Enhance Your Luck during the Hungry Ghost Month

Do you ever get advices not to travel, begin construction in the home or start a business around the end of July and the start of August? Chances are, you’ve heard of the Hungry Ghost Month. It is believed to be the scariest month of the year. The Chinese believe that on its first day, the gates of hell open and the ghosts are free to roam the earth for a month. As a country with a significant Chinese-Filipino community, most of us adhere this tradition.

But don’t worry, here’s a rundown of the things we should and should not do in order to be out of sight of these hungry ghosts and make this month work to our advantage:

Do’s

  1. Wear bright clothes. Consider the shades of yellow or pink, but veer away from red as this color attracts spirits.

2. Give offerings to the spirits. Present fruits, candies and flowers, and light some incense but never eat the food you’ve offered!

3. Wear crystals and semi-precious gems. This is to ward off negativity and to protect you from harmful spirits and unwanted energies. Crystals may be your best friend during this time as they have their own energies that you can also attract.

4. Remove wind chimes from the doorway, balcony, or window. The sound of wind chimes is similar to the ringing of the soul and hungry souls might think they’re being invited into your home when they hear it.

Dont’s

  1. Do not stay outside too late at night. It is believed that during the Ghost Month, the ghosts are strongest at night because of the yin energy. Children, the elderly, and pregnant women should go home before sunset.

2. Don’t dry your umbrellas indoors after the rain. An open umbrella is believed to collect souls or are good hiding places for hungry ghosts.

3. Don’t sign contracts for any deals or business or buy high ticket items like a new home or a car during this time.

4. Stay away from the beach or swimming pools. Ghosts in the water are believed to seek out victims and drown them to reincarnate in a new body.

5. Don’t pick up money on the street. It is believed that this may offend the guards of hell as this is meant to bribe them.

6. Don’t hang clothes outside at night. Wandering ghosts may try to fit in these and you might bring them inside the home when you bring in the laundry.

Whether you believe in the Ghost Month or not, it is always best to err on the side of caution. It’s better to be safe than sorry!