@NightHawk999 Some of them may already have negative entities attached to them before they die and these may convince them that it’s dangerous to cross into the light.
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Great point!
Have you checked out the movie Odd Thomas (free here)?:
Not winning any oscars, but in terms of content, total Grand Slam
It talks about evil spirits that will follow murders around, and feed off the energy of the carnage when they kill.
Reminded me of what this guy was saying about animal sacrifices in Roman times, and how the Gods were not interested in the material offering, they fed off the Prana energy in the blood that spilled on the alter:
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Candles, incense, told it to leave and reciting the seven-line prayer, as she remembers . . .
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@NightHawk999 Animal and even human sacrifice seems to be a stage that many cultures go through. Even the ancient Hebrews had animal sacrifice. There is the whole Abraham and Isaac story in Genesis where Yahweh asks Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac and then at the very last moment, says essentially “never mind, I was just testing your obedience. You can sacrifice a lamb instead.” And then this evolved into the whole Christian idea of Jesus being the sacrificial lamb to pay for our sin.
But it makes me question, what kind of a God requires animal or human sacrifice? Is it really a higher being?
To me, if it’s not about love and compassion, then it’s not truly a higher being.
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The thread kind of focussed more or less strongly on exorcism. More commonly and at least as interesting are rites of offerings and compensation to heal the realitionship with the spirit world, such as Sang-Chod (smoke offering), Sur-Chod (fire offering), Chutor (water offering) and Chöd (body offering).
All of the above are part of monastic daily rituals and are based on compassion with the aim of healing energetic situations, instead of forceful exorcism.
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Youre not a Mind reader are you???
I was actually thinking about this yesterday, wondering if just the offerings of pure Fire or smoke or insense would be equally appreciated by pure spirits, or if a vegan cake offering makes them more happy?
When camping I try to do a bon fire every night, not just for the utility, but I think the ancestors who lived in the area deeply appreciate it, as do the trees and plant life, and the sprits protecting them.
Once its lit, it definitely gives the space a subtle sacred vibe, words cant do it justice.
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Seems like with the wars that have gone on in the past few decades, cultures are still practicing a form of human sacrifice, no?
Well said my friend, I did not know this about the ancient Hebrews. I am curious to know how cross culturally these different types of offerings differed? Did some cultures throw their food offerings into the fire? Or did they just leave them out, and if how, how long before they cleaned up the mess on the alters?
I think of many advanced cultures, like the Egyptions, who burried some of their people with treasures and animals. Makes me wonder if those burial ‘objects’ had some ritual done on them so they could transfer to the spirit world.
No doubt, these were my thoughts exactly at first. I really cant wrap my head around the justification of the human sacrifice, my guess is the majority of those sacrifces were to placate evil spirits that were causing some type of catasrophic disaster: plague, drought, famine, etc.
Amen.
For this one, I can find a justification for animal sacrifice:
Lets say the tribe hasnt eaten for a week or even a month. You kill an antelope to feed them, is that not an act of love and compassion (especially in a place like Africa, where it is basically impossible to live on a Vegan or purely plant based diet:
Malnutrition Forces a Survivalist Out
would not shock me if the animal sacrifices evolved from the tribes initial prayers thanking God for the kill, and thanking the animal for its life and the fuel to keep the tribe from dying? Putting food in a starving childs mouth seems like a powerful act of God to me.
Not sure if you have watched the above tv show, but the emotions shed by many survilalists after they make a big game kill makes it seem like a near peak experience of deep gratitude and thanks in many cases, especially if its been weeks since their last meal. I have seen some of them eat the raw heart of the animal, out of respect to the animal’s spirit, a tradition I think borrowed from the Native Americans, who I think believed the soul of the animal would mix with them after doing this.
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I asked a Ngakpa once (a bon/buddhist practicioner who is practicing Vajrayana) and he said that communication with spirits works via visualisation and energy.
For example, a smoke or incencse offering is visualised as cleansing and purifying the environment, the smoke may transform into good and useful things for the non-physical spirit world in your visualisation and also the practicioners energy and intention is important. The energy of giving to those in need without expecting any return is very important in bon and buddhism. This type of generosity is very pure, positive energy.
The positive emotional energy out of which an offering is made for the well-being and benefit of the spirit world is said to be helpful for these being.
Great questions. In Bon, the sang (smoke) offering is usually done in the morning and together with different visualisation the smoke is actually transformed in the visualisation into offerings for all classes of nature spirits.
At midday, the Chutor (water offering) is made mainly for the Naga spirits (water spirits).
In early evening, the sur-chod (fire offering) is done by offering Tsampa (barley flour mixed with other vegetable offerings) into the fire and thus producing pleasant smoke scents. Mainly for the dead. Spirits in transition and - I think - also so-called “smell eaters”, spirits who appreciate pleasant smells.
The Chöd offering (body offering) is usually done in the later evening and the practicioner visualises the offering of his/her own body to the spirits of a wild place.
