Holiday Wishes

Magic of the snow

The most fascinating sight in winter over a winter night with snow is the vision of the aurora lights. These lights are IMHO the Rainbows of Night Time. They appear to dance, wave and ripple in a variety of colours, like a sheet of multi coloured silk. It looks like a curtain of colours. They spread across the skies near the furthest north near the Arctic. And you can look at them in the furthest south too, near Antarctica.

Wolves have been witnessed to howl during the appearance of these aurora lights. They howl musically to the aurora.

The aurora borealis are a beautiful sight to see. You have to venture to places like Norway and Alaska to see them. They have been known to appear elsewhere if there is a particular event in space, i.e. a major solar flare. These lights can and have been seen over the United Kingdom. They are not always visible from the UK but check out the links below for aurora and space weather predictions and forecasting.   

More details (with nice pictures) on the Aurora:
Aurora info - Wiki

Forecasting the Aurora lights:
Aurora Watch UK
Space Weather
Net Weather UK Weather Forecast

Secrets of Winter

When you think of the winter solstice, whether or not you call it something else like Yule, Jul, midwinter, christmas time, ect you mainly imagine Santa Claus. The image of Santa, a fatherly symbol, has been ingrained into our psyches for so many long generations. There is a powerful message and a reason for this, because that is part of the magic we make. This topic isn't about Santa Claus, or really about the traditions of the midwinter itself. This post is about some of the most obscure patterns of winter folklore and myth that goes unnoticed. There are girls who symbolise the winter solstice, who are what makes this time just as wonderful as the idea of Santa and his reindeer. In any particular lore and myth about midwinter, it's full of mythical and significant female characters and goddesses.

Midwinter is a celebration of the sun. The sun is, in many cultures around the world, regarded as a female force and recognised for Her light in Midwinter. The sun is a goddess, and this Lady of the Sky, or Lady of Light, is much cherished by people who respect Her for the warmth and creating fertility of the landscape. She is looked upon as a powerful queen and mother figure in ancient cultures. For instance, the Northern Germanics called Her by the name Sunna. In Finland, She is named Beiwe who rides in a chariot with her daughter and the chariot is pulled by reindeer! The Japanese know this important sun goddess and call Her Amaterasu. This powerful goddess appears in most Midwinter festivals and stories.

Besides the sun goddess are other important roles of girls and women during Yule/Midwinter. The Anglo Saxons had "Mothers Night" in December. In ancient Greece, particularly with the Aegeans, this important time was regarded as the Festival of Wild Women or Lenaia. In Sweden, maidens are selected to play Saint Lucia by wearing crowns and giving gifts. The Moari of New Zealand noted the midwinter soltice as a journey involving the "winter bride" Takurua of the stars. For the Germans, there is a gentler goddess of light called Hertha who creates a feast and guides people to warmth and the home. The Russians have Rozhnitsa, the maternal goddess of fertility and mother of winter. The story of the birth of Jesus at Christmas has his mother Mary or Madonna as the significant character in the story.

When people decourate their homes what they are doing is ancient and in harmony with the cosmic energies. The fairies and angels on top of the tree are girls! Always in winter celebrations, angel dolls look like girls in pretty outfits. Using these dolls are subconsious. It is very similar to ancient ancestors decourating the home and the trees, to symbolise the spirit world and possibly the galaxy as well. Fairies and angels appear mostly during modern winter celebrations but these come in the forms of females. This might be another subconsious link to celebrating the sun goddess and female spirits. (Oh and yes the elves of Santa's winter wonderland are often portrayed as boys though).

In fairy tales, the mother of winter, sun goddess, winter sun goddess, winter goddess appears as the mysterious and cold "Snow Queen". What is also really potent about that tale is how a girl travels the world on a reindeer (more miwinter themes), going on a heroic voyage in search of her missing boyfriend, who disappeared. Now at the beginning of the story, the boy was infected by glass from a broken magical mirror. This is when the Snow Queen took him on her sleigh. She kept the boy in a frozen ice castle and wouldn't let him go until he fulfilled a puzzle. Then he was rescued by the girlfriend, who found him there, and the spell was broken. This is very much like ancient myths to do with the winter sun (goddess) and the heroine (daughter of the sun) who saves the boy (reclaiming warmth). It's like a story of the earth in relation to the sun during the darkest time of year. The boy, obviously a symbol of man, or men, captured and barren by the frosty queen. The queen is the power here but in Winter she's wanting to catch a male, but in retrospect, the winter sun celebrations and girls bringing back fertility to the land gain with a new sun. In the Norse world, Sunna the queen sun goddess has a daughter. The "Snow Queen" features many seasonal characteristics and shapes that are identical to the myths and science of nature.

Another striking winter feature are the Northern Lights, or the Aurora Borealis, which the Valkyries have also been viewed as. The Valkyries are beautiful maidens who ride across the sky on horseback.

Ancient Winter Solstice stories of reindeer and flying chariots sweep over the chilled starry skies. The visions I've had since my teens of the Winter Solstice for me has been the white stag. During meditation and dreams I get, at winter and December, visions of the white stag come. I wonder if it's to do with the antlers and the meanings behind that?

Now also interesting in what I was talking about, the reindeer of the soltice myths and even those who belonged to Santa were all females!!! Check out info on female reindeer and antlers here. The Celtic goddess Elen is a reindeer goddess and a horned goddess. The symbol of antlers, deer, stag, elk, ect is often associated with astral travel. They reappear in the midwinter psyche when it comes to remembering those stories from childhood. This is what is so cool about it. Winter has a vast female influence as well as horns, antlers, the sun, pathways and even stars.

Source and reading:

Stag - Deer and meanings
Winter Solstice - Wikipedia

The above picture is "Lady of Lights" from Briar.

Turquoise - Wolf of December

The birthstone of December is the TURQUOISE. It's considered lucky to wear a turquoise gemstone if you were born in this month.


For those who were born in the month of December the Turquoise is the traditional birthstone. The December birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Turquoise is associated - prosperity, success, happiness and good fortune. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the December Birthstone Turquoise are open communication, protection against all diseases, regeneration, and strengthening. The healing properties of the December birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the throat, lungs, asthma, teeth, depression. and infection. The Turquoise is also used to enhance creativity, serenity and spiritual bonding.
This is from "Birthstones" and check them out. Link.

December is the time of Winter, when snow begins to fall, or should begin to fall. It's considered one of the darkest months of the year. Not the coldest btw but certainly the nights grow very long. People recognise that it's the Midwinter season and it's celebrated as the winter solstice period, called Yule (named after a rite associated with the yule log branch) and has many names. People link the symbol of rebirth with the winter solstice. Pagan solar gods and goddesses were born around the Midwinter festival, and religious cermonies placed certain days on that. The birth of Jesus was on 25th December and Yule became better knowned as Christmas.

It isn't just within the northern hemisphere, particularly Europe with it's chillier climate that was affected so much by the dark period. The idea of the midwinter celebration is more astronomical than seasonal. Some cultures from warmer climates understood the winter solstice. Then it shows us how important the stars meant for the ancient peoples. Modern celebrations of Yule and midwinter is an echo of ancestral wisdom of the cosmos. In December, we all turn into a collective of Yule-mad people but don't know what it means or where it comes from...

