Thursday, July 31, 2008

How Magical Pearls are Acquired Part 2

One interesting myth related to cobra-pearls is that these cobras employ the light of the pearl that they carry in their hoods to hunt at night, as a means of brightening their pathway--this would certainly indicate a property of the pearl itself or in accord with the argument above that a symbiotic relationship is being alluded to here between the cobra and the spirit-elemental of the pearl that the snake hosts. In cases where a pearl is said to have glowing properties it is difficult to validate and affirm its authenticity or to determine whether some form of a gimmick is employed to working its magic because owners of such pearls invariably refuse testers closer inspection. In regards to fakes, we know that there are synthetic "stones" selling in Indonesia with an electronic component, the Light-Emitting Diode embedded within them; this is coupled to a tiny battery and a switch that closes the circuit and gives off light whenever the stones are immersed in water or when pressure is applied to them--this novelty item could probably be found in various countries as well--this stone is often appropriated for deception. What confuses the glowing-pearl issue of the above is that in ancient Vedic literature such as the Garuda Purana, the nature of the pearls that are said to be "brilliant" are described in terms that are open to interpretation and debate.

But to return to the subject of shamanic pearl-retrieval, there are times when the ritual fails for one reason or another or it may require extra effort to be channeled into it in which situation more ritual-sessions are repeated for consecutive days and this entails the shaman spending more days/nights in the mosquito-infested region. At times such prolonged struggles also fail and the shaman has to return empty-handed for his efforts. Generally speaking, the more difficult it is for the shaman to retrieve a pearl, the greater is its inherent powers/magickal virtues. It is a rare occurrence, but shamans do occasionally pay for their lives during psychic-struggles.

Shamans are often called to attention of unusual phenomena occurring in villages such as strange hauntings, poltergeists, possessions, etc.--subsequent psychic detection by these shamans may reveal that the haunting entities are guardians of magickal pearls who often desire for these to be given to certain individuals--rituals are then conducted to facilitate the transfer of these treasures. In other cases, haunting spirits are not predisposed of giving away pearls in their possessions but haunt as a result of the desecration or disturbances of their territory by humans. When shamans detect that these nature-spirits are protectors of pearls and wishes to acquire them, a psychic "battle" would ensue with the shaman engaging in an inner-struggle for victory over the spirit beings.

Haunting spirits such as the above are often the "siluman" class-types--the sort of jinns (genies) that manifest themselves as etheric creatures and sometimes even as physical animals that can be killed as ordinary beings. Beasts such as tigers, crocodiles and wild-boars menacing villages and killing humans are often regarded as siluman--they carry certain traits or have features that indicate that they are no ordinary animals--there is always something strange about them. To protect the community, the elders of a troubled village would typically decide to set a trap for the beast somewhere in their compound or to hunt them down. During the actual confrontation, these creatures often display extraordinary qualities of invulnerability, strength, fearlessness, and stamina; ordinary blades and weapons have almost no effect upon them--when they are finally vanquished with the assistance of shamans who casts an appropriate spell, they are found to contain pearls or stones in their bodies and these are discovered to possess the same properties displayed by their dead hosts. Normally the tribal chieftain or an elder would claim these pearls as their own. Not only pearls but every part of these unusual beasts such as their claws, fangs, teeth, horns, skin, etc., are likewise regarded as having magickal properties.

The power of invulnerability against the blade is often displayed by domestic life-stock as well, most of the time fowls--roosters, in particular; and even after the prayers conducted by the butcher which results in a successful slaughter, the decapitated chicken would still have the strength and the nerve-energy within it to run amuck albeit headless for several minutes. These roosters when later dressed and cut-open often reveal bezoar stones in their organs--Albertus Magnus and other naturalists of past centuries refer to these stones as Alectoria. At times, silumans are benevolent and they would mysteriously appear in a village as an animal, most of the time as large snakes; they find themselves an agreeable person to reach out to and who eventually adopts them as pets. After being with their new keeper and family for several months or years, these benign creatures would suddenly vanish as mysteriously as they came but not before leaving behind a pearl or two. Sometimes the keeper would notice a bulge on their pet's serpentine-head developing; this would grow and develop into a snake-crown and is the object given to their keeper during the creature's departure.

