Taoist Communication Tablet (神簡)

 

The above is a spirit communication tablet about 75 years old from a Yao priest in NW of Vietnam. The inscriptions roughly mean "may gods and goddesses protect me".

 

 

The Taoist communication tablet is an important ritual implement. It is a ‘must have’ to summon any spiritual generals (神將). This communication tablet is as if our car keys; without them the car engines cannot be started.

 

This tablet is generally wrapped with a piece of red cloth and placed on the Taoist’s altar for worship with incense, flower and tea. During the summoning of spirits, the tablet is struck three times with fingers and in doing so; Taoists believe any spirits will hurry to the Taoists’ service.

 

Generally this communication tablet is made of peach wood. It is about 1 foot in length and 1 inch wide. It must be empowered for 49 days before put into actual ritual use.

 

Anyone who wants to invoke the presence of spirits with this tablet must first perform a ritual bath. Then he or she should stand facing north. After that the communication tablet is picked up with ‘double Tai Shan’ hand seal and inhaling the Chi of North Stars. The Taoist should hold his or her breathe and then blow onto the tablet and say “sha, sha, sha”. Finally the Taoist strikes the tablet three times with his finger and say below mantra:

 

 “謹請萬靈，告請天公龍虎真人，驅邪現形，聞咒即至，無不遵從，急急如法律令。

 

(I summon all spirits, I give notice to the heavenly master of dragon and tiger to present and cast out evil. Make haste once you heed my summon. And follow my order. As my will, so mote it be!)

 

It is believed that only through this standard Taoist practice will the armies of gods and goddesses willing to follow our orders. Having said so… I seldom see this type of ritual implements in many modern Taoist blessing ceremonies now a day.

 

The 1000 Pound Press Spell (千斤榨)

We probably understand the literal meaning of “1000 pound press” spell. There are many versions of such spells in various Taoist and Lu Pan Tradition. It has some similarities with the “ninja’s art of transfix”.

 

Basically this is yet another spell from Lu Pan magic system to ‘teat’ our opponent. This spell can kill a person or any living beings. Some people link this spell to the spell of transfixes. Well, they are not wrong either because once this spell is cast; the victim will feel as if a 1000 pound weight is being put onto his or her body and he or she will have difficulty to move or being carried by others.

 

The victim of this spell will fall sick in short term. However, this person may die if untreated after 100 days. Hence, magic exponents always advise the new comers to exercise caution when using this spell on others.

 

It is not difficult to cast this spell but you must get close to the person; say around within 8 feet range. One only needs to draw Fu with his or her sword mudra while reciting the below mantra:

 

 

“靈官咒， 靈官法，靈官使起泰山榨，給你上起千斤法，榨你頭，榨你腰，榨你血水順河漂。抬不起頭，撐不起腰，七柱明香把你燒。千人抬不起，萬人拉不起，吾奉太上老君急急如律令。”

 

(I call the mantra and spell of spirit minister to use Tai Shan press. I am putting a thousand pound spell to crush your head and your waist until your blood flows like a river. You cannot lift your head or your waist. I use 7 pieces of joss sticks to burn you. Not even 1000 people can lift you or 10000 people can pull you up. I cast this spell according to the order of Tai Shang Lao Jun.)

 

To uncast the spell, recite the below mantra while drawing the below Fu:

 

 

 

“奉請九牛祖師來造起。陰九牛，陽九牛，快快起。若不起，九牛來造起，吾奉太上老君急急如律令。”

 

(I call the master of 9 oxen to lift this spell. The 9 Yin oxen and the 9 Yang oxen hasten. If the spell is still not lifted, let the 9 oxen lift my spell. I cast this spell according to the order of Tai Shang Lao Jun.)

Curse Of The ‘Heavenly Hole’ (天坑鎮)

 

 

Guess I better put a picture here before people think of something else...

 

 

The curse of the ‘hole’ is one of the Lu Pan Sorcery spell (魯班術) once very popular amongst the old artisans in China and Vietnam. It is very easy for a person to cast this spell, more so if this person is an artisan employed to carry out the renovation of a house.

