First of all let me explain what I understand about Sak Yant. Sak Yant are varieties of Thai Tattoos designs related to Thai Buddhist and Buddhist Mantras in Thai culture. Special symbols and spells will be written on the skin as a permanent spell.
It is said that the spell only works when you obey the rules called Observance of the Five Precepts:
・Do not kill, do not lie, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not drink alcohol.
In some places the Achaan (the tattooing monk or a specialist) will add extra rules to make sure that the person being tattooed really will obey the Five Precepts, they will add Respect Achaan, parents, and those who help you, do not become attached to people, things, emotions, know what is enough, do not compare yourself to others, do not retaliate, do not ask for something in return, do not break criminal laws, obey traffic laws, etc.
Very religious indeed especially when you think of rules and the personal point-of-view by the Achaan, it is quite hard to get a real Sak Yant to say the truth, even if you go to the famous Sak Yant Temple, the courses are made especially for tourists (not judging them as fake Sak Yants, since who knows the truth in those cases).
So here is the start of the story. I went to Thailand with my friend. I went to investigate all the interesting temples and cultural things around, while my friend came with me to escape from the breezing cold weather.
We found a local tour guide to take us around. We did not want to go to famous tourism places, since this is not the first time we have traveled to Thailand. I had a plan on getting a Sak Yant on my spine, but did not know that there were soooo many rules and promises to obey. My friend looked confused when I asked that I wanted to get a Sak Yant tattoo, I discussed it with the tour guide.
The tour guide thought for a while and looked at the schedule. "We go north, OK? Your hotel is Bangkok. Good place to see real Achaan is Chiangmai" said the tour guide with her best English.
"Sure, we will head to Chiangmai tomorrow, I need you to translate. No problem right?" I replied.
The tour guide was kind of unstable but nodded with a light smile.
The next day we head to Chiangmai, the place of Sak Yant.
I walked in to somewhere which seems to me an apartment house, "Achaan is here, real Achaan not in temple" the tour guide said.
So it seems that the tour guide is saying that real Achaan actually are not all monks, and some just live their normal life? Perhaps...
The tour guide rang the bell and a middle aged guy came out. I thought he was just a random guy coming out for a walk or something, but he was the Achaan.
"Sawadee-khap" I greeted the Achaan and offered a basket of fruit for the Achaan and a few flowers and some incense.
He lit a cigarette and started smoking, the tour guide spoke to him in Thai.
The Achaan nodded and thought for awhile, then he waved his hands directing us to go into the apartment, unfortunately my friend could not follow since his rule is Sak Yant is only for men. The tour guide took my friend back to the hotel.
I was brought to a room where there are lots of... I believe those are Buddhist statues, very different from the Japanese ones and a few masks (?) of Thai Gods, I only realize the White Monkey King, Hanuman and other red ones and green ones (sorry I do not know the names).
There were no lights around the room, so the only lights I see is lit candles and lit incenses. (Am I going to be tattooed in this dark room!?).
The tour guide came back the Achaan was praying the statues and blessing the bamboo stick (Yes, the tool for tattooing).
"Mr. Roy, you take off your shirt, sit here" the tour guide said. (Oh, by the way the tour guide was a lady but she got special permission to come in the room).
There were 2 other young guys in the room standby for something. (Really? 3 guys and me in a small room...scary...)
The Achaan sang or spoke something in Thai and waved his hand to let the Tour guide speak.
"Mr. Roy, the 2 guys will support you during the Yantra, relax, breath, do not be afraid and listen to directions." said the tour guide.
The Achaan continues, "Achaan will speak for the gods and will put ink inside your body, before there are rules you need to listen."
So, it goes, the Five Precepts and the other rules the Achaan himself advices which I was explained that he will have different rules to advice for different people, mine goes; Follow your own path, Know that you are protected, Have wider vision, Know your mission.
During the procedure, I was half naked on the top and the 2 young guys are holding me so that my back is wide stretched. I do not know if there is any thing in the ink or if the incense have any medical substance that will make you have hallucination but I kept hearing voices around me whispering in a language that I was not familiar with. I tried to look around but the pain was harsh, but I still noticed that the guys around me were not talking or making any vocal sound and the Achaan was chanting the Yantra while taping on the stick penetrating through my skin. Of course the tour guide remained silent since the rule is no women.
(Yes, I got a tattoo on my spine... Still hurts thinking back but I am OK now.)
When the Achaan finished, we still needed to wait because the blessing is not done. I needed to kneel in front of the statues, then the Achaan hooded me with one of the masks (no, I do not remember which mask anymore... It was that painful) and chanted a mantra.
During the chanting, I saw a few shadows walking around (yes, shadow people I believe). Then I remember the advice the Achaan told me, know that I am protected. I felt very thankful at the moment and tried to look around if there were other people other then the tour guide and the 2 young men. No, and they were already sitting outside the room chitchatting. So during the blessing only the Achaan and me were in the room? Hmm... OK...
I came out the room sweating in pain, and the 2 guys came over and wiped my back with some kind of oil, then some cream like medicine...
(ouch! It hurts like hell!)
The guys talked to me in Thai but I have no idea what it was about, the tour guide came over and angrily talked to those 2 guys. The Achaan came over apologetically and bowed the both of us in respect.
"Hey, so what was going on?" I asked.
The tour guide bought some more incense out side of the building and started to light all of them up.
"What?" I was very confused and the pain was just killing me under the strong sunlight.
She let the incense burn on a plate and told me to leap over the flame. Oh, I had a hard time indeed because of the pain.
"Mr. Roy, I sorry... The place have Phi... You know Phi? Not good for your luck." the tour guide spoke while we are heading back to the hotel.
"What is Phi?" I ask. My friend was in the van too and she was very confused too.
"Pee? What? Did you wet yourself?" she said as if she was making fun of me.
The tour guide said basically Phi (pronounced as Pee or like a letter P) means spirits in Thai. They use it for any spirit, gods, ghosts, orbs, etc.
"Achaan, my friend, he is real, but the 2 young men no. They tell lie to you to buy their amulet to make pain go away, fake amulet!" explained the tour guide. I told her that I did not understand the conversation but the moment the Achaan came out and bowed I knew that something iffy was going on.
The tour guide continued on and said sometimes criminals will be around Achaans, to be helpers. The criminals will have to learn the teachings from the Achaan or else they will need to pay heavy fines or even go to prison. She told us that the last time other foreign tourists went to his place one of the helper was found a serial killer and had brought some "bad phi" to the place! It is much more better now after all the blessings and things but still a few remain there. She did not tell us about what happened to the foreign tourist, probably was very shocked?
The tour guide told me to to get to the nearest pharmacy to get medicine for after care and she told me that she could smell the ink from my back (Eeks).
I went back after 4 days but I had a few more strange experiences in Tha Phra Chan, Thai which I might share again as another story.
Thank you for reading.
Loading comments....
