My Halloween in Salem
Halloween 2013
(By Tsem Rinpoche)
I have always wanted to visit Salem, Massachusetts. It has a rich history for USA and also for persecution. Religious persecution was the very reason Salem was set up (I’ve included some background information on Salem below). The original settlers of Salem left England to escape religious persecution. The tenants of their faith did not match the mainstream of England. They wanted to be far apart from Catholicism. They endured many hardships and loss to sail from England to the American colonies in search of religious freedom. In the end, instead of enjoying freedom of religious practice in the new found land in America, they started persecuting their own who were different.
I’ve always been fascinated by Salem because of its legacy for witches. Witches are not the evil hags we see in movies but they practice a proper religion that balance nature, the earth, energies, planets and needs with their prayers. Witches, magic and it’s true meaning has been distorted by mainstream fear and ignorance. I came across some psychics and practicing witches while in Salem and they are intelligent, open and warm people. Of course there are ‘evil’ witches but there are ‘negative’ people everywhere in all faiths. Religion doesn’t necessarily makes us better unless we internalize compassion, wisdom, tolerance and transformation.
There are many museums, boutiques, magic shops, gift shops and places of interest related to it’s rich witch history. Believe me they were very interesting. The witch persecution reminds everyone that we cannot persecute anyone on the basis of their religion, race, culture, economic background and beliefs and that is wrong. Freedom is what everyone cherishes. We visited most of the places of interest, but you have to be here during October. During Halloween Salem just takes off. There are many activities and tourists from all over the world just flock to Salem. So many international and interesting people and animals. So many doggies in Halloween costumes too. After Halloween then Salem is quite sedate. You really have to make it here during the whole month of October and then you will see many events. Educational, fun and interesting but it will open your eyes to new ideas. I enjoyed it and learned also.
There was a place selling vegetarian hotdogs (Boston Hot Dog Company). They specialize in hotdogs and had vegetarian ones with messy mustard, relish, toasted buns, onions, sauce, pickles and sauerkraut toppings. Yummy!! Believe me, it was delicious with a capital D! Pastor Loh Seng Piow ‘demanded’ we go there for lunch and breakfast daily. Pastor Loh Seng Piow has never voiced to eat here or there ever, but he was addicted to this place. Andrew can attest to this. Pastor Loh Seng Piow’s addiction to the hotdogs grew that Andrew would drive from our hotel to Boston Hot Dog Co. and pack 10 hot dogs back. Pastor Seng piow will eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner. No kidding! It was entertaining to watch but I am glad Pastor Loh Seng Piow enjoyed it. I did too.
Many choices of hotdogs available.
We went to the museums, plays, presentations and even a authentic witch casting a spell for good luck. We did not participate in the spell casting but simply observed to learn. There was a witches’ gathering in town centre but it was rained out last minute. There are a few famous witches and psychics in Salem that are known nationally and are on media and news. There were more psychic shops at every other corner and street than 7-11 stores! The Salem police insignia is a witch riding on a broom. Interesting.
We arrived a few days before Halloween and the town was busy and on Halloween itself. On Halloween, I wore my monk robes and walked around Salem among the throngs of people. There were so many people from many countries but it was not an uncomfortable crowded scene. People were warm, friendly and very open. All the street with magic shops, shows, bookstores, psychic readers (there are many psychic shops and psychics), psychic fairs, gifts, foods, stalls were colourful and lined with people from all walks of life. Every window and many houses had very interesting Halloween decorations. I enjoyed seeing the decorations very much. There are huge stores dedicated to just Halloween costumes too! Almost everyone was in unique Halloween costume. I just stood and breathed in the autumn crisp air taking in the sights, sounds, smells and rich history. I also purchased some vintage very old books to gift people with these items. Some people would appreciate these vintage classic books from Salem. I have not celebrated Halloween since leaving New Jersey when I was 15!! Halloween is my favourite holiday. It always has been. I was glad to be in Salem.
Well I had very interesting reactions from various persons on the crowded streets. I had some people who folded their hands when I walked by. One lady said “Tashi Delek” to me which is Tibetan for greetings. Another group were guessing out loud and we can hear them talking among themselves asking if I am wearing a costume or a real monk? One guy passed me and said to me “awesome costume!” I replied thank you! I saw people taking pictures of me thinking I didn’t see them doing so but I did. It was fun and that is what I expected. People to wonder if what I am wearing was me or a costume!
