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.