28 DAYS: ADVENTURES FOR THE SOUL.

Dear human friends,

Thank you to those of you who have been following my journey diligently!

Last night we left Hanoi on an overnight train to Hoi An. It was quite daunting at first but we ended up sharing a cabin with the sweetest Vietnamese family and slept for hours on end!

We arrived in rainy Hoi An around lunch time and drove to Marble Mountain where we looked at larger-than-life statues made from the nearby mountain’s marble rock. Happy Buddha, elephants, crystal globes, trees and planets… Breathtaking!

The rest of the day was spent absorbing the festive atmosphere in Hoi An’s Ancient Town, where 90% of the people live off tourism and only 10% live off farming. In preparation for the Lunar New Year coming up this weekend, stunning colourful lanterns hang above our heads and below the heavens. Never did I imagine I’d find such a quaint and artistic town in South East Asia!

Today I learned a lot about ancestral preservation in Chinese Vietnamese culture. In the early 16th century, the Chinese settled in what is now called Hoi An’s Ancient Town.

Here, ancestors are the focal point of religious practice and family values. Each household is owned by one family and passed down to the following generations. In each house, there is an altar just for the ancestors. Fresh fruits and goods are always placed on the altar before the family may share in it.

I never knew incense had such protective qualities. In the 16th and 17th centuries, the families in the ancient town burned large spirals of incense at the entrance of the house to cast away evil spirits.

Furthermore, there are big, bold wooden Yin and Yang symbols on the front of every household in order to protect the family.

Why are our ancestors so important? Because they chose each of us, individually, to be born into this world to continue their legacy.

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Where I’m from, my ancestors aren’t very important. From what I’m learning on this precious journey, we all need to take a closer look at our seeds and roots. Where we were planted and how we were cultivated. It may sheD some light on why were are here.

Thank you for reading!

Tell me what you think in your comments below.

Love,

Carmia