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Bright Way Zen held its annual Sejiki ceremony, also known as the Festival of the Hungry Ghosts, this past Sunday, October 27th, 2024. Sejiki, which is heavily rooted in mythology, is a ceremony in which offerings are made to Gakis- being stuck in the “hungry ghost” realm due to past harmful karma, such as grasping, selfishness, and stinginess. “Ghosts” may symbolize emotions such as pain and fear, or represent real people. Traditionally, Sejiki is also a time to remember those who have recently passed, so a merit list is read aloud during the ceremony in remembrance.

For the ceremony, an altar is constructed and adorned with offerings such as sweets, flowers, and other snacks brought in by Sangha members, and Cloud participants are also invited to set up an altar of their own in a similar fashion. Buddha and Bodhisattva statues and images are covered so as not to scare off the ghosts, who are not ready to receive the teachings of the Dharma. The ceremony begins with music played by a trio of Sangha members and consists of a chanting program, the recitation of the merit list, and a procession towards and around the altar, in which each participant has a chance to bow and make an offering of crushed lavender. The ceremony concludes with music as a farewell to the ghosts.

This ceremony holds space for us to reflect on unresolved karma in our lives. Through Sejiki and the support of the Sangha, we can offer our attention and patience to the aspects of ourselves we may tend to ignore or reject. The ceremony is an opportunity to acknowledge and embrace our feelings of loss, grief, anger, and sadness with compassion and understanding, if only for a few moments.

Article by Ashlea Vedder. Learn more about the Sejiki Ceremony here