As of late, I know that I have been covering many very very dark subjects, some of which are quite strange and spooky and quite contrary to my usual bright optimistic take on life in general. It seems as if the darkness has taken over my writings, perhaps indicating the creeping darkness that might be … Continue reading Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…
If you have been reading anything I've written so far in regards to possessions (of the spiritual kind, not of the monetary sort), it would seem as if we Asians view possession as something that is, in and of itself, just an interesting and time-tested method to communicate with folks existing in an alternate dimension. … Continue reading Lên Đồng 5: Possession of the Frightful Kind
(continued from The Demon of Thất Diệu Mountain 2) From above, she could see the old wizard carrying her body toward a flat rock, and began an incessant muttering, barely pausing just to take a breath. It sounded like a chant or a spell-binding, but she could understand his words completely. He was telling her … Continue reading The Demon of Thất Diệu Mountain 3
(Continued from The Demon of Thất Diệu Mountain) Kim Điền was taken to the court wizard, a frail old man of wizened stature, but with eyes that pierced through one's soul. She had only met him once before, but she knew who he was---the Royal High Wizard Cao Sơn. He looked at Kim Điền, and … Continue reading The Demon of Thất Diệu Mountain 2
Once upon a time, (in the year 208 BC to be exact), there was a beautiful princess named Kim Điền. One of the youngest children of Emperor Hùng Duệ Vương 18th of Vietnam, she was born to a minor concubine, but stood out amongst her siblings as a stunning beauty with high intellect. Gifted with … Continue reading The Demon of Thất Diệu Mountain
I have resisted talking about COVID 19 for months now because I wanted this space to be the one spot that doesn't have more of the same chaos that is swirling all around us, but today, my area has just been put on SIP (shelter in place) and we will be stuck inside until at … Continue reading Hexagram 7: I Ching Advice for COVID 19
At the end of an old street named Phan Chu Trinh, in the ancient city of Hội An, there is a very old banyan tree. This banyan tree held a secret for many many years, until one day, that secret was revealed. The banyan tree had, at the foot of its trunk, a miếu (a … Continue reading Star Chart Stone Shrine of Hội An
A few days ago, I had the opportunity to own a very special instrument called the tỳ bà (琵琶) so I grabbed it with both hands. It is a stringed instrument that looks like a cross between the guitar and the harp but sounds like a very Asian lute. This instrument originated somewhere in ancient … Continue reading Echoing Strains of Tỳ Bà
When I was very young, my maternal grandfather was already 72. I thought him quite old back then. To be honest, I still think so, even though he passed away many decades ago. He had white hair and a white beard, and his skin sagged because...well, he was old. He taught me a poem that … Continue reading Grandfather and the Waterhens of Spring
Pssst. Come closer. I have something to tell you. It is scary, but it needs to be told so we can shed light on this. You ready? One of the most powerful, most evil black magic known to man is called the Bùa Thiên Linh Cái. Forget using plants and animals, or even dead fetuses. … Continue reading Black Sorcery and the Maiden Bùa Thiên Linh Cái
Thoughts of a Taoist Babe 