The concept of buying presents, decourating trees, telling our children about Santa, all comes from one thing. It isn't because we were told that but because we feel it. As a species, we know that we're a part of the divine life force of nature. The decourative features we put out this time of year represent the stars in the sky. The presents that we get is a spiritual wave of giving gifts, extending our inner love, even if we don't really see much of that person! Or to not do that anyway but treat the consumerism as something to avoid. That comes from a need to be part of our community, intuitively, such as rekindling the memory and folk memory we have of the past. The significance of Santa is interesting, for he is like a god of modern creation with roots as a pagan divinity. For example, the image of Santa on a sleigh riding through the air, pulled by a team of reindeer, is from the legends of the All Father god Odin, riding over the landscape in a sleigh pulled by flying horses. He even throws gifts down to the people on Midgard! Then Santa is actually a symbol of this great, unseen, fatherly divine power. So in a sense, yes he does exist!

How apt for the December gemstone being a turquoise: "In many cultures of the Old and New Worlds, this gemstone has been esteemed for thousands of years as a holy stone, a bringer of good fortune or a talisman." Source.

The "Turquoise Wolf" is the special December person who was born this month. Whether is is those born under Sagittarius (23 November - 21 December) or Capricorn (22 December - 19 January), you may have the following traits:

December born Sagittarius people are loving but beastly.

December born Capricorn people are clever but tricky.

These are just my own observations of people I knew born under these starsigns. Also it's combined with reading materials. This is not an assumption on each individual.

Links:

Birthstones
Winter Solstice
Yule
Turquoise

Magic fairy dust and dirt

The image that we have of Fairytales is built over time. All looks so enchanting and magical. It looks beautiful. We aspire to live some of that, or some of us have done. Girls would like to step into the shoes of Cinderella, Snow White, Rapunzel, Jasmine, Aurora, Belle, Ariel and Tiana. When you think of fairytales, either you recollect the stories read to you from childhood, looking at the various illustrations. Or you think of Disney's retelling of classic fairytales and historical romances. Apart from the latter (the animated adaptions based on history), the fairytales are often set in dreamlike worlds that parallel Medieval and Renaissance eras. So if we were to be realistic, and true to the fairytales, regardless of the fact they couldn't have happened, what would the real princesses and princes and places have been like? What would the real Cinderella have looked like? This isn't going to be a boggy scholarly approach but a viewpoint. Here is an idea.

I meditated and went back in time to the Middle Ages. What I visualised gave me some basis on what the fairytale worlds might've been like. I will point out the fairy tales and its glamour, then add the harshness of it's own that was never told about! It also makes clear the difference between how we regard beauty and how people from long ago saw beauty. Here goes:

In the fairy tales, the stories began in glistening castles with pretty gardens but just around the corner were swinging corpses and heads on spikes.

Princesses were externally beautiful and kind, but they smelled, had yellow teeth and were malnourished.

Rapunzel, the princess in a tower with flowing long hair that was also matted and washed in filthy water.

Sleeping Beauty (also called Briar Rose) was a delicate and frail princess who slept for one hundred years but she was perhaps a version of a Valkyrie who appeared to the war dead. The Sleeping Beauty is also a story that echoes the bubonic plague. When she fell asleep, the entire kingdom fell asleep or was it that they were all succumbed by death? It reminds me of this nursery rhyme:

"Ring a ring a roses
A pocket full of posies
A-tishoo! A-tishoo! We all fall down."

The rhyme comes from the plague era.

Snow-White was a delicate and innocent princess, with lips as red as blood, skin as white as snow, hair as black as ebony wood. However, she was also diseased and possibly caught the plague.

The handsome princes came to wake up the Brair Rose and Snow White from death (necromancy?). Yet these princes both had months growth of beards, bad breath and scars too.

When the princesses were saved and married to the princes at the "happily ever after" weddings, at court in the banquet halls, dogs pooed, kids screamed and were sick, people got drunk and urinated, some fell asleep and others got too naughty.

When Goldilocks encountered the three bears, she ran away because she'd stumbled into a dwelling of fierce Berserkers!

Jack climbed the beanstalk and stole the giant's gold. However, Jack was tried for theft and robbery then executed later on. The judge boomed the hearing in court, but what we have is "...I smell the blood..."

With pretty scenes of castles, magic kingdoms, ideal villages, dwarves, giants, fairies, princesses, unicorns, there are even darker secrets.

The unicorn mystery is based upon death, possession or ownership/claiming (raping) and sacrifice. Fairies have an even richer origin as they are considered to be echoes of the old gods and nature spirits. The fairies of Sleeping Beauty who grant wishes are possibly about the Norns. The same might be said about the Fairy Godmother in Cinderella too. Also the Berserkers, werewolves, trolls, demonic entities, witches, sorcerers and cannibalism filled these stories. This wasn't so much intended to be stories for children at bedtime. Now the dwarves are perhaps symbolic of two things: Peasants (with minimal freedom) and benign paranormal spirits. However, not all dwarves are friendly. In the tale "Snow White and Rose Red", the two sisters meet an unfriendly dwarf but were rescued by a berserker warrior. In "Rumpelstiltskin", the dwarf was a menace here. Were these magical dark dwarves perhaps dark elves, goblins and imps? Giants are perhaps a symbol of something magnified that whatever frightened people.      

History is full of plagues, warfare, pillaging, excecutions, famine, poverty. Out of that emerged fairytales, which the Brothers Grimm, Anderson, Disney and others have all sanitised and sugar coated. So now we have this civilised version of a pretty, healthy, colourful, gleaming dreamy fairytale stories, which were immunised from it's occult origins.    

The picture above is "Once was innocent" by Selina Fenech.

Out of synch

This is a post expressing my random thoughts such as this. I think there could be a more sinister reason behind changing GMT to lighter evenings.The British government have sort of considered the idea of changing GMT time. This is to make evenings lighter, and for whatever reason. It would be moved two hours ahead to make SDST (single/double summertime). At the moment we've got GMT (Greenwich Meantime) from March to October. In March the clocks are moved forward one hour and then in October, clocks are set back one hour. The recent plan is to make it different by having the clocks in March set two hours ahead. For more on this go to:

Lighter Later

Some argue that this would make mornings dark. Also this has happened before. It was done during World War Two to prevent bombings from air raids. In the Seventies, this was brief and turned into a disaster because of road accidents.

Well personally I'm not interested in supporting this campaign. One reason is that, as a mother, I'm going to find it difficult at bedtime. Children won't go to bed easily in Summer when the evenings are bright and sunny. Winter's are very dark, moonlit and it's clearly no problem then. So for a child who refuses to go to bed, thinking that the sunlight means it's daytime, will just not want to go to sleep. Imagine if there's to be extra hours of sunshine at night in Summer then, the kids will never go to bed. This will cause stress in the home. Secondly the mornings would be a lot darker and that wouldn't feel nice during the school runs.

