Thursday, January 10, 2008

Warding off Evil Spirits in Hotel Rooms

I'm sure many people have heard of the presence of evil spirits in some hotel rooms. I used to stay in many hotels during my business trips and have never met one. Oops..... shouldn't say that. *piak piak my big mouth* Pray please DON'T let me see one!

Three years ago, I was introduced to a Taiwanese Fengshui Master in Kaoshiung. When he heard that I often stay alone in a hotel room, he told me to do the following.

Before entering a hotel room, knock first to inform whatever was in the room that you are going in.

Look for a Bible or Religious Book (经书), turn to any page and leave it open, on your bedside table. Most hotel provides a bible. Keep a pair of slippers at the end of my bed. According to him, the bed forms a circle around me when I sleep. As I'm considered a beauty.... ahem ahem....... male spirits tend to bother me more. If an evil spirit descends on me, I would be rendered paralyse. It could then do whatever it wants.

So by leaving a pair of slippers at the end of the bed, it opens up an exit.

Cover all mirrors. Mirrors become very scary at night. Many horror movies that I watched have scary ghosts appearing in mirrors. If I have to get up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom, I try hard not to look in the mirror.

Keep all the lights on. He didn't say this. hehe.....

I don't know if I didn't have any spooky adventures because I did the above rituals, but I do them to keep myself safe. Some friends have encountered spirits in hotel rooms. I know a couple of macho guys who must have a companion whenever they check into a hotel.

hmm....... the above applies mostly to Asian hotels. Do I have to bring garlic when I checked into a hotel in Europe and the US?

Update :
According to the Master, some hotels have spirits lingering in their rooms because there is a lack of human chi (缺少人气). It can happen in our house too if too few people live in them.




67 comments:

  1. The slippers are not to be left that way, according to legend ^-^

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  2. yenjai,
    Wah! legend some more ah!!
    Then how should they be positioned?

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  3. I try hard not to look into the mirror too...can't explain why...

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  4. Why the bible part? I usually sprinkle holy water around it. But I will adopt the "knock door first" method

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  5. Hi jewelle,
    The Bible is said to have the powers to defeat evil spirits. And it is easily available in hotel rooms.

    I don't think anyone brings holy water when they go on a trip. hehe...

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  6. I usually dun look at mirror at nite becoz sum time see ownself then get sked oso. Thanks for the tips tho, i need it 4 im big skeddy cat.

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  7. I've never had any problems with hotel bedrooms, until now! OMG, what have you done to me?!!! No more gHotel!

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  8. firehorse,
    Yes. The sight of myself looking like a ghost after waking up is a pretty scary sight, especially when I'm half asleep. It scared the sh*t out of me once. hahaha.......

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  9. LB,
    hehehe.... come to think of the evil spirits that might be lurking in hotels, you got scared ah!

    I didn't get hurt in the hotel room, I was hurt in the hotel lobby. Remember??

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  10. I wasn't scared BEFORE I read your post. D*mn.

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  11. Taiwanese quite 迷信 wan leh!
    Now you say it make me worry if I go touring ard TW leh!

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  12. My sister and I encounter the 'ghost' once when we were in Shanghai. Being the superstitious one, I placed my amulet on the table (= assuring my sister that those 'things' will not be able to come near us. Wuakkaaa!!

    Regarding the shoes, I heard that they must be placed facing opposite directions. Hahaha...

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  13. tigerfish,
    The Taiwanese and Hong Kongers are superstitious, and they are well prepared for such things.

    Do the rituals when you stay in the hotels lo. Better safe than sorry ah.

    Come to think of it, I don't know if the hotel I stayed in Kaoshiung is haunted. That's why he taught me these rituals. hmmm.....

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  14. pelfy,
    *gasp*
    Luckily there were two of you and you had an amulet.

    I better ask the Sifu regarding the slippers again. I probably wasn't paying attention because I was pretty amused at what he said that day.

    I was frightened when I returned to my hotel room that night and obediently did the rituals, up to this day.

    不知不怪,
    知了就不能不拜!

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  15. so complicated wan ah?

