Dark Cinderella

I'm going to discuss fairytales, an exciting favourite subject of mine. It borders on myth and legend. Fairytales are said to be older than the myths of the gods themselves. We don't know enough about their origins except where the modern versions came from, and as you search further before Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and others, you'll find older roots.
Cinderella is one of the most popular princess stories for girls.
Did you know there was a darker side? You will never find that in any fairytale book about Cinderella. In one old version, before the Brothers Grimm, the step mother was actually cruel to her own daughters who were the so called "ugly sisters". She tortured them and mutilated their feet so that they could wear the small glass slipper. The prince noticed in horror at seeing so much blood.
And in another older version of Cinderella, (not sure if there was a step mother) the sisters are tortured at the wedding of Cinderella and the prince. The magic pet birds belonging to Cinderella pecks out the sisters eyes. 
Then in another old version of Cinderella it's even more freaky. Cinderella kills her step mother by breaking her neck! She wanted her father to marry the old house maid but after that, unknown to Cinderella, six new stepsisters arrive. They all bully Cinderella.
Another version doesn't have a fairy godmother in it. Instead, Cinderella often talks to her mother's grave and speaks to her ghost, learning how to create magical ingrediants.
How different she is to the gentle Disney princess in a tiara!

Spirits of plants

Plants have souls and auras. Each plant, tree, flower, grass, root and vegetable have spirits attached to them. One of the most beautiful creations in science is Kirlian photography. Not only does it capture a variety of colours of living objects such as leaves, but also reveals the energy of those individual leaves. There is an inner aura and an external aura. Often no one can see the inner aura as it's the birth aura that remains throughout its life and doesn't change. The external aura is a reflection of moods, health and temperature.

Apart from auras, which I plan to discuss again one day in the future of this blog, plants have spirits attached to them. They attract different energies, as well as produce energy. Trees breathe in carbon dioxide and they then breathe out fresh oxygen. Carbon dioxide is a natural invisible "gas" that we all exhale. We don't see it but it's hot and appears only during cold temperatures as white plumes.

Ghost activity often makes a drop in temperatures and a drainage of electricity, especially with batteries. It's possible that ghosts are made of neutrinos as these are able to pass through walls and are invisible. The more extreme ghosts with poltergeists and evil entities have had to "eat" from living beings own vital aura and kinetic energies. While spirits attempt to communicate with the living through batteries or electrical objects, sometimes drinking some of this energy down, it can also be frightening. When spirits drain the energy from a living person or animal, it results in pain, nausea, depression, panic attacks, illness and paralysis.

Plants are also used as eating batteries by ghosts. Woods and forests attract ghosts like a magnet.  Sadly it's possible why trees die, or become diseased. Some forest fires could be blamed on the negative energies accumilated in the trees by dark spirits.

But not all spirits of the deceased. Some spirits can be living beings, that are invisible, and don't need the energy field to eat. These living spirits include nature spirits or deva. Some spirits of the living or astrals protect the trees, including animals. Humans have always respected the nature spirits for protecting the land from evil. They made offerings to them and honoured them with respect. Some left food outside in the woods to the nature spirits as thanks. In return, the nature spirits kept the plants healthy and pure.

These nature tree spirits have many names, from wights, fairies, dryads, elves, kodama, lauma, gnomes, leshy, Of the many nature spirits there are those that are protectors of the trees and forests who prevent vampiric ghosts from destroying the plants. On another issue, animals and bugs have always been an issue with feeding off plants. It started to upset humans when harvests were ruined because of it. People needed the help of nature spirits to protect crops and vegetables from pests, flooding and drought. There might've been a deal in Neolithic times because nature spirits guarded the wild forests and not farmland. Powerful deities helped to protect agriculture if humans would honour them in return. Some would argue that the gods ARE nature spirits. According to Norse mythology, there are two races of gods, the Vanir and the Aesir. The Vanir were the earliest gods who were "nature gods" or wild gods of the forests and mountains. These coincide with the primitive cultures that worshipped the land and sky. The Aesir came much later as gods of civilisation, including farming. 

It seems that the spread of agriculture happened at a time when ancient mythology introduced newer gods. Perhaps the migration of agriculture took with it various kings, warlords and conquerers who were revered as gods that they became deified. It's possible that the gods and goddesses of myths and all real people who were in charge and had the ultimate power to move everyone here and there. So much human prehistory is lost.

