“Wherever you go, whatever you do,” advised my father, “go and do it with your whole
heart.”
I always found the advice worthy, taking the words literally, bringing them along
everywhere. And for a long time now, ‘my where’ has been my adopted country, Japan.
Because the words came from Dad, they took precedence to the point where they have
become my creed. I celebrate that source. And so, graced by that wisdom bestowed on
me, I’ve managed to assimilate and embrace the good the Japanese culture offers.
The Joya no Kane, which celebrates me and everyone else with clean slates at the start of the year, sets the right tone for what’s to follow. Resonating 108 times in the still of the night feels like a cleansing baptism that comes at the cusp of the old and new year. Days later, I’m still basking in that beautiful tradition, worthy as a cultural exchange for all to embrace. Let’s celebrate our cleansing.
Three days in– it dwells,
thrilling echo in my heart
Joya no Kane.
I reverence the place I call home and where the frequency seeps into me naturally.
Thanks for reading my offering and if you have time to read something longer along the
same lines, I’d be honored by your visit to an old post where I mention the Joya no
Kane and other bells that matter to me.
Posting to d’verse haibun Monday where the theme is celebration.
I celebrate you: d’verse poets, and friends from all walks of life.
I also celebrate the #RDP Saturday Community that put out a “clean slate” prompt that I wish to contribute to.
Happy celebrating, everyone. I wish you miracles.
- Day 18: NaPoWriMo 2024–in my next life let me be a dust moat - April 18, 2024
- Day 17: NaPoWriMo 2024–Total Eclipse of The Heart - April 17, 2024
- Day 16: NaPoWriMo 2024–The Surprise Ending - April 16, 2024
Thanks for sending us back to Joya no Kane. I loved it the first time, and a second reading was just as enlightening. The 108 reminds me of hope for humankind, letting go, and living in the now.
Happy New Year – Day 3!
Oh, my sweets. How precious you are to me. Yes, you told me about your bells in Italy. Rome? Was amazing just to imagine what that must have been like. Adored it.
Pleases me that you are here.
My friend: your present to me was precious. I am still reeling and glowing from having received such a treasure. And your handwriting. Yes, your handwriting. Aww 🥰
Thank you. You make my day. xoxo
Much joy to you Selma. Let each day bring happiness and love
Thanks, Deb. I wish the same for you. Stay sweet.
<3 <3 Selma! <3 <3
Thank you for teaching me about Joya no Kane! This is totally new to me 😀
May I ask how long you've been in Japan for? Have you come to fully feel at home there by now?
Sincerely,
David
David, Hi. The Joya no Kane resonated loud and clear on New Years Eve this year. We missed it so much last year. And that Kane was my seasonal word in the haiku. It’s one more beautiful thing I’ve come to love here.
Bells were aplenty when I was growing up. I’d love for you to read the post. No pressure really, but I like my friends to know me even if in a tiny way, and I’ve disclosed much already.
As for your question of how long, 3 decades. Came here for the first time as a new bride in May 1990. And I’ve written about that as well. *wink* And yes, this is home. The people I love most in the world live here. This is Home. Thanks for reading and the questions. I appreciate you. Be well.
Selma – I’d love to read the post… could you share the URL with me? Or is there another way to find it?
Thanks for asking: https://selmamartin.com/bells-as-reminder-to-spread-goodwill/
It’s about the Bells I grew up knowing. And about the Joya no Kane. The Joya Bells rang in 2022 but not 2021. I hope you enjoy reading it. All the best, and with this I find my bed. Lovely interacting with you tonight, young man. Thank you. Good night. xo
Wow, I wonder what the reason behind the universal significance of number 108 is? I have missed a few of your recent posts unfortunately, and will have to go back to check them out- Joya no Kane included, I believe. I’m glad the traditions have given you so much joy to bask on. Wishing you, my dearest friend and pen pal, a brilliant, fabulously delightful, memorable year ahead, a year just as beautiful as yourself, if at all it is possible to attain such pinnacles 😉 Happy 2022! 💖
I wish you miracles, Sam. Joya = New Year’s Eve night. Kane = bell.
The Joya bell is rung a total of 107 times on New Year’s Eve– by monks in many temples, but in my area, by temple visitors. It usually starts at 11:00 pm and then one more time just as the clock strikes midnight. This brings it to a total of 108 times.
Why 108, you asked, Sam: The belief is that 108 is the number of worldly desires and troubles of the mind– such as desire, anger, and pain that a person experiences throughout one’s life. The bells are rung 107 times to cleanse us of these 108 worldly desires accumulated during the year. And the last one, the 108th strike, carries with it the meaning of not worrying about last year’s problems. Hope this helps. Stay sweet, PP. xoxo
That’s a beautiful explanation. Thank you!
I am very drawn to the Japanese aesthetic – you are lucky to imbibe it first hand and it shows in your sensitive posts! May your slate always come clean 😉
Aww, Laura. Thanks. I’m careful about what I allow into my heart. It’s the only thing any of us have total control over, don’t you agree. I’m pleased you see something positive in my posts. Thanks for saying that. I appreciate your support, dear friend. Be well. I wish you miracles. xo
It sounds like a serene way to greet the new year. I went back to read the Joya no Kane post. It’s very interesting, both your childhood bells and the New Year’s Eve ringing of 108 bells in Japan.
