The amulet covering is usually made of cloth and encloses papers
or pieces of wood or paper with prayers written on them which are
supposed to bring good luck to the bearer on particular occasions,
tasks or ordeals. Omamori are also used to ward off bad luck and
are often spotted on bags, hung on cellphone straps, in cars, etc.
for safety in travel. Many omamori are specific in design to the
location they were made.
They often describe on one side the specific area of luck or
protection they are intended for and have the name of the shrine or
temple they were bought at on the other. Generic omamori exist, but
most of them cover a single area: health, love, or studies, to name
only a few. It is said that omamori should never be opened or they
lose their protective capacities. Amulets are replaced once a year
to ward off bad luck from the previous year. Old amulets are
usually returned to the shrine or temple so they can be disposed of
properly.
There are modern commercial versions for these that are
typically not spiritual in nature and are not issued by a shrine or
temple. They do not confer protection or need to be replaced every
year. It has become popular for stores in Japan to feature generic
omamori with popular characters such as Mickey Mouse, Hello Kitty,
Snoopy, Kewpie, etc.
Disclaimer:
Do not approach this series lightly. If this were only a 500'
bushwhack, I would call it hellish. The roots will trip you, the
branches will shred you and poke your eyes, and the insects will
consume you. But it's not 500'. It's over 12 bloody miles! I highly
recommend you bring snake boots, lots of water, long pants, long
sleeve shirt, lots of water, good hat, pokey stick, lots of water,
spare everything, bug spray, lots of water, writing utensils, cell
phone, lots of water.
Did I mention bring lots of water?
You may find a laminated clue slip in this cache. If you do, you
might want to solve the riddle. This will help you locate the Gaia
puzzle cache nearby. Please leave clue slips in the caches you find
them in.
