Halloween animals

 Scary paranormal creatures and ghosts are one thing. Nature itself has made some creepy animals much associated with the season of Halloween/Samhain. Here are some of these animals that Halloween wouldn't be without.

Black cats, most often associated with Halloween and appears as a shadowy feline with witchcraft links. The cutest and friendliest, although the Halloween black cat is viewed as a symbol of bad luck. So sad this time of year many black cats are left abandoned. It goes back to centuries of superstition that black cats are magical and many superstitious people believed they're are the familiars of witches. This means people thought black cats are not natural but are witches and demons in disguise. 

Our view on this: Black cats are awesome. They'll get rid of vermin in your house. Black cats don't fear creepy crawlies either. These cats are guardians of the home and they can protect people from evil spirits. Stop being cruel to cats and give them a decent loving home. They're a blessing. Once upon a time, cats were favourites and worshipped in ancient Egypt. The goddess Freyja loves cats. 

Spiders, the one thing I fear the most while sat down with tea and a book, when a spider scurries along the floor and gives me the shock of my life. I honestly have arachnophobia, mainly because I grew up in a household with a warm conservatory, greenhouse and second bathroom, which attracted great big spiders! I understand why spiders are a Halloween beastie. 

Shadow Girl's view: Spiders are more afraid of you than you are afraid of them. You're size compared to a spider is enormous. You're the size of a mountain and a spider regards you as a giant. Without spiders, there would be much more terrible bugs infesting everywhere causing problems such as disease and famine. Spiders are a very important part of nature as it's part of the stable food chain.

Wolves are often associated with Halloween and night time. Mainly the full moon itself, and Autumn season is when it gets darker so nights are longer, bringing with it fears of the wilderness outside. In centuries passed, people even in the British Isles hid indoors because packs of wolves used to howl. This terrifies people even now. And not forgetting werewolves that are supernatural creatures associated with the full moon, and these are always connected to Halloween.

Our view: Wolves are much more active during Autumn season because of their prey having certain migration changes. This is when wolf pups have grown bigger and joining the adults for hunting. It's when wolves are out preparing for winter. 

Ravens are very much associated with Halloween. Most ravens as well as crows are believed to be bad luck omens, connected to magic and death. Often portrayed as being in graveyards, beside skulls and ghosts, this imagery of them is because of superstition and folklore. 

Our view: Ravens and crows are very intelligent and they have good memory. These are scavengers and they eat carrion. Plenty of gothic works of fiction made about ravens and crows link them with the supernatural. They can recognise individual people and they remember who was nice to them. Ravens are also able to be trained to speak. We love these birds.

Bats are so Halloween and many believe these are vampires turned into bats. It's believed that they're blood drinkers and some still think bats are blind. Associated with vampires and also the night. Bats are often out at night, which superstitious people believe connects them to vampires. 

Our view: Bats are nocturnal creatures and active only at night. During Samhain and Bonfire night, the fires attracted insects that also drew in bats who hunt them. Many bats are mostly active during autumn months when they prepare for their winter hibernation. European explorers in South America stumbled upon vampire bats who fed on blood of animals. The majority of bat species are insectivores and herbivores who mostly eat fruit.   

Storm Valkyrie and Shadow Girl

Monsters of the Vikings

 

Not much is known of the sinister entities lurking in Viking, Norse and Germanic legends. Because it's Halloween, we wanted to mention these shady, scary and horrific creatures that seem nightmarish and sends chills down the spine.

Meet Nokken, a handsome man who plays beautiful music. How wonderful he is, so talented and alluring. He makes women (and even men) go weak at the knees, because he's enchanting and resembles a typical fairy tale prince. He wants to go out with you, or really take you down with him. Nokken isn't really what you think he is. As soon as you approach him, you'll be lost forever. He's often found close to ponds, rivers, streams, lakes, in gardens, woodlands, parks, mountains and even beside the pool. He'll play music for you and sing for you. He'll charm you and you will feel drawn to him. Nokken will take you where no one else can follow, because he'll drown you. Before this happens, you'll see him for what he really is: a monster. 

Meet the Draugr, these awesomely powerful zombies. They look awful, haven't bathed for so long, and bring a chill to any party they always gate crash! They make excellent guardians and armies though, as they protect treasure but more than that, they would kill anyone who dares rob them. 

Meet Huldra, the beautiful lady of the forest. She certainly looks like a seductive dryad, and she can be kind and helpful. But then she's not as she seems. She's not human, and hiding a tail as well as her hollow back, which resembles the insides of a rotten tree. Huldra can be cruel and spiteful. 

Meet the Lindworms, these huge serpentine dragons who guard treasure. They're similar to typical dragon legends but Lindworms are venomous and so toxic that they chew at the roots of the World Tree. They're like a virus and they can blind people before eating them. 

Meet Surtr the fire giant. He's no ordinary giant, and he's not someone that be slain easily. Surtr is much more deadly and powerful. He's capable to destroying anything and everything with his fire powers. He carries Certilogi, a brilliant flaming sword as bright as the sun. He'll lead an army of fire giants and break the connection of realms. He'll topple Bifrost and engulf the world in flames. His entire being is death and he'll cause an apocalyptic end to all life.

Meet Fenrir the gigantic wolf presently chained. He never stopped growing, One day he'll break free from the chains and kill the gods, but what's more are his two sons, wolves that will destroy the sun and the moon. The wolf is the ultimate Big Bad Wolf villain. He doesn't just eat people. He'll cause destruction and chaos then play a part in the end of the world. 

