Making of Invisible child

Babies foetus discovery in one of Bangkok temple have shocked many especially those of us who are living in neighbouring countries.

Many asked, why would the caretaker want to keep so many baby foetus in the temple grounds(approx 1,700). Sources from the news confirmed that most of them comes from the abortion clinic.

From the spiritual aspect, the caretaker could have been keeping these baby foetus to earn a profit. In Thai spiritual practice or 'Visha', unborn babies usually those who have met with accidents or for some tragic reason unable to be born can be used to practice and develop into child spirit commonly known as 'Kumanthong/Gumanthong'.

These child spirits, are then invited by others so that they can ask and request these child spirits to help them in their daily life such as protecting their house and properties.

Generally there are 2 different types of Kumanthong, one that is blessed and consecrated by high monks and those consecrated by normal practitioners of magic which in Thailand they are called Ajahn (Master).

Famous monk that can consecrate effective Kumanthong is Luang Phor Tae from Wat SangNagm. He is known as the first generation 'makers' of Kumanthong. After he passed away he is then succeeded by his disciple Luang Phor Yam. However their style of Kumanthong will have ashes of foetus on the statue. These ashes are usually obtain with permission of the parent when they cremate their child in temple grounds.

One of the many 'styles' of Kumanthong by Luang Phor Yam

Luang Phor Tae

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Luang Phor Yam

These spirits have usually taken refuge in Buddhism, therefore they cannot be instructed to do activities that violates Dharma. Such as harm others or do things that are considered illegal.

Explanations from monks that made these Kumanthong is that, because of the spirits negative karma they cannot take human form and have many obstacles causing untimely death before being born. By consecrating them into Kumanthong, it is in hope that they will gain merits in this form by helping their owners. When their merits are enough, then they would be able to be re-born as human. Those that invite Kumanthong, usually will be given a long list of do's and don't and to treat the spirit as one of their own child.

Then there are those that are consecrated by Visha practitioners or Ajahn, will have to depend on their lineage. Some considered Kumanthong consecrated by Ajahn are more 'flexible' when they request them to do activities that borders on the grey area.

For this recent case however, the caretaker has kept these foetus on his own. Most likely he will sell those foetus to Visha practitioners as a form of 'raw materials'. Many Visha that involved binding of spirits will usually need some form of shell for them to contain the spirit.

Which is why, you can see in darker amulets created by these practitioners will usually contain body parts of the dead people.

However sometime the Kumanthong consecrated by Ajahn may not contain a child spirit but in fact have a full grown spirit bind to the statue. Because if a normal lay person, without any extensive practice or cultivation, will not know what is actually in those statues. And also how those spirits are bind. Some are forcefully bind by the black Visha Ajahn. Therefore, if handled misappropriately it will back fire on the person and his family.

Then there is another version of child spirit which is called Lukok. To consecrate these type of spirits, usually they need a full foetus instead of just ash or bones. Lukok is more fierce are the Ajahn used the spirit of the foetus and train it to perform whatever activities requested by him.  

Some like to 'keep' Kumanthong to help them in sales, wooing of girls or guys and also increase their gambling luck.

Whether Kumanthong consecrated by these practitioners are effective or not is a very big question mark. Even with real Kumanthong, monks have informed that they cannot perform big task. They can only be requested to help in small ways such as looking out in the property, helping to draw some customers into shops etc. 

They cannot make you rich beyond your dreams, because your potential is already indicated in your destiny.

In universal law of karma, any activities requesting these spirits to violate the Dharma, would then be accounted to their 'owners'. In the end everyone needs to settle their 'debts' one way or the other.

How do I know so much about Thai Visha? Well that's another article on its own...:)

Animal Liberation - Paying up your karmic debts

Just received a call from my long term client last night. He updated me that his brother who is confirmed with prostate cancer stage 2, had recently undergo check up before his operation. Doctor has confirmed that his cancer cell has gone down to almost normal level.

About 2 months ago, his my client call me up and ask me to schedule a day so that I can fly to Johor Bahru to audit his brother's house. His brother is confirmed with cancer and he tried to do everything to help him.

Upon arrival at his home, I was informed that they just renovated their house after Chinese New Year 2010, and 3 months after that he went for medical check up and doctor confirmed he had cancer.

