Solar Eclipse of the Century

I almost forgot about the eclipse 3 days ago. Went about my busy schedule as usual. Several clients call up to ask for dates for their renovation. I went through the 10,000 years Chinese calendar looking for good dates for them. I did not manage to get any dates at all, the closest possible dates was on 1 August. Gone through several system of selection and the result is still the same.

Yesterday, suddenly remember about the eclipse and it all makes sense. In majority of Chinese Metaphysic system, we would use the Chinese Solar Calendar 六十甲子 to select the Heavenly Stem天干 and Earthly Branches 地支. When eclipse is about to happen or within that 7 days, the is not a good date in the selection. Even though I totally forgot about this event 3 days ago. If you are planning any major renovation or knocking around your house, it is advisable to wait until August to do it.

Reactive...Time for a change

Today sent my VW for routine service in Butterworth and while waiting for service to complete did manage to meet up with fellow Taoist disciples there. Visit 3 temples in the Butterworth area today, the new Dou Mu Gong. Did not manage to get any photos as I was just passing time while waiting. If you want to see some good photos http://www.visitpenang.gov.my/portal/what-to-see/attractions/tow-boo-kong-temple-butterworth.html

Followed by the old temple of Dou Mu Gong and then to a fellow old and retired Liu Ren Xian Shi temple.

The new temple was of course in its grand majestic form. The older temple of Dou Mu is in a serene state of peace. The Liu Ren Xian Shi temple however was in a state of abandon. Even though there is a caretaker, however they no longer provide any ‘consultation’ services for their followers. Mostly people will just come back to offer prayers on the 1^st and 15^th lunar days of the month.

Even though Dou Mu Gong was one of the few recent build up temples for Taoist, on the whole Taoist followers are on the decline. Several reasons for this.

1.     Taoist temples rarely offer any guidance to those that visit to offer respect. Mainly is just offering of joss stick and most of the time you are on your own. Leading to point

2.     Therefore most people are not sure what they are suppose to do or how to go about offering respect. Why? What? How? When? All is not answered. Most of time people are playing the guessing game and follow the crowd mentality.

3.     Some tricksters would usually set up those mom and pop Taoist temple and would trick visitors with special services such as luck changing, increase of wealth rituals, or tell visitors that they have ghost or spirit attach to them and needs to be eradicated via some elaborate rituals that needs a certain fee to setup. This eventually lead to a generalization that most Taoist temple is a hideout place for tricksters and con artist

All these in the long run have created a very bad reputation for Taoist temples everywhere. And remaining others would usually visit Taoist temples only when they suspect they have some spiritual problems that cannot be solve easily.

Unlike Buddhist temple for example, most people would visit on a regular basis to learn Dharma, offer respect etc. Churches, mosques and even Synagogue would appeal to their ‘members’ as a spiritual asylum in their day to day or in time of need.

Taoist temple on the other hand, is on a reactive mode from a marketing perspective. Mainly following the mentality of Jiang Zi Ya. The sage Jiang Zi Ya, would always go fishing with a rod that does not have any bait attach to the hook of the fishing rod. His famous line is “ Those fish which is willing will bite the hook on its own”. Meaning that those that have affinity will only come look for Taoist teachings.

In this 21^st century, we have some many distractions and our attention span is getting shorter due to information overload. Waiting on a reactive mode will surely expect more decline if the trend continues.

I think its time we go into a pro-active mode.

Warding Off Pandemics

With the recent blowout of AH1N1 flu around the world. Many initially fear for the worst, but after a while some countries around the globe is starting to treat it as a normal seasonal flu due to its low mortality rate.As the saying goes “History often repeats itself”. As a Taoist, I have decided to search for any remedy towards this situation through the use of Taoist Talisman.

Great Venerable Sage Zhang Dao Ling @ Zhang Tian Shi – Taoist Sect becomes famous during a time of pandemics when both he and his disciples use talisman alone burn into the water source to help save many villages. A time when anti-biotic , penicillin and Tamiflu is not heard of yet. These mysterious sages just burn yellow pieces of paper with ink or cinnabar inscribe on it and are able to cure or ward of pandemics.

I have searched through my Taoist lineage records and journals; apparently there is a talisman that helps ward off pandemics. The talisman of inviting Master Jiang Ji Ya (below).

Does that mean a talisman can cure all? Definitely not. I subscribe to “believe in a higher source of power, but still wash your hand regularly”.