Spirit Houses

[desi]

I'm experiencing Thailand by writing short articles on subjects that interest me (the 'write to learn' angle).

One of my latest is centred around Spirit Houses.

So I asked a Thai friend if she'd like to head out taking photos of Spirit Houses (we always have great fun together running around BK).

Everything went well until I specified exactly what I wanted - from their beginnings (being made) to their retirement (grave yards for Spirit Houses, or Wats).

When I on the subject of the Spirit House grave yard, she freaked.

When I asked about taking photos of Spirit Houses along the side of the road, ditto.

I calmed her down explaining the logic of my outline and she was eventually fine with it. But she said she'd feel much better if there were three of us along. Three to fight off ghosts. Fine.

Then yesterday I headed out early with a friend and her driver. With time to kill, we brought up stopping off to take photos of Spirit Houses. He lost it and I got a shaky NO! in reply to the request. He was scared he said.

Now, this is a guy who is willing to take us anywhere. Any time. Even during his weekends off. He never balks at anything. Ever. Until now.

So, has anyone else had this experience?

For the Thais reading this, can you please fill me in on your thoughts? Childhood memories? I'm curious to know.

Btw - as we were chatting, my friend told me some great stories about Spirit Houses when she was growing up. One I already knew about. It happened in Bangkok, where a young mother died when her husband was a soldier. Hopefully I'll be headed there this week.

Ps: Yes, I know Spirit Houses are not Buddhist but this didn't seem to fit anywhere else.

[camerata]

Many Thais are afraid of ghosts and spirits because they were brought up that way. That's all there is to it, really. See Niels Mulder's Inside Thai Society: Religion, Everyday Life, Change for more on the subject.

[issanpaul]

Many Thais are afraid of ghosts and spirits because they were brought up that way.

I must agree , wish i knew more though, (Thai Mentality)

[IMA_FARANG]

Many Thais are afraid of ghosts and spirits because they were brought up that way.

I must agree , wish i knew more though, (Thai Mentality)

The qoute Camerata posted is probably the best explanation I ever heard on the subject.

But you have to realise there is a wide variation between, let's say a university educated Thai woman working in an office in Bangkok and a Issan farmer who spends most of his time working in a rice paddy.

I'm not criticising or making fun of anyone. Some of the most practical common sense people I have ever ment were Issan farmers with little formal education.

A lot of Asians (not only Thais) believe in Ghosts and Spirits. Even some of the best educated (so-called western educated people). Its just part of the tradition and culture.

Anyhow, just enjoy the diversity of the Thai culture with its different views and traditions.

[issanpaul]

Many Thais are afraid of ghosts and spirits because they were brought up that way.

I must agree , wish i knew more though, (Thai Mentality)

The qoute Camerata posted is probably the best explanation I ever heard on the subject.

But you have to realise there is a wide variation between, let's say a university educated Thai woman working in an office in Bangkok and a Issan farmer who spends most of his time working in a rice paddy.

I'm not criticising or making fun of anyone. Some of the most practical common sense people I have ever ment were Issan farmers with little formal education.

A lot of Asians (not only Thais) believe in Ghosts and Spirits. Even some of the best educated (so-called western educated people). Its just part of the tradition and culture.

Anyhow, just enjoy the diversity of the Thai culture with its different views and traditions.

Yes was married to Issan uneducated Lady before (she passed away now ) Now maried again with Educated Lady but still has same views,i think every night , i think 24 more like it,dont think we will ever know how there think,I could write a book as am sure many TV members could,ahhh never mind its just me Think To Much .

[desi]

Thanks for the reminder to read Neils Mulder's Inside Thai Society. I have a copy here (it came highly recommended) so will go through it this weekend.

Cultural beliefs and education...

One of my close friends is Malaysian, highly educated, married to a British man with a brilliant mind. She was brought up close to the spirits of the land and it dictated how she lived. She wouldn't allow aromatic flowers in the house because they denoted spirits walking. Sometimes her strict ways got in the way, but they were interesting nonetheless.

My Thai friend is also quite educated. Born and brought up in Bangkok, educated in Canada. But there be spirits...

And what is Christianity but a belief in spirits? Harvard grads are believers. So really, it's not that big of a leap to go from there to the Thai and Malaysian belief in spirits. All without a blink.

But getting back to the understanding of Spirit Houses...

From Inside Society, Neils writes that there are bad spirits hanging around grave yards. So does this also mean that they hang around Spirit Houses? But aren't those in Spirit Houses supposed to be good as long as they are appeased? So would it be a matter similar to making merit? Food, flowers... ?

Questions... questions...

[ThaiPauly]

Let me tell you a little story about our Spirit House.

Three months ago my Wife became ill, She is normally very healthy, does not drink, smoke eat fast food etc.....but She became sick.

She decided to travel back home to Surat to seek help, not from a Doctor but from some kind of "Witch Doctor" (Sorry I don't know the Thai equivalent) and She is not at home right now.

Anyway this guy said that there was something not right in our house which was making her sick so She needed to look there.

With difficulty because She was suffering she approached her uncle who is an Abbot in Surat and he agreed to travel with some other Monks from Surat to Chiang Mai, she paid for them, I knew nothing about any of this as I was unavoidably out of the country at the time.

When the Monks arrived they started lookng ...for what I don't know, but eventually they found a piece of wood that my Wife kept next to our front gate in case there was someone there who should not be if you get my point. This piece of wood was right next to the spirit house. The Abbot said that the wood was the problem. It was once part of a Burmese Coffin, it had some kind of wording on it that the Abbot understood. This was in his opinion freaking the spirits out to the point where they were punishing my Wife for bringing this wood onto their property.

The wood was cerimoniously burnt and the ashes scattered in a small canal next to our house.

The Abbot also moved the Spirit House to a new location in the garden.

My Wife was back to her normal self within 24 hours, all pain had left her.

The Abbot also said that this piece of wood could have been convenienty left close to ourhouse by someone wishing her ill will, and willing her to take it into the house,we have a few ideas who that may be, but have let it go now as everything would appear to be OK.

So thats our "Spirit House" story

Make of it what you will !!!

[camerata]

From an interview with Luangpor Teean, who was said to have been an arahant:

I once asked Luangpor Teean about the guardian spirit of the land one's house is built on, who is considered to reside in the spirit house that we provide for it. Does, I wanted to know, the spirit really have supernatural powers such that it can either benefit or severely punish the person that owns the house?

"Just think," said Luangpor, "if the guardian spirit really does have supernatural powers, why doesn't it create a house for itself, why doesn't it create its own food to eat, why does it have to wait for people to build a house for it and to provide it food in supplication? And the food given to it is always such a tiny amount: would the spirit ever be able to satisfy its hunger?"

[sabaijai]

Excellent quote.