Halloween Stories

Seeing as Halloween is here I thought I would do a little something for the special occasion. I always love to hear ghost stories, and do I have stories to tell.

The first tale is that the house I live within just sometimes has something going on. In my bedroom there has been a couple occurrences I can name, one involves me while the other my brother while when we were kids. The one involving me was not so scary but an odd experience, what I saw was like a large org made of light that went through the bedroom window and it moved slowly through my bedroom as I watched it.
With my brother, while in bed he saw a face on the ceiling. He tried to ignore it by closing his eyes and covering his face. Sadly, curiosity got the better of him and he had to check if it was still there. It was and he left the bedroom.

Another odd occurrence deals with my mother. In her bedroom at night she constantly feels cats walking around her feet when there are no cats around. In the past there was three family cats, one died while I was young and I cannot remember a thing about her, the death of this cat is a mystery as she went missing for a day and was found dead with several scratches by my dad. Another grew to old age and suffering so she was taken to a shelter to get better care, her death is not known. The third cat was about five or six in age when she was hit by a car and killed, she was found dead by my mother. It is suggested that the spirits of these three has been doing the walking on the bed my mother can feel.

A story I have heard deals with a school I went to in the past which closed down a few years ago. Several birds died around the school within a year of the school being closed, which was strange as birds almost never died around the school except in rare cases. In those rare cases those birds were given a burial, but those birds who died on school grounds after its closing never received a burial. Eventually the schools hall burnt down and its remains had to be torn down for safety reasons, people survived but rumour has it that rats died in the fire. As the school hall was torn down the rest of the school was torn down, too, and the remains of the birds and rats found but not buried, simply dumped elsewhere.
It is said that the spirits of those birds and rats remained on that very area where the school once stood, haunting the area. Rumour has it a being from another world was sent to protect those very spirits in the form of a dog. It is thought this dog is large and black furred, all so it cannot be seen while it roamed the former school grounds quietly at night protecting the spirits.

Gold Ingot

The gold ingot is an item used in feng shui that symbolizes wealth, in which it is said that placing such an item in the house is to bring luck in the form of wealth. The point of feng shui is to bring balance and harmony, and it is the gold ingot that is often went to add to one of the five elements needed for this harmony, metal.

By placing gold ingots in your house you might attract wealth and prosperity to it, if you carry them around it is said wealth and prosperity will be directly attracted to you. According to feng shui, when placing gold ignots in the house one should place them in an ideal place, one place being the southeast as it is the area representing wealth. Having a gold ingot next to a window or next to the entrance of a door is said to be other good places to put a gold ingot.

As gold ingots become more popular across the globe, it is already common to see a Laughing Buddha statue holding a gold ingot above his head.

Totems: Elephant

The totem I am doing is one which is pictured in my profile image, the elephant. A powerful creature with wisdom, a creature I have an odd interest in stemming from once hearing that they can get personality disorders just like humans. Elephants are revered for good reason, but also feared due to how dangerous they can be.

The strength these creatures have is amazing and a lesson to be learnt from the elephant totem. They can fight off lions with their size but also with their powerful trunks, but strength cannot be alone for fighting. It is wisdom and intellect that also helps in the long run, and this is two lessons the elephant teaches. Elephants are indeed intelligent, thought to be one of the worlds most intelligent species (interestingly, possibly as intelligent as humans).

Loyalty and commitment is seen within elephants towards friends, family and partners. They will protect other elephants when in need, even risking their own lives for the sake of another. When a member of the herd dies, they will be mourn just like people. If a herd walks over a spot in which a member of the family died they will pause and show signs of mourning. Truly, that is loyalty to one’s own family.

Elephant totems are thought as indications of the influence of sexuality and fertility, even a sign of a large sex drive seeing as elephants are a symbol of a large libido.

When offering to the elephant one should take note that they are herbivorous. Such things that can be offered are fruit and vegetables, but take note that peanuts, leaves, grass and even tree bark may be preferred offerings.

