Well Come

Someone in Luang Paw Yaai's crew suggested they stay put and set up shop but, another protested that there's no water in the area... She walked around - eventually stuck her staff in the ground and order the guys to dig! -through massive rock till they hit water! That old well now sits dormat right behind the reception office were they admitt patients to the monastery. . . Please keep in mind my story is lose and just whati remember. Vince Cullen would be the dude to talk to for more details. Check out his link:

Mix Master Monk

One of Luang Paw Yaai's brothers was an interesting guy. He wrote music based on cracks and crevices in the rock. A sophisticate system of measurement and notations. He also was into painting and alchemy. Below are a few pictures of his outdoor lab.

Mini lava sculptures

Here are a couple photos of Thamkrabok's mini "lava" sculptures made from the slag from the casting process used on the huge sculptures. I really appreciate the scope of scale that these monks are working with. Monumental to miniature!

Thamkrabok Monastery's Potent Potion

This concoction was developed in the 50's
The big boss father was actually a women namen Luang Paw Yaai, which complicated things, many of the statues seem to depict her as a man ( that's another story..) Her crew were wanders. At that time opium was just outlawed so there where some addicts with major withdraw symptoms. The big boss and her crew ended up making the concoction to help opium addicts.... To this day they are well known for treating addicts. Check out the site for details:

http://www.wat-thamkrabok.org/klosteren1.html

I drank the Sludge- Aid at Thamkrabok!

Skillfully Encouraged by Vince Cullen I took part in the Sajja vow and detoxification process- which involves drinking a shot of a mysterious herbal concoction derived from approximately 100 different ingredients. Soooo after chanting and a Sajja vow we wander down an alley to what seemed like an outdoor carport / hangout. An older monk was napping and spitting. Some others were lounging around watching a sword and sorcery type flick on a flat screen . One monk was like the bartender-he poured me a shot glass of this thick brown pungent elixir with lots of floaters in it (didn't contain any mind altering drugs or alcohol.
I shoot it then am escorted to the back of the building and given a bucket of water as I'm drinking the bucket I notice some one is cooking right behind me and their sink water is funneling into the same gutter that I will be vomiting in for the next hour or soooooo...

Below are photos I took of the ingredients and the spot where they brew it. Oh and me vomiting thanks Benjamin Maddox for snapping this in between your own vomiting.

Field Notes

I've posted all of my current field notes from my research on Spirit Houses on my tumbler feed.

http://www.jessebercowetz.tumblr.com/

Field Notes

After the funeral chanting be sure to check out the ladyboy pageant!

A monastery seems like a strange place for a ladyboy beauty pageant? But that's the way these Thamkrabok monks roll...

Monk Balls and a cute little Crematorium

At Thamkrabok monastery It is said that some dead monks were placed in these balls and hot lava was poured in after them, then sealed. - At the end of time the last monk standing should smash the balls open with a sledge hammer to free the spirits.... they have their own way here at Thamkrabok.

Although I think this cute little crematorium pictured below is the preferred method to deal with dead bodies or at least the most common.

Spirit House Field Notes

Thamkrabok where drug addicts puke and monks cast lava sculptures.

This place is incredible they took us in immediately and gave us a big room and a tour of the grounds. This place is really about recovery from addiction and work as meditation. These monks believe in working and the pictures below will give you an idea of the fruits of their labor.

The photos are of sculptures and machinery inside the monastery. The monks are welding, brick laying, metal casting, boat building and so on...several of the monks are former addicts that went through the detox program and decided to stay on. A lot of the work almost seems like a form of old- school recovery - stay busy! its worth noting that these cigarette smoking , money handling, tattooed monks seem dedicated to doing there own thing...a different brand of buddhism possibly...i don't think they even follow the buddhist precepts...this place is like polar opposite to my experience at Suan Mokke monastery - both very inspiring places to visit!