The Deathbed Conversion Trap: Why You Shouldn't "Change the Bus Halfway"

The Flashback: A Shadow in a Western Suit

Back in June 2008, I published a post on this journal that still generates conversations today. It started with a frantic message from a client named Jack, who was seeing moving shadows in his home.

Months earlier, during a routine Feng Shui audit, I had felt a heavy, unmoving presence in his late father’s bedroom. When I later entered meditative stabilization to see what was happening, I encountered a spirit on the staircase wearing a sharp Western suit. When I asked why he was still there, his answer was heartbreakingly simple:

*"This is my home. Nobody invited me to the ancestral tablet."*

When I called Jack the next day to ask if his father had been buried in a Western suit—a rare choice for traditional Chinese families in Malaysia at the time—Jack was stunned. It was true. We resolved the issue by properly inviting his father to the ancestral tablet, and the shadows vanished.

2. The Core Problem: Subconscious Ties at the Exit Door

The reason Jack’s father was stuck on the physical plane wasn't malice; it was confusion. Throughout his life, his subconscious mind was deeply mapped to Taoist traditions. But in his final days, facing a terminal illness, his family pressured him to switch religions.

When you change a person’s spiritual alignment right at the exit door, they have no deep, lifelong subconscious roots in that new faith. When they pass, they become disoriented. They don't belong to the new path yet, and they've been cut off from the old one. They are stuck between stations.

As I wrote back then: **We must love our family enough to let them choose their own vehicle for the final journey.**

3. The 2026 Growth Ring: What 18 Years of Practice Has Taught Me

Looking back at that 2008 post, I realize I treated it as a spiritual mechanics problem—perform the ritual, move the spirit, fix the haunting.

Nearly two decades later, I look at that case with much more empathy for the family, but an even firmer stance on spiritual sovereignty. In the years since, I have seen this exact scenario play out dozens of times. Well-meaning children, driven by the fear of their parents "going to the wrong place," force a deathbed conversion.

What they don't see is the spiritual friction it causes.

In 2026, we talk a lot about living our truth and having autonomy over our lives. But we rarely talk about autonomy over our deaths. True spiritual maturity means respecting a person's lifelong internal compass, even if it doesn't match your own. You cannot force a soul into a mold it hasn't spent a lifetime building.

4. Where the Energy Sits Today

If you are caring for an aging or ill loved one, the temptation to "save" them through your own spiritual lens is powerful. But the greatest act of filial piety or love you can offer is space—the space to let their subconscious mind rely on the symbols, prayers, and traditions that comforted them when they were strong.

Don't force them to change buses halfway across the bridge. Let them cross in the vehicle they know.

Spiritual Clothing

Those that come to Kam Dong San temple, where I volunteer sometime will wonder how come this fella only wear bermuda and round neck T. Yes I'm too casual even for a Taoist. 

Official Clothing and official adornments are necessary for official functions as a cultural identification, nothing more nothing less.

When I'm in a Vajrayana function especially those presiding with Rinpoche's that I know personally, I would cover up with my Ngakpa shawl to show my respect for the Rinpoche. Normal teachings by other Rinpoche or Lama I prefer to wear normal like everyone else.

 

Taoist event or Celebrations, I just wear whatever is comfortable. Why? The deities should be able to recognize me even if I'm naked! If a Taoist is properly initiated, spiritually he would have a Taoist robe. Every being in the spiritual world would be able to see it. The robe will stay with you as long as you do not break any precepts set forth by the deities.

If you practice consistently and purely, instead of robe there will be glow and bright aura on your body. Spiritual beings, Deities, Bodhisattvas will instantly recognize you as a pure cultivator regardless of what you wear or don't wear.

What do you wear in your dreams? Whatever your mind can come up with. What you wear spiritually? The purity of your cultivation.

Tao Fa Path With Kam Dong San Temple

Finally the new revision of Tao Fa Path with Kam Dong San Temple is up. It provides a bearing and direction for existing and new people who are interested in Tao Fa path.

Here are the Rules and Regulation for Kam Dong San Temple Disciples

Conditions for Initiations

1. Male and Female must be 25 years of age and above and married. If not married at least must be 40 years of age.

2. Must be temple member for at least 1 year with 80% attendance on deities celebration then only will be considered for initiation.

