I mentioned in the last post that after sinning away in my new country of service, I was finally able to release my offensive cultural and personal burdens accumulated over the 10 months I’ve been here.

This purification transpired after my Thursday evening class ended, the night of Boun Ok Phansa which marked the end of the Buddhists’ lenten period and also the end of the rainy season.

I had been told that candles and lights would be lining many of the streets, with booths set up along the roadside selling banana leaf floatables with candles. These were to be lit and placed in rivers, lakes, or ponds to cleanse the spirit and purify one’s life of past transgressions.

Why water and why candles?

To celebrate Boun Ok Phansa, the festival Lai Huea Fai was initiated. This is known as the Candlelight Festival or Festival of Light. Like other festivals in Laos, it blends together Animist and Buddhist traditions. It is believed that the ceremony originated as a way to pay homage to the river deities and their spirits.

From the Animist viewpoint, the nagas (water spirits) bring good luck, thus a combination of water and light are a highlight of the traditions for this special night.

My Participation in The Festival of Light

I was the last to leave the language center at 7 p.m. after my English class ended. Due to reports from my Laos staff members, I was anticipating an astounding candlelit visual ride home. I hopped on my midnight blue Honda Scoopy and zipped along the main road.

Sure enough, numerous shops had their candles lit and displayed on my route, including restaurants and homes.

But what caused me to gaze in wonder was the large temple which I pass by every day. Outside the temple compound, booths full of homemade flower-laden water lamps lined the entranceway. I did a quick U-turn, pulled up alongside one of the display tables, parked my bike and scanned the wares offered.

Time to cleanse my spirit of sins. What better way than to participate in my first Laos Festival of Light by buying a time-honored traditional item?

My female seller was so pleased to have a foreigner purchase her handicrafts. I’m sure she jacked up the price but as far as I was concerned, 50,000 Kip ($2.50) was fine with me.

And I really made her day as my philosophy is if one is good, two is better.  

My Water Launching

For a possible launch, the Mekong River was definitely in my neck of the woods but I knew the crowds would be horrendous. I was not up for a fight to park my motorbike, or deal with traffic jams and a possible accident, especially in the dark and after a full day of work. I was tired!

Instead, I opted for a quieter, more private and intimate discarding of my transgressions: That of my apartment’s swimming pool.

After lighting my candles, and included incense sticks, off my offenses and misdeeds went.

My two floats bobbed along as the flickering candle flames illuminated the surrounding water. While not an Animist or a Buddhist, I will say that within my Christian faith, there was a freeing sense of sins being forgiven, at least for the day, anyway.

One Last Cleansing Needed

And what about others in my household and their sins? That would happen to be my recently adopted dog, Winnie,

….who is still working on her many behavioral sins, one of which has her recently peeing in my bed!

That second launched lamp of spiritual cleansing might have sufficed for the water deities and Buddha, but in my books, Winnie really needs to do a lot better than a flower floaty to get any blessings from me.

Here’s Connie, and Winnie Wee-wee, signing off from yet another fascinating experience in Laos, our home in Southeast Asia.