One interesting manner in which Nature offer pearls to individuals is through dreams. Villagers living adjacent to forests and jungles often have lucid-dreams in which a mysterious personage would visit them--most of the time such encounters is of an elderly person that would make contact and explain to the dreamer that a gift is being offered and that it may be found at a certain place; the nature of the gift is not always described, though, neither is the site where it is located in which case the dreamer would simply wake up before sunrise and resume his or her normal daily-routine until later in the day the gift is found unexpectedly. If the site is indicated in the dream, the dreamer in his waking-state would investigate and conduct a search which almost always yields the expected results. Sometimes dreams such as these precedes the mysterious arrival of a creature wishing to be adopted as a pet as described above.

Pawangs that sojourn in the wilds are close to Nature and are observant of the creatures that live in their natural habitat. The behavioral patterns of these animals, their place in the food-chain, their defence mechanisms, etc. are all duly noted by the studious pawangs--the latter are the non-academic "natural" naturalists who also observe the occult side of the flora and fauna in a given region. As these pawangs specialize in animal and plant pearl-acquisition it is understandable that they would mentally record the characteristics of animals and plant-life harboring pearls. From the reports that we have gathered creatures with pearls in them often have the following characteristics and traits: an advanced age, invulnerability, unusual gait/movements, immunity to venomous bites, human behaviour, etc. Serpents that often have stones within them, for instance, are observed to swim and undulate their bodies not horizontally but vertically--we can theorize that such a movement is caused by the excess weight dragging their bodies downwards and the effort of the creatures to keeping themselves afloat. In regards to tree-pearls, it is noted that trees with crystallized sap or petrified pieces are often the type that have holes in their trunk where rot has set in and where these pearls are found.

As mentioned before animals are not hunted for pearls; nonetheless, these stones on occasion do show-up in the carcasses of wild-animals slaughtered by villagers for food; pearls are thus acquired incidentally in such situations. Shamans do not employ the methods of hunting or killing animals as not only is this a fruitless effort and a waste of time but it also severs their attunement with Nature and the values and goals that they hold dearly. There is one rumour circulating that animals are triggered to developing stones by the Dayaks of Kalimantan (Borneo). The author of the online article "Bizarre Tales About Bezoar Stones" (webguru.com) states that,

"The Dayaks of Borneo have a method for producing bezoars which they call guligas. This is to shoot an animal with an unpoisoned arrow. When the wound heals, there is often a hardening of the skin, which finally results in the formation of a guliga. In some of these concretions the point of the arrow still remains. The guligas of natural formation are frequently found between the flesh and the skin of apes and porcupines."

However, the author does not mention how injured animals are supposed to have survived such shots--do the Dayaks help them to recover? Arrow-shot wounds are often fatal--especially to small animals--there would not be any opportunity for injured creatures to recover and have their wounds healed--this rumour, based on the accounts of travellers of past centuries has yet to be verified; nevertheless, contemporary unwritten information regarding the retrieval of bezoar stones, mustika, or guligas do not mention Dayaks forming pearls in such a manner. After all, there are no stories of humans forming pearls after being shot by arrows and recovering thereafter--it might be redundant to say that shamans of our acquaintances and associates do not kill or acquire pearls in such a manner.

Some mustika-pearls have the power to assist their keeper to acquire other pearls that are equally exquisite and rare--this may result in varied ways. The keeper may easily find suppliers or sources for these pearls or they would approach him without much effort on his part of seeking them out. The magickal-pearl owned would also enrich the keeper building up his finances so that other pearls may be secured if desired. Another method which is not too common is for the pearl(s) to be appropriated in magickal rites especially designed for the manifestation of mustika-pearls--most of the pawangs that conduct pearl-retrieval operations have their own special pearl to facilitate such work. By possessing a good quality magickal pearl, especially a serpentine/dragon pearl it is said that the keeper would eventually find the acquisition of other pearls and gem stones much easier. The Garuda Purana states thusly,

"Only meritorious persons will have access to the cobra-pearl. Then they can get other gems of great brilliance, wealth, kingdom and grow brilliant."

Certain spirit-communications convey the idea that mustika-pearls when placed in certain geometric-formations send out signals in the etheric realms which attract the attention of the guardian-spirits of pearls making it possible for further gifting to take place--we will not elaborate on this principle or methodology here, suffice to say that it is a tried and tested method.