Meet Kraken, a giant sea monster in the form of a squid or octopus. This enormous creature torments sailors and is responsible for sinking ships. Often found at sea near coasts of Greenland, Iceland, Norway and anywhere in the North Sea. It's appetite is also huge and it can even consume whales.

Storm Valkyrie and Shadow Girl  

Scary beauty

Today there's Halloween face paint and cosmetics with awful themes, and instructions on how to look diabolical for that monstrous party. However, there was a time when make-up itself really was evil. It was deadly and sent so many innocent people to early graves.

Arsenic poisons were a very normal ingredient for ghost white make-up products. Arsenic face powders and eye shadow looked like thin wafers, and many women bit into them! This was believed to enhance that pale glow loved by Victorians. It was fashionable to look ghostly with an alabaster white complexion, admired by eerie Victorians who also followed the grim trend of taking corpse family photos!

Mixed with that was mercury! That was within lead cosmetics for blushes, lip colour and mascara. It was believed mercury gave such striking colours to the face that vampires would be envious of. That included deathly pale skin and bloodred lips. They even used mercury to treat skin problems and thicken eyelashes. Mercury was vindictive and damaged the skin so much that women used more make-up to conceal it! Sadly they ended up in coffins.

During the reign of the Tudor monarchs, women loved seeking out Venetian ceruse make-up as it gave them an enchanting fairy complexion. They looked otherworldly wearing it but this powder contained lead poison. Many young women died including Maria Coventry, because of severe lead poisoning after wearing these face powders. No tooth fairies there! So far the problems women had using such poison in make-up led to ill health, tooth loss, trembling, nerve damage, amnesia and premature deaths. 

The "Beautiful woman" make-up is belladonna from the toxic deadly nightshade flower. It was used in cosmetics during the Italian Renaissance, mainly as eyedrops to give women bright sparkling eyes. This resulted in many damaged eyes including blindness. In ancient Rome, women used cinnabar to redden their cheeks and cinnabar is full of toxic lead. Trying to look like shining goddesses and angels, these women tragically became corpses.

The most freakiest beauty product lasted for decades during the 20th century, with fatal radiation in cosmetics! Tho-Radia make-up was aimed at women to give them a supernatural glowing beauty. It was aimed at women who wanted to achieve a shimmering look. There was a popular advertisement featuring a picture of a blonde woman covered in light. She looked stunning and many women wanted to achieve that striking beauty. The result was devastating. 

Storm Valkyrie and Shadow Girl 

Opening a door

October is a time of darkness overcoming light, longer nights and changing clocks. It's when the veil between the physical and the otherworldly is lowered. Later in the month traditionally we celebrate Samhain and Halloween, by using decorations, lanterns, costumes and remembering ancestors, while keeping in tune with the earthly season. We notice the changes in bird song, temperature, atmosphere and wildlife that turns a different colour and texture. Even the scents change in the outside air, tinged with autumn spices and early mist. 

On magic spells and details of divination, scrying was my very first. Many years ago I started scrying, just using small glassy reflections, These were not just mirrors, those didn't work for me, but any shiny object including dark bottles of glitter nail polish, which helped make the visions appear. At the time doing this, I was naive and didn't know what was happening. 

Since then I found a new purpose and realised my new skills as a psychic medium woke up. I've been in psychic classes and connected with spirits. Because of this I could no longer do scrying work anymore. It was as if a door closed behind me when another one opened. Some people are able to keep all these doors opened. 

A lady called Shadow Girl will be posting with me on this blog sometimes.  

Storm Valkyrie

October sayings

 

Here are some interesting and very old folklore sayings about the month of October. These have passed down over time and can be associated with nature and superstition. Some will be common and others obscure. 

When deer are in grey coat in October, expect a severe winter.

When birds and badgers are fat in October, a cold winter is expected.

Leaves remaining on branches in October predict a frosty snowy winter.

Many berries mean a hard winter is likely.

Much rain in October, much wind in December.

A warm October means a cold February.

When it freezes and snows in October, January will bring mild weather. If it is thundering and heat-lighting, the winter will resemble April in temper.

A good October and a good blast, So blow the hog acorn and mast.

As the weather in October, so it will be in March.

Gnats in October are a sign of fair winter.

In cold long winters, rabbits are fat in October and November. In mild and pleasant winters, they are poor in those months.

Full moon in October without frost, no frost until the full moon in November.

These sayings are centuries old and have been known from nature observations. They say these are not based on scientific facts but they have some element of wisdom, which I could explore. The mild Autumns and Indian Summers can cause leaves to delay falling off, and the frost can occur late depending on the wind. Climate change has also created milder winters, causing animals to struggle until they find food. Many thanks to Farmers Almanac for providing a list of weather lore. 

Storm Valkyrie  

Be Autumn colours

 

As the Autumn equinox approaches, the temperatures have dropped. Now we're experiencing chilly nights and foggy days with a frosty nip outside. It's getting darker. So best keep warm by more than just sticking on heater, fixing a fireplace or hot water bottles. Using various colours and decorations inside can make someone feel more uplifted and comfortable. Indoor plants for Autumn, as the vibrant colours reflect the season's natural foliage change. Leaves of different orange, red, brown and golden hues are beautiful, and the same colours of clothes, indoors, food and cosmetics gives a sense of cosiness. Apart from looking like Autumn, it's healthy to feel Autumn and this means staying warm inside.

Lady's slipper orchids are speckled and reddish flowers. Having these about your home and office, whether real or fake, can give a pleasant Autumn grace. Other plants include Vriesea orange, fiery coloured Crotons, burgundy Calathea, deep magenta Begonia, Snake Plant, colourful Widows-thrill flowers and Philodendron that seems okay with the darkness.