The house water exit and kitchen stove area is totally off for his Ba Zi- Chinese Astrrology base on year,month, day and time of birth. Even his sleeping position is wrong for his Ba Zi, although he has been sleeping in that location for almost 10 years. Health problems will usually surface when there is changes in the person's luck period. During good luck period, you will not notice much. However when the luck is not favorable, all of it will manifest.

After all Feng Shui suggestion, I sat personally with the couple and plainly told them their situation. When you are diagnosed with cancer, you will need all the leverage you can get.

1. Environment must be supportive - the qi is right for your recovery.
2. Changing your lifestyle and diet, because that is the thing that got you into this present problem.
3. Do a lot of animal liberation - destiny that you born with have some pre-determine factor, and that pre-determine factor is karma. Terminal desease is usually stems from manifestation or ripening of our bad karma. Karma in simplistic term means your debts to other sentient beings as a result of your previous action and intention.

Point 1 and 2 we have already settled, now to solve point 3, it needs a lot of your own effort. One of the most efficient way is through animal liberation. Benefiting other sentient beings so that they have a chance to be free from untimely death and suffering will create the cause for you to purify your bad karma.

They took my advice to heart, on the first animal liberation, they released 1000 birds. And have been doing it consistently. And from their feedback, it seems the purification is working powerfully with other things they have done.

Am I saying that animal liberation will cure cancer? No. It will reduce the cause of your desease and manifest and ripen your good karma. If it is not too severe, it will even help overcome the desease from the spiritual angle.

Sometimes it also takes good karma to read, understand and put to practice this information. Think about it and then start doing it!

Give Me MORE MONEY !!!

Most of the time when local Chinese community hear about a certain Taoist temple, their first question would ask whether the temple will give out lottery numbers.

Even in Buddhism, if certain bodhisatvas are referred to as granting wealth or can help with wealth, instantly it is a popular hit.

The correct way is not to request for wealth from deities or Buddhas. When you understand that money is a form of energy, then it is quite difficult to ask higher entities to 'make' energy and give it to you. Energy can only be transformed or by attracting more of it and it cannot be created or destroyed. In this way, what we can do is to request the help of deities to help in your attraction of wealth, clear the obstruction and blockage of energy that is coming to you.

In simple terms, request for more smoother flow in all things that you do. That will be more effective than asking "grant me more money pleaseeee!!!!"

And upon of receiving more energy (money) one of the motivation is so that you can help others. By giving back part of the energy to helps others it gets the cycle of energy flowing into your life. It also validates your ability to store more and more energy.

Too often times, patrons to temple will bring a few oranges or apples and then expect temple deities to grant them several thousand or even more from lottery. If we look it from an energy perspective, if the deities is running a business, they will run into bankruptcy very soon.

Do more meritorious deeds and participate in more activities that benefits others. It also makes it easier for the deities to help you convert those good merits when you need it the most.

Creating Causes of Bad Luck Through Killing Animals

Just completed teaching a 8 day training of Qi Men Dun Jia and San Yuan Feng Shui program in Moscow. Between tea and lunch break, it is usual for students to approach me with questions and also seek for opinion and advice.

Some even specifically asked for 15-20 minutes of my time as they have some pressing problems with their life. On this trip, 2 cases have specifically stood out. Therefore I think it is worthwhile for readers to also ponder on my advice to them.

One student came to me and asked me about her husband and his declining business. They have just moved into a new house 1 year ago. However his business started to go decline about 3 years ago. After looking at his BaZi chart, it is due to the changes of his luck cycle. Nevertheless, his luck supposedly has already improved but his situation became worst.

They moved into a house that have a fast moving river behind their property. Even though they have erected a high fence to cover it from view, this does not prevent the strong qi flow. Plus the landforms of their land is sloping on the wrong side, which also cause loss of wealth to the occupants.

While having a fast moving river behind a property is not easy to rectify, there are methods to do so and I have advice her on the method. But then how do we explain that his situation did not improve even though his luck supposedly change for the better? Fast moving rivers behind the house, in good luck years would not have such devastating effect.

