People,especially the English Educated Westernized Chinese,and the Western Folks, who don't know anything about Folk Taoist Culture, immediately condemn Taoist Spirit Mediums are fake, and are out in public to CON people for money.
Over here, You will understand the truth and the predicaments of Genuine Taoist Spirit Mediums - The Tangki(s) (乩童).
Please take note that Taoist Spirit Mediums are not Taoist Masters, nor Taoist Sorcerers.
There are few fake Tangkis out there, but most are genuine. Over here the topic is regarding Genuine Taoist Spirit Mediums.
The truth is... Folks, who end up becoming Spirit Mediums, were initially had no interest to become one. They were chosen by the deities to use their human bodies in order to speak, to provide FREE consultation service to help the public. If You are being caught to be a Tangki, You can run away, but You can't hide. The deity will have all ways to catch You back and soon You will surrender and obediently become a Tang-Ki.
A Tang-Ki, normally needs to lend his body to be possessed by a deity, to provide FREE consultation service, at least once a week, or fortnightly (usually on 1st & 15th of every Chinese lunar month). Most Tang-kis have a normal daily job like any adults, but still have to perform his duty as a Tangki, once every week or every 2 weeks. Just imagine, You are too tired after coming home from work, and later at night the deity is waiting to use your body to give Free consultation.
Yes, You read that - YOU DO NOT HAVE ANY BENEFITS TO BECOME A TANGKI.
Genuine Tangki Consultation Service do not charge You money like a business transaction. There is one donation box at the corner of the temple, which You can put in money in any amount You like. It really depends on Your own heart to put some money inside the donation box to help the temple to continue running, if not the tang-ki needs to use to use his / her own money to buy the necessities, such as prayer & ritual materials, joss sticks, incense papers from his own pocket. Usually, folks who visit the temple for consultation know how to be "automatic" by themselves.
The temple helpers, who run the errands in the temple, perform rituals and chantings to let the deity possess the Tang-ki etc, do not earn any money either, and they do as volunteers.
The deities do not allow the Spirit Medium and the helpers to gain profits from providing the consultation service to help the public.
Only Taoist Masters, Taoist Sorcerers will charge You money for consultation, because Taoist Master / Sorcerer is a profession and these folks spent many years learning and follow other Taoist masters / sorcerers as trainees / apprentices to memorize different chants, steps to draw different hundred types of talismans and personally study the problems of the clients, and to be able to choose the specific rituals to solve different human problems, all by the Masters / Sorcerers themselves, not the deities. Tangkis don't have the same privilege like the Taoist Master / Sorcerer, who charge You money for the consultation service.
If You are a FREE LOADER, who think You can simply go to a Taoist Spirit Medium for FREE CONSULTATION and no-need to pay a single cent, remember this... Tangki Consultation Service will only provide help in Morally Correct Issue.
If You wish to seek Revenge on someone, or want to receive a Magical Talisman to lay many Women, need a talisman to win the lottery or gambling, or ask the deity to destroy people's family, or help to win the heart of someone's husband or wife, or put curse in someone's house / office/ shop / warehouse, You'd better pay money to seek help from a Taoist Sorcerer, because the type of deities, who can be invoked to possess the spirit mediums, will not entertain You on immoral issues.
Short Video - Interview With A Taoist Spirit Medium
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