    I always pray for protection and to cast out all the devils or evil spirits inside the room :)

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  16. Eh, thanks for these tips wor, I must follow whenever I check into Asian hotel. Emmm.....I guess bible would do the trick for Europe and US hotels lah. NZ hotel not sure, may be a couple of kiwifruits? Muahahahaha

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  17. What if they're like tourist ghosts from Europe and they travel to Singapore? Do we adopt our anti-ghost measures or theirs?

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  18. wah liao... scary neh... i hv nvr tried the knock knock technique b4, nor the slippers nor anything!

    btw, the 'exit' created by the pair of slippers is meant for the Sleeping Beauty to cabut ah? cabut to where woh? O.o

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  19. chev,
    Have the Bible is good enough ledi!

    If I go to Penang, can I stay with you? hehe....

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  20. Doreen,
    Use Kiwifruits in NZ hotels!? haha.... that I got to try.

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  21. moby,
    The Bible is considered a universal and most effective ghost-buster weapon. Oriental or Western ghosts, it can keep them away! hehe...

    Or.... one might want to carry more multi racial ghost-buster weapons. haha...

    *smack forehead! imagine dragging a load of 'weapons' on overseas trips*

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  22. My angel,
    Yay, before the Master's teaching, I never did any of those when I was staying in hotels. Now, I just obey.

    The slippers indicates an opening (door) for me to break out from the circle(bed).

    Gosh, I cannot explain this in writing! I show you when I go to KL. hehe......

    hmmm.... after the Sleeping Beauty escapes, the ghost would probably chase her round the bedroom, until the cock crows! wahahahahah....

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  23. mamabok,
    hehe.... you were working in hotels before wor. Very lucky.

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  24. eastcoastlife,
    I heard that hor, if you felt something wrong with the room, you just need to scold all the bad words that you know so the evil spirits would scare of you. Ever heard this before?

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  25. Apparently too many complaints and grumbles will create "yin" energy..

    Nice post!

    Thank you for the Birthday wish... =)

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  26. okay, what i heard is that the slippers have to be one facing up and the other facing down. like yin yong lar. then hor, do not sleep with your feet facing the mirror, just like the same old superstition do not sleep with feet facing door. only ppl in coffins are positioned that way.

    as to why, i think you have to ask your sifu :)

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  27. my fren said your shoes must put one close one open wor.

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  28. guai lou hotel also got spirits one...
    when i was little i like staying in hotel, now not so. the only thing i like abt hotel is the hotel breakfast hehe

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  29. My friend taught me to just mumble "sorry ah, I'm here for (how many) days only, won't disturb you" when entering the hotel room. :x

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  30. Actually, I heard that slippers should NOT be left that way. One should be facing down. So one is like up, and the other down. This is thus similar like the chinese "sing pui". The wooden thingys that you use at the end of prayers to ask your "ancestors" if they have finished their meal? If both face up, cannot. If both face down, also cannot. Must be one up and one down.

    Some hotels engage a medium to come and "sweep" every floor in the hotel block, every single month. I was just told yesterday that one very popular Asian chain engages a medium to visit the hotel here for USD 2000 every month.

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  31. eeekkk, that was so scary sis...ey i got you tagged!..please check it HERE!!!

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  32. Yes you better not look at the mirror when you visit the bathroom at night. There might be a beauty ahem ahem looking back at you.

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  33. You know, I think it is all superstition. I have heard so many stories and what not to do. But in the end of day is: what do you believe? Ya?

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  34. Wow! It is like the entire room is full of ghost. Usually I just go in, sleep, wake up, to exhibitions/meetings and too tired to bother when back.

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  35. What if the spirit wants to pay your hotel bill?

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  36. ON all lights? cannot sleep la, maybe leave the toilet light on, that's my common practice when sleeping in hotel, me like to wake up in the middle of the night to pee..

    anyway, didn't do any bad deeds, nothing to be afraid of! Yeah!!

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  37. do u think is a good idea watching horror movie dvd alone at night in a hotel room..?

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  38. Kok!
    Where you heard this? So people who always scold bad words will never be harassed by evil spirits?

    Maybe you can try wearing a red underwear over your head. hehehe...

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  39. sweetpea,
    I called my sifu last night and you are correct.

