Westerners With Amulets

[canuckamuck]

I often see western guys wearing those chunky big amulets that many of the Thai people wear.

I always wanted to ask one of these guys what the deal is. But I think if I ask here, I will get more perspective.

I know the Thai guys wear them mainly as a good luck charm. There is probably a bit of status connected to some of them too; I imagine some of them are quite valuable.

But why are the western guys wearing them?

[Soutpeel]

Because they are kn*b heads and trying to show how "Thai" they are....LOL

[jdinasia]

Mine isn't Big and clunky ... and I only wear one. My answer is to help me remember 'restraint'. My question would be, why do you care?

Then there are the rhetorical questions ... why do some people wear crosses? Some people wear crucifixes etc etc?

[GuestHouse]

Nothing wrong with it at all.

If a fruit cake decides to wear a big badge saying "I'm a fruit cake" I'd say that's a good thing for those of us who like to avoid Nuts.

[Gary A]

GuestHouse may have something there.

[jdinasia]

GuestHouse may have something there.

I have often thought that, but was never quite sure just what he had

I guess the analogous rhetorical questions went right over people's heads :-)

[GuestHouse]

Mine isn't Big and clunky ... and I only wear one. My answer is to help me remember 'restraint'

So should we take it, you got yours dangling on a long chain, just incase some cause for restraint pops up?!

[fiddlehead]

I don't wear mine much but got it as a gift from a good friend.

Do you have something against them?

[CHdiver]

Mostly used by the group of people who is letting there brain at the airport. Or the one who went totally native, or was that naive?

Some also may be buddhists, then I can understand it.

[GuestHouse]

I think I should clarify this - When I see a Thai guy with a load of amulets strung all over himself - I usually think he's a fruit cake too.

If he's also got a huge bunch of keys hanging on a chain from is pocket and a 78 blade multi-purpose-workman-camper-DIY-special forces survival-boy scout knife on belt, I think to myself 'What kind of a nut job Farang would take that as a role model?!'

[Soutpeel]

Based on the very few repsonses to this thread one must conclude then that a vast majority of the esteemed TV members fall into the catagory that "Guesthouse" has so eloquently descibed.

[canuckamuck]

I don't wear mine much but got it as a gift from a good friend.

Do you have something against them?

I don't have anything against them. I certainly wouldn't wear one though so I am trying to see the reasoning behind it. I don't think that the argument that it is a Buddhist thing holds up, I doubt the Dali Lama has got one. It certainly is a Thai thing though

[JetsetBkk]

GuestHouse may have something there.

I have often thought that, but was never quite sure just what he had

I guess the analogous rhetorical questions went right over people's heads :-)

Were you expecting people to answer your rhetorical questions?

[jdinasia]

Mine isn't Big and clunky ... and I only wear one. My answer is to help me remember 'restraint'

So should we take it, you got yours dangling on a long chain, just incase some cause for restraint pops up?!

Nope .. just a simple Buddhist amulet worn inside my shirt unless of course I happen to be wearing a 'wife-beater' at the time Gold encased and on a thin gold chain ... nothing flashy. I had it in silver before but the silver tarnished.

Restraint as in mindfulness ... I have never said I am a good Buddhist and a reminder certainly doesn't hurt me at times

Canuck --- HH the Dalai Lama is from a totally different branch of Buddhism. Some branches of Christianity wear crucifixes .. some think that wearing one is a sin. Some wear crosses, some think wearing them is prideful etc.

I guess I could sit around and use colored sand to make mandalas but I think I have the concept of impermanence down pat now ..

Jetset -- no I was just not expecting to have to explain them.

[jdinasia]

Based on the very few repsonses to this thread one must conclude then that a vast majority of the esteemed TV members fall into the catagory that "Guesthouse" has so eloquently descibed.

huh?

Oh wait .. yes a lack of response MUST mean that!

[canuckamuck]

Canuck --- HH the Dalai Lama is from a totally different branch of Buddhism. Some branches of Christianity wear crucifixes .. some think that wearing one is a sin. Some wear crosses, some think wearing them is prideful etc.

I guess I could sit around and use colored sand to make mandalas but I think I have the concept of impermanence down pat now ..

So you made my point for me, it is not specifically a Buddhist thing, it is a Thai interpretation of a Buddhist thing.

Crucifixes are hardly a Christian thing in this era, everyone wears them, from soccer moms to porn stars, and quite a few Thais wear them too. The best you can say is it is not a Jewish thing.

I will say however JD, that you do state your reason for wearing one, and that is what I was asking. Maybe someone else will be as confident.

[yabaaaa]

Maybe they are just gifts from their other halves?

[Gudge]

Canuck --- HH the Dalai Lama is from a totally different branch of Buddhism. Some branches of Christianity wear crucifixes .. some think that wearing one is a sin. Some wear crosses, some think wearing them is prideful etc.

I guess I could sit around and use colored sand to make mandalas but I think I have the concept of impermanence down pat now ..

So you made my point for me, it is not specifically a Buddhist thing, it is a Thai interpretation of a Buddhist thing.

Crucifixes are hardly a Christian thing in this era, everyone wears them, from soccer moms to porn stars, and quite a few Thais wear them too. The best you can say is it is not a Jewish thing.

I will say however JD, that you do state your reason for wearing one, and that is what I was asking. Maybe someone else will be as confident.

I wear an amulet because it was given to me and blessed by a Budhist monk. I am wearing it as a sign of respect for him and I am certainly not going to turn down or disrespect any help that could come my way.

[Neeranam]

Nothing wrong with it at all.

