One for me please....

It is getting quite often that people will write email or post message on my Facebook account asking for Taoist talisman. Usually, they wouldn't say what is their problem, but would like to have a talisman.

This is like you going to your doctor friend and asked 'Can you give me some medicine to swallow?' and when your doctor friend asked you ' What's wrong?' you replied ' I don't know, but taking some wouldn't hurt right?'.

Some would even give me self diagnosis. I suspect I am being hexed or I suspect that a lot jealous people are out there to get me. Can you please give me a talisman to solve all this? This is similar to going to the doctor and said ' I need this specific medication, because I have a feeling I am suffering from xxx desease or illness, just give it to and my problem will be solved.

This is what I called living in the FAST FOOD culture and society. Not only people nowadays expect a 'fix' from Western meds. They are starting to have the same idea with religion and also Taoist talisman.

For example, when your physical body have some problem such as lethargic and frequent tiredness. You don't expect the doctor the give you a pill to solve it. With further questioning and investigation, it would reveal that you constantly sleep late. So your habit of sleeping late is causing the physical stress in your body and those are just the effects. To solve this problem, you just need to adjust yourself to sleep earlier.

Same with spiritual problems or prevention of spiritual problems. Some problems can be prevented by knowing the correct protocol, such as when you visit funeral parlour and Yin areas, what are the things you should be aware and the do's and don't.

Some  spiritual problems can be solved by specific action of doing meritorious deeds. Some can be solved by chanting specific mantras. Some can be solved by requesting protection from a specific deities and the list is endless.

What about Taoist talisman? Taoist Talisman especially Liu Ren talisman usually have a specific purpose or goal that has been embedded into the talisman. The talisman will carry specific command, request, energy field, deities energy signature and also sometimes houses specific heavenly army request to perform a specific task. Thefore it is very difficult to ask for a general request on a religious instrument that are specific in nature.

Some talisman can only be issued upon deities approval. Some require the person to personally attend and visit the temple to acquire it. On most cases, it is wise to develop a relationship with the temple or deities before requesting for any talisman.

In life most of the time, the things you need MOST to solve your spiritual problems, will often times be not what you THOUGHT you need. Most of the time, it is what you are most reluctant to do, which is the thing that will solve your spiritual problem.

**Those who like to know more about Feng Shui, please visit my blog at http://gkhamconsulting.blogspot.com

Taoist Method to Increase Luck During Chinese New Year 2013

Due to popular demand for How to increase luck during Chinese New Year Period on Facebook, therefore I am writing this article for 2013 CNY.

This year I am will be sharing on how to increase your luck during the Chinese New Year period using Taoist method. If you are interested in increasing your luck in general, read up my previous year article here. http://yinyangjournal.blogspot.com/2012/01/8-ways-to-increase-your-luck-for-dragon.html

I will be sharing 2 methods with the readers. 1^st method is based on Qi Men Dun Jia calculation, so you will be informed on the direction to travel on 1 – 4 day of Chinese New Year, and by travelling on the specific direction to a destination, you will be acquiring a boost of luck for about 5-7 days if done correctly.

I have been teaching Qi Men Dun Jia -QMDJ 奇門遁甲 globally for the past 7 years. In fact I am the first one in the world to teach a systematic QMDJ in English. Currently I have about 800 students globally, so you can definitely be confident on the information that I will give you.

What is QMDJ? It is the ancient science of timing. When and where in the 8 direction of the compass that is currently having the optimum Qi 氣 that you can tap. In ancient times it is used mainly in warfare, when, where to attack and when and where to retreat your troops. Information that is been exclusively reserved for high ranking generals. Does China still use it today? Definitely, all rocket launches in China space program exclusively uses QMDJ calculation to select an optimum timing for their launch.