I then started to ask her “Does your husband like fishing or hunting?” She told me her husband started hunting about 3 years ago as a hobby due to the decline of his business. I told her to advice her husband to stop hunting immediately. This is also a cause for their current situation. Each time he hunted an animal, he would usually pick the animal up after it has been shot. And on most cases, the animal is struggling in the last moment of death before being picked up by him. That creates a cause for these animal spirits to attach and be around the person. This can cause many problems to the person such as financial failure, more enemies in work or business.

The second case was from a client here in Moscow. They are also experiencing some financial difficulties. I was auditing their house Feng Shui and advice them accordingly. His destiny is going through 5 years good luck and 5 years declining luck. Whenever the decline happens, he would go into extreme financial problems. To the extent, that it cannot be gauge from the BaZi chart. Again I got to know that he also likes to hunt animals. I have strictly suggested to him to stop hunting for the current period.

If you like any forms of hobby that requires to kill another animal, be aware that those animal you kill will not just die and be a trophy on your wall. If you happen to kill an animal that have very violent nature or strong memory, that will create a cause for their spirit to attach to you. And when that happens, you have not much choice but to suffer the predicament of endless bad luck, beyond what is on your BaZi chart.

Few factors can directly influence our Destiny or BaZi chart.

1. Spiritual intervention – that does not happen often and it requires strict discipline and cultivation

2. Spirits and ghost – they do cause bad luck or interfere with your original destiny. However spirits (animal or human) cannot easily interfere with your life unless you have created the cause for them to do so.

3. Your environment – Feng Shui

4. Meritorious deeds – practice of generosity and charity for a better cause

You do not have to take my word, you can verify it on your own if you have doubts.

Encounters of 7th Lunar Month 2010

On the first day of 7^th Month I have received a call from fellow committee member of Kam Dong San Temple. According to Michael (not his real name) his mum had been possessed the night before. And Mr. Wong Soon Lee asked him to give me a call to let me know on the situation.

His account of the event was his mum woke up at exactly on 2:30am for the past two nights and her voiced changed and started to mumble some speech which the family members do not understand. At some point, his mum would become agitated and starting doing frantic movement. They try to hold her down, but she somehow got really strong. In normal day to day however, his mum do get shortness of breath from normal movement.

He told me that his mum had become really frantic Aug 10 morning. He called Mr. Wong Soon Lee from our temple, who is in charge of weekly spiritual consultation in the temple. When Soon Lee arrived in Michael's house in the wee of morning, his mum was quite frantic. Immediately Soon Lee went into a trance and request for his Spiritual Master – Master Lee Xian Shi to descend. In meditative stabilisation, Soon Lee was told that there is 2 spirit by Michael's mum. Immediately they got hold of one of the spirit but the other one got away. Soon Lee then proceed to spiritually seal all the opening of Michael's house.

Michael's mum was then awake and can recognize Soon Lee . Therefore ascertain that all is okay, Soon Lee then left Michael's house. However as soon as Soon Lee left, his mum become frantic again until 5 am in the morning. And when she woke up, she did not remember any of the incidence that happen in the early morning.

When Michael called me, I asked few questions

Did his mum had any medical condition?

Did she had any new medical prescription?

Where had she been 2 nights prior to this incident?

Had he taken his mum to the hospital for checkup?

First I have to make sure it was not related to a medical condition. Sometimes deep depression and schizophrenia can also exhibit the symptoms of possession. After confirming it was not a medical condition, I have asked Michael to forward me his mum's date of birth and time and also MMS over the photo of her mum.

I have also talked to Soon Lee on what other things he have noticed in during his time at his place. When I went into meditative stabilisation, I saw one spirit by the her mum and it originate from the ancestral urn. Michael's house does not make any offering to Taoist Deities or Buddha Statues. They only have Tian Gong, Ancestor and Earth Deity

Somehow malevolent spirits had managed to enter his ancestral urn and started some disturbances in his family. Usually these spirits will prey on the weakest spiritual mind in the household. As this year his mum's luck is very weak and fill with clashes.

I specifically remember that I had discussion with Soon Lee during Tai Sui Celebration that Michael's mum should request from Lord Tai Sui this year to avoid all mishaps. This is because when I consecrate the Tai Sui Lamp for his family, they did submit all family members BaZi. I had a quick glance on his mum's BaZi.