We have already described how ordinary individuals are gifted mustika-pearls through lucid-dreams. Another possible manner whereby these pearls are entrusted to fortunate individuals is within the frame-work of paranormal incidents that would leave the individuals concerned dazed and amazed. Such phenomena would normally transpire amidst natural surroundings, such as in forests, sacred grounds, power-spots, etc. The external character of these incidents may vary and have outward differences but they are essentially similar in specifics in which the recipient of the pearl is approached by a mysterious person who offers a gift or points to where it may be found. While still reflecting about the matter and perhaps gazing elsewhere for a second or two, the recipient would turn once again to the stranger who is found to be no longer there nor anywhere else. The recipient would find in place of where the person was standing or in the vicinity mustika-pearls or some other object as indicated by the bestower.

It is well-known that in the ocean lives a creature called the oyster that produces pearls of various shades of color and sizes. It is not recognized, however, that the sea offer more jewels than just oyster-pearls. There are other pearls formed by the interacting forces of the elements or sea-creatures and they can be just as exquisite and unusual as the pearls produced by the mollusk. For a lack of a better word, we refer to them collectively as "sea-pearls"--they are any natural jewel found in the sea and can be of any size, shape and color. Sea-pearls are mostly in a spherical-form and may have any sort of texture. Their mineral composition are not quite known to us as there are many types to consider, though the common ones are composed of silica or of a glass-material. How such sea-pearls are developed in the sea is a mystery, though the fulgurite (Lat. Fulgur--"thunderbolt") formed out of an environmental event may probably offer us a clue as to their origin. The fulgurite, also called "petrified lightning" is a fused-quartz (Si02, melting-point 2950°F) formed as a result of a lightning-strike upon sand or rock. As a thunder-bolt hits the ground, it melts and fuses the material that it comes into contact with and normally form a root-like structure buried beneath the surface; this glass-like object is formed as the lightning traces its path in the ground and it can have a length of several feet and several centimeters in diameter. They are normally hollow and have rough outer surfaces; their inner surfaces, though, are glassy and smooth; fine globules may be found within fulgurites and the color of these objects vary in color with a greenish, grayish, whitish, blackish, or brownish tinge--they might come in other colors too depending on the composition of the material where they are formed. Sea-pearls may be fragments of these fulgurites re-shaped and re-formed by the forces of the sea.

Sea-pearls, generically, belong to the class of Lechatelierite, or naturally-fused silica; one other possibility as to their origin is that they are the matter ejected out of underwater volcanic craters; they may be crater glass (Impactite)--created out of meteorite impact events in which case they are related to tektites; these pearls are not shards or fragments of colored-bottles fallen into the sea as believed by some theorists as the form in which they appear make it quite improbable. Underwater volcanic craters are found in the seas of the Indonesian archipelago and it is not illogical to assume that the pearls may have their origin within the fiery-furnace existing deep within their bowels. These colored sea-pearls are occasionally found lying on the ocean-bed by divers and by those whose living depend very much on the sea; shamans acquire them through their unique methods along the lines that we have explained previously. After spending hundreds and thousands of years in the sea in a natural environment, sea-pearls absorb a good deal of occult energies and elemental-beings are attracted to them.

Pawangs have an uncanny knowledge related to mustika-pearls of plant-life such as those found in coconuts and in bamboos; not only do they detect the stones metaphysically, they are also familiar with the physical characteristics that indicate whether or not a coconut or a segment of a bamboo-trunk has a pearl--generally speaking, the knowledge that they possess afford them to detect the presence of pearls in almost every-type of flora. Most coconuts that have pearls within them are the "one-eyed" and "blind" coconuts--knowledgeable pawangs prior to removing the husk of a coconut can state with certainty whether it is one-eyed or the regular three-eyed types. With such specialized knowledge it is a simple matter for pawangs to extract and collect coconut or bamboo pearls without the unnecessary work of opening thousands of coconuts just for their acquisition. Coconut plantation-workers and those involved with the processing of coconuts would have lots of the pearls in their possession as a result of handling them by the hundreds and thousands on a daily basis. Probably none would admit of having them though, to avoid confiscation by their superiors or employers.

We would like to conclude this article by saying that the methods of pearl-acquisition explained herein only represent the "tip of an ice-berg"--that there are probably more ways that mustika-pearls are acquired that we have inadvertently overlooked or that we may be ignorant of. Nature cannot be constrained in any way--if she decides to offer a gift to someone she will find a way to do it--no one can prevent the giving from taking place nor should anyone try to do so as this could have catastrophic consequences. Forcing Nature to part with something which is not meant to be also has its negative effects. It is fortunate to possess a magickal mustika-pearl as one then has an object that connects oneself to Nature and her hidden spiritual forces--this has inestimable value that cannot be described with words.