Microphone Argument

There was something I found interesting today, a girl was creating a monologue which was influenced by Christianity and sin with the help of two others. Somehow the topic of using microphones in church came up between the two who are trying to help. The conversation didn’t turn out good, “My church doesn’t use microphones!” one said, “Well, mine does!” the other stated. These two were actually arguing about the use of microphones in churches with the last thing said being “Go hug a Bible!”
Interesting insult, “Go hug a Bible!” I might just keep that in mind for when I have a chance to use it.


However, since when did the use of microphones in churches become a problem? It certainly wasn’t a problem when I did go to church as a kid, nor have I ever heard anything against the use microphones in churches until today.

Suffering

There are some who suffer much in their lives, others suffer little. There is also the people who don’t suffer a lot yet don’t have little suffering within their lives. From such knowledge one knows that every single person suffers in their lives and it is not just us humans who suffer, it is that dog who broke a bone and that tiger who hungrily has to search for a new territory. All life suffers.

The Four Noble Truths Buddha taught is that is suffering, the cause of suffering is attachment, there is a way to cease suffering and that the way to stop suffering is through the Noble Eightfold Path (right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration). Buddhism has greatly influenced me and my beliefs of the world, I view the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path is a great way to help to cease suffering.
I take much note to right action and right speech, as it is action and speech that can create much suffering. One can do the actions themselves that creates the suffering, or they can use their speech that creates suffering through orders or insults. But it is the actions and words that one say or do in turns ceases suffering.



What I love about Plucka Duck is how he is laid-back and seems to enjoy himself. Many people could learn a lesson from this duck, to have fun, to go out and have an experience in life. I view having plain old fun as a great way to help to cease one’s own suffering. Having no worries and fun can get your mind off all that is going around in the world and in one’s own life, it can also create a great story or two to tell others.

Simply living one owns life can be highly stressful with work/school, raising kids, paying bills, housework and simply keeping up with family and friends. Suffering can be intensified this way, but it is interestingly a good way to learn how to deal with it and to accept the fact that everyone including oneself suffers.

Totems: Goat

The good old goat.  A farmyard animal in which I have been lucky enough to have once milked.

Goats haven’t got the best reputation, not seen as gentle by many. But nether the less the power of goat is within the strong head and tough skulls is great, it is a powerful weapon that helps dealing with predators and helps with deal the social role within the herd. But they do have a gentle side despite being a creature of power.

Goats have been the representation of masculinity which may be due to the fact it is the creature itself that represents the Horned God, the Greek god Pan and the Devil himself. The fact that goats are associated with the Devil hasn’t done good for this animal.

Magic and the occult are two things goats are also associated with. Goats interestingly has much history in sacrifice, one that actually on  John Safran vs. God during the Vodou Day of the Dead ceremony. The sacrifice of goats haven’t been just something of Vodou, but of other religious traditions.

Hardships are what goats can bear due to their stability, as goats are the one that slowly keeps moving, passing the hardships set before them.

Goats are also intelligent, and known escape artists known that kick and push fences to try to escape. The ability to escape has meant they can become wild and this may be how feral goats became a severe problem here in Australia. Interestingly, goats can also climb trees.

Offerings to goats can include carrots and weeds. Tips of woody shrubs and trees are also something that can be offered. Clothing and garbage aren’t a suggested offering, due to the fact that goats only eat such things when starving. Take note that goats can be a bit picky about eating, and this is why we can see goats eating a number of things.

Soon Public Holiday

Two more weeks until it is the Day of the Dead. I cannot wait for it despite it being on a Tuesday. Why I cannot wait for it? It is a public holiday that day, not because it is the Day of the Dead but thanks to Melbourne Cup Day. I love Melbourne Cup Day not due to the horse racing and dressing up as it is about, simply for the fact that Melbourne Cup Day itself is a public holiday within the Melbourne area and it is always on the first Tuesday of November.

Since Day of the Dead and Melbourne Cup Day is occurring on the same day I ought to celebrate, though I would be only celebrating Day of the Dead. It is traditional to give flowers (yay for many flowers popping up this time of year), especially marigolds, as gifts to the dead on Day of the Dead. Around here one would be lucky to find marigold flowers being sold. Only if those marigold seeds I planted were soon flowering marigold plants, either that or those seedlings grow and flower pretty damn fast.