After which, under instruction from Kam Dong San deities I have drawn up 3 Liu Ren Xian Shi Talisman for her to consume for 3 consecutive day, 1 talisman of suppressing ghost and demon to hang in front of his house. And also Jiu Tian Xuan Nu talisman to burn onto sandalwood smoke to purify his house (this talisman was given out during Chinese New Year for spring cleaning and spiritual cleansing).

After his mum consume the talisman, on the first night she still woke up but did not became frantic and it was for a very short time only.

On the second night and third night she did not wake up. I still followed up with Michael and advice that his mum continue with flower bath until after 17 August. As she was quite weak luckwise and hence it affects her spiritual aura.

Spiritual disturbances are conditions that can cause us to have possessions and can wreak havoc in our life. But the main seed cause is from our karmic ties with those malevolent spirit. In our Taoist practice, we do not eliminate or destroy these malevolent when encountered. Usually is to ask them to leave before any confrontation is deemed necessary. If we destroy or eliminate them, then it will strengthen the karmic ties of these spirits with the person involved and also create new ties with ourselves.

The best way to prevent such problems and incidence in our life is to practice charity in monetary forms and also charity in spiritual forms. Charity in spiritual forms are such as light offering, food offering or statues dedication (statues of Buddhas,Bodhisatvas or Deities) to our karmic debtors.

Too many deities, Buddhas and Bodhisatvas is BAD for you!

After a very hectic period since last month, finally able to make some time to update this blog. Below is the photo of my altar at my new house.

I have ordered it about 10 months before finally arrived in time for my moving in. Ever since we move into this new house, some relatives or friends that have a chance to visit us, actually was quite taken a back by the altars at house top floor.

Some look around and quickly move descended towards the second floor. Some make single word comment such as ‘Wow!’ while others quietly at my back discuss with my wife or parent about how it is bad to have too many deity statues in the house. Even too many Buddha’s or bodhisattvas images are actually bad for a common household – according to them!

Well all this while ever since I have been initiated in Taoism- Kam Dong San – Feng Huo Yuan. I have had these many deities in my old house. In the old house, it is in a room instead of on a whole separate floor. Therefore not many people have a chance to view it.

Common folks especially in the local Chinese community have this belief that one should not have too many deities in the house, as it would cause havoc and dis-harmony in house. As those deities will fight among themselves and spill over the bad effects to the people living in the household.

Let me explain this ‘phenomena’.

When you just simply ask any Taoist priest or walk into any temple without knowing their background and ask them to consecrate a Taoist deity for you. There are possibilities they don’t know what they have consecrated into the deity for you. It could be some malevolent spirit. So this particular spirit is just happy that people in the house give good offering to it. When you consecrate another malevolent spirit, then they are not happy, because more spirit sharing the offering. Therefore these spirits have no cultivation whatsoever, solely relying on you to feed them. And when they have fights among each other, you will be the first to experience the after effects.

If an official Taoist deity, one who has reached the ‘Dao’ and still fight with each other for offerings or your prayers, then obviously they have NOT yet reached the Dao. It is better for you to ask them to make offerings to you rather than you make offerings to them!

Let’s be honest, in my line of job I have been to quite a few number of homes. And most people that pray to Taoist Deities usually will have empty teacups on the altar that was left to dry since last 1^st or 15^th of the lunar month. Some offered 1 orange/apple or sometime even forgot to offer anything. Do you think that Taoist deities survive on our petty offerings; they are so hungry for the fruits? Our offering is all in the thought that we project when we look at their consecrated statues.

Don’t try to analyze the deities’ thoughts or actions with our uncultivated heart or mind. If you can think like them, then others would make offerings to you religiously instead of you having to make offerings to those deities.

Others then like to make comments such as Buddhas and Bodhisattvas cannot be place near the deities. It will cause disturbance or havoc! Those are what I would like to call the street auntie and uncle philosophy on Buddhism and religion. They superimpose their thoughts and actions on the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas.

If Buddhas and Bodhisattvas can be jealous of other deities, then they have not reach the state of Buddhahood. Real Buddhas and Bodhisattvas would not be bothered by so ultra mundane problems and thoughts such as who and who will be jealous just because you have a new object of devotion. They are beyond all those attachments that you try to superimpose on them, that’s why they become Buddhas and Bodhisattvas while you and me still delve in Samsara.