3. All disciples must use the oracle by Master to seek for approval disciple before initiation.

4. After initiation, person will need to attend at least 8 times Fish Liberation in year (out of state disciples can choose to donate for liberation activities)

5. Person will need to learn basic Smoke Offering.

Rules & Precepts for Disciples

1. Tao Fa cannot be use to earn a living.

2. No extra marital affairs for married disciple. If single, cannot be romantically involved with any individuals who are married.

3. Not allowed to be involved in illegal activities under the law.

4. Cannot use Tao Fa to help those who are involved with illegal activities

5. Every 1st and 15th Lunar month must be on vegetarian diet.

Most important is to have a sense of righteousness and a faithful heart. Link for Kam Dong San Temple http://www.facebook.com/kdspg

The Trick to Money is Having Some - Part 2 (Final)

This is the 2^nd part of the Trick To Money is Having Some. For part 2, I am going to emphasise on how to seek spiritual help in obtaining wealth. This will only work, if you are completely immerse with my part 1 posting http://yinyangjournal.blogspot.com/2014/10/the-trick-to-money-is-having-some-part-1.html

Taoist Method.

1. Earth God at Home/Office 地神
   Earth God in Taoist system of belief represents, the local earth deities. Slightly higher than spirits, they are bound to the area, place or home. Every home/area or office has its own assigned local earth deities. If you already have a Earth God in your home/office, the practice is to regularly do proper offering.
   Proper means regular offering of tea and water. 1^st and 15^th day of the Lunar Month, make more elaborate offering of fruits. You can also regularly make gold paper offering. Common offerings of biscuits, sweets and chocolates are also encouraged.
   Some homes that I have visited, they have Earth God setup, but no water offering, no tea offering. The urns are messy, cobwebs around. They only thing they do is just offer incense when ever they are free. This is a sure way to get problems from Earth bound deities. Because unlike higher Deities, they still have a lot attachments.

Earth Deities of Kam Dong San Temple (www.facebook.com/kdspg)

1. God of Wealth 財神
   
   Some will have consecrated God of Wealth in their home/office, in this case we are mentioning 趙公明元帥. You can also visit temple that have this Deity. The best time is during his celebration which is on 5^th day of the 1^st Lunar Month. Bring offerings such as fruits, biscuits, chocolates, juices etc. Remember don't be stingy, if you have read part 1 posting then you will know what is the mind set to have. Request for blessings and also for good ideas! Why good ideas? 1 idea can make you millions.
   
   Don't request for 4D or lottery, that is hard to come by, because it will need a strong luck on your side to fulfilled it.

Vajrayana Method.

In Buddhism the basic core idea of wealth, is the ability to detach from it. Not get more of attachment! However as mentioned in part 1, when your motivation is different, then wealth is still greed, but greed with a higher purpose, which is to help others. If your sole motivation to practice any wealth method in Vajrayana for your own selfish ego, no matter how dedicated you are, it won't have any results.

1. Sang Offering/Smoke Offering
   
   Sang offering is a practice where the practitioner gathers dry food such as grains, sugars, rice, medicine, incense and blend it into powder form. Then the powder is burn and the smoke aroma becomes an offering to all higher deities and karmic debtors. This particular offering is especially helpful in clearing obstacles in your life. As manifestation of obstacles are usually your karmic debtors who are in the way of what ever that you may try to accomplish. Some Sang offering practice requires empowerment from a Lama or Rinpoche while some does not require empowerment.
2. Jambhala Practice
   
   Whenever there is a Rinpoche in town offering Jambhala Initiation, whether it is White, Yellow, Black,Green or Red Jambhala you will see throngs of people lining up. Many have the mistaken notion that once you get the initiation, wealth will be upon you.
   
   To practice any Jambhalas, first few requirements are highlighted in part 1. Without the correct mindset, no result can be obtain from your practice. However if you are practicing for the well beings of others, Jambhala practice will be very swift.

General Method.

