Asian culture and superstitions are fascinating for anyone interested in history, folklore, and ghost stories. They are especially intriguing to tourists who want to explore the creepy side of local customs. If that sounds like you, then the Philippines is definitely a country worth paying attention to.
Considering that the so-called Ghost Month is not far off, Filipinos are trying to stay mentally safe to protect their fortune. The famous Ghost Month in the Philippines starts from August 23rd and lasts until September 21st. During this time, it is believed that the spirits return to our world.
Since there’s a chance they will disrupt harmony and take away luck, people try to avoid doing certain activities that are said to keep the spirits away from harming them. In this article, we will discuss 5 of these activities.
1. Don’t Stay Out Late at Night
One of the main things to avoid during the Ghost Month is staying out late at night. As the underworld becomes connected to our world, spirits are as free as they can be, and it is believed that they’re the most active during nighttime. Therefore, they walk around among the living without anyone knowing and unleashing troubles.
Filipinos during this month try to avoid going out late for practical reasons as well. As more accidents happen at night due to the darkness and fewer people around, those who enjoy going to bars and different entertaining spots like casinos are forced to cut their fun short. The thing is that casinos in the Philippines are associated with stories of violence, so during Ghost Month, they can feel even more unsettling. No wonder why some people would rather stay home and explore the top fast-paying casinos on this page rather than risking being out too late when both human and supernatural trouble are believed to be closer than ever.
2. Don’t Move into a New House
In Filipino culture, life-changing events are considered unlucky during this period of time. Apparently, moving into a new house or even starting to build a construction might catch the attention of wicked ghosts. There is a chance that they will follow you and bring bad luck, negative energy, and instability in your life.
It is believed that new homes are unsafe because they are not yet protected from evil spirits, and it’s easy for them to harm you this way. Also, construction and even house renovations might disrupt the ghosts that already live on that same land. That’s why people aim to do important activities like these after September 21st.
3. Don’t Go Swimming
People in the Philippines completely avoid swimming during the Ghost Month, especially in natural waters like seas, rivers, and lakes. According to superstitions, water is the element where the spirits are most active and apparently naughty. They don’t hesitate to pull any person close to water inside, just as a way to have their evil fun or to replace themselves and be free.
Even professional swimmers try to avoid their desire this time. Parents also try to stop their kids from any form of swimming. Considering that many accidents happen in water generally, swimming during the Ghost Month seems even more dangerous.
4. Don’t Whistle
Believe it or not, whistling is another activity that Filipinos avoid when Ghost Month arrives. In many cultures, it is considered something that attracts supernatural creatures, including spirits from the underworld. Especially if you start to whistle after dark, you’re directly giving an alarm to ghosts and letting them know about your presence.
When the Ghost Month starts, and the spirits become the most active, people try to be as calm and quiet as possible, especially at night. This happens mostly in isolated areas where even the softest whistles can be heard.
5. Don’t Take Photos after Sunset
Finally, as much as you may like subset photos, try not to do that during the Ghost Month in the Philippines. Since the spirits are more active at night, the chances are higher that they will be captured in the pictures, and that will disturb them.
It is believed that ghosts don’t like any kind of flashlight, so the idea of taking pictures at such a time doesn’t exactly feel safe for locals. Thus, to avoid any unfortunate situations, people try not to take selfies, group photos, or any other kind of pictures.
Bottom Line
As you can see, to spend the Ghost Month safely, you have to take a lot of things into account. Even though foreigners might think this is just a superstition, Filipinos take this belief very seriously, as having a harmonious life is extremely important to them. You never know what kind of unlucky events will occur to you if you upset the spirits during this time of the month, so to protect your fortune, you should definitely consider avoiding these 5 activities.
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