Good or Bad Spirits

January 17, 2025

Good or Bad Spirits: From the Beginning till Now…..

The world is full of good and bad spirits. Since the beginning of time. Forever time.And so, in looking back, around, up and down, in this beautiful country of Cambodia, lies the multitude of spirits that have encapsulated and trapped the kind hearts of its people for centuries. While it may seem nearly impossible for a barang to begin to comprehend the depth of this topic, lets at least open the topic, scratch the surface, and learn a bit more about the thinking and daily life here in the tropics. Cambodian spiritual beliefs are deeply intertwined with Buddhism, Hinduism, animism, and cultural traditions. One thing is for sure though; that spirits are significant in the Cambodian daily life.

While a number of people over the years have contributed to this topic in bits and pieces, one kind and local man allowed me to interview him, and gain from him some insight. He has lived a life through a remote village of the 50’s, the khmer rouge era of the 70’s, and is now a tuk tuk travel agent in the area. He has seen, been involved with, and personally affected by spirits in his lifetime. This is not his story, but he generates for the writer here an open book of sorts to learn from. It has taken me a fair bit of time to sort this out and write it now to readers here.

There is definitely a restless spirit here intertwined into daily lives. It is almost so transparent that, if you didn’t sit down, watch, or move slowly about the terrain of the country, you could miss a lot of what makes up and motivates the daily lives here.

What is a ‘restless’ spirit? A restless spirit is often described as the lingering presence or soul which has not found peace and may cause unexplained noises, physical disturbances, or ‘feelings’ in one’s life or home. Sometimes the ‘spirit’ is there for protection, as in a bodyguard spirit. That may be a piece of clothing or jewelry. Or if it is related to water, that is the one thing in life that cannot be lived without. Water is life. Spirits trap people into their lives, and it comes from all facets and cultures here.

My kind, patient man here reminded me that there are four elements of our body, that rotate daily through lives here. Influenced by traditional Khmer beliefs, Hinduism, and Buddhism, the body is thought to be composed of these elements related to nature: earth, water, fire, and wind (or air). These elements are central to understanding health, spirituality, and the balance of life.

Here’s how the element earth relates to the body and influences daily life:

Earth (Prithvi in Sanskrit)

Element in the Body:

  • Represents solidity and stability.
  • Associated with physical structures like bones, muscles, flesh, nails, teeth, and organs.

Influence on Daily Life:

  1. Health and Medicine:
    1. Traditional healing practices, like Cambodian herbal medicine or traditional Khmer massage, aim to restore balance in the body’s elements.
    1. If the earth element is thought to be deficient or excessive, it might be addressed with specific foods, herbs, or rituals. For instance, consuming root vegetables or certain minerals may be advised to strengthen the earth element.
  2. Spiritual Practices:
    1. The earth element is associated with grounding and stability in meditation practices.
    1. Buddhist teachings emphasize mindfulness of the body’s physicality, connecting it to the earth as a reminder of impermanence and humility.
  3. Daily Routines:
    1. Cambodians often perform rituals to honor the land and earth, such as offerings to local spirits (neak ta) for protection and blessings.
    1. In agriculture-dependent communities, respect for the earth is deeply respected and ingrained, as it directly provides survival, sustenance, and livelihood.
  4. Cultural Beliefs:
    1. Wearing protective talismans or belts (often blessed by monks) is thought to align the body’s elements and ward off illnesses caused by imbalance, particularly disturbances linked to the earth element.
    1. Ceremonies like house blessings or land consecrations seek harmony between the people and the earth element in their environment.

So, moving onward through each section of spirit here, one by one, let’s get a glimpse into not only its complexity, but also its melding practices.

Animism

Animism predates any other spirit in Cambodia, and yet from that starting point, have merged the conditions of today. It continues to be deeply interwoven with the culture, despite the country’s dominant religion being Theravada Buddhism.  In practice, Cambodian Buddhism often blends with animistic beliefs and rituals, creating a syncretic (bringing together different philosophical, religious, or cultural principles and practices) spiritual framework that influences daily life.

Here’s how animism interacts with Cambodians today:

1. Spirit Beliefs and Practices

  • Neak Ta (Spirits of the Land): Cambodians treat with great respect the Neak Ta spirits, believed to inhabit specific locations like trees, rivers, and mountains. People make offerings to these spirits for protection, health, and blessings.
  • Household Spirits: Many homes have spirit shrines where offerings are made to appease protective spirits. Disrupting these spirits through disrespect or construction without rituals can be seen as dangerous.
  • Ancestor Worship: Ancestors are revered as powerful spirits who can offer guidance and protection if properly honored through offerings and ceremonies.

