The Opium Poppy Demon and its Invocation

Her journal entries list, "Poppy Demon Invocation" for use in, "Chasing the Dragon."  This is described as a ritual and social practice of soaking a measured (weighed) ball of opium in absinthe, placing it an offering spoon, then pouring a small amount of absinthe in the spoon to,"sauté the ball of dope" before it would be smoked either in a pipe or by heating the spoon and inhaling the smoke through a pipe.  Although done socially at their in house lounge, they would also, "Chase the Dragon" in a religious invocation of "The Poppy Demon."

Using this shrine with these weights along with polished reflective surfaces, they would materialize apparitions of this demon during, "ceremonial use in calling the demon spirits into this world," claiming they were able to summon what they called it's, "Spirit Guides justifiably described as Poppy Demons."

 There are numerous journal entries concerning this and their use of opium and absinthe induced meditations, one of which reads; "androgynous energies well suited as in dream work, shielding one from dream attack and nightmares.  Used in communication they are as a conduit with their realms and are soothing to the eye and spirit."

She also makes numerous entries concerning these sessions attracting, "a good number of life energies and manifestations that will linger in the reflections."

Later entries urge caution in making eye contact with unknown apparitions and caution the use of this invocation by "the feint of heart and inexperienced."

We take her word for this.

 

Real or imagined, we certainly understand why she and her associates was as feared and respected as they were.

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Antique Burmese Weizza Mercury Bronze Rahu Opium Den Weight

According to her journals, she discontinued use of the shrine in the late 1940's, replacing it with two others for their use.  It was then relegated to grandmother's alcove, the exterior of which became storm damaged, most likely during Hurricane Andrew.  Although the shrine was damaged, we do not believe it was damaged by the storm.  The shrine and aforementioned thirty-four weights are some of the few pieces recovered from this area.

 There are numerous mentions in their journals and letters, cautioning the use and storage of these artifacts.  Apparently they have a habit of acting on their own and creating a creature akin to a Tokoloshe (a dwarf like water spirit).  Hence, no photos of them together with the shrine which has already been sold with one of the weights.

Her journals and inventory name this one an, "Antique Burmese Weizza Mercury Bronze Rahu Opium Den Weight."  Apparently the proprietor of the den was a Weizza, most likely in exile as they name him in numerous crimes, including murder.  They also name him as one of the maker's of some of these weights in his collection.  Once again we come to missing or damaged ledgers which told us more of these people and later interactions with them

Our own research revealed;

Weizza

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, for the most part...

A weizza or weikza is an immortal, supernatural wizarding mystic in Buddhism in Burma associated with esoteric and occult practices such as recitation of spells, samatha, mysticism and alchemy.  The goal of this practice is to achieve immortality and the state of the Weizza, who awaits the appearance of the future Buddha, Metteya.

Weikza practices are less common than merit-making practices or vipassana meditation.  During the socialist era from 1962 to 1988, Ne Win banned secret weizza associations, weizza magazines and literature, and portrayals of weizza from films and other media, considering them a threat to his regime.  Weizza have made a resurgence since 1988, particularly following the abolition of the national censorship board in 2012.  Burmese pagodas often house weizza shrines, where they are venerated for their spiritual purity and their devotion to those in need.  Weizza teachers have also amassed hundreds of thousands of followers using social media.

Etymology

The word weizza comes from the Pali word vijja, which means “knowledge” or “wisdom” and is distantly related to the English word "wizard."

Weizzas in the Historical Tradition

Famous Yogis and Wizards from Myanmar

Aside from epigraphs, there are no local Indic or vernacular compositions that have been securely dated to pre-Pagan Burma.  However, there are some later attributions of texts that were written during the first millennium.  One such example is the Kappala kara, a vijjadhara ("weikza") text said to have been written by the bhikkhu Uttamasiri during the first century CE.  The text survives in an 18th-century Pali-Burmese nissaya version (which attributes the text to Uttamasiri in its colophon) compiled by Taungdwin Sayadaw Ña abhidhammala kara.