Now it's obvious that people are interested in this for personal reasons, not thinking of anyone else. The whole idea has been considered before, done also and failed, then reconsidered. It's to keep in line with the rest of Europe, as mainland Europe is one hour ahead of the UK and Ireland. So if we're set at SDST in the UK, the Republic of Ireland will be at the GMT. Cross the border from Northern Ireland to Eire and you'll be one hour different!

I also have a theory too about why the SDST idea has come about recently. Being two hours different would also change the way people will be used to observing the sunrise and sunset. If the earth tilts on its axis, a sudden polar shift, the first thing you would notice would be the way in which the sun moves. It would appear on the horizon each morning at a much earlier time. Some say that we already have tilted and another about tilted axis site but it's gradual (and people have seen the sunrise earlier). Observed in other countries, such as Greenland. Well whatever it is, IF that is the reason, no one in the UK would now see the unusual behaviour of the sun. The SDST change will simply blindfold British people into looking too hard at the sky to keep us in the dark, for a while. We have experienced very cold Arctic like Winters, and this is how the UK looked last year in Winter:
Satellite image of snow covered UK.

Of that note, the pole shift may cause the UK and Ireland to move northwards, possibly turning towards the North Pole! There will also be other countries that would turn upwards, and others will move south. Having the hours moved to SDST is perhaps their way of stopping any panic.    

This is just my opinion. I could be wrong and hope that it isn't this at all but one wonders the actual motive behind anything.   

Links on the earth's tilt:

Greatdreams Pole Shift
British Geological Survey Magnetic Flip

Topaz - Wolf of November

The birthstone of November is the TOPAZ. It's considered lucky to wear a topaz gemstone if you were born in this month.

For those who were born in the month of November the Topaz is the traditional birthstone. The November birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Topaz is associated - constancy, loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the November Birthstone Topaz are strength, releasing tension and balancing emotions. The healing properties of the November birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to  sanity, asthma, gout, blood disorders, tuberculosis and insomnia. The Topaz is also used to enhance spiritual rejuvenation and feelings of happiness.

The month of November is a shift between Autumn and Winter. The fading leaves become crisp and cold. Mist and frost arrive, sometimes snow. The fallen leaves turn red and brown and yellow, finishing their time on trees and bushes. The bonfires are lit to burn those fallen leaves. It's a time to chop wood for the coming winter, and clear away gardens and streets of foliage. Avoid the bright berries on the hedges and branches (they're poisonous). Only be very sure and get help if you don't know what exatly is edible or not. This is when Guy Fawkes is celebrated in the UK with fireworks and bonfires - an echo of a pre-Christian fire ritual with burning effigies. Some Halloween themed holidays overlap in the beginning of November, such as Day of the Dead. Also the Remembrance Day (Poppy Day) celebrations coincide with other ancient rites of honouring the dead, war dead, fallen heroes and hailing to long gone ancestors.

The "Topaz Wolf" is the special November person who was born this month in November. Whether is is those born under Scorpio (23 October - 22 November) and Sagittarius (23 November - 21 December).

November born Scorpio people are sparkly but haughty.

November born Sagittarius people are homely but angry.

These are just my own observations of people I knew born under these starsigns. Also it's combined with reading materials. This is not an assumption on each individual.

Links:

Birthstones
November

A personal message

Fairy Rings

Last Friday, I was journeying to school and decided to quickly visit the library on the way. As I walked over some grass, I noticed that I'd gone straight through the centre of a Fairy Ring. It was a perfectly formed ring of mushrooms.

(This is also scientifically called "Marasmius oreades" when fungus developes under the wet soil and the ground needs nurtients. For more info, click on Fairy Rings at the Mushroom Expert site.)

In folklore, these fairy rings are said to contain magical powers. They were created by fairies, pixies, elves or witches. It was caused by fairies and pixies dancing over the ground, forming a ring of mushrooms. In Scandinavia, the elves were responsible. In Germany, witches made spells on the earth to cause the rings. As I have done walked into a circle of mushrooms, "Others tell tales of these rings transporting people who mistakenly walk into their circle, taking them to far off places or strange lands." Page source. However, some said that it was "bad luck" to enter a fairy ring!

Entering a fairy ring, according to European folklore was extremely bad luck. They were guarded by huge toads that would curse anyone who entered the circle. Other superstitions were that, if one entered a fairy ring, soon they would lose one of their eyes. Other stories warned young girls against touching the dew inside a fairy ring; if it got on your skin, it would develop into skin problems. Almost all European folklore has a warning against entering a fairy ring because the fairies could kidnap you as soon as you stepped into one. Or the fairies might wait until you were in bed asleep, and slip a changeling into your place. Many tales also tell of people who have stepped inside fairy rings and were never seen again, or of others, who have gone inside one only to be driven insane by the music of the elves that they could hear once inside. Several other legends say that stepping into a fairy ring would allow one to see fairies and elves, but would also make the person prone to their deceptive illusions as well. (Author - FairyLore)

Strange. On the day that I entered the ring of mushrooms, my friend had to finish work early for a failed eye and needed to see a doctor. At the weekend I also discovered some pretty unpleasant things had been happening in the past. I also fell out with people and almost got bitten by a dog! Is any of this true or am I reading too much into the folklore myths?

There is more folklore about Fairy Rings here:

Fairy Rings: Nature's Magical Mushroom Circles from Environmental Graffiti.

Fairy Ring - Wikipedia

Poisonous berries and things

(Sorry but this might be a case of Lycanthropy, given that I was affected by the full moon last night in a bad way. I kept falling out with other people over subjects on food!)

It's that time of year also when we move closer to the darker season. The days shorten. It feels colder and it's getting colder and colder. There are also many colours in the gloom that look pretty in the woodlands, forests and gardens. However, some is totally poisonous and must be avoided.

Now here is a few of those Autumn plants and fruits that should not be eaten.

Wild mushrooms = Some look edible, and some look juicy and rich. However DON'T eat them! Please do not eat them even if you feel tempted by looking at them. Carefully, using gloves, pick off and chuck away any wild mushroom that you find growing in your garden or wherever children are playing (playgrounds, parks, lanes, walkways and even the yard). Once you pick these wild mushrooms, get rid of them so these are out of anyone's reach.

Roses and fallen stff from trees = Prune the rose bushes otherwise it would give off a dirty look and make the sourrounding soil a bit nasty. Clear away fallen leaves, berries, sticks and other foliage from trees that land around your house for some of these could be, or would get, quite toxic.

Wild berries = Some are unedible and quite toxic even though some are used in herbal remedies, medicines, food conserves and ingrediants. Yet there are those berries which cannot and shouldn't be eaten raw. Now here is a list of these colourful and pretty poisonous wild berries:

1. (Hawthorn) These tiny red berries are used in making wine and jam but they're not pleasant to eat raw. Some of them have a bitter taste and others may cause pain. Not to be eaten, and those with a heart disorder should not really consider touching them as raw berries.

2. (Honeysuckle) Avoid eating the seeds of these red berries.