For edible Autumn healing herbs, try to consume sage, mint, thyme, dill, oregano, ginger, parsley, rosemary, basil, bay, horseradish, star anise, garlic and lemon balm. They can be cooked, or brewed. Then there are the Autumn fruits and vegetables, including apples, figs, pears, grapes, nuts, blackberries, redcurrants, carrots, fennel, tomatoes, aubergine, onions, tomatoes, plums, potatoes, turnips, peppers, lettuce, sweetcorn, beetroot, beans, mushrooms, parsnips, pumpkin, radish, broccoli, shallots, suede, leeks, kale, cauliflower and celery. 

My favourite Autumn fragrances: Pumpkin spice, vanilla and ginger.

Warm Autumn gems: Fire opal, citrine, carnelian. emeralds, sapphires, garnets, topaz, rubies, tourmaline and amber. 

Storm Valkyrie   

Social anxiety

Social anxiety is a severe form of shyness and it's much worse. It's crippling of a person's confidence. It can also ruin relationships and cause further misery. Other people don't understand when someone suffers this mental illness, but they judge them as "weird". People with social anxiety are told not to worry about it as everything they fear is imaginary. Well that is easy to say but hard for the sufferer to believe it. They need to be given healing.

There is much more help and advice on social anxiety now than there ever was years ago. People recommend CBT, or cognitive behavioural therapy, which are techniques and ways of dealing with social anxiety. There are lots of self help books and videos on CBT. Other forms of help is talking therapy, counselling and relaxation. Seeking advice on the internet can also work wonders because there are tons of helpful replies on internet forums, communities and groups. 

Social anxiety could get worse and may cause other illnesses, including depression, avoidance personality disorder and agoraphobia. Find someone to talk to. Get proper guidance and treatment. Believe in yourself as a good person and remind yourself that you're not alone. Speak to your GP, tutor, family member, friend and/or counsellor.  Tell them how social anxiety is making you feel. Getting words out in the open is another way of communicating about your social anxiety. 

Jack and the beanstalk

 

Jack and the Beanstalk is an English fairy tale that comes from ancient times. It was written down through the ages and became the story we know today because of the many retellings. It was in 1734 within the publication Round About our Coal Fire, or Christmas Entertainments by J. Roberts, with "The Story of Jack Spriggins and the Enchanted Bean" in 4th edition. Author Benjamin Tabart wrote "History of Jack and the Beanstalk" in 1807 but this version is still too dark. Soon it was retold in a 1845 book called Home Treasury by Henry Cole a.k.a. Felix Summerly. The pleasant story that became loved by children was in the book English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs who published it in 1890 who gave it a moral twist. 

It's Jacobs' version of Jack and the Beanstalk we know now.  It's much friendlier and comes across as a fantasy adventure tale of a hero seeking to right his wrongs, who started off as naiive and ended up on an epic voyage. He locates magical objects and takes them from the owner, who was a nasty giant that ate humans. Included in the stolen goods was a pretty harp, a big bag of coins and a hen that laid golden eggs. His purpose taking them was to help his poor sick mother. The giant chased after Jack on the tall beanstalk. Giant was catching up with him fast as Jack was loaded with heavy goods. Still Jack finally made it to the bottom, quickly took an axe and chopped down the beanstalk, sending the giant plummeting to his death. A very tense moment of the story. 

There's much more symbolism involved. First, Jack was sent to the market to sell a cow because his mother was sick and they could not afford medicines. Keeping the cow would've been more practical as she could provide milk for them and prevent hunger. They wanted coin for meds although nice Jack was "conned" into giving the cow away in exchange of "magic beans". His mother was furious. She flung the beans out of the window and as soon as they all landed these were sown right away. Quickly there grew a very tall beanstalk reaching up into the sky. Jack climbed up it and he reached a strange land among clouds with a huge castle. 

It's believed this story is originally an ancient tale called "The Boy Who Stole Ogre's Treasure". There's also a parallel with an 18th century story "Jack the Giant Killer". That particular tale was loosely based on older versions, set during the mists of Arthurian legendary Dark Ages. This story of a warrior Jack is violent and not at all for kids. This became popularised because of a 1962 fantasy film "Jack the Giant Killer" with special effects by Ray Harryhausen. There's also much similarities with the Norse legend of Thor and the giants in the Eddas. Thor was often fighting off giants and keeping them away. Such beautiful narratives play in the psyche. 

For more info read this page on Wikipedia: Jack the Giant Killer and The History of Jack the giant killer at Once Upon an Algorithm. Read about the 10 symbols from Jack and the Beanstalk page at Wizzley.    

Storm Valkyrie

The sleeping beauty flower

 The fairy tale of "The Sleeping Beauty" is a well known loved story about a curse. At the very beginning it centres on the baby princess with a celebration. Fairies are gathered to bring gifts to the princess, and all is a happy joyous moment. Then a dark presence of a sinister fairy who put a curse on the princess and entire kingdom. As this happened, the distressed king made sure to burn every single spinning wheel to prevent the curse happening. Many years passed. The princess grew to be a very beautiful young woman, and it was then on her birthday that she explored an unknown tower while playing hide and seek.  

 The story is adventurous and magical. The princess is named Aurora in the Disney film animation. She's also named Briar Rose in earlier book form. This is the very plant that she represent. The Sleeping Beauty is also a tale of romance. Her name in the Grimm Brothers version of the story is Briar Rose, very apt and enchanting.