Pastor Loh Seng Piow and Andrew who are with me were a great help and we went everywhere together. It was great experience for them as they have never been to this part of the world and during Halloween. Andrew lugged all of our bags and Pastor Loh Seng Piow videoed everything for my blog. These two are a great help for me. I appreciated it very much.
Tsem Rinpoche
Interesting note is on the way to Salem, we just took a random exit to get some food as it was long drive from New Jersey and we arrived at New Haven town, Connecticut. I’ve never heard of New Haven. We went to a diner and ate, washed and refreshed ourselves and accidentally found out from the waitress that Yale University is ten minutes up the street!! We were like, that’s cool. So after eating, we drove up and past the famous Yale University and had a glance. It looked beautiful but I am glad I don’t have to attend Yale. Afterwards we continued on our journey from New Jersey to Salem, Massachusetts.
Video: My Halloween in Salem Massachusetts
You will enjoy the video!!
Here I am in Salem on Halloween 2013. Yes the autumn colors are brilliant.
This is a graveyard with original gravestone dating back nearly three hundred years. Some of the people involved with the Salem witch hunts, the trials and hangings are buried here. Huge tourist magnet.
At a very old graveyard. Much history here.
I looked at their costumes and they stared back right at me! A Halloween connection?
We went in this tram for a tour of Salem. That was interesting.
Lots of psychic shops. Lots of places that will read your future for you.
The window displays are great! I like places that go all the way for Halloween!
I was talking to this shop owner in front of her shop and she is a Psychic card reader also. Very friendly and warm lady.
Everyone is in costume.
Is that a monk or a costume??? I fit right in! It’s the only place in the world where people didn’t ask me what am I or where I am from! LOL!
Look at scenes near the Salem Museum
A beautiful park in Salem which is very nearby the shops
Yes, these pictures taken by us and not from a magazine. The colors are that brilliant!
Some light Salem history for you to learn and enjoy
Puritan
The Puritans were a significant grouping of English Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries. Puritanism in this sense was founded by some Marian exiles from the clergy shortly after the accession of Elizabeth I of England in 1558, as an activist movement within the Church of England.
After Charles 1 of England became king in 1625, the religious and political climate became so hostile and threatening, that many Puritans decided to leave England.
History of Salem in brief
During the winter of 1623-1624, a fishing settlement was established on Cape Ann by England’s Dorchester Company by Puritans. After three years of struggle on rocky, stormy Cape Ann, a group of the settlers, led by Roger Conant, set out to establish a more permanent settlement. They found sheltered, fertile land at the mouth of the Naumkeag River.
The new settlement, called Naumkeag, or “Fishing Place” by the Native Americans, thrived on farming and fishing. In 1629 the settlement was renamed Salem for Shalom, the Hebrew word for peace.
Witchcraft
Several centuries ago, many practicing Christians, and those of other religions, had a strong belief that the Devil could give certain people known as witches the power to harm others in return for their loyalty. A “witchcraft craze” rippled through Europe from the 1300s to the end of the 1600s. Tens of thousands of supposed witches, mostly women, were executed. Though the Salem trials came on just as the European craze was winding down, local circumstances explain their onset.
Witch Trials in Salem
In January of 1692, the daughter (age 9) and niece (age 11) of Reverend Samuel Parris of Salem Village became ill. They started having “fits.” They screamed, threw things, uttered peculiar sounds and contorted themselves into strange positions, and a local doctor blamed the supernatural. Another girl, Ann Putnam, age 11, experienced similar episodes. William Griggs, the village doctor, was called in when they failed to improve. His diagnosis of bewitchment put into motion the forces that would result in the infamous witch trials of Salem.
On February 29, under pressure from magistrates Jonathan Corwin and John Hathorne, the girls blamed three women for afflicting them: Tituba, the Parris’ Caribbean slave; Sarah Good, a homeless beggar; and Sarah Osborne, an elderly impoverished woman.
This ultimately resulted in the hanging deaths of nineteen men and women. In addition, one man was crushed to death; several others died in prison, and the lives of many were irrevocably changed.