I have so many deities in my Taoist altar is due to my affinity with them. I place them on the altar as a form of respect and also a reminder of my own need to be diligent in my own cultivation.

When I am able to cultivate and reached the Dao, then my Taoist altar would only have the 3 Pure Ones. As I am already reached the Dao and can communicate with any deities at will. Until that day arrives, the altar will remain the way it is.

As for my Tibetan Buddhist altar, it is a reminder to cultivate the Boddhicitta mind, to do my Buddhist practice and also to share the limited knowledge of Dharma I may have so that others would be able to plant some seed of Buddhahood in them, in this lifetime.

Having all these statues of deities, Buddhas and bodhisattvas also reduce and eliminates ones ego. When you are led to believe there is no god, no spirits, no deities, no ghost and no karma, that’s when you are in deep samsaric shit! Pardon my bluntness.

At the same time, I welcome all criticism and pointers from those that able to communicate with all the deities in my altar at will and see all the Buddhas and bodhisattvas on my altar their mind stream at will. Because I will then place your image next to them.

Until then, start examining your own life and your spirituality before passing judgment on others. May you be well and happy!

Another torn shirt....

Every once in a while there will be some friends or acquaintances approach me and ask “Do you want to teach students on how to draw talisman?” or “Do you want to take in protégé in Dao Fa 道法?

It looks attractive and interesting, being able to draw talisman and request for spiritual assistance for specific purposes through the Taoist Deities. Some even look at it as something to elevate their status among peers or friends, essentially being different from others.

If one follow the path of Dao Fa, establishing higher spiritual goals and also being in the lineage of evoking spiritual assistance there are basically 1 out of 3 options that the person will need to choose or being forced upon them. These 3 options in particular will serve as an exchange or as the path of entering the person’s spiritual goal(s) in Dao Fa.

What are these 3 options?
1. To live a life of poverty 2. To live a life of solidarity 3. To always wear torn clothes

All these 3 options are to reflect the imperfection of the person. By gaining the ability to request for spiritual assistance when and where it is needed, the person life shall not be perfect.

Living a life of poverty means that person will not be able to be rich from utilizing any of spiritual responsibility entrusted upon them. That is why, most that uses Dao Fa, as a career will not be wealthy.

To live a life of solidarity means that the person will not have children. There will not be future generations and in most cases the person will not be able to get married.

To always wear torn clothes is due to in the olden days if one were to wear torn clothes it means that they are someone who is not in high or medium status position in society. It is the least heavy options out of the 3.

When I was initiated into Dao Fa, my Taoist master told me that what you learn in Dao Fa could never directly be used to earn money from others. I think that is one way of our lineage by passing option 1. Nevertheless, I was not told of the remaining 2 options.

In some lineage, they will place these 3 options beneath a bowl and when the disciple is initiated, they will choose 1 out of 3 and the chosen option will be set for life. There are some that their option will be chosen by their Master who initiate them into Dao Fa.

For my case, I started to slowly find out on my own. Not long after I was initiated, I noticed that my pants or shirt would on many occasion get torn. Even newly bought shirts or jeans will also have this effect. I also stop buying slightly more expensive khakis pants as most will last a month or so. Jeans that wore for 3-4 times will out of nowhere get torn.
Partial torn pants collection from Mar - June 2010

Later I understand that option 3 was already being enforced on me. Considering the other 2 options available, I was glad that I got number 3. I have met some other Dao Fa practitioner that teach me how to work within the option, new shirts that I bought must purposely be punctured in some hidden area to materialize this imperfection.

Which is why, when some friends or people I know asked whether can they be initiated into learning Dao Fa, usually I just smile and say “ It is not as simple as what you see, there are a lot of ‘terms and conditions’ involved.

A Case brought to City God Temple 城隍庙

image courtesy of asiaexplorers.com

Sometime back since I have update the blog, due to a very busy schedule and also lots of unexpected errands. One of these errands had been trying to get a fair warranty claim for my car. Finally it was resolved and I have to thank our Penang City God for the major part of the credit.