The briar rose is a pretty flower belonging to the hedge plant variety, which can become prickly and dense growing into walls. This is the same plant that shrouded the entire castle, protecting and hiding the sleeping princess. A prince ventured there and was so determined to locate her. Before him, many brave men tried and failed, as the sharp thorns of briar roses killed them. The prince was able to chop away at the briar hedge wall, and found an opening. Briar roses grow pink flowers and berries called red hips. The leaves are perfumed of apple scent.  This is a tale of rebirth, immortality and growing.  

Storm Valkyrie          

Cinderella flowers

 Of all the most famous plants featured in the story of Cinderella is the pumpkin. That round orange funny vegetable of the squash family, popping up all over the field patch where it grows in abundance. Pumpkin flowers are yellow and star shaped. They appear along the vines of pumpkins and can be eaten. There are different varieties and they've been given names such as "Cinderella Pumpkins", the typical big orange pumpkins that resemble the magic pumpkin coach in the Cinderella story. These are also called "Winter Squash". For exciting Cinderella pumpkin recipes then visit Specialty Produce.

Pumpkins are all associated with many Autumn, Harvest Festival, Halloween and Thanksgiving. In Cinderella story, the fairy godmother turned the pumpkin into a gorgeous stagecoach. There' plenty of magic and nurturing of the fairy godmother. The pumpkin itself, a vegetable that can grow many in a good season, delivers Cinderella to the ball. 

The original story of "Cinderella" was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. In the original version, not the modern version today, the most essential plant was a hazel tree. Cinderella's father once gave her a hazel twig, that she buried in soil at her mother's grave. The twig became a tree, and Cinderella spoke to it. She felt comfort with the hazel tree that was a connection to her mother's grave. The hazel tree represents the spirit of her mother, who continues to nurture and protect her. She was the original fairy godmother.

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Snow White's flower

Fairy tales are full of twists and turns, woven with glistening folklore and earthly wisdom. I shall focus on the main plant featured in another favourite fairy story. "Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs" is the subject today. There are many significant flowers involved, whether indirectly or symbolically. From the black ebony wood, to the dark forest, the main plant in the story is the apple. 

This apple was poisoned by the wicked queen, who wanted to kill Snow-White. Such poisoned apples are not unknown, but apples appear in many old myths and legends. From the golden apples in Greek and Norse myths that prolong life, to the apple in the Garden of Eden containing knowledge that changed humanity forever, and of doom in the Judgement of Paris that set off the devastating Trojan War. 

A poisoned apple was meant to kill Snow White but it actually changed her story. Her collapse and deathlike sleep caused a prince to find her and wake her up. The poison apple appears in an Arthurian tale that resulted in the death of a knight. 

In history, poisoned apples were once thought to be rumours of various people trying to kill someone. During the 18th century, "poisoned apples" was the name used to call contaminated tomatoes,  covered in lead. Few people really died from a poisonous apple and they were in the 20th century. 

Can apples be poisonous naturally? Yes. Within apples are pips that are full of cyanide, as is widely believed. Inside an apple pip are tiny amounts of amygdalin that could result in becoming cyanide. If the pips are crushed or eaten by chewing, it releases cyanide in just a low amount. It's understood you need to eat 100 apple pips at once to become poisoned. In Snow White's case, she was restored by the kiss of a prince and was reborn. 

Storm Valkyrie

Rapunzel flower

 

Rapunzel is one of the most well loved characters by the Brothers Grimm. It's about a princess with extremely long hair and she's kept in a tower by a cruel witch until a prince arrives. Rapunzel's long luscious hair is what stands out in the story and is the main theme. Her name comes from the same root vegetable that her mother used to eat. It's believed that eating the Rapunzel plant gave her daughter very long long hair that she braided and used for the witch to climb up, and then for the prince who loved her. 

The Rapunzel vegetable isn't a fairy tale invention. It's most commonly named today the rampion bellflower, or the scientific name Campanula Rapunculus. It grows anywhere from woodlands to roadsides, as it's a hardy winter plant. It appears as pretty flowers throughout Spring and Summer. It grows edible roots that resemble turnips, radish and spring onions. Rampion Rapunzel can be used as a crop that should be first fertilised on fresh soil consisting of carbon, sand, phosphorus and nitrogen in June. The vegetables need to be harvested when they're grown full and ready by October or November. 

Besides the fairy story, Rapunzel plants were served on gold plates and were offerings to Apollo. In Italy there was a negative superstition that keeping rampion root at home was believed to cause aggro amongst children. They interpret dreams about rampion plants was a sign of conflict. But it stays as a positive heirloom in Germany, a special herb said to be "king's cure all". 

Storm Valkyrie

Cosmetics in ancient times

In ancient times, makeup was very popular and common. Here is a list:

It was especially amongst both men and women to wear eyeblack, which reduced the glare of sunlight. This is still being used today amongst athletes and outdoor sports players. The Vikings mainly used charcoal for this and applies it over and around their eyes.

Eyeliner and/or Kohl was worn by women and this helped reduce glare, medicinal reasons and enhance their eyes. Kohl was made from antimony, plants, charcoal, galena and soot. Women have been using kohl since ancient times.

Woad was colourful and blue, coming from the Isatis tinctoria plant. Used by both men and women for decoration on the body. Celtic warriors in Britain and Ireland covered themselves in woad warpaint. There are tribes who tattooed themselves in blue patterns, such as the Picts. Women today use eyeshadow of woad.

Berry juice was very popular amongst women for cosmetics. It was used to redden the lips and rouge cheeks. Women from ancient Greece and Rome put on berry juice to appear more vivid and stunning, as their red lips and cheeks brightened their faces. They also used vermillion and red chalk. The use of berry juice continued through the ages to give women rosy complexions. 