Hell Notes

Hell notes are well known and used by many as an offering to their ancestors. Most hell notes have the ruler of Heaven and the worlds below (the world of Man and of Hell), the Jade Emperor, depicted on it. Some notes display the Eight Immortals, Buddha or dragons.

The popular story of hell notes and how they became called as they are today is all thanks to misinterpretation.  The story in question tells that zealous Christian missionaries went to China to convert the Chinese telling these people that all non-Christian Chinese will go to a place called Hell when they die. The Chinese thought that this English word ‘hell’ meant ‘afterlife’, thus the mix-up came to be.
Interestingly, there is a place called Feng-Du which is also called the ‘Chinese Hell’ due to the place being where one re-pays their wrong-doings, or ‘sins’, in life before being reborn.

What you can expect to see on a hell note is Chinese symbolism such as a carp (due to the Chinese word for ‘fish’ sounds similar to ‘have something left over’. as in extra cash for spending), often carps will be shown in pairs or held by children as symbols of good luck. Bowls filled with coins, red coral and gold ingots can also be seen on some notes, while others may have a lotus on it.

The traditional times to burn hell notes are The Festival of Pure Brightness and Hungry Ghost Festival. One may toss these notes in the air during funeral procession or leave it on a persons grave.  Interestingly, people use hell notes as symbolic money when doing money spells and some even use it to try to attract or even pay spirits when engaging in such things as necromancy.

You can get hell notes in Chinese based stores, particularly in major cities, but remember if that there are none in the store it is always good to ask where one can get hell notes. However, to the Chinese it is highly offensive to give a hell note to a living person as a gift as it can be seen as wishing death upon the person.

Using Pendulums

Pendulums are divination tools that have been used by many. It is something that is however very personal, it may be made be made of the common amethyst, a gem said to increase psychic awareness and reduce stress... Or perhaps of jade, a gem that is lucky and called a ‘dream stone’.
When using a pendulum it is held between your thumb and index finger. This is where it should be noted that with pendulums that when asking it a question it may move back and forth, side to side, spin either clockwise or anti-clockwise or even stay still. A good way to find out if your pendulum means for yes or no is to ask beforehand if a name is actually your name (like if I asked my name is Taylor, whatever answer I get I know it means no).  You can ask to be shown yes, then ask to be shown no instead asking questions that you know the answer of. Just remember that with asking questions it should only be yes or no questions and while between questions to make sure that the pendulum has stopped completely.

It is suggested to not have others touch your pendulum, not to be rude but to stop people having their energies make an impact on your pendulum and reducing it reliability. When you first have got your pendulum one should also keep it with them as much as possible for a few weeks so it can absorb your energies, too, asking questions could help with it.

When asking questions it would be an idea to have written down questions beforehand. When a response is given you can write yes or no or use symbols for yes or no responses. When asking questions I have heard it is best to try to use as many simple questions as possible and to make more complex questions simpler. You can also use a pendulum to find items, such as asking for where something is such as within your house. If it is within the house you can do a simple drawing of your house, showing all your rooms and asking your pendulum which room the item you are after is.

It should be noted that before the use of pendulums it has been suggested to do a simple cleanse of your pendulum before use, a simple way to do so is to hold your pendulum above the smoke of burning incense.  I have also heard that you could put your pendulum in water overnight to cleanse it and you only need to do this once a month, so it is more of a preference thing of how you want to cleanse it.

Totems: Cat

I thought I would start talking of totem animals within my blog posts, but I will try to not to make it my main focus of this blog.
What animal in particular I will featuring is a domesticated animal that has been along side mankind for centuries, it has been both loved and hated with a rich mythology spaning from Egypt to Japan. An animal associated with mystery and independence, yet also thought to have magical ability. The create with much self-love and worth with an amazing ability to relax. This is the cat.

Cats have been thought of more of as feminine, this may have to do with the goddesses cats themselves are associated with, especially the Egyptian goddess Bast. Other goddesses in association are Freya and Liberty. In a previous blog post I have mentioned the Maneki Neko, or Beckoning Cat, which is a well known item of luck in Japanese culture that is gaining popularity in western culture.

