Gotten a whiff of that incense yet? Yep, it’s that time of the year, the so-called “Ghost Month” is here.
While it may sound ominous and scary, it’s not as dreadful as it may seem. In observance of the “Hungry Ghost Month,” let’s learn the basics about the practice and how to make the most of this time.
When the dead visit the living
The Ghost Month is part of Chinese tradition, usually observed during the seventh month of the lunar calendar. This year, the Ghost Month falls between August 4 and September 3.
Also known as Hungry Ghost Month, the practice comes from the Chinese belief that spirits of dead ancestors and relatives visit the living during this time.
You might be wondering, if this is a Chinese belief, then these visits must only happen in China. Well, with nearly 1 million Chinese and Chinese-Filipinos, the practice is “alive and well” in the Philippines.
Rituals to honor the departed
If the dead are taking all that trouble to pay their living descendants a visit, then the least the hosts could do is to honor the spirits of those who came before them. For this, families during the Ghost Month can be seen performing several rituals.
This includes lighting up incense, especially on the first day, on the 15th day, and on the last day. They could also burn food items, paper money, and paper representations of cars, houses, and other objects as an offering to the spirits.
What not to do
Some activities are frowned upon during Ghost Month. According to superstition, doing these things may upset the spirits wandering our plane, causing bad luck or poor outcomes. The list includes: Starting a new business; buying and moving into a new home; getting married; traveling; making life-changing decisions; picking up strange items found outside, and leaving food and clothes outside overnight.
Appeasing offended spirits
However, if some decisions and moves can’t wait and need to be done asap, fear not. There are ways to appease angered spirits.
If you’re buying a home or property for business, Feng Shui experts recommend lighting up some incense and leaving it burning outside the property’s front door daily. You may also walk around the property with burning incense to cleanse it of unwanted energy.
Another go-to item to ward off the bad vibes is salt, as salt is said to dispel negative energies and keep hungry spirits away. Sprinkle salt on doorsteps, windows, and corners of your home to keep away negative vibes.
The best protection against bad vibes, of course, is your own mindset. Stay positive, optimistic, and happy. As the saying goes, nothing beats a positive attitude, not even grouchy, hungry ghosts.