Pallor was used to make women extremely ghostly pale, as this was considered a sign of innocence. However in ancient times there were harmful ingredients such as Venetian ceruse and lead. In ancient Egypt women applied lead based pallor as cosmetics but this caused much skin damage and illnesses. Even recent as Victorian times, women applied toxic materials such as arsenic wafers as makeup. 

Belladonna eye drops and eye shadow was used by women in ancient times until the Italian Renaissance period. The use of belladonna was to enlarge and sparkle the eyes. This substance comes from the toxic Deadly Nightshade plant. 

Storm Valkyrie

Darwin's wishing tree

Modern science is often disconnected from anything artistic and spiritual. No one puts science with creative arts or religion together. Science has a clinical view of things, searching for hard cold facts, keeping also with rigid frames of data. However, early scientists were much more fluid and accepting of art and religion. They were wild and also full of dreams, ideals and romantic notions of the world. 

Charles Darwin had many adventures in his life, travelling the world and seeing amazing sights. He didn't regard himself as a scientist. He viewed himself as a naturalist and philosopher. He spent a few years at sea on HMS Beagle, enthusiastic and seeking excitement. 

One of the places he visited was Patagonia in South America. This is a cool mountainous region at the bottom tip of the continent. It's where a section of the Andes mountains are that stretches for 7,000 kilometre across, from Venezuela, Chile and Argentina. Patagonia contains volcanoes and pools, submerged mountains with the peaks above water level. It's got sea lions, penguins, whales, horses, guanaco, flamingos, condor, puma, armadillo and also grey foxes. Darwin encountered all of them and more. He also collected artifacts and so on. 

Darwin visited much more places and formed ideas about natural selection. He came across animals he'd never known existed before. He studied rocks, explored the volcanic terrains, ate fruit and ducked from arrows. One of the most mystical observations he made was on a wishing tree in Argentina. It was called a "Walleechu" by the native population. The tree was an alter full of offerings placed around the branches of various gifts from food, water, clothes and even cigars, tied with colourful thread. Around the tree were bones of horses. Darwin noted all of this and being respectful of their tradition.  

For further reading about this, read the book "Natural Magic: Emily Dickinson, Charles Darwin, and the Dawn of Modern Science." by Renee Bergland.  

Storm Valkyrie     

Bringing back the extinct moa bird

 The scientists who brought back the direwolves are now interested in bringing back another extinct animal. This is a giant moa bird native to New Zealand. The moa bird was large and flightless. Various different species of them came in similar shapes. They were tall with long necks but were wiped out by humans several hundred years ago. 

The idea of bringing back the giant South Island moa sounds promising and likely. I'm not an expert although it feels like a door opening here, when science can restore species that have been lost. 

Bringing back animals made extinct by humans is a wonderful advancement as it fills the gaps in nature, healing the world and restoring balance. It shows that humans have moved on today and bringing back extinct animals is not only a move with a more compassionate motive, but as a way to apologise for the cruelties of the past done to wild animals by people.

Storm Valkyrie 

Nebra sky disc

 

One of the most prettiest and interesting relics of ancient times is the Nebra Sky Disc. This resembles a child's clock, complete with cute looking designs of the heavens but it was an important calendar. It shows stars, moons and the sun made in bright metallic golden yellow, with the cyan blue colour of the sky background. 

Found buried in a hill at Nebra in Germany, it's been dated as coming from the Bronze Age. Found buried with the disc were weaponry and jewels, with metals of tin, gold, copper and bronze. After radio carbon dating the artifacts, it seems they were from between 1700 BC to 1500 BC. 

More research done on the ancient findings found that the objects were created from different sources. The gold itself comes from the Carpathan Mountains, and other traces of gold and tin within the objects come from River Carnon in England. 

Its believed the symbols on the disc represent the crescent moon, the sun and partial eclipse, the Pleiades stars or Seven Sisters, the Summer and Winter solstices, sunrise and sunset, North and South. 

For more information on the charming Nebra sky disc:   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nebra_sky_disc    

Storm Valkyrie

Being grateful

 Everyone needs oxygen. We all need water. People can go without some things but not others. Being ungrateful can come with an extreme over indulgence. Many have appreciated the abundance of food in markets, the warmth of a Summer beach, the fresh rainfall and the pretty butterflies. Find the small things to love and cherish as much as greater things. 

Inspirational quotes:

Never let the things you want make you forget the things you have." - Sanchita Pandey

"Appreciate what you have been given and you will be promoted higher." 

"The power of finding beauty in the humblest things makes home happy and life lovely." — Louisa May Alcott

“Gratitude is riches. Complaint is poverty.” — Doris Day

Storm Valkyrie

Keep cool with plants

 

There are many plants that can help during a heatwave or a time of Summer with drought and hot weather. If it feels like there's no air, or even when you're so thirsty and dehydrated, you need to take plenty of fluids. Water is a need, as instinctive traits urge to drink water and cold fluids such as fruit juices, cocktails, fizzy drinks, ice creams and so on. There's plants who can help.

Snake plants, often indoors can give a pleasant atmosphere and moisten the air. It can also help to purify the humid indoors and clean out floating toxins in the atmosphere, therefore reducing mould. It offers a cool oxygen during night time and helps during sleep.

Rubber plant or Ficus elastica can sooth heat indoors and create a more subtle relaxing home, calm and airy. 

Weeping fig is an indoor tree that manages the conditions of the air and reduces toxins. It creates a pleasant airy environment with a little coolness. 

Aloe vera is from a hot dry region and so can control indoor temperatures.