I have called up the Penang dealer in charge of my purchase and services. They gave lots of excuses and try to pass the problem to the manufacturer rep in Kuala Lumpur. The manufacturer rep told me only the manufacturer can approve the claim which is in Germany. After a whole lot of communication with Penang dealer and Kuala Lumpur rep, nothing was done and it seems as if I have hit a wall in getting through to the right channel and people( the claim problem started sometime after Chinese New Year – Feb 14).

Finally I was so fed up 2 weeks ago, I have decided to bring my case to the City God. Every major city with Chinese population will have a City God Temple. They are in charge of all the after-life matters for a Taoist. Another important role of the City God and his officers is to govern all that happens spiritually in the city. In front of the City God Temple, it is enacted a Chinese poem that simply translated “No matter how smart, wealthy or intelligent you are, finally you will also need to come by this place”

City God Temple is one of the temple in town that I will walk in and pay my respect if I happen to be in the area.

One of my spiritual masters always reminds me, if you are starting to cultivate, make sure you learn to cultivate an affinity with Earth Deities (which include Earth God, mid level deities etc). Which hence, you read a major part of my encounters is with Earth Deities. Many cultivators like to have a sense of grandeur in which they only pay respect to high level or high ranking deities and shun or ignore Earth God and mid level deities. My spiritual master would always say “ If you cannot even have an affinity with Earth God and mid level deities, then how are you able to develop an affinity with higher deities. It is not logical even from spiritual perspective!”

Coming back to the City God Temple, I am very familiar with the temple keepers as each time my visit to the temple with have offering of a big josstick when I conclude my respect to all the deities in the temple. Even the unfortunate beggars of the temple can recognize me.

For this particular case, after I have offered my respect to all deities in the temple, I lit up a particular number of joss sticks and kneel down in front of the City God Statue and went into meditative stabilization. It is very seldom that I go into meditative stabilization in temple especially this particular temple. When I went into it, I can feel the ground shaking, something like a level 3-4 earthquake.

Immediately I conveyed my name, address and spiritual background. I have then sincerely requested the help of the City God to my particular case, stating that in his governance there are unscrupulous business people going around trying to cheat on others (referring to the car dealer in charge of sales of service of my car). After which I have concluded my prayers and respect to all deities in the temple. I went to the temple on Saturday. On following Monday, I received a call from the car dealer informing me that they will ‘settle’ the problem of my car regardless of whether the warranty claim is recognized by the car manufacturer.

I went back to the dealer service center on Thursday, but after I drove my car there, once again the customer service manager tried to avoid the earlier promise and asked me to wait for the manufacturer representative in Kuala Lumpur on whether it is claimable. Then on the following Monday, nothing was done on my car and I was thinking to myself whether I should re-visit City God Temple. I received an email response from Germany later that morning saying they will definitely asked Kuala Lumpur(KL) rep office to handle my problem. By Tuesday morning I received a call from KL rep office to apologize and 15 minutes later I received a call from Penang dealer asking me when I can drive my car in for the replacement.

City God Office is by far the most effective and efficient compare to any physical world major corporation.

Another encounter with Earth Deities

Chinese New Year has always been a busy period personally and also spiritually. This year with the form up of the Kam Dong Shan temple, there were more activities going on during this period.

This case has to do with the Earth God or commonly known as 土地公 (Tu Di Gong) and one of our temple member and also a close acquaintence Daniel (not his real name).

Since last year he has been going through some stroke of below average luck. And at the end of last year, even his facial colours shows quite dull colours around the forehead and also cheek area.

Evidently in his BaZi, he is going through some not so smooth period. Feng Shui wise, there is nothing wrong with his house. Therefore I have tried to help him through Taoist spiritual method. Daniel is also a Taoist cultivator, in which I personally also know his character and in this case try to help him as much as I can through our temple main deities.

He has requested the benefactors talisman, burn it and no result at all. After which, I have requested for the summoning the earth god talisman for him. He burn it and only minor result. After this 2 account, his case become a real curiousity for me. Using Taoist method, under normal circumstances a person will be seeing some result in term of money, but will later spend it off due to their BaZi influence. For example, obtaining some sales (as Daniel is in sales), some surge in income but later spend it off on some other things or events. Unless they know the method of how to get the energy to circulate.

In this case however, nothing. After which, I have requested from our deities a luck changing set of talisman. When I gave him the set, I have specifically inform him that if this does not work, then you really have to wait for your luck to change.