In Yungdrung Bon and buddhism, there are no animal or blood sacrifices, they are rejected, and it is believed that they are not necessary either. Even wrathful, “rough” spirits can be pacified by these energetic transactions.
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@NightHawk999 Good point about the roots of animal sacrifice in early hunter-gatherer cultures. Yes, traditional hunters did make offerings to the spirit of the animal that they killed for food. As humans moved into animal agriculture, animals were “sacrificed” for food and some were given to the gods as offerings. And yes, the early Hebrews engaged in this - lots of references in the Hebrew Bible. This is the origin of the term “sacrificial lamb.”
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Thank you for this 
I agree with this 100%, I am glad you brought this up, because it reminds me of one of my favorite memories
I think genuine love and compassion, is not lost on these beings, as well as the opposite, if you go in with an agenda, I think they can ‘smell’ that from a mile away. I am so appreciative for you saying all this, it hit home deeply and reminded me of one of my favorite memories, I did not know about this stuff when I did the bridge meditation, but the animal communication book author sounded like she may have absorbed some of these Buddhist teachings when she was living in CA. The biggest take away from the book for me was the technique of merging of minds, and the importance of treating animal [souls] and spirits with deep respect and compassion. Here is the memory:
Your words deeply resonated and definitely prompted this memory to my mind.
The visualization I did was bringing to mind Native american Chiefs, or the lead spirits of the tribe and imaging us all sitting in a circle smoking a peace pipe. As I inhaled, I imagined I was them, and was smoking it from their point of view, having our bodies as one.
@fenwizard
On a semi related topic, I met a Muslim friend a few years ago. I told him about my adventures on ‘retreats’, and he later told me it inspired him to get out in the woods and go hunting. He has invited me a few times out west to the Yellowstone areas to hunt, and I declined (even though I really wanted to go!) I have never hunted, on my bucket list, but over the past few years of learning about Buddhist teachings I have become a lot more hesitant. Feeling it would interfere with my connection to animals 
(I like being able to pet Bison every once in a while 
)
Long story short, he told me the Native Americans who he hunted with let him join in their ceremonys. Can you guess which type of tobacco was their weapon of choice?!?!?!?
We Have To Talk
Did not know about any of this, very cool how its almost an offering to the Elements as well. I have heard of Chod, I think from your teaching of it on this site and in TWRs book.
Is this one the most important offering of the day, or are they all considered to be equally important?
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My understanding is the NA ate the heart of the animal, so their spirit could kind of attach to them, or coinhabit their body with their own souls.
Not sure if this is true or not. Saw it on tv, so take with a big grain of salt.
Kinda dark, no? Now it makes sense the phase:
“Lamb of God ,who takest away the sins of the world, have Mercy upon us”
AI says:
" s a phrase from the Agnus Dei, a Latin chant used in Christian liturgies. The phrase comes from John the Baptist’s words in the Bible, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”"
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Dream Tuesday 11.12.24:
(The last dream in the REM cycle)
Outside in a driveway with 5 middle aged women. They are loloking for my friend. I tell them they are not here. They are pushy and wont go away. Finally my friend walks out the front door of the apt, into the driveway, this is what they are ‘wearing’:
Its a white jumpsuit like costume, with a necklace attacked to the fabirc, and the pendant of the necklace the face of my friend who passed, green and shaped Ike the mask from the Jim Carrey movie. Similar Green brown color and looks very shriveled and dry. Here body was flat and small, below the face aND attached to the costume torso, l(ooking like the witch that got crushed in Wizzard of Oz.)
The women who are also wearing white. Tell me “they are all going out the Lunch”
I walk away disgusted, thinking they are all mocking my friend who died a year ago today (around November 12-13th) from a severe eating disorder.
Was very vivid and emotional, no clue what the symbolism means.
This was the first dream I have had of her in close to a year, the last one I had was last year, and I think was precognitive, letting me know she had died.
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@NightHawk999 So sorry to hear about your friend. I pray that she has moved on to a better place. Eating disorders can be terrible!
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Thank you my friend. I pray she has moved on to heaven as well. It was a heart breaking loss. I didnt learn till after: that eating disorders have the highest probability of death, when compared to any other mental disorder listed in the DSM. Very very sad.
There was a video posted in the forums about a year ago from 60min, about using tech that could remove plaques from Alzheimer’s and Drug Addicts brains, and help them drastically recover. I am hoping this tech can be used for Eating Disorders and other disorders in the future.
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For monks, they are all equally important, albeit having slightly different addressees as described above.
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“a ghost that I dont like and a skeleton that I dont like”
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EVERYTHING You Need to Know About Spirit Guides
Harnessing Intuition by Communicating with your Spiritual Guides | Vishen
How to Connect to Your Spirit Guides IMMEDIATELY (Even When It Feels Impossible)
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hihihi
I am a lover of the sky, deer, yes.
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LOL
Great mind thinks a like
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