2. Traditional Healers and Rituals

  • Animistic practices often include the use of traditional healers (kru khmer) who perform rituals to diagnose and treat illnesses thought to be caused by spiritual imbalances or spirit possession.
  • Rituals to cleanse bad energy, such as the burning of incense or chanting, are common. The chanting is heard in many of the pagodas on a regular basis.

3. Integration with Buddhism (and this is a huge point)

  • Cambodian Buddhism accommodates animism rather than rejecting it. Monks may bless items or perform ceremonies that have animistic roots, such as water blessings or protective tattoos.
  • Temples often serve as locations for animistic rituals, such as seeking guidance from fortune tellers or making offerings to spirits.

4. Protection and Daily Life

  • Amulets and charms are widely used for protection against bad spirits. Items like belts, bracelets, and pendants blessed by monks or traditional healers are common. As an example, a belt on a man is binding him to the spirit, and cutting that (as in accepting Jesus) is significant to the whole being of the person being cut off from that ancestry and culture. Additionally, increased luck and happiness is tied to lead, silver, 18 carat, and gold. A recipient or ‘lucky’ person who has one of these, moves up in stature, with the gold being the highest level.
  • Special ceremonies, such as weddings or house blessings, include rituals to ward off spirits and invite positive energies.

5. Community and Agriculture

  • Animism plays a key role in community life, particularly in rural areas. Farmers hold ceremonies to honor spirits before planting or harvesting to ensure a good yield. There are also effigies in yards to guard the house, many with a ‘stick’ person, dressed in clothes and/or a helmet.
  • Festivals like Pchum Ben (Ancestor’s Day) reflect the integration of animistic beliefs with Buddhist traditions, emphasizing the importance of ancestral spirits in Cambodian life.

Hinduism

Let’s briefly pop into the Hindu segment of this cultural heritage. Hinduism is bound into this country from the earliest of times before Buddhism came into focus. The problem that the writer is seeing here is the fact of how these traditions kind of roll together and meld themselves to each other into one huge clump. So….

Even today Hinduism interacts with the Cambodian life. Hinduism’s historical influence on Cambodian spirituality is profound and continues to shape the way Cambodians interact with the spiritual world today as if the practices have woven itself into its own entity.

Hinduism arrived in Cambodia as early as the 1st century through Indian traders and missionaries, (maybe Thomas) and its impact peaked during the Angkor Empire (9th–15th centuries), when Hindu kings ruled and built monumental temples like Angkor Wat.

Influence on Spiritual Beliefs and Practices

  1. Deities and Spirits:
    Hinduism introduced the worship of a pantheon (respected, important) of deities, such as Vishnu, Shiva, and Brahma. Over time, these deities merged with indigenous animistic beliefs, leading to the syncretism seen in Cambodian spirituality today. For example, Hindu deities often became associated with local spirits (known as neak ta) that protect specific places or communities. Many carvings in the temples have multiple arms or faces. Brama oft times has four arms or faces, which is the protector god. Shiva is the creator/destroyer god and often has up to ten arms in circular fashion on the carvings.

The point here is that Vishnu is one of the principle deities of hinduism and, along with Brahma and Shiva, form the Hindu trinity. Vishnu is the peace-loving deity of that trinity, the Preserver or Sustainer of Life. Known for its steadfast principles of order, righteousness, and truth, when any of these are under threat, Visnu comes out to restore peace and order on earth. Evil, chaos, and destructive forces an avatar (incarnation) to restore the cosmic order and give protection.

  • Sacred Spaces:
    The temples built during the Angkor period were not only places of worship but also considered residences for spirits and deities. These spaces became focal points for rituals to invoke blessings, protection, and prosperity. Visit temples and see examples over and over again in the carvings.
  • Ritual Practices:
    Cambodians adapted Hindu rituals to communicate with spirits and deities, such as offerings of food, incense, and prayers. These practices persisted even as Hinduism gave way to Buddhism as the dominant religion.  It is so common practice to see various ‘shrines’ in homes and businesses with foods and active burning incense.
  • Cosmic Order and Karma:
    Hindu concepts of karma and dharma became intertwined with Cambodian beliefs about spiritual balance. Many Cambodians believe that spirits can influence a person’s fate, either rewarding good actions or punishing moral transgressions.
  • Protective Amulets and Charms:
    Protective amulets, sacred inscriptions, and rituals to ward off malevolent spirits have roots in Hindu practices. These beliefs are still common, as seen in the widespread use of protective belts, tattoos, or yantras (sacred geometric designs) in Cambodia.

