There are many legends about Lersi. "Lersi" is also known as Ruesi and is closely related to Rishi of India, and the names are interchangeable. A Lersi Master is a hermit sage that follows the natural law, lives in the forest, mountains, or caves, and lives with special powers, practicing meditative skills and mental development, a simple but magical life close to nature. Many Lersi Masters wear a tiger skin or reddish-brown robe, traditionally represented as an older man of advanced age with long hair in a top knot and a long beard.
They are usually depicted as aged and bent men, carrying walking sticks and wearing traditional mala beads. In Thailand, the most common types of Lersi depicted in statues and amulets are with the head of a tiger and cow or as an aged man with a distinctive hat. Lersi represents the mysterious, secretive hermit who lives solitary in the forest, mountains, or caves. He can see the realms that ordinary human beings cannot perceive, such as the past, the present, and the future, and he has special abilities attributed to his mastery of natural lore.
For historical context, a Lersi reputedly visited the parents of the Buddha when he was born, and the Buddha himself sought a Lersi for advice on his path to enlightenment. When the Buddha was on his ascetic path to enlightenment, Lersi taught him how to meditate and taught him Buddhist practices. The Lersi will traditionally spend their time meditating to develop their psychic powers. The amulet of Lersi was created with holy metal from various sources and magical herbs, minerals, and other sacred substances.
This material is used to make love charms and protective amulets. Lersi Master wishes to help devotees to be happier in life. He will do this with them by performing rituals, casting spells to reduce lousy karma, chasing away evil influences and spirits, offering protection from enemies, or even increasing one's luck and wealth within a period. The Animal Headed Lersi arose from devoted Lersi who, through high levels of Samadhi, could change their head into any animal of their choice.
The legend is that the Lersi, with this ability, were trying to impress each other by transforming in turn until tricked into staying in that form. The most common of these types in Thailand is the Tiger face, followed by the deer, the bull, the monkey, etc. The metal that contains gold, silver, and copper is often used in the finest amulets and statues.
