New Year's Prayer

When welcoming a new year, what do you think about and wish for? Many people express gratitude for the past year and pray for their family's health and happiness in the coming year. Others may pray for success in their studies, work, or love life.

Did you know that in Japan, there is a traditional prayer ceremony called goma ritual to wish for a good year ahead?

This time, we introduce a video available in the [Blessings] section of the meditation app Gassho. The video features the New Year's goma prayer held at Kongosanmai-in, a World Heritage site in Mount Koya.

Additionally, we take a closer look at the meaning of the word "gorieki" (blessings) and what it signifies.

What is "Goriyaku"?

The word "goriyaku" is read as "gori-yaku." You may have heard or used phrases like "I want to visit a shrine known for its blessings" or "This charm is said to bring good fortune in relationships."

But what exactly does "goriyaku" mean?

According to the dictionary, "goriyaku" refers to "the blessings and good fortune bestowed upon people by deities or Buddhas." It represents the benefits and merits received through prayer at shrines and temples.

Some may wonder if such blessings truly exist. However, with just a slight shift in perspective, you might start to notice the many small yet meaningful blessings already surrounding you.

The Power to Find Happiness

What makes you feel happy?

The word "happiness" is defined as follows:

1. Good luck or fortune, a state of well-being
2. A desirable condition, free from dissatisfaction
3. A fortunate turn of events
4. Things working out smoothly
5. The natural course of events

While the moments of happiness vary from person to person, there are universal experiences we can all relate to—such as enjoying a delicious meal or relaxing in a cozy bed.

Even the smallest things in daily life can bring a sense of happiness. For example, discovering a half-price sticker on prepared food when shopping late after work, or finding an open parking spot right near the entrance of a shopping mall. These little wins can make us want to quietly cheer with a small fist pump.

I believe that even these small joys are a form of goriyaku. When we start recognizing and appreciating these little moments, we begin to see even more favorable encounters and blessings all around us.

A Heart of Gratitude

At the start of a new year, many people express gratitude for the past year and pray for their family's health and happiness in the year ahead. But what if we applied this same mindset to each individual day rather than just an entire year?

By appreciating that today has passed safely and praying for the well-being of our loved ones tomorrow, we cultivate gratitude. We can also focus on "this very moment"—being aware of our breath, the sound of birds chirping, or the warmth of the sun, and feeling thankful for them.

Research has shown that practicing gratitude increases the production of serotonin and oxytocin, the brain chemicals known as "happiness hormones."

Goma Prayer in the Shingon Tradition

Goma is a prayer ritual of esoteric Shingon Buddhism, passed down for over 1,200 years by Kobo Daishi Kukai. The word originates from the Sanskrit term homa, meaning "offering into fire as a form of prayer."

In this ritual, a platform is set up before Fudo Myo-o, the principal deity. Wooden prayer sticks, called gomaki, inscribed with wishes, along with offerings, are burned in the sacred fire. The fire symbolizes the wisdom of Fudo Myo-o and is believed to purify human desires and eliminate worldly attachments.

Types of Goma Rituals

Different types of Goma rituals are performed for various prayers and blessings.

・Sokusai-ho (disaster prevention)
Prayers to eliminate sins and ward off disasters, including protection from floods, earthquakes, and fires, as well as wishes for good health, family safety, and physical well-being.

・Zoyaku-ho (increase of virtues)
Prayers for general prosperity and the accumulation of virtues through spiritual practice, including wishes for longevity, success, and fulfillment in relationships.

・Keiai-ho (respect and harmony)
Prayers to honor all Buddhas and cultivate love and respect for others, seeking peace and harmony in life. Includes prayers for good relationships, good health, and safe childbirth.

・Kofuku-ho (subjugation of negative forces)
Prayers to break through obstacles, dispel disasters, and overcome internal and external troubles. Used for exorcising evil spirits and alleviating spiritual disturbances.

・Kochou-ho (summoning of benevolent beings)
Prayers to summon divine beings, virtuous people, and those who bring love and support.

These rituals encompass both large-scale prayers for protection against natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, as well as personal prayers for longevity, prosperity, and harmonious relationships.

Kajii, or spiritual empowerment, is a practice where a monk forms symbolic hand gestures, called mudras, and chants sacred mantras to invoke divine protection, remove illness, and avert misfortune.

