The jötunn who stole Thor’s hammer Mjöllnir. He is solely attested in the eddic poem Þrymskviða.
One morning, upon waking, Thor discovers that his hammer is missing. He tells Loki and together they go to Freyja’s dwelling to borrow her feather-dress so that he might go looking for his hammer, and Freyja consents. Loki dons the feather-dress and flies until he reaches Jötunheimr. He sees Þrymr sitting on a mound and asks him if he has hidden Hlórriði‘s hammer. The giant confirms that he has hidden it eight miles deep in the earth and says that it will remain there unless Freyja is given to him as his wife.
Loki returns to Ásgarðr and tells Thor that Þrymr has his hammer but that he will not get it back unless they bring Freyja. They go to Freyja and instruct her to put on her bridal dress and come with them to Jötunheimr. Freyja is furious and refuses to go, so the gods hold council how they might get the hammer back. Heimdallr proposes that Thor disguises himself as the goddess, wearing a woman’s dress, a veil, and the Brísinga necklace. Thor reluctantly agrees. Continue reading HERE.
Þrymskviða (often spelled Thrymskvida) is one of the most famous poems of the Poetic Edda, telling of the time Thor had to put on a wedding dress to get his stolen hammer (Mjǫllnir) back.
Þrymskviða The Lay of Thrym
The Thrymskwitha is one of the very best of the Eddie poems. It is the dramatic story of how Thor, aided by Loki, got back his famous hammer. Thrym had stolen it, and he would not give it up until they would bring him Freyja to wife; but she very indignantly refused to get married under any such terms. It is finally arranged, though much against his will, that Thor himself must dress up to impersonate Freyja, and go up to get married to the giant Thrym. The latter half of the poem contains the carrying out of this plan. But Thor is the great thunder-god. He is the largest and strongest of them all, and a ravenous eater and drinker. The story is elsewhere told of him that once, in a drinking contest, he lowered the sea several inches. It is he alone that was not allowed to walk over the bridge of the rainbow for fear he might break it down. What could be more incongruous and ludicrous, then, than to have this great clumsy god dress up as Freyja, the fairest of the goddesses, and to go off in her name to marry the ice-giant Thrym! The Norse poet has made good use of his opportunities, and we have in this poem a masterpiece of its kind.Continue reading HERE.
N00178353.jpgwas taken on 2011-11-26 07:04 (PST) and received on Earth 2011-11-27 01:07 (PST). The camera was pointing toward Thrymr, and the image was taken using the CL1 and CL2 filters. This image has not been validated or calibrated. A validated/calibrated image will be archived with the NASA Planetary Data System
Discovery
Thrymr was discovered in 2000 by Brett J. Gladman, John J. Kavelaars, Jean-Marc Petit, Hans Scholl, Matthew J. Holman, Brian G. Marsden, Phillip D. Nicholson, and Joseph A. Burns using the 3.6-m Canada-France-Hawaii reflector on Mauna Kea in Hawaii, with adaptive optics. They discovered seven other Saturnian moons at the same time: Tarvos, Ijiraq, Suttungr, Skathi, Siarnaq, Erriapus, and Mundilfari.
Overview
Thrymr has a mean radius of 2.2 miles (3.5 kilometers), assuming an albedo (a measure of how reflective the surface is) of 0.06. It orbits Saturn at an inclination of about 174 degrees and an eccentricity of about 0.5. At a mean distance of 12.7 million miles (20.4 million kilometers) from Saturn, the moon takes about 1,094 Earth days to complete one orbit.
Thrymr is a member of the Norse group of moons. These “irregular” moons have retrograde orbits around Saturn – traveling around in the opposite direction from the planet’s rotation. Thrymr and the other Norse moons also have eccentric orbits, meaning they are more elongated than circular.
Like Saturn’s other irregular moons, Thrymr is thought to be an object that was captured by Saturn’s gravity, rather than having accreted from the dusty disk that surrounded the newly formed planet as the regular moons are thought to have done.
How Thrymr Got Its Name
Originally called S/2000 S7, Thrymr was named for a giant in Norse mythology who stole Thor’s hammer and offered to return it only if the gods gave him the very beautiful goddess Freyia to be his wife. The gods agree, but instead send Thor, disguised as Freyia. Thor as Freyia orders the hammer to be placed on “her” knee, whereupon Thor uses the hammer to kill Thrymr, along with the giant’s sister, who had asked for “Freyia’s” rings.SOURCE
Launched three years before the new century… a spacecraft wound its way through the empty reaches of the solar system. On Earth, its progress was little noted, as it swung twice by the planet Venus, then our moon. And Earth. The asteroid belt. And Jupiter. Almost seven years later, on the first of July 2004, the Cassini probe entered the orbit of Saturn. It then began to compile what has become one of the greatest photographic collections of all time, of a giant gas planet, surrounded by colorful rings, guarded by a diverse collection of moons, and millions of tiny moonlets.
This helmet-shaped cosmic cloud with wing-like appendages is popularly called Thor’s Helmet. Heroically sized even for a Norse god, Thor’s Helmet is about 30 light-years across. In fact, the helmet is more like an interstellar bubble, blown as a fast wind from the bright, massive star near the bubble’s center sweeps through a surrounding molecular cloud. Known as a Wolf-Rayet star, the central star is an extremely hot giant thought to be in a brief, pre-supernova stage of evolution. Cataloged as NGC 2359, the nebula is located about 15,000 light-years away in the constellation Canis Major. The sharp image, made using broadband and narrowband filters, captures striking details of the nebula’s filamentary structures. It shows off a blue-green color from strong emission due to oxygen atoms in the glowing gas.SOURCE
I combined 3 nights of imaging on the target of Thor’s Helmet … NGC 2359 using a broadband one-shot-color camera and two other nights using a monochrome camera using narrowband filters of Oxygen 3 and Hydrogen-Alpha. The combination of the images provided a colorful deep space target. Watch to see how I did this.
I create the clatter That comes with the lightning.
I am the bane of thurses, Trolls, tyrants, and chaos.
