Don’t be surprised to see orange clad monks walking around town in the early morning looking like they are collecting food. It may look like begging to the untrained eye. But to the trained eye, it is a wonderful way to make merit. This is an offer you can’t refuse; the monks are actually coming to you, offering you the chance to do something good for yourself both physically and spiritually. Many locals do not pass up on this chance. You too may consider participating. How? Why? Let’s keep you informed.

The grand site of them all is in Laos’ cultural capital, Luang Prabang. That’s not to say it doesn’t happen anywhere else in Southeast Asia, it is just more colorful and elaborate at the UNESCO Heritage Town than anywhere else. That’s because hundreds of orange clad individuals will perform the ritual here, as to small pockets of monks scattered throughout the city collecting alms in a place like Bangkok, for example.

First, let’s get you up to speed with the ritual. The alms walk starts early in the morning. Early meaning before sunrise. That’s 5.30am folks. For many, this is the closest interaction they will have with monks and one of the best ways of showing generosity and religious merit in front of the public eye without sacrificing too much time and energy.

So, you want to do good, there is no better opportunity to do so than during an early morning alms ceremony.

But the question still comes to this: what is the meaning behind it? Part of it has to do with Buddha’s teachings. According to the religion’s philosophy, monks are forbidden to cook, store food or kill living animals, even if it is for consumption. All are direct violations of the 227 precepts Buddhist monks must strictly adhere to. However, monks are allowed cooked food, stored food and meat only if they are offered by someone else.

Monks also have restrictions on when to eat. All solid food must be consumed before noon. And why is that? The Buddha’s teachings also stresses health, and one aspect of our body we tend to overlook is bowel movement. The body will not spend too much energy on digestion later in the day, which is good for the monks who need it for meditation and other religious activities. Another reason is efficiency. The food’s energy is used and spread out during the day when a meal is eaten before noon, rather than stored (and wasted) for those who consume in the afternoon or during dinner only mere hours before sleep.

Don’t just think there are restrictions put onto the monks. There are also certain guidelines you must adhere to. First, the food offered must always have the intent of being offered during the alms ceremony. That’s right; your leftover dinner won’t cut it. Either buy something or cook it yourself. And make sure you are thinking about giving it to the monks. That’s important.  Secondly, out of respect, take off your shoes when offering your alms (because most likely the monks will be walking barefoot). Leave them to the side, kneel down and offer. In return, the monk will grant you a blessing. And make sure that the monk knows you are calling him in. A quiet gesture will do. That’s because monks can’t go and claim their alms; they can do so only if called upon.

If you are in Luang Prabang, it is a no brainer; you must certainly take part in the alms giving ceremony. By doing so you have made merit for yourself, helped out the monks, integrated yourself with the locals and witnessed a quite unique spectacle. For more on the country, visit our Laos tour page.

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