A glimpse of the "New Year's Prayer" video

We introduce a part of the New Year's prayer held at the Goma Hall of Kongosanmai-in Temple in Mount Koya, a UNESCO World Heritage site.

In an intense and captivating scene, the chief priest throws wooden prayer sticks and deep green leaves into the fire. However, that is not all—he also appears to be tossing or pouring other substances into the blazing flames.

Five grains

The items being offered include five grains, five fragrant substances, and aromatic oil. Let’s take a closer look at each.

The five grains (gokoku) offered in the ritual are rice, wheat, foxtail millet, barnyard millet, and beans. These grains are believed to symbolize the following five human desires or afflictions (bonnō):

・Attachment
・Anger
・Ignorance
・Arrogance
・Doubt

This prayer ritual is not merely an offering to Fudō Myōō, the principal deity. It is also believed that by burning these five afflictions, people’s wishes are purified and ultimately fulfilled. Watching the prayer ritual video while imagining these afflictions being incinerated evokes a deep sense of gratitude.

Five fragrant substances

The term "gokō" (five fragrances) originates from Buddhist teachings. It symbolizes the five virtues attained by those who achieve supreme enlightenment, likened to various scents:

・Sandalwood (Sendan-kō) – A noble fragrance similar to white sandalwood.
・Agarwood (Jinkō) – A complex blend of sweet, sour, spicy, bitter, and salty aromas.
・Clove (Chōji-kō) – Also known as "clove," widely used as a spice.
・Turmeric (Ukon-kō) – Has little to no scent.
・Borneol (Ryūnō-kō) – Similar to camphor but with a milder aroma.

With these fragrances, along with aromatic oil being poured into the flames, one can’t help but wonder—what kind of scent must be filling the hall during the ritual? The curiosity is overwhelming...!!

Watching the video from a different perspective

Some people may find the crackling sound of burning flames pleasant to listen to. Have you heard of ASMR (Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response)? ASMR refers to the tingling or relaxing sensations people experience in response to auditory or visual stimuli.

There are many types of ASMR, including chewing sounds, the sounds of cutting or mixing during cooking, and natural sounds like rain and wind. ASMR is said to help relieve stress and promote sleep. Why not close your eyes and listen closely to the various sounds of the prayer ritual?

Conclusion

This time, we introduced a video of the New Year's prayer from "Goriyaku," one of the contents featured in the meditation app Gassho.

Perhaps welcoming the new year by watching the New Year's prayer at Kongosanmai-in Temple, expressing gratitude for the past year, and praying for a wonderful year ahead could be a meaningful way to celebrate the New Year.

Understanding the significance of each element in the Goma prayer ritual makes the video even more engaging. The five grains thrown into the fire along with the wooden prayer sticks, on which wishes are written, represent the following five afflictions:

・Attachment
・Anger
・Ignorance
・Arrogance
・Doubt

As you watch the flames burn beyond the screen, imagine them consuming your unpleasant experiences and lingering worries.

If, even just a little, you feel a sense of relief after watching, wouldn't that too be a wonderful blessing?

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQ 1: What is the Goma ritual in Buddhism?
Answer: The Goma ritual, known as “Homa” in Sanskrit, is a sacred fire ceremony in Esoteric Buddhism where practitioners offer wood sticks and aromatic substances into flames to purify negative karma and pray for blessings. It originated in ancient India and became central to Japanese Shingon practice. The fire represents divine wisdom burning away ignorance and obstacles.
Real Results: Studies on ritual participation, such as those in the Journal of Ritual Studies, show that communal symbolic acts can reduce perceived stress and foster emotional resilience.
Takeaway: The Goma ritual is not only symbolic—it invites genuine inner renewal through the act of letting go.

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FAQ 2: How does the Goma fire ceremony relate to New Year’s blessings?
Answer: During New Year’s, Goma rituals help people release the burdens of the past year and welcome the next with a cleansed heart. The flames symbolize transformation and renewal, mirroring the start of a fresh spiritual cycle. Temples across Japan perform Goma in January to invoke divine protection and gratitude.
Real Results: Many temples report a surge of visitors during the New Year, showing that collective rituals strengthen a sense of community and optimism for the months ahead.
Takeaway: Starting the year with fire is a metaphor for burning the old and lighting the path forward.