3. (Yew berries) These berries are lethal and highly poisonous. 

4. (Black Bryony) These pretty clusters of bright red berries are extremely poisonous and should not be consumed at all.

5. (Bittersweet) Grown in groups of oval shaped berries, these are also called "Woody Nightshade" and they are really poisonous.

6. (Spindle) The Autumn grows such cute pink berries that are really very poisonous and deadly.

7. (Holly) The luscious looking rubylike berries with the prickly leaves are poisonous and must not be eaten.

8. (Butcher's Broom) Red berries grown among a stabbing prickly plant mustn't be eaten. These are poisonous to humans.

9. (Ivy) A bunch of small black berries are very bad and must not be eaten by anyone.

10. (Tutsan) Part of the St John's Wort family genus, these berries are used in medicines but they're not edible and mustn't be eaten.

11. (Lilly Of The Valley) Red berries grown from this plant are very poisonous.

12. (Black Nightshade) This changes from green and black, and they shouldn't be consumed.

13. (Deadly Nightshade) Extremely toxic black berries.

14. (Dogwood) These black berries are unpleasant tasting and it's advisable not to eat them.

15. (Herb Paris) Poisonous black berries.

Thanks to the helpful information out there. There is more to be found here:
Safe Gardening
Berries - Food School
Wiki list of poisonous plants


Also Potatoes "also produce berries after flowering.These berries contain a very deadly alkaloid poison and have been in the past responsible for a number of fatalities.The berries appear after flowering in clusters on a short stalk. Each cluster contains an average of six berries.Small, shiny, and green, the berries have a five lobed calyx and are topped by a short stalk." Source.

In my garden there is a sprig of orange berries that fell from a climbing tree next door. These orange berries might be Rowan. I still make sure that no one eats them because they're wild and raw, containing toxins (regardless of the fact these berries are used in food and medicine). I pass a lot of brightly coloured berries and they look like sweets... be warned.

Books on this subject : "Poisonous Plants in Great Britain" by Fred Gillam. "Poisonous Plants: A Guide for Parents and Childcare Providers" by Elizabeth A. Dauncey. "Wicked Plants" by Amy Stewart.   

Opal - Wolf of October

The birthstone of October is an OPAL. It's considered lucky to wear an opal if you were born in this month.

For those who were born in the month of October the Opal is the traditional birthstone. The October birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Opal is associated -  hope, innocence and purity. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the October Birthstone Opal are happiness, faithfulness, loyalty and confidence. The healing properties of the October birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the eyes and eye infections. The Opal is also used to enhance visualization, imagination, dreams and healing.

For more about the birthstone.

And  "Combined with modern techniques of polishing, doublet opal produces similar effect of black or boulder opals at a mere fraction of the price. Doublet opal also has the added benefit of having genuine opal as the top visible and touchable layer, unlike triplet opals."

"In the Middle Ages, opal was considered a stone that could provide great luck because it was believed to possess all the virtues of each gemstone whose color was represented in the color spectrum of the opal. It was also said to confer the power of invisibility if wrapped in a fresh bay leaf and held in the hand."

Opal information

The Opal is a gift also.

Opal Gemstone

Opal Healing and Magic -
"Opal talisman boosts foresight. According to some legends Opal's wearer can telepathically influence other people - if not for his own profit."

You can also find other October birthstones - "here"

October is a very interesting time, when the gates of this world are open to spirit realms and other dimensions, as they say. The threshold of the spirit realm comes down and this is a time when people are more sensitive to magic and visualising entities or experiencing supernatural forces. I'm going by the general view here. I personally think this isn't the only time of year but during the Autumn season, October is filled with celebration and feasting of the dead, in honour of ancestors, in recognition of the psyche and psychic abilities. Halloween comes by the end of the month, when the season is nearing the darker period of the year and Winter gets closer. Halloween is followed by other rites and rituals of the dead (not to mention the dressing up!)


The "Opal Wolf" is the special October birthday person of the month of October, whether is is those born under Libra (23 September- 22 October) and Scorpio ( 23 October - 21 November).

October born Libra people are balanced but scatty.
October born Scorpio people are loyal but frosty.

(These are just my own observations of people I knew born under these starsigns. Also it's combined with reading materials. This is not an assumption on each individual.)

A Fall in Autumn

The time of Winter Finding, the autumnal equinox and harvest festivals, celebrated now. It's also here that the celebrations and rituals of Fall (another name for Autumn) comes at a time during the estimated crash from UARS.

The UARS is a dead satellite that has been tracked across the skies. It's expected to fall somewhere on Earth today (23rd September 2011), but NASA say they don't know where the UARS is going to land. Much of it has already broken up in the atmosphere but there is still a concern. So if you happen to be outside celebrating Fall / Autumn please watch out!

Some satellite tracking sites are unavailable. This may be because of intensity of traffic? Well I managed to locate some other tracker site called "Heavens Above" and you can go and see where UARS is now:

To locate where UARS is
(I refresh the page every so often as the falling satellite keeps moving, spiralling downwards.)

For more information on UARS:
Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite - Wiki
UARS main page

Sapphire - Wolf of September

The birthstone of September is a "Sapphire" and it's considered lucky to wear a sapphire stone if you were born in this month. September birthstone

The stone Sapphire is a very beautiful blue coloured gemstone but there are other sapphires in different hues. It is often used in technology and industries. Sapphire stone source

The sapphire is, for September-born people, a potent and personal gift.

Blue sapphire healing

Blue Sapphire can help you gain self-mastery—that is, mastery of your mind, emotions, and physical body. To understand how Blue Sapphire does this, it’s necessary to understand certain aspects of the mind. The mind is complex and comprised of many levels, or areas. Thoughts are formed at the highest level of the mind—that which is closest to your purely spiritual aspect. There, thoughts are generated continually; indeed, a new thought is born every moment. Ultimately, you have the power to discriminate and choose which thoughts you wish to have. This is an important choice, because your thoughts feed and otherwise profoundly affect your emotions and physical body. 

Blue sapphires help in certain alternative medicines and even some actual science.

For more about sapphires and other gems go here:
 All about gems - ICA

The "Sapphire Wolf" might as well be the wolf for this month, whoever was born in September, whether is is those born under Virgo (23 August- 22 September) and Libra ( 23 September - 22 October).

September born Virgo people are flowery but ornery.
September born Libra people are fruity but grabby.

Maybe wear a sapphire for many purposes other than when you were born.

....

Plight of the Swedish wolves

This post is a cry for help and even an understanding. Why? That is what I want to know. Wolves have been hunted for aons by people. Wolves are hunted for many reasons, for the pelts to keep someone warm, for ritualism, teeth and to get rid of this fear. Also wolves are still looked upon with suspicion and this is probably because they are considered a rival. This is a primitive reason that people kill wolves, unless it's to protect themselves from danger. I know that farmers have a problem with wolves attacking their livestock. 

In Sweden, wolves are in trouble.

The researchers predict that without the last decade of poaching, wolves would have numbered around a thousand by 2009, four times the number reported that year.