    Wah! I didn't listen properly and did the wrong thing. kena scolding. blekkk....

    Lucky no spooky encounter. hehe...

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  40. winn,
    Thanks for pointing it out.

    I don't like the hotel breakfasts, I prefer eating where the locals eat. In China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, their breakfast choices are so many!

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  41. day-dreamer,
    We do whatever to keep safe.

    I'm not superstitious but as I'm alone in the hotel room, my mind tend to wander. By doing these, I have peace of mind. hehe....

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  42. normadicmom,
    Thanks for pointing out the error.

    Asian hotels performing Chinese rituals aren't weird, but I know a couple of International chains that perform the Chinese rituals too! And they engage Fengshui Masters to 'read' their fortune yaerly.

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  43. wilfrid,
    Yes.... they are superstitious beliefs but many Asians would rather believe in it than ignore it.

    I for one do it for peace of mind. I have friends who have strange encounters and I don't want to encounter those when I'm alone at night and in a strange land.

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  44. Paddy,
    You are a man, scared what! I'm a woman and it is really scary when I'm alone in a hotel at night.

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  45. dwacon,
    The spirit wants to pay my hotel bills in Hell money? kakaka....

    Thanks for your offer, since this post... I have lots of volunteers. haha....

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  46. Leonard,
    I can sleep with the lights on. hehe...

    不怕一万,只怕万一!

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  47. sengkor,
    *%&# lah! Still watch horror DVD movie when alone in the hotel room at night! mei sei gor!

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  48. in the usa spirits tend to linger in the country. they like the animals. they can see the stars. they can find a quiet spot to think. but just in case, it is always in your best interest to do something admirable before going back to your room. sounds right!

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  49. i also knock knock door. then say a prayer when i am inside.

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  50. from my experience, many people will do whatever thing to avoid "ghost" when they check in to hotel room, BUT too many fail to pay attention to ROOM SECURITY.

    from my ex-colleague in the security dept, hotel theft incidents is more serious than "ghost".

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  51. Haha! why not switched off all the lights so that you see nothing!

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  52. This is a very interesting post. First time I've heard about the slippers and opening the bible.

    I've read that mirrors and TV sets can be portals. Mirrors should never be positioned facing the bed. TV sets should also be covered at night.

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  53. really happy to read this post at this time...living in a hotel for a week in miami, leaving tomorrow. its early wakeup and late coming in. if a spirit drops by they will have to make a lot of noise. wish me luck!

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  54. aiyooo!!! that's why i dun like to know all this kind of things, now make ppl more sked!! lol =P but yea, i've heard of all of this n more. i also notice that the hotel ppl also use this knocking method, i used to wonder why n wanted to ask but never did until i read all this la. another thing abt shoes is they say one must be flipped over - dunno la why. how come got so many things abt shoes ar?

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  55. I have heard of a lot of ghost stories in different hotels. Never experienced anything unusual though and would never want to. A colleague does cover the mirror with a towel.

    I keep the television on the whole night and put on my music player so I'd fall asleep. If I won't do those, I'd be tossing and turning on my bed wondering if there are ghosts lurking in the hotel. I just don't want the room to be so quiet.

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  56. If I rem correctly, one of the slippers is turned the other way round, ie. flip over.
    Not too sure why also.

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  57. ya one side of the slippers must be flipped. and they must not be arranged nicely. i heard ur slippers will be worn by 'it' and u'll hear walking sounds at night if ur slippers are arranged neatly and nicely! eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

    and those asian hotel rooms which has a bible being left open once u check in and has a 'fu' on top of the hotel room entrance are an indicator that smth (murders etc) happened inside b4.

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  58. I do that (some)too whenever I travel. Now that I know so many tips from you, I think I better do all that too :)

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  59. thinking aloud....
    hem... what if there's no bible or religious books in the room? :)

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  60. Skip The Bibble Actually Toss it out the window. Its fake anyways. Use your Chi to meditate and think happy positive thoughts and be at peace before sleeping. Any Bad Ghost will leave you alone. Everything else charms ect. whatever its all just your own energy manifesting in an object. You don't need anything but your self.

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  61. Bible fake?

    You must have passed the athiest test at the Powerhouse Blog...

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