When we see cats we may see them relaxing, resting. Putting time aside to rest and relax is a lesson we can learn from cats. People with cat totems may get an indication or two to look at our sleep patterns if we don’t get told straight out to look at it. Maybe we need to do what cats do and have naps throughout the day; this may be what a cat totem or guide may suggest one to do, as it is truth that sleep in important.

Cats have a great intuition, so why not use your own? Cats do well with it and so do people, it might even be a great benefit to use it more often. The intuition of cats is said to be a great asset to its survival, and it could very well be used to help you survive. As I once heard a to-do list, “Get out of bed, survive, go back to bed.” From experience, this seems to be what a number of cats seem to have for a to-do list while doing what they want.

Cats also are thought to have an ability to sense magic and the paranormal unlike people, especially with seeing spirits.  If you have a cat, when practicing magic you could have your cat by your side as it is said that keeping a cat nearby is a good source of protection, especially as they have their sensitivity to otherworldly things.

Cats are thought to have healing powers, and interesting, the calming purrs cats send out helps people deal with depression and anxiety within people. But also remember the independent nature of cats, to do what they want to do and when you have a pet cat you will learn sometime that the cat owns you, not the way round.  The power to heal and to be independent are lessons taught by the cat totem.

If a totem contacts you I find it rude to not offer it something, if you know cats you will probably guess but for those who do not, fish and various kinds of milk will likely make good offerings but also take in mind that cat food can make a good offering, just keep an eye out on what is enjoyed and what is not.

Colour And Number Symbolism

Numbers and colours both have meanings or could be associated with something. White and black are both  represent death, but it depends on what culture you are in on wether black or white is a shade that‘s meaning is death. It is what makes cultures interesting to study, the differences. While people in the west view black cats as unlucky in Japan they are seen as lucky, it is just one of those things two cultures view differently.
Blue, a colour viewed as a representation of sadness and depression. Interestingly, blue is also means calmness, trustworthiness and commitment. While blue is seen as a colour of calmness and trustworthiness it is also seen as a colour that means cold and uncaring.

Green, the colour of the environment and nature, yet also peace, illness and money. In Japan green is of eternal life while China virtue and beauty. Aztec culture thought of green as a royal colour.

Yellow, a colour with the meaning of enlightenment. Optimism and happiness is also what yellow symbolises. Yellow, in China at least, is the colour of the emperors. In the five elements, yellow is the colour of the element of earth. The Aztec’s viewed yellow as the colour of food, while in Greece yellow is of sadness while jealously in France.

Orange, whose tells of warmth and energy. Symbolises creativity along as the national colour of the Netherlands. In both China and Japan, orange symbolizes happiness and love.
Red, said to be the exciting colour, being of love yet also aggression. Red is of beauty, while in China it is the colour of the element fire, the direction south, the season of summer, and of good luck and fortune. In Aztec culture red is for blood.

Purple, the colour of the royals and is of mysticism. Roman Emperor’s was referred as ‘The Purple’ due to the coloured cape he wore, which was appropriately purple in itself. In Japan, purple signifies wealth and position while in Egypt virtue and faith.

Brown, the natural colour that is all organic. It is that reliable colour so connected with the earth, but in India brown is the colour of mourning.

1 is of unity and is the first. A number that is whole and complete, of the positive and pure.

2 is of balance and duality, the number that is equal. 2 tells of partnership and communication, of Yin and Yang.

3 is thought of as creative, of a trinity. It is the number of advantages. 3 represents the past, the present and the future. A number of positive, negative and neutral.

4 is of loyalty, order and being practical. Of being responsible and even tempered. 4 is the number that is stable and patient, but also the number of death.

5, the lucky number of the five elements. Of curiosity, knowledge and the experienced. 5 is a number of travelling and adventure.

6 tells of the symbolism of harmony. The number of marriage and love, but also longevity.

7 gives us the symbolism of luck and of the philosopher, the sage. 7 is also of mystery.

