Several years ago I visited Japan, and it was a truly unforgettable trip. Something I noticed on the ground outside restaurants and shops were tiny plates with a beautiful white cone of salt. I learned that the Japanese believe these mounds, morishio, purify the restaurant’s energy and surroundings in addition to attracting good fortune. Japanese people also use them at home on their family altars and outside. For many years, I have used incense, palo santo or sage to purify and bless our home. So the idea of adding a salt purifying ritual was immediately appealing. Perhaps the effect of smoke and salt cleansing is simply psychological, but I find it to be helpful for me to shed whatever sadness, stress or energy I accumulated from my client work or the outside world and maintain serenity.
It took me five years to finally make this a reality, but I now have the salt mold necessary to create these for personal blessings and purification. That said, I am not following the entire Japanese tradition; there are special tools and salts I could have purchased. I chose instead to purchase a mold with two plates and use plain sea salt that I have blessed with Reiki.
I’m sharing my ritual here, and you can also check out my Instagram feed for a quick video of this ritual
Opening:
I bless the salt and the plates with Reiki energy, and mindfully choose a time to refresh the salt for when I can be fully present and reverent of the process.
Preparation:
I wash the previous salt cone away down the sink. This takes the impurities and negative energy with them. I rinse the plates well, and say a quiet mantra of gratitude for helping to purify and bless our home. Place on the counter near your salt.
Mix half cup of salt with a teaspoon of water in a small bowl with a small spoon. It should be the consistency of play sand. Set aside.
Creating the salt mound:
Hold the salt mold upside down so the you can fill it with salt. Begin to fill the mold with wet salt using a small spoon. Press in the first scoops in a bit to ensure the salt fills the narrow tip. As the mold fills up, it is no longer necessary to press salt into the mold as firmly. Once it is full, smooth out the salt.
Holding your salt mold with one hand, take a plate with the other and place it on top of the mold. Now quickly invert the plate and mold and gently place on the counter. Gently tap the mold and plate on the counter to loosen the salt from the inside of the mold. Gently lift the mold away to reveal your molded salt!
Closing:
When I place mounds outside, I usually take a moment to breathe and send a little Reiki by drawing cho-ku-rei in the air and “pushing” it toward each mound. I then just pause and concentrate on my intention that the mounds purify and bless our home.
The morishio is now ready to be placed outside your home or on an altar. If placing outside, the Japanese usually place two on either side of the doorway. If you’d like to purchase your own mold, visit these links (I have no financial relationship, I just like these):
Kaf Home on Amazon salt mound set
If you add this beautiful tradition to your home, let me know in the comments!