 

First, the person who wants to cast this spell must dig a hole in front of the target’s main door; or on the road that the person will be passing daily. After that, this person must get 9 pieces of yellow paper and write the target’s name on each piece of paper. Then he will also need to get hold a ceramic bowl and inscribe the ‘five thunder talisman’ with cinnabar in the bowl.

 

Now the 9 pieces of yellow papers are stacked together and put into the hole with the name face up and the ceramic bowl is cupped over the paper and then a piece of brick or stone inscribed with ‘Tai San’ talisman (泰山) will be put on top of the bowl. After that, the person will perform a round of soul catching incantations and then the whole assembly is buried.

 

The victim’s soul is said to be ‘sucked’ under the bowl and crushed by the Tai Mountain once he or she steps over the ritual implements. This person will fall sick and may die after 100 days if his or her soul fails to return to the body.

 

It is not difficult to release this curse, one only has to dig out the brick and the bowl and then burn off the 9 pieces of yellow paper inscribed with victim’s name. The difficult part is to get the culprit to admit his or her wrong doing and get him or she to pin point the exact location. So, older folks refrain from agitate the artisans during any construction work for fear of such black curses.

 

The Love Of A Puppy

Below is a posting I would like to share from Mr. Ong regarding the affection of a puppy to its elder dog. I thank Mr. Ong for contributing this touching story.

 

Inspired by your latest post titled – Birds are spiritual beings. I have my share as below:

 

I watched a documentary about Buddhism on national TV2 during latest Wesak Day. A Tibetan monk said: All living things have feelings and emotions just like we do. Do not harm them, they could be our parents or loved ones in past lives.........

 

Back in 1990s, out of sympathy, I adopted a strayed puppy left by a PCO ( someone you called “ buang negeri” ) from Penang. He struggled hard to earn for a living, had no time to care for that puppy

 

There was an old female blind, ugly dog around our house. I refused, when a local officer from vet department asked me to destroy it. Somehow, it seemed very protective and acted like a mother to my puppy. All foods were let to puppy first, before she ate by itself.     

 

One day, I had a look when it cried out loud under a big tree, with bushes around. It could no more walking. My puppy guarded at “her” side, days and nights TILL it passed away. I buried it with a heavy heart and tearful eyes. I said Buddhist prayers, and asked “her” to return into my life in next incarnation. I expressed my thankfulness for caring my puppy all the way.

 

It was a clear, simplest, highly praised expression of “mother love” in animal kingdom. On the other hand, some mankinds are so cruel and heartless to their own babies. I learned a priceless lesson in my life!

 

Birds Are Spiritual Beings (靈鳥)

I believe that all birds have spiritual awareness to some extent. They tends to return to visit the place where people have saved them; not alone but in pairs or more.

 

This story goes back to about 25 years ago back in my Taiping old house, my mom used to plant many flowers and plants. As my house compound wasn’t so big, all of the plants are all pushed closed together forming a very good nesting place for the birds. The only predator around then was my neighbor’s cats.

 

So the story goes that there was a nest of unknown birds with two hatchlings on a young gardenia plant. Somehow the squeaking sound of these young birds attracted a cat. This cat wanted to have the fluffy fellows for lunch, so it climbed up the gardenia and tried to seize the birds.  Luckily the cunning fellows managed to escape the cat but as their wings weren’t fully developed, both of them dropped down on to the floor.

 

The luck was on the biddies’ side as my late father was so happened to be in the living room and he heard the commotion. He quickly chased away the cat and put the birds back to the nest. My father figured that the location of the nest wasn’t safe; he transferred the net into an orchid pot and hung it on the car porch ceiling. We forgot about the incidents until about 3 months later, we were visited by 3 birds of similar kind and then the number increased to 5 and 7. The visitations continued for many years until my father passed away.