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FAQ 3: What does the burning fire symbolize during the Goma ritual?
Answer: The sacred fire represents the wisdom of Fudō Myōō, a fierce guardian deity who cuts through ignorance. It consumes written desires and mental defilements, transforming them into light and clarity. The act of watching the flames becomes a meditation on impermanence and purification.
Real Results: Neuroscience studies, such as those from Frontiers in Psychology, show that gazing into rhythmic flames induces calm, synchronized brainwave patterns similar to meditative states.
Takeaway: In Goma, fire becomes both teacher and mirror—revealing the clarity within chaos.

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FAQ 4: What are the five fragrant substances used in the ritual?
Answer: They traditionally include sandalwood, agarwood, clove, camphor, and frankincense. Each corresponds to a spiritual virtue: faith, perseverance, compassion, wisdom, and purity. These are offered into the fire to cultivate these qualities within oneself.
Real Results: Historical temple records from Mount Kōya describe the same substances being used for over a millennium, symbolizing the continuity of inner cultivation.
Takeaway: The scents rising in smoke remind us that virtues, once awakened, spread beyond the self.

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FAQ 5: Can anyone attend or request a Goma ritual?
Answer: Yes. Most temples welcome all visitors regardless of faith. Participants can write wishes on wooden sticks (gomaki) or simply observe quietly. Donations are customary but not mandatory. The key is respectful presence and openness of heart.
Real Results: Reports from temple visitors show that even non-Buddhists experience deep calm and gratitude during participation.
Takeaway: The fire accepts everyone—it asks only sincerity, not background.

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FAQ 6: How can I prepare mentally before attending a Goma ceremony?
Answer: Take a few quiet minutes to reflect on what you wish to release or cultivate. Set an intention aligned with gratitude, not demand. Breathing deeply before entering the temple helps synchronize body and mind.
Real Results: Meditation research from Harvard’s Mind–Body Institute shows that pre-ritual breathing stabilizes heart rate and enhances emotional openness.
Takeaway: The best preparation is a calm heart ready to listen to fire.

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FAQ 7: What happens to the written wishes placed on wooden sticks (gomaki)?
Answer: The monk feeds the gomaki into the flames while chanting mantras. Symbolically, your prayer is carried upward with the smoke to the divine realm. The physical stick burns, but the wish transforms into spiritual energy.
Real Results: Interviews from Kōyasan pilgrims reveal that this act often triggers catharsis and closure, helping them move on from regret or fear.
Takeaway: Writing and burning a wish is an ancient form of emotional release through action.

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FAQ 8: How is the Goma ritual connected to meditation practice?
Answer: Both aim to dissolve egoic attachment. The flames in Goma externalize what meditation does internally—burning away distraction and ignorance. Monks performing Goma enter meditative concentration (samadhi), merging prayer with mindfulness.
Real Results: Comparative studies between chanting rituals and silent meditation (University of Hong Kong, 2020) found both activate similar neural regions linked to focus and compassion.
Takeaway: Whether through stillness or flame, the destination is the same—awakening.

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FAQ 9: What is the difference between sokusai-hō and zoyaku-hō?
Answer: Sokusai-hō is for removing obstacles and misfortunes, while zoyaku-hō seeks to increase virtues or blessings. Though distinct in intention, both emphasize purification through offering.
Real Results: Shingon manuals from the Heian period already classify these dual purposes, showing a thousand-year continuity in spiritual goals.
Takeaway: One fire clears the path; the other nourishes what grows along it.

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FAQ 10: How often are Goma rituals performed at temples like Kongosanmai-in?
Answer: Many temples perform Goma daily, while larger public ceremonies occur on significant dates such as New Year’s, Obon, or temple anniversaries. Monks maintain the practice year-round as spiritual discipline.
Real Results: Visitors at Kongosanmai-in report that even weekday ceremonies maintain solemn precision, reflecting the temple’s continuous devotion.
Takeaway: Goma is not a seasonal show—it’s an everyday practice of transformation.

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FAQ 11: Is there scientific evidence that ritual or meditation affects well-being?
Answer: Yes. Numerous studies, including those published in Nature Human Behaviour, link ritual participation and meditation to lower cortisol levels and improved emotional regulation. Symbolic acts help people embody change more deeply.
Real Results: Many participants report reduced anxiety and better sleep after sustained practice combining ritual and mindfulness.
Takeaway: The science affirms what the monks already knew—ritual calms the restless heart.

