One Year (And A Bit)

When one has been doing a blog for a year, it tends to get mentioned. And I kind of forgot that I have now have been continuously making posts for this blog now for a year (and a bit). Huzzah…?
Heh, maybe I shouldn’t be focused on how I have been creating posts for a blog for a certain period of time.

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.

Totems

Telling someone what a totem is can be tough but it can be said that one’s totem animal speaks to them in some way throughout their life such as through dreams and meditation. I personally believe people have one totem in their life and one can be helped by other animals like totems that help one in a certain period of time for a number of reasons, they are called guides.

I still go to school and do drama as a class, to which earlier in the year there was a student-teacher (a student who is teaching under the supervision of an actual teacher to gain experience in order to become a teacher). This student-teacher did something with us students, to lie down on the ground and to think of the behaviour of the first animal that came to mind. After about a minute or two the student-teacher asked for the students to behave like the animal to the best of one’s ability which lasted about another minute or so. What happened next was that the student-teacher got students to think of a simple act that would give a clue or two to the rest of the class what animal they thought of.

Once the acts came along there was amusingly several wolves all from males and several domestic cats all from females. What does it have to relate to totems? The fact that with totems wolves and domestic cats seem to pop up a lot, but not only that, but what animal came up for each and every person tells a little bit about the person. What totem one has tells about the person, too, so I would imagine that this exercise I did at school could potentially be used on more of a spiritual level.

Working with totems as I see it is a great way to learn something new, even working with guides can teach a thing or two of significance. A raven may teach of the power of intellect and creativity, even trickery.  While a horse on the other hand may teach the power of freedom, power and stamina.

What I have to suggest in meeting one’s totem is alike of many others, sleeping and meditating, even a nap during the day could give you a dream telling you of your totem. One could also show dedication in meeting one’s totem, such as offering incense and a prayer of wanting to meet one’s own totem before meditation, which will encourage your totem to show your seriousness in meeting. Offering a gift to one’s totem or guide for helping in whatever problem is what I see as an honourable act, I see it as courtesy as one might give to another person for giving help. After all, people give money for their help, ‘services’ many call it.

There are also totems that would cause fear in the person for whatever reason it may be. One may have a vulture as a totem, perhaps it is the spotted hyena. But it is neither to fear, both can teach us about accepting darkness as it is all around us. It is Yin and Yang around us that is opposite but needed. While Yang is the light, the positive, the one that is bright, it is Yin who is the needed opposite, that needed darkness in the world to bring balance.

There is however many lessons to be learnt, everyone has certain lessons to learn. Every animal has something to teach, it could b to accept something or it could be to use one’s creativity more often. The sharing of knowledge is what makes learning worthwhile, as a single strand of knowledge can give a single person much needed help or a great idea.

13

The number four is considered unlucky due to it associated with death while the number 666 is said to be unlucky due to being said the number of Satan. But it is unlucky number thirteen that interests me the most.

The number thirteen has much surrounding such as the number of cards in a suit. There were thirteen colonies that formed the United States with on the Great Seal of the United States that has thirteen olive leaves with thirteen olives, thirteen arrows and thirteen stars. There is thirteen loaves in a baker’s dozen, the fear of the number thirteen is called triskaidekaphobia, and there were thirteen plotters in the Gunpowder Plot. There is much more to this which I could go on and on about.

Thirteen at a table is said to be bad luck and one is to die within the year, this is the reason why The Thirteen Club was started and members of the club wanted to disprove this. The 13^th of each month was when they met for dinner where they dined with thirteen on each table. Thirteen at a table being bad luck is said to have started for one or another reason, one reason is from a well known scene of Jesus and his disciples called The Last Supper to which Jesus dies soon after it. The other reason that is said to be there was a banquet where twelve gods were invited. The trickster Loki came along uninvited making him the thirteenth guest and the beloved Balder ends up dead.

There is also a myth that on a Friday the 13^th that King Philip IV of France is tied to the mass arrest of the Knights Templar as it is said King Philip is the one himself who ordered the arrests. I have heard from others that this is also where the Friday the 13^th superstition came from. Then again, Friday has been considered an unlucky day and 13, from what I have heard, is the unluckiest number. Thomas Lawson’s novel Friday the 13^th is thought to be the reason why so many find that particular date unlucky. Some however consider the day lucky, there have been people born on such a day and this is a reason why it is considered lucky. Some consider the number 13 lucky. It really just depends on who you are talking to, and I am one that doesn’t consider thirteen unlucky.

