"Taoist Sorcery Master... Regarding burning Joss Papers and Joss sticks to the deities of these talismans... I don't have a Taoist Altar set up (though I plan on that at some point in the future)... I have been to the Joss Paper store in New York's chinatown, but unfortunately I don't speak any dialect of Chinese, and the women who run it doesn't speak English.
I've attached photos of the Joss papers that I THINK might work in terms of burning Joss papers to the Dieties of the Taoist Talismans that You had done for me. All are gold and red (though one I think is only for the three Immortals). Of what I have posted, do they work for burning joss papers for the Dieties of the Talismans? Also, on one of your pages, if I am not mistaken, burning 3 Joss sticks is the way to go, but how many Joss papers should I burn for each of the talismans?
Thanks very much for any insights you can give me in this matter, as I would like to do it as correctly as possible." - Taoist New Yorker
Taoist Sorcery Master's Reply: Burning joss papers for deities level, You will never go wrong by burning the gold color square and Fu-Lu-Shou (3 old men on the joss papers). You tell the joss paper shop assistant that You want joss papers to pray to deity level.
As how many joss papers to burn, usually for we Chinese burn 1 small stack on 1st and 15th of lunar month. For major festival, we burn by cartons. You can actually just burn a few pieces just to thank the dieties in Your heart. Say... in odd numbers.. 1 piece, 3 pieces... , 5 pieces.
This is what You can do. You place the talismans (folded) on a clean tray and then beside.. light up mini joss sticks or aroma cones, then have a metal or glass container... just big enough to burn 1 or few pieces of joss papers.
Feedback From Taoist New Yorker:
"Thanks very much Taoist Sorcerer, I did it on the day of the full moon.
My set up wasn't the best ( pic attached... I used tinfoil to make a container for the joss papers ) . When I said the Chinese Prayers (Taoist 10 Important Chants) while holding the mini Joss Sticks and burn the Joss Papers, I basically said thank you to the Dieties for their help, and asked for continued help etc.
A few interesting sensations while I was doing this: As my eyes were closed and I was saying the prayers, I could feel being surrounded by very large figures, and could see a few with my eyes closed (all Male) , they looked like Chinese governmental officials would look like from few hundred years ago... like some of the Dieties represented in Taoist statues and images... except I saw them as made of different colored lines... like glowing line drawings.
After I burned the joss papers, I went to another room, and promptly felt a goos-bump chill feeling wash over me, but it wasn't unpleasant , it was sort of shocking but felt good.
I'm going to do this every 1st and 15th of the Chinese calendar that I can".
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