Do Ban Tho (Ancestor Altar) really bring spiritual experiences by placing real money on it?
In traditional Vietnamese ancestral worship, fruits, betel leaves, flowers, incense, and vegetarian offerings are commonly used to offer to ancestors and deities, with the hope of receiving blessings and protection. Offerings symbolize the most valuable items for the family and seek to attract good fortune.
Many people believe that placing real money on the altar will attract more wealth and luck in their businesses. They place the money on the altar, hoping to attract more money and prosperity. However, according to feng shui experts, placing real money on the altar is unnecessary and should be avoided because:
– Money is not considered an offering for worship. When it is not considered an offering, placing it on the altar is merely a decoration and does not carry the spiritual significance of an offering. An altar is a sacred place meant to guide individuals towards liberation and the practice of karmic law. Therefore, it is not appropriate to place real money or gold on the altar, but rather offer vegetarian food or fruits. Real money can be donated to charitable causes as a form of merit.
– Real money goes through a long circulation process and can easily harbor bacteria. Freshly minted money also comes with the risk of chemical residues from the production process. Placing such money on the altar, especially old money that has been in circulation for a long time, can violate feng shui principles as these bills can be contaminated and dirty. Feng shui suggests that the worship area should be clean and free from dirt to maintain a positive energy flow.
– From a social perspective, placing real money on the altar may appear materialistic. Furthermore, if high-denomination bills are displayed, it may attract ill intentions from others, leading to potential conflicts and disturbances in the harmonious energy of the worship area.
– Real money is also flammable, and when placed near incense, it can potentially cause a fire, which can generate negative feng shui effects.
– In feng shui, money is believed to bring good fortune when it is circulated, and stagnant money does not bring prosperity. Therefore, the act of inviting money luck and storing it in a wallet is not truly aligned with feng shui principles.
Considerations when placing real money on the altar
It is ultimately up to personal beliefs and preferences whether or not to place real money on the altar. However, if you choose to do so, here are some considerations:
– Avoid using high-denomination bills
– Use fresh money to minimize bacteria and unpleasant odors that can affect the energy of the worship area.
– Avoid using bills that are no longer in circulation, such as 500 Vietnamese dong bills.
– Avoid using foreign currencies on the altar
This information is for reference and personal contemplation purposes only
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