To understand the events of the Salem witch trials, it is necessary to examine the times in which accusations of witchcraft occurred. There were the ordinary stresses of 17th-century life in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. A strong belief in the devil, factions among Salem Village families and rivalry with nearby Salem Town combined with a recent small pox epidemic and the threat of attack by warring tribes created a fertile ground for fear and suspicion. Soon, prisons were filled with more than 150 men and women from towns surrounding Salem; their names had been “cried out” by tormented young girls as the cause of their pain. All would await trial for a crime punishable by death in 17th-century New England – the practice of witchcraft.
In June of 1692, the special Court of Oyer (to hear) and Terminer (to decide) sat in Salem to hear the cases of witchcraft. Presided over by Chief Justice William Stoughton, the court was made up of magistrates and jurors. The first hanging was on June 10 for 3 successive hanging days. The court was later disbanded by Governor William Phipps in October of that year. The new court released those awaiting trial and pardoned those awaiting execution. In effect, the Salem witch trials were over.
As years passed, apologies were offered and restitution was made to the victims’ families. Historians and sociologists have examined this most complex episode in our history so that we may understand the issues of that era and view subsequent events with heightened awareness. The parallels between the Salem witch trials and more modem examples of “witch hunting” like the McCarthy hearings of the 1950’s, are remarkable.
Information above was extracted from the following sites. To read in more detail please visit the following:
- http://salem.org/history#sthash.moy1Ij2o.dpuf
- http://www.smithsonianmag.com/history-archaeology/brief-salem.html#ixzz2jyuqAtcs
- http://historyofmassachusetts.org/the-salem-witch-trials/
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Thank you Rinpoche for sharing so many interesting pictures and video of Rinpoche’s trip to Salem. Very interesting knowledge to know more about the people and history in Salem.The Halloween costumes don by people on the streets were great and Salem had such a festive atmosphere that I feel like being there in future. Than you very much Rinpoche and blog team for this wonderful sharing ?????
My understanding about Halloween festival was people wearing ghost costumes to look scary and creepy. Also have kids knock on the door to get the best Halloween candy from you. But there are discoveries about witches after I read this blog.
The word of “witch” carry a negative energy on my belief, I thought they are a bit evil. However, it changes after Rinpoche explains that withes are actually a proper religion that is here to balance nature, the earth, energies, planets and needs with their prayer. I just realised people can be fear when they do not understand or have limited perception about a culture. And it shocks me when I read about prosecution happened just because they practicing witchcraft.
Rinpoche met intelligent, open and warm witches during his trip to Salem. I feel that no matter what religion you are, as long as we internalize compassion, wisdom, tolerance and transformation like what Rinpoche said, we can have more understanding to each other’s and able to create a loving world.
I enjoyed the article very much. Rinpoche is very funny and I feel he is mischievous. To one’s surprise he chose to wear his monk robes and walked around Salem on the Halloween! I laugh when people said “Great costume!” to him because when I look at the video, he really fit right in the festival with his monk robes haha. I can understand why he is so excited for no people ask him who is him or where he comes from.
Thank you Rinpoche, your playfulness helps me deepen my understanding of Salem’s history. I hope I can visit Salem someday too.
1984 Los Angeles-Left to right: Geshe Tsultrim Gyeltsen, His Holiness Kyabje Zong Rinpoche, monk assistant to Zong Rinpoche and the 18-year-old Tsem Rinpoche prior to ordination. Read more- https://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/category/me
View
A poem inspired by seeing a picture of my teacher, Kyabje Zong Rinpoche…
In the sport of correct views,
all that is correct is just a view,
without permanence or substance.
As long as we hold onto views,
our sufferings are gathered
to be experienced without end.
Without the strong methods of emptiness
and compassion, bereft of merit,
we sink deeper without respite.
To arise from this samsara is but
a dreamscape on the deluded mind.
Therefore seek the guru, who confers the yidam,
hold your vows and fixate on liberation
free of new creations. Free of new experiences as
there are none.