Magical Oils of Indonesian Shamanisme Part 1

Introduction

Almost every shamanic and pagan culture has its own collection of oils used for occult and magical purposes. In this article we will describe a few of these "minyak" (as oils are called in the Indonesian/Malayan tongue) to be found in the Indonesian archipelago. This is an on-going project and we may update this article whenever we possess additional information regarding the subject.

There are many oils used for occult purposes; we may divide them into two categories: the ordinary ones, and the extraordinary ones. For instance, Zafarron, Misik, and Gaharu oils as used for anointing and writing sigils, seals, kameas, wefeqs, etc., are the "ordinary" ones. Below we will describe the more extraordinary and unusual types of magical oils. We are not able to personally vouch for the truth of the virtues of any of these oils, or in some cases disinclined to. Their descriptions and use are given merely for the sake of information purposes. It should also be noted that most of these oils are rare and difficult to acquire.

Contents :

Minyak Hadangan Minyak Bintang Minyak Kawiyang Minyak Istanbul Minyak Sinyong-Nyong Minyak Air-Mata Duyung Minyak Bulus Minyak Apel Jin Minyak Lintah Minyak Kesambi and Minyak Banyu Urip Minyak Cimande Minyak Ponibasawa

Minyak Hadangan

For centuries this potent minyak is considered as the king of love oils. Not only is it used for romantic affairs by men and women, it is also often utilized as an occult media for improving one's business, warding-off black magic and protection against negative energies.

This oil is said to be derived from a rare buffalo-species only to be found in the depths of the southern and eastern Kalimantan (Borneo) forest, especially in the locale of Muara Payang, Muara Kumam, in the regency area of Grogot. In the tribal language of the natives, the Pasir people, Hadangan means "buffalo."

These Hadangan buffaloes are wild and aggressive, and exists not in great amounts in the jungles and forests. The oil is acquired when the animal is already dead and in a state of decomposition. For occult reasons it is forbidden to kill this mammal for their fluid extracts. While the dead body of this animal is decaying, it oozes a certain liquid which is the Hadangan oil. Because of the scarcity of this buffalo, the oil extract is a rare curio. Only certain brave villagers of the Pasir tribe who are daring enough to make the trip to the forest and willing to spend days there are able to acquire this oil.

The Pasir tribes are well-known for their black magic. Visitors abusing privileges and acting arrogantly often find themselves subsequently suffering from maladies, and in extreme cases even death. The Pasir people normally apply the Hadangan oil to capture, tame and domesticate the wild buffaloes. Their method of calling forth these animals is to add a few drops of the oil to their tracks, and not long after, as though by magic, the bellowing creatures would appear. The buffaloes are then tamed and enchanted by dabbing extra oil onto their hides. Under the influence of the magical fluid, the buffaloes follow the hunters willingly. During the trip back to the village, the eyes and ears of the buffaloes are purposefully covered by mud and cloths by the enchanter so that the creatures do not feel threatened by the presence of other human beings. Seeing humans and hearing their voices prematurely would infuriate them and they would start attacking all bystanders. The buffaloes only feel safe with their captors.

During the early days of the discovery of the oil, when used solely to fascinate buffaloes, teenagers began wondering of the possibility of its application in other matters considered important--such as in amorous affairs! They reasoned that if buffaloes were to follow its enchanter with the help of the oil, the opposite sex would surely have a similar reaction when applied on them. After a period of experimentation they discovered that their assumption was indeed true.

Above we stated that this oil was taken from the corpse of the Hadangan buffalo and that they are not permitted to be slaughtered for occult reasons. This could be an excuse, however, made by the Pasir people for their own veiled motives. Certain other sources inform us that these animals are killed for this very purpose and that it is possible to extract the oil by boiling the body parts and organs of the buffalo for several hours in an earthen pot until the oil is released. It is said this should be done in the forest with no one around and aware of the operation. Before boiling, a mantra has to be recited in the tribal language of the Pasir people:

"Lakung bikat lalu laut pisang sulu

Sisi rampung uyat bikat

Ina tinggang puluk ulu"

The method of use of the Hadangan oil in love spells is to dab a little of it to any part of the body of the unsuspecting subject that one wishes to attract using only the right ring-finger. Before dabbing, the above mantra has to be silently chanted and then the oil on the finger is to be blown upon with the breath that has been magically influenced by the mantra. After being smeared with this oil the subject would have the user constantly in her thoughts and would strive as much as possible to be near the magical operator even if prior to its use the subject was aloof and inattentive. Most love oils are applied in a similar manner.

