A retired shaman talked about the myth of "Psychic"
Author :Chang Kai-Chi 張開基
Since ancient times, shamans have been wearing a mysterious cloak and they are stunned and bloody in their performances. It is shocking and astonishing. The "Magic" they advertise are really "deity" possessed or the most brilliant "scam"? What is wrapped under this mysterious acts? ......
Often, the most appealing thing about these deity welcoming events in various places is shaman--especially in the ranks of the deity patrolling around, or in the far-reaching scent, in the marching with heavy fire cracker’s smoke. There are countless shamans in the middle of the believers. Their lower body is the uniform of the bloomers, the upper body is either shirtless or with apron knitted shining beads, hand-held short weapons of various odd shapes such as shark sword, meteor hammer, mace, short knife, nine-ring sword, copper-gold steel whip, or three-sided thorn, etc. Regardless of these strange weapons, their movements are almost the same: the exaggeration and slightly mechanized paces, half-closed eyes, solemn and cold looking, during marching but constantly use weapons to hurt one’s own hands, most of them are on the back, and occasionally on the belly or along the left and right waist. Although the deitys protect the body but the bloody scene is still indispensable. The common Shamans go on their own cuts and later companions spurting on the back of the shamans’ back with rice wine via mouthful spraying to relieve the wound hurting.
The incredible scene is that some shamans can use a pointed copper needle around one and a half to two feet long to pierce through the cheeks and shaking their heads all the way along marching. Such performances made the onlookers feel numb scalp, timid and even closed their eyes. What is even more shocking is that some even hang heavy incense burner on each of the needle that passes through the cheek. These "spells" are all done in front of everyone and could not classify as "fake" performances. If it is true, only could classify as Deity’s power or there is no other explanation.
In addition, due to the Kaohsiung "Long Fat Hall" incident, "Folklore Therapy" has once again attracted the attention of the community. The most important treatment of "Folklore Therapy" is "Psychiatric". In formal medicine, whether it is "inherited" or "triggered after birth", the actual cause of the disease, even in today's technologically advanced, psychiatrists can not tell why contemporary therapies or drugs could not help but shamans’ are working. When one family unfortunately has such a patient and ran out solutions, they pin the hopes on the ancient "folk therapy" which "Shaman" plays a very important role.
Because of the traditional concept of shaman, secret is not allowed to pass down either wife or daughters and it is difficult for ordinary people to understand them. Naturally, "folk therapy" is also regarded as a Psychic play and they refuse to discuss the mysterious details.
Recently with this rare opportunity, we had a close contact with a "retired" shaman. The discovered secrets of some shamans would be revealed.
(to protect this psychic friend who had officially worked as a "shaman", we would temporarily call him "ACai").
ACai’s father was a well-known old shaman with family tradition. When he was 18 years old (under the guidance of his father), he passed the “examination”that is common to ordinary shaman and officially became a formal medium. Substituting his father's carrier and daily prayed for the Deity to descend from the altar, pray for the public disaster relief. However, the father served as the "speaker" who will interpret the unclear words spoken by the shaman in the possession of the deity. This kind of father-son collaboration was quickly trusted by believers. They also earned a lot of incent money from this altar worship related activities.
After two years of such practices, Acai received the national military formal order to be enlisted as a soldier. Under compulsory military service, he tried his best to hide his identity and even stayed away from the temples and altars along the roads at all times. However, occasionally, there was still a "occasional induction" that made him wildly marching almost at any time when the passing spirits met him. It seems that they would come over for “gossiping”. Sometimes sitting at the end, suddenly the head was groggy, the thigh muscles began to involuntarily beating, the whole body seems passing with electric charging and can't help but jump and stamp. In such case, Acai with distortion face had to grit his teeth and suppress the thighs. It was very painful about this struggling. The he started the battle in thinking and then gradually realized that "the past was wrong way." He got tired of this career and no more felt comfortable.
There was a very subtle psychological factor. Even though he was not very clear what he wanted, but the inner struggle became intense day after days. Finally, he had the courage to explain his intentions to his father and determined to abandon this career forever and to be normal person.
The father’s disappointment and anger were inevitable—try to persuad for decision changing but still failed. Acai desperately left this “duty” and disregard the possible the Deity spells or punishments. To adapt this society, he chose the remodeling industry and started from an apprentice. No matter it is raining and sun-shining, days and nights, to make a living. He confessed frankly: to live normal life as now then he knew what the future would be? At least he lived in peaceful mind and no longer awakened in a stunned nightmare.
We admired his courage for such difficult decision. On the other side, it also made us curious about the following key questions:
When a Shaman is practicing, were they really deity possessed? How is the feeling?
He told us: That is true! I was indeed possessed. But the Shaman lost their sense of autonomy. Even after the event awakening, they did not know what they had just said and had done. It could also be said that his body had become a tool and the deity had "borrowed" the tools to convey the will and communicate with the mortal. However, the real truth is that he still does not recall what things had happened.