I destroy disorder And halt the dark forces.
I ride to bring the rain, Making red clouds above.
I was, am, and will be Always in the Nine Worlds.
Thor’s Helmet gets its glow from the massive unstable star WR7, a so-called “Wolf-Rayet” star which ejects much of its gaseous outer layers into space at speeds of up to 2,000 km/s. The ejected material from the star runs into the slower-moving gas floating between the stars. The collision excites the surrounding gas and causes it to emit light.
Wolf-Rayet stars are massive, fast-burning, and short-lived stars on their way to exploding as a supernovae. This phase of the star’s life only lasts briefly, which means Wolf-Rayet stars are quite rare. Only 150 have been discovered in the Milky Way.
The interstellar gas in and around this nebula is chemically enriched by the entrails of the Wolf-Rayet star. The rich blue-green color of the nebula comes from ionized oxygen ejected by the star. The reddish-pink color comes from excited hydrogen gas from the star and in the interstellar medium.Continue reading HERE.
In this video, I am Photographing Thors Helmet Nebula through my Zenithstar 81 Apo refractor telescope.
Thor in the Cosmos
Mjöllnir: Thor’s Short-Handled Hammer
Recently we have shown that by comparing the classical constellations with eddic myths many figures of the myths can be identified. By investigating the Völundarkvida it was possible to find the sword of Völund in Nidud’s possession. The sword is the brightest star of the northern starry sky, Arcturus. Nidud is depicted as the herdsman Böotes. Surely it’s possible to equate Surtur holding Frey’s sword with Böotes and Arcturus as well. We also find the maiden Bödhild as the constellation Virgo bearing the golden ear of grain that can be seen in the northern myth either as a twig called mistiltein or as a golden ring. Continue reading HERE.
Thor’s Iron Glove: Járnglófar/Járngreipr
The head of Cetus is near to the Pleiades and to the constellation Taurus and explains perfectly why Thor needs it to hold the hammer Mjölnir.
In addition this asterism can explain some obscure details in other stories. In Skáldskaparmál Thor uses in his fight with Geirröd not his hammer to smash the giant but the glove Járngreipr to throw back a piece of hot iron. I assume the story describes the rising of the head of Cetus and the setting of Böotes (Geirröd) and the bright star Arcturus (the hot piece of iron). The tongs Geirrödr is using could be the claws of Scorpio, the iron pillar he is hiding behind is the Milky Way in the Sagittarius/Scorpio region.SOURCE
A Marriage Made in Heaven: Thor as the Bride of Thrym
Thrymskvida, the story of how Thor’s hammer Mjöllnir was stolen by the giant (thurs) Thrym and how he rescued it by disguising himself as a bride pretending to be Freyja and finally smashing Thrym with his hammer, is one of the most famous Eddic poems. It seems to be one of the oldest poems handed down to us. Nevertheless it puzzled scholars due to its content. Most see it as a genuine pre-christian poem, whereas others suspect it to be a christian parody as they find it hard to believe that one of the highest Germanic gods would have allowed himself to be dressed as a bride. See the Thrymskvida Study Guide for details.
In the case of Thrymskvida, it may be fruitful to assume an astral background of the Eddic story. As I already discussed in the essayMjöllnir – Thor’s short handled hammer it seems to be possible to connect the hammer Mjöllnir with the asterism of the Pleiades, a part of the constellation Taurus. Indeed this asterism has the shape of a hammer with a short handle. Therefore in an astronomical context the poem would describe how the asterism of the Pleiades disappears at the western horizon and how it reappears in the east.Continue reading HERE.
Carnelian is a reddish-orange variety of the mineral chalcedony, ranging in shades from light to dark. The majority of the carnelian you can purchase today originally comes from India, but is dispersed all over the world with deposits in Brazil, Egypt, Uruguay, the U.S., and more.
Carnelian History
Carnelian is believed to be named after the red-orange Kornel cherry. Artifacts using carnelian date back to the Bronze Age circa 1800 BC on the island of Crete. The Romans though Carnelian to be a stone of courage–able to shore up confidence and strength. In ancient Egypt, it was placed on mummies to assist the dead in their journey to the afterlife while architects to the pharaohs wore carnelian to denote rank and status.
Carnelian necklace
In the Middle Ages, Carnelian was used by alchemists when boiling stone to release the energy of other gemstones. The word “carnelian” itself comes from a Latin word meaning “flesh” or “yellowish red”, which symbolizes bold energy and stimulation of the spirit.
Physical and Metaphysical Healing Properties of Carnelian
Carnelian has been utilized by many ancient cultures for different reasons, but it is otherwise seen as a stabilizing stone. Carnelian healing properties can help with physical, emotional, and spiritual balance. This stone can aid in stimulating tissues and organs, detoxifying as well as boosting libido and fertility.
Like all fire stones, Carnelian infuses the body with life and light calling on the powers of physical energy. It’s all about stimulating the muscles, helping oxygen to find its free flow, and keeping your tissues and organs flushed with the finest health.
Carnelians is believed to boost attitude and can even help stimulate metabolism and appetite. Carnelian is also believed to ease back problems, rheumatism, arthritis, neuralgia, and accelerates healing in bones and ligaments. It is also said to assist in relieving depression, especially in those of advanced years.
This particular stone stimulates the Sacral Chakra, located below the navel and above the pubic bone at the front of the pelvis. It controls the flow of energy and is the center of gravity of the body. It is the center of the Life Force of the body and controls the flow of information from the body to the mind and from the mind to the body. Gut feelings, intuition, and other “non-linear” communication come from this chakra.
Carnelian restores vitality as well as stimulates creativity. It gives courage, promotes positive life choices, dispels apathy and motivates for success. Carnelian is also useful for overcoming abuse or trauma of any kind. This stone additionally helps in trusting yourself, your intuition and your own perceptions. Meditation with Carnelian is highly recommended.
Chakras are the energy centers of the body, affecting your physical, mental, and spiritual wellness. But when something in your life throws you off-center, your chakras need a little help to get the energy flowing again. Chakra Crystals shows you how. Explore how different stones resonate with your chakras, and how to use them with a range of meditations to heal yourself inside and out.