Minyak Bintang

This oil is one of the most mysterious. It originates with the Dayak Benuaq and Tujung tribes of Kalimantan. In their dialect they call it Olaau Bintaakng, "Minyak Bintang," or "Star-oil." This fluid can properly be said to be the "elixir of life" as it possesses rejuvenating properties that not only quickens sickly or sluggish bodies, but also has the power, as it is claimed, to revive the dead. Star-oil works in conjunction with certain inner-strength training and powers, which in Indonesian occult circles are called Ilmu Kedigdayaan or Tenaga Dalam. In China these are referred to as Chi Kung. Individuals who have mastered the use of the Star-oil and unfolded their inner strength are believed to be able to quicken their bodies with a new vital life force and awaken themselves from the death-state.

In bygone days, while war was still common among the tribes in Kalimantan and even in other parts of Indonesia, there was this competitive search among the warrior caste for occult objects and psycho-physical training that would confer upon their possessors and practitioners invulnerability against weapons and supernormal strength, so as to provide an extra advantage over enemies. The ancient tribes believed that war should be won at any cost and if it could be done cheaply and swiftly with magick, it would be adopted. This line of reasoning seems to have their supporters in contemporary governments doing research into PSI-War technology.

To return from our digression, however, certain tribes of the Dayaks eventually came up with a most powerful creation that gave them a virtue beyond their wildest dream: Olaau Bintaakng. This was the pinnacle of their ilmu, or occult knowledge and only a few people were able to master it. Those who had this oil and its power were usually uninterested in acquiring other forms of Ilmu Kedigdayaan. The oil would also have certain psychological effects on their minds and alchemically transmuting personal characteristics such as cowardice into bravery. The fear of death is here mitigated by the power of the oil.

The Star-oil is manufactured by the shamans of the tribe and because of the difficulty in its production it is sold at a steep price; it is for this reason that most clients and consumers of this oil are rich members of the community. Its origin and formula is not known as the Dayak shamans are secretive in this matter. Very little outsiders know about the existence of this oil and most that do know consider it as "old wives' tales."

This oil can be said to offer some sort of physical immortality--but on a temporary basis if the weakness and limitation of this ilmu or power is known by one's enemies. The method of defeating someone who is a Star-Oil Master is to vanquish him and them immediately separate his body parts and bury them in different locations. Only in this manner will he be permanently immobilized; otherwise, he would just revive in the middle of the night when the stars are out and resume his physical life. No matter how badly injured, bruised, wounded, and killed in an accident or war, when the stars start shining the corpse would hear the "trumpet-call" and respond with vigor--this is the Dayak's version of the resurrection. This process is dissimilar to zombies, the supposedly living-dead. The corpse of the Star-oil master would actually be reanimated and regenerated with vital-force giving it new life. It does not matter if the blood has been congealed and the body in a rigor mortis condition. When nightfall comes, the body would gradually awaken. The effects of the Star-Oil has some resemblance to the Javanese occult powers such as "Ilmu Rawa Rontek," and "Aji Pancasona."

We believe that scientific research on this oil would be greatly beneficial to humanity although the latter as a whole may not be prepared for it yet. Additionally, acquiring a sample of this oil from the Dayaks for analysis would be quite a problem as they are very wary of strangers visiting their communities or giving their magickal items or secrets away.

The Star-oil itself has a greenish or yellowish hue and is very simply applied. All that one has to do is to consume a few drops on a Thursday night, together with the application of other essential instructions from the shaman and this would be enough to provide one with the life-long power. This occult virtue cannot be magically transferred to others unless they likewise consume the elixir. Dying persons when given this oil-potion would be "guaranteed" to recover even if they were to subsequently show signs of death. The Star-oil would have its effect when the stars are out.

Minyak Kawiyang

Another rare Dayak specialty is Minyak Kawiyang, or "Kawiyang Oil." Some also call it Minyak Sumbulik. According to sources this oil originates in the Kinibalu mountains. There is a romantic legend related to this minyak.

In the olden days there lived at the foot of the Kinibalu mountains a beautiful widow who for some unknown reason year after year grew more and more beautiful. It was not surprising that she had many suitors who sought her hand in marriage. For some reason, though, the matrimonial-state did not last long for her and every marriage ended in divorce.

