Ritual for Deepening Friendship

1. Core Tenet

Inheriting the Taoist life philosophy of “friends assist in benevolence, and affection warms the heart”, with “deepening friendship and consolidating affection, and supporting each other with one heart” as the core, the ritual is presided over by a Taoist priest to adjust the aura resonance between friends and resolve estrangement and misunderstanding in getting along. It helps both parties abandon suspicion and calculation, establish the concept of making friends of “treating each other sincerely and supporting each other”, strengthen the friendship bond, protect the deep and long-lasting friendship, and realize the sincere state of “the friendship between gentlemen is as light as water”.

2. Ritual Preparation

Choose an auspicious day conducive to interpersonal harmony, such as “He Ri” (Harmony Day), “He Ri” (Combination Day), “Kai Ri” (Opening Day), and hold the ritual at Wei Shi (1-3 pm) in the afternoon when yang energy is gentle and friendship is easy to blend.

– Inform the presiding Taoist priest of the names, birth dates (eight characters of birth) of both friends and friendship troubles (brief description) 3 days in advance to customize the exclusive friendship-deepening blessing text;

– Taoist priest’s preparation: Place the tablets of Guan Gong and Emperor Wenchang (symbolizing loyal friendship and wise coexistence) in the center of the altar; display excerpts from “The Analects of Confucius” on making friends and orchid branches (symbolizing the friendship of gentlemen) on the left; place a clean water bowl and concentric knots (implying connected friendship) on the right; burn three sticks of sandalwood in front of the altar to create a sincere friendship aura; observe precepts three days in advance and prepare the friendship-deepening mantra.

3. Solemn Ritual Process

Presided over by the Taoist priest throughout the process, no on-site participation of both friends is required——

– Altar Setup and Worshiping Sages: The Taoist priest arranges the altar utensils, holds sandalwood and bows three times to the two sacred statues, recites “Guan Gong Righteous Friendship Mantra” and “Emperor Wenchang Friendship-Harmonizing Mantra”, prays for the dual blessing of loyalty and harmony, and visualizes the spiritual light covering both parties’ bodies and minds;

– Burning Incense to Deepen Friendship: The Taoist priest holds incense and walks around the altar three times, recites the friendship-deepening formula “Incense burns to enhance affection, friendship is consolidated to unite hearts, support each other, and share the years together”, and visualizes the incense turning into a friendship bond connecting the auras of both parties;

– Wisdom Exposition: The Taoist priest selects the excerpts “Is it not a pleasure to have friends come from afar?” and “When making friends, one should be trustworthy” from “The Analects of Confucius”, combines the Taoist concept of “friends assist in benevolence”, recites and explains the essence of sincere friendship, and integrates it into the aura adjustment;

– Orchid Branch and Concentric Knot Blessing: The Taoist priest places orchid branches and concentric knots in front of the altar, ties the orchid branches to both sides of the concentric knot, recites the blessing words “Orchid branches symbolize friendship, concentric knots tie affection, the friendship between gentlemen lasts forever” while tying, and visualizes the auras of both parties blending with the bond;

– Exclusive Blessing: The Taoist priest reads the friendship-deepening blessing text customized with the birth dates of both friends, details the wishes for smooth communication, mutual trust and deep friendship, and visualizes the power of wishes strengthening the friendship bond while reciting;

– Closing the Altar and Thanking Sages: The Taoist priest holds sandalwood and bows three times to thank the two sacred statues, offers the blessed orchid branches and concentric knots in front of the altar, recites “The friendship-deepening ritual is completed, and the friendship becomes more firm; the sacred power protects and accompanies the years together”, and the ritual is completed.

4. Delivery Standard

Provide a full HD video of the entire ritual, completely recording the altar arrangement, ritual details and core links to ensure clear viewing.