In Lao Theravāda Buddhism, ancestral spirits—known locally as khuan—occupy a space that gently overlaps with the teachings of the Buddha. Far from being tucked away in dusty corners of tradition, these spirits show up in everyday life, from the small spirit house beside a family’s doorway to the chants echoing through a village temple at dawn.

A few key ways Lao Buddhists engage with ancestral spirits:

• Baci (Sou Khwan) Ceremonies
– At the heart of many family milestones (births, weddings, homecomings), Baci ceremonies “tie the knot” between human and spirit realms. White cotton threads are gently knotted around wrists, symbolically calling ancestral khuan home to bless health and harmony.
– Even in bustling expat communities in California or France, these rituals remain a touchstone, blending nostalgia for the Mekong’s misty mornings with the comforts of far-flung living.

• Spirit Houses and Offerings
– A miniature stupa or wooden house often stands in a yard or at a shop’s entrance. Fresh flowers, sticky rice, and small bowls of water are arranged daily, as though setting a table for honored guests. Incense wafts upward, a fragrant invitation to ancestral visitors.
– During Lao New Year (Pimai), these offerings multiply, with sugarcane stalks and banana sweets placed in colorful baskets. It’s a festival of renewal—spirits and humans alike receive a tonic for the year ahead.

• Consultation and Harmony Maintenance
– When illness or misfortune strikes, families may seek guidance from a local spirit medium (mo phi) before visiting a Buddhist monk. The medium’s trance-like state is never dismissed as mere superstition but woven into a larger tapestry where karma, merit, and spirit favor all intersect.
– Community spirit gatherings—complete with traditional lamvong dances—remind everyone that ancestral khuan are never far from mind or heart.

This seamless dance between doctrine and animistic custom shows how Lao Buddhism remains a living tradition. As the Mekong flows on, so too does the belief that ancestral spirits, once called home, become guardians—quiet companions on life’s winding road.