While on her death-bed, all of her ex-99 husbands came to visit, weeping and regretting their past immature behavior towards her. Minutes after her transition, and in the midst of the gathering, a voice from nowhere was suddenly heard. It said to the men that their wife having loved her husbands dearly left for them a chalice filled with oil. They were instructed by this voice to share the oil among them and to always cherish it as a souvenir and reminder of the woman's love, and that they were not to forget her. This oil later became known as Kawiyang.

Putting legends aside, Kawiyang-oil comes in five different types and colors: black, red, green, yellow and white. Each of these is said to have its own special virtues. The black Kawiyang confers invisibility, charisma, authority, and invulnerability to hand weapons; while the red Kawiyang gives an anti-gravity field to the body making it possible to undergo journeys in the quickest time possible. Wide rivers and mountain crevasses are easily crossed with single leaps. The red Kawiyang also gives the ability to command the Jin spirits to assist in physical combat. Green Kawiyang oil has its use in the santet and teluh forms of black magic. This oil may also be used for gaining or maintaining a youthful appearance. It is believed that this is acquired through vampiric activities. Just a dab of the oil on the neck and the head is supposed to sever itself from the body and fly-off somewhere to look for victims in order to suck their blood. Some of the green oils have bluish tints and this is supposed to be another excellent source for the working of black magic. It has the power to de-materialize objects and materializing it again as malicious implants in the bodies of victims. The unfortunate person subjected to such implants pass away not long after.

Yellow Kawiyang oil is used for love, attraction, and fascination. No spells and mantras are needed for this. All that is required is to acquire a drop or two with the fingertips and to apply them in the palms. The two palms are then rubbed together. After this all that one has to do is to touch with one's hands and fingers the subject that we wish to fascinate--perhaps as in a handshake.

Riches and wealth may be acquired with the utilization of the white Kawiyang oil. This is one of the magical oils mostly pursued--for it has the power to instantly manifest money from the invisible worlds. Those possessing this oil are given financial security. Nothing much has to be done--money materializes supernaturally on one's lap almost without supervision or direction to the familiar spirit associated with the oil. Shipwrecks, destroyed houses and buildings, and buried money are some of the sources of this wealth.

White Kawiyang oil may also be used to magically transport money spent in shopping back to us. In other words, money spent are occultly deported back to the spender.

Each of the oils has its familiar belonging to the genie or jinn type of spirits. The etheric guardian of the white Kawiyang oil has the form of the woman who had 99 husbands. The familiars of the other minyaks are said to be sisters of the above Jinn. They are called Camariah, Dandaniah, Tambuniah and Uraniah.

According to certain native psychics who are well versed with Dayak lore and occultism, in order to function, every year these oils have to be given sesajen, or food-offerings, which are not always fit for human consumption. The black oil should be given the blood of a black chicken together with black glutinous rice. The red and green oil requires blood from one's ring-finger and the water of red sugar-cane, while the yellow and white oils need to be nourished with gold dust.

Although they look fluid, these oils have the consistency of agar or jelly and for reasons not quite known they pulsate visibly as though alive. Although we have not personally seen this ourselves, reliable friends have assured us that this is indeed true as they have seen these oils with their own eyes. When poured out of its vessel it shows its elastic nature like rubber glue.

The oils are kept in little ceramic vessels designed for oils called cupu (pronounced choopoo), but not just any cupu, because inappropriate vessels would crack. They should be in their proper colors too. There should not be any mirrors in the room where they are kept, and enough ventilation is required for their proper preservation.

The cupu containing the Kawiyang oil should be placed upon pieces of cloths assembled in layers, one on top of another. The bottom cloth is white, symbolizing "death." The middle-layered cloth is yellow representing "protection." The uppermost cloth, black in color, signify sanctity.

Atop of the cloths should be placed a plate made out of no other material but white porcelain. A mixture of ordinary rice and the glutinous sort should fill about half the plate. This rice mixture is where the cupu with the Kawiyang oil is placed and maintained.

