Spring Cleaning and Cleansing

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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 !

How does Taoist Talisman work?

When I travel around different countries to teach Chinese Metaphysics. Most of the time, I will encounter one or two students who are very keen to learn more about spiritual Taoism as some of them know about my background.

And their questions would often lead to this particular subject “How does a Taoist Talisman work?” Because coming from the Western culture perspective, it is often difficult if not impossible to comprehend, how does a piece of yellow paper makes a difference spiritually or towards a particular situation.

When a talisman is drawn, often times is from a lineage that already have the framework of the talisman that has been passed through generations of disciples. So in essence those frameworks, order of wordings are already understood in the spiritual dimension. So when the talisman is burn or being displayed, instantly the responsible deities or spirits would recognize the order or command that is drawn on the talisman.

Furthermore after the talisman is drawn, deities must be invited to imprint their energy signature on the talisman. And who can invite those deities? Only those that are officially being initiated into a particular Taoist lineage or Sect. Sometimes you can also see that in Taoist temples, they will have t deities seal either made of wood or stone. These seal will also serve as an energy imprint.

Therefore there is three layers of filter

1. The talisman must be recognize by the lineage

2. Talisman must have energy imprint of the deities

3. Only officially initiated Taoist lineage members would be able to invite the deities for talisman imprint.

There are also exceptions to point 1. Whereby the talisman is not found on the lineage records, either the situation is unique or through special circumstances.This is when the person has a direct clear link to their lineage deities, and are able to draw out the talisman as according to the instructions of the deities. It is also when you observe, some talisman does not have any Chinese recognizable character on it, just scribbles of red cinnabar or black ink. In this situation, the deities would usually link through a particular medium, and just do an energy imprint on the talisman paper.

Some common Q & A

What about those talisman that is mass printed?

It must have an energy imprint, after it has been printed. If there is no energy imprint, the talisman would not be able to function. When a person burn a talisman that does not have any energy imprint of the deities, then it is similar to sending spam mail to your JUNKMAIL BOX in the spiritual dimension.

Does it work?

As long as it is correctly imprinted, it will work 100% of the time. Talisman purpose is usually to have the fastest effect in the shortest time possible. However, it will only rectify the problem. If the problem is deeply rooted on some karmic influence, then it is similar to taking paraceptamol for a brain tumor. Such as burning and displaying talisman would help for the energy of a house, however if the Feng Shui is not suitable for the person, then all effects are only for a short period of time.

Would it help in generating better luck for me?

I have seen cases that when a person in not in such a good luck period or a bad year, talisman are able to help them boost their luck. When it is boost up, the person needs to do charitable activities for the money that they obtained. In the spiritual dimension, everything is in forms of energy. Money is also a form of energy. When the person obtain a sudden boost of energy, they need to release it back in a good cause to the world or surrounding people. Therefore that energy is able to multiply and flow back to the person. If they hoard the boost of energy, then they have put a dead stop to the flow. Which often times, after they boost their luck, they are either back to square one or worst.

Hope this article would provide you some insights into Taoist talisman.

To coincide with Jin Ying Zu Shi Celebration 金英祖师圣诞 this coming 20 December 2009, our Kam Dong San Temple 金洞山庙under the instructions of San Jiao Lao Zu Shi 三教老祖师 have instructed me to draw 2 types of benefactor talisman 贵人符 for members and public to request from deities. For more information, please visit the temple Facebook page.

Opening of 金洞山 Kam Dong San Temple

It has been 3 months since I've last update the blog. Time flies in quantum speed when your hands are trying to manifest what is in your mind.

Finally our temple Kam Dong San 金洞山 is open (Our Facebook page). When I think back, the journey took me 6 years to finally see the physical manifestation of our goals and vision. And this is just the first step for the temple.

