Japaralia February 2026 vol. 29

English translation by Perplexity below

Vol. 29 — Demons and Fortune

Sydney is still basking in strong sunlight, but in Japan, spring is gradually approaching with Risshun, the first day of spring. February 3rd marks Setsubun, a day when we scatter soybeans to drive away demons and invite good fortune. It made me wonder — what are the “demons” and “fortune” in my own life?

When I was little, I truly believed there were scary demons out there, so we would scatter beans to stop them from entering the house (though I did wonder — would beans really work?). I also believed that good fortune looked like the smiling god, Ebisu-sama. As I grew up, I came to see those as old folktales or just traditional customs. Yet now, I think perhaps both demons and fortune actually live within us — as the good and the bad inside each of us. Maybe Setsubun was always meant to represent that. “Demons out!” — not to keep something evil from coming in, but to cast out the demons within ourselves.

Every person holds both an angel and a demon inside. The angel speaks truth and goodness, while the demon whispers selfish desires. Both are voices of our own hearts. Desire, when reframed as “hope,” isn’t always bad. But when that desire grows so strong that it harms others, it becomes a demon.

In a book I read recently*, it said that everything in the world has its own frequency, measurable in hertz. Even emotions have frequencies. For instance, shame is 20 Hz — the lowest — followed by guilt at 30 and desire at 125. These are all below 200 Hz, which are considered low-vibrational states that drain our energy. Higher frequencies, over 200 Hz, have positive effects: courage begins at 200, love resonates at 500, and peace or serenity at 600. The higher the frequency, the more grounded and resilient we become; the lower it is, the more energy we lose, leading to weakness and fatigue.

When unfair things used to happen, I used to react emotionally — angry, crying, frustrated — and afterwards I always felt utterly drained. That exhaustion made me start becoming emotionally detached instead, thinking that was safer. But according to the book, apathy sits around 50 Hz — a very low frequency too! So clearly, that’s not the solution either. I guess I still have work to do to cultivate a stronger, steadier heart.

Speaking of strength — I believe kindness and strength are two sides of the same coin. We can’t truly be kind unless we’re strong. Living in a comfortable, peaceful country often means we rarely witness what real kindness looks like. The kind of strength I mean isn’t physical power or dominance — that’s actually a sign of inner weakness — but strength of heart. And strength of heart can only grow through love. My beloved dogs have given me the purest form of love, and when I see how high-frequency emotions like love make people stronger, it all connects and starts to make sense.

Of course, there are times when our own “frequency” drops. The important thing is how we lift ourselves back up. Learning from those low points and learning to forgive ourselves — that’s also part of growing stronger. Incidentally, “acceptance” vibrates at 350 Hz.*

You’ve probably heard that plants grow better when you talk to them gently every day. Now I understand why. It’s not the words themselves, but the high frequency of love and warmth behind them that promotes growth. This applies not only to plants, but also to animals — and humans. The energy we exchange truly matters. “Good fortune comes to those who smile.” “A mother’s strength is unrivaled.” Old proverbs like these might actually have a scientific basis after all.

In the end, both demons and fortune are things we can invite — depending on ourselves. That said, it’s easier said than done; life has its ups and downs. We all face times when things beyond our control bring our frequency down. Lately, my own has dropped more than a few times, and some nights, as I lie in bed with my dog, I catch myself thinking, “It would be nice if morning never came.” Even then, I keep up my skincare routine, but perhaps because of the fatigue on my face or in my heart, my skin doesn’t seem to glow the same way.

I’ve always tried to remember that “skin treatment” isn’t just about improving appearance — it’s also a form of heart treatment that brightens one’s expression. No matter how smooth someone’s skin is, if they lack confidence or feel down inside, their face doesn’t truly shine.

When I photograph a client’s “before and after,” seeing how their expression changes — that glow of happiness in the “after” — fills me with joy. A smile doesn’t just brighten one’s own heart; it lifts the hearts of those around them too. And if we think of smiles as high-frequency vibrations — joy resonates at 540 Hz* — it all makes perfect sense.

Maintaining higher frequencies doesn’t just nurture the mind and body — it benefits the skin too.

The world can be harsh at times, and while we can’t always control the demons that come from outside, we can face and tame the ones that live within us. Not just during Setsubun, but every day of our lives. Let’s strengthen ourselves so that the “fortune” within can take up more space than the demons.

And with that — once again —Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi!(Demons out, fortune in!)

Reference: “Animal Communication Made Easy” by Pea Horsley