Healing and protective herbs

From the healing remedies of Mother Earth, the flowers give you herbs in plenty. Here, locate the top plants you need to grow and make medicines, food, magical ingredants and to ward off bad spirits as well as pesky animals.
A "witch garden" or herbal garden needs sunlight and outdoors. Ideally create a small bed for the seeds, fresh soil, water regularly and patience.
Fruit trees are a must for growing in the garden, as they have the same qualities and grow every year if looked after.
There are plenty of DIY herb growing kits available to purchase. Take into consideration that not all herbs are evergreen as some are seasonal. The seasonal (perennials) have to be planted or sown at certain different times of the year. The perennial herbs are mint, sage, rosemary, horse radish, sage, sorrel, meadow sweet, chives and loveage. Evergreen herbs are rocket, lemon grass, chamomile, parsley, basil, coriander, bay and lavender.
Powerful herb weapons to use against sinister and evil spirits are angelica, basil, beans, carob, clover, coriander, daffodil, fennel, garlic, holly, mandrake, mugwort, onion, rowan, sage and vinegar. Also anything sharp like nettles and holly are protective plants against spirits. Growing herbs can also help to stop evil spirits entering the property.
You don't have to grow your own herbs, you can purchase them fully grown. Some decourated herbs around the house.


Links:

Herbs and evil spirits

My childhood visions (part 5)

Going back many years, when I was 15 years old. My family took me out camping in the New Forest in the summer holidays. There were my grandparents, uncle and aunt, cousin and our two dogs. My cousin Shelley and I played a few metres away from the caravan , secluded by blackberry bushes and wild trees. It felt surprisingly cold that day with a few gusts of sudden chilly wind. It only happened when cousin and I played in the blackberry enclosure.
It sounded like the wind was talking. We noticed some chopped timber on the grass all neatly cut at each end. We balanced on those in our games. Our dogs played there with us too but they didn't stay there. Shelley and I felt unnerved by the cold, and a sense the forest was so quiet.
After lunch, we returned to our play area in the blackberry enclosure again, when we noticed that all of the timber logs had been layed out in rows, then chiselled into fine points. It was obvious someone had touched and moved those in the few minutes we returned to the caravan to eat. The adults sat there in the sun, listening to the radio and chatting. They didn't notice a thing. They wouldn't believe us.
Then Shelley and I saw a boy walking all by himself along a path. I forgot to mention that my family were the only people out there. The boy was quite young and completely on his own. He got nearer to us and I noticed that he looked a bit strange. He had long hair tied back with a bow. He wore a baggy long-sleeved white shirt, knee length trousers and buckled shoes. The style of his clothing was 18th Century.
He ran towards a shrub and hid there. Shelley didn't want to go and talk to him but I did. I ran over there just to ask him why he's on his own out here in the forest. When I got to the shrub itself where that boy was hiding, there was no one there in sight. The boy completely disappeared.

A new baby moon

NASA have just revealed that they've discovered a second moon in our orbit. It's a tiny moon and was first noticed from a telescope in Hawaii. It is a quasi satellite that dances with us and wanders a way off.  They've called this mini moon a charming name "2016 HO3".

More info here:
http://thescienceexplorer.com/universe/nasa-discovered-mini-moon-orbiting-earth

My childhood visions (part 4)

When I was six years old (either before whooping cough, or after whooping cough, I don't remember when), I saw something incredible.
It was a weekend morning and I woke up. The curtain was open and I was in bed looking at the clouds passing by. The sun was shining. Then in front of the window a lady just materialised. She was semi transparent and wore a long blue dress. She had shining hair and smiled at me. I was so sure that she had wings.
I went underneath the bed covers in panic.  
Then I waited for a few minutes and looked up. She was gone.
This wasn't a dream.
I believe that this happened around the time I suffered whooping cough that I witnessed an angelic vision. Some people would say it was an active imagination or a dream. 