6. Transition to Buddhism

When Theravāda Buddhism became the dominant religion around the 14th century, Hindu elements were not entirely displaced. Instead, they were absorbed and localized within the Buddhist framework. Many Cambodians today navigate life with a blended spirituality that honors Buddhist teachings while maintaining animistic and Hindu-inspired practices related to spirits. (it’s sort of like a wrap around religion).

Enough said on how ‘spirits’ are so pervasive in lives.

Contemporary Relevance

While modernization has influenced Cambodia, animism remains significant, especially in rural communities. Even younger Cambodians who embrace modern lifestyles often continue to observe these traditions, blending them with their Buddhist faith, Hindu rituals, and modern practices.

So where does this all impact, interact, and promote the Christian church here in Cambodia?

The Christian Church

The Christian church in Cambodia is a small but growing minority, and its adaptation and impact on the culture reflect a blend of using its heritage and culture and transforming it into a new beginning. Its concept for sharing the gospel message is unique in that it incorporates its heritage, history, and everything else in its melting pot, while maintaining its eternal purpose.

1. Adaptation to Cultural Context

  • Language and Communication: Churches often use Khmer, the national language, in worship and teaching to make the message accessible. Christian materials like Bibles, hymnals, and discipleship resources are increasingly available in Khmer, and are being translated into khmer at a fast pace.
  • Respect for Traditions: While maintaining biblical teachings, the church respects cultural norms, such as showing deference to elders, participating in community events, and adopting local music styles in worship. People are encouraged to dress in traditional clothes for events in the church.
  • Community-Centered Approach: A church often functions as a community center, providing space for social gatherings, education, and support, which aligns with the Cambodian communal culture. This is the mindset of Hope Evangelical Lutheran Church, to bring community to the church through available resources, teaching, and love in Jesus.

2. Adjustments in Ministry

  • Holistic Mission: A church combines spiritual teachings with practical support, addressing poverty, education, and healthcare needs. HELC has a school, is planning to provide vocational training, and help with community projects to improve the quality of life in the community.
  • Focus on Youth: Recognizing that a significant portion of Cambodia’s population is under 30, HELC emphasizes a youth program, offering education, mentorship, and leadership development.
  • Engagement with Rural Communities: As most Cambodians live in rural areas, HELC has established itself in Taros Village and focuses on those needs of the community, alongside their spiritual mission.

3. Cultural Impact

  • Ethical Influence: Christians, by living out values like honesty, forgiveness, and love, challenge corruption and family conflicts that can be prevalent in some areas.
  • Education and Empowerment: HLEC has a school to encourage literacy, critical thinking, and equal opportunities for all, especially women, which is transformative in the community with limited access to resources. In the years since first arriving, there has been a noticeable change where teen girls are now staying in the community to become active participants in the community growth as well as their own.
  • Challenge to Syncretism: Christianity sometimes faces tension with traditional spiritual beliefs and practices, such as ancestor worship or animism. The church in general works to teach biblical perspectives while being sensitive to familial and cultural obligations.

4. Challenges

  • Minority Status: Christians make up less than 2% of the population, leading to misunderstandings or suspicion from Buddhist-majority communities.
  • Persecution: While Cambodia generally allows religious freedom, converts to Christianity can face ostracism from their families and communities.
  • Syncretism Risks: Balancing respect for culture with the purity of Christian doctrine remains a delicate challenge.

5. Future Opportunities

  • Reconciliation and Healing: Cambodia’s history of trauma from the Khmer Rouge era provides an opening for the church to offer counseling and hope through the gospel message. The Khmer Rouge era is still felt even though it is 50 years ago, as those emotional scars have been passed on to the next generations.
  • Protection of minors: Churches can play a role in advocating against human trafficking and exploitation, which are significant issues in the country. Estimates on numbers are unstable, but mind boggling to say the least.
  • Cultural Contributions: Over time, Christian art, music, and values may increasingly blend with Khmer culture, creating a distinctively Cambodian expression of faith.

At the end of the day, only the Holy Spirit can prevail throughout this country and bring peace, harmony, and love to each soul who longs to find ‘home’ right where they stand. The journey may not be an easy one, but for those who tread the journey step by step, it will lead to eternal peace and happiness that each one so deserves.

John 14:27

“Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”