~ Tsem Rinpoche
Composed in Tsem Ladrang, Kuala Lumpur on July 7, 2014
I was walking past a second hand shop on Western Ave selling old things. They had a Japanese-style clay Buddha which was beige in colour on the floor, holding the door open. I thought the shopkeeper would collect a lot of negative karma without knowing if he kept such a holy item on the floor as a doorstop. So I went in to talk to him, but he didn’t look like he wanted to talk or that he even cared. So I asked him the price and he said US$5. I purchased it so he did not collect more negative karma. I was 17 years old and that was in 1982.
I escorted my new Buddha home and washed it lightly and wiped it. I placed it on my altar and was happy with the Buddha. I would do my meditations, prayers, sadhanas, mantras and prostrations in front of this shrine daily. When I left for India in 1987, I could not bring this Buddha along and gave it to a friend. It was a nice size and I made offerings to this Buddha for many years in Los Angeles. In front of the Buddha I placed His Holiness the Dalai Lama’s photo. I remember I was so relieved that the price was affordable. But US$5 that time was still expensive for me but worth it I thought. But I was happy to have brought the Buddha home. Tsem Rinpoche
https://www.tsemrinpoche.com
Tsem Rinpoche at Kechara Forest Retreat, Bentong, Malaysia
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the pictures of Halloween celebration in Salem and the infamous history of Salem. It is shocking that many people especially women were persecuted for practicing witchcraft and being blamed to be possessed by devil. Whatever religion someone practises should not be amounted to death sentence and be discriminated. Everyone has the freedom of choice. Likewise the illogical and baseless ban in Dorje Shugden practise in Tibet. Many people suffer due to the discrimination and segregation of this ban. I wish people don’t repeat the same history as in Salem but learn from the mistake instead.
Dear Rinpoche
I always love the fact that Rinpoche always respect other cultures and beliefs. I rejoice with the fact that the magic practitioners who were discriminated and condemned in the past now have the place to practice their beliefs and faith.
I wish in the very near future Dorje Shugden practitioners can also practice their beliefs without fear of potential repercussions.
Valentina
I am so pleased to see an open minded person write on the subject and enjoyed the article very much.
One thing I can add is that the victims of that persecution also had their property forfeit and often there was or seemed to be possibly a reason of greed and corruption rather than simple motivations of ideology at work. Sometimes if you give people a license to hate for whatever reason, they can easily go overboard.
It is comforting to think of times like these as being in the past. These conditions seem to come back (always a little bit different yet very much the same at the heart) if one does not constantly keep watch and remember history. Thank you for writing this!
[…] 最近仁波切到美国待了几个星期，同时也在万圣节主要之都——塞勒姆，马萨诸塞州度过万圣节。当地举办了各种与节日有关的活动，各个盛装出席。仁波切感到非常高兴可以体验当地的万圣节气氛，也寄了万圣节祝贺卡给马来西亚的学生。 […]
[…] have been in America for the past few weeks and I’m glad that I got to spend Halloween in the Halloween Capital of the World, Salem, Massachusetts, this year. The place was packed! There were a lot of different paranormal-related […]
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing all the beautiful pictures taken in Salem with much descriptions and teachings. Thank you Seng Piow and Andrew for capturing the video and pictures along the trip in Salem with Rinpoche. i am glad Rinpoche has enjoyed a lot in Salem during the Halloween season. i truly appreciate the advice and teaching given by Rinpoche, “Religion doesn’t necessarily makes us better unless we internalize compassion, wisdom, tolerance and transformation”.
Dear Rinpoche,
Thanks for sharing. Halloween is a great festival that normally celebrate in Western countries. From my understanding people will do makeup to let themselves look scary or ugly. Thats my understanding about Halloween festival.
After watch the video share, wow, this wonderful festival really given people’s enjoyment for thier life.
I do notice Kecahara Forest Retreat centre also celebrate this Halloween for the first time. Kecaharian really enjoy the event.
Thanks.
From
Leu Chong Hin
This is such a very beautiful place and wonderful celebration Halloween day, that those people’s wearing costume and looks so scary.
Thank you Rinpoche for sharing all this nice pictures to us.
Nice pictures I never had any experience on Halloween since I m young but I think is fun look at all these people with costume and they have to make themselves look scary. I m glad Rinpoche enjoy his stay in Salem and has a very memorable Halloween. May the boy who Rinpoche has help carry on with his study and may him in the future be able to benefits others.
