Color of the day: Black Incense of the day: Peony Incense of the day: Peony Snow is the bane and blessing of winter. If you have to shovel it off your sidewalk, it's a bane. But if you plan to go skiing, or build snowmen, or host a snowball fight-then snow is essential. Yuki-Onna, or Oyuki, is the Japanese spirit of snow. She rules winter; her tears turn into snowflakes. If she finds travelers lost in a blizzard, she can guide them to safety, but she can also freeze anyone who offends her. To win her favor, try offerings such as sweet rice cakes or rice wine, or read tragic poetry. Also decorate your altar with snowflakes of cut or folded paper. Then say: Yuki-Onna, come dancing tragedy and hope weeping snow and wind It is prudent to explain how much snow you want, so you don't summon a two-foot blizzard when six inches would suffice! |