Gods And Goddesses: Tsukiyomi

Tsukiyomi is the moon god born from a tear from the right eye of creator god Izanagi. His name is also spelt Tsukuyomi. His siblings are the deities Amaterasu and Susanowo.

He once made a visit uninvited to see the goddess Uke Mochi, whom had no food to serve. When Uke Mochi had fish, forest game and a bowl of rice came out of her body Tsukiyomi was disgusted and killed the goddess. This angered Amaterasu and refused to ever look at Tsukiyomi again, leaving day and night separate.

Totem: Auroch

Being the ancestors of what is known as domestic cattle, the auroch is an extinct species of animal. The auroch were much larger than the cattle of today are. If the auroch is a totem, it is suggested to look into the totemic meaning of the bull also due to their close relation.

The auroch teaches to look back into ancestry, the past of the family, to look at the roots. Every family has a story to tell and has a history stretching many generations, it is only a matter of digging up the roots to look and learn.

Hazel Pomaderris

Pomaderris apera is the botanical name of Hazel Pomaderris, an erect shrub that’s open and hairy. Its height is typically up to 3m and width 1.5m. Its laves are ovate and prominently veined, with the length of 13cm. As it ages it gives off markings on its bark and is a slender plant. In spring and summer it gives of small greenish flowers.

It is hardy when in shade and well composted soil. It needs little to no pruning and has some tolerance to frost. It has little tolerance for drought, as it takes high preference to moist and wet soils.

Gods And Goddesses: Uke Mochi

Uke Mochi is the Japanese goddess of food and wife of inari. She is also called Uke-Mochi-no-kami, meaning “Goddess Who Possesses Food”.

The moon god Tsukiyomi came uninvited for a meal. Uke Mochi sadly had no food to serve. However, when she faced the ocean fish came from her mouth, when towards a forest game animals came from her body, then upon facing towards a rice paddy, Uke Mochi coughed up a bowl of rice. Disgusted, Tsukiyomi killed Uke Mochi. The corpse of Uke Mochi was still able to create food from the body, which fed the people of Japan.

Totem: Moth

Moths are a generally nocturnal creature and fairly recognizable. They are related to the butterfly and are less colourful then their relatives, being also a great user of camouflage.

Due to their often duller colours compared to butterflies, they teach about the lack of need of boasting and showing off accomplishments.  It may be wished to be done, yet it doesn’t do much to bring on benefits.
A healthy diet is important. The moth teaches that with a diet one doesn’t have to worry about sugars, fats or carbohydrates as long as the diet is a healthy one.
As the moth is a creature typically of the night, it is taught that one should try practicing one’s spiritual path during the night. A different feel is certain and likely different lessons are to be learnt during this time of the day.
Transformation is a part of what the moth is. At certain times in life, transformation is needed and often times to become a better person a transformation, to an extent, is needed.

Yellow Hakea

Yellow Hakea is the common name of a shrub with a botanical name of Hakea nodosa, a plant growing about 3-4m metres in height and width. Its leaves are needle like as long as 50mm while the flowers are clustered and coloured cream to yellow.

The flowers grow in autumn and are scented, but the smell is not always pleasant. Woody seed pods appear after the flowers, containing two seeds each. The seeds are easy to grow.

It is a hardy plant that grows fast. It can grow in a variety of soils and climates, being able to tolerate frost. It however needs part shade or full sun.

Friday The 13th

Another Friday the 13^th has past as of recent, being the second for the year. There is going to be one more in 2012, in July, and I am still waiting for a Friday the 13^th where I have bad luck during the day.

Just as I wait for a Friday the 13^th with bad luck on my behalf, a story I heard of a couple or so years ago about Friday the 13^th keeps coming up in my mind. It likely is happening due to the fact that special day of ill fortune occurred recently.

The story itself is rather short; it is simply a man going onto a plane ride on Friday the 13^th itself, noticing so few people on the plane. Curious as to why this is so, the man asks a woman working on the plane why so few are on the plane. It is explained people avoid flying on Friday the 13^th and with this man poking a little at how it is silly to believe Friday the 13^th is a day of bad luck. This man however has his new glasses fall off his face, breaking due to the fall, right after this and ends up, apparently, believing that Friday the 13^th is a day of bad luck.

This very story has stuck with me since I first heard of it. In a way, has caught my imagination. Despite me not having any bad luck on this famous day that comes occasionally, perhaps I will be caught off guard one day and have something go wrong for me on a Friday the 13^th.

Gods And Goddesses: Futen

Futen is the Japanese wind god. He is also known as Fuuten, Fujin and Fuujin. He is often appears as an elderly person with white hair and beard, red body armour and holding a sceptre in his right hand. He is what is known as of the Guardians of the Eight Directions. He uses a sack to bring winds out of it.

