Coast Banksia

Banksia integrifolia, more commonly called Coast Banksia is an Australian tree which can grow 24m in height and 3-8m in width. It is a fast growing tree with rough patterned bark and leaves dull green in colour with a woolly underside with silvery colouring. Its flowers are a yellowy-orange, and grow in both summer and winter.

Coast banksia tolerates heavy clay, sand, acidic and alkaline soils, wind, salts, droughts and frosts. It requires well drained soil and takes preference for full sun. Little care is needed for coast banksia.

Gods And Goddesses: Gong Gong

Gong Gong is a water deity who is known as a demon to some. He is best known for fighting the fire god Zhu Rong, apparently to see who stronger of the two, commiting suicide against by banging his head against a pillar which held up the sky, causing great floods and even fires.

Gong Gong wanted to take the throne of Heaven, which is said to be another reason as to why he and Zhu Rong fought. The fight lasted for days in Heaven before the two fell to earth, where Gong Gong lost.

Gong Gong is said to be the descendant of the Yan Emperor and the son of Zhu Rong himself. Gong Gong is said to have caused floods, but also tried to rid them, giving mankind experience in dealing with floods. Farming productivity was heightened by Gong Gong as he invented a method of water storage.

Totem: Praying Mantis

The praying mantis is an insect that is well respected, with its name being which relates to its front legs that apparently gives it a stance of being in prayer. They are carnivorous, surviving on other insects.

This insect gives lessons on being patient and focused, teaching to look at what prevents from being either patient or focused and how to deal with it.

Praying mantises do not move unless positive it is what should be done, and this totem teaches to look at the situation in front. It helps to look at the situation, to know what feels best to do. Looking at the situation allows for thought that’s required to make a good decision.

Stillness is the nature of the praying mantis, who gives teaching on the benefits of meditation. Even if meditation is short and only for a small amount of time each day, the praying mantis knows the benefits.

Rosemary

Rosemary has the botanical name of Rosmarinus officinalis and is an erect bush with ascending branches typically growing up to 2m high and 1.8m wide. Its leaves are dark green and linear with a silvery colour under it which has an aromatic smell to it. The flowers bloom in spring and early summer, being small and light blue, purple or white.

When growing rosemary full sun and good drainage is required, but semi-shade is possible. It is an easy to grow plant that is hardy, being tolerant of frost and drought, rosemary is also resistant to pests with ability to easily grow rosemary from cuttings and in pots. Rosemary can also grow in poor soils and take preference to soils which are slightly alkaline.

Looking Into Paganism

When one looks into paganism it helps to look into what one is most interested in, but also to look into other topics to see if a new interest arises. Personally, I view looking into books are being extremely important when learning about paganism or a specific path, as they tend to be a good place to start. Using the internet to research is another great source seeing as a variety of people are willing to help or have posted useful information.

For many people from what I have seen, when looking into books this means either looking into Western authors and books such as Scott Cunningham, Silver Ravenwolf, Ovid’s Metamorphoses and Homer’s Iliad and Odyssey. Not very varied but it can be a very good starting point, possibly even the right place to begin depending on personal interest.

Looking into the Tao Te Ching and I Ching is not uncommon, it however seems to be the two Eastern texts to go over all else. Other Chinese texts are also good to go to, Zhuangzi being a book of the Taoist Canon to go to right after Tao Te Ching, with many other books within the Taoist Canon to look into. For Chinese mythology two books stand out, Journey to the West and Creation of the Gods. Hindu and Buddhist texts are in their own right great to look into.

Books specific on a certain mythology or two, or one or two aspects within paganism, is a great tool as these books tend to specialize on its topic(s), but it may be an idea to look into a more general book if starting to look into paganism. A more general book can give an idea of what mythology or mythologies to look into, a better look at paganism as a whole and even help to look into a specific path to possibly follow.

Plenty of books are accessible to people if they just have the internet, with money typically being the only problem. Book stores help yet can lack much in certain areas, with a multitude of books typically inaccessible leaving the internet a great place to go. I would personally recommend using sites such as Amazon and E-Bay to get books seeing as going to book stores for books from experience tend to be unreliable.

How one goes about learning about paganism is a person choice and truly depends on resources to do so, which is where researching on the internet is great as one doesn’t have to purchase something to gain information but can be just as time consuming if not more. Where to begin in one’s path within paganism just relies on interest and willingness to learn.

Gods And Goddesses: Lei Gong

Lei Gong is the god of thunder whose name means “Duke of Thunder” and is also called Lei Kung and Lei Shen (meaning “Thunder God”). His appearance takes on with claws, bat wings and a blue face with a bird’s beak, and typically only wearing a loincloth. He will also not enter a house where sex is taking place; with images of sex having the same effect.
A drum and mallet is carried by Lei Gong for producing thunder and a chisel for the punishment of evildoers (who he punishes under the order of Heaven, typically those guilty of secret crimes and spirits who use knowledge of Taoism to harm humans).

He has assistances helping him, with Dian Mu being his wife that helps by sending bolts of lightning, Yun Tong makes clouds, Yu Zi sends downpours, and Feng Bo sends winds. With the goddess Dian Mu, the two had a son called Lei Zhenzi.

Originally a mortal who came across a peach tree from Heaven, to which when Lei Gong bit one of the peaches he turned into a human with bird wings. Soon after a mace and hammer was given to him so he could create thunder; this is how Lei Gong became a god.

Lei Gong once accidently struck an old woman with lightning, breaking her arm. Apologizing, Lei Gong threw down a bottle to the old woman, telling her to rub the ointment in it on her arm. Doing so healed the arm, with other villagers noticing this decided to keep the ointment for moments it is needed again. Lei Gong made the bottle so heavy no one could lift it before having the bottle fly into the air and disappear.

Totem: Orca

The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family and is commonly called “killer whale”. They are best known for their hunting techniques and intellect. Depending on where the orca lives, their language changes and even hunting techniques can be unique depending on their pod.

Orca teaches how to ‘swim’ in life with grace and strength, that the two go hand in hand.

It is also taught to look with care at one’s own dreams, they give messages and the orca knows this. Dreams are great things with ability to scare and create laughter, yet they retain the power to give advice, to give help.