谢谢仁波切分享SALEM 万圣节的快乐气氛，就是喜欢仁波切的摩登开明和入乡随俗精神。仁波切总会跟做时代的步伐迈进，让佛法跟做时代的变迁而改进。跟以往一般传统的仁波切不同。所以时尚的一般人也会被吸引来了解克切拉佛教团体生活和一起学佛法。
Glad to know Rinpoche, Andrew and Seng Piow had a really great Halloween at Salem and they soaked in the Salem culture and festivities.
What happened in shows me that human beings most of the time refuses to learn to prevent the same mistakes from happening again over and over again. In a climate of fear, fear for one self one’s loved, people can take very strong measures to ‘protect’ themselves. Who knows how many innocents were killed during such trials, and in such a situation the people who held power could have taken the opportunity to get even or even take revenge. Perhaps in times like the witch hunts in Salem showed the worst nature of human beings.
Wow! Halloween in Salem can be so fun and exciting! I am glad to see Rinpoche is having a wonderful time there, never see Rinpoche so happy and at ease for a long time. I really enjoyed watching the video and all the funny photos, thank you for sharing.
Dear Lama
This article warmed my heart. It reminded me of the time when I was attending college in the US, I was amazed with the amount of information available to someone like me. Although I studied business and speech communication, I spent most of my free times reading books of various subjects and watching classic movies. One of the subject that interested me was of course witchcraft with their history, black magic, white magic, persecutions, etc. Sometimes, it excited me how one subject of my interest like history is interlinked with my other subject of interest like magic, psychic (which eventually lead me to have a very strong interest in the law of cause and effect and eventually lead me to our eventful meeting 7 years ago). I felt happy during college years, because I could pursue my interest, had a lot of free time and had little worry about money.
My view is that withches persecution was the result of ignorance, narrowmindedness – pure stupidity like many other things.
The first reason for persecution: People are scared of something they do not understand and have huge attachments to their little understanding and perception. This things can be dangerous, many innovator and those people who can think out of the box like Galileo and Michelangelo were hunted until the Medici family who supported and initiated renaissance era patronized, protected and supported them. There were times in the dark history of humankind when anything new and out of ordinary were considered withcraft.
The second reason for persecution: Some people have some misguided belief that they are trying to maintain the purity of their faith (e.g., Queen Isabella of Spain withthe inquisition and Mary I – Blooddy Mary, Adolf Hitler with the 3rd Reich).
Sometimes I am amazed how on earth that what goes on in few people’s heads could cause so much suffering to so many. In year 2000, I went to Europe to pursue my curiosity of European history and even went to Florence to see the tomb of Machiavelli, Michelangelo, and Galileo, and Following the traces of Napoleon Bonaparte. They were the subject of my fascination because they dare to be different and actually held on to what they believe in. I remembered specifically that at the time, I prayed that I will have their courage regardless of difficulties to follow what I believe in too.
I think these are the quality that attracted me to you in the first place. You are open minded and dare to be different and make the difference.
Much love and care
Dear Rinpoche,
This is one of the posts that I like very much. I guess may be I like witches and stories of witches. Why I like witches, apart from magics they can perform, their ability to fly actually fascinated me a lot.
When I read about Seng Piow who is not fussy about his food enjoys the vegetarian hotdog so much until can have it 3 meals a day, I laugh and laugh. I love this part as well.
Even this seems like a “travel story” shared by Rinpoche, Rinpoche has incorporated knowledge and Dharma teachings in it as usual.
And I will always remind myself about this”Religion doesn’t necessarily makes us better unless we internalize compassion, wisdom, tolerance and transformation”, so to practice and apply what we have learned.
Thank you Rinpoche for telling the story of Salem and witches.
Good night and have a good rest, Rinpoche.
With folded hands,
Wah Ying
In his monk’s robes, Rinpoche’s visit to Salem Haloween was a “natural”. Walking amongst the throngs of people of Salem, with almost everyone in their unique halloween dressing, Rinpoche have been accepted as a natural of one of those Halloweeners in his robes. As said by Rinpoche, he had very interesting reactions from various people in the crowded streets, with one lady greeting him with “Tashi Derek” in Tibetan, and all kinds of other guesses on what he was wearing, except for being a real monk! Rinpoche seemed to have great clean fun at Salem. He even said that “its the only place in the World where people didn’t ask me what I am from! LOL! Glad to see that you are having a grand time, keep it up Rinpoche!