Should the oils be kept indiscriminately without following the above instruction they would soon lose their power. If this occurs, a certain purification ritual must be conducted every Friday and Sunday nights, including full moons to revive the weakening oil. The method is to set up the oil with the lay-out above and then have 3 pieces of red incenses burning together with a lit candle. The incense should be half-consumed before proceeding to the next step. When ready, raise the oil with the plate, together with the cloths above the incense to be purified by the smoke. Have them encircle clockwise around the incense three to seven times. Put the objects down, and then raise just the plate and the oil and repeat the process. This purification should be done for the third time with only the cupu. Encircle the oil vessel 3 to 7 times clockwise around the smoke. While sanctifying the objects with smoke recite the following mantra:

"Jinak ulah raja benila putih nur putih sinar urang gaib"

Once the purification process has been completed the candle may be extinguished but allow the incense be totally consumed.

There is this belief that Kawiyang oil should be taken out of one's dwelling place when a member of one's household passes away. Only after the deceased has been buried is it permissible to return the cupu with the oil to its original place within the home.

It is also said that the possessor of the Kawiyang oil should not quarrel with one's wife or commit adultery for this would cause ill fortune. If violated one should rectify the situation by pouring the blood of a black chicken onto the oil vessel and the plate of rice. This cleansing should be repeated with red sugar cane juice.

This oil should not be passed on to others indiscriminately. It should only be given to others after having possessed it for at least three years, and not during the night for it is considered dangerous to do so. Those requesting this oil should prepare a cupu and a golden scissors beforehand--the cupu to receive the oil and the scissors to cut the rubbery strands. The one receiving the oil should make a promise to obey the injunctions and to properly care for it. The Kawiyang oil should not be defiled by filthy water, otherwise, it would lose its power.

Learn Combodian - Khmer Language

As in other South-east Asian countries, it's not really necessary to speak the local language to get by in Cambodia. You will, however, undoubtedly have an easier and more enjoyable experience if you spend some time learning the Cambodian language - Khmer. Most Cambodians don't expect a foreigner to be able to speak any of their language and will surely appreciate if you make a little effort and can string a few sentences together in Khmer.

This web site is created mainly as a personal learning aid, but hopefully it can also be of some use for others trying to learn the Khmer language...

Khmer is a member of the Mon-Khmer group of Austroasiatic languages and is the official language of Cambodia. It is spoken by approximately 8 million people within the country, but speakers also live in the bordering countries Viêt Nam and Thailand. Smaller communities are found in the USA, Australia, France and Laos.

Although separate and distinct from its Thai, Lao, and Burmese neighbours, Khmer shares with them the common roots of Sanskrit and Pali. As a result of centuries of linguistic and cultural interaction and their shared faith in Theravada Buddhism, the Cambodian language shares many features and much vocabulary with Thai. Khmer is also related to Vietnamese. During French colonial hegemony, many French loanwords also entered the language. Furthermore, the rapid growth of international trade and tourism over the last few years has lead to an increasing number of English words being used.

Unlike the languages of its bordering countries, Khmer is not a tonal language, which means that there are no special intonations of words in order to alter their meanings. However, the lack of tones is compensated by numerous letters and the complexity of the Khmer pronounciation.

Khmer shares many common grammatical features with it's South-east Asian neighbours. As in English, the word order follows a familiar SVO (subject + verb + object) pattern. Some notable features of the Khmer language are the lack of verb conjugations, gender inflections, different endings for single and plural and no different endings for masculine and feminine. With neither complicated verb tenses nor singular and plural forms to memorise, Khmer grammar can be absorbed relatively painlessly.

The Khmer alphabet is descended from the Brahmi script of ancient India (which was originally developed to write Sanksrit) by way of the Pallava script, which was used in southern India and South-east Asia during the 5th and 6th Centuries AD. The oldest dated inscription in Khmer dates from 611 AD. The Khmer alphabet closely resembles the Thai and Lao alphabets, which were developed from it.

Buying A Diamond Ring As Anniversary Gift



Anniversaries are festive occasions especially for couples who have been together for such a long time. With the divorce rates skyrocketing in the country, it is a blessing to be able to hold on to a marriage for more than 10 years.

What more fitting gift for such a special event as a brilliantly cut diamond ring. This is the perfect symbol of a love and commitment that lasts a lifetime.

But with hundreds of designs to choose from, how do you buy the perfect anniversary diamond ring for your special someone? Here are some tips that hopefully will help you cut the chase.

1. Determine how much you can spend

Let’s face it. A diamond ring for an anniversary gift is not exactly cheap. Compared to the usual romantic anniversary gifts like flowers, chocolates and even a candle-lit dinner, a diamond ring is way above most people’s league. Even if you combine the budget for all three, you will still not come close to the price of a diamond anniversary ring.

