All I wanted to know from the taxi driver was what the gourd represented and why he had one hanging from his rearview mirror. But, the cabby was reluctant to explain, so, when I arrived back home, I did a little research and discovered that gourds are Buddhist symbols of longevity and they're supposed to ward off evil spirits. They're are also a Daoist symbol associated with Li Tie-guay, one of the Eight Immortals, and represents the power to free his soul from his body. Apparently, being "out of your gourd" not only means you're out of your mind, it also means you're having an out of body experience.
Saturday, January 24, 2009
Out of your Gourd
All I wanted to know from the taxi driver was what the gourd represented and why he had one hanging from his rearview mirror. But, the cabby was reluctant to explain, so, when I arrived back home, I did a little research and discovered that gourds are Buddhist symbols of longevity and they're supposed to ward off evil spirits. They're are also a Daoist symbol associated with Li Tie-guay, one of the Eight Immortals, and represents the power to free his soul from his body. Apparently, being "out of your gourd" not only means you're out of your mind, it also means you're having an out of body experience.