Two Ways of Protection

Many use some form of spell or spells to protect themselves and of others. One that has caught my eye is the witches bottle/jar. It has been described as an item to protect the home from evil spirits, magical attacks and even from magical counteracts from others.

It is not hard to create such a thing as a witches’ bottle as many items can be used, so there are many choices for things to be used. A glass bottle or jar is obviously needed and then it is a matter of what is to be put into that bottle/jar. What can be put in there is needles, pins or nails either bent or unbent. Hair, nail clippings can be used from your own body, urine and menstrual blood has been used. Things from animals and plant matter have been used such as whiskers, feathers, wood, bone and thorns, but coins and glass also have been used, too.  All these items have their uses, so make sure to choice wisely when doing it yourself.

These day’s people tend to fill the bottle/jar with one or more kinds of herbs after putting all the other items in to which it is proceeded to be either buried in the front of backyard or put in an extremely good hiding place where it won’t be found. A witches’ bottle/jar is buried or hidden well for the sole reason of protecting it from others, as if the bottle/jar is broken so is the spell for protection. Not something you really want to happen when you are seeking protection.

I also keep something above my bed for protection. I call it a ‘protection doll’, and it is simply what it name suggests. I not only made it and but also filled it with cloth then added bits and pieces to it. I added buttons for eyes, a mouth of wool and some feathers on its head. It has the same concept as the witches’ bottle/jar that its protection can be stopped as it has been started, but instead of breaking glass it is destroying the doll itself. But, this doll could easily be taken as something innocent or decorative and not sinister to which a witches’ bottle/jar could more easily be taken as.  

With a protection doll, you would add something to it as you would add an item for a witches’ bottle/jar making it again a similar concept. The protection doll is for warding off evil spirits within a room meaning it wouldn’t make it as effective as a witches’ bottle/jar which is created to protect the whole house but it does give an extra ‘oomph’ in a room if it is needed.

Fasting

Fasting is something that has caught my eye recently and it is no wonder as it was Ramadan not all that long ago. Because I live in an area with plenty of Muslim’s I know well that during Ramadan Muslim’s don’t eat or drink from sunrise to sunset. I find it interesting that within the Baha’i faith there is a fasting period that goes from sunrise to sunset, too, abstaining to food and water from March 2^nd to March 30^th.

Within Hinduism people tend to fast on certain days depending which god or goddess they devote themselves to. A type of fasting which has caught my eye is common within Southern India where people commonly fast on Tuesday’s with dedication to the goddess Mariamman where devotees eat before sunrise and drink only liquids between sunrise and sunset.  Interestingly, within Northern India it is common for Hindus to fast on Thursday’s wearing yellow and yellow coloured food is preferred to be eaten.

As I look more into fasting I might fast in the not too distant future, likely to be during early to late December. Why December out of all months? It has to do with the fact that on Christmas Day, New Years Eve and New Years Day is days of celebration close within of each other.  I also get a break from school, so I defiantly won’t be using too much energy.

The days of December before Christmas Day, to me personally, would be great days to show self-restraint and serve as a reminder how many people lack food and water to nourish themselves.

Samyutta Nikaya I 109

Days and nights pass,
life runs to an end,
the life-span of mortals peters out
like the water of rivers.

Seeds, Spring and Jade

 

Today I have been lucky enough to get some seeds of giant bottle gourd, got ten seeds for the price of five. All seeds have been planted into individual pots, though small, and fed fertilizer; I have much hope for such a plant to grow well. I have also been preparing soil with mulch for when I plant gourd seedlings.

I have also been trying to raise a jade plant from a cutting and all seems well for my first try at growing such a plant. Amusingly, I have noticed quite a few jade plants in my local area once I kept a keen eye for jade plants.

All other plants I have been growing are well and I am to soon plant some chilli seeds I have been waiting until the latest of the four seasons to plant. It is the start of spring to which many flowers have popped up already and hopefully I will also plant some flower seeds, too, to bring some extra colour around the house.

I have to say, I am glad it is warming up. Even though there was much needed rain that came and I even got to enjoy walking through it a number of times, I cannot wait to see the hot days of summer. The Royal Melbourne Show is coming up very soon to which I cannot deny that I am hyped about. Truly, I am a content person.