Travelling for Optimum Luck During Chinese New Year Period

Day 1 of CNY – Travel NorthEast start journey from 11am and before 1pm

Day 2 of CNY – Travel West start journey from 11am and before 1pm

Day 3 of CNY – Travel North start journey from 9am and before 11am

Day 4 of CNY – Travel North start journey from 9am and before 11am

So how do you use it precisely? When I Travel NorthEast for example, it means you need to take out your Iphone, Android, Tablet or even on PC (googlemaps) check your interactive maps. Check which location is the NorthEast from your home. Using your home as the reference point and your destination must be NorthEast from your home, in this example.

You can draw a straight line, don't worry about the actual road requires you to turn left or right. The important factor is starting point, destination and the ending location from your home.

Your destination point must be at least 5km or MORE from your home via car.

Then some might as is QMDJ a Taoist Method? Earliest record of QMDJ was that it was passed down to the Yellow Emperor 黃帝 by Goddess of the 9 Heavens 九天玄女 to defeat ChiYou蚩尤.

Lucky Colour to Wear

While you are travelling to the location, what colour should you wear? I have listed here also the lucky colour for the first 4 days of CNY

Day 1 – Red, Pink, Orange, Maroon, Yellow and Brown

Day 2 – Gold, Brown, Yellow and White

Day 3 – White, Yellow Brown and Beige

Day 4 – Light Blue, White and Grey

Some people have the idea that since 癸巳year is a Water Snake year, therefore Water generate Wood, which means that good colour to wear is Green. The year itself is too far away from the day, although the effect of the year lingers throughout, it will not be powerful enough to effect what you wear on the day.

Since this article is about Taoist Method to increase luck during the CNY period. Taoist method will not be complete if I am not mentioning which Deities to request for luck and how to go about it.

Preparation before Request for Boost of Luck from Deities

Before going to the temple during Chinese New Year period, the most important is to do some preparation. Which means the body must be clean, from an aura perspective.

How to achieve this? Many methods, but the most simple method is to take a 'flower shower'. You must have at least 7 types of different flowers to mix into the water, and White Lily must be included.

1. Put all the flowers into a clean pail and put half cold and half warm water into it.
2. Just about to finish your shower, take water from the pail and pour from your head and let it trickle until your toes.
3. Then use clean towel to wipe body dry.

If you want the cleansing to be more effective and you do have Guan Yin statues at your home, after chanting of at least 9 times of Da Bei Zhou 大悲咒 Great Compassionate Dharani Mantra on the water. Request from Guan Yin for the water to be use to cleanse your body. Then you can pour the cup of water to the pail with flowers.

Which Deities to visit to request for Good Luck?

There are 3 Deities that you definitely will have to visit.

1. City God 城隍
2. Local District God 大伯公
3. Tai Shang Lao Jun 太上老君for 2013

First on your list during Chinese New Year must be the City God 城隍廟. It is worthwhile to visit the City God, offer your respect and request for a smooth year ahead. For all deities, when you are visiting their temple, it is important to state your full name and address when you are doing your prayers and request of blessings.

Second on the list is the local district earth god 大伯公. District Earth God, also have authority to bestow some wealth luck to patrons. Again important to state who you are and where you live.

Finally for this year, you definitely have to visit Tai Shang Lao Jun 太上老君, to request for blessings, protection and overall general well being. For major deities like Tai Shang Lao Jun, important to bring cakes and biscuits to offer them.

All the above 3 deities would have covered you on occupation, wealth and finally protection luck for the year. Of course you must visit them regularly too after CNY, and not a one time requestee!

For 5^th day, it is the Wealth God Zhao Gong Ming Xuan Tan Celebration, 武財神趙公明元帥寶誕. Find a local temple that does have Zhao Gong Ming, bring lots of chocolate, sweets, cakes and so on to offer to this him. And request for increase in wealth luck for the year. Why sweets and chocolate? Because he has 2 assistance Zhao Cai Tong Zi 招財童子and Jin Bao Tong Lang 進寶童郎 who were promoted to deityhood when they were children. And those sweets chocolate are for them.