In Myanmar, there are two classes of wizards; the sôns and the weizzas.  The former are considered a bane to society, while the latter spend their days helping the common folk and undoing the curses brought upon by the sôns.  The commonly known weizzas known today first appeared during the Konbaung dynasty, when Bo Bo Aung, a monk in Sagaing, discovered manuscripts revealing the secrets of weizza.  However, many recognized weizzas today come from before the Konbaung dynasty.  This was the last dynasty to rule Burma before colonial rule.  Before weizzas, there were the Zawgyi and Yawgi.  The Zawgyi were wizards who were written about in Burmese literature, while the Yawgi were Buddhist yogis who lead ascetic lives and wore brown robes.  They followed eight to ten precepts of Buddhism, whereas most laymen follow five.

Weizzas are divided into four major orders: The Pyada Weizza, who work with mercury, the Than Weizza, who work with iron, the Se Weizza, who specialize in medicine and the In Weizza, who specialize in yantra signs and squares.

Among these, the Than and In are considered the most powerful.  The Pyada Weizza, or Mercury Wizards, also study alchemy in order to produce gold and silver from more common metals.  The Than Weizzas are considered by their followers as masters of not only their subject, but also as medical advisers.

Purported Abilities

Among their powers, weizzas possess the ability to see past lives, see and hear things that are far away, read minds, teleport, dive into the earth, walk on water, and be in multiple places simultaneously.  Powerful practitioners of the weizzas’ way are purported to live for centuries, even choosing the time of their next reincarnation.  The In Weizza, who work with cabalistic squares, use one's birth date and time to create powerful charms and spells.  In The Burman, Sir J. George Scott described some squares and charms so powerful that they could set a house ablaze.  Others, engraved in stone and embedded in one's skin, would prevent drowning.  Merely scratching an in in a house or tree could cause lightning to strike it.

Weizza Grimoires

Two traditional manuscripts contain rudimentary guidelines on the practices of weizzas: the Bedin and the Deittôn.  The latter is a book on astrology and cabalistic science.  Containing just basic principles of the art of weizzas, the teachings in these texts are often surpassed by the weizza's own individual study and personal advancement.  However, these books were once complete, many having been burned by religious zealots in the time of the last Buddha. The remains were spared from the fire by Devadatta, the cousin of Shin Gautama.  Devadatta was always plotting against Shin Gautama, so he saved portions of the old science.  Thus, this style of learning is looked upon with suspicion by many religious folk.

Medical Remedies

Weizza prescriptions may be composed of chili powder, cloves, and ginger for fevers to earth-oil infused with seeds, bark, leaves, flowers, roots, and minerals.  Weizzas are specially adept with pills and powders, which are carried in bright red phials made of heavily scented bamboo.  These ingredients are gathered with attention to the phases of the moon and placement of the constellations.  Another potent ingredient in the weizza's cabinet is meteoric stones, which can be gathered within three days of lightning striking a piece of earth and are used as ophthalmic medicine.  Weizzas seldom use liquids in their practice of medicine.

Medical Philosophies

Two schools of thought exist in weizza medicine:

The datsayas, whose primary focus is on diets and the beindawsayas, who work with potent drugs

In both schools, the human body is divided into four elements (dats): earth (patawi dat), fire (tezaw dat), water (apaw dat), and air (wayaw dat). Some practitioners also include ether (akatha), though this element is disregarded by doctors.

Earth: the flesh, bones, hair, intestines, etc.

Fire: eating, drinking, chewing, and licking.

Water: the fat, blood, bile, spittle, mucus, etc.

Air: the six kinds of winds.

Modern Perception of Weizzas

Weizza following still exists in Myanmar, though the socialist government during the Ne Win era suppressed this ideology.  The former government forbade the publication of weizza materials and selling of weizza prints, which are popular in household altars. Even so, weizza followers abound.  There exist exclusive groups of weizza devotees called gaing.  These groups follow a set of tenets, are headed by a charismatic leader, and center their devotion on one or more weizza saints.

A list of Notable Weizzas

Bo Bo Aung

Bo Min Gaung

Kyaikhtisaung Sayadaw

Yatkansin Taung Sayadaw

Setkya Mintha

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Mercury Bronze

Many of those associated with this estate were no strangers to alloys containing mercury.  One regional alchemic alloy 

called Mekapat had been brought to the estate.  This is an ancient recipe for material used to make sacred objects.  It was made by alloying lead, LekLai, copper, cave minerals, herbs, mercury, silver, gold, etc. or any combination thereof.  It is said to be holy material that once hardened into its permanent shape begins a maturing process of supernatural power.  Already powerful at birth, it becomes stronger with age and these amulets are well known to protect one from bodily harm or mishaps.

