese wedding ceremony. It is called kiai (気合) and is supposed to concentrate the attacker's resolve. One example to have survived to the present day is the short shout uttered when making an attacking move in karate or aikido. ![]() Originally, only Shintoist spells and incantations were seen as having divine power, but in time, other words came to be regarded as divine too. In the Man'yoshu, the oldest surviving collection of Japanese waka poetry, which was compiled sometimes after AD 759, Japan is referred to as kotodama no sakiwau kuni (言霊の幸わう国), or "the land where the mysterious workings of language bring bliss." In Japan, belief in kotodama is as old as the written word. Hindu mantras usually start with the word "Om," which is believed to be the sound of the universe.Ī Shinto priest at a shrine Photo: Chary, © PIXTA In Hinduism, it is believed that different words produce different vibrations and that chanting them as mantras will create different effects, be it inner peace, the healing of injuries, or protection from bad luck. Though outdated, the belief in magical words, be it hocus pocus, abracadabra or open sesame, was once widespread. Kotodama is not as foreign a concept as it might at first appear. Shintoists believe that not only people but also animals and objects have souls, so it is not surprising that they believe that words have souls too. In ancient times, spells and incantations to the Shinto gods were seen as having divine power. Kotodama has its roots in Shinto, Japan's animistic religion. ![]() For example, if you call out someone's name, the sound will have an impact on them, whether they can hear you or not. Kotodama presupposes that sounds can magically affect objects and that the ritualistic chanting of words can affect both the individual and her environment. It combines the word for "speech" (言 koto) and the word for "soul"(霊 tama). Kotodama (言霊) refers to the belief that words have mystical powers.
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