I come from a family lineage where most of my relatives, including my immediate family, have the ability to walk between worlds. My folks can see, can hear, can feel, can commune and have spiritual union with their personal guardian (most often some Chinese Diety, since we're Chinese.
Ever since i was young, by the age of 3 i was already travelling the world of Asia with my Father, who in his 30s during the mid 80s, already set himself on path of an Urban Shaman.
Most of my family gained their notoriety during 1960s-70s HK (we're from the New Territory sides, a newer island man-made outside of the tradittional OG plot of land that is old Hong Kong). I remember Grandpa had his fingers in the Black-Society/Triads. He killed a white cop during the British takeover right in his home....slapped him on the back of the head (my Grandpa was a maser of a Gungfu called Choi Lei Fat...fcking lethal) so hard the police man in his green shorts hit the glass coffee table and died instantly. I remember meeting my Grandfather for the first and last time on his death bed, and he kept on saying to us "The FUCKING policeman is looking at me from the doorway, tell him to leave!
Back then everyone learnt what we call "神功" (can be translated as "Shen Gung" Mandarin or "San Gung" in Cantonese, meaning "Divine Intervention/Results/Mastery), especially the triads who lived their life by the sword and stupid blood money.
I would watch my Father for 15 years whenever he pulled out a yellow slip of paper, tailor printed by a guy in the "business" from London. These are Talisman writting papers...bright yellow as yellow and white makes the espiritos malos scared shitless. Don't bring out the red talisman paper! That's when one needs to time out a spirit...RED CARD FOR YOU!!!!
Do you like old films? Here's one from 1987 Hong Kong, a very popular movie series called Mr Vampire
As i grew older, my Father tried to groom me in the ways of the Yijing/Iching, of Liu Ren (the Chinese folk magicks my Father was gifted this lifettime), also Da Liu Ren (one of the oldest most accurate divination method, using the entire Cosmos as a mathematical bases). These ancient arts were used in Wars, in setitng up military expidiitons, in cleansing entire regions from spirits, right down to the personal....things like astral warfare, spirit union, talisman warfare, remote alter warfare (with enchanted weapons, scapegoat dolls/paper clones to trap someone's soul in with a strand of hair, finger nails, sweat, a breath, or even blood....i prefer someone's mobile number...i dont need all that crap lol). But due to what i have seen and experienced personally, i decided to forgo that path as i have seen what it does tto someone.
We mortals should not mess with the other side. It's not for us to mess with. Unless you were specifically sought out, or you randomly encountered a Master (often times you will find these Masters being the main chef of restaurants, or they were the porters of temple complexes doing really shite jobs and being harrassed by lay folk all day long, or you may find them in a district called Temple Street, filled with triads, prostitutes, outdoor eateries under those Hong Kong styled Shang-Hai influenced paper umbrellas), then one should pursue it.
It was this upbringing that lead me to sleight of hand with playing cards....and it took me a further 10 years to break away from the spiritual realm.
When i am out and about i also feel things. My skin would prickle and jump, like getting attacked by D.E.W tech. Only difference is you will start to feel the spirit's intention, much like a Mother feels the child inside her belly.
Thank you very much for calling this subject out. We are in the bad times and as the Buddha said in the Shurangama Sutra, near the end i believe, that "Evil Sages/teachers preaching the Dharma will be as many as the river ganges sand during the dark times). Then in the last chapters the Buddha concretely opens up with tthe 50 categories of internal demons that enter into people's via possession, according to which aspect of the 50 they find an opening in. As i peruse the last chapters of the Sutra, everything concretely laid out very visually, i can see the 50 categories of these demons everywhere now.
I am afraid of course, for i am human. But you and i represent the Force of Good against the Forces of Evil. At least i am not alone.
Thanks Ashlynn!
RE: Modern Day (Western) Shaman's, Lining Their Pockets