posted on August 2, 2000 01:47:01 PM
Hi all - Just thought I would share a tidbit from my own experiences.
While I know that this Mercury Retro thing explained many of the evil things happening -(Like just the other day several 9 or 10 year old cans of food puffed up in my pantry - for no reason at all!) Spooky. But we Cannot forget that we are in the Seventh Lunar month.
I work with many Chinese and many Chinese companies. In the Chinese system the 7th month is always dangerous and difficult. In this month the gates of the underworld are opened and all souls are free to wander the earth. Many Chinese believe that there is a continuum of existance for the spirits of the departed. When people die they pass into a world of darkness (yinjian). If there are descendants to care for them they will lead a comfortable afterlife. Those who are forgotten and ignored and who have nobody to care about them turn to ghosts. From those who are honored by family and others - The Ancestors - to those miserable, forgotten and abandoned strangers - who are ghosts - all are released
The most difficult are the malicious ghosts - the ones who were murdered or commited suicide. They haunt the scenes of their deaths seeking revenge.
Ghosts (not ancestors)in general can be like dealing with gangs, bullies and beggars since they seek offerings that they do not receive from anyone normally. They are hungry and potentially michshievous or even wrathful. You should always leave an offering for them to avoid their potential wrath.
(Parallel with "trick or treat" No treat - you might get a trick.)
During the 7th month - when the spirits walk the earth it is important to make offerings to both the ancestors as well as giving charitable gifts to passing lost and abandoned spirits. (You make offerings to those wandering spirits outdoors - so as to not have them inside the house)
On the 15th day of the 7th month (Aug 14th this year) there is a festival of the dead known as the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts.(Gui Jie) On the night of the Feast of the Hungry Ghosts it is common to see folks burning funeral money and other offerings for the keeping of their ancestors and offings of food and other items for passing spirits outside the doorways.
It is interesting and respected traditional observance in Chinese culture. So, now that Mercury is passing away influence - you need to know that since Monday the spirits of the underworld are walking the earth and you need to honor those who are gone - and placate those who wander alone, hopeless and lost.
I'll be burning my funeral money come the 14th. I thought you all might be interested
posted on August 2, 2000 03:45:57 PM
Corr - be glad to - The ones I have are drawn on the "Bank of Hell" and are in denominations of 10 billion dollars each. This money can make Bill Gates look like a window washer on an offramp, compared to an ancestor.
Actually I like the concept of caring about those who have been lost and forgotten as part of this festival - even if only to prevent trouble.
posted on August 2, 2000 09:25:36 PMnutspec: Anybody who can have a thought for the lost or forgotten is alright in my book. A doff of the hat to you. I live in the back country of Oklahoma, at the edge of reason I like to say. I usually think about ghosts when things go bump in the night and the cat dives under the bed. I'll leave some wine and cheese outside tomorrow under the big spooky oak tree in the yard and maybe they'll stop bumping into things in the house. Thanks for the heads up!
posted on August 14, 2000 08:39:38 PM
yorequest: I lived in a little house on a hill in Medicine Park Oklahoma when I was in the military.
At night it was about the spookiest place on earth. I don't know why it just was.
posted on August 14, 2000 08:44:50 PM
Thinking of spooky places-we used to live in a house that had a basement that creeped me out every time I went down to do the laundry. I don't know what it was about the place but I always felt like I was being watched. I'd race down, throw the clothes in the washer, then race back upstairs(this was how I accidentally got pink diapers once). Same thing repeated when I threw the clothes in the dryer.
The tom never noticed anything but I talked to several repair people who had worked down there and they felt the same way, that they were being watched and couldn't wait to get out of there.
When we were given the opportunity to move, we were out of that house in a shot. After we moved, one of the new residents spied me and asked me if I'd ever noticed anything weird about the basement. Yup, she felt the same thing.
I don't know what happened down there but whatever it was left some majorly bad vibes.
posted on August 14, 2000 09:39:48 PM
Well, since we are telling stories - the following is one of the reasons why I find the Hungry Ghost Feast to be kinda important.
I am not making this up or teasing.
I was part of a group that was doing a production of "Othello" in a fairly new theater. It had a creepy vibe to it and it was not helped by a stage floor that "stored" footsteps. (you walk across it and the compression holds for a few seconds and then releases - leaving the sound of somebody following you) This I had dealt with before on other stages and was not a problem.
But, one night, one of the cast and his girlfriend were missing and the rest of the cast was on the stage anxious to go out. Sombody saw Steve in the balcony and we all turned and started cussing them out - and just about that time Steve and his girl friend walked out of the wings. We stared at them - and then at the distant (and now empty) balcony - and then we all tried to cram ourselves out of the door at the same time.
Finally, I had the only key to control the house lights - mind you the ONLY key. My best friend and I went up to shut down the lobby lights at the end of a rehearsal. As I reached with the key towards the light control - the lights flashed - just as they do to tell folks that intermission is over and the show was about to begin! I looked at the Key - my friend looked at me - and there was a swift vacuum were we used to be!!
I have no idea what we all saw - and I have no idea what flashed those lights - but the hair on the back of my neck stood straight up in that place for no visible reason more times than I care to count.
In the end - the hungry ghost festival appeals to my sense that we should not forget our family and our roots and that showing compassion for the friendless and lost - even spirits - cannot be a bad thing.
I live in the back country of Oklahoma, at the edge of reason I like to say. I usually think about ghosts when things go bump in the night and the cat dives under the bed. I'll leave some wine and cheese outside tomorrow under the big spooky oak tree in the yard and maybe they'll stop bumping into things in the house. Thanks for the heads up! 