 

Similar incident happened to me about a month ago in Penang. A bird dropped in front of me in my balcony. Not so long after that, it brought a partner for a visit. Now it becomes a pair of birds. I can’t remember how many times this wonderful pair has has visited me, but they always perch on my railings or flop around my herbal plants for a minute or two. At times they also quietly listen to my chanting.

 

Hence, it is my urge to all my friends: please don’t harm the birds unless you are compelled to. For it is not just one you have harmed. This has nothing to do with religions, just respect the birds as they also have spiritual awareness too.

 

Paying Last Respect To My Master

People's Kumanthongs play with toys, my Kumantongs paly with spears from Cambodia ...

 

 

Just a few days ago, I received a call from my beloved Thai master from Chiang Mai, Thailand. He asked me to go over ASAP as his health has worsened over last few weeks and he wanted me to take over his ritual artifacts; his son wanted no part of his father’s items as he was afraid of the spirits.

 

So I hurriedly called up my friend who is better versed in Thai to go along although my master knows a little Teochew and Hokkian. We arrived at my master’s place after a whole day’s travel and to my surprised that my master looked much weaker than I thought. After a round of casual talk, we go into the purpose of our visit.

 

It was from the subsequent conversations that I finally understood my master has difficulties to control his spirits as he is getting older and weaker. Apparently my master has fed his spirits with his own blood regularly and psychic links were formed between the master and his servants. As long as the bonds exist, the spirits will continue to suck the master’s energy and grow stronger in time. It is not a problem if the master is still young and strong. However, the loss of life force energy will be excessive to a fable old man and if this condition is not checked, the spirits can eventually take over their master’s body and the master becomes a walking dead.

 

Now I am really in a predicament: damn if I take them; damn if I don’t. After pondering for a while, I agreed to accept the consignment and bring everything back home in view of our tight travel schedule… and yeah, the consignment also included the spirits too!

 

I was finally returned to my place and the time was 3pm. In front of my gate was a notice from the utility company stating that due to repair work, electricity would be cut off between 10am to 7pm. So I said double damn to myself and go into the living room. I tried to switch on the fan even though I knew there was no supply. Before I wanted to start a second round of cursing… and presto! The electricity resumed and the fan started to move!

 

Do you believe it? It is the power of the spirits or a coincidence?

 

The sequel to that episode was that after I have appeased all the spirits new and old, I had a very clear dream. In the dream, an old lady came to me and told me to stop wasting time to search for more magic rituals and go into business proper… I think this is the indication that I will never see my Chiang Mai master again.

 

Whatever is the case, now I have to find a banana tree to house my master’s Phi Phop!

 



 



Beware Of Fox Spirit Possession!

 

 

Fortunately, there are NO foxes in SEA...

 

 

Fox spirits were very much feared of in old China and Japan. While originally fox spirits were worshipped together with the snake and weasel spirits mainly in the northern part of mainland China; due to the popular believe that fox spirits can enhance the attractiveness of a person, fox spirits are now worshipped mainly amongst the Chinese communities around the world. Many Hong Kong and Taiwanese actresses are said to be the patron of these fox spirits.

 

I am not going to encourage the worships of fox spirits as they are still wild animals with much inherited sense of hatred. As with other wild spirits such that of the tree spirits or wandering spirits; a lay person may not detect himself or her is being intruded by these spirits until it is already too late. So what are the signs and symptoms of fox spirit intrusion?

 

Below is the characteristic of fox spirit possession:

 

·         The victim will be extremely timid and afraid to do almost everything.

·         The victim always in a shock condition and easily panic.

·         The person dare not go out at night.

·         The person likes to stay in silent and do not like to engage in conversations.

·         The person would have glassy eyes and like to stare straight at people.

 

It is said that a person whose wrist bones are not noticeable is very prone to fox spirit possession. If it is determined that it is indeed the working of a fox spirits, a Taoist can use the 5 Thunder Rituals or burn some amulets for the victim to drink.

 

Fortunately, there are no foxes around in Southeast Asia, so folks over here need not worry about these animal spirits… In any case, as I am writing this posting, the outside temperature is 91⁰F! A fox would be stuffed to death in the hot tropic climate.