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Rahu
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia 

Rahu is one of the nine major celestial bodies (navagraha) in Hindu texts and the king of meteors.  It represents the ascension of the Moon in its processional orbit around the Earth, also referred to as the north lunar node, and along with Ketu, is a "shadow planet" that causes eclipses.  Despite having no physical existence, Rahu has been allocated the status of the planet by ancient seers owing to its strong influence in astrology.

Rahu is usually paired with Ketu, another shadow planet.  The time of day considered to be under the influence of Rahu is called Rahu kala and is considered inauspicious.

As per Hindu astrology, Rahu and Ketu have an orbital cycle of 18 years and are always 180 degrees from each other orbitally (as well as in the birth charts).  This coincides with the processional orbit of the Moon or the ~18 year rotational cycle of the lunar ascending and descending nodes on the Earth's ecliptic plane.  This also corresponds to a saros, a period of approximately 223 synodic months (approximately 6585.3211 days, or 18 years, 11 days, 8 hours), that can be used to predict eclipses of the Sun and Moon.  Rahu rules the zodiac sign of Aquarius together with Shani (traditional ruling planet).

Astronomically, Rahu and Ketu denote the points of intersection of the paths of the Sun and the Moon as they move on the celestial sphere.  Therefore, Rahu and Ketu are respectively called the north and the south lunar nodes.  Eclipses occur when the Sun and the Moon are at one of these points, giving rise to the understanding of swallowing of the Sun and the Moon by the snake. Rahu is responsible for causing the solar eclipse.

Legends

Samudra Manthana
 
Rahu is mentioned in the Puranic texts.  The tales begin in the "remotest periods of the earliest of time, when the devas and asuras churned the ocean of milk to extract from it the amrita, the elixir of immortality."  Mohini, the female avatar of Vishnu, started distributing amrita to the devas.  However, one of the asuras, Svarbhanu, sat in the row of devas and drank the amrita. Surya and Chandra noticed him and they informed Mohini; however, by that time, Svarbhanu had already become immortal.  Vishnu, as Mohini, cut off Svarbhanu's head with his discus, the Sudarshana Chakra. Svarbhanu, henceforth referred to as Rahu and Ketu, could not die, but his head was separated from his body; his head came to be known as Rahu, while his body came to be known as Ketu.  Following this event, Rahu and Ketu gained the status of planets, and could influence the lives of humans on Earth.  Rahu and Ketu became bitter enemies with Surya (Sun) and Chandra (Moon) for exposing his deception and leading to his decapitation.  For this, Rahu pursues them and attempts to consume the Sun and Moon.  Since Rahu is the head without the body, the Sun and Moon exit from his throat when he tries to swallow them.  This recurring cycle creates the grahana, an eclipse of the Sun and the Moon, which represents the temporary revenge of Rahu.

Solar Eclipse and Atri's Sons

The Rig Veda mentions that during an solar eclipse, the sons of Atri were conflicted and succeeded to free Surya.

Jalandhara

Following his ascent to power, the asura Jalandhara was advised by the great sage Narada to seek out a consort.  Narada hinted that the beautiful Parvati, consort of Shiva, would be an excellent choice.  Infatuated with her beauty and impaired in his judgment, Jalandhara summoned his emissary Rahu, and sent him to the mountain Kailasa, to demand that Shiva give up his wife to Jalandhara.  Rahu delivered the message informing Shiva that being a humble yogi who lived in the cremation grounds and the jungle as a naked ascetic, he was unworthy of the fairest goddess.  He added that since Jalandhara was the powerful new lord of the heavens, the underworld, and the Earth, he was more worthy of her.  Upon hearing these insults, Shiva produced a thunderous sound and a great lion-like monster from his brow named Kirtimukha.  The monster chased and seized Rahu with the intention of devouring him.  Rahu pleaded with Shiva for his life and retracted his claims, instead praising Shiva and seeking protection and refuge with him.  In response, Shiva called off Kirtimukha’s attack and set Rahu free to relay these events back to Jalandhara.