Lavender is an outdoor growing flowering plant that tolerates severe heat. 

More plants to have during Summer includes Rosemary, Thyme, Sage, Oregano, Chives, Basil, Dill, Sedums, succulents, cacti, palms, Dianthus and Chinese evergreen. Most of all keeping in the shade of trees can keep you cool.

Storm Valkyrie    

Happy Summer!

 

Wishing everyone everywhere a really blessed beautiful happy positive Summer solstice!

Love,

Storm Valkyrie 💛🌺🌴🍒🌟

From the soil

 

The envious and the jealous are defined by the colour green. The angry are associated with red. Sadness and loss are often blue or grey. But there is a shade that means many things instead. This is yellow, a blazing bright hue, dancing and sparkling like the sun and stars and moon, with gold written all over it. The same that is linked to happiness, wisdom, wealth and also disease, fever, decay and age. 

It's not the colour we want to find in snow or on our pearly teeth. Yet yellow brings out positivity and also knowledge. This is the colour you don't want to see when there is tension and even war. Positive yellow things include yellow coloured gemstones, flowers, animals, fruit and even gold nuggets. Negative yellow things are illnesses, rot, danger, warnings and dreaded radiation signs. While yellow can mean happiness, it is also the colour of sands of a dried barren landscape.

Humans can't see the more vibrant visible colours that exist, so to us, yellow is just one colour although it has many different shades. In the actual real world, there isn't just one colour yellow but many different colours. All we see and recognise that a flower looks yellow but another species, such as birds or reptiles, might see different colours of the same individual flower instead. Humans base knowledge on the five main senses and also with the colours. 

Humans cannot see infra red or ultra violet, there are so many things invisible to the human eyes. Also humans can't sense the Earth's magnetic field. We are unable to hear infrasound but animals can. Many more examples such as humans can't detect the electric field given off by other living beings. This is why we should never be cut off from the earthly wisdom of nature.  

Storm Valkyrie

Fire flower chain

 The response of Mount Etna has caused a reaction, as the other side of the world in Hawaii, Mount Kilauea is erupting. Both of Italy and Hawaii have similar volcanoes, lava flows, magma chemistry. Italy and Hawaii have volcanic islands and also moderate eruptions now and then. 

The volcano Mount Kilauea is spiritually important to the native Hawaiians. They believe a family of fire deities including the Goddess Pele live inside the chambers of volcanoes. People leave offerings to the fire gods. 

Among the volcanoes in Hawaii is Mauna Kea, the most tallest. There are different layers to Mauna Kea as sometimes it's icy with an Alpine Climate, and fertile soil used to produce trees, food and a place for wildlife. People regard Mauna Kea as a deeply spiritual and sacred site. Many are concerned with environmental damage done to the mountain because of industry and science. Many astronomers want to use the sacred mountain to build more domed observatories to look at space through telescopes. This would disrupt wild animals living there and interfere with their natural habitat. I am with the native Hawaiians on this debate. 

Storm Valkyrie 

A song of Etna

The hill is furious and unpredictable, giving rise to inner power that spews out rage. 

The outburst and flames are lethal. 

Her glorious song is forever remembered.

Typhon unleashed his monstrous energy. 

The caverns belonging to Vulcan fills with heat. 

The entrance to Tartarus opens and beckons but please don't go in! 

By Storm Valkyrie 🔥

The Blaze Star and two different myths

 

According to news reports, we're due to witness the nova of a star at the constellation Corona Borealis. The star brightens up when it reaches nova phase roughly every 80 years. It's nicknamed "Blaze Star", and it's proper name is T CrB. The last nova flare up happened in 1946. The Blaze Star is a binary system with a red giant and a white dwarf. While the star gazers are waiting excitedly for this to happen, we would see it as a bright star with our naked eyes. It could happen any moment as it's due to occur soon. 

This region of the sky is connected to the Celtic goddess Arianrhod, as the corona borealis constellation is one of her important symbols. Arianrhod is a virgin goddess of the stars and silver wheel, the "crown of the north", associated with weaving, full moon, silver coins, wheat, fish and candles. The constellation of corona borealis was named "Caer Arianrhod" the revolving Castle of the Silver Circle. It's other names include Arianrhod's Crown, which is her tower abode. The belief is that the corona borealis is an entrance to Annwn. One of the most well known stories about Arianrhod is her giving birth to twins. They were mysteriously conceived and it's believed this was magical and a test for her.

The corona borealis is also associated with Ariadne of Greek mythology. It's even called the Crown of Ariadne. She was the mistress of the Labyrinth that held the dangerous man-eating Minotaur as prisoner. Many human sacrifices were made to the Minotaur. Ariadne was the daughter of King Minos and niece of enchantress Circe. She was worshipped in Athens, Delos, Naxos, Cyprus and even Roman Britain. It's believed she fell in love with Theseus, the hero set out to slay the Minotaur, so she gave him a ball of wool to help him navigate the complex dark labyrinth. Theseus killed the Minotaur and later married Ariadne, although it depends on what version you come across. In some, she's simply the girlfriend of Theseus but wife of the god Dionysus as she then became Queen of the Maenads, the wild women who worshipped Dionysus. Ariadne's gift from Dionysus was a crown, of which became the star constellation after she died. The corona borealis resembles her glittering crown jewels. 

Storm Valkyrie 

The deeper hidden star signs

Astrology and the traditional 12 zodiacs. People love them so much and invest in books, jewellery, oracle cards, food and fortunes that connects them with their zodiac sign. A zodiac sign is the sign that you were born under. Some people may hate this but there are many more hidden star signs outside of the 12 zodiac that may or may not have an impression. Some have tried to squeeze the 13th new sign into the 12 zodiac but this pushes them along so that peoples beloved signs are not over their months anymore. This is kind of unnecessary and rude! Keep the 12 traditional zodiac but make a new one that includes all of the distant hidden stars. 