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FAQ 12: How can I apply the symbolism of Goma to daily life?
Answer: Treat moments of frustration or clutter as opportunities to “burn” mental residue. Write down thoughts you want to release and tear or discard them mindfully. Small symbolic gestures rewire perspective over time.
Real Results: Behavioral studies on symbolic cleansing (University of Chicago, 2016) found that such actions measurably reduced guilt and rumination.
Takeaway: You don’t need a temple fire—just intention strong enough to let go.

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FAQ 13: What is “goriyaku,” and how is it understood in modern spirituality?
Answer: Goriyaku means “blessing” or “benefit.” Traditionally, it referred to divine favor, but today many interpret it as subtle harmony—a sense that life flows more smoothly when mind and heart align.
Real Results: Anthropological research notes that modern practitioners describe goriyaku less as miracles and more as inner clarity or emotional relief.
Takeaway: True blessings are not external gifts but inner alignment.

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FAQ 14: Can I perform a simplified Goma ritual at home safely?
Answer: Yes, with mindfulness. Instead of fire, light a candle or visualize flame while reflecting on what to release. Never use open fires indoors. The power lies in intention, not scale.
Real Results: Many practitioners who adapt rituals report similar feelings of renewal and peace, as intention drives effect more than environment.
Takeaway: A small flame in your heart can burn brighter than any bonfire.

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FAQ 15: How does Gassho share the spirit of the Goma ritual digitally?
Answer: Gassho presents recorded Goma ceremonies and guided meditations that translate temple energy into daily mindfulness practice. Users can reflect on gratitude and purification wherever they are.
Real Results: Feedback from Gassho users notes reduced stress and increased daily calm after watching ritual-based content regularly.
Takeaway: The sacred fire can travel—through screen, breath, and intention.

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FAQ 16: What do monks chant during the ceremony, and what do those mantras mean?
Answer: Monks chant Sanskrit mantras invoking Fudō Myōō and other deities for protection and wisdom. The sound vibrations themselves are believed to purify the space and consciousness.
Real Results: Acoustic studies of Buddhist chanting (Kyoto University, 2018) show rhythmic repetition stabilizes breath and induces relaxation responses.
Takeaway: The chant is not just heard—it resonates through the listener’s entire being.

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FAQ 17: Is it appropriate for non-Buddhists to participate or observe?
Answer: Absolutely. Temples welcome all who approach respectfully. Observing with openness, not appropriation, honors the spirit of inclusivity embedded in Buddhist compassion.
Real Results: Cross-cultural studies on interfaith ritual attendance show heightened empathy and cultural understanding among participants.
Takeaway: Respect opens doors that belief alone cannot.

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FAQ 18: How does fire meditation differ from Goma fire rituals?
Answer: Fire meditation (Trataka) is an individual concentration practice, while Goma is a communal offering ritual. Both use flame as a focus, but Goma includes chanting, offerings, and priestly lineage.
Real Results: Both methods have been found to slow alpha brain rhythms and enhance focus according to Consciousness and Cognition journal findings.
Takeaway: One stills the gaze; the other sanctifies the world.

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FAQ 19: How can Goma rituals help with emotional purification or stress?
Answer: Watching flames consume physical symbols of worry can create emotional catharsis. The sound, smell, and rhythm engage the senses, grounding the nervous system and shifting mental state.
Real Results: Clinical psychologists studying somatic rituals note improved emotional regulation and reduced anxiety after symbolic release exercises.
Takeaway: The body relaxes when the heart sees its burdens turn to smoke.

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FAQ 20: What makes Kongosanmai-in’s Goma unique compared to other temples?
Answer: Kongosanmai-in is among Mount Kōya’s oldest temples, with over 800 years of uninterrupted Goma lineage. Its ceremonies emphasize quiet precision and are performed by monks deeply rooted in meditation.
Real Results: Pilgrims describe the experience as both solemn and intimate, feeling that the temple’s stillness amplifies the ritual’s power.
Takeaway: In the silence of Kongosanmai-in, the fire speaks in ancient language still understood today.

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