8, another lucky number. But also of achievement, success and wealth. In China, eight tells that anything is possible.

9, of wisdom and artistic, all knowing and otherworldly. A number of the power of the intellect and is a highly lucky number.

Virtues

Virtues for me are like those among others, valued, and there are a number of are highly valued by me.

Patience, the virtue I value the most and I do try to be as patient as possible as in this world there is a lot of waiting. You have to wait for people, for ideas and for growth, so I see it as that one has to not be bothered having to wait for something as waiting itself is extremely common.

Knowledge is what is known on facts, a “justified true belief” as Plato described it. It is something I admire and aspire to gain, I go to school to broaden my knowledge and I do study to give an extra push of gaining knowledge. Knowledge itself is what is needed for society to survive to get through tough times, as it helps to know how to deal with problems.

Humility, or being humble, is what I wish more people were. Many people are not modest and as I have seen, make a comment or act as if all tough when they are not. This is why humility is a virtue valued by me.

Respect, a big one and another virtue listed where I have seen people lacking it. As they say, treat people as you would want to be treated, and the reason for treating others as you would want to be treated not just because you can and to be a good person, but because pay-back will be a bitch.
Respect to some people (from my personal experience) seem to think respect itself is simply dealing with personal space. I am one of many who say don’t go around shoving beliefs down others throats or trying to get people to eat or not eat some sort of food, not because it is rude, but people tend to be different in beliefs and habits so you would respect that as you would respect personal space.

Loyalty has been important to me throughout my life. It is to be unswerving in an allegiance, faithful to it. I have seen people being good friends to another, then backstabbing them later on for personal gain, mainly popularity, trading great and loyal friends to become popular and this is why I hold loyalty high.

Acceptance, which is seen in various forms, is a virtue I see in a lot of people but it tends to be on a smaller scale then to of acceptance of a wide variety of things. I see people being accepting of other races of people but not of some differences of people (such as of beliefs and homosexuality). People really should be more accepting of such differences as others are going to have differing beliefs and appearances, but also of sexuality, interests (it be of such things as favourite games or music) and habits. Obviously, acceptance for something morally wrong should be discouraged despite what I have heard some sadly argue acceptance being.
People also seem to not be to be very accepting of suffering out there. There appears to be many people who think the world is all nice and good when the fact is that there is always suffering, then they get quite upset themselves when they suffer when it is just a part of life. The world is beautiful in many aspects, yet this world is a world of pain.

Generosity is fantastic to see. People can be great in the fact that they can be highly generous, but unfortunately it is not seen as often as it should be and at times people do forget to be generous themselves. I still go to school and a topic that came up recently is homelessness. What surprised me the most is that a number of people claimed to try to give money to a homeless person who isn’t asking for anything and the money gets rejected, yet there was no claim of trying to being generous to the homeless through other deeds.
People, after all, don’t have to just be generous to the homeless by giving them just money but by offering food or a drink, or even asking if they need something and getting what they want. It is the same with people who are not homeless, sometimes people need a bit of extra change for a little something, maybe they are hungry and don’t have any food to eat. It is not only a good deed to be generous to others, but also helpful to the person.

Compassion, it is one’s capacities for empathy and sympathy for the suffering of others. For me, compassion should be given not only to people but also other life as it is not only humans who suffer. The Dalai Lama said, “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Compassion is what moves one to help others, to get rid of  the suffering of others.

Trustworthiness, the ability to be reliable, and something I do come across but not on the scale I would want to see. People do lie upon being asked about a topic by people who trust them, and this is might be the reason why I view the virtue of trustworthiness so highly.

These nine virtues I listed is of importance to me and a number of them have been for years. It is such virtues we can see in people but we may see rarely, this is what makes virtues so great.

Maneki Neko

Maneki Neko, or the Beckoning Cat, is a popular charm of Japanese origins. They do come in various colours, the most popular being tri-coloured with gold, white and black one’s following behind in popularity. There is even red and pink coloured Maneki Neko’s, but are hard to find. When getting a Maneki Neko one would have to consider the colour of the cat to get as it does have meaning, but which paw is being lifted, too. Today you can find many of these cats across the world as they become more popular, many people leave offerings of water for the cat to this day. There is even something which I find interesting is called cat magic where it is said to be found in Japan where the magic is malevolent.