Bottle Gourds

The calabash, or bottle gourd, is one plant that is considered quite lucky and has had much appreciation from the Chinese. It has a hard shell which can be used as a bottle and traditionally used to carry medicine, wine, water and elixirs. Not only was the gourds shell used to carry medicine but the plant has been used as medicine itself, and from what I have heard, makes a good eating.


Gourds is popular as use as a charm for warding off evil spirits and disease thanks to its Chinese name, hulu, which the character hu in itself means ‘protect’ or ‘guard’, but not only that but also ‘blessing’. Also, hu sounds like fu to which fu means ‘good fortune’ or ‘happiness’.

The legendary Sun Wukong himself once got word that demon were on their way to capture him with their magic gourd, so he disguises himself as an immortal before meeting them. These demons were unaware that this immortal was really Sun Wukong and these demons showed off their magic gourd to which Sun Wukong himself shows an ordinary gourd to these demons but claims it can hold the entire universe within it. These demons on hearing such a claim wanted to trade their gourd for this apparent universe containing one but on the condition that it is proved that it can be done. Sun Wukong, under permission from spirits, blocks out the light of the sun, moon and stars for a single hour and is able to trick these demons into thinking that the disguised Sun Wukong has bottled up the Heaven’s, thus being able to get a magic gourd for an ordinary one. This little story about Sun Wukong and these demons also is a good story to tell about how easily people can be fooled.

Gourds are also associated with old age and charms. Interestingly enough, old men many, many years back would frequently be seen carrying gourds on their backs. One old god known as Shou, also known as the Star of Longevity, is often seen carrying a Peach of Immortality and a staff of peach wood. Shou also carries a gourd himself to which people have disagreements on what is actually in it. Some say water, others nectar, I also have heard a couple claims of Shou carrying an elixir within his gourd.

The bottle gourd itself has many tales surrounding it within China and it is also a symbol of Heaven and Earth or the universe. It is also amusing as bottle gourds tend to be in the shape of the number eight, which is considered a highly lucky number in China.

Dharammapada, verse 183

"To avoid all evil,
to do good,
to purify one's mind
- that is the teaching of the Buddha's."

Death And Ghosts

Death is an unavoidable part of life and the fact that a life has ended also puts parents of young children to explain death. To many people, death is something to fear, to be frightened of, but it truly isn’t. Death itself has always been around and will always been around.


One thing that has been spotted time and time again throughout history is ghosts. There are many ghost stories to tell from this modern world and many more pop up. Ask a classroom of high school students for ghost stories of their own to which you are likely to get at least one story from a small class. Even I can tell of a ghost or two. Ghosts themselves can be found culture to culture, and many have given much respect to the deceased through from just funeral rites to ancestor worship. Some people claim that a ghost have given them a message or to have seen a ghost or ghosts of animals.

There are also hungry ghosts, those who come back from the afterlife for whatever reason (such as lack of food or water) and are said to feed on peoples fear and energies. Offerings to help these ghost survive in the next life is said to get rid of hungry ghosts. Recently the Hungry Ghost Festival was celebrated on August 24, a Chinese festival honouring the dead and ancestors. There is also the Day of the Dead coming up in a couple months which is another day to honour the dead. Both days are a reminder of how life is not eternal, but both great days to celebrate but also to teach children about death.

Death and ghosts are both subjects that are interesting, both something to study. Many have their opinions of their own. Some do think ghosts do exist, some don’t. Some have ghost stories, others don’t. People claim a certain thing about the afterlife, but many people have many differing ideas of what when one dies.

Being One With Nature

Today I was lucky enough to see a live possum, which is quite rare as they tend to be nocturnal and if you do see one it is usually road kill. You can probably guess that it was sleeping; it was asleep in a tall shrub as if in total tranquillity, as if one with nature. One can ask how to be one with nature, and there are many answers to this.


I see being one with nature as being one with oneself and one’s environment. My understanding of being with one with yourself as knowing who you really are, knowing what you really enjoy, knowing your own abilities and capacities. Being one with oneself sounds really simple, it is if you truly know yourself. Doing something that helps you learn of who you are is countless; you can meditate or do a martial art, going for a walk or doing some gardening.

