Ghost month O.o

Ok so this will be a quick but hopefully informative post , July is here and that means it is time for Chinese folk to appease the Hungry ghosts that walk freely for a whole lunar month ( 28 days aprox )

*painting "Ghosts rising" found here http://www.logoi.com/pastimages/img/ghost_3.jpg

You may or may not be familiar , or even agreable
with Chinese magick or Chinese customs and craft of the folk , but trust me there are quite a few good reasons to do so
What are they You may ask ?
- The core of this practice is appeasement of ancestral and other spirits , which is always a good idea, any good practitioner needs spirits
that will be on their side , as spirits can do so much more than mere humans :)
- This kind of practice builds up discipline in magickal practice that majority seems to lack nowadays
- Good for general spiritual development and boosting mediumship abilities
- Learning about other traditions ( if of course You are not from China :D )
- It os uter fun , you get to burn things lol ;)




Chinese gosth month , or Ghost festival ( pinyin , guiye )

The fifthteenth day of the seventh Lunar month is in Chinese tradition considered a Ghost day ( festival ) while the whole 7th month ( both Lunar , and the common calendar 7th month aka July commonly ) is considered a Ghost month in all the sense of the word.
Just like on Haloween , or Dia de los Muertos , or St. John's day ( Holly day of Voodoo ) in Louisiana , this is time of year when the veil is rather thin indeed , and the dead walk among the living.
In the Chinese tradition on this day and on whole month the gates of lower plains are opened and both the ghost of deceased visit their families and cousins and spirits walk among humans too. Some Chinese folk say that many of them spirits are in rather nasty mood and try to find someone to take their place in lower plains ( kind of like He*l ) in order that they could be set free and roam the Earth.
This is why cunning Chinese folk protect themselves and appease the ghosts and spirits
If You wish to share their practice that not only ensures safety from Nasty spirits but also brings blessings , there are but a few simple and fun things You can do :

Protection

- Hang Bagwa Mirrors near home or on Your front doors , room doors etc. for they are brilliant protection of spirits and they deflect negative energies
- Hang decorations and or protection symbols made of peach fruit in same manner s bagwa mirrors

- Traditional Chinese amulets for protection against ghosts ( such as Jade animals on thread ) are hung at thresholda and entrances of Your property

Offerings and appeasement

- Colorful fruit or sweets are offered to spirits
- Sweet smelling incense sticks ( such as vanilla ) are burnt daily to appease spirits
- fake money or colorful paper is burnt to give spirits "money" to get what they need on "other side" and show them respect. This also brings good fortune for ones burning them
You may pettition spirits to be kind and bring You blessings while You do this


What You should evade dong by all cost

According to Chinese folk lore it is an offense to spirits ( thus makes them rather angry and puts in vengative mood , and trust me, that is hardly a good thing ) to
- whistle in house
- spill ashes or empty ashes near home or inside


So there You go eclectic view on this very interesting and scary celebration

Article by me , Shadow