Not only that, there are some legends surrounding the Maneki Neko. One well known story tells how there was a monk at a poor temple who shared his small amount of food that he had with his cat. A samurai lord by the name of Li Naotaka of the Hikone district (near Kyoto) is said to have gone under a tree due to rain and a cat beckoned to the man who Lord Li followed into a temple only to have the tree he was under struck by lightning.
I also heard that instead of Lord Li being under a tree during rain he was with other samurai who took notice of a cat that was beckoning to them, so the samurai went into the nearby temple. Soon after a storm followed, saving the samurai from being stuck from getting wet and cold. However, both variations as I have heard it ends with Lord Li becoming good friends with the poor monk and the temple prospers.

Another legend tells how during the Edo Period of Japan in a place called Yoshiwara in eastern Tokyo there was a woman called Usugumo who loved cats and kept her feline companion at her side constantly. One night Usugumo’s cat was tugging at her kimono and refusing to let go. The owner of the building Usugumo was in suspected the cat of being bewitched and thus took off its head with his sword. The head flew to the ceiling where it killed a snake that was to kill Usugumo. Unhappy at her beloved cats death, a good person gave Usugumo an image of her cat in the form of a wood carving which is said to gain popularity as the Maneki Neko.

One legend tells how there were two competing ramen shops were directly next to each other, where one got a lucky cat in its window and got all the business until the shop next door got its own lucky cat.

I mentioned colours and lifted paws before with tri-coloured Maneki Neko’s being highly popular. Male tri-coloured cats are rare in the worlds cat population; this may be why tri-coloured Maneki Neko’s are popular. Some say white is of purity while black cats have been considered lucky in Japan with an apparent ability to ward off evil or cure illness in children, thus the reason for black Maneki Neko’s. Apparently, black Maneki Neko’s is gaining popularity among women to ward off stalkers. Red versions of this cat is for exorcising evil spirits and fight against illness while pink is for love. Red and pink cats were thought to have supernatural powers and actually were avoided in Japan’s past, which may be why there are few Maneki Neko‘s of such colours. The coloured Maneki Neko’s I come across most is gold, said to invite money.

I have heard that in Japan that about 60% of all Maneki Neko’s are lifting their left paws while the rest lift their right. I personally have come across a number of these cats and they are always lifting their left paw, where it is said that beckoning with the left is to bring business. With Maneki Neko’s beckoning with their right paws it is said that it is for attracting money and good fortune. Paw height is also of some importance as it is said the higher the paw the more luck for business or money and good fortune.

Hades, Santa Muerte and Yen-Lo-Wang

Many fear it, many like me find it interesting. When you look at different cultures you can see how views about death and the afterlife is different, even with individual people there are many views with death. Death is something that nobody can escape and there is countless symbols for it such as of a human skull. Over the years there has been many cults to death gods and there are three who have caught my attention that highly relate to death.

There is Hades, child of Cronus and Rhea. A god who was feared to a point that people didn’t say his name and it is said to know Hades is to be dead. Hades is the eldest brother out of his siblings. When the Olympians defeated the Titans and took control, there was to be a new order that would forever determine the power structure of the gods. In Ancient Greek law there was a law that told that the eldest son should get the biggest share, but Zeus, Poseidon and Hades draw lots.  Hades draws the shortest straw which gave him the power over the underworld instead of being the ruler of the universe or the seas.
The underworld is named after Hades himself and it is well known to have several sections. In Hades, there are three places one can go, the Asphodel Meadows, a place of ordinary souls are sent, the second is of Elysium, this is the resting place of the souls of the heroic and the virtuous. There is a place where those who offended the gods go, this is the third place to be sent; Tartarus, a place so associated with the Christian Hell it gets mentioned in the New Testament in 2 Peter (2:4: “For if God did not spare the angels who sinned, but threw them down into Tartarus and delivered them to be kept in chains…”). Some translations of the Bible however simply call Tartarus ‘hell’.