Totem: Red Panda

The red panda, despite their name is not related to the panda, although it is an omnivorous animal which mostly consumes bamboo. A mostly solitary and nocturnal animal, it is also known as the lesser panda.

As an animal mostly alone it teaches that there is nothing wrong with being alone and how to gain nourishment and rejuvenation in loneliness.  Solitude is not a bad thing, where being alone can allow for rest and relaxation.

Gentleness is of the red panda, reminding that being gentle can help. Gentleness can be used to help think ahead, rather use other methods which may create a decrease in choice making.

While red pandas may be gentle, they seem to have a carefree attitude, also giving the teaching to give less worry and to enjoy life more.

Kangaroo Apple

Kangaroo Apple is a shrub botanically called Solanum laciniatum and grows 1.8-3m high. It has tall and dark stems which are distinctive. It has an upright spreading habit. The leaves are long and dark green, with possibility of being deeply lobed or ovate.

The flowers are pale purple to deep violet and its fruit being orange-yellow berries that are poisonous. The berries, which look alike to tomatoes, can however be eaten when ripe but are bitter when raw.

It is a hardy plant tolerating majority of soils and conditions with the exception to salt spray. It is a fast grower that can be expected to live to five or six years at most.

Gods And Goddesses: Izanagi

Izanagi is the very god who created the islands of Japan and much of what’s within with his wife Izanami. The sun goddess Amaterasu was born from a tear of Izanagi’s left eye, while Tsukiyomi the moon god was born from a tear from Izanagi’s right eye. The storm god, Susanoo, was however born from Izanagi’s dripping nose.

When younger sister and wife Izanami died during childbirth, Izanagi went to the underworld known as Yomi to retrieve her. Izanami refused to return.

It was after performing a cleansing rite after returning from the underworld that Amaterasu and Tsukiyomi were born from tears and Susanoo born from the dribbling nose.

Totem: Hare

Hares are fast moving mammals which are typically shy. They are similar to rabbits but have some differences, such as living in nests above ground rather living underground and being about to fend for itself soon after birth.

 The hare teaches of knowing when to move faster in life, or to slow down. Not only is it is moving faster or slower of importance, but so is double checking, just to be certain if all is done and nothing is missed.

 The hare is an animal found active at night, where it is willing to show the world of the night. As the night is mysterious the hare tells of the fine features of being mysterious.

 To be independent and vigilant is needed for the hare, where it’ll teach the importance of the two. The hare will rely on itself for survival, becoming independent. To survive, vigilance is to be on high guard. He hare will teach how to become both.

Snowy Daisy Bush

Snowy Daisy Bush is botanically called Olearia lirata. It is an open shrub with typical growth up to 3m in height and 3m in width. Its leaves are elliptical to ovate and up to 15cm long. Its flowers are white and are rarely blue, growing in summer.

The snowy daisy bush grows in half sun yet has hardiness for the shade. It is tolerant of frost and with ability to grow in most soils. It prefers moist soils yet once established can easier deal with drier soils.

Now April

Various joys come from being curious enough to have a look around. One was which the Melbourne International Flower and Garden show, going in Saturday morning to start looking through the various plants for sale, artistic pieces and seeing what small gardens are being featured. For the last three years I have been going there, and there is of course the free newspaper. Oh the joys of getting a Herald Sun to read and a black bag to carry items.

Saturday proved to be a rather interesting end of March for me. I do personally play video games but typically do not have a reason to actually to blog about it let alone mention anything about it. However, I did go to a particular store during Saturday, EB Games on Swanston Street. I actually went there at the right time as a little event relating to a recently released game, Mario Party 9, occurred. Something I was totally unaware of. The StreetPass feature for my 3DS unsurprisingly got a bit of work during the time spent there. Quite a few interesting people were met, including a member of Nintendo staff, Jamie Wilson, who I must say is a rather charming man.

While March 31st got much of a mention, April’s Fools Day remained rather quiet for my end of the fence, just a relaxing Sunday without worry. Saddening that the quietness was all around, yet it happens.

Gods And Goddesses: Ninigi

Ninigi is the grandson of the sun goddess Amaterasu, being the god of rice and of the imperial family. He is also known as Ninigi-no-Mikoto. He was sent to earth to plant rice and it is said he is also sent to earth to become emperor of Japan. Amaterasu sent Ninigi to pacify Japan, with three items, a sword, mirror and a jewel.

On earth, Ninigi married the daughter of a mountain god who conceived their child on the first of marriage causing suspicions in Ninigi. He built a house for her with no doors, where Ninigi’s wife would give birth in it. If she was unfaithful, the child would die. Over time three sons were born, one of them called Hikohohodemi would further on have a child called Jimmu-Tenno.