Tree Dwelling Spirits of Thailand

This blog has been provided by Asia Backpackers BLOG for Inspire.

 

 

Thai people have for countless centuries been animists, believing in spirits, ghosts and ghouls. The arrival of Buddhism around the 3rd century B.C. did little to change these beliefs and in some way actually legitimized them.

 

In ancient Buddhist cosmology the universe was made of thirty-one planes of existence stacked in layers, and three realms, or dhatus. The three realms were Ārūpyadhātu, the formless realm; Rūpadhātu, the realm of form; and Kāmadhātu, the realm of desire.

Each of these was further divided into multiple worlds that were the homes of many different type of beings.

 

Move on several millenniums and these strong animist beliefs are still held by many, sitting as they do, comfortably with their beliefs in Buddhism.

 

Different Woodland Spirits

There are a huge number of different types of spirits, ghosts and demons, within Thailand. (See our post Ghosts Spirits and Thai Folklore, for details on just a few). The people not only appease many of these spirits, in their every day needs; for food and good health, others look to the ghosts in helping them choose the all important ………. winning lottery numbers.

 

Lady of Ta-khian

One of these most helpful of spirits is that of the beautiful, Nang Ta-khian นางตะเคียน; “Lady of Ta-khian”). Who resides in the body of very large trees known as Ta-khian (ตะเคียน), hence her name. These trees known by their official name of Hopea odorata, are outside of Thailand, a threatened species , being highly valued for their wood.

 

Here in Thailand, the same trees that can live for centuries, have long been unofficially protected by the people, who believe Nang Ta-khian spirits call these trees home. It is believed these beings, who alongside other ghosts, in other types of trees, protect them and their families from harm. These different woodland spirits are known collectively and generically, in Thai folklore, as Nang Mai, (นางไม้; “Lady of the Tree”).

 

See our post Tree Fairies in Thailand – An ancient fable where sexual desires are quenched by a fruit in the guise of a beautiful women.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/tree-dwelling-spirits-thailand/

 

 

-- © Copyright Inspire Pattaya 2017-12-03

 

Is there a spirit that can makes people drive better too? I guess not many people use it in that case. 

These spirits are djinn -- some good ... some not ... all are a bit cunning and mischievous, hence placation

Spirits

 

2 hours ago, Tarteso said:

Spirits

 

These are the spirits I believe in. At least they're real

4 hours ago, OmarZaid said:

These spirits are djinn -- some good ... some not ... all are a bit cunning and mischievous, hence placation

Don't you find it irritating when believers in the supernatural make statements as though they are stating simple facts about the natural 'real' world?

41 minutes ago, Essaybloke said:

Don't you find it irritating when believers in the supernatural make statements as though they are stating simple facts about the natural 'real' world?

Yes.....and find it just as irritating when those who believe in a god or prophet (of some sort), reincarnation, witnesses (I never saw the accident), animal gods, tree spirits and those who believe that the earth is 6000 years old (despite fossils millions of years old) start up with their "rationale" to their beliefs.

 

It makes me wonder how in this so-called enlightened age, people can believe in such fairy tales and nonsense.

 

And more to the point, WHY do humans feel the need to believe in such rubbish........what drives this need?

Long ago in Britain ships were called she , now of course we might get " Look at my car , just polished her , isn't she beautiful "    The trees that were cut down to build the ships long ago had female spirits living in them , hence she.       First time I heard a harvester hooter blow 3 times I asked the wife why.   She said to wake up the ghosts in the fields .

 

I think that is rather lovely.

 

10 minutes ago, xylophone said:

Yes.....and find it just as irritating when those who believe in a god or prophet (of some sort), reincarnation, witnesses (I never saw the accident), animal gods, tree spirits and those who believe that the earth is 6000 years old (despite fossils millions of years old) start up with their "rationale" to their beliefs.

 

It makes me wonder how in this so-called enlightened age, people can believe in such fairy tales and nonsense.

 

And more to the point, WHY do humans feel the need to believe in such rubbish........what drives this need?

Oh mate, the stuff humans believe.... well, it beggars belief! 