My childhood visions (part 3)

When I was three years old, something strange happened in the house I grew up in. It made me wonder about it for years. I even questioned it as a kid through school too. All I know is that it wasn't a dream and it did happen.
There was a room in the house that was downstairs and next to the staircase. It was my grandad's favourite room and it was full of his stuff, wooden cabinets, music, library and comfy chairs. I wasn't allowed to play in there on my own. The lounge room and kitchen were on the other side of the house.
This one time I wandered into my grandad's room because he wasn't home. My nan was in the kitchen and my teenager aunt was upstairs.
As I went inside, I noticed that my grandad's room was entirely different and looked like a great hall. There was a number of people inside and they looked like characters from a fairytale book. (Today I wonder if they looked like people from medieval times).
There was a lady smiling at me. She wore a long dress and a tiara with a wimple covering her hair. I can remember seeing a man nearby who was bearded, long haired and dressed like a king with a big fur cloak. They all smiled at me and the lady spoke to me. She said that I must return to my nan.
I left the room, doing as she asked. I went to find my nan who was still busy in the kitchen. I quickly went back to my grandad's room but all those mysterious people were gone. The room was back to its normal self.

My childhood visions (part 2)

When I was a little kid I used to wake up during the night when it was dark. I often saw people in my bedroom and I didn't know who they were. There was a small light source, a bit like candlelight as it was very low as these people were shiny. They were always looking at me and sat around my bed facing down. None of them spoke to me or communicated with each other. They had no expressions on their faces either. They just stared at me.
I didn't recognise any of them. Usually it was a group of people there. Sometimes there was one or two. I remember one of them was an old woman that looked like a witch, as her hair was very long and tangled and she wore a big old fashioned dress. There was another woman wearing a frilly bonnet and there had been a man with long hair. I don't remember what the others looked like.
I got into the habit of sleeping under the bed covers to avoid waking up and seeing those people. From a young age, I've been sleeping under the blankets. I still sleep under the blankets and when I get into bed, I hide underneath.

My childhood visions (part 1)

When I was a kid, I used to see things that can't be explained. There was a number of these strange visions so I've considered writing about them and break them into parts for this blog.
When I was about four or five years old, I was in the back garden one sunny morning. It was soon after breakfast. My nan was putting washing up on the clothes line. Then I saw a strange vision appear above the rooftops of the houses in the neighbourhood. It looked like a massive silouette of a giant "bird". It didn't move, it was stationary and seemed to be like a red outline or shadow of a giant winged animal. It seemed bigger than our house.
I remember feeling excited. I pointed up at it and cried "Look! What's that? Look! Look!"
My nan didn't see it and she didn't know what I was talking about because I had to keep pointing and telling her to look up there. She continued pegging clothes on the washing line as normal.
The giant winged creature faded away and was gone.
The massive giant "bird" resembled a prehistoric creature instead of any large species alive today. About its shape, the thing seemed eerily similar to a pterosaur, that was very huge as the enormous winged hatzegopteryx and quetzacoatlus that lived in the dinosaur era.
What was it? My guess here is that as a child, I was able to glimpse something that was probably there in that exact place at that time of day, many millions of years ago.   

Friday the 13th

This day is considered the unluckiest days of the year. It happens that there are many stories associated with Friday the 13th, not to mention horror films.
Friday is Goddess Freya's day. The number 13 is linked with darkness. Freya and other gods were having a party in the glittering halls of Valhalla when the trickster god Loki turned up uninvited. Making Loki that 13th guest. It followed by the death of the god Baldur by a poisoned arrow.
The fairytale story "Sleeping Beauty" includes a similar theme. The palace were celebrating the birth of a princess and 12 fairies were invited to offer lovely gifts. Then an annoyed 13th fairy showed up and cursed the baby princess.    
In history on Friday the 13th, thousands of warriors belonging to the Knights Templar were tortured, punished and killed.
Many believe that the 13th is an evil day, especially when it is Friday, Freya's day. 13th of Friday, the death of Baldur. Friday the 13th, the execution of knights.
These are just myths and memories.
Enjoy your Friday the 13th.

Healing magic of honey

For days now I've suffered a severe form of hay fever. It makes me unable to sleep properly and now I've got sore lips, cracked skin around my nose and vomitting while coughing. Sometimes there are pains here and there. I felt a pain my my fingers. Then a tummy ache. My eyes are raw and watering. Ugh. I wasn't able to do much work, couldn't go to my class and haven't written.
During a half sleep meditation, I was seeing flowers and from those flowers appeared honey. I was given this honey and felt warmer and better. It was exactly what I needed so I got some honey. Today I feel so much stronger today.
Honey itself is both medicine and magical. Honey is used during some pagan and Heathen ceromonies. It's mixed with drinks, food and is the source of mead: drink of Heathens who honour our gods. It's anti-bacterial and can help fight illnesses and be used to treat some wounds.
Honey comes from flowers but the real makers of honey are the wonderful bees. In some cultures bees are revered as divine and some gods have bees as their sacred animals.  Bees in my view are sacred. Without bees there wouldn't be honey.
Aphrodite is the goddess of honey: love, beauty, strength and good health.
Honey is very similar looking to gold metal and amber gemstones. It's a healer and a gift from nature.
If you feel poorly, take some honey.

