Growing up in an ancient country full of rich cultures, it is only normal to hear many superstitious beliefs. We follow the elders because we believe that they know best as they have gone through many things before us. Some of the superstitious beliefs you are going to read below will be quite strange or unbelievably unreal. I only share what I know from the documents and to believe in them or not is up to you.
Banana Leaf Offerings On The Street
Could be during the day or during the night, but it is never a good thing to see the banana leaf offering. You must never touch or kick it even if it is in your way, avoid it at all costs. Some people step on it, some urinate on it, while others walk over it. Those 3 are what you must never do because ghouls and bad spirits who come for the offers can harm you. Ghouls can take your life or haunt you so bad it kills you or even possess you to make you kill yourself. There are many types of street offerings but you must avoid getting near them.
Broken Objects
Never bring broken items you found outside to your house because it brings bad luck. Those things will ruin your happiness and luck in the family. So no matter how tempted you can get, never bring those things inside the home.
Lighting A Candle In The House
The elders forbid us from lighting a single candle in the house, especially white candles. White candles represent ghosts or the calling for spirits, and they are not for use at home at all. If you have watched horror movies, people always use white candles and one incense in their superstitious praying. So lighting a candle or one incense in the house is like inviting ghouls or bad spirits into the house. And when you do so, even your home guardians cannot protect you. So when there are power cuts at night, never light a single candle or a white candle.
Most importantly, avoid lighting 3 candles in the house. The elders believe that doing so can lead to the death of a family member. The right thing to do to is light two candles or an even number of candles. And don’t forget, never use white candles in the house.
Make An Offering To The Home Alter
Cambodian people believe that when making an offering to the home altar, incense must be placed carefully into the incense container. You must not spill the ash from the container or let anyone pull the incense sticks out of the container. If so, the home guardians will curse you with bad luck or even haunt you. The way that home guardians haunt is different from the ghosts as you will see them so clearly right before you.
For occasions such as Chinese New Year, some Cambodian people like to separate the offerings into smaller plates for other spirits. You must not do that because those smaller offerings are like invitations for bad spirits to enter your home. Once they got into the house, they will not leave so you will experience bad lucks and omens. There could be hauntings such as knockings on doors or windows. If you don’t know how to pray properly, just stick to praying inside the house.
Random Drawings
Do not draw an “X” or a “+” sign anywhere in your house because it brings the worst luck to your family. People believe that those signs are bad luck and they should not be drawn where you live at all.
Final Words
It is true that it is a modern era where technology takes control, and these beliefs don’t apply everywhere. In some parts of the country where superstitions root so deeply, people still believe in so many things. Personally, I don’t believe in superstitions but I don’t insult them either. I simply avoid doing reckless things and stay on the good side of the beliefs. Just because I don’t believe in lighting one candle does not mean I would go and buy a white candle to light in my house. I think it is a fun thing to learn about things that the elders believed. I am not writing this to convince my readers in any way, I just want to share what I know. And I hope you know something different from the beliefs in my country from decades ago until now.
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