With its orange hue inspiring feelings of the sun, Carnelian stones promote warmth, happiness, peace, and inner strength. Though it functions best when held near the navel, there’s no wrong way to use Carnelian stones. Doing so can aid the flow of positive energies, allowing for an easier, healthier, and more satisfying life.
How to use your Carnelian
Worn as amulets by warriors and priests to gift courage and a fiery inner strength, Carnelian makes for an amazing jewel when it comes to crystal healing. Worn directly against the skin, a Carnelian bracelet, pendant or ring can bring its bright vibrations straight into the body, ensuring you get the highest level of healing power.
However, feel free to place your Carnelian anywhere in your home, office or spiritual space as it is not required to be worn in order to achieve its benefits. This stone will boost harmony, stimulate creativity and invite abundance into the atmosphere it occupies – regardless of whether it is being carried or not. Many spiritual practitioners will add Carnelian into candles to boost its energy manifestation. Burning incense or candles near the stone is said to have a similar affect.
When you work with a Carnelian stone, you’re working with a stone of alchemy. You are setting the intention that all energy that doesn’t serve you will dissipate, only to be replaced by something more harmonious.
How to cleanse your Carnelian
If you feel the need to spiritually cleanse your Carnelian, you have several options.
A) Smudging
Smudging with incense or smoke is a common practice as far as crystal cleansing and can be applied to the cleansing ritual of a Carnelian stone as well s any other. Using herbs like sage, sweetgrass, palo santo, and lavender; this practice is held sacred for its metaphysical purposes (particularly when sage is used). To do this, hold your smudge rod or incense of choice around your crystals, visualizing that the smoke is purifying, cleansing, and charging your crystals with positive energy. Let the smoke surround your crystal for 30 seconds or so, focusing your energy on the healing, cleansing, and refreshing of your carnelian. Once you’ve finished smudging, open your window to release the smoke that the herb or incense has generated.
B) Moonlight
Setting your Carnelian out under moonlight is also believed to be a highly affective cleanser. Moonlight can equally be utilized as a “charger” for Carnelian. Place your stone by your windowsill and leave it overnight.
C) The Earth
You can even cleanse you Carnelian with the earth itself. Planting this stone in the ground will return its energy to its form and re-activate its spirit. If you feel grounded by earth, find a safe spot for burying your carnelian, such as in a garden or beside your favorite plant. Bury your Carnelian in the soil and leave it there for a day or two, then rinse with water.
What to avoid when cleansing Carnelian
You should avoid charging or cleansing your Carnelian with sunlight. Sunlight is not suitable for many stones and Carnelian is one that should not be left in the sun for long periods. It breaks down the minerals in the stone and the color fades.
Carnelian Associations
Chakras – Sacral
Birthstone – July
Zodiac – Cancer, Taurus, Leo, Virgo
Planet – Mars
Element – Fire
Typical colors – Clear-to-translucent red brown which may vary from a pale orange to pink, or from grey to an intense almost black.
Comprehensive and stunningly illustrated, this essential reference celebrates the beauty and healing potential of 500 crystals and gems. Step-by-step instructions cover divination, spiritual development, and personal empowerment-everything from headache relief to finding love and improving family relationships to warding off workplace bullying. A table on each page informs readers of essential facts on each stone, and there’s advice on usage, cleaning, and care. Practitioners of holistic medicine who prefer the benefits of a natural, noninvasive healing method will find everything they need to know in this lovely guide.
For many years I have been fascinated with some similarities and commonalities between the ancient Norse God of Fire Logi and the Norse God, one of my,main deities, Loki who has been associated with fire as well as cunning, wit, counsel and balance; the mischief aspect is over exaggerated at times.
For years on Facebook I covered a lot about Loki in-depth on posts both controversial and scholastically.
I have been looking deeper into Loki’s family tree and while reading about his first known mistress, Glut, I of course was interested in how Logi was connected. Due to the story of how Logi married Glut after Loki left her to be with Angrboda. But there are a number of things I will not get into yet that have me a bit curious on a few things regarding both Gods. I must add that the theory of Loki and Glut having a relationship is one that has been discussed by others besides me and is only an interpretation based on the little information that exists.
I cannot help but wonder if there is a chance if one of the following is possible. Especially after discussing it for quite a while with several close friends who were helping me look into the connections between the two. It is a highly debatable subject that we found out has a lot of twists and turns down a Norse Pantheon rabbit hole.
Loki Laufeyjarson is the famous trickster of Norse Mythology, who brings its pages to life with conflict, humor, and excitement. Far from being just a villain or a prankster, Loki is a god who brings necessary change into the world, transcends boundaries, and shines light on hidden truth. In this book, you will be introduced to Loki and the many masks he wears: whether he appears as the bringer of enlightenment, the traveling companion of the gods, or the ender of worlds. This is also an accessible guide to building a devotional practice with the trickster, where you will learn new ways to honor this often misunderstood deity. Open the door to Loki’s mysteries, and prepare to laugh, be challenged, and potentially change your life.
So here are some thoughts I share with several friends and I always find it interesting what others may think. The theories I have researched are the following:
1. Logi and Loki possibly brothers? (Due to parents not likely but not ruled out)
2. Logi and Loki possibly half brothers? (From what was discussed this could be possible)
3. Possibly an “Adoption” of one or the other due to unknown circumstances. This is something that is not uncommon among the Gods.
4. A yet unknown possibility like a transformation in the telling of the Gods from very ancient times. Meaning since Loki is a shapeshifter and had lust for two women, Glut and Angrboda at the time, was Logi in actuality Loki? If that is true this would mean Loki has more children than what has been considered. Those of Glut, two daughters, Einmyria (Ashes) and Eisa (Embers).
5. Or, this is just very deep theoretical back and forth brainstorming by a group of good friends who are Pathwalkers of Norse Paganism and none of this is true? Either way it makes for fun discussion and last night was quite the intellectually fun fest.
