How To Prepare For Ghost Month 2018 At Home
It starts on August 11! A Feng Shui master advises us on what to do during this month.
This year, from August 11 to September 9, 2018, it is said that the gates of hell will open up, unleashing an army of hungry ghosts to roam upon this Earth. We’re talking about a horror movie, but about the Ghost Festival, an occasion celebrated by the Chinese community.
These “hungry ghosts” are long-forgotten ancestors, unrepentant evildoers, or beings who have died in a sudden or violent manner, says Master Hanz Cua, a Feng Shui and astrology expert. They are believed to likely create mischief, cause despair, or wreak havoc on unsuspecting people—especially those who do not practice the necessary rituals to appease their hunger.
Master Hanz notes that these days are usually characterized by tragedy and sadness, and that people often postpone potentially life-changing occasions until after the Ghost Festival. No new businesses are usually opened during Ghost Month, no contracts are signed, no surgeries are scheduled, and no extreme travel adventures are taken. Suffice it to say that families must not move into new homes during these precarious times, or undertake any major renovation projects.
Some moves may be taken to calm down these restless spirits in your home, says Master Hanz. Here are a few tips you can share with family and friends:
Make sure your home and surroundings are well-lit
Hungry ghosts are believed to be attracted to yin places—dark, quiet, or depressing-looking areas. So make sure your house is brightly lit, especially at night. Leave a lamp open in common areas at all times, replace broken lightbulbs, and make sure you have proper outdoor lighting.
Clear your garden
Check your backyard or garden, because hungry ghosts are believed to inhabit forest-like, overgrown locations. Give your gardens a good trim, rid your lawn of weeds, and sweep away fallen leaves or branches.
Don’t move your furniture around
Or change the layout of your house. Don’t move your furniture around; it’s best to leave things as they are for the meantime.
Place receptacles of salt in corners or by your door
It is said that salt absorbs bad spirits. Fill jars or cups with rock salt (not iodized salt) by your main door and window. Add these as well to the undisturbed nooks and crannies of your home.
Honor the dead, light incense
Make an offering for your departed loved ones. Lay out a table filled with food, and light a candle in their name.
Light nine sticks of incense and walk through every room of the house. Moving clockwise let the incense’s fragrance waft and fill each room; it will give your house a good cleansing. Do this ritual every week during Ghost Month.
For more information on Master Hanz Cua, go to www.masterhanzcua.com
This article has been updated from the original article “6 Ways To Prepare For Ghost Month”