Very nice pictures and video.
“Maybe there’s bigfoot here” lolx! so funny
Very touching to see how hard the young boy work to put himself through college. Some people have to work to hard from an early age while some don’t even appreciate what we have… makes me think how some of us under appreciate the things we have. I’m glad the got to meet Rinpoche and got some words of encouragements, hope he pulls through college.
Salem in Halloween day is awesome! I totally love the witch that Rinpoche took picture with… she looks so real, like a monument or something. That’s like my favourite part of the video.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing with us your trip in Salem. It’s really an interesting town, you will look weird if you don’t dress up there hehe…
But what has happened there is really sad. I don’t have much knowledge about witchcraft, but I don’t think we can take people’s life just like that.
May they rest in peace now and thanks Rinpoche for sharing this.
Thank you for sharing with us pictures of how Halloween is celebrated in Salem – with so much fun and excitement.
Rinpoche, Andrew and Seng Piow arrived in Salem on 31st October and were still in time to catch the fun and festivities of Halloween. Everyone was dressed in Halloween costume so much so that people thought that Rinpoche’s monk’s robes were costume too.
Everywhere in Salem one finds shops selling Halloween items like masks and costumes.There are magic shops and psychic shops. There are witches casting spells, as well as a Witch Museum. The police insignia is a witch riding on a broom. No wonder, Rinpoche says this is his favorite time of the year in the US.
Today, witches are accepted and belief in witchery is accepted as a kind of religion.There are kind witches, but there are also evil ones too. However, the history of Salem is smeared with the memories of witch-hunts, and persecution of witches. Condemned witches were put to death.Later there would be apologies and attempts at restitution.But still the history of Salem had been scarred.
It makes one wonder about labels like ‘religion’ and ‘witches’, all designed to influence thinking and perceptions.
Thanks for Rinpoche’ sharing. I never heard Salem before and this article really open my eyes. This is fun and enjoyable looking people wear costume and walking on the streets, it make the “Halloween” festival really interesting! I like the 1st picture of which Rinpoche sitting on the stone, really fascinating.
Interesting sharing about witches town! 🙂 I didnt know there is such a place until now.
Halloween is Rinpoche’s favourite time of the year and it must have been so exciting to spend it in Salem. Never knew Salem has such long history of witchcraft. Hehehe Rinpoche in robes must have been the most unique ‘costume’ of all and probably the first of it’s kind!
It is most fascinating for Rinpoche to visit Salem as Rinpoche loves anything paranormal and scary or anything related to death for that matter. In Malaysia, Rinpoche will have the ladrang staff find many horror movies and Rinpoche will either watch it alone or have us watch it with him. Of course most of the time Rinpoche will see our eyes half covered or turning our heads away and will tease us to death! Moral of the story? Well, it’s simple, the more we fear death, that’s the measurement of our ego. If we realize this, it will be easy for us to work on our flaws and chip off the bad habits and relearn new ones.
Can u see how awesome Rinpoche is? Rinpoche’s trip to America is a Dharma teaching on its own.
If there had been a costume contest at Salem, Rinpoche would have won the first prize for his attire as was exclaimed by the people as awesome and I would totally agree with this. Rinpoche has always been spectacular in his robe and would stand out no matter where he goes.
Wow, Salem is really “Halloween”, residents there are so support and take part in this event.
Thanks Rinpoche for sharing these great photo taken in Salem, and not forget to thanks for Andrew and Seng Piow for being take good care for Rinpoche, carry bags, videoing ect.
The most attractive costume in Salem 2013 should be Rinpoche costume. Rinpoche is very proud with his Daily costume and even sharing with Salem residents during Halloween festival… How nice!!!
i am happy Rinpoche had a great time, the fact that they have vegetarian hotdogs is spectacular and is good that they don’t kill animals there :D. spooky haloween sounds cool! thank you for sharing Rinpoche.