It’s really summoning then replying?
He laughed: that is the key and the most difficult part for everybody understanding. In fact, when he got possessed-- it is not always get success every time. When I tried again and again might see no movements. Sometimes the Deity can’t come in person, so they had to send their soldiers instead, or sometimes walk-by evil spirits will also come up with possession. However, in the latter two cases, the shaman themselves must know that they can be distinguished immediately. If the Deity sent troops and the "intelligence" is weak then the "mana" to solve the problem would be relatively weak—the effect will be only 30 to 40% comparing with the real one possessing. Although the action was not very controllable, the mind was very clear about what he was doing but there was always some powerlessness in exerting it.
If it was a demon evil spirit with weak power was easily to get distinguished, instead of encountering a powerful one except his father might be able to tell. There was one incident when he possessed without consistent movements as before—his father questioned and immediately identified the evil spirit and the reason was he just want to enjoy some incent energy. Under the threat of his father with a scare then the evil spirit just fleet away.
Sometimes, when the deity did not come after repetitive requests, what should they do?
With mysterious smile plus whispering: fake it! Before we realized, he went on to say, as the saying goes: Money solves everything. In particular, the famous altars are often long queues and crowded. All the believers are asking for it. If they are right on the entrance, they will not be able to force them out. If we frankly telling the believers there will be no deity today then the reputation of this altar will soon plummet and the shaman will be suspected with low skill, so it was completely necessary to disguise the shaman’s "acting skills" and the tacit understanding between Acai and his father.
“To fake it would work”? He nodded affirmatively and also promised to give it a try seeing he could summon the deity this time.
Since he had not done this for a while plus no altar on hand and did not dare to let his father know, therefore we borrowed another quiet place for Acai to demo for us.
My friend painted a Daoist symbol on Acai’s face. Then Acai covered his eyes with a towel and sat on the chair-- he quickly entered a state and shaking his head getting faster and faster with the upper body twitching. Hands clapping on the knees urgently and quite hard, the face were getting reddened and the feet alternately squatting on the ground with the more immediately full force stamping, the face was distorted by the teeth and twisted into a mighty anger, and repeatedly knocking the table, smashing the chair, making the whole room jumping up and down..
At this moment, it was about 11:30 PM around the midnight. His brutality almost immediately dismantled the house. I was afraid that the neighbors next door and downstairs would raise serious protests. I wanted to remind him but his friend stopped me. I was afraid that we will be unfortunate invited the evil spirits or the ghosts.
As we were hesitating, he finally stopped his movements with arrow steps. His left hand was outer guarding and his right hand was closed at the waist. The expression on his face was still cold and majestic with some convulsions from time to time. His friend whispered to us: "Deity Prince is here!"
This was a good timing-- I just wanted to watch him perform as if he was arbitrarily pretending to get possessed. I didn’t expect about really deity was in. I couldn’t decide if I should pray for it or not.
His friend reminded: " Prince is here, what is the disciple's question?" Before I spoke, the onlookers had already asked about his fortune telling...
However, I did not see the answer from the Prince and I felt stiff for a while. With question again, still not heard answer. Was it fearful that our motives had angered the Deity and they were panic? But after short period, he restored the posture with his friend assistance shoulder clapping, face painting with symble and immediately saw him sat down with the blindfolded towel off and made a long sigh of relief, and then panted. He said, "It’s really tired!"
After that, he asked us: "Did deity come?"
We don't know the truth neither could conclude. It did not look like a fake "performance" .
After squatting for a while, he laughed: "How it looked like?" At this time, his friend also cursed: "Even I was almost cheated by you!" Obviously, it could fool people if you were serious about it in that moment.
When Deity are expected to show on patrol and enters the worship group along the streets—it does needs real gun powder but if deity still did not show, “what will you do?”
“Still need to fake it but those self-torturing weapon are all real otherwise the believers would know it. Just when you are beating yourself, you must not be ruthless. In the dark, you have to use your skill, lift it high but play lightly. This depends entirely on experience and skillful craftsmanship, especially the soft ones like the meteor hammer and the steel chain. To reduce the impact during the moment of hitting just need to move the handle slightly raised. Under continuous movement, it was not easy to see the flaws but the flesh and blood wee inevitable, so someone needs to spray the wine liquor as anesthesia behind it, which can relieve a little pain. The most important thing is the "psychological" problem: in front of crowd, the shamans of all parties gather and then they have to hang over there so don’t lose faces until went home with close-door treatment!
“Can weapon pointed edge causing hurting on the cheeks”?
He definitely nodded: if there was a possession then it was easy with no pain until the deity left. However, the main headache for the shaman was that they cannot completely control the situation and nor could predict the right deity was right one.