Our zodiac system has been like family for about 3,000 years when the idea was first invented. It's regarded as a sun sign system. The zodiac signs are based on equinoxes and the solstices. There are many who debate that this should've included a 13th zodiac, named Ophiuchus, that the sun often passes. Ophiuchus is a vast constellation called a "serpent bearer" so was not included when the ancient Babylonians made the zodiac. Basically if the 13th sign was included, this would change the dates on the present zodiac, which would alter peoples own familiar sun signs. Many don't like that. 

The excluded 13th zodiac is like the story of 13th fairy who wasn't invited to the royal celebration of the newborn princess. All the other 12 fairies were invited and each gave their blessing. It's as if the 13th fairy was like the 13th zodiac sign who wasn't allowed to influence a child's life after birth. Fairy tales are often magical and have deep significance. Some are connected to old myths, legends, folklore and ancient wisdom. It's not just the 12 signs or even the 13th sign. Many star constellations play an important role in shaping our lives too. 

I could never really warm to my own star sign of the zodiac, mainly because I was born on the cusp. Although I do identify with the constellation Pegasus, where my birth chart is under. My daughter doesn't like her zodiac sign although she's now happy to learn that the constellation Andromeda "the princess" is in her birth chart. Others won't agree with me but all of this is very exciting stuff.  

Storm Valkyrie

May celebration

 There is a special place in my heart for May celebrations, including the English May Day and also Beltane. These are traditionally with dancing around maypoles using ribbons and weaving them around as dancers circle. This represents the seasons, cycles and fertility. The ancient roots of this tradition of Maypole dancing goes back more than 2,000 years during the time of Roman rule. Over time the Maypole dancing and ribbon features appeared in the 18th or 19th centuries. 

Other customs include the "Bread and Cheese Tree", which is the Hawthorn tree, where the early leaves are edible and sweet. This is not to be confused with the May sport which is almost a funny tradition of Cheese Rolling. There will be May celebrations including Morris Dancers, a folk dance with men and women, and depending on whereabouts in the country, the costumes are different. 

Enjoy May Day!

Storm Valkyrie 

Wolf will eat the sun

The wolf will devour the sun, according to Norse mythology. The time of Ragnarok when the two wolves, Hati and Skoll, will be chasing down the sun and moon to eat them. Hati will eat the moon. Skoll will eat the sun. This is what will happen when chaos erupts, Fenrir is released and Thor battles with the World Serpent. 

There are British scientists who want to dim the sun to prevent global warming. This experiment was given the go-ahead by the UK government, and this will happen in a few weeks. The method would be using aerosol chemicals to produce clouds to deflect the sun rays. Another method is to make luminous clouds to put off sunlight reaching the Earth. 

Such tampering with nature has been met with critics warning it could cause weather disruptions. Creating artificial clouds like this is called solar geo engineering. They want to cover the land in a perpetual shadow. Dimming the sun is basically in other words darkening the sky. Such an event could lead to misery and bad harvests. Not only will they dim the sun but they will also dim the moonlight. We will end up with gloomy days and nights both. 

But they've talked about this for years, planning to do so and then putting it off.   

We need more positive light and healing for the world. 

Storm Valkyrie 

St George's Day

 

Very happy St George's Day, that is always held on 23rd April. However, this year it will be held on the 28th April because the Church decided to push it back this year as they didn't want confusion over Easter. 

The story of George and the dragon has been taught to many children and is a favourite adventure fantasy romance of a knight defeating the dragon and rescuing a beautiful lady and then they fall in love. 

It's celebrated in many countries and especially in England as St George is the patron saint. St George's Day is a significant Christian festival. It can also be celebrated by Pagans and other non Christians. It's often held throughout the country in many towns and cities. 

People can be seen enjoying feasts and entertainments. Many go wearing costumes, as some dressed as knights while others ride horses. Medieval themed parades, plays, music and parties. There are men in armour, ladies on stilts, Morris Dancers, and huge puppet dragons. There is much fun and excitement.  

Storm Valkyrie  

Eostre message

Everyone I wish you all a Wonderful Happy Easter (Eostre) holidays. 

Info: 

April is Eostremonath, an Anglo-Saxon name of the month. It was during this time that ancient pre-Christians held feasts, according to Bede. 

Eostre is a Goddess of Spring. Her Anglo-Saxon name Eostre is believed to be where the name "Easter" comes from, as the transformation from the Pagan celebration into Christian belief about the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Again this ties in with the theme of Spring, when flowers return after a long cold deathlike winter. A time of renewal in natures seasonal cycles. It's also the return of Goddess Persephone bringing the Spring.

In Spring the sun is more prominent, with longer warmer days. The German version of Eostre is Ostara. Modern pagans celebrate Ostara during the Spring equinox. The Wiccan Wheel of the Year includes Ostara as a sabbat or holiday. 

Blessings,

Storm Valkyrie 

Raging fire

 

There is a lot of devastation in the United Kingdom as wildfires spread across the countryside, devastating nature reserves. It's only Spring and wildfires have swept across and out of control, with it going up and down each country. Some blame climate change for this, although I don't know the temperature being hot enough, except a very mild sunny weekend. Some would say it was started by idiots with their BBQ parties or even much more sinister, arsonists who want to destroy things, and they may be local vandals or something darker. 