Sacred farmers

Thor is the protector of agriculture and the land. In ancient times, farmers honoured Thor as their god. Thor is the god of farmers and fertility of soil. Farmers are important because they maintain crops, vegetables and animals, they provide food.The ancient people for a long time regarded farmers as with the same kind of divine authority as a priesthood. What farmers did was almost considered magical and close to the gods, developing fields of plenty, crops to feed a vast majority of people and caring for the livestock. Farmers are the ones who pushed humanity forward into civilisation. So the link with Thor, the thunder god, bringing rain and storm gives breath and life to the roots and seeds of the land. He blessed farmers with the wisdom of harvesting, production, domestication of plants and animals and even knowing the weather. Thor gave farmers insight into the language of the earth. Farmers realised how to make and grow the best quality of food and make bread.  There is a lost art to ancient farming but even today farmers are valuable and deserving of respect.   

Moon, stars and planets

January has seen a rare event in the sky with planets lined up in the week of the year's first full moon. The moon is bright and a January moon is called "wolf moon".
It's the coldest time of the year, with a severe spell of winter storms, floods and chilling snows in the Northern hemisphere, but drought and fires in the Southern hemisphere.
As the winter of ice and fire enters the transition of linear planets across the night sky. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter visible in an alignment, a row of five luminous planets during twilight.
We've lost many great people including "Ziggy Stardust" David Bowie (who appeared in The Man Who Fell To Earth and Labyrinth) and Alan Rickman (who played Professor Snape in all of the Harry Potter films).
And we watch astronauts such as Tim Peake live among stars on board ISS, inspiring a new generation of children.
There's been discoveries including Planet Nine and finding alien DNA in humans.



 

Todmorden

Another mysterious dark place in England is Todmorden. Located in the green Upper Calder Valley of West Yorkshire, northern England, near the Pennines and River Calder. Calder, an ancient Celtic name for "violent water," referring to River Calder. Yet the name Todmorden comes from variations of Anglo Saxon words such as Totmerden. It means means "death woods".
It was a place of human sacrifice in prehistory. Digs found Bronze Age relics with decapitated human skulls. Since the Middle Ages, the area became farmland and later in the Industrial Revolution, a rise in mills and producer of cotton as well as deaths. There have been records of murders there, and is wealthy in hauntings. It's where the last public hanging in Britain took place. In recent times the location of the serial killer Harold Shipman, an infamous doctor who killed his patients.
 Also cases of UFO sightings and abductions, including the story of Zigmund Adamski who was missing for five days. A policeman named Alan Godfrey found the dead body of Zigmund Adamski beside a railway track in Todmoren. A coroner concluded that Adamski died of a heart attack but there were some burn marks on him but his clothes were undamaged. Scientists could not identify an ointment on his body leading others to believe that he was abducted by aliens. Yet some conclude that he was probably murdered by bitter relatives who he had fallen out with earlier. The coroner was "mystified" by the case itself, and further investigations into the death of Adamski were closed.
The policeman Alan Godfrey, later witnessed a UFO following him, and he experienced missing time. Under hypnosis, he recollected that he was abducted by aliens. The so-called aliens looked like robots and there was a large spectral black dog present inside the UFO. His wife also had similar experiences and became pregnant during this time.
Beside this famous case, there have been many UFO sightings. Todmorden is home to legends of a pack of demonic black dogs who howl at the moon and search for people to kill. Bacup Road is a sighting of an unusual ghostly cat. There are too many ghosts and spirits to list but that site is a paranormal hotspot.
It's ancient features include a ring cairn, Blackheath Circle on a hilltop in Todmorden. The site has legends of fae folk, but in 1982 a woman saw strange lights up there and experienced missing time.

Links:

Todmorden on Wikipedia       
Todmorden "UFO alley"
The Northern Antiquarian - Todmorden