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More Insights and Tips This Ghost Month (Part 3)
Read more about a feng shui expert’s take on this period, which is often considered unlucky by many.
A lot of people often go out of their way during Ghost Month to steer clear of misfortunes. They often refer to a list of do’s and don’ts in the hopes of keeping luck on their side. But more than being a month to be extra careful, Ghost Month is a time to pay respects to our departed loved ones.
“Ghost Month is more [about] remembering our ancestors. It’s filial piety,” says feng shui expert Daryl Huang. He explains that during this time, the spirits are able to move between different dimensions. “It’s like a public holiday for them to visit their loved ones.”
The seventh month of the Chinese lunar calendar is also a time to make offerings for wandering spirits or the souls of those who met unexpected or untimely deaths. These spirits are “stuck” or loiter on earth. “They can be more aggressive in nature because they’ve got a lot of grievances. They’re not happy,” Huang points out, adding that the purpose of the offerings for these spirits during Ghost Month is “to make peace with them [and] to celebrate them, not forgetting that they used to be one of us also.”
Do Homes Need Extra Protection This Ghost Month?
Huang shares that from a Taoist perspective, every home has its own spiritual guards. “It’s not that any wandering soul can just walk in and out. Every home has its own spiritual landlord, so they cannot just randomly enter, do whatever they want, and get out. That’s why they always say, during the seventh month, you guys should go home early, don’t stay out too late, because most of the things happen outside the home,” he explains.
However, it’s still important to maintain a sufficient level of yang energy—or the energy associated with light and brightness—in the home. “Every house should be well-ventilated with proper natural sunlight getting into the property to ensure it maintains the level of yang energy,” the feng shui expert explains. He also points out that humans are “carriers of yang energy.”
Other Precautions to Take During Ghost Month
The opposite of yang energy is yin, which has a quiet and dark nature. “The atmosphere becomes more yin when you have all these spirits running around. There could be clashes in terms of energy, because the yin energy is overtaking the yang energy during that period. So, that’s when you may [be] more prone to accidents…more unfortunate things happen,” Huang explains.
Drive Carefully.
Huang cautions, “Pay more attention at cross junctions. When you’re traveling at night, make sure that you control your speed limit. I’ve known a lot of instances [when] there’s an accident, and when you ask them what happened, they say they couldn’t understand. It was just like one flash of emptiness. Something like, visually, they were blocked, and then the accident happened.”
Huang adds that accidents commonly happen on highways, hence the casualties on these places. The souls of those who pass on in such accidents get stuck on highways if they do not get a proper ritual. Because of this, they may be waiting for another soul to replace them in those spots so they can move on.
Refrain from Participating in High-Risk Activities.
With the yin energy being greater during this month, it’s not advisable to engage in racing, trekking or hiking, and other adventure sports. However, Huang says that ultimately, whether or not you engage in high-risk sports goes back to culture. “For the Chinese, we are more particular with that. I guess it’s something for people to experience themselves, and then, you decide if that works for you,” he shares.
Make Sure Young Children Are at Home at Night.
Huang cautions staying out late with kids up to three years old. “They are still at their developing stage. Their souls are so pure, so uncontaminated. They can sense things very quickly—all these spirits,” he says. If you’re going out with your kids, it’s best to be home by 7 or 8 pm.
Consult a Feng Shui Expert if You’re Doing Renovations This Month.
Avoiding construction, groundbreaking, and major renovations during Ghost Month is a common practice. However, Huang says it depends on the exact date. “There are good days [and] bad days in a month. So, even if it is on the seventh month, [it’s okay] so long as I select a good date. I do a proper ceremony, like a ritual ceremony, to make offerings,” the feng shui expert explains. “I think, from a Chinese perspective, you can do literally whatever you want, but you must always make sure you remember this concept of [giving] respect first before you do anything.”
To pick a good date for your construction or renovation, Huang advises to seek the guidance of a feng shui master because the right date varies from person to person.
Essential Tips This Ghost Month
Aside from remembering your departed loved ones and showing filial piety, doing good deeds is also a way to mark this period and see it in a more positive light. Huang says it is a way to “accumulate merits” that can “help you to have less obstacles in life.” He says that these merits can help you dodge mishaps.
As Ghost Month draws to a close, it is important to remember that this period is not merely all about misfortunes and negative energies. “It’s generally nothing to overworry [about],” quips Huang. “We shouldn’t make this into something that starts to inconvenience us so much.”
Read more: More Ghost Month Tips for Your Home (Part 2)
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