While in search of a diamond anniversary ring, it is important that you have your budget with you to help your narrow down the choices.

If you don’t have the budget, better save up for the next anniversary year. This is better than buying something that you cannot afford. You will only end up knee-deep in debt or giving your loved one a cheap-looking ring.

2. Determine the design that you want

Although there are literally millions of designs out there, there are groups of designs that will appeal to your spouse. For instance, antique and Victorian rings will appeal to people who are into the romantic periods or those who love old things. There are also more modern designs that make use of a variety of new cuts not only in the diamond but also in the gold.

3. Determine the metal

Remember that you are not only buying the diamond. You will also be buying the setting. Decide what you want to buy, whether it is yellow gold, white gold, silver or platinum. In choosing one, refer to the kind of metal that your spouse usually wears. If majority of his or her jewelry is in white gold, it is good to buy a white gold diamond anniversary ring to better fit the rest of his collection.

4. Determine the size

Unless you want to ruin the surprise and have your spouse select his or her gift with you, you’d better research on the ring size. It would be really unfortunate to buy a ring that would not fit.

Tips On Wedding Speech



At the end of the wedding ceremony, the wedding speech gains importance. Not all present in the wedding can give a speech. The father of the bride should start the wedding speech. This speech will be generally emotional as the father expresses his love on his daughter and also showers his blessings on the newly wedded couple. Next is the groom speech where the groom will talk how he felt on his wedding and will also thank the guests for making the wedding ceremony more joyful. The last and the most expected one is the best man speech in which he will talk about the bride and the groom. Sometimes the bride may also be given a chance to share her feelings about her wedding.

The first thing you need to do is make sure that you know the wedding guests that are there. If you know less than half the people there, then you need to go ahead and start by introducing yourself to the guests. Next, you will have to talk a little bit about how you know the groom and the family of the groom.

Next, you should not be winging your speech. The speech should be written and practiced ahead of time so that you will not be as nervous as if you just get up there and give a speech. There should be some research done so that you know about the couple. Find out how the met, what they have in common, and how the feel for each other. You can even find out some small story about both of them to use in your speech if you want.

There should be some humor to your speech. This could be a story about the couple or a joke that fits in with the couple. Just make sure it is actually funny and not just an eye roller that is going to get you no response from the guests. Also, make sure it is not something that is going to humiliate anybody that will be there because that would be a disaster.

Make sure you do not get drunk before giving the speech because this could be a very bad thing. We all tend to say things that we do not mean to say when we are drunk. Wait until after the speech to get drunk if you plan to and make sure you are in control of yourself while giving your speech.

The last thing you need to do is end in a happy and hopeful way that wishes the couple a happy and healthy marriage. You need to have a champagne glass in your hand while giving the speech and make sure to toast the couple at the end. The bride and the groom should both close your speech with a cheers.

Wedding speeches can be very stressful and if you do not like getting up in front of groups, then you will probably be nervous. You can write your speech ahead of time and make sure to rehearse it over and over to help your nerves. Regardless if you follow these tips you will be able to give a great wedding speech.

Online Auto Loans : Cash for Vehicle without Any Hassle

If you dream of owning a car and do not have enough money, do not be sad. You may think that getting a loan is a hard task, but not anymore. Online auto loans are there to fulfill your dream.

As the name suggests online auto loans are available online. The lenders have their websites and various loan options can be found there. The online auto loan calculators are there to help you in calculating the interest rates, tenure of repayment, processing fees and other things related to loan. 99% of the applicant gets the loan.

These loans are different from each other in terms of interest rates, repayment time and criteria抯 of getting the loan. It is necessary to do an extensive research online before deciding .One should compare and then decide. No paperwork is required for that. The first step for getting the online auto loan is to fill up a simple online form mentioning the borrower抯 income, need and repayment plan. Then the lender contacts with he borrower within few hours.

The online auto loan is also available to bad credit scorer. It will be a good chance to boost up your rating. Secured loan have lo interest rate and unsecured loan have high interest rate. If you can give down payment then also the interest rate is lowered.

Professional experts can help you with repayment schemes according to your need. The online auto loan repaying tenure is 60 months. The rate of interest is 8%APR to 12%APR.

The best feature is that you can avail the loan while sitting in front of your computer on your comfortable chair, which is faster and reliable like never before.