This video does a remarkable job illuminating one of the most important community (island-wide, and so national) celebrations in Taiwan. t’s from one of my favorite YouTube channels @TaiwanExplained.
For the mystic-oriented, it’s a week of sleep deprivation, overload to your physical senses, just walking through a constant haze of incense smoke, firecrackers, a lot of dancing and celebration, drinking, and socializing with complete strangers that, within a very short period of time become like family.
It also, in effect, becomes one of the largest outdoor gatherings of spirit-mediums, diviners, psychics, and channelers you’ll experience.
Since the goddess Matsu was a shamaness and sorceress, in present times she is often the goddess invoked by the tâng-ki (the Taiwanese/Hokkien term for the Mandarin jitong), who are spirit mediums that channel Matsu. You can also communicate with Matsu through red jiaobei divination moon blocks.
Matsu has also become a patron goddess to social activists. At political rallies and demonstrations in Taiwan, you’ll find a Matsu altar. In modern times, she’s associated with social justice. She sacrificed herself for her community, and throughout her short life, was known for many noble acts of service to that community, and so she is associated with the public interest.
Matsu veneration has evolved alongside her community, her people. She was once a village protector; now she is invoked by environmental activists, and a patron saint to the LGBTQIA+ (Matsu is almost always present at pride marches across the island). For Taiwan, she’s not just a religious figure, she’s a cultural icon. She stands for resilience, solidarity, unity, and compassion.
The Matsu Pilgrimage is a time when strangers become family, when you embody the Matsu and Kuan Yin spirit of giving generously and unconditionally. On this Pilgrimage, you feel what it truly means to be a part of something bigger than yourself. Your faith in humanity is restored, because everywhere you turn, there is somebody with arms outstretched to show you love.
I mean. The Matsu Pilgrimage isn’t too unlike a week-long rave. It gives PLUR vibes for sure (Peace, Love, Unity, Respect). By a number of different means, half the people are in a trance state.
It’s spiritual transcendence through social togetherness.
READ MY FULL BLOG POST HERE: benebellwen.com/2025/05/13/the-great-nine-day-mats…
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"How Do We Reclaim Space? Challenging the Disproportionate Visibility of White Male Scholars in Indigenous Spiritual Practices," benebellwen.com/2025/03/03/reclaiming-space/
--- Why is it when native practitioners talk about their traditions, their visibility and popularity is a small fraction of the view count that a white male academic/influencer will get?
Notice how it’s always a white guy who says he knows the most authentic version of the tradition that is not even his to be authenticating, or how his interpretation of a sacred text that he’s appropriating is more accurate. When an indigenous voice – or even a non-white academic – asserts a perspective that runs contrary to established Eurocentric academia, I’ve personally witnessed white academics immediately launch into an attack on that indigenous expert’s academic credibility and credentials.
You’ll hear academics talk about the importance of peer-reviewed analysis. No one disagrees with that, not even native practitioners. But in the case of white academics claiming the importance of peer-reviewed analysis, peer-reviewed by who? Other white academics who are reading the same books you’re reading? Peer-reviewed by your echo chamber where there is zero racial let alone cognitive diversity?
At best, a POC is given secondary, lower-level credit for the purpose of validating the expertise of the white guy standing center stage. Not to mention, a POC voice is only platformed if they agree with the Eurocentric point of view. If a POC expert dare challenge established Western expertise — just watch what happens next.
Have you felt the same and relate? Or do you disagree? Join the conversation --- benebellwen.com/2025/03/03/reclaiming-space/
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Chatting with Kirsten over at @TaroteVGemeinsamfürTarot this Saturday. <3 watch video on watch page
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Is AI Validating Psychic Ability? -- some thoughts & opinions.
"Long before AI came on the scene, I had already been wondering if maybe psychic ability in humans wasn’t as woo as we thought, and really, it’s just a rare few people’s brains being able to process “big data” they were somehow downloading from a collective unconscious, spot patterns, and synthesize that data in a way that now appears to the average person as predictive or supernatural.
"These algorithms that seem to know exactly what we want to see, who we are, our preferences, core identity, innermost wants and values mirror what people often say about psychics and mediums– “She [the psychic] knows me better than I know myself!”
"I believe clairvoyance, clairsentience, and claircognizance are simply functions we have yet to fully understand in a clear, practical way. But really at the heart of it, it’s just cognitive science and pattern recognition, much like what powers AI...."
Continue reading here:
benebellwen.com/2025/02/16/is-ai-validating-psychi…
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Yay, Heady is back on the Tubes! I love watching (well, listening) to her videos. She shares thoughtful insights and reflections. Definitely go check her out.. ❤️
Recently saw that @drawingKenaz was back as well. A couple TarotTubers who had gone radio silent for over a year have also returned.
What an interesting shift to observe.
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Recording the Intro to the I Ching audiobook. Check out my blog post recounting the experience! Link: benebellwen.com/2024/12/09/recording-the-audiobook…
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@Lajoiebradley and I had the most wonderful conversation a while back. I hope you will tune in and show some love on her channel. Check out her other videos and Instagram as well. Bradley does incredible work and offers holistic guidance for your spiritual growth and personal development.
https://youtu.be/_Up4e26QAoE?si=FUJoB...
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Did you know you can ask ChatGPT to roast your YouTube channel? Here's what AI had to say about mine. 🤣
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I am a huge fan of Chris Brennan and @TheAstrologyPodcast. This opportunity to chat about where I Ching and astrology intersects was amazing. Please go check it out and say hello to Chris for being a wonderful human. 🙏💝
https://youtu.be/jf_4NWDKma0?si=_8Alq...
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Author of I Ching, The Oracle (2023), The Tao of Craft (2016), and Holistic Tarot (2015), publisher: North Atlantic Books.
Learn more about my work over at www.benebellwen.com.