Put it all together

Finally how to put it all together. Well you have to prepare yourself aurically, then use QMDJ, find which temple is located on the favourable location from your home in that 4 days. Then visit that temple to request for blessings. You will definitely increase your luck a lot on 3 factors.

1. Acquired the favorable moving Qi while travelling.
2. Worn the lucky colour of the day, enhance your own aura using the Qi of the day
3. Request from the right deities for the precise blessings for the coming year.

If you are located in countries where there is not much Taoist temples. Then you can visit a Buddhist temple. It will also enhances your luck from the energy field of the Buddhist temple.

If you are in Penang, Kam Dong San Temple at Macallum area. www.facebook.com/kdspg where I am a part of, have all the deities listed in this article.

Feel free to share out this article in full.

Wishing you a strong 2013 ahead and all wishes fulfilled according to Tao!

yinyangjournal.blogspot.com

www.gkham.com

gkhamconsulting.blogspot.com

facebook.com/kdspg

Seeing Black Smoke in the Courthouse

Few weeks back, I was requested by a client to be present at court to provide mental support. Actually it was my first time inside the court room. Anyhow since I was there just to listen to the proceedings, I have plenty of time to observe people in the court room using my behavioral skills assessment and also spiritual observations. 

My first feeling when entering the court room is that the whole room is filled with various sorts of different energy. Some energy pattern is very similar to those that belong to haunted places, then it suddenly struck me that some people might use black magic and sort to try to affect their verdict and outcome. What I can feel is that some did not 'retrieve' their spiritual helpers even after the court case. Most likely because the outcome was not what they expected.

The courtroom was presiding on a drug related case before my client's commercial case. So another first time for me to observe how a criminal case is being carried out. The accused was being represented by a team of confident lawyers. Compromise of young and senior lawyers in the team.

I got curious, I went into meditative stabilization and try to see what sort of aura this group of lawyers have on their body. To my surprise I did not see their aura but saw something entirely different. It was something like a black smoke surrounding their body. The first one had black smoke around the waist and upper thigh area. The second one had black smoke surrounding his back. The third one had black smoke circling in the heart area and the fourth one had black smoke on top of their head and also around the heart area. I turn to check on the judge and others, none of them have that sort of 'display' on their body.

I quickly came back to 'uptime' (means fully conscious in the present moment). I observed their facial colours. The whole team of lawyers actually have quite good facial colours, non indicated experiencing bad luck.

Suddenly I realized those black smoke could mean negative karma or spiritual retribution on their physical body. It is the first time that I am able to see such thing on a person in my meditative stabilization.

No matter how smart we are in the physical world, we are unable to escape the karmic consequences of our action. I do not know anything about whether those people that they represent are guilty or innocence, nor what is their role is in the representation and how the case would turn out. But obviously, their profession have drawn a lot of spiritual retribution onto their body.

They still have good facial colours, meaning in the nearest possible months or years they are still in the peak of their luck. Not much can be seen, nevertheless the spiritual retribution is definitely just waiting for luck period to change.

We have laws in the physcial world, there are also laws in the netherworlds. Our unconscious minds is the perfect recorder of all of our actions. We may know how to use the law to our favour in the physical world, however in the spiritual dimension – no one is above it, as long as you are still circling with ignorance in samsara.

**Those who like to know more about Feng Shui, please visit my blog at http://gkhamconsulting.blogspot.com

Are you accumulating enough merits?

-->During animal liberation activities, I often mention to members and attendees, we need to accumulate worldly merits 福報 as well as spiritual merits 功德.

Worldly merits will benefit your luck in this life and spiritual merits will help us achieve higher re-births in our future lives.

What does it mean by not having enough Worldly Merits? It is similar to a situation where someone cooks a really good and tasty meal to serve you. However, you have tooth ache and stomach ache. So no matter how tasty the meal will be, you are unable to eat it. That is not having enough Worldly Merits.

Other situations that indicates lack of worldly merits.

