By Christina Chin
The Star/Asia News Network
Sunday, Aug 19, 2012
Consulting mediums and undergoing exorcism rituals are not confined to the old.
With the start of the Hungry Ghosts Festival, even young Chinese professionals are making a beeline for talismans to ward off spirits.
The queue at Penang's famous Hor Kai Kong Temple grows longer every night during the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
The 116-year-old temple in Pulau Tikus is well-known among local Taoists for conducting exorcisms and healing the sick, and devotees often do not mind waiting hours for their turn after getting their numbers.
The medium for the resident deity sees about 50 to 60 devotees each night and those who turn up late are advised to return another night.
The temple owner, who prefers only to be known as Khaw, says they handled more than 20 exorcism cases last year, half of them involving "aggressive spirit possessions".
The English-educated Khaw, 34, says she acts as an interpreter for the "deity" who converses in Hokkien through the medium with the devotees. Khaw is the fourth generation in her family to run the temple.
"Every year during the Hungry Ghosts Festival especially, we give out talismans to devotees to ward off our unseen brothers and sisters. Think of it (talisman) as vitamins to boost your immune system; when you are feeling weak, you catch germs easily. So talismans help to protect you if you are vulnerable," she says matter-of-factly.
While ghosts out for their month-long holiday are mostly harmless, Khaw warns that the wandering or stray spirits of those who died tragic deaths like suicides or road accidents would become more powerful during the festival when the "gates of hell" are open.
This year's festival began on Friday.
"These spirits never left the realm of the living unlike the hungry ghosts who are waiting for their time to be reincarnated. The former are more inclined to cause harm especially since they have been stuck in our world for so long, and with no guidance they've become craftier.
"Now that the hungry ghosts are in town, the spirit population on earth has spiked, so being around their kind makes them stronger and more powerful," she explains.
Khaw, whose great-grandfather started the temple, describes the hungry ghosts as "tame", just like prisoners who have served time.
"These ghosts would not dare to create mischief on earth as it could further delay their reincarnation. Moreover, the Tai Su Yah (King of Hades) keeps a watchful eye on them," she adds.
In some cases where the spirit is aggressive, the victim may have to be brought to the temple a few times before the evil is cast out completely.
"When a person's luck is low, the body is easily possessed. Even after the spirit is successfully exorcised, it can re-enter the body again and again if he or she is weak.
"Such a person can also be easily possessed by hungry ghosts that accidentally' bump into them. They mean no harm but to avoid such possessions during this festival, it's best to stay home after midnight or when it drizzles in the evenings," she advises.
Khaw says children and those born in the Year of the Dragon and Dog would be more susceptible to "disturbances" during this period.
And she adds that it's not only the older generation who seeks out temples to conduct exorcisms. Young professionals also do it.
"Even doctors and nurses tell their patients to seek divine intervention here because they cannot find anything physically or mentally wrong with these people," she claims.
Khaw assures that the temple rituals are properly and safely carried out. "All our consultations or rituals are done openly in the temple - in full view of devotees. And the interpreters who help translate the deity's message to the devotees are always present."
Miranda Chew, a law degree holder, is a modern, well-spoken professional in her 30s and like many of her contemporaries, believes in exorcisms and unseen spirits.
However, she shudders at the thought of a recent exorcism that claimed the life of a toddler in Bukit Mertajam.
The child, barely three years old, had reportedly died of suffocation after eight people allegedly piled on her during a suspected 20-hour exorcism ritual on Aug 5.
Seven people, including the child's parents and aunt, have pleaded not guilty when charged on Friday with causing her death.
Chew says it's unfortunate that a young life was lost just because of a ritual gone wrong.
Moon L. Chin, secretary of Pertubuhan Agama Buddha Barom Kagyu Pulau Pinang (a Tibetan Buddhism group), points to psychology as a possible reason for the senseless death.
"It's very dangerous if someone thinks he or she has supernatural powers just because some mantra were recited or because a leader said so. If the person is so ignorant, dire consequences can occur if the spirits are of the aggressive and evil type," he warns.
Chin, an MBA degree holder, is not surprised that many modern, well-educated professionals still consult mediums and religious leaders as the practice is as old as religion itself.
"Intelligent people can perform illogical actions too," he argues.
While he doesn't go to mediums before making a decision, Chin, 58, consults "highly trained, learned, wise and respected religious leaders" for advice.
Ultimately, for any person, their decision still lies in their power of logical deduction, he says.
"Not every medium can channel real authentic saintly beings. Some mediums, especially the lower educated, with limited understanding of metaphysics and the paranormal, are prone to attract only ghostly spirits to enter their body.