Consecrating Deities

6 years ago when I was officially initiated in Feng Huo Yuan 风火院 Liu Ren Branch of Taoism, I did make a promise to all the Shi Gong 师公 that I will try my best to setup a temple for them in Penang. Before the official initiation, about 20 years ago, I found out that I have good abilities to enter meditative stabilisation. And can start to differentiate colors, shapes and object easily when my brain is in Alpha state or lower. But did not think of it much, as a young teenager just trying to experiment different ways to memorize things easily in secondary school and college.

But one thing led to another, as if there is a map that leads me to various groups of people that supported the cause of setting up the temple ever since the initiation. When you are inline with a vision for a higher purpose, usually there will be people and circumstances to lead you on the correct path.

Our temple host a total of 18 main deities in statue form and 25 more in our lineage Feng Huo Yuan and Fu Ying Guan 伏英馆listing.

18 Deities include

1. 齐天大圣 Qi Tian Da Sheng

2. 金英祖师 Jin Yin Zu Shi

3. 潮源祖师 Chao Yuan Zu Shi

4. 茅山祖师 Mao Shan Zu Shi

5. 張公聖君（法主公）Fa Zhu Gong

6. 太上老君 Tai Shang Lao Jun

7. 太乙天尊 Tai Yi Tian Zun

8. 天上聖母媽祖 Tian Shang Sheng Mu Ma Zu

9. 無上虛空地母無量慈尊 Wu Shang Xu Kong Di Mu Wu Liang Ci Zun

10. 三十六天將之趙公明元帥 San Shi Liu Tian Jiang – Zhao Gong Ming Yuan Shuai

11. 李仙師 （李鉄拐）Li Xian Shi

12. 大爺 Da Ye

13. 二爺 Er Ye

14. 大愿地藏王菩萨 Da Yuan Di Zang Wang Pu Sa

15. - 18 四大金刚 Si Da Jin Gang

    

The temple is located at Unit 21, 5^th Floor Harbour Trade Centre. Lebuh Macallum. 10300 Penang.

Our principle deities are 金英祖师 Jin Yin Zu Shi, 潮源祖师 Chao Yuan Zu Shi and茅山祖师 Mao Shan Zu Shi. In our lineage, all altar or temple grounds would have principle deities, as these principle deities would be the disciples connection to the spiritual world.

Burning of Talisman to Invite Heavenly Marshall

Some people when they hear the word Mao Shan, instantly they would relate to black Taoist magic or hex. In actual fact, Shang Qing Mao Shan is one of the earlier branch of Taoist Fa 道法. It has nothing to do with black magic or hex.

It is later, that in South East Asia with the movies and also unscrupolous con-man/woman claim that they are Mao Shan Sect and started spreading that they can do black magic in accordance to the Mao Shan way. They are what we call Xia Mao下茅 sect. In which they evoke ghost and spirits to do their bidding.

The temple is also registered under the Malaysian Association Act as a non-profit charitable organisation. It is our Vision to expand and re-introduce to the general public on Religious Taoism and promote charitable community events.

Setting up is entirely on the generous donation of public and our on-going activities are also non-profit oriented. However we do welcome the generosity of the public in supporting our causes.

Some of the temple committee members

There's more to do and a long way to go....

Pictures taken by Peter Sin

Tibetan Prayer Flag

Today decide to change the prayer flag on front of my house. Often times, friends will get a little bit confuse when they see Tibetian prayer flag.

One of the Tibetian prayer flag usage is to pass the mantras through the when you hang it up in the mountain areas or near the vicinity of your home.




Each time the wind blows on those flag, the mantras would have travelled through the winds.

Detailed information of Tibetian prayer flag can be found at http://www.tibetianprayerflag.com










--Post From My iPhone

After Effects of knocking and Drilling

Received a SMS from my client 3 days ago informing me that things are not going smooth for them after they move into their new house. I was quite surprised by the chronology of events that happened according to her accounts.

It includes knocking of head that requires sticthing, accident of car, fell down the bed while sleeping and even diarrhea.