During Chinese New Year fourth day, I have the chance of meeting up Daniel together with some other friends from KL. When the meet up ended, I drove Daniel back to his place. He generously invited me to his home and have a look at his altar. He had just move into this house for about 2 months.

When I was in his altar room, I have decided to go into meditative stabilisation and enquire about his case from his house Earth God. In my mind, a form of an elder lady appeared. Earth God will not necessarily be a man, sometimes it can be a woman spirit. This also confirms Daniel earlier hunch in which his house Earth God is an elderly lady. So without any hesitation, I politely ask the Earth God, what happen? Because Daniel had burn so many summoning talisman and also gold paper offering. The answer I have received from the Earth God, is that she is unable to help him in any financial matters. Because she does not have enough energy to give him back. She mentioned that she can only help in keeping the house safe and health matters.

Then my next question to the Earth God was “ Is there any other way to help Daniel on his financial matters?”. She told me that the outside 'Datuk' (another form of localized Earth Deity that usually would be in charge of a specific area) at his apartment compound can provide the financial help Daniel needed. She informed me that all Daniel needs to do, is to pay respect more often to the 'Datuk'. Immediately I've asked Daniel, whether is there any 'Datuk' around his apartment compound. Just to make sure I was not imagining things, sometimes the scientific part of my mind needs to make sure I am not going crazy :) . According to Daniel, there is indeed a Datuk house in his apartment compound but he only pay respect once after he moved in.

In brief, I then inform Daniel to pay respect more often to his area Earth Deity. 4 days after this, yesterday evening 8th day of Chinese New Year, I have received a call from Daniel. He told me the day before, he went to a local tourism event and had parked his car at a person's property. Upon leaving he discovered that the front of his car had 2 big scratch mark, obviously left by the owner of the parking space. Daniel decided to try his luck with local 4Digits on his car number. In a surprise to him, his car number became the first prize number. He won about RM1k plus.

I was very glad for him, because to us that is familiar with Taoist method, once there is a turning sign – it means that the momentum of change has started in regards to his luck. All we need is that leverage. It does not mean that he will win bigger prize in 4Digits, because the odds is almost impossible no matter what methods a person use in gambling long term.

Earth God or Earth Deities is different in each house. Some people will choose to pay respect and offering to the Earth God and some do not. Either circumstances, the Earth God is already there. They are there in the house way before any owner, essentially they are the spirit of that particular land. Even in other cultures, I have noticed that they also pay respect to the spirit of the house or the land. Essentially this is the same as the Taoist setting up a place for the Earth God. Earth God is also classified as a form of Wealth Deities, even though their ranking is not high in the spiritual world, but their connection is somewhat the closest to us human beings.

Spring Cleaning and Cleansing

10 2 1510 12.0

Before every Chinese New Year, traditional custom is to have a cleaning of the house to welcome the New Year. And usually we will name it the great Spring-cleaning.

In Taoism and Feng Shui, not only physically cleaning the house and its environment, but also clearing away stagnant and bad Qi or energy that is in the house. Therefore we are not only cleaning the house but also cleansing it before the New Year.

In Taoism the traditional method, upon finishing the physical cleaning, the next step is to cleanse the house Qi using 2 types of Chinese Herbs, 藿香 Huo Xiang and 甘草 Gan Cao and combine it with pure sandalwood powder. When these 3 ingredients is burn together, the smoke that it produces will cleanse the environment of any malignant or stagnant Qi.

And for this cleansing process, as a Taoist I would usually add the Hua Sha Fu 化杀符（talisman to neutralize Sha).The talisman is burn on top of the mixture before the starting of the fire. Therefore spiritually cleansing every corner of the house.

As this year, the Coming of Spring 立春 （Feb 4^th) happens to be earlier than Lunar New Year (February 14^th) , the cleansing should be done before Feb 4th.

If you happen to be one of the last minute cleaners, doing it after February 4^th is also as possible.

For readers that resides in Penang, you can obtain the Hua Sha Fu 化杀符（talisman to neutralize Sha) and the herbal mixtures at our temple (Kam Dong Shan 金洞山 ， 2－5－21 Harbour Trade Centre ,Lebuh Macallum, 10300 Georgetown. Penang)

Have a great cleaning and cleansing before the New Year !