Tam Tai, a three-year period of bad luck, is a concept that many people are curious about. If you’re interested in learning more about it, read on to discover how to identify and overcome this challenging phase.
1 What is Tam Tai?
In folk belief, Tam Tai is a period of three consecutive years filled with misfortunes and difficulties in various aspects of life, including finances, health, and mental well-being. The term “tam” refers to three years, and “tai” means disaster. Every twelve years, an individual will experience Tam Tai once, and it will last for three years.
What is Tam Tai?
When faced with Tam Tai, it’s hard to escape bad luck and misfortune. Performing a Tam Tai ritual can help reduce and ward off these negative influences to some extent. However, it’s important to understand that the ritual only lessens the impact and doesn’t completely eliminate the challenging period.
2 How to Calculate the Three-Year Tam Tai
For each zodiac sign, Tam Tai occurs once every twelve years, and it lasts for three years. This cycle is considered inevitable. Traditionally, our ancestors calculated Tam Tai based on groups of ages that are in harmony with each other (Tam Hop becomes Tam Tai). This means that these age groups will experience Tam Tai together. Here are the specifics:
- Ages of the Rat, Dragon, and Monkey: Tam Tai will occur in three consecutive years: the Tiger, Rabbit, and Dragon years.
- Ages of the Rabbit, Goat, and Pig: The three consecutive years of Tam Tai will be the Snake, Horse, and Goat years.
- Ages of the Horse, Tiger, and Dog: Their three-year Tam Tai will fall on the Monkey, Rooster, and Dog years.
- Ages of the Ox, Snake, and Tiger: Their Tam Tai will occur in three consecutive years: the Rat, Ox, and Pig years.
It’s worth noting that some believe that their birth year is also a Tam Tai year, but this is not accurate. There are many ages where the birth year does not coincide with Tam Tai, and the specific challenges faced during these years can vary depending on the zodiac sign and individual’s birth chart.
How to Calculate the Three-Year Tam Tai
3 Zodiac Signs Facing Tam Tai in 2024
In the year 2024, three zodiac signs will encounter Tam Tai: the Monkey, Rat, and Dragon.
- Monkey in Tam Tai 2024: Individuals born in the years 1956, 1968, 1980, 1992, 2004, and 2016.
- Rat in Tam Tai 2024: Individuals born in the years 1948, 1960, 1972, 1984, 1996, 2008, and 2020.
- Dragon in Tam Tai 2024: Individuals born in the years 1940, 1952, 1964, 1976, 1988, 2000, and 2012.
Zodiac Signs Facing Tam Tai in 2024
4 Ritual to Overcome Tam Tai in 2024
Offerings for the Tam Tai Ritual
When is the best time to perform the Tam Tai ritual?
During the year of the Yang Green Dragon 2024, the three zodiac signs of Monkey, Rat, and Dragon should prepare offerings and perform the Tam Tai ritual on the 13th day of every lunar month.
The ritual should be performed in the evening (6 PM to 7 PM) at the front yard or a crossroads.
Note: The Tam Tai ritual is different from the Thai Tue ritual. People aged Monkey and Rat must perform the ritual themselves to overcome their challenges. Additionally, those aged Dragon, who are facing both Tam Tai and Thai Tue, should not perform the ritual for themselves.
Direction for the Tam Tai Ritual
According to feng shui experts, the best direction for the Tam Tai ritual in 2024 is southeast. Therefore, the zodiac signs facing Tam Tai this year should prepare their offerings and face the southeast direction while performing the ritual.
Offerings for the Tam Tai Ritual
The offerings for the Tam Tai ritual typically include:
- Three symbolic foods: A piece of – representing Earth, a boiled or dried shrimp – representing Water, and a boiled egg – representing Heaven.
- A prayer card written in red ink on black paper, preferably in Chinese characters. If you write it yourself, use uppercase letters in the national language. Attach this card to a stick and insert it into a cup of rice.
- A small bundle containing some tangled hair, fingernail and toenail clippings, and a small amount of loose change, all wrapped together.
