7th Month of the Lunar Year
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A Myths, A Believe, A Custom, A Story or .......
Each year, there will be the 7th month on the Chinese Lunar Calendar. This year 2012, the 7th month falls from 17th August 2012 until 15th September 2012.
This is when the Hell's Gate Door Open and all the souls are release to allow them to party or where the soul are set for punishment. The Taoist depending on which dialect they are from, will organize the 'Por Thor Day' which usually falls on the 14th Day or the 15th Day of the 7th month. It's a day where they pray and offer food, hell's money, clothes, other type of offering to the unrest souls. The prayer can be carried out any day in between two weeks. Usually each family members will pray to their ancestor first either at home or at their ancestor temple's plate board location. Making their offering to their grandparent. great grandparent or great great grandparent so forth. They will also make offering at the communities hall where they have set up the event for 'Por Thor'.
It is with good intention to feed and make peace with the hungry ghost. That is why, there are people who call it the Hungry Ghost Month. The Festival of the Hungry Ghost Month is carried out in Asia. The Buddhist will also organize the Ullambana 7th month punishment prayer.
Wondering soul or spirit, unrest soul or spirit, in transition soul or spirit waiting for re-birth, ghost, so forth will be more active compared to other months in the year. Old folks usually will advise their family members not to go out until late of the night. Children were not encourage to play outside their house after 6pm as it is to deter them to attract or to disturb the peace of the spirit, soul, ghost. In return of the disturbance received by the spirit, ghost or soul, the living person may receive harm.
Believing it or not. When you see a pack of stray dogs along the street and when they start howling with a strange sound like as if they are crying usually mark these dogs can see the wondering spirit crying or unhappy or around the area. Dogs has six sense and they can see the third world.
Ritual to appease and to protect oneself is important in the 7th month especially those who travel out often in the night. Even if they had to go out during the night, once they return home, they are advised to wash their feet before entering their home. To keep themselves clean and to wash away whatever they may have attracted before entering. Many types of ritual was for the sake to abstain from unwanted problem nor attachment. Even during the 'Por Thor' prayer are always advised not to divulge any request which may cause unrest later on.
During this month, special group of people who are expert in making the offering are hired to carry out these ritual. Usually we name then 'Sai Kong' in Hokkien dialect, They know what they need to carry out to pray for protection of the people, the safety and the blessing may even come from the wondering spirit or hungry ghost for feeding, make offering them on what they do not have for the whole year round. Make peace with them. They are hungry and lack of certain wants, desire, so forth. Hoping when they are appease they will not disturb us. Those who were not offered or manage to make appease with may cause disturbance to us. Hell's money, materials, shoes, hats, umbrella so forth are burn for them with peace mantras besides food and drinks.
Usually the myths, belief, stories sounds quite dramatic, however if one have strong faith and upkeep ones prayers. No harm should arise. Theory wise, the high rise of accident usually occur during or just after a festive season where people travel and didn't take care of their safety. However, there are also more people who pass away often in the 7th month. Only this month, I heard and seen more wakes than the rest of the month.
To believe or not, it's an individual choice. Never did I believe the existence of such harm if we do not follow the old saying advises - taboo. Until finally you see it with your own eyes.
The good people who died are more often in a fastest and simple method. Example; no suffering, no severe prolong pain, either pass away in their sleep, major vein broke or heart failure. For those who pass away due to cancer, it's a suffering and hard to endure not only the person suffering but also their family members or love ones. Those who died due to accident, also suffered the agony in pain.
Unfulfilled dream, responsibilities, wishes, pain, desire, greed, hatred, jealousy and so forth may also cause unrest in the person's mindset despite of many other types of unhappiness and no peace is attain.
May each and every one of us attain blessing of happiness and peace.
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