Greetings, Merril. Thanks for the honor. So glad you found both posts interesting. The Joya Bells didn’t sound in my area last New Year’s Eve, and so this New Year’s it was doubly wonderful. It’s serene and good way to ring in the new year. Thanks for the visit. Happy New Year, I wish you miracles. xo
Thank you and you’re welcome!
I love your basking, and I love your thrilling echo, so embodied.
So glad you read, my friend. With the bell silenced the year before, hearing the Joya no Kane this year end was exceptionally special. Glad you felt it through my post. Happy New Year. I wish you miracles. xo
What wonderful advice to receive from your father, Selma! I am glad you took it to heart ❤️To me, the words ‘Joya no Kane’ sound like pure poetry 🙂
Yes, nice roll of the tongue, really: Joya no Kane! Like poetry.
Thanks for reading and commenting.
You’ve been in my thoughts much. I want to join your newsletter. Excited. xoxo 💜
Great stuff, Selma – I’m excited too 🤗
Bless you, Ingrid. xoxo
Selma, I very much enjoyed learning of the Joya no Kane and what it means. I love the idea of the vibrations of the bells entering ears and traveling through the body to wash away the dust. Question: would a person be able to live in Japan without knowing how to speak Japanese?
🙃 Answer: yes. Absolutely. But at some point one would grow the desire to interact more, so a little benkyo (study) would be in order.
But more than the language barrier, what I’d advise is to pack lightly. Like, don’t bring expectations to change anyone with things of your world. Best not to pack those. And when you do return, your heart will be spilling over with serenity and something else (what? I don’t know, it’s different for everyone) But this I promise: you’ll like yourself better. And your new perspective too.
Just saying.
😃 Thanks for reading, commenting and questioning. Stay sweet. I wish you miracles.
Selma, your response delights me. Thank you so much for your insights <3
It’s my absolute pleasure when it delights.
Some people would feel it’s overstepping. Glad you’re not one of “them” people. I bless you, Lisa. xo
<3
This was so interesting to read, and those new year’s bell with their resonance reminds me of Tennyson and his New Year’s poem Ring out Wild Bells… It sounds like he had a little bit Joya no Kane …
https://poets.org/poem/memoriam-ring-out-wild-bells
I bet! Alfred Lord Tennyson must have had some Joya no Kane for sure.
Grateful for the link to one more Victorian Poet. I’m fascinated. Love reading the works of these old people. (Reverently) I’ve subscribed to receive a poem a day from poets . Org in the past, but 1. They send out contemporary poets (nothing wrong with them, but I want to read the old folks. Need to learn me some things)
2. The print is way too small on my phone. (I cannot enjoy with such small print)
So I love it that you pointed me to Tennyson. Thank you.
BTW, if I may add, I think you might enjoy this old post:
https://selmamartin.com/bells-as-reminder-to-spread-goodwill/
I’d love to know how you’d feel to be surrounded by bells in a small town. No pressure if you can’t. But just maybe 🤔
Thanks for the comment. I appreciate you. Happy New Year. Happy Epiphany.
Beautifully crafted……..it resonates…..and very interesting…
Grateful for your visit, glad the post added value. Happy new beginnings. Wish you the best. ♥️
Hey, Happy New Year to you. I hope all your dreams come close to realizing this year. I bless you.
Thanks for reading and commenting. xo
What a wonderful post. Your well. joy, in Joya no Kane is felt deeply. I absolutely love the meaning behind the bells. Thank you for my ‘learn something new’.
Aww. Thanks so heartily for the visit. Glad you liked the post. I too adored yours. I will return. All the best in the new year. xo
How lovely this is, Selma. The whole heart approach and starting with a clean slate are perfect. xoxo
You bless me with such a lovely comment.
thanks so much. Blessings.
This is beautiful Selma! What a wonderful tradition, and what an inspiring idea, to start the new year with a clean slate. Definitely one to try.
Our NYE tradition, reinstated after 2 years lapse due to bush fires and then covid, is going to the 9pm (family) fireworks, then taking lots of boxes of chocolates to the staff in the local hospital, then stealing a big bunch of lavender from a huge planting of it at the university I used to work at. I know the stealing of the lavender sounds bad, but it all gets cut back to low clumps in a week or so, before the students start because of the bee sting risk, so it would just be thrown away in a week. And in a few weeks when the lavender is dry I’ll make wheat-bags with lavender mixed in for winter – microwaved they release the scent and act like a hot water bottle.
Hey, Kate. So special of you to share this with me. It’s delightful and special. I love what you do with the lavender. Wow. Bless your heart. Thanks for the visit. And have we exchanged new years greetings yet? Happy New Year my friend. I bless you again and wish you miracles again this year. xo
a beautiful write selma and I love the quote and tradition!
💖🙏🌈
Hi, again, Cindy. I’m finding it hard to reach a good rhythm here this year already. That’s what happens when you take such a long time off… oophh! Forgive. I will get to your blog soon. In the meantime, happy new year. Thanks for reading and commenting. I bless you.
I know the feeling Selma! It’s like the gates opened too fast and I’m lagging… take your time but I think you’re all caught up! Here’s to catching our breath and a new year.. ❤️
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Such a beautiful write about your dad’s words and traditions. I am delighted you used the Saturday prompt in your writing. Stay blessed, dear Selma. 💖