In the first days of the New Year a small group of fishermen gather in Haleiwa Harbor for the annual boat blessing. The priest from the Haleiwa Shingon Mission gives a traditional Shinto blessing for happiness, prosperity and safety. Offerings of a bowl each of  oranges, cookies and a white rice and rock salt mixture are arrayed on a table. We each extend our cupped left hand where aromatic incense is sprinkled and guarded like a guilded fledgling. The Shinto priest chants, mesmerizing yet energizing  us as we place our right palms over left then left over right three times. He speaks of our eternal Spirits and their passages through our various mortal life forms. Each of us are individually blessesed-we call it the ‘wacking.’ It makes me smile. We file onto the dock and throw the rice-salt mixture three times into the ocean as the priest continues his chanting. Our diverse group forms again as the Reverend reminds us of the harmonic nature of the ocean and its creatures including us. The blessing brings me freshness, reflection and energy.

Then the real fun begins…the sake toasting!! Here is how we do it. Each person pours a small cup of sake for another and then for themselves. You toast to health, the New Year whatever, then drink. Then the other person pours a cup of sake for you and then one for themself. You toast again and drink. You do this for EVERY single person there! Yikes!! And you must consume everything in your cup lest there be any good luck neglected from your toasting vessel. Did I mention e-v-e-r-y single person must toast each other? Did I neglect to inform you Dear Reader that the Shinto boat blessing takes place at 11 am.?! Of course we have an array of local food with plenty of sashimi and various ono fish dishes which helps in the inevitable nap. I try and get blessed every year regardless that I am not Shinto. Growing up in Hawaii exposes you to many different cultures and their respective beliefs. Surely it can only enhance your knowlede and perspective. And you know what, I have noticed an increased happier state and certainly a  level of newly energized prosperity.