1. Similarly you have a lot of good skills, knowledge and experiences but somehow you are unable to get the work package that you desire.

2. You have a good company, willing to give high salary for competent people but cannot seem to find the right employee to help you in growing the business.

3. Have many outstanding children. When they grow up, all leave the nest and seldom come back. Even though you have good relationship with them.

And the list goes on.

Even in spiritual cultivation, we need large worldly merits and spiritual merits. Without these 2, no matter how hard you cultivate, you will not have any realizations. The most is just a healthy body.

Why do we need merits? Because to reach certain cultivation level means that your forth-coming rebirth will be a higher one compare to existing life. Therefore, those who are born in higher plane, definitely have more merits that us. Without it, how can you reach the next level.

Just like computer or arcade game, to reach the next level, you will definitely need a certain score and accomplishment. You cannot start at beginner level and hope to straight jump to the expert level. Similarly in life and cultivation, we will need to accumulate worldly and spiritual merits to help us move along and upwards.

How to gain more worldly merits and spiritual merits?

1. Charity of Body, Speech and Mind
   Body means action – physically help out in charitable causes (refer No. 2 Action below)
   Speech – encourage others to perform charity and good deeds. Inform others where they can get help or participate in good spiritual activities.
   Mind – Think good thoughts about others. Make dedication to others. Think of how others would benefit.
2. Action – do good deeds for community and society.
3. Encourage others to perform charity and good deeds.

Start immediately and do it consistently and good surprise will happen swiftly!

Mantra Broadcasting Family

--> On Thursday morning, Penny contacted me on FB messenger and told me that her friend will be coming to the temple in the evening. Reason being was that her friend's daughter, C for the past 3 consecutive days have suddenly woke up in the middle of the night and cried uncontrollably.

Someone even suggested to C's parent to take her to see a child psychiatrist. I also jokingly told Penny that I am no doctor. What we can do at the temple is just fan her (using one of the talisman fan) to clear of any negative energy.

Anyhow before I left for the temple from my home, suddenly there's an urge to bring Tai Shang Lao Jun seal 太上老君印 with me that evening. After her friend arrive in the temple and go through the usual offering of respect to various deities.

When her mother was carrying her in our temple main hall, I saw a green streak of qi between her eyes. Usually I can't and don't notice these type of signs unless the deities wanted me to notice it. Anyway, streak of green qi between the eyes, means that it is not possession or anything serious – just that she had a fright and possibly encountered some residue Yin Qi 陰氣 in Taoist terms.

After fanning her to clear of any Yin Qi and also sealing her body with the seal, then her mum did ask me some questions regarding how to do water offering for pretas and etc. In the midst of our conversation, only I realized that they have been 'broadcasting' Amitabha mantra 24/7 for the past 1 year in their apartment home. Usually these mantra devices can be easily bought at chinese incense shop.

Their family does not have a altar at home, only praying to Tian Gong 天官. I explained to them, if they are into broadcasting mantra, they must at least being doing some form of Buddhist practice either morning or evening and also need to do dedication in their practice and also mantra broadcasting.

C's mother told me that it was her friend that gave her the advice to broadcast mantras. I further explained to her that because Amitabha's resolute is to help and receive all sentient beings that chant his name in their final moments of life. Many sentient beings who are in Bardo (state of after death but before rebirth) are in a state of confusion as having just being ejected from their physical body. They would usually be drawn to wherever they can hear mantras or prayers.

As they are attracted to the sound of mantra's especially of Amitabha's mantra, those broadcasting it MUST do dedication to all sentient beings that have listened to the mantra. If not they will all gather and just wait, of course they DON'T have any intention to hurt or disturb anyone, but if lots of Bardo beings were to gather in a spot, then it will create an imbalance of Yin Qi for that particular area or home. Adding to the point that they are not doing any Buddhist practice, no home altar of any sort.

With that, I have taught C's mum and dad to do a final dedication before turning off their mantra device, herbs and sandalwood to clear their home of any excess Yin Qi and some Taoist blessed salt to cleanse C's of any further Yin Qi if any.