The ancient ancient Norse Fire Spirit god Logi is associated always with the element of fire.
I must add that Logi, the Norse fire spirit god is said to be the brother of Kari, the Norse god of the Northern winds and Ægir, the Norse god of the seas.
So with that said I am just going to provide some resources I have collected through my research and let you see for yourself how you feel about such possibilities.
A few years ago I began to look into the history and use of the Theban alphabet which are also known as Witches Runes, Witch writing, Honorian alphabet and the Runes of Honorius. This form of cypher dates back to Medieval times and has been a used in Mysticism and magical practices ever since. In recent years I began making Theban divination sets and find it to be quite a intriguing type of divination. So today’s blog post will be covering all about this interesting alphabet.
The Origins of the Theban
The Witch’s alphabet dates back to the 14th Century and is also known as the Theban alphabet. Additionally it has been called the Honorian alphabet, Theban Script or the Runes of Honorius. It’s exact origin is unknown nor is it’s original creator. As it is with all undocumented ancient history, there is controversy surrounding the Witch’s alphabet. It’s mostly been attributed to Honorius of Thebes, a Middle Age figure shrouded in so much mystery that some consider his very existence to be a myth. Many students of the occult believe the Theban alphabet dates back much further, to before the 11th Century. That group claims it originated as an alchemical cipher with an Avestan influence. Avestan is oldest preserved Indo-Aryan language and it’s closely related to Vedic Sanskrit. But this counter-theory is also undocumented and thus un-provable.
However, there is evidence to be gleaned from the shape of the characters and corresponding curve patterns that define Theban. They show an unmistakable resemblance to characters found in the Avestan alphabet. This alone doesn’t prove a theory. There are major differences such as fewer characters and the inclusion in Theban of a symbol to denote the end of a sentence. Theban does not have an upper or a lower case, so that symbol was critical. Another comparison has been made with Latin. There is a one-to-one correspondence between letters of the Witch’s alphabet and Latin alphabets with the exception of the letters j and u. Those two letters are represented by the letters for i and v. The Theban alphabet has also been called a runic alphabet but it’s clearly not. Runes are characterized by straight lines and sharp edges, while the Theban alphabet is mostly based on arcs and curls.SOURCE
The first known recordings of the alphabet came from the astrologer Johannes Trithemius who included it in his 1518 published book Polygraphia. Trithemius stated the alphabet came from the Theban Honorius and it was revealed by Petries de Apono (aka Pietro D’Abano).
Since Petries de Apono was close with Pope Honorius IV, some believe him to be the source; or his granduncle, Pope Honorious III. However, there is no proof of this because there has not been any work from either of them that contains this alphabet, including the manuscript written by Pope Honorious III called Grimoire du Pape Honorius.
Another belief connects to the fourteenth-century manuscript The Sworn Book of Honoriusauthored by Honorius of Thebes. According to lore, Honorius of Thebes was a scribe who complied this information together during a large assembly of deeply knowledgable magical practitioners. However, this is still speculation because the only copy of The Sworn Book of Honorius that remains today states that the Theban alphabet’s origins are from Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa.SOURCE
The Theban alphabet from Francis Barrett’s 1801 book, The Magus
Uses in Magick and Divination
With the exception of the letters J and U / V, this alphabet is a one to one substitution cipher. That means that each character of the Theban alphabet corresponds to one of the letters in the Latin alphabet.
That makes this alphabet very easy to use in your magic writings and other workings. It’s simple to switch one letter for another to obscure what you’re writing.
Especially when the Theban alphabet was created, the Christian church was doing its best to stamp out any ancient practices, paganism, or witchcraft. Writing in a script that couldn’t be translated allowed magicians and witches to record their work without fear of being killed by the church.
The Theban alphabet is popular among witches to give their writings a mystical quality and to hide the meaning of what they are writing. Wiccans and other witches have adopted many substitution ciphers to hide and obscure the contents of their books of shadows.SOURCE
The Theban alphabet can also be used in a similar way in divination like is done with Ogham and Elder Futhark Runes which you can learn more reading HEREand HERE.
Based on the ancient magical writings of 14thcentury magus, Honorius of Thebes, the Theban Oracle is a codex employed for centuries as a means of devotion and divination. Used by such masters of the occult sciences as Heinrich Cornelius Agrippa, Dr. John Dee, Francis Barrett, and later Gerald Gardner, it has remained relatively obscure and elusive to the modern practitioner. Until now.
In this book, author Greg Jenkins, PhD, offers both the complete history of this medieval magical system and a working manual for the modern mage to utilize it. In these pages, you’ll find:
• How to make and care for your own set of stones. • A variety of methods for divination, from using just one stone to using nine stones and more. • How to use the Theban stones for spellcasting, including love and purification spells and Theban incense and candle magick. • A complete lexicon of the Theban alphabet with a who’s who of Theban history along with divinatory meanings and how they relate to the modern world. • A quick reference to the sacred herbs and angelic orders associated with each symbol.
Prepare yourself to discover the hidden mysteries of the ancients and the magick within you.
In conclusion the Theban alphabet is one that can be used in a variety of ways for spiritual divination and witchcraft practices. It has a fascinating history with origins shrouded in mystery and has been a part of Occult and Mysticism for centuries. Today you can see it used for spells in Grimoires, Book of Shadow and more giving the Theban a practical use still to this day.
An explanation of what the Theban Alphabet is and what is its purpose.
Ever since I can remember I have been fascinated by Praying Mantises. I remember the first house I lived in in Oregon had these bushes around the house that seemed to be a haven for these majestic predatory masters of the insect world. I always would go hunting for other insects to feed them and felt as if I was doing a service for them. Little did I know at such a young age the importance and amazing symbolism that are the Praying Mantises. Many years later after building my own greenhouse I even had acquired a Praying mantis egg pod which I placed into my greenhouse and after a few weeks it hatched over 100 of these beautiful creatures. About 25 or so stuck around living in their new dwelling and that was quite beneficial for my garden.
