Theory of Soul and Its Expression in Spiritual Life of the Thai People in Thanh-Nghe Western Area

Abstract

Theory of soul is a system of perception of humans of natural world. It took its shape from the ancient time and has rooted in sub-consciousness and has remained in spiritual life of ethnicities including the Thai people in Vietnam up to present. For the Thai people in the Thanh-Nghe Western area, expression of the theory of soul has been quite clear in their perception of world, soul, ancestors, etc. Together with those, it has been a system of rituals, rites and behaviors as well as acts of worship practiced and maintained by households and lineages together with invaluable support and contribution those who practice shamanism in communities. The system of traditional rituals and beliefs of the Thai people is an assembly of conception, psychology and sentiment of world expressing a deep relationship between humans and nature and society.