The following morning, I have asked Penny to follow up with C's mum and according to her, the daughter slept through the night like a baby.

Special Gift

3 days ago receive a special gift from a respecful friend when he delivered my special wrist beads. He gave me a pair of centipede pearls. I have blogged about my pair of centipede pearls a while back, but they are very young compared to these.

Wrist bangle made from a very special type of wood

New Centipede Pearls

This new pair of centipede pearls that I have just received are very dark in colour. This means that it is already at a mature age for centipede pearls. I feel very honoured that he has placed the trust on me to keep these precious pearls.

Although he is from a different religion, we have mutual respect for each other as we are all in service of fellow mankind and sentient beings.

Place into glass container with Saffron Flowers

My original pair of centipede pearls

These pearls arrived just in time for me to attract more resources to do charity work.

Real Life Spiritual Response by Taoist Student

Below is my loose translation (originally written in Chinese) of the real life spiritual response that my student Peter Sin 法忠 felt during one of the Tibetan Chod ceremony during our temple Ksitigarbha's Celebration 地藏王菩薩寶誕 on 15 September 2012.

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I think it is my duty to share with all Kam Dong San supporters and also general disciples, and especially those who are hesitant or doubtful on attending events hosted by Kam Dong San Temple to come forward and experience what I have witnessed.

This year 15 Sept 2012 is Ksitigarbha Bodhisatva's Celebration, it is also Kam Dong San Temple second year of conducting mass chanting. This year is the collective chanting of 1 million mantra Ksitigarbha's mantra on eliminating fixed karma (Om Pramani Dani Soha). Part of the requirement of participation is that all will be on vegetarian diet for the duration of the event.

After lunch on 15 Sept, the Chairperson of the Temple, which is also my master, Master Ham begin the last day of his Tibetan Major Ceremony of Chod (Offering of the Body). From the 15^th until 30^th of 7^th Lunar month, he have done the ceremony more than 10 times. Regrettably I have not attended even 1 time until this day, due to my work schedule. According to my master, Chod ceremony/practice is about offering the physical body to all the ghosts, demons, all karmic debtors and demigods in the area in hope of pacifying them. It is also considered one of the highest offering to do, as equavalent to the Sky Burial in Tibet.

As the ceremony begin, I followed the instruction as my master have given me for meditation, and slowly entered into a meditative state. Following the ceremony's music and chanting, in a sudden moment my mind entered into full darkness, as if in the almost death state (most likely I am in sleep state). I do not know for how long, but after listening to vajra bell sounded by my master during his Chod chanting, I slowly regain my consciousness again and saw visions of Yellow Light flew upwards while the floor is filled with skeletons.

I also saw a lot of flames, and each time Master Ham sounded the Vajra Bell, the flames grew. When the ceremony was about to finish, I smell an unpleasant smell in the room. Which to me is strange, because the whole Ksitigarbha hall is lighted with Tibetan incense.

My curiousity reached its peak, when from the flames, emerges a black figure surrounded by the flames. As the ceremony completed, I enquired my master 4 Questions.

1. Why does it have saw a yellow light fly upwads and the floor is filled with skeletons?
   Yellow flight flew upwards, mean the consciousness has escape while the body is being offered. The skeletons are of course the left overs of the offering.
2. Why is it that I can smell some very unpleasant odor?
   The unpleasant odor is actually your negative karma that is being purified and offered.
3. Who is the black figure that I saw in the midst of flames?
   Did you just saw a single black figure? Pointing to the Thangka on the side of Ksitigarbha Hall.
   As I look carefully on the Thangka of Troma Nagmo, immediately I have goosebumps. It is the figure that I saw in the midst of the flames.
   Master said, as I chant just now – invitation of Troma Nagmo is part of the ceremony.
4. Why do Troma Nagmo appeared in my meditative state? What is the message?
   Usually when a ceremony is conducted successfully, participants will have experience of 'signs'. And those that witness it can then inform others about their experiences for them to have stronger confidence and faith.