1. Do donation. Donation? you may ask, you may also be saying that you don't have any to give. The reason you are reading this posting is how to get money, not give it away. Because you are not clear of the rules, which is why you have problems getting it. Give or donate to a charity that can benefit lots of people immediately. Why immediately, because the idea is to gather worldly merits that can help in your financial prosperity. Keep in mind however that it is a lower motivaton to donate and expect something in return from the universe. The highest motivation would be donate without any notion of expectation. Until you reach there, this is the way to start.
   
   
   
2. Practice Liberation. Liberation of animals especially fishes, helps you to gather merits or worldly merits fast. This is because through life liberation, essentially you are helping the animals/fishes to extend their life without fear. This type of merits would help your tremendously if you have a lot of karmic debtors.

If you are totally down and out, without anything to give, then give your time and your attention to a charity organization. There is always something you can contribute, for you to slowly gather some forms of merits. When you have more then you can start to practice on the methods that I have recommended here. The idea is to start, or else you can never go to where you want by standing still.

The Trick to Money is Having Some ! Part 1

Just checked my blog posting and realised that it was already a few months since my last posting. This posting will be about having money. The title of this posting is borrowed from Stuart Wilde's great book 'The Trick to Money is Having Some'. I will outline specifically on spiritual ways to enhance your money or ability to accumulate money.

Almost 98% of the people you ask on the street would agree that they don't have enough money, including this blogger. Essentially when you start out having minimum or none or on the negative end of the spectrum, then the very first thing you need to change is the mindset. That is before any of the spiritual methods that I am going to list down.

Mindset of Abundance.

Many who are lacking have a mindset of lacking, worst kind have the mindset of stinginess. You may say that they have mindset of lacking, because physically they are lacking. Well that's not true. Those that have mindset of abundance, never remain lacking for a very long time. Those that cannot shake loose of the lacking mentality, will also have no way of shaking loose their financial problem. Or they will constantly have financial related problems.

How to have the mindset of abundance? Give give and give ! Donate to your favourite charity with what ever available amount you can afford. Start the ball rolling even if it means just rm0.50 or rm1.00. When you donate affirm to yourself that there is plenty of this energy in the universe. But of course don't just give rm1 when in actual fact you can be very comfortable donating rm10. The surest way of staying in the mindset of lacking, is when you even try to fool yourself that you don't have enough. Therefore your mind will always create the situation where you don't have any.

When you have establish constantly the Mindset of Abundance, your mind is on auto pilot. You are beginning to break free from the shackle of lacking, the iron chain is unlock and your heart opens up to receive not only just plain money energy but spiritual help.

Everyone who has financial problem and try to get spiritual help on their problem, most of these cases would encounter, how come it doesn't work on me? How can it work on you? When your own heart chakra is lock tight like a clam!

When you have establish and affirm on the mindset of abundance with total honesty to yourself. That is when spiritual help works, when miracles appear, when synchronicity becomes a daily testament to your mindset.

Then only we start on the learning some of the spiritual ways to enhance your ability to acquire and retain this 'funny' energy called money which comes in different types of coloured paper.

What do you want to do with it?

Some basic goal setting is paramount. Because without goals, then you will never know why you needed it in the first place. But we don't have to get to too detail and specific on X amount you need, by X amount of time and selling to X amount of people. This is not a Multi-Level marketing blog. This is a Taoist blog! You must have a convincing goal - convincing here means that your mind and body also believe in this goal of yours. It is not something you write up, to please your husband, wife, girlfriend, boyfriend or worst your parents. The money goal must be big and noble enough that it will affect and help many people or beings. And yet at the same time achievable from where you are now.
Example, I want to have RM10,000 spare cash to donate to my favorite charity each year. And by donating this RM10,000 how are those specific organization will in turn benefit others? How many lives would affected? How many beings of animal would be helped?

This goal setting for charity is a bit different from the conventional, I want a Rolls Royce Phantom by 2017 because that is feeding on your ego. Charity goals is empowering your selflessness. Very different destination. Think of it another way, if you can afford to donate RM500,000 each year eventually, I think Phantom is not something out of the blue for you.  ;)

Part 2 Here http://yinyangjournal.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-trick-to-money-is-having-some-part.html