The fact that there are approximately 1,800 species of this amazing carnivores of the insect world that reside on every continent except Antarctica, there should be no surprise they would hold significance in spiritual symbolism with Human civilization for thousands of years. So today I decided to share with you some great resources regarding my favorite insect, the Praying Mantis.
In some cultures, a praying mantis can be a sign of good luck or fortune.
Native Americans believe the insect came before the creation of man and Earth. Paintings, inscriptions, revered symbols and carvings have the insect depicted as a symbol. The bugs represent wealth, success, large families and the cycle of life.
The stealth movements of the praying mantis have made it a symbol of meditation and contemplation. In China, the insect has long been honored for its mindful movements. It never makes a move unless it is certain that is the right thing to do.
In Japan, a praying mantis is a sign of autumn. The bug is often portrayed with the typical gourds and mums that are popular in the season.
Additionally, the fragile looking insect is an emblem of military strength and courage in both China and Japan because it always moves forward to advance and never retreats.SOURCE
Physical Characteristics
A praying mantis head has a triangular shape with two compound eyes with thousands of light sensors that provide them with three-dimensional vision; it’s believed they’re the only insect able to see this way.
Praying mantis don’t have pupils; instead, you see an optical illusion that’s actually just more light receptors, which is why scientists call this a pseudo pupil.
Their neck is quite flexible, so they achieve a 180° range of vision. They generally measure between 1/2 to 6 inches long, with females usually larger than males.
They have an organ similar to an ear located in the thorax, capable of hearing frequencies above the 20,000 hertz that the human ear can perceive. This allows them to hear and recognize the ultrasonic frequencies used by bats who often hunt praying mantis.SOURCE
Why Are They Called Praying Mantis?
The ancient Greeks gave them the name mantis, which means diviner because it was believed a praying mantis possessed magical abilities. This idea is still reflected in its name, mantid, meaning soothsayer.
They’re called praying mantis because their front legs join together when hunting. This method consists of staying motionless and camouflaging itself until the prey approaches close enough to catch it. Then the mantis snatches its prey with jagged forelegs and begins eating it in less than a second. Since all mantids are carnivorous, preying describes them more accurately than praying.SOURCE
Photo of squatting mantis man from Dr. Mohammad NaserifardSOURCE
A Quick-List of Praying Mantis Symbolism
Stillness
Awareness
Creativity
Patience
Mindful
Calm
Balance
Intuition
The mantis never makes a move unless she is 100% positive it is the right thing for her to do. This is a message to us to contemplate and be sure our minds and souls all agree together about the choices we are making in our lives.
Overwhelmingly in most cultures the mantis is a symbol of stillness. As such, she is an ambassador from the animal kingdom giving testimony to the benefits of meditation, and calming our minds.
An appearance from the mantis is a message to be still, go within, meditate, get quite and reach a place of calm. It may also a sign for you to be more mindful of the choices you are making and confirm that these choices are congruent.
A Divine Messenger
The Kalahari Bushmen in Africa worship and consider the Praying Mantis as the oldest symbol of God. They believed it to be an incarnation of God, and whenever they would sight one, they would try and decipher its message.
Have you ever come across a praying mantis in most of the places you’ve visited? Or may be it appears in your dreams? I’m guessing that you might have passed it off as just a coincidence, or may be you think you’ve become too obsessed with this special visitor that you see it just everywhere you go? Oh no, you haven’t become obsessed with the praying mantis neither is it a coincidence! It could mean something else too; a divine message for you, or a wake up call to view your situations more closely.SOURCE
They are killers! They kill with unbelievable precision. They fight Kung Fu style and are seen in Japan as a symbol of vigilance – the mantises. Their triangular head with its unique flexibility is conspicuous. Two overdimensioned eyes fixate the distance to their prey rapidly and three-dimensionally. The chest segment of the mantis is prolonged and equipped with spiny appendages that can spear their prey as fast as a jack knife. The mysterious aura that surrounds the praying mantis has a lot to do with the fact that they are rarely seen. They have adapted to their surroundings perfectly. No matter whether leaves, blossoms, tree bark, sandy floors or even orchids – the mantis blends in to all environments.
Did you know?
Spiritual teacher Alyson Charles trusts that animals have a way of coming to us when we need to hear their messages the most. “It’s a guide trying to come into our lives, trying to get our attention,” she explains.
In the case of praying mantises, they can represent everything from precision to prophecy, contemplation to deliberation, as well as vision, prayer, perception, and synchronicity, Charles explains.
If they show up around you, it could be a sign you need to make wise choices and act with precision, deepen your mindfulness practice, or be more patient. This is a creature that encourages us to slow down and connect with inner wisdom and even sharpen our clairvoyant abilities.
Historically, she adds, the praying mantis actually inspired a form of kung fu martial arts. During the Northern Song period (A.D. 960–1126), a Chinese kung fu master named Wang Lang was inspired by the movements of the praying mantis after he lost a martial arts competition.
“He watched a praying mantis trying to catch a cicada and was inspired by the agile moves of the mantis. It is said he then collected praying mantises and took them back to the Shaolin Temple to observe closely, going on to create his own form of kung fu inspired by the mantises’ moves,” Charles writes in her book Animal Power: 100 Animals To Energize Your Life and Awaken Your Soul.SOURCE
Prepare to be enchanted with an in-depth and up-close view of the most loved of all invertebrates, the praying mantis! Keeping the Praying Mantis is a huge resource designed to give mantis enthusiasts every tool needed for feeding, housing, and rearing these magical (almost mythological) creatures. Details on their biology, relationship with man over the ages, behavior, and captive husbandry will give you a solid foundation for successfully keeping fascinating species from around the world. From ant mimics and unicorn mantids to Devil’s flower, orchid, and ghost mantids, there are species to entice every insect hobbyist.
The Suit of Cups is associated with the element of water. Water is fluid, agile and ‘in flow’ but it’s also very powerful and formative. This tarot suit represents emotions, feelings, subconscious, intuition and psychic ability.