I felt very blessed, to have experience such strong response from Troma Nagmo. I will definitely work harder in my cultivation. Looking forward to more responses.

With blessings from all deities, bodhisatvas and buddhas of Kam Dong San.

Learning Tao Fa Disciple,

Xin Fa Zhong

P/S: I must emphasize that halfway into the meditative state, I was FULLY awake. I can see, hear, smell and think. I just cannot speak.....perhaps my cultivation is not as high yet.
Original article in Chinese

我想我有义务跟所有金洞山的善信和众弟子，以及那些想参与我们活动但仍犹豫不决的各方善信分享以下的真实感应：-

昨 午（15.09.2012）是地藏王菩薩聖誕，也是金洞山第二年举办《地藏王菩薩》经一百萬遍赞誦，众善信已从星期五晚上开始吃素和赞誦《地藏经》Om Pramani Dani Soha，过了中午午餐后，金洞山的庙主，也是我师父，谭法铳师父也开始进行了他最后一天的藏式《大牺牲法》法会，他在农历七月鬼节里已经进行了相同的仪式不下十次，惭愧的是我应公务在身，一次也没参加，师父说，《大牺牲法》就是把他的肉身奉献给四周的幽灵鬼怪来安抚它们的亡魂，是无上的奉献，好似西藏式的《天藏》。当法会开始时，我就用师父教我的方法静坐，跟着师父的《大牺牲法》念经旋奏，慢慢放松，放松。。霎那间，一切变昏暗，我进入了半死状态（可能是睡着），不知多久，我是听到师父的金刚铃杵的敲击铃声时才醒过来，开始看到黄色的光飞向天上，地下只剩下一堆白骨头，然后，我看到火焰，师父每敲一次法铃，我就看到火焰在膨胀，当法事快要结束时，我嗅到阵阵异臭味，我很奇怪，这臭味不应该在《地藏殿》出现，因为周围都点了藏香，我的疑罕到了顶点，熊熊的火焰也燃烧到了极点，这时，火焰里面出现了黑色人头燃烧的影像，持续不断，直到法事结束....

法会后，我向师父发出四个疑点：-
为何我会看到黄光飞上天和地下白骨是什么？
师父说：黄光飞上天是代表肉身已被供献，地下白骨当然是供献后的残骸。

为何我会嗅到臭味？
师父说：你嗅到的臭味全是你本身的业障，已跟着黄光走了。

黑色人头燃烧的影像是什么？
师父说：你看到的是不是这个啊，指向《地藏殿》左边吊着的《卓玛那嫫黑空行母》，当我望过去是，我顿时毛骨倏然，对，我看到的就是祗《卓玛那嫫黑空行母》。师父说：刚才我诵经是有请《空行母》，所以你感应到祗啦。

为何《卓玛那嫫黑空行母》会出现在我冥想里，祗要表达什么？
师父说：通常，如果法会办的正确，祗会出现让善信感应得到，在通过我让其他人知道祗的存在，好让众善信有信心延续的把法会和金洞山的香火，永远流传。

真的三生有幸，《卓玛那嫫黑空行母》给了我很强烈的感应，我会用心的修行，期待第二次的另类感应。

金洞山众祖师爷大显威灵....

学法弟子，
法忠上

P/S:- 我强调,后半段我是清醒的,我可以听,可以想,可以嗅,只是不能出声.....可能修行不够吧

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 The chanting of the whole ceremony was in Tibetan. I have also not told any of them in advanced what is the sequence of my visualization that will be performed. His 'vision' coincides with my chanting sequence and visualization.

I also have to emphasize that I am a lay practitioner with no special 'powers' whatsoever, it is through the blessings of Ksitigarbha, All Cho Lineage Masters, Machiq Labdron, All Deities of Kam Dong San Temple and Troma Nagmo herself that this response was being witnessed by the student.