Wow! I didn’t know Salem was so interesting and I guess there cannot be a better time to visit as during Halloween. I used to imagine Salem to be a sleepy New England town and not one with so much happening. I love the history, the celebrations, the vibrancy and the gathering all these weird people in weird costumes from all over America and perhaps the world.
In Malaysia, we don’t particularly celebrate Halloween but due to commercialism of costumes, pumpkins and chocolates and stuff, it has slowly but surely seeped into our malls and one day, our calendar of celebrations as well. After all, Malaysians love to revel in celebration like any fun-loving citizen of the world. I love Salem witches and the psychics. I would have loved to go for psychic readings to hear what they have to say about me. Love this blog post and love the pictures. I am not sure if I would ever visit though as my list of must-visits is quite long but this blog post has surely added to my list…
Thank You for sharing the video and pictures Rinpoche, I enjoyed myself a lot while reading through the whole article. The pictures are very tempting, I wanna visit Salem one day, it has very interesting history, very interesting! Great to know that Rinpoche had a great time at Salem, it’s truly a very nice place. Please rest well and be safe Rinpoche 🙂
Dear Rinpoche,
Thank you for the interesting video tour of Salem on Halloween. Imagine, just about 500 years ago, dressing up as the Devil would have warranted a death penalty. A tragedy like Salem does not show the dangers of true witchcraft and wizardry but the ignorance of men that is rooted in irrational fear. I am glad that things have changed but memories of witch hunts and trials are still apparent in many people who claim to have past live recollections of being burnt at a stake.
Witchcraft, like Shamanism is probably one of the oldest form of nature religions and worship. It is pure and surely not evil. As Rinpoche explained above,it balances the natural elements of earth, wind, water, fire and space.
Thank you for sharing this piece and teaching us something new.
With folded hands,
Wendy
Halloween is just plain fun!Halloween candy,costumes and scary masks,pumpkins, and all manner of things.We had an incredible experience in Dukkar Apartments during the ‘Halloween Nite’,thanks to Pastor Moh Mei and her wonderful team who put so much effort and planning.I love the haunted house tour,Jean Mei is one spooky host!
Thank you for sharing the pictures and video Rinpoche.
Thank you for sharing the Halloween trip to Salem,
Hope Rinpoche had a wonderful Halloween in Salem. Watched the video above and was as if I’m travelling with Rinpoche to witness the happenings in Salem, it seemed fun and interesting. Hope that the boy who Rinpoche kindly offered help would not give up and go all the way to excel in college. Thank you Rinpoche for sharing the interesting history behind Salem.
Didn’t know the Salem has such a sad history, glad it’s over now. I like the posting of Yours with the black witch, sexy haha…Was drooling when You spoke about the vegetarian hotdogs, wondering what’s sauerkraut toppings? Halloween seems fun to me when I saw many dressing up for the occassion. Would like to try some day even though I don’t really celebrate it.
What caught my attention most was the conversation of Yours with the street guy name Chase, standing on the streets raising funds for college. I was moved by Your sincerity, guruji!
Thank you for sharing the Halloween trip to Salem, can sense that it was indeed a wonderful and cheerful journey of Yours…Tashi Delek 🙂
Halloween is one of my favourite holidays. I hope that one day, I may have the fortunate opportunity to visit Salem for my Halloween festivities. Thank you, Rinpoche for sharing your experiences in Salem. Prior to this article, I only knew Salem, the black cat, from the Sabrina the Teenage Witch show but now I know so much more!
I did not know that Salem had such a long history , especially witches and witchcraft and there is a whole town of this. The Halloween costumes don by people on the streets were great and Salem had such a festive atmosphere that I feel like being there in future.
The videos were great and gave an overall insight into the attractions of Salem. Thank you for sharing, Rinpoche.
lovely to see your travels,
thanks for sharing
especially your family, neighbours + friends. . very honoured.
hope you have a lovely stay. .
ps. so totally loving witches & halloween.
Halloween in Salem is just to “die” for… What a wonderful experience is was especially to walk the streets of downtown Salem with Rinpoche in robes! We could hear people within earshot expressing their uncertainty to their partners or friends as they passed or saw Rinpoche. I heard people saying “is he for real”, “he looks like the real thing”, “great costume”, etc…