- Three small cups, three incense sticks, three candles, three cigarettes, three betel leaves, and three gold-printed paper offerings.
- A plate of fresh fruit, a vase of flowers, and a small bowl of rice.
- Two sets of male or female paper dolls. According to folk belief, males should have seven sets, while females should have nine sets.
Arranging the Altar
When setting up the altar for the Tam Tai ritual, place the vase of fresh flowers on the right, the plate of fruit on the left, and the incense burner in the middle, followed by the three candles and then the three cups of tea/wine. The prayer card should be placed last, with the writing facing the person performing the ritual, and a cup of rice should be placed underneath the card.
Incantation for the Tam Tai Ritual in 2024
Incantation for the Tam Tai Ritual
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat! (3 times)
Nam Mo Huu Thien Chi Ton Kim Quyet Ngoc Hoang Thuong De!
Today is the 13th day of the … month, in the year of 2024.
My name is …………………………. and I am …………….. years old.
I currently reside at……………………………………………
I sincerely offer these items and pray to “MONG LONG DAI TUONG QUAN THIEN KIEP Tam tai THO ACH THAN QUAN” to bestow blessings of peace and good health upon me and my family. May we be protected from harm and disasters, and may our troubles be eliminated, our karmic obstacles removed, and our fortunes always be auspicious. May we be free from suffering and always be blessed with happiness and good fortune. May the spring bring us joy, the summer peace, the autumn relief from Tam Tai, and the winter a hundred blessings!
May the hungry be fed and the suffering find peace. May all beings in the Dharma realm attain Buddhahood.
Respectfully,
Nam Mo A Di Da Phat! (3 times)
After the incantation, bow three times and then twelve times (as a prayer for peace in all twelve months). Wait for the incense and candles to burn out, remaining silent and not speaking to anyone.
Then, take the small bundle (containing hair, nail clippings, and loose change) to a crossroads and leave it there without looking back. Sprinkle the rice and salt along the road, and only bring back the altar and utensils (plates, cups, etc.) to your home.
Proper Way to Perform the Tam Tai Ritual in 2024
Once you have prepared the offerings and lit the incense and candles, hold the incense and bow three times. Then, kneel down, raise the three incense sticks to your forehead, and begin reciting the incantation. After finishing the incantation and bowing, wait for the incense to burn out, and then burn the gold-printed paper offerings, the paper dolls, and scatter the rice and salt along the road.
As for the paper boat prepared earlier, which contains hair, nail clippings, etc., take it to a crossroads and leave it there. Remember, do not look back.
5 Related Questions
Related Questions
Which year of Tam Tai is the most challenging?
Among the three years of Tam Tai, the first year is typically the lightest, the middle year is the heaviest, and the third year is a time of recovery.
Is Tam Tai real?
Tam Tai is a concept rooted in feng shui and spirituality. There is no concrete evidence to prove its existence, and whether it is real depends on one’s beliefs, family traditions, or personal experiences.
At what age does Tam Tai occur?
According to the cycle, Tam Tai occurs once every twelve years, and each occurrence lasts for three years. Therefore, you can easily calculate the ages at which you will experience Tam Tai. For example, the first encounter with Tam Tai will be when you are 10, 11, or 12 years old, and the second time will be when you are 22, 23, or 24 years old, and so on.
Is Tam Tai something to be feared?
Tam Tai is a challenging period that no one wishes to experience. However, by maintaining a positive attitude and performing the ritual diligently, you can reduce the impact of bad luck and bring a sense of peace and reassurance.
What are the taboos during Tam Tai?
- First year of Tam Tai: Avoid major investments, business ventures, construction, or weddings.
- Middle year of Tam Tai: Refrain from ending ongoing projects or ventures. If something is concluded during this time, it may be difficult to restart, and even if restarted, success may be elusive.
- Final year of Tam Tai: Avoid completing important tasks during this time. Try to delay completion until after the Tam Tai period to avoid challenges.
The information provided above offers insights into Tam Tai, how to calculate the three-year cycle, and how to perform the ritual to overcome Tam Tai in 2024. We hope you found this information helpful.
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