These large carnivores went extinct in Sweden in the 1970s, and the population has since re-established itself after a handful of migratory Finnish wolves took over the empty territories.

For details of the full article, go here.

Mysterious beasts of gold

Beside an Aztec pyramid called the Templo Mayor, Mexico City, was discovered the remains of a wolf, or a dog. It had been buried 8ft deep in the ground there for centuries, within the confines of stone. The canine's body was wearing a fine set of jewels, precious metal and gems that sparkled:
Turquoise stones, gold and a jade collar!

The archeological team unearthed this quite wonderful dog/wolf in 2008 that was covered in jewels. The jewelled wolf or dog was named "Aristo-Canine". For more about this archeological team who discovered the Aristo Canine and other findings at the same pyramid site, click here. There are other creatures who were covered in jewels.

It isn't just the Aztec pyramids or animals found there buried in jewels.

From the sky, when flying across the Nazca region of Peru by airplane, cast your eyes to the landscape and see the awesome giant carvings of animals! Or instead look at websites with photos of Nazca Lines, and also perhaps visit Google Earth that would help you to locate it. For some images of these shapes, visit here.

The subject of animal find in the early Americas is huge but I shall only leave this open with my questions.

About the Aristo-Canine, why was this dog, or wolf, buried in such finery? Was it a royal pet? Was this particular animal considered special and if so why? Was it a sacrificial animal of some kind? Could this animal have been regarded as something spiritual or to do with magic? Well here is a clue as to who the Aristo Canine might've been:

"They had a great respect for the quality of faithfulness in dogs: when a nobleman died, a dog was often killed and buried with him to guide him on the long journey across rivers and mountains to the next world. In the case of a commoner a pottery model of a dog was often used instead". Source


Of the Nasca Lines and it's animals, everyone else is asking who made them and why? What were they used for? These mysterious shapes feature in the imagination. I refer you to the books by Erich von Daniken who covered this subject of  the ancient Americas and includes many photographs.

Regards to other animal mysteries of the Americas, there are some golden artifacts in the form of "birds". Some don't know why these were regarded as birds for they resemble nothing in the animal kingdom at all but they look like modern aircraft. Look at this for an example. My question is if these artifacts are meant to be birds, what kind of birds are they? In the ancient American myths there are some incredible birdlike beings.

Place your eyes on these beautiful golden and gemmed animals from the ancient American era:
Precolumbian Zoo Artifacts

For other details with images and stories:

Nazca Animal Geoglyphs

The above picture is a photograph of one of the Nazca Line animals, the "condor".

(As a kid of the 80's, I loved to watch the cartoon series "Mysterious Cities of Gold". [This is where I get the idea for the title of this entry from]. That cartoon was a long series, about exploring the ancient Americas in search for the lost city of gold. It had a giant flying aircraft in the shape of a golden condor! The Nazca Lines were also in this. I was introduced to the topic of the Nazca Lines after watching this cartoon.) 

Bad weather, bad hair day

In the wake of freak storms, there is a reason why that is. I have no abundance of time or research to go into details but using my observations. People often moan about the weather and also it's one of the country's favourite topics. In recent times, the weather has turned upside down and become extreme.

It started a long time ago. Early people living in the British Isles left traces behind. One of those was the magnificent structures called megaliths, found all over. Yet Bronze Age people here shaved the landscape of prehistoric forests to build dwellings, boats, make tools and weapons. The removal of these ancient trees left the soil barren, and only grass grows in place.

Rain falls because the signature of the land requires it, to nourish forests and vegetation. When forests have been chopped down, it continues to rain, and this creates damp fields and floods. In Summer, no one can be shaded from the harmful rays or the intense heat. Trees, that covered the islands once, have long since gone but these would've protected us from the harsher elements. The trees that no longer exist would've absorbed all the rain and overflows. They would've been a barrier against bad weather. Shielded us also from cold winters, and kept us a little more safer from the blizzards and ice.

The forests and trees of the country now are set apart from villages, towns and cities. There aren't any villages living within a full forest. Most villages are set by farmland, open fields, shores and hills. Modern people are scared of trees and woodlands, and they hate individual trees because it stops them from getting a suntan when they bathe in their gardens. Also they're afraid of trees full stop.

There is a broken down food chain. Animals that were native to the islands (red squirrels, British wolves, ect) made up the landscape once upon a time and created the landscape. Without certain animals, there has been an overpopulation of other wildlife and an increase in newer problems. The fox and vermin situation is there because the wolf isn't there. If the British wolf still roamed the countryside, there wouldn't be an overpopulation of deer or hare, and less vermin, foxes would not be able to invade farms, and so on. There is an increase in wasps, and an increase in bugs, as there is something missing. Someone interfered with the natural organic process of things.

Peridot - Wolf of August

The birthstone of August is the Peridot. August is a time of harvest and holidays (especially here). For those who were born in August, the Peridot is considered a "lucky charm" to wear peridots and the peridot represents their birth month. Some realise that birthstones themselves are not always the same as the zodiac, which are seperate. There are zodiacal stones as well as birthstones. More on the stone

For those who were born in the month of August the Peridot is the traditional birthstone. The August birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Peridot is associated - love, truth, faithfulness and loyalty. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the August Birthstone Peridot are  fame, dignity, and protection. The healing properties of the August birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the lungs, lymph, breast and sinuses. The Peridot is also used to enhance prosperity, growth, and openness. Go here

The "Peridot Wolf" might as well be the totem for this month, whoever was born in August, whether is is those born under Leo (23 July - 22 August) and Virgo (23 August - September 22) as both starsigns are found in the month of August and share the same birthstone.

August born Leo people are vibrant but snooty.
August born Virgo people are down-to-earth but finicky.

For the birthstone: Bernadine jewellery - August
August birthstone - Peridot
Beautiful Birthstones

"The color of the peridot stone is directly related to parts of the body that it can be of aid to. Because of it’s yellowish green color, peridot has been believed to cure diseases of the liver and difficulties with digestion. It aids in physical detoxification and helps problems with the kidneys, bladder, gall bladder, and the stomach. Peridot heals such illnesses as ulcers, constipation, and irritable bowel syndrome. It is also useful in helping to heal insect bites." Source - Mystical Properties of Peridot

Being among wolves

What is it like to experience life with real wild wolves?
How is it like to be close to nature and listen to the sound of true wolves howling?
Is it easy to befriend wild animals and wolves?
What about adventures close to the wilderness?

I've got to say that Shaun Ellis has been an inspiration to many. He's a naturalist and a researcher into wolves, who made very good personal documentaries on TV about wolves, and he's written books on the subject. Have a look at some of his wolf companionships: Meet the Pack

Now I think it's human nature to be protective of the wild, even though yes humans are responsible for the environmental damage. This is not actually human nature but the system and it's machine. Human beings love to be close to nature.

Women love baby animals, and women love wolf pups. This one bright example is shown here by the actress Hayden Panettiere. I love children and I also love baby animals. I can't resist cuddling cats and puppies.

