Free Spirit Tradition

Today, I would like to show you what I did yesterday. It's not about cooking but I think you might be interested as it's one among our conserved cultures. I am not sure what is the exact name of the tradition but from my understanding towards this, I'll call "Free Spirit Tradition".

Why do I call it like that?

Regarding to Buddhist's concept of reincarnation, after a person is dead, the being will be born in other world. Buddha classified the sub-worlds into 7 types. I'm afraid it might be too complicated to explain here. Human or physical world is just one among them.

What world the soul will go depends on merit or evil that we have accumulated. The rule of kharma will justify where we go.

Some souls are still worried about something in family and some are not.

The first group will be still around what he or she is worried about. For example, if he is worried about family members, he will follow family members and help in the things he or she can.

This is why some people saw my granddad sitting in front of our house in the dawn. Sometimes, there was something I felt he's still around.

So, this is not good as he would not have a chance to be born as human yet. No one in our family will have babies very soon.

We didn't want him to suffer like this (It's been almost 3 years) so we consulted some experienced expert on this thing and then we agreed to conduct the ritual for granddad's soul; Free Spirit Ritual.

Relatives came in the morning to help preparing food to give to monks and people joining the ritual.

Transferred the foods to the temple

Preparing for the ritual. The bone of him was in front of the picture. We also had to prepare food he liked (when he was a human) with fruits.

My dad was starting the ritual by paying a respect to Triple Gems.

Family members had to give the flowers and cloth to the monks. In a ritual related with dead people, the number of monks will be even like 2,4,6,..

Our relatives were holding the banana leaf float which would be used for the Free Spirit Ritual.

We're preparing to float in next couple minutes.

The float was released while my dad was preparing to float a clay pot containing granddad's bone.


My favourite scene of Khong River. From here about 6 hours by boat will be Sib-Song Panna of China.

This is newly casino with sports complex on Laos's bank. It's the join venture between Chinese and Japanese businessmen. It will be opened on 9 September 2009.