'Belief' and the act of ascribing agency to seemingly disparate phenomena is however a normal brain function of the anterior cingulate cortex, a processing part of the brain that is like a interstitial region between the limbic (emotional/primal) part of the brain and the frontal cortex (reasoning). Considering plains dwelling humans of 100,000 years ago who were very low on the food chain, it makes total evolutionary sense that we their descendants should do this.

Just now, toofarnorth said:

Long ago in Britain ships were called she , now of course we might get " Look at my car , just polished her , isn't she beautiful "    The trees that were cut down to build the ships long ago had female spirits living in them , hence she.       First time I heard a harvester hooter blow 3 times I asked the wife why.   She said to wake up the ghosts in the fields .

 

I think that is rather lovely.

 

Hi! Well, as a soothing folkloric story it's cool!  I agree completely.  I start losing the plot when 'well-meaning' adults begin telling children that it's true.

25 minutes ago, xylophone said:

And more to the point, WHY do humans feel the need to believe in such rubbish........what drives this need?

People need meaning and a purpose in their life because they can't handle the truth that there is no meaning . Superstition is because they want to have luck on their side , and bad luck chased away.

 

But there are bad spirits in Thailand . This guy is spraying them over my food :

 

1 hour ago, Essaybloke said:

Hi! Well, as a soothing folkloric story it's cool!  I agree completely.  I start losing the plot when 'well-meaning' adults begin telling children that it's true.

Next you will be saying that you dont believe in Father Christmas

8 hours ago, OmarZaid said:

These spirits are djinn -- some good ... some not ... all are a bit cunning and mischievous, hence placation

I guess you read to many fiction books, right?

1 hour ago, ResandePohm said:

Next you will be saying that you dont believe in Father Christmas

Is that the fat dude that goes down the chimney once a year?

 

2 hours ago, Essaybloke said:

Hi! Well, as a soothing folkloric story it's cool!  I agree completely.  I start losing the plot when 'well-meaning' adults begin telling children that it's true.

And you know that for a fact? Show me the proof! 

3 hours ago, xylophone said:

Yes.....and find it just as irritating when those who believe in a god or prophet (of some sort), reincarnation, witnesses (I never saw the accident), animal gods, tree spirits and those who believe that the earth is 6000 years old (despite fossils millions of years old) start up with their "rationale" to their beliefs.

 

It makes me wonder how in this so-called enlightened age, people can believe in such fairy tales and nonsense.

 

And more to the point, WHY do humans feel the need to believe in such rubbish........what drives this need?

This drives the need: 

• ignorance
• stupidity
• tradition

After that we have the cure:

• Trying to learn something in school
• Be open to the international world
• Trying to invent something wothout copy

By the result of this, everybody can se how far from reality and knowledge we are, but what ever. We choosed to live here. I guess that´s why we love it!

Just because you personally haven't seen something or some phenomena doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You could just as easily smugly sit there and say the world is flat, looks flat to me, so must be flat, common sense, mate! haha!

 

On the other hand while people make an easy target out of people who believe in things that aren't there or things that exist on a more subtle level than blaring on a screen in your face saying do it or else, you'll find that  nearly universally they all spend most of their entire lives attending to and precoccupied with a being that also can't be proven to exist: themselves.

11 hours ago, Essaybloke said:

Don't you find it irritating when believers in the supernatural make statements as though they are stating simple facts about the natural 'real' world?

Not funny You probably make fun of everything that does not fit in your "Spirit Box", if you have one. Disrespecting Thai beliefs and making fun of them makes you a foreign jerk in my mind. Try to remember this is their home, their culture and that you at best are just another Farang guest here.Leave Thailand if you cannot live comfortable with their beliefs. 

I have a Tamarind tree in my yard, the spirit that lives in it does not like me , when I am under it, thei throws ants at me! 

I get back at it by peeing on it when no one is looking.

I am sure it is a female spirit because females have being throwing things at me all my life.

12 hours ago, Essaybloke said:

Don't you find it irritating when believers in the supernatural make statements as though they are stating simple facts about the natural 'real' world?

I don't believe in ghosts / spirits and the like either, but my girlfriend and her whole family does. Personally, I don't mind if my girlfriends makes statements about ghosts like they are facts. For her it's like this and I am fine with that. For all I am concerned it's just a harmless bit of superstition, but there is little point in trying to refute these beliefs.

 

Some guy once said that spirits and ghosts only exist if one beliefs in them. Perhaps that is true. 