So how did human beings start domesticating the wild wolf? My theory is that people found some abandoned wolf pups and they adopted them. Perhaps there was more to it than this but I'm sure someone couldn't resist looking after the small pups. This probably started the domestication process, from something simple.  Later these house wolves grew to depend on humans.

According to Facts About Wolves the wolf is "Highly intelligent" and this is interesting. Wolf packs consist of hierarchies dominated by two alphas, the male and female (king and queen). The alpha female produces young for the pack. Hunting is commanded by the alpha male. Even so the wolves themselves are incredible, and there are amazing stories about them.

Look at Living with Wolves  and this page featuring books.

Lupin flavoured ice cream

Ice cream is the food we love in Summer. It's cool, refreshing, tasty and creamy. It's traditionally made from dairy produce and turns milky when it melts. An ice cream resembles a soft fluffy white cloud (some in a variety of colours) often in a wafer cone. Ice creams presented in many ways and forms. Ice cream in a cone or in glass is nice. An ice cream dollop in a fizzy drink is just one of my favourites. Lovely.

Now brilliant scientists at Fraunhofer have discovered a new ice cream formula. A type of ice cream made from flowers. It's dairy-free. These new ice creams are made from lupin plants. The lupin flower is a rich source of protein and is a special ingredient. This lupin flowered ice cream is called "Lupinesse".

For Lupinesse details read:
Healthy Ice Cream made from flowers instead of milk

For more info on the plant Lupins click Lupinus at Wikipedia.

"From Rome to the Andes, lupin bean pods have long been cultivated for food." Source

The Lupin flower has a link with lycanthropy and wild wolves. From Teen Witch: "The name of this plant is a reference to ancient worship of the wild wolf as a wolf-god."

Delicious!

My view of the prostitute

Prostitution, it goes back since the dawn of history and regarded as the oldest profession in the world.

Today it has a grim reputation. There are many poor girls and women who are in this profession out of desperation and need. Also there are other types of prostitutes that are there for other reasons. One thing to remember is that all prostitutes are taking a risk by entering a type of job which carries a lot of danger. For this I have a lot of respect for prostitutes as they are in at the deep end, meeting all kinds of people, some of who don't have their interests at heart.

My view is that a professional prostitute, a career minded prostitute, someone who takes it very seriously and knows what they're doing and is in control (meaning she decides to quit if she wants), should be considered no different to a businesswoman because that is what she is really. Are they much different to, say for example, an acrobat or a fire eater?  

Women who become prostitutes do so for a variety of reasons. I'm not one and I don't know any prostitutes, but I have read about them.

Prostitution should be regulated more and it needs some proper reorganisation and a sense of community amongst it. They ought to have a tier system with some looking after the vulnerable, and there needs to be amongst them a firm global union that cares about it's prostitutes. It could be, in an ideal world, a type of nice business instead of something sleazy. Each person in the sex industry must always be healthy. They could develope external skills in medicine, accountancy, counselling and academia so that they grow as an established people and use those skills to help one another. Each prostitute must never be left open to just about anyone who comes along to see them. Future prospective clients should also be tested.  

There is far too much danger and wrongs riddled throughout the sex industry and women (sadly some very young women too) have been exploited. There should be system within the sex industry that protects these women from harm so that they feel safer with their clients.Could the sex industry become regulated and have its own doctors and policing one day? Prostitution should divorce itself from crime and create a new respectability. These women should be looked upon as equals in our society as they're brave women. They are in a similar league to other types of workers and they have a rich history that teaches us about human nature.

Interesting sites:

International Prostitutes Collective
IUSW

Painting above is "Carp Fairies" by Hiliuyun

Dark Queen of Light

Circe - The beautiful sorceress and goddess of shapeshifting!!!

This post "Dark Queen of Light" is my own invented title to describe the enchantress Circe. Circe is considered to be either a witch queen, nymph or a goddess. She hails from Greek mythology, that was set in an unknown undated era called the Golden Age, hence Circe being "dark queen" from the time of "light".

According to myth, Circe has divine parents but different family trees. In one version, her father is Helios the sun god and her mother is Perse the oceanid. Of her siblings, Circe's brother is Aeetes, king of Colchis and her sister is Pasiphae, mother of the minotaur. She also has a famous niece, Medea, princess of Colchis. Following in her aunt's footsteps, Medea is a sorceress and enchantress. Medea later married Jason of the Argonauts. Her family have been long protectors of the magical and sacred golden fleece. In another family tree, Circe is the daughter of Hecate, the dark goddess and Hermes, messenger of the gods.  

Circe lived alone in a magical island called Aeaea. She was in company with her servants and maids (most of them were nymphs). She had many animals around her. There were also lions and wolves roaming her palace grounds.

She captured the heart of Odysseus, and he lived with her during his long adventure. Circe turned men into beasts. She transformed the sailors of Odyssues into swine. Her magic involved herbs and potions, healing, weaving, creating the power of visionary, necromancy and shapeshifting.

Circe is also spelled as "Kirke" :"Kirke's name was derived from the Greek verb kirkoô meaning "to secure with rings" or "hoop around"--a reference to her magical powers."

Her children were Latinos Agrios, Telegonos and Nausithous fathered by Odysseus and Latinos, fathered by Telemakhos, Phaunos (Faunus the horned goat god) fathered by Poseidon.

"...when Odysseus on his wanderings came to her island, Circe, after having changed several of his companions into pigs, became so much attached to the unfortunate hero, that he was induced to remain a whole year with her. At length, when he wished to leave her, she prevailed upon him to descend into the lower world to consult the seer Teiresias. After his return from thence, she explained to him the dangers which he would yet have to encounter, and then dismissed him."

She appears in the Odyssey as well as the story of Jason and the Argonauts.

"Medea, daughter of Aeetes the black-hearted king, answered all her aunt’s questions, speaking quietly in the Kokhian tongue. She told her of the quest and voyage of the Argonauts, of their stern ordeal, and how she herself had been induced to sin by her unhappy sister and had fled from her father’s tyranny with Phrixos’ sons; but she said nothing of the murder of Apsyrtos. Not that Kirke was deceived. Nevertheless she felt some pity for her weeping niece." 

Also Glaucus and Scylla:

"Scylla, daughter of the River Crataeis, is said to have been a most beautiful maiden. Glaucus loved her, but Circe, daughter of Sol [Helios], loved Glaucus. Since Scylla was accustomed to bathe in the sea, Circe, daughter of Sol, out of jealousy poisoned the water with drugs, and when Scylla went down into it, dogs sprang from her thighs, and she was made a monster. She avenged her injuries, for as Ulysses sailed by, she robbed him of his companions."

These are short snippets taken from a variety of literature found on Theoi site.

She also had a fondness for men Calchus and Picus.

