Ghost!?

Thailand is a very religious country; although there is no official state religion, 95% identify as  Buddhist. Religions practiced by Thais also include Islam, Hinduism and a less than 2% Christian population. Additionally, superstitions are a part of daily life and belief. My family is particularly involved in practicing their spirituality and superstitions, which have led to hilarious miscommunications and intriguing surprises.

For example, my host mom owns a massage business that she runs out of her house, and a part of her belief is that there is a little boy spirit that hangs around to bring in customers. His spirit is honored, pleased, and prayed to through a shrine in the upper corner of my bedroom. Apparently no one else in my family wanted to sleep in this corner because of the superstitions associated with being close to a shelving unit dedicated to appeasing a child ghost. In short, keep this spirit happy, and you get a lot of business.
About a two weeks ago, my host sister kept google translating the word "ghost" and asked if I was scared. I kept saying no, that I'm not afraid, but the next day I got the same question. I was so confused because I hadn't noticed anything strange and no one else expresses fear. But since I mumble (loudly) in my sleep--mostly when I'm falling asleep and waking up--my host mom heard and thought this little boy was disturbing me, demonstrating he wouldn't allow me to stay in the house. She was so concerned for me that she prayed every night asking the boy to stop disturbing me until my teacher could translate that no matter what country Im in, I talk in my sleep. I'm grateful my teacher came by to make sure everything was okay with my host family, because there is no way I have the words in Thai to understand that I might have a ~presence~. I still mumble, but at least my family knows it is a personal problem and not because I'm being haunted into sleeplessness.

Another example comes from last Sunday, my only day off and plenty of time to get to know my host family. My host sister said she would take me to the ancient Cambodian-style temple in Lopburi where monkeys and humans get to chill in their uncaged natural harmony. Before we could do that, my sister said she needed to take a shower according to her beliefs (she speaks a decent amount of English, thankfully). Me being me didn't think much of it outside of curiosity as to why she has to leave the house and go to the middle of nowhere to take a shower. So we turn down this dirt road I thought her tiny Toyota wouldn't be able to handle and come out into a little housing complex with roosters fighting freely. A couple greets us kindly then leads us to a shack with unalome drawings on the outside like the following picture.

  There was also a hand painted picture of an older man with a white beard wearing an orange robe with his hands outstretched. From what I could glean, he was a monk who was known for special powers. There was another photo of a monk who is refereed to as the Paa (or father) who--from what was pantomimed--wouldn't be hurt if you tried. No scars, nor cutting nor beating could harm him, like he meditated into immortality. Our host, himself covered in tattoos that are apparently blessings to make everyone he meets like him, is our guide in this adventure. He leads us into the shack revealing a shrine with tens of idols, carved images, and pendants, bringing with him a bucket of water. My sister lays hands on the bucket and bows as our guide lights incense, then a candle and begins to chant. He blows on the water as he continues the chant, allowing drips of wax onto the surface. Watching the light from the candle cast shadows from the wax onto the side of the bucket was hypnotic, and drew me into how the water was becoming a physical manifestation of whatever my sister came to seek. Our guide pauses his chants and puts the candle out by sticking the lit end in his mouth and blowing the smoke into the bucket. All I knew at this point was what I saw, and that my sister told me she'll have a rich husband, thus the point of the ritual. We were in the shrine of a fortune teller. My sister got dressed into a towel, sat in a chair with her head bowed and her hands in prayer while the fortune teller scooped the water over her head. She got back into dry clothes and we left, her comforted and me with a dope new insight.

Oh and the monkey temple? That was dope too. (pics from google, sorry I didn't want my ancestral cousins stealing my iphone.)