If unsuitability of the person Bazi to their allocated placement, that would not happen, not accidents that involves the whole household continously.

Then I ask her "Did you do any knocking or drilling after you moved in?" She told me that actually after moving in they have done quite a number of knocking and drilling including trying to fix some water leakage problem at the back of the house.

Every year there are certain locations that must not be knock or drill for the duration of the year. This year it is the North, NorthEast and also East. Apparently by knocking and drilling all over after they have moved in, they have actually triggered all there is to trigger in relation to sha qi position of the year.

What do you do if you have triggered sha qi? Actually all you can do is wait for the strong qi to disperse. Which in their case it's going to be after some time.

There is one method which is true spiritual method - by using of talisman. Initially I was quite reserved about suggesting his to her. I do not like to mix Feng Shui with spiritual method as clients would thought this guy has gone vodoo or what?

Anyhow to contain the damage in the shortest time possible, I had no choice but to suggest this remedy.





In our Taoist lineage, we do not accept or expect any forms of monetary payments for any of the spiritual process. Now I am still waiting for the last process of consecration so that I can pass to her immediately.

Moral of the story, do not simply knock anywhere in your house, when the year is not favorable and you hit strong sha, help is not always ready to contain the damage.

-- Post From My iPhone

Encounters on the sea

Spiritual encounters or incidents can happen anywhere as long as we can find humans in those places we can also find spirits.

Yesterday I was on board of a ship to help out on bardo deliverance of a single spirit that is attached to the ship. This case was already taken up by a local famous temple and I was there just to help out.



When we left shore on a smaller boat, the whole sky had low clouds surrounding us, I am actually quite worried that it would rain before we finish what we are suppose to do.

When we arrive onboard the vessel, the sky actually got darker. Anyhow we setup all the praying articles as according to the instruction from the temple.



After setup we still had to wait an hour, as the time we told the deities were 6pm. The spirit was confirmed by the deities to be inside the engine room. Then upon entering the engine room, I can sense the spirit is at the corner room of the engine room, the only place where it is slightly more quiet compare to other areas.

Then as the clouds got more dense before the agreed time, all of us got more worried.



On the spot, I have to go into meditative stabilisation and request my deities if it is possible to extend the storm. Answer I received was the latest was by 6:30pm. After about 10 minutes, there was an 'opening' in the sky with sunlight, so I knew it was a good sign. Whenever there is a sign in the clouds usually would mean that the spiritual process would be completed successfully.



While the sky on the other place is still heavily dense grey sky.



Finally the ship owner did the process of inviting the deities to help deliver the spirit. After the whole process is done, I have return to the engine room again, and this time cannot sense the spirit anymore.

This is just the first week of the 7th lunar month, I have a feeling it is going to be a long month ahead.

Liu Ren Xian Shi Celebration － 六壬仙师

Chinese Lunar 6 Month 22nd Day is the a celebration day for Liu Ren Xian Shi. There is 3 celebration for Liu Ren Xian Shi in a year. As Liu Ren Xian Shi usually the celebration is for the whole pantheon of deities under Liu Ren lineage. Most of the time is not less than 20 Taoist Deities.

As it will be quite troublesome and hard to remember, therefore from early on the celebration is group into 3 times in a year.

This will be last time the celebration is held in my home, and most certain the next one will be held in our upcoming temple. This morning about 6 more additional members were officially initiated into our lineage. Initiation includes submitting name, date of birth and reciting the edicts before burning it.

After which members were also given talisman to be swallowed as a form of blessing transfer. We have taken great care into obtaining the edible cinnabar 朱砂 that is turned into vermillion. Edible type essentially cost 20x more than those usually available in joss stick shops. Essentially these 2 contain mercuric compound and deemed to be poisonous. Therefore very minute amount is added.

Nowadays most of the vermillion for talisman has been substitute with red food colouring.The best effect are still those that use edible vermillion.