Here’s how to avoid bad luck during Ghost Month

We might be midway through August but Ghost Month is just about to start. Also known as the Hungry Ghost Festival, Ghost Month begins on August 22 until September 23.

While the most superstitious of us warns of bad luck —please no new business ventures! — Feng Shui expert Jean Chua says otherwise. “During Ghost Month, hindi lang tayo masyado aggressive pero the usual pa rin dapat ang buhay,” Chua says on Unang Hirit.

She then gave a few tips on avoiding the so-called bad luck of Ghost Month:

1. Have an offering. You only need to do this once the entire month, Chua says. Prepare six plates of different viands and six glasses of drinks — beer, water, juice, it doesn’t matter. Why six? Because six is the lucky number.

For good measure, prepare two servings of rice to with with all that. Have them ready on the dining table, as though you were preparing for a dinner.

For the spirits to be able to receive them, you’ll need to light an incense or candle.
When the incense and candles have been lit, start burning paper money. Paper money, by the way, comes in packs, and there are three kinds: Silver, gold, and one with illustrations of people on them. Burn away.

Says Chua, complete your offering by choosing papery money that also has designs of clothes and accessories; it’s as if you’re offering clothes and accessories to the spirits.

After the burning, feel free to partake in the food offering.

2. Wear bright colored clothes. Says Chua, happy colors protect us from negative vibrations. So choose yellow or orange, pink, red, purple, green, and blue!

3. Have protection charms ready. During ghost month, people’s emotions are unstable. “Na-ti-trigger yung galit natin or sometimes yung communications natin, nakakahurt tayo ng tao. So wearing or carrying certain charms can help control our emotions and lessen fiery exchanges.”

4. Double down on prayer. “Every day magdasal tayo, but during Ghost Month, doblehen natin magdasal,” Chua reminds. Prayer, as we all know, helps us avoid the negative.

— LA, GMA News