Hanuman

When Hanuman was an infant, he was once left unattended by his earthly mother and father.  He became hungry, and when the Sun rose, he believed it to be a ripe fruit.  So, Hanuman leapt up towards the Sun with extreme speed.  Vayu, the wind god and his celestial father, blew cold wind on him to protect him from the burning Sun.  Coincidentally, Rahu was meant to swallow the Sun and eclipse it that day.  As Rahu approached the Sun, he saw Hanuman about to eat it.  Hanuman saw Rahu and thought Rahu to be a fruit as well, so he attempted to eat him too.  Rahu fled to the court of the king of the devas, Indra, and complained that while he was meant to satisfy his hunger with the Sun, there was now a bigger Rahu who tried to consume the Sun and himself.  Indra set out on Airavata, his divine elephant, to investigate alongside Rahu, who retreated once more when he saw how enormous Hanuman had grown.  Hanuman was playing with the Sun's chariot and reached for Rahu again.  As Rahu cried out to Indra for help, Hanuman saw the Airavata and mistook it for yet another fruit.  When he approached in his giant form, Indra struck his left jaw with a thunderbolt and injured him.  Hanuman began falling back towards the Earth when he was caught by Vayu.  Furious over his son's injury, Vayu withdrew all the air from the universe until all the devas, the asuras, and men began to suffer and suffocate.  They appealed to Brahma, who revealed the cause of their distress and accompanied them to the wind god in order to appease him.  Brahma revived Hanuman, and the other deities took turns bestowing different blessings, boons, and powers upon him.

Reincarnation During Mahabharata

During the events of Mahabharata, Rahu himself took incarnation as a king, Kratha.

Astrology

Since Rahu and Ketu are two opposite lunar nodes, they always appear in diametrically opposite houses in horoscopes.  Both nodes are always in retrograde motion.

In Hindu astrology, Rahu represents materialism, mischief, fear, dissatisfaction, obsession and confusion.  Rahu is also associated with science and occultism.  Like Ketu, Rahu is also an enemy against the Sun and Moon.  It is generally considered as a malefic planet in astrology.

Jyotisha is Hindu astrology, which entails the concepts of Nakshatra (see also List of Natchathara temples), Navagraha (see also List of Navagraha temples), and Saptarishi (included in the list of Hindu deities whose dedicated temples are found at various Hindu pilgrimage sites to which Hindus take yatra).

Buddhist Culture

Rahu is mentioned explicitly in a pair of scriptures from the Samyutta Nikaya of the Pali Canon.  In the Candima Sutta and the Suriya Sutta,  Rahu attacks Surya, the Sun deity and Chandra, the Moon deity before being compelled to release them by their recitation of a brief stanza conveying their reverence for the Buddha.  The Buddha responds by enjoining Rahu to release them, which Rahu does rather than have his "head split into seven pieces."  The verses recited by the two celestial deities and the Buddha have since been incorporated into Buddhist liturgy as protective verses recited by monks as prayers of protection.

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We might add, that our own research and studies have revealed The Immaculate Crystal Garland (Wylie: dri med zhal phreng) describes the origin of amrita in a version of the samudra manthan legend retold in Buddhist terms.  In this Vajrayana version, the monster Rahu steals the amrita and is blasted by Vajrapani's thunderbolt.  As Rahu has already drunk the amrita he cannot die, but his blood, dripping onto the surface of this earth, causes all kinds of medicinal plants to grow.  At the behest of all the Buddhas, Vajrapani reassembles Rahu who eventually becomes a protector of Buddhism according to the Nyingma school of Tibetan Buddhism.

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We believe these weights were made by three associated Weizza, one of which was the opium den owner in San Francisco exile.   They were used to weigh precious metals, opium and other ingredients they used in their practices which included spell casting and invocations.

This is a rare depiction in the form of an opium weight.  He measures approximately 1 5/8" x 1 1/8" x 13/16" and weighs 3.73 oz., (104.4 grams).

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We only unwrapped these items for this photo session and no one has attempted to use them.  It is certainly an unusual antique Asian artifacts with an extraordinary provenance, that is much nicer then the photographs have been able to depict.

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