LibraryScenariosWhy petitionary prayer can feel transactional
Scenario

Why petitionary prayer can feel transactional

Every time I write my wishes on ema, I feel selfish asking the kami for personal favors like I'm treating them like a vending machine.

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More people experience this than they realize.

What we've seen

The impulse to ask for divine intervention wrestles with dignity and reciprocity.

Ideas that help explain it
Worth thinking about

“Where Are You with Shinto and Japanese religion?”

If this sounds familiar, the Library can help you find the bigger picture.