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.