The Star/Asia News Network
Sunday, Aug 19, 2012
Consulting mediums and undergoing exorcism rituals are not confined to the old.
With the start of the Hungry Ghosts Festival, even young Chinese professionals are making a beeline for talismans to ward off spirits.
The queue at Penang's famous Hor Kai Kong Temple grows longer every night during the seventh month of the lunar calendar.
The 116-year-old temple in Pulau Tikus is well-known among local Taoists for conducting exorcisms and healing the sick, and devotees often do not mind waiting hours for their turn after getting their numbers.
The medium for the resident deity sees about 50 to 60 devotees each night and those who turn up late are advised to return another night.
The temple owner, who prefers only to be known as Khaw, says they handled more than 20 exorcism cases last year, half of them involving "aggressive spirit possessions".
The English-educated Khaw, 34, says she acts as an interpreter for the "deity" who converses in Hokkien through the medium with the devotees. Khaw is the fourth generation in her family to run the temple.
"Every year during the Hungry Ghosts Festival especially, we give out talismans to devotees to ward off our unseen brothers and sisters. Think of it (talisman) as vitamins to boost your immune system; when you are feeling weak, you catch germs easily. So talismans help to protect you if you are vulnerable," she says matter-of-factly.
While ghosts out for their month-long holiday are mostly harmless, Khaw warns that the wandering or stray spirits of those who died tragic deaths like suicides or road accidents would become more powerful during the festival when the "gates of hell" are open.
This year's festival began on Friday.
"These spirits never left the realm of the living unlike the hungry ghosts who are waiting for their time to be reincarnated. The former are more inclined to cause harm especially since they have been stuck in our world for so long, and with no guidance they've become craftier.
"Now that the hungry ghosts are in town, the spirit population on earth has spiked, so being around their kind makes them stronger and more powerful," she explains.
Khaw, whose great-grandfather started the temple, describes the hungry ghosts as "tame", just like prisoners who have served time.
"These ghosts would not dare to create mischief on earth as it could further delay their reincarnation. Moreover, the Tai Su Yah (King of Hades) keeps a watchful eye on them," she adds.
In some cases where the spirit is aggressive, the victim may have to be brought to the temple a few times before the evil is cast out completely.
"When a person's luck is low, the body is easily possessed. Even after the spirit is successfully exorcised, it can re-enter the body again and again if he or she is weak.
"Such a person can also be easily possessed by hungry ghosts that accidentally' bump into them. They mean no harm but to avoid such possessions during this festival, it's best to stay home after midnight or when it drizzles in the evenings," she advises.
Khaw says children and those born in the Year of the Dragon and Dog would be more susceptible to "disturbances" during this period.
And she adds that it's not only the older generation who seeks out temples to conduct exorcisms. Young professionals also do it.
"Even doctors and nurses tell their patients to seek divine intervention here because they cannot find anything physically or mentally wrong with these people," she claims.
Khaw assures that the temple rituals are properly and safely carried out. "All our consultations or rituals are done openly in the temple - in full view of devotees. And the interpreters who help translate the deity's message to the devotees are always present."
Miranda Chew, a law degree holder, is a modern, well-spoken professional in her 30s and like many of her contemporaries, believes in exorcisms and unseen spirits.
However, she shudders at the thought of a recent exorcism that claimed the life of a toddler in Bukit Mertajam.
The child, barely three years old, had reportedly died of suffocation after eight people allegedly piled on her during a suspected 20-hour exorcism ritual on Aug 5.
Seven people, including the child's parents and aunt, have pleaded not guilty when charged on Friday with causing her death.
Chew says it's unfortunate that a young life was lost just because of a ritual gone wrong.
Moon L. Chin, secretary of Pertubuhan Agama Buddha Barom Kagyu Pulau Pinang (a Tibetan Buddhism group), points to psychology as a possible reason for the senseless death.
"It's very dangerous if someone thinks he or she has supernatural powers just because some mantra were recited or because a leader said so. If the person is so ignorant, dire consequences can occur if the spirits are of the aggressive and evil type," he warns.
Chin, an MBA degree holder, is not surprised that many modern, well-educated professionals still consult mediums and religious leaders as the practice is as old as religion itself.
"Intelligent people can perform illogical actions too," he argues.
While he doesn't go to mediums before making a decision, Chin, 58, consults "highly trained, learned, wise and respected religious leaders" for advice.
Ultimately, for any person, their decision still lies in their power of logical deduction, he says.
"Not every medium can channel real authentic saintly beings. Some mediums, especially the lower educated, with limited understanding of metaphysics and the paranormal, are prone to attract only ghostly spirits to enter their body.