On ‎03‎/‎12‎/‎2017 at 5:39 PM, Essaybloke said:

'Belief' and the act of ascribing agency to seemingly disparate phenomena is however a normal brain function of the anterior cingulate cortex, a processing part of the brain that is like a interstitial region between the limbic (emotional/primal) part of the brain and the frontal cortex (reasoning). Considering plains dwelling humans of 100,000 years ago who were very low on the food chain, it makes total evolutionary sense that we their descendants should do this.

I can't buy into that I'm afraid............evolution affected our bodies, brains, way of living etc and one would hope that our more developed brain would have confined that to the past.

 

Maybe there is another "driver" in play (stupidity, ignorance, a need for support......) and this could apply to those who believe that the world/our existence is only 6000 years old and will believe this even when presented with evidence of fossils millions of years old??

 

Not knocking the Thai spirits per se as spirit beliefs such as these were prevalent in other societies in the middle ages (for example) and as the society, the people and the education evolved and improved, then those beliefs fell away. 

On 12/4/2017 at 4:56 AM, Bigfarang1948 said:

Not funny You probably make fun of everything that does not fit in your "Spirit Box", if you have one. Disrespecting Thai beliefs and making fun of them makes you a foreign jerk in my mind. Try to remember this is their home, their culture and that you at best are just another Farang guest here.Leave Thailand if you cannot live comfortable with their beliefs. 

I wasn't trying to be 'funny'. I do not have a 'spirit box' (whatever you mean by that) and I wasn't making fun of Thai beliefs. I respect Thai people as a whole (as I respect all human beings as fellow travelers through life), but that doesn't mean I have to surrender my intellectual self-respect! And yes, thanks for the reminder 'Thailand is the home of Thais', gee normally I forget that.

20 hours ago, xylophone said:

I can't buy into that I'm afraid............evolution affected our bodies, brains, way of living etc and one would hope that our more developed brain would have confined that to the past.

 

Maybe there is another "driver" in play (stupidity, ignorance, a need for support......) and this could apply to those who believe that the world/our existence is only 6000 years old and will believe this even when presented with evidence of fossils millions of years old??

 

Not knocking the Thai spirits per se as spirit beliefs such as these were prevalent in other societies in the middle ages (for example) and as the society, the people and the education evolved and improved, then those beliefs fell away. 

Numerous neurological studies have confirmed this, it's easy to find out for yourself, but you can 'buy in' or not as you please. Our brains are 'belief and bias confirmation engines' as Michael Shermer says and there are good evolutionary reasons for that.  As Shermer (again) points out- In terms of brain functioning...'First comes the belief, then the rationalisations'. But as to your second point, yep- 'stupidity' seems to be an enduring factor in human affairs- no argument with that. Third point- I'd suggest many of those beliefs didn't 'fall away', there are still millions of 'evolved' and 'educated' Europeans who will in all sincerity preach about the 'truth' of a talking snake, flying people and the great magic super being in the sky.  Shermer's book 'The Believing Brain' (St Martin's Press, New York 2011) is a very interesting read on matters pertaining to brain function and belief. But at the end of day, we respect people regardless of ethnicity and nationality, and not their beliefs.

On 12/4/2017 at 1:39 AM, Shaunduhpostman said:

Just because you personally haven't seen something or some phenomena doesn't mean it doesn't exist. You could just as easily smugly sit there and say the world is flat, looks flat to me, so must be flat, common sense, mate! haha!

 

On the other hand while people make an easy target out of people who believe in things that aren't there or things that exist on a more subtle level than blaring on a screen in your face saying do it or else, you'll find that  nearly universally they all spend most of their entire lives attending to and precoccupied with a being that also can't be proven to exist: themselves.

"Just because you personally haven't seen something or some phenomena doesn't mean it doesn't exist." That's it! And absence of evidence does not necessarily mean evidence of absence..... But it's a damn good start, huh? But I'm intrigued by your last statement- by all reasonable and rational measures I do exist and will prove it to you. Just let me into your house and I'll drink all your beer. The absence of beer and your immense annoyance will confirm to you that I exist, while the pain from my broken nose and bruised backside will confirm my own existence... to me. Et sic demonstratum est!

If they are not real, then why do I have full tattoos on the headliner of my truck?