The Cups often represent one’s emotional condition as it relates to personal relationships, love, hate, and the interaction between one’s spiritual level of consciousness and the natural environment.
Upright: When the Ace of Cups appears upright in a tarot reading, it represents an unfailing source of balm for body, heart and soul. It suggests that you can relax into a safety net of love, and support.
Reversed: The Ace of Cups reversed warns of a loss of self-esteem, optimism and faith in the abundance that the universe has to offer. Stop to examine what it is that is causing you to lose altitude. It might be the mental food you are feeding yourself.
Two of Cups
Two of Cups
Upright: The Two in this suit signifies a union of souls. This card traditionally describes a romantic relationship, but also includes the idea that all good friendships and partnerships are based on a natural affinity and a deep mutual understanding. As a personal reflection, it can also signify that your mind and your soul are discovering each other, maybe for the first time.
Reversed: The Two of Cups reversed indicates that you may be investing too much in a relationship. Sometimes this is a signal that you must stop seeking so much validation from others.
Three of Cups
Three of Cups
Upright: When seen in a tarot reading, this card resonates with a spirit of agreement, mutual support, encouragement and teamwork. It points to all the benefits of harmonious relationship. This card reassures that it’s ok to ask for the help you may need.
Reversed: The Three of Cups reversed indicates that you may be frustrating the best efforts of those who love you most. Try to find a way to let in some of the love and caring that comes to you.
Four of Cups
Four of Cups
Upright: A Four in this suit suggest you may have become dissatisfied with life, and emotionally uncomfortable. You need to take a clear look at how stalled or distracted you have become. You may have been bogged down by negativity, hopelessness or a sense of limitation.
Reversed: The Four of Cups reversed indicates that some part of you is resisting the flow of events. Recognize this mood as a symptom of a deeper dissatisfaction and come clean to yourself about your real feelings. There is something to be learned.
Five of Cups
Five of Cups
Upright: When seen upright in a tarot reading, the Five of Cups traditionally portrays the mess that is left after an emotional upheaval, such as a tantrum or fit of rage. Consequences run the gamut from a hangover and lost wages, to abuse and ruined relationships. Take some time to reflect and recover.
Reversed: The Five of Cups reversed represents a paradoxical situation wherein what seems like the worst thing that could happen actually creates a better circumstance. You are freer to act authentically as a result of this energy turn.
Six of Cups
Six of Cups
Upright: When this tarot card appears upright, it generally represents a refreshing openness and innocence and a willingness to learn. Remember that this same freshness, those new possibilities, are always available to you, even now.
Reversed: With the Six of Cups reversed, you can finally close accounts with the emotional undertow that has been part of your life. Try to revisit those wounded places calmly, without the fear that you will be drawn back in.
Seven of Cups
Seven of Cups
Upright: The Seven of this suit typically refers to works of the imagination, the use of dream and vision to invent a future different than the life one is currently living. This card reminds you that your outcomes are not set in stone.
Reversed: The Seven of Cups reversed suggests that you to reawaken to playfulness, joy and curiosity. Perhaps a lack of purpose is having a deadening effect.
Eight of Cups
Eight of Cups
Upright: This is a difficult card, but a realistic one, insofar as it warns against misplaced trust and unguarded vulnerability.
Reversed: The Eight of Cups reversed suggests that you may have experienced a terrible event, yet you have somehow not allowed it to ruin your life. Under the circumstances, you are doing just fine. Recognize how far you’ve come.
Nine of Cups
Nine of Cups
Upright: The Nine of Cups in this position advises that you open yourself to circumstances around you. There may be no need to manage a situation that does not require a lot of control or leadership.
Reversed: The Nine of Cups reversed suggests that you are getting what you thought you wanted, but it’s not what you really want at all. This is an essential lesson in life. When you set a goal, specify how you want it to feel in your life, not just what you want to be, do or have.
Ten of Cups
Ten of Cups
Upright: The Ten of this suit upright traditionally signifies family and community. It suggest that you should prioritize teamwork over your personal goals.
Reversed: The Ten of Cups reversed suggests that a group’s collective good will is damaged and its safety net is fraying. Things are being said and done that will be regretted later.
Page of Cups
Page of Cups
Upright: When this card presents itself in a reading, it may be that a sense of being grounded in reality has not yet entirely set in. Be unconcerned with the outcome. Later you will understand why you needed to be in this position.
Reversed: When the Page of Cups card is reversed it suggests that you may have been overly expressing some self-indulgent feelings. If you impinge upon the good nature of others too much, you may be unpleasantly surprised by the results.
Knight of Cups
Knight of Cups
Upright: The Knight of Cups in this position advises that you jump into your new situation with both feet. Think no more about the route you had to travel to get back here. There is no need to be cavalier about what seems familiar.
Reversed: When reversed, the knight of cups continually looks for excuses or a way to blame his problems on someone else. It suggests you may need to reflect and take personal responsibility for the way things are in your life.
Queen of Cups
Queen of Cups
Upright: The Queen of Cups upright encourages you to be generous, kind and forgiving. Support the ability of others to get what they want. However, you must not allow your willingness to give be misunderstood or abused, as if it were a weakness.
Reversed: When this card is reversed in a reading, it suggests that you stop all efforts to dull your pain or distract yourself from it. Looking the other way is not going to help you anymore. You must be emotionally honest with yourself in order to heal.
King of Cups
King of Cups
Upright: When the King of Cups appears in this position, it advises that you closely examine your conscience and bring your personal mission into alignment with what is best for everyone.
Reversed: Reversed, this card suggests you may be bitterly holding a grudge or some hatred — withholding your natural propensity for forgiveness. This will create an emotional vacuum around you.
What It Takes:
These are extremely brief descriptions of The Suit of Pentacle tarot cards. To fully utilize the art of tarot with confidence takes much time and extensive learning. It is strongly advised that you do further personal research and dive deeper into the complex meanings of each tarot card, prior to practicing this form of divination.
Further Resources:
A complete beginner’s course with step-by-step lessons on how to work with tarot cards for personal guidance.
