Marisa Cranfill
Happy Fire Monkey Year 2016! This is a great year to tap into the creative passion of the fire monkey for all kinds of expressive endeavors and innovation. Make sure to use extra awareness when making decisions this year as the energy of fire and metal can bring about a clouded view. Don't take on too many projects, it's better to focus on one and do it well or that fire could burn out. To balance the fire and metal elements is easy, just nouris
READ MOREMarisa Cranfill
The favorite food of the Lao guardian spirits is definitely khao niaw, or sticky rice. Look closely and you will find it stuck everywhere around Luang Prabang: tucked in the walls, stuffed inside a dragon’s mouth and piled up on spirit houses. Like a Where’s Waldo picture, where ever you find sticky rice balls you can bet there are some spiritual beings and a few ghosts enjoying themselves. On a Lao spirit house, mounds of stic
READ MOREMarisa Cranfill
Why did the zebra cross the road? To get to the spirit house of course! I may have decoded the supernatural mystery as to why Thai people offer zebra statues at spirit houses. Well, I didn’t really figure this out myself. The credit goes to a very insightful Thai monk named Phra Kittisak. Here is the evidence: Clue #1 It is very common to find large and colorful ceramic animals surrounding spirit houses; roosters, elephants, horses and
READ MOREMarisa Cranfill
That classic logo! That bright red color! Fanta soda pop may be the official drink of the Thai spirit world. Thai people will tell you that the land guardians and spirits are attracted to its sticky sweet flavor and bright color, but I have other theories. Red offerings are too common on the tables of spirit houses around Thailand not to be ignored, especially when associated with Mother Earth. All cultures have used blood sacrifice at one time i
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The personification of Mother Earth in Thailand is Mae Thorani. She is represented as a beautiful woman with water flowing down her long hair. Mae means mother in Thai, and Thorani comes from the Sanskrit word dharani meaning earth. Mae Thorani is the earth mother who embodies our planet as well as the magnetic energy gates that connect us to the cosmos. She is depicted as a woman with water flowing down her hair that comes from her role in the B
READ MOREMarisa Cranfill
Whether on a hike in one of Thailand’s national forests or just walking down a street of Bangkok, don’t be surprised if you run into a tree nymph. Recently while hiking in the pristine and protected forest of the Erawan Falls National Park I came across a gigantic tree covered in sparkling dresses. My first question was not why Thai people would hike two hours to hang dresses on a tree, but why did they chose this tree? This tree must
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