Santa Muerte, Saint Death, “Our Little White Girl”, is of much worship today and its cult is much condemned by the Catholic Church in Mexico. She is said to wear a white robe and of skeletal appearance, often carrying a globe and a scythe. Santa Muerte apparently has over two million worshippers who offer her incense, food, flowers, and even cigarettes and cigars. Sadly, many associate the worship of Saint Death with doing criminal work.

The god of death and the ruler of the Fifth Court of Feng-Du (realm of the dead with all of the levels of Hells), Yen-Lo-Wang, was the formerly the King of the First Court of Hell but was accused of leniency. The Jade Emperor put another King of Hell in charge of judgement while putting Yen-Lo-Wang to the Fifth Hell. Yen-Lo-Wang is however not just in charge of what goes on in the Fifth Hell (gouging and boiling), but he himself rules over the whole of Feng-Du. Interestingly, the Great Sage Equalling Heaven, Sun Wukong, wiped his name out along with names of all the other monkeys known to him in the Book of Life and Death which granted them immortality much to Yen-Lo-Wang's displeasure.

I, personally, am interested in death and it has captivated my mind for some years now, nor am I a stranger to it anymore as I have came across death time and time again through not only animal form but plant life, too.

Magical Properties

I did mention in my last post that I should check up the magical properties of the plants I am attempting to grow. And what I have found for marigold is that it is associated with the element of fire and the sun. It is also said that a fresh marigold flower worn to court for a favourable outcome of a trial and if you place marigold in your mattress you will have prophetic dreams while if you place marigold under your mattress it will make you dream come true. One could also string marigold around the outside of doors to stop evil from entering the house.

Zinnia is said to have friendship encouraging powers and that is sadly the only data found. Snapdragons, however, I find interesting as it is said to have protective powers. A vase with fresh snapdragons on an alter is suggested while performing protective rituals, while a mirror behind said snapdragons is to send negativity from hexes and curses back to the sender. Snapdragons are great for use in protection spells.

Lemon balms, spell wise, is for love, success and healing. It is sometimes worn to hopefully bring a lover in one’s life and a tea made of the leaves of a lemon balm is said to bring calmness. Lemon balm is also associated with the moon and water. Sweet bail is another herb used in spell work for love, but also for wealth, protection, purification and even used for exorcism. Putting leaves of sweet basil in all corners of the house is for protection.  Carrying leaves is for luck in gambling while sprinkling crushed basil in storefronts is to create a flourishing of business.
Sweet basil is used in potions, too, for love, money, health and protection.  Basil is a masculine plant with the element of fire while with oregano it is with Venus and the element of air. Planting oregano around the house is to bring protection while scattering it around the house is to protect the house. Not only does oregano serve for protection but also for happiness, tranquillity, good luck and health. I say protection is a good thing and the fact that two herbs I am to grow is used for such a thing is fantastic to know.

Seeds, Seeds And More Seeds

Been a bit of time since I have updated, but I have finally gotten around to it. I have been busy planting seeds, too, so I have much to expect for seedlings popping up. In an earlier blog post I mentioned that I would be planting some chilli seeds, I have done that. Soon after planting those chilli seeds I actually planted some watermelon seeds which was followed by seeds for several kinds of flowers, namely zinnia and annual honestly for a first attempt. I also love marigolds, so me being me, I have planted some marigold seeds to see if I can grow them from seed once again. I also have a slight interest in growing herbs and I just happen to have had some lemon balm, sweet basil and oregano seeds lying around so I have planted those.

Snapdragon

Even though it is recommended that one should plant corn seeds in summer on the seed packet, I thought I would attempt to grow it in early spring. I thought I might as well see how that goes and I might just get lucky growing it.

And for a first attempt growing snapdragons I have gone great with it. I have had no problems with pests or anything of the like while growing the plant which is fantastic. Recently some of the snapdragons have flowered and I do have to admit, I do adore the flowers.

I should also check up on the magical properties of the plants I am trying to grow and do some research on it as I could easily learn something new by doing this and I would say it is a good thing to learn. It does help to know what magical properties a plant has after all.