The goddess Circe is also a representive of the secret powers of women and the earth. She was able to turn others into snakes, serpents, fish and other animals to imprison them. This is symbolic of how strong women capture the hearts and minds of people at large, by using trickery and psychology to control destiny. Such famous women who have used magical qualities that captivated people and made them see things that were not there include a variety of film starlets, artists, writers, musicians and even female politicians. These women are also able to transform the thoughts of feelings of people with just a few clever words. Some of it, although not deliberately, was necessary and done out of the pureness of healing, and to encourage others to listen, and to perhaps even sway opinion. Women such as this are considered powerful women. They are found throughout history. On a smaller level, an individual woman, particularly someone who feels she has not done much to show for it, has done. Circe is not merely a dark figure of a powerful woman. She's also a guardian of nature's secrets. She can love, bring fruit, cure, heal, mother and protect just as most women can.

Read more about Circe:
CIRCE at Theoi
Circe at Myth Encyclopedia
Greek Gods and Goddesses - Circe
Coven of the Goddess
Circe - Tales of Greek Myth

Classic literature of Circe:
Hesiod's "Theogony" and "Odyssey" by Homer.

The picture above is "Circe" by Cemac

Check out my other blog entry "Light Queen of Dark"

Ruby - Wolf of July

The birthstone of July is the Ruby. For those who were born in July, it's considered a "lucky charm" to wear rubies and the ruby represents their birth month. Some realise that birthstones themselves are not always the same as the zodiac, which are seperate. There are zodiacal stones as well as birthstones.

Zodiac stones

Now some information on July birthstones...
For those who were born in the month of July the Ruby is the traditional birthstone. The July birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Ruby is associated - devotion, integrity, courage and happiness. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the July Birthstone Ruby are  vitality, confidence and strength. The healing properties of the July birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the blood and infection and increasing positive thought patterns. The Ruby is also used to enhance energy, generosity and to bring prosperity and success. Source

The "Ruby Wolf" might as well be the totem for this month, whoever was born in July, whether is is those born under Cancer (21 June - 22 July) and Leo (23 July - 22 August ) as both starsigns are found in the month of July and share the same birthstone.

July born Cancer people are imaginative but haughty.
July born Leo people are warm but bossy.
 
For any other general views on the starsigns go here.

Ruby is the main July stone, as well as others.

The Sun of Midsummer

The Midummer Solstice -

Here the time has come for the Midsummer solstice, a much celebrated period of time, during the longest day of the year. It's very scientific and astronomical. Many people celebrate it, particularly us pagans who worship the earth and the sky. It's a time for making rites and honour the life force of the sun, the powerful goddess of the sky. The sky mother. Sunna, as I call Her.

So what really is the Summer Solstice? Without going into details about myths and legends, I could point out that the sun itself has a position or we on the planet are positioned, around facing the sun full on. It's regarded as being the arc of the sun positioned around us, like a glowing ribbon. For some information on this, and to see graphics, visit the sites here:
Solstice
Summer Solstice

Midsummer's Eve is a much recognised holiday in parts of Europe. William Shakespeare wrote the famous play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" about the marriage of a man and woman, with lovers and fairies around the main figures. In "Lord of the Rings" the hero weds the elf princess on Midsummer. It's considered the time of the Oak King, the light one, in Celtic lore. Feast of Epona, the horse goddess, and the celebration of Vesta, goddess of fire, with many other fire festivals across Europe. The Scandinavians once used trees to decourate and dance around for fertility rites during the Summer Solstice. Not forgetting the most famous symbols of the solstices: the megaliths! Stonehenge always attracts visitors during the solstice.   

For some information: The Summer Solstice holiday 2011

Picture is "Midsummer Eve" by Edward Hughes

Pearl - Wolf of June

The birthstone of June is the Pearl. For those who were born in June, it's considered a "lucky charm" to wear pearls or the pearl to represent their birth month. Some realise that birthstones themselves are not always the same as the zodiac, which are seperate. There are zodiacal stones as well as birthstones.

Zodiacal stones

For those who were born in the month of June the Pearl is the traditional birthstone. The June birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Pearl is associated - loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the June Birthstone Pearl are modesty, chastity and purity. The healing properties of the June birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the heart, spleen, stomach, intestine & ulcer problems. The Pearl is also used to enhance personal integrity.

This information comes from this site: June Birthstones from Birthstones

The "Pearl Wolf" might as well be the totem for this month, whoever was born in June, whether is is those born under Gemini (21 May - 21 June) or those born under Cancer (22 June - 22 July). Now this is my interpretation.

June born Gemini people are fun but phony.
June born Cancer people are loving but heavy.

June is the time of the Summer solstice and other celebrations, including modern ones like Father's Day. June has the longest daylight hours of the year. The month "June" was named after the Roman goddess Juno, and Her Greek counterpart Hera.

Another gemstone for June is the Moonstone.

June Birthstones from Bernadine

The above picture is "Wolf's Cry" by artist Manthos Lappas.

A whimsy reading from me

Here is something I posted on another website:

The volcanic ash cloud from Iceland is back again. The first one Eyjafjallajjokull, or the "Glacier of Icy Mountains", erupted in March 2010. A year later in May 2011 the volcano Grimsvotn erupted.

Some people see it as a spiritual event instead of a natural disaster. There has been a lot of tectonic movements lately. A lot of religious people are inclined to view it as a punishment. Others think it is part of global warming.

Whatever it is will cause disruption anyway.

Here is a rune I've drawn about this:

Two rune divinations about the subject twice came up with Perthro rune. This is a fate rune. The first attempt using a single rune on my board showed an inverted Perthro in North position.

In the light of the situation, I don't think the rune can tell us the answer. Nature happens. There's a purpose for everything and what will come will anyway. Take it. Ride the storm. Go with the flow. Get umbrellas. Acceptance. Chance.


There are those extremely worried about what will happen in the future. Recently people freaked out thinking the end of the world was coming. Now some are looking at 2012. Even pagans are wondering if something drastic will happen. My answer, as well as the runic answer is:
What will happen is going to anyway. The seasons change. We get old. We have to go to bed when we're tired. Someone's going to lose that contest but someone else will win. Someone could get ill. Someone could win the lottery. In the future, the solar system is going to alter when the sun supernovas. Look at it this way, another star will be born. Does it matter? No it doesn't. Next century another volcano should erupt. Next week, there might be a lot of rain. The point I'm making is what the rune position was at the time and this is my interpretation of it.

Oh and another thing. I did the second rune reading a different way that's unconventional and not traditional. The result was the same almost.

Three pups

There were three of them,
Three children,
Playing around three trees.
Three birds sang,
Three stones
Three mushrooms,
Three beds of flowers,

Three pots of jasmine, clematis and rose.
Three apples,
Three types of laughter,
Three clouds in the sky.

Three houses on the horizon.
Three ships at sea.
Three figues: young, middle and old.
Three names, three houses, three flowers, three children.
Three darling sunsets as the children kept playing for
Three days.
Three nights.
Three.

Far away Three great rivers.
In the distance,
Three of mountain, ice and fire.
Three fairies
Three maidens,
Three cats,
Three calves,
Three bottles of water.

Three roots of the Great Tree.
Three crowns,
In the Undeworld there are the
Three headed hounds
and three howls.
Before Ragnarok are Three severe Winters.
Then in Summer Three trees with three times apples.

Out of this, three young wolves play and dance in the meadow. Innocent of the world, they share the sacred value.

