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2014年9月23日 星期二

How To Pray to Taoist Deities

內文來源: http://taoist-sorcery.blogspot.tw/

This is a praying guide for the Western Folks, who want to understand how the Chinese pray to Taoist Deities and how You can pray in the way You like that suit Your Western Culture.

The Chinese Way Of Praying To Taoist Deities
1) Every morning and evening, light up incense sticks/ cones and then WALK TO THE WINDOW OR DOOR WHICH YOU CAN LOOK UP TO THE SKY and pay respect to GREAT JADE EMPEROR 1ST, after that then walk back to the altar and pray / pay respect and say Your wishes to the Deity or Deities on the Altar.

2) On the 1st and 15th of every Chinese Lunar Month, put 3 small Chinese Tea Cups and pour Chinese Tea into them and do offerings of 1 type of fruits or 3 type of fruits and pray to the Deity or Deities. You CAN EAT the fruits after the Prayer.

3) When the incense sticks are almost finish burning,  You can start to burn the proper joss paper /joss money catered to the specific deity / deities. Taoist deities have their own set of joss paper being offered to them. If You don't know what type of joss papers to be burnt and offered to the deities You are praying to, You can go to Chinese Joss Papers Shop for help. There are different packets of joss papers mixed and match and  packed  nicely to cater for each and every deities.

4) Get hold of the specific Mantra/Mantras or specific chants in English ( if You don't know Chinese) of the particular diety or the deities and understand the teachings of the individual Deities. Recite the Mantra or read the teachings of the diety or deities when You have the time while facing the Deity/Deities. If You don't have the time or not interested in Chanting, at least You must know the teaching of the particular deity/dieties.

5) Find out the celebration day (Birthday / The Day of enlightenment  etc) of  each and every individual deities on the Altar You are praying to. Do offerings and burn joss/paper money to the deity / deities like how You do on every 1st and 15th of every Lunar Month.

Guide For The Western Folks
For Western Folks, You might have difficulty to obtain joss papers in Your country. You may check out whether there are Chinese Joss Paper Shops in China-Town.

If Joss Papers are not available, You may want to Email the owner of this Blog for help.

However, You do not need to follow exactly the way how Chinese pray to Taoist Deities. The above is just a general guide on how the Chinese pray.

Example ... When Hindus pray to Chinese Deities, they will use burning lamp (Indian Style) and rotate around the Chinese Deity Statues and ring the bell while chanting with Hindu Mantra. When Chinese pray to Hindu Deities, they will use 3 joss sticks to pray to them.

Most importantly, the Taoist Deity Statues on the altar MUST BE CONSECRATED.

If not, You must at least have Your Taoist Altar spiritually-empowered with a Special Multi-Purpose Talisman - The "36 Heavenly Warriors" Talismans.

Other than that, what matter most is Your Heart, Mind and Soul in Your trust, faith and believe that the deities have the power to protect You and bring Your prosperity.

How You will like to decorate Your Altar is up to Your own liking.

TAOISM never force anyone to follow exactly the "Standard Way Of Praying". Deities/ Gods / Saints of different faith are allowed to be placed together and then blend into Your own Culture and pray the way You feel comfortable with.

2014年9月16日 星期二

高錢(黃色)

正月初九天公生,祭拜天公所用的黃色長條狀紙錢, 要掛高錢,高錢要張開中用紅紙紮腰身,通常用一對綁在甘蔗兩旁。
天公生高錢是一種黃色長條狀的紙錢,約一尺一寸乘五寸九分,內有六條長鋸齒紋,鋸齒紋又有十二齒、二十四齒、三十六齒之別,故又稱為「長錢」。有一種較大型的,七爺、八爺,或千里眼、順風耳等神將在出巡護駕時即繫於帽下;另一種較小的高錢,則用於祭拜天公。
初九天公生,要準備上下桌祭拜,上桌用長板凳,上架八仙桌,就高出下桌,稱為「搭天臺」,是模擬上中下三界。頂桌即為上界,頂桌前繫吉祥圖案的桌圍,兩旁則繫上頭帶尾青(連根帶葉)的甘蔗,兩根甘蔗的頭尾青部份(根部、葉部)以紅線繫在一起,成為拱形(圈形)狀,象徵上界的「南天門」,甘蔗兩旁則綁上「高錢」(長錢),象徵天兵天將。一說以甘蔗為祈求錢財能夠節節高昇,故高錢作為裝飾。

「篙錢」是一種黃色長條狀,以古代做成的紙錢,內有六條長鋸齒紋,常掛在神將、家將的後腦杓,很像頭髮。而篙錢的顏色又分五彩(神明專用)、黃色(鬼神專用)。傳說手錢與篙錢都有收驚、致煞的功用。此外,綁在神將後腦杓的篙錢偶爾也會因為神將擺動而掉落,這些不經意掉落的篙錢,因為發生機率較低,更讓許多人願意奮不顧身的衝上前去指為了撿拾篙錢,畫面驚險,但也不難看出信徒對於篙錢和手錢的重視。若有幸搶到或分到,使用方法如下:放入皮夾或皮包內,可保佑平安。小孩如果被嚇到時,把手錢或篙錢化到陰陽水(溫水加熱水)中,給小孩喝。

大量金紙包裝

避免站在火焰旁太久的好方式,但要在燒化的過程中,撥弄一下,會燒的比較快!
Sometimes, the Chinese would put all the joss paper 'goodies' into a paper bag and write the names of their ancestors on top of the bag before burning them.

2014年9月3日 星期三

追思感恩V.S.維護樹林

在現在的人世間,環保問題嚴重,山上的樹木日漸消失,宗教要負起一部份的責任。要如何的改變以前的習慣,所謂的、前例沒設,舊例沒滅。新的方法沒有出現之前,舊的方法還是一直沿用下去。

如何的改變!? 就是用元寶,我們用手摺的元寶,到金紙店買元寶專用的紙,親自用我們的雙手摺成元寶。

給所有的往生的人、祖先,拜地基主,七月拜好兄弟,這些不是神明的,統統用往生紙,在紙面上會有寫著「極樂世界」。要給神明的,最小的神明土地公,到大的玉皇上帝,全部都用『福祿延壽』的紙。

要給祖先,地基主,好兄弟,的元寶一定要有名字。要用紙寫上名字,黃色的紙,大小合適即可,貼在元寶上面,道長說這是簡單的文疏。數量不必多,如果以幣值來計算,一個元寶大約等於12支「刈金」的份量。

如果宗教都能改變用這個方法,那真是可以說是天、地、人三贏。

資料來源:http://shoufeng168.pixnet.net/blog/post/162612176-元寶的妙用 守豐元寶網站內文章轉載!