Joan Bunning’s “Learning the Tarot—An Online Course” has helped hundreds of thousands of people worldwide discover the personal value of the tarot. Drawing on the material offered in this popular online course and from her previous books, Joan has created a complete guide to tarot for beginners, which serves as a handy and in-depth resource for more experienced tarot card readers as well.
While there are countless books devoted to tarot, what sets Joan Bunning’s book apart is her ability to take a rather complicated esoteric system and break it down into clear, manageable, and easy-to-learn lessons. These lessons cover the basics and then move gradually into more advanced concepts.
THE SUIT OF CUPS EXPLAINED! Let me teach you Tarot. After the Pentacles and the Wands we are now discussing the Suit of Cups. This is my favorite suit in the Tarot, so I’m really excited to share this with you guys! In this video I explain what the Cups mean in the Tarot, using Astrology and Symbolism, but I also discuss every Cup card one by one. This will definitely be helpful to beginners, but can also add an extra layer to the cards for experienced readers.
Today’s animal blog post on the folklore, mythology and symbolism plus more will be covering the Owl. With approximately 250 species of Owls around the world it is expected that these predators of the night would absolutely become embedded in culture, folklore and even associated with Deities which indeed is the case. Owls to me are very fascinating both with their important roles in nature and how they have had an effect in humans. So today let us dive into the world of Owls and their significance in the myths, folklore and more.
Throughout history and across many cultures, people have regarded Owls with fascination and awe. Few other creatures have so many different and contradictory beliefs about them. Owls have been both feared and venerated, despised and admired, considered wise and foolish, and associated with witchcraft and medicine, the weather, birth and death. Speculation about Owls began in earliest folklore, too long ago to date, but passed down by word of mouth over generations.
In early Indian folklore, Owls represent wisdom and helpfulness, and have powers of prophecy. This theme recurs in Aesop’s fables and in Greek myths and beliefs. By the Middle Ages in Europe, the Owl had become the associate of witches and the inhabitant of dark, lonely and profane places, a foolish but feared spectre. An Owl’s appearance at night, when people are helpless and blind, linked them with the unknown, its eerie call filled people with foreboding and apprehension: a death was imminent or some evil was at hand. During the eighteenth century the zoological aspects of Owls were detailed through close observation, reducing the mystery surrounding these birds. With superstitions dying out in the twentieth century – in the West at least – the Owl has returned to its position as a symbol of wisdom. Continue reading HERE.
OWL MYTHS AND LEGENDS by Shani Freidman
Owls and humans are connected from the dawn of history. The nighttime activity, large eyes, acute vision, and “wisdom” of owls were known by the ancients. Dating from a Sumerian tablet (2300 to 2000 BC), Lilith, the goddess of death, has talons for feet, wears a headdress of horns, and is flanked by owls. She is probably the inspiration for Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare. The rock crevices of Athens and the Acropolis were filled with small owls, believed to be the embodiment of Athena. When the Athenians won the battle of Marathon from the Persians in 490 BC, the warrior goddess Athena assumed the shape of an owl and led them from above.
The Romans, who appropriated many of the Greek beliefs, associated owls with Minerva, the goddess of prophesy and wisdom. Minerva’s role was similar to Athena’s. The prophetic qualities of owls were known. Virgil writes that the hoot of an owl foretold the death of Dido. Pliny reports great confusion and fear in the Forum when an owl entered. Horace associates owls with witchcraft. Romans used representations of owls to combat the evil eye. Owl feathers and internal organs were found in magical potions and pharmaceutical remedies. For example, the ashes of an owl’s feet were an antidote to snakebite, and an owl’s heart placed on the breast of a sleeping woman forced her to tell all her secrets. Continue reading HERE.
Silver tetradrachm coin at the Museum of Fine Arts of Lyon depicting the owl of Athena (circa 480–420 BC). The inscription “ΑΘΕ” is an abbreviation of ΑΘΗΝΑΙΩΝ, which may be translated as “of the Athenians”. In daily use the Athenian drachmas were called glaukes (γλαῦκες, owls). This silver coin was first issued in 479 BC in Athens after the Persians were defeated by the Greeks.
6 Myths and Superstitions About Owls
Owls are famous for their exceptional eyesight and it was thought that you could gain better eyesight by ingesting parts of them. In England, the method was to cook owl eggs until they were ash, then incorporate them into a potion. Folklore from India had a more direct method: just eat owl eyes.
Owls are a sign of death in many cultures, including some Native American tribes. For instance, dreaming of an owl signified approaching death for Apache people. Boreal owl calls were a call from spirits to the Cree people, and if you answered back to the owl with a whistle and didn’t get a response, it was a sign that your death was imminent. On the other hand, Dakota Hidatsa people believed that burrowing owls acted as protective spirits for warriors.
For some cultures, the owl was sacred. Among Australian Aborigines, owls are the spirits of women and so are sacred. The Kwakiutl people also thought owls were the souls of people and shouldn’t be harmed because, if the owl was killed, the person whose soul the owl carried would also die. In fact, many different cultures believed that a person became an owl after death.
Owls are often viewed as a symbol of wisdom. The “wise old owl” character comes from an old English nursery rhyme, which suggests that listening more than talking is a valuable character trait that we would all benefit from developing. As such, the owl has become a sign of learning and mental change. Many people believe that seeing an owl is a profoundly good thing, as it indicates the start of a new phase in life.
Owls are, of course, associated with witchcraft—particularly white ones, which are the most elusive. Greeks and Romans believed witches could turn themselves into owls, and in this form would come to suck the blood of babies. In other cultures, owls were simply the messengers of witches, or hooted to warn of the approach of a witch. Unfortunately this led to many owls being hunted and killed in the Middle Ages.
Though the owl’s nocturnal activity was at the root of many superstitions, the amazing ability of an owl to rotate its neck to extraordinary degrees was even turned into a myth. In England it was believed that if you walked around a tree that an owl was perched in, it would follow you with its eyes, around and around until it wrung its own neck.SOURCE
“You don’t need anything but hope. The kind of hope that flies on silent wings under a shining owl moon.”
