Pawnina Talks: 5 Ghost Month Superstitions

Hi everyone, Pawnina here! August has officially arrived and we’re well on our way towards the second half of the year. However, did you know August is a month of superstitions? This is because of the infamous Ghost Month. It’s a month-long belief that comes from Chinese culture, saying that on the seventh month of the lunar calendar (which is around August in the western calendar) the gates of the underworld are opened to ours, and the spirits are free to roam around with the living for an entire month! Some of these spirits are nice and peaceful while some are mischievous, that’s why there are a lot of superstitions you need to know to make sure you stay safe this entire month. Ghost month officially start on August 3 until August 31, so here are 5 tips for you to get ready for the month of the Hungry Ghost Festival.
1. Avoid wearing red or black clothing
Red and black are colors always associated with spirits and unseen. They are very attracted to these colors, and therefore wearing them may attract unwanted spirits to follow you. If you attract the unwanted spirits, you may end up with some unfortunate series of events in your life, may it be in business or in love – and no one wants that! It’s best to play it safe and stick to neutral and cooler tones to keep the ghosts away and pacified, and ensure that you stay lucky the entire month.
Bonus: Ladies, avoid wearing high heels too. These are devilishly attractive not just to human men but to spirits as well, as it welcomes danger and risk, and some spirits can’t help but to play pranks on your stilettos!
2. Don’t use dark or black make up or polish
If you didn’t get it from the first tip, I cannot stress how dark and black colors are really something you need to avoid this month! Especially for the ladies (though it’s completely applicable for men as well!), avoid using darker shades of make up and nail polish because spirits may think you are one of them and might bring you (or your spirit) back with them to their underworld before the month ends. To ensure your good health throughout the month of August, liven up your face and nails with vibrant and natural colors, so you can show the spirts that you are very well and living!
3. Move major travel plans to after Ghost Month
Superstition says that travels need to be pushed back after Ghost Month as to avoid any mishaps that are caused by mischievous spirits. Travel that is done via air and especially sea are highly inadvisable because water spirits tend to be vengeful due to their causes of death and the fact that water is a yin energy, which draws them. This means that trekking and hiking near water is also inadvisable due to the risks, as some spirits are known to “play” with you by pulling you down into the water. So it’s best to play it safe and move your wander lust adventures to the next month!
4. Postpone buying or moving into a new properties
Buying or moving into new properties are not advisable because you could also be welcoming not just yourself into your new home or car, but the spirits as well! They may treat it like their new home, and use it as a haven to escape the end of the month when they will have to return to the underworld. Imagine having to live in a house or drive a car with an unwanted friend (who may or may not be all that friendly). It’s best to postpone your big ticket purchase for the next month and treat it as an early Christmas gift instead, once the -ber months start!
5. Don’t pick up lose change on the street
It may not be the reason here in the Philippines, but tradition is that throwing coins on the street is a ritual done as an offer to the hungry spirits of Ghost Month. That being said, if you get that pretty peso off the street, the spirits might see it as you stealing from them and that might compel them to haunt you or play some tricks on you. Best to play it safe and leave the coins on the ground and go on your merry way!
But if you really need some money, don’t pick the lose change up and look at an alternative, which is to go to PawnHero! And it’s absolutely easy to use – just download the PawnHero App on the Google Play Store or visit the PawnHero website to get a FREE and fair appraisal on your items, and enjoy the loan at only 2.99% per month! No bad spirits here!
So there you have it, keep these things in mind, and you’ll last the month of August, well and happy!