Sunday November 18, 2007
About the broom brouhaha
Vasthu Sastra
By T. SELVA
Why are people so worked up over the rather novel idea of giving brooms to underperforming government councils? There’s a long history behind all the fuss.
SELANGOR Mentri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo drew a lot of flak last week when he gave the “broom award” on Monday to two underperforming local councils at the Selangor Excellence Awards. He has since brushed aside the criticism as mere superstitious talk.
Indeed, brooms do have connections with superstitions; they have, for instance, long been connected with witchcraft. According to en.wikipedia.org, the broom is almost universally associated with female witches, who supposedly would disguise wands as broomsticks to avoid suspicion. Anecdotally, the broom can also be used to house spirits.
Today, the broom is still used by mediums to symbolically sweep an area clean of bad spirits or beat them out of someone they have possessed.
Many cultures have different beliefs about and traditions surrounding this humble instrument.
In Chinese culture, it is said to be bad luck to use the broom on auspicious days, like New Year’s. Malays, I’ve been told, view giving a broom to anyone as a crude act.
In America, in the game of baseball, when a team is close to accomplishing a clean sweep (having won the first two games of a three-game series, for instance), fans of the opposing team will sometimes take brooms to the ballpark and brandish them as a way of taunting the other team and putting them of their stride.
Back when naval battles were common, many navies around the world had the tradition of lashing a broom to the mast or highest point on ships returning victoriously home after making a “clean sweep” of the seas.
Indian culture also has many beliefs about the broom; Vasthu Sastra also refers to it. Of course, people may dismiss these old beliefs and practices as irrational today. But they are part of an ancient science that has yet to be discredited by modern science because it continues to provide answers to many otherwise unexplainable issues in many cultures.
In the Indian culture, it is not a good idea to give anyone a broom, as it is the equivalent of hitting that person with it. What’s more, it is not the recipient who will suffer the consequent bad karma but the giver. This is clear in the case of Dr Khir – he has come under fire ever since he gave those brooms away.
According to Vasthu Sastra principles, house owners moving into a new home should take new brooms with them, not the old ones from the previous property. And when they do use the broom, they should do so only during daylight, as sweeping at night would “sweep” away good spirits. The broom should not be stored near the front of the house or hung prominently on the fence; this would ward off positive energy and create hostility with neighbours. Nor should it be stored where it would be visible to visitors. It should also not be kept in the north-east or south-west quadrants.
Stepping on a broom is a bad idea, as its negative energy will transfer to you. And, of course, one should never use it to hit a person or animal – as with giving it, this will reflect bad luck on the person wielding the broom.
In Indian culture, a broom is placed by the cot of a newborn for 30 days to chase away unseen entities.
Vasthu talks
The columnist will present a talk on Vasthu Sastra for harmonious living and on how to use pyramids for healing on Dec 1 at 7pm at Hotel Seri Malaysia, Sungai Petani, Kedah. Admission is by contribution of RM10 to the Tantra Education Centre. To register, call Muthu at 017-502 7435.
A similar talk will be held on Dec 2 at 2.30pm at Dewan Sree Mariamman, Butterworth, Penang. Admission is by contribution of RM10 to Pertubuhan Kebajikan Sinar Ceria, Seberang Perai. To register, call Segaran 019-475 6959.
The Star does not give any warranty on accuracy, completeness, usefulness, fitness for any particular purpose or other assurances as to the opinions and views expressed in this column. The Star disclaims all responsibility for any losses suffered directly or indirectly arising from reliance on such opinions and views.
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