Being one with one’s environment is a great asset to be one with nature, and nature is in abundance if you know where to look. To be one with the environment is to be one with their surroundings. To know the building they live within, the gardens they have and having a general knowledge of the area they live within. Nature is something not hard to find and observe as it is always around us even if a small amount of it.

When one is in tune with themselves and their environment, they can become one with nature.

Spiders

Spiders themselves are generally feared and tend to be lacking respect from people. Yes, they can kill people. Yes, they can look frightening. But they are worthy of respect. They have colonized every continent but Antarctica and seem to be found anywhere but sky and sea.


It is the spider itself that can kill people so easily with its fangs, but can be so easily killed by people. They are quite the reminder of how one can kill another, but yet be killed.

They create webs that can capture but can be used to help move around from one spot to another. Their eight legged form recognizable to anyone with the added effect of coming in a huge amount of variety.

Many people can tell of some sort of experience with spiders. My father was once bitten by a red-back and I once saw a red-back itself tying up an insect by its legs. There have been many spiders grow large in the house I live within. Over the years I have grown to have respect for such a creature, this bringer of death and receiver of death has earned it.

Magic

One topic I have found interesting is magic. Many items can be used during it and seemingly anything, as I have come across, could be used. I have heard of cat hair, frogs, and blood being used but not all magic uses such items. Pins can be used, but not to draw blood or cause harm. Human hair can also be used, but to protect. This is what I find most interesting about magic, the use of items as it can be used to harm or to benefit but it all boils down to what the intent is.


I have heard of people giving magic shades, or colours, to which I am talking about black, white and grey magic, but many people say that magic doesn’t have a colour. Black magic giving the obvious image of it being bad or harmful with the use of such things as voodoo dolls, yet the use of voodoo dolls could be used to protect another person one way or another. White magic is said to benefit oneself or others while grey magic neither to benefit or harm, yet any items that one could be associated with white or grey magic like items associated to black magic could be used for another kind of magic. Due to how an item can be used for white, grey or black magic, even other categories of magic such as rain or sun magic, I came to view magic simply as magic that is either beneficial or non-beneficial.

Intent has to be what, to me, the most important thing in magic. To help or to harm, to do neither or nothing, it is all about what you intent to do with magic. But one should know what oneself is getting into and what they are doing when using magic in itself. There have been stories of people using magic as a threat and even using it to harm others which is truly saddening to hear of, but it is better to know that there is such people in the world then to know not of such things.

Magic has its uses and should be used carefully with wisdom. It is something with great power.

Dream

Dreams are what many have been influenced by which including countless pieces of art. They can help you realize something, or put terror into your mind. But there is one thing that many people have attempted to do after a dream, to give an interpretation of it.
Those looking for an interpretation of a dream may look on the internet or in a book to figure out what even the smallest of things might mean. A rat might mean intelligence or dirtiness. A dog may mean loyalty or teamwork. These multiple meanings can cause havoc to one self when we search to figure out what something meant in a dream, but things can have multiple meanings so eyes must be open.
There is however a trick which I use when I give a dream of my own an interpretation, I ask myself what something means to me. When interpreting a dream I figure out what something means to me and not what it means to someone else. All that is needed to be done when interpreting a dream is a pen and paper to write down the dream and then the meaning of it.

If you dreamt of being chased by dogs you simply need to sit down with a pen and paper, using your head to figure out what it means.

Nature

What is your favourite animal? What is your favourite plant? What about your least favourite animal and plant? Is there anything in nature that you find gruesome or simply grabs your attention? There are many questions one can ask themselves or others about nature itself, but also to see, learn and discover on their own. It should be loved for what it has given us and many fear for its awesome power.


Many people, like me, have a passion for gardening and this is where one can easily start to appreciate nature as it is right at home. For a seed it may be a week or two to sprout and it slowly grows into a plant, such as a beautiful flower that, interestingly enough, anyone can look at and see the beauty of nature within it. Some people, though, prefer looking at more than a flower to see the beauty of nature such as going to a zoo to see the many animals or out to a local area barely touched by mankind such as a forest.

But when one looks out a window it is not hard to find nature as it doesn’t hide itself. To see a tree is to see nature. To see a bird is to see nature. One doesn’t even to look out a window to see nature itself; if they have a pet or indoor plant they are keeping a part of nature within their house themselves.

Nature is everywhere in both simple and complex forms.