Soul-Calling: The Seed Ceremony Chai Thao Each family member chooses a colored seed to represent their soul. Dad hits the gong to encourage the seeds into the hole in the middle of the drum. This hole represents our home. If a seed doesn't return home, that person's soul has gone away. A lost soul makes a person sick. Everybody's seed has returned home - except for Dad's. After 30 minutes, Dad's seed finally returns home. Since it took so long for his seed to return home, Dad worries he will get sick. He goes in shamanic trance, to make direct contact with the spirits. Dad believes the rattles are like fighting weapons. The rattles ring first, and then spirits know you are coming. For two hours, Dad travels through the spirit world looking for his lost soul. When he finds his soul, he must wrestle for it with the God of Death. Hmong believe that if a shaman falls while in a trance, he will die. Paja Thao (subtitled) Go away evil spirits. Right now!