If a fruit cake decides to wear a big badge saying "I'm a fruit cake" I'd say that's a good thing for those of us who like to avoid Nuts.

Would you call all Thais who move to USA or UK etc, and wear a cross, fruitcakes?

Some of us adapt to our new culture - some of us don't and self-righteously attack those who do.

I don't wear one but used to wear a small one, but of Ganesh, when first living here.

Greater men than you have faith.

[Petesear]

I can't see anything wrong if someone wants to wear an amulet, but I think wearing a collection of them is just ridiculous.

[mauGR1]

I also find amusing those amulets described by the OP,i find them slightly distasteful,like a 10 Baht golden necklace.

That said, i find less amusing and quite tasteless to make a bunch of idiots of everyone having an amulet as you want to call it.

I have a simple capsule containing 3 little bars of different metals,it was given from a Senior Monk to help my concentration in a moment of unhappiness.

That doesn't mean that now i'm always happy,nor that i'll be unhappy again if i lose my 'amulet';i simply like it and the person who gave it to me.

[TheWalkingMan]

Once I was lost in Bangkok and asked a foreign guy with a large amulet for directions. He was not a nutter and gave me directions with a smile.

TheWalkingMan

[britmaveric]

Ms. Brit gave me mine - actually small because never wear anything big/clunky looking. Anyways for good luck and makes her happy that I wear it.

[eTiMaGo]

Would you call all Thais who move to USA or UK etc, and wear a cross, fruitcakes?

They'd possibly get lambasted if they ever came across some holier-than-thou Christians, though...

Personally I have a couple charms and necklaces (nothing gaudy) given to me by pretty high ranking monks, even if I may not be a devout believer, it can't hurt, right?

[Richb2004v2]

Whose that are so desperate to be Thai. People I avoid. Even worse than those who wear large crucifixes.

[Garry9999]

To quote a Thai friend of mine. "Khun Thai wear them for protection, Farang wear them for fashion".

[tigerfish]

i have one that was given to me by my mother in law on the day i got married. it was blessed by the monks at our ceremony. its on a gold chain and is known by the name, chatucalm and was brought for me in nakhon si-thamarat(forgive the spelling)

one of the monks at our wedding, who did the blessing explained to me that i was very fortunate to have received such a gift from my mother in law, as this kind of amulet is held in very high esteem within the thai community. he also told me that it should give me good luck and guide me away from all things bad.

i wear it not all the time, but out of respect towards my wife and her family. for excepting me into their ranks(so to speak) in such a kind way.

it is often commented on when i am going about my every day life in the outside world by all kinds of people, from taxi drivers to check out staff in the local supermarkets with the same sort of response, were did you get that? who give you that?, oh! very luck, very good, thumbs up.

never really been into gold, more of a silver man myself, but if it makes my wife happy. why not? when in rome!

for all you cynics out there. why dont you asked the everyday thai, when you are out and about one day. why do you wear those big silly chains and amulets?. i tell you what why dont you try my 28 year old nephew, hes also covered in religous thai tattoos, wears west coast chopper t-shirts, ben davis shorts and has several piercings in different places. im sure hed be more than happy to give you an explanation.

[citizen33]

I've got an amulet given to me by a good Thai friend, who was once a work colleague and is now in a fairly senior position and can open certain work-related doors for me. He had owned it for some years and said he gave it to me because I travel quite a bit and it will keep me safe. I feel a little shy about the gift but do tend to take it with me when I fly. My Thai wife gets it out for me and it would be hard to say no.

[Garry9999]

[bina]

im female, but have a very small small one in gold, from husband, put on my gold chain necklace he gave me when we married (i chose one, practical,, small, wearable)... i wear it when going out , or when dealing with thais as a way of letting them know im married.

...i dont wear a magen daviv (jewish star) or a hamsa (an other popular israeli amulet actually taken from the moslems, but very very very popular here among men and women as 'against the evil eye' and also as a fashion statement.)

i also have a larger, encased amulet. my daughter had bought it for us in bangkok when we married. we take turns wearing it, depending on mood and/or activity. it is on a silver chain. it used to be on a wat string necklace (u know, the ones that u get as bracelets or necklaces from MIL or friends in thailand when they go to the wat, they come back with a whole bunch. thai men get them sent to them all the time from their wives etc). i like wearing it. it does remind me to have equanimity. i dont like people grabbing it and touching it either (oh, cool, whats this? etc). it generally speaking is hung on a corner of the shelf over our bed with a buddha statue and other various and sundry amulets and blessed bracelets and waist band thngs (that men like to wear i guess, havent seen women with them).

the gold necklace is problematic as the small 'gee' is not waterproof so everyone tells me to take it off when showering , but the little thai hook thingy will break if i do that, so therefore it is worn on special occasions only.

i have several arab muslem friends who work with me, two of them wear magen davids (star of david) necklaces all the time. people always ask them why. they both play on israeli mixed muslem/jewish third league football teams and the necklaces were gifts from team mates. hence have sentimental value. silly? yes. sweet? yes. if it bothers someone, they shouldnt look..........

i find it slightly repugnant when i see israeli kids wearing crosses in their ears or as necklaces when they arent christian, and they bought them as a fashion statement when it is obviously for the fashion becausethey havent a clue as to the significance, but if the person wearing it has it for sentimental or relgious value , who cares?

i dont really understand why it bothers some people what other people wear, from rings, to tattoos. i place things in the same catefory as horribly complicated cell phones, expensive toy dogs, and 4x 4 jeeps. some people have them as status symbols, some have them cause they like them, and some have them cause they need them. and its really no body's business but their own.

bina

israel