http://www.thailandguidebook.com/iB_...icons/hail.gif See! It Works!

The temple was Doi Suthep (I think).
When I travel from Thailand back to the Netherlands I get allways a piece of cord around my wrist by my grandmother in law. That is for a safe journey back home. And it helps, the plain never fell down to earth. http://www.thailandguidebook.com/iB_...ns/biggrin.gif

Welcome to 'thailandlife'.

As you gathered correctly the monk gave you a 'blessing', probably one along the typical lines of:

'May you blessed with great luck, great riches, a great new job and a beautiful wife... or perhaps make that two'.

Monks usually give a blessing to any folks that have been to make merit ie.. gave a donation to the temple, brought everyday essential things for the monks' use or gave them some drinks or a Buddha Image etc...

This is all part of the culture, that is what you experienced. Thais believe that this merit-making will bring them good fortune, like making good kharma as we'd say in the west.

It depends on the person's belief whether that cord around the wrist be cut off or just let to rot 'til it falls off. Don't take it too serious if you want to cut it off yourself. Most Thais wouldn't, but again it depends on the person.

On my first visit to Wat Arun (Temple of the Dawn, on the Chao Praya River). I stopped in the Bote (the main, small worship hall). The monk motioned for me to come close to him, and then he proceeded to flick water at me with some bundled sticks that apparently are used for that purpose, and he did some chanting. He then tied a white string onto one of my wrists.

Afterward, I was listening to a young monk at the temple who was explaining in English about Buddhism, and answering any questions being put forth by the tourists. I pointed to the string on my wrist, and asked him about its significance.

"Oh", he said, "that's superstitious nonsense which really has nothing at all to do with the teachings of the Buddha."

I smiled, and he returned my smile. Few other words would have convinced me to want to leave the string tied to my wrist. Not only did I laugh every time I looked at it after that, but I realized that it's up to me personally to define the significance of the string.

http://www.thailandguidebook.com/iB_...ns/biggrin.gif LOL! Yes, why take chances. Just in case it works? What you got to loose? Instead, probably someone who has been to Thailand will notice the thread and you can connect...!

"blessed" by a buddhist monk.
 

When visiting a wat in Chiang Mai (don't know the name, but it's at the top of the mountain and overlooks the city) I was "blessed" (I'm sure there's a correct term for it) by a monk. He tied a white piece of cord around my wrist. I've still got it on two weeks later. I've been told that I'm supposed to leave it on until it comes off of it's own accord. Is this correct? Can anyone elaborate on what it was I experienced?

BTW, the wat is beautiful (as was most of what I saw in Thailand).

I've only been home two weeks and have already bought my tickets to go back.

When I get this cord I will get it on until I get home, because it is for a safe trip back home.
You can leave it more long, so you can remember the person who gave it to you everytime.

I'm interested in how long I'll have it for if I leave it on. I got it on the 18th July.

As an aside, I'd already bought my tickets to go back to Thailand less than two weeks after arriving home from my first trip there. I fell in love!

This thread is called sai sin. It is found at many ceremonies, particularly in the North East of Thailand. At weddings the thread links the head of the couple being married. At funerals it is carried in a circle around crematoriums 3 times. At pre-ordination ceremonies for monks, participants sit in a circle, their hands raised in a wai holding the thread. Its like a spiritual circuit that connects everyone, carrying merit up and down a line or around a circle of people. The tieing on the wrist helps retain this power in the form of safety and good health/wealth and protection from evil spirits.
When should it be taken off ? "Up to you" -but never at the ceremony concerned. 3 days is ok -"3" is an auspicious number -"9" even more so in Thailand. However, I met an (English) postgraduate when I was at University who had (proudly) retained his "sai sin" for 2 years !

By coincidence, "Thai-Blogs" has just uploaded a picture of monks holding sai sin here.

http://www.thai-blogs.com/index.php?...&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

Everytime I get this I think of the Thais, and of them thinking of me when I am away.http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/images/smilies/cry.gif
When they do they start 'roping' me back in, like a fish on the end of a line!http://www.thailandqa.com/forum/images/smilies/oops.gif

I got my first over a year ago, it's still on my wrist now.

As an aside, I'd already bought my tickets to go back to Thailand less than two weeks after arriving home from my first trip there. I fell in love! Good for you.