Mystical Numbers

War Against Terra

At a time when earthquakes, floods and other kinds of havoc (natural and human) is going on all over the world, heathland fires blaze like whirling red patterns appeared across the British Isles.

It was the dryest April in historic record (according to the news articles) resulting in an outbreak of fires in the countryside. Link to images Some have been deliberately started by vandals.

During this period as Spring's flaming wheels bring Summer, as well  as migrant animals, birds and fish appear too. We're bombarded by massive stories that rock the world at the same time.

Over the weekend during the season of Beltane was also the calm of the royal wedding. Prince William, the Duke of Cambridge, married Catherine Middleton, now the Dutchess of Cambridge. It's been like a fairytale romance between Cinderella and the prince by the way everyone went on about it.

Everyone wondered what dress she would be wearing. The wedding dress turned out to be a disappointment to many people because it looked too old fashioned and Victorian style. The way she seemed in that dress reminded me of both the Stepford Wives and Gothic Lolita. It was eerie in a way.

Everyone forgot about everything going wrong in the world and tuned into this royal wedding on TV.  The globe watched England, as England was quietly burning in the landscape. As all this chaos in the world happened a lot so far, there was this wedding and that bride in an innocent lace white dress.

Around that time, we had stories of war and mayhem. Earthquakes, floods, firestorms, tornadoes, warfare, rebellion...and a royal wedding. Some blame it on humanity and pollution. Is it nature altering or going through a cycle? Or is this a human manmade war against the Earth, a.k.a Terra?

The element of Fire is associated with Summer. As Summer is here now, marked by the storms and anger of nature, with fiery dances in the British Isles' wilderness. May the land be blessed with rain at once and put an end to these angry flames.

Emerald - Wolf of May

The birthstone of May is Emerald.

For those born in May, it is often considered a lucky charm if wearing the Emerald to represent their birth month. Some would consider that the birthstone doesn't fall into place with the zodiac. The birthstone is a seperate element and has different meanings, while the zodiac is shaped by the stars.

"For those who were born in the month of May the Emerald is the traditional birthstone. The May birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Emerald is associated - loyalty, faithfulness and friendship. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the May Birthstone Emerald are memory, clairvoyance and faith. The healing properties of the May birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to the eyes, fertility, the spine and headaches. The Emerald is also used to enhance mental capabilities."

Source for this here.

Read more about the special qualities of this birthstone here.

The "Emerald Wolf" is a birth totem for people who were born in the month of May, whether they are Taurus (20 April - 20 May) or Gemini (21 May - 21 June).

May born Taurus people are strong but unruly.
May born Gemini people are warm but flimsy.

The beginning of the month of May starts with the very ancient pagan tradition. It's got different names, mostly called May Day and Beltane. The May Queen is usually a legendary figure who has been said to fight with the snow queen of Winter. She's a symbol of the fullest Spring and many girls are selected to represent the May Queen, dressed in flower crowns. It is also well considered that the May Queen is the beautiful love goddess Freya. The Maypole dance is a fertility rite and it symbolises both phallus and the sacred tree of life, also called the World Tree. 

Interesting links:

May Birthstones
May Day traiditions
   
The above painting is "Wolf in Spring Blooms" by Frankie Paquin

Super warning

Recently the planet has been bombarded. We've just been given news insight that there is a "super volcano" situated in the U.S. region of Yellowstone. Info on Super Volcano
This is a wildlife conserve park, one of the biggest, home to many forms of animals and plants. Wolves have made this place their own in the past few years, and thanks to them the land itself is able to breath and grow after a century of barren fields. That was caused by constant grazing from overpopulated stags.
If this super volcano is going to react soon, it could be the most devastating natural disasters to come.
Also around the recent times of that highlight, we had a string of vicious tornadoes across the U.S. states, a violent earthquake and tsunami in Japan (resulting in widespread radiation leaks from it's nuclear power plant), floods and fires in Australia, and human uprisings.
We also had the Super Moon recently.
Super Moon
The werewolf senses that with every full moon there is a supernatural power. Some psychologists believe the full moon is potential for many to feel driven by impulses. The therianthrope feels a sense of inner strength, power an dspirituality linked to the moon at it's fullest. When there is a supermoon, the therianthrope is given a gift of magic, depending on the sensitivity and well-being of the individual.

The above image is artwork by Brian D. White

Rune game

It's now ten years since the game "Rune" first appeared.

Rune starts off as a young man called Ragnar, training to be a warrior like his father, in order to protect the runestones. The runestones are symbolic of his homeland and his people. Anyone can play this, as you learn to pick up different weapons. For women players, it's fun to see the aesthetics and beauty of the landscapes, towns and eye catching domains. The game is sharp and softly coloured, with a background of eerie noises, atmospheric sounds and barbarian style music. It's best played in Winter or Spring.

The game has a chill that makes you feel cold at times, as in finding yourself in the snowier mountains and ice crystal caves. Of all the characters there is only one female character, one of the baddies, a goddess named Hel, who resembles a giant statue of a partially disfigured demoness. Her sinister voice echoes when Ragnar (you) arrives at her doors. She is probably more scary than her father Loki who appears much later on in the game.

The game is enjoyable to all, and it's purely Viking themed.

A whole decade of this. The game still continues now. Let's celebrate!

Rune - An Epic Battle
   

Diamond - Wolf of April

The birthstone of April is Diamond.

For those born in April, it is often considered a lucky charm if wearing the Diamond to represent their birth month. Some would consider that the birthstone doesn't fall into place with the zodiac. The birthstone is a seperate element and has different meanings, while the zodiac is shaped by the stars.

For those who were born in the month of April the Diamond is the traditional birthstone. The April birthstone poem reflects some of the properties with which the Diamond is associated - enhancing relationships and increasing inner strength. The Traditional Metaphysical Properties for the April Birthstone Diamond are  balance, clarity and abundance. The healing properties of the April birthstone are reputed to be effective for health problems relating to brain diseases, pituitary glands. The Diamond is also used to draw out toxins and therefore was used as a remedy for poison.

Read source here

More about April Birthstone

For those born in April, it is often considered a lucky charm if wearing a Diamond to represent their birth month. Some would consider that the birthstone doesn't fall into place with the zodiac. The birthstone is a seperate element and has different meanings, while the zodiac is shaped by the stars.


The "Diamond Wolf" is a birth totem for people who were born in the month of April, whether they are Aries (March 21 - April 20) or Taurus (April 21- May 21).

April born Aries people are funny but angry.
April born Taurus people are safe but huffy.


In April there is April Fool's Day that is about playing jokes on others. It has no record of where it originated from but has been going on for centuries. The season of Ostara continues in April, the celebration of Spring and the new light. The sunlight gets brighter and more golden as warmth happens all around. Blossoms show on trees, and new flowers grow. Sometimes there are blossom that shed from trees, giving pink rainfall. It's considered a month of "April showers" or gentle rainfall. Also in April is the day of St. George (England) or it's regarded as Sigurd's Day, the celebration of the dragon slayer.

April Birthstone
Diamond