Therefore, when it came to the big scene of performing copper needles through cheeks penetration --it is necessary to prepare the work as early as half a month ago: secret was to use cotton and vinegar application on the inner and outer skin of the cheeks, wipe each morning and evening every time about ten to fifteen minutes. In this way, the skin inside and outside the cheeks was almost numb after half a month. When the official performance was on and no matter there was right possession or not –the copper needles penetration will not bother and the blood should not be much. As for the copper needles hanging with both incense burners via firmly "clamped" by the upper and lower jaws will be still achievable.
After event, the wound caused by the copper needle would not be large as long as it is not inflamed. it will close soon. If the skin is in good condition, it would not even leave any scar.
The other question was if Deity does not come to possess, how can it blessed the believers?
He said: This depends on the skill of the “interpreter” as the key player and not everyone could fulfil this job. Most of these “interpreter” are retired shamans. Not only they have to understand fortune telling via face reading but also have to study various kinds of traditional Chinese medicine soups, herbs and remedies. These must be kept in mind and no time for book reference. In addition, due to the rich experience, they are the experts with super skills.
Usually during possession, the interpreter was just to explain the hidden meaning. When he encountered the evils, he will identify with a glance then try his best to help the shaman to overcome the difficulties.
For example, a believer asked about the recent journey: after he reported his name and birthday, interpreter should immediately calculate his zodiac and fortune in his mind then sent a message to the shaman. For example, the original August and September are safe and sound for this believers but interpreter will deliberately threaten that there will be bad luck or bloody disaster in these two months so that believer would feel the fear and pray. Up to this point, the shaman will comfort the believers not to worry, as long as the worship with sincerity, the deity will help him "resolve" all situations. The deity requesting rewards were usually a few pieces of dry tofu, cooked duck eggs, A piece of pork, a chicken, or a flower, a fruit and some fragrant gold paper was necessary. Believers will be requested to revisit at a certain time. And if he could not make it-- the deity would work on his disaster relief via offering on behalf of the companions through cash donation.
Since the interpreter is proficient in yin and yang, it has long been considered that there will be no problem for believers. Therefore, after the "dangerous period", believers are actually "safe and sound", naturally more devout to the gods and donate more. As for the interpreter predicts that the believer did have an accident or not, the first thing is to exaggerate and make the situation looks more serious. At that time, the incident is not as serious as the predictionand the believer will still think that it is a blessing. The other is to ask the believers to do something that is relatively difficult to do. If something happens at that time, then you can blame him for not being pious. All these rely on what interpreter’s wit.
If the other party comes to ask deity to heal the disease- the interpreter will also secretly open a prescription for Chinese medicine or herbal remedies but to skip one or two important contents would be left alone. It is to show the magic power of the "Deity " so if it is not curable or not effective, then could switch to right r medicine. If it happens to get cured, then the incense money will be high rewards.
If someone are asking about careers, fortune, or whether the partnership business is feasible-- interpreter can predict via the numerology with above average percent accuracy. If the other party is looking for money-making opportuinities, the interpreter might choose the right timing on suggesting that the "five ghosts" or "five-way god of wealth" can be used to get rich. The former has a lower fee of about NT$15,000. But the latter is as high as 50,000 yuan or more.
In addition, "sacrificial rituals", "Worshiping", "An Zhai", "An Tai Sui", etc. are performed by spells. Some are psychological and some might work.
As for the problem of "mental patients", it is often regarded as "the demon possession" in the altar. Sometimes it is driven by a spell and sometimes it is also called to the gdeity to lead a battle in the future, so that the demon can be suppressed. This is a very big topic. What is the real curative effect? Unless it is invested in a large amount of financial and human resources, it is difficult to make a conclusion here. So we don't want to comment.
In the end, Mr. Acai also performed a "skill" for us - vomiting out of thin air. It was he who spent half a year to sneakily steal the skill from other altar school. I saw him squeaky in his throat for a while. The kind of retching seems to be simple but the rest of us failed to mimic. ACai said: This is to play the characteristics of certain Deities when they are possessed, especially to practice hard.
At the same time, he also performed for us some of the unique postures of the Deities in order to facilitate the identification of "mortal people", including the Prince, the Emperor Guan Sheng, Qi Tian Da Sheng (money king in West Journey), Li Fu General, etc. He also demoed the head knocking on the table and it was very powerful.
Finally, we especially thank to Mr. A Cai, in addition to admiring his moral courage and thanking him for his presence so that we have some understanding of the possession. However, we still do not want to say arbitrarily: "Shamans are all fake but they are just playing the tricks!" Because there are still too many details we can't understand (even Mr. Acai can't tell why).
Our position is only to hope that the fair report will be exported. Let the readers use it as a reference to understand that the so-called "Shaman" possessed by deity is not necessarily successful every time. Therefore, it is still necessary to rely on your wisdom to make good judgments. Superstition, it will be very easy to make mistakes.
