This is The Seventh Lunar Month

Bad news sells (newspapers). Indeed. Some say to stay away from reading the papers. But then again, how else are we to get news if we stay away from papers and the media. These are the places we get news from. Unfortunately, there is more bad news than good news these days. These are just a couple of the happenings around the world today.

1. London burns. I have a couple of girlfriends who are in England as we speak. I hope the city they are in is not affected by this rioting violence happening in various parts of the country. This chaos does not augur well for a country gearing up for the 2012 Summer Olympics less than a year away.

2. The share markets all over are going south, first in the US with Stocks Suffering Sharpest Drop Since 2008 and the trend spreading to Asia, including Malaysia. Last time I checked at 12:30PM, the FBMKLCI closed at 1461.21 (-35.78). Is a recession in the offing? May be a good time (as any) to further tighten your belts or if you have cash to spare pick up some good stocks (and gold) which has hit a record high?

These are just two examples of bad (understatement) news around and affecting most if not all of us. It's tiring to talk about negative events. Things, bad things, happen this time of the year, the infamous seventh month of the lunar calendar. Gosh, do I sound superstitious or what! No, I'm actually not superstitious, maybe a little, but being of Chinese descent and growing up in a Buddhist/Taoist environment, Chinese family traditions and customs are part of my life.

Anyway, there is this prediction of the seventh lunar month that I read and the events happening right now around the world seem to ring true. According to the reading, this seventh month is set to see more severe negative energy in the world, much more severe than that of previous seventh lunar months. There is prediction of frequent or worse natural disasters, diseases, violence and freak incidents.

On the personal front, this being the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival, best to avoid dark and secluded places and places with negative connotations including hospitals. Children are more vulnerable to the negative effects of such places, so best to avoid bringing them to places with negative Ying energies. This month especially is where (stray) spirits hang around all over. One thing I've often been told as a child is to avoid street corners and junctions especially when night falls lest we bump or rather they bump into us. The seventh month is not a good month for auspicious events including engagements and weddings or moving house, etc. It's even not a good month to go swimming. Old wives tale perhaps but still, better be safe than sorry.

The seventh lunar month began on July 31 ending on Aug 28. From now until the 15th day (Aug 14), you may come across elaborate prayer setups and stage shows. These are normally arranged by business organizations made up of local business owners and they are specifically for the hungry/stray ghosts that are free to roam the earth just this time of the year. Front-row seats at these stage shows are usually left vacant, reserved for the spirits. By midnight of the 15th day, i.e., Aug 14, they would all have to return to where they come from, the underworld.

For families that are not in business, they can pray outside their homes by the roadside. This act of kindness and generosity is optional but it is believed that once a family starts this tradition, it would have to be a yearly affair. Joss-sticks and candles would be lit, food, underworld currency, gold and silver ingots and clothes are the usual offerings. Other than the food, everything else would be set alight. This is the only way, the offerings can be received. This prayer ritual is carried out either on the 14th or 15th evening of the seventh lunar month depending on the dialect clan the family belongs to. Other than the family carrying out this ritual, people normally avoid going near the prayer site so as to avoid bumping into the spirits.

Today is the 10th day of the seventh lunar month of 29 days. Nineteen more days to go before we go into the 8th month, the joyous month of the Mooncake Festival or also known as the Lantern Festival which falls on Sep 12. On a brighter note, mooncakes are already on sale. I saw them on sale at Genting Highlands even in July!

Whatever..
Take care and stay safe, Everyone!


Image source: The Star

Hungry Ghost Festival - Seventh month of the lunar calendar

After the last episode of Two Weddings and A Birthday, I did not expect another round of something similar so soon. Was I wrong!

I attended a wedding dinner last weekend and another coming up this weekend. As for the birthday, celebrated one two weeks back. So, all that make up the same quota of two weddings and a birthday. LOL! No regrets though because they are all happy occasions and wonderful to get to meet up with friends and relatives.

August is a happening month, what with the Beijing Olympics and the number 8 significance. However, for the Chinese community, August this year, is not such an auspicious month because it is actually the seventh month of the lunar calendar.

Seventh month is also known as the Ghost Month or Hungry Ghost Festival where it is believed that the gates of hell open for the spirits to come to Earth, the human/living realm - which account for marriages, engagements, house-moving activities not scheduled in the Chinese community. One is advised during this seventh month to be extra careful especially on the road. People who are very sick are also wary of this month. It is believed that there are more deaths during this time of the year than any other month. KL had a fatal accident on the highway on the very first day of the seventh month.

This is the time of the year too where Chinese of the Taoist/Buddhist faith make offerings to their ancestors by way of buring incense and joss paper of neccessities and luxury items to ease their life in the afterlife. These papier-mache form of material items such as money, clothes, gold and silver mountains, mahjong sets, common luxury items such as tv sets, video recorders, camcorders, cameras, and these days, cable tv, laptops, you name it. Sometimes, even maids and chauffeurs are offered but they are usually offered during the funeral.

Some of us may wonder whether all this is true. A colleague once had a dream of her deceased mom telling her that she did not have enough to wear. My colleague sent her mom some clothes. She did not get that dream again.

Yet another lady had a dream that her MIL complained that she did not allow adequate time for her and her 'friends' to eat the food before they were removed. From then on, more time was given.

In addition to making offerings to ones own ancestors, some people also make offerings of (actual) food, money and clothes in addition to incense to stray spirits. This is done outside their home, by the roadside during dusk. This exercise is usually performed on either the fourteenth or fifteenth day of the seventh month, i.e., this Thursday and Friday. This would mean that there would be extra activity on these two days. Children are normally kept indoors when this activity is going on lest they come into contact with any spirit and fall ill.

On a business/community scale, there would be a lavish mass-offering of incense, money, and real food (roast pig included) in honour of the spirits. There would also be a stage set up for a show. For those in the know, the front rows are normally not occupied, leaving the seats for the VIPs (the spirits) - remember this activity is in honour of the spirits. This event or festival is to thank the spirits for a good past year and seek their blessing for the coming year.

In the old days, the stage was for opera shows but in recent times, the opera has been replaced by concerts (singing only) though there are still some opera shows but not enough to go around. Sadly, opera is a dying artform here in Malaysia.

So, be extra careful this seventh month, the last day being Aug 30. My non-Chinese colleagues are believers and they would normally ask the Chinese to remind them when this month comes around. They would keep their children at home before dusk.

Do you believe in ghosts (click this to read some real-life experiences) and the afterlife? Care to share your thoughts and experiences?