2025 started with the huge wildfires in California, that caused many to evacuate, while some sadly lost their lives. Australia has also been experiencing wildfires and these are bushfire outbreaks. Also in Russia's Siberia have had a lot of wildfires recently. South Korea and also Japan have suffered a lot of wildfires since earlier this year. There were two wildfires in Table Mountain in South Africa that was eventually controlled. French territory Amsterdam Island in the Pacific was damaged severely by wildfire this year. Yesterday a number of wildfires damaged forests in Germany. This was blamed on a "dry Spring" A total of 17 wildfires have already struck Italy in 2025. 

Now there are wildfires occurring over the British Isles, which seems to be because of "unknown causes". While the weather has been wet on and off, some believe this was deliberate instead of natural disaster. A lot of nature reserves with the fires were likely started by arsonists, as stated by those officials who've been investigating the causes. Deep sadness over a number of wildlife that died because of the fires. It's heart breaking and worrying as I'm concerned for the safety of all. 

⛆🌧🌈💌Healing and rain clouds sent.

Storm Valkyrie     

Beneath the pyramids of Giza

It has been a very interesting year so far about big discoveries. More controversial is the finding of giant structures beneath the pyramids of Giza. A team of European scientists used advanced radar technology and found a massive underground city beneath the pyramids. The enormous underground city complex is estimated to be over 6,500 feet. There are eight tall upright columns that are 2,100 feet beneath the pyramid of Khafre, extending deep into the earth, ending on giant platform cubes of 250 feet per side in length. Each column has a spiral stairway, from the cubic bases all the way up to the pyramid. 

Many have been excited about the discovery. To be honest, the actual discovery is at a significant time. The pyramids are amazing works of engineering and (in a way) artistic. These underground secrets though, while very mysterious, mind boggling and chilling also as it changes everything we've been taught about human history. The underground city looks very beautiful and it gives me a headache imagining how people so long ago built that. 

Some say it wasn't humans who built it, but is a natural geological feature! Or it's a spiritual plane that others have said could be the Halls of Amenti. This place is described in the Emerald Tablet of Thoth, as either a magical realm or a stargate, located deep in the earth and is a connection with the soul and physical realm. Others think this discovery of a hidden city under the pyramid of Giza is the Halls of Amenti. The columns are shaped like human DNA, spiralling stairs. Like passages from the soul journey and how one transitions from the earthly plane to the next realm. The sight of a tunnel at the gate of death, and the vivid wonder at ancient classical buildings, can make many question their own place in a world that they thought they knew. To see it makes people realise they never understood everything they thought they did. Let us wait and find out more to be unravelled about this latest discovery.

More on this: 

Hub Pages article on Halls of Amenti

The page on underground complex under Egypt's pyramids at Ancient Origins  

Storm Valkyrie

Happy Mothering Sunday

Today is Mothering Sunday, or Mother's Day, as celebrated in the UK and Ireland. Other countries also celebrate Mother's Day but during the Summer later on. Today is also the day which is the fourth after Lent. All this we have to be thankful and appreciate our mothers and grandmothers, whether biological, adopted or simply a role model, a nurturing mother is a gift. 

We can also thank the lady Constance Adelaide Smith for if it wasn't for her, we wouldn't have a Mother's Day. She wanted a special day honouring mothers, and she revived the modern version of a Medieval observation. Constance wanted to recognise the Virgin Mother, Mother Nature and all "mothers of earthly homes". 

Happy Mothering Sunday!

Storm Valkyrie

Protection stones

 

There is a bunch of minerals and rocks that are able to ward off evil spirits but may have something interesting about them too. I shall mention it later on.  

Zircon is one of the most beautiful lustrous stones that can do this. It can also help with calm deep sleeps, for those who have insomnia they can slip a zircon under their pillow at night. It's believed zircon the gem is said to help those mental illness and to become energised, calm and clear headed. Zircon is associated with wisdom and good luck. In Medieval times, zircon was believed to protect against illnesses so people carried the stone with them on their travels. 

Tourmaline is a gemstone with many healing properties. It can influence a person's mindset and energy, helping to elevate a sense of self esteem, bringing stronger feelings of confidence. Therefore it's considered a stone used for bringing positivity, protection and can ward off evil spirits. Black tourmaline is the one that guards against negative energy. Green tourmaline heals the body and represents wood. 

Amethyst is a purple coloured stone that lowers anxiety and helps relieve emotional stress. It's used to protect against evil spirits. There are many healing properties in amethyst including helping someone to sleep well, improving mental illness and for emotional wellbeing. It wards off pain and it's able to reduce headaches. 

Smoky quartz is a good stone for emotional stability, as well as warding off evil spirits. The stone can help in building ones own confidence, feeling calm and relaxed, a focused mind, clear understanding and better inner peace. It's often used as a healer for multiple things from pain relief to fertility. 

Quartz is a crystal that looks stunning like ice and also can resemble a diamond. This is the most powerful healing stones, it can clear away negative energy, strengthen calmness of mind and body, spiritual growth, calmness and focused mind. It's used for mental and emotional stability, balance and calm. It purifies the body, getting rid of evil spirits and enhancing spiritual insight and clear meditation.

What these gemstones have in common is their significance to being popular healing stones with magical uses. They're used as relics, talismans and even protection against evil spirits. Surprisingly though they are all naturally radioactive. These gemstones have very tiny low level amounts of radiation that happened when they were formed deep in the ground which doesn't cause any harm. 

There are dangerous harmful gemstones that include samarskite (it contains uranium), autunite (also with uranium) and ekanite (it's got thorium. Also it aparrently wards off evil spirits!).  

Storm Valkyrie