-Jane Yolen
Perhaps no other creature has so compelling a gaze as the owl. Its unblinking stare mesmerizes; its nocturnal lifestyle suggests secrets and mystery. This lavishly illustrated book celebrates owls from every corner of the world and offers abundant details on fifty-three of the most striking and interesting species, from the tiny Elf Owl of southwestern American deserts to the formidable Blakiston’s Fish Owl, the largest of all owls. Mike Unwin has long studied and admired these remarkable birds from cold northern forests to tropical rivers and beyond. He explains how owls evolved into the supreme feathered predators of the night, and he examines their breeding and hunting behaviors, unusual calls, and the cultural myths and superstitions that surround different species. More than two hundred dramatic color photographs in the wild, taken or selected by David Tipling, capture the wondrous beauty of each owl and the drama of life in its own home region.
The Owl as a Spirit Guide
When you seek out Owl, it is a way of reaching your Higher Self and truly seeing things from a spiritual perspective; This refreshing vantage point allows you to open doorways into other realms and connect with the Devas, Ancestors, Angels, and the Divine.
Owl has a strong connection with the element of air. Travel with Owl Spirit to the heavens and soar through the halls of the Akashic records. Owl will show you things that might otherwise remain hidden to you, so be open to seeing things in a whole new way.
You cannot deceive Owl, which is why this Spirit Animal reminds us to remain true to ourselves, our voice, and our vision. Owl does not tolerate illusion or secrets. If there are skeletons in the closet, you can trust that Owl will find them and start house cleaning.
It is no surprise that the Goddess Athena held Owls as sacred. Athena is beyond doubt, one of the most complex Deities in history, and Her attributes included wisdom and strategy – so Owl Spirit became the perfect companion. In Greek tradition, Owl was also a protector. It was believed that an Owl flying over a soldier or army portended victory because Owl would remain watchful.
As a creature of the night, the Celts and Egyptians regarded Owl as a gatekeeper to other realms, particularly the souls of the dead. In some stories, this bird actually accompanies a soul, so it doesn’t get lost on its journey.
In Native American tradition, Owl represents sacred knowledge (you’ll get to know me, I live for puns). When you begin studying the mysteries, this Spirit Animal Guide is an amazing helpmate and mentor.
Overall, Owl is a symbol of being able to navigate any darkness in our life; this Spirit brings clarity, prophetic inklings, and a strong connection with the mystical world.SOURCE
“Owls are known as lonely birds, but it is not known that they have the forest as their best friend!”
The Owl has a dual symbolism of wisdom and darkness, the latter meaning evil and death. They are symbolically associated with clairvoyance, astral projection and magick, and is oftentimes the medicine of sorcerers and witches, you are drawn to magickal practices. Those who have owl medicine will find that these night birds will tend to collect around you, even in daytime, because they recognise a kinship with you.
The two main symbolic characteristics of the Owl, its wisdom and its nocturnal activity– have made it represent perception. Considering perception in a spiritual context, Owl medicine is related to psychism, occult matters, instincts, and clairvoyance– the true ability to see what is happening around you.
The owl can see that which others cannot, which is the essence of true wisdom. Where others are deceived, Owl sees and knows what is there.
Use your power of keen, silent observation to intuit some life situation, Owl is befriending you and aiding you in seeing the whole truth. The Owl also brings its messages in the night through dreams or meditation. Pay attention to the signals and omens. The truth always brings further enlightenment.
The Owl, symbol of the Goddess, represents perfect wisdom. Owls have the ability to see in the dark and fly noiselessly through the skies. They bring messages through dreams. The Owl is the bird of mystical wisdom and ancient knowledge of the powers of the moon. With wide-open, all-seeing eyes, Owl looks upon reality without distortion and acknowledges it, yet is aware that with ancient magickal and spiritual knowledge, he or she can make changes.SOURCE
This video will discuss about 20 mysterious facts about Owls. As recognized as owls may be, most people don’t actually know a whole ton about them. But the truth is, these birds are incredibly complex creatures with a catalogue of surprising facts.
What Sees the Owl by Elizabeth Sears Bates
His velvet wing sweeps through the night: With magic of his wondrous sight He oversees his vast domain, And king supreme of night doth reign.
Around him lies a silent world, The day with all its noise is furled; When every shadow seems a moon, And every light a sun at noon.
How welcome from the blinding glare Is the cool grayness of the air! How sweet the power to reign, a king, When day his banishment will bring!
For him the colorless moonlight Burns brilliant, an aurora bright; The forest’s deepest gloom stands clear From mystery and helpless fear.
He sees the silver cobwebs spun, The dewdrops set the flowers have won, The firefly’s gleam offends his sight, It seems a spark of fierce sunlight.
Clear winter nights when he so bold, “For all his feathers, is a-cold,” Sees the Frost-spirit fling his lace, And fashion icicles apace.
At his weird call afar and faint A sleepy echo, like the quaint Last notes of some wild chant, replies And mocks his solitude—and dies.
Owls of the World, second edition, is the ultimate photographic resource dedicated to the identification of these charismatic birds of prey. It is packed with spectacular photography of 268 species of owls from all over the world, including extinct species. Many of the images are of highly elusive species very rarely caught on camera.
The vast majority of the roughly 200 species of owls are so-called true owls which possess large heads with round faces short tails and muted feathers with mottled patterns. The remainder accounting for a little over a dozen species are barn owls which can be distinguished by their heart-shaped faces long legs equipped with powerful talons and moderate size. With the exception of the common barn owl—which has a worldwide distribution—the most familiar owls at least to residents of North America and Eurasia are the true owls. Evolution has an efficient way of relegating animals to particular niches: because other carnivorous birds (like hawks and eagles) hunt during the day most owls have adapted to hunting at night. The dark coloration of owls makes them nearly invisible to their prey—which consists of insects small mammals and other birds—and their wings are structured so as to beat in almost complete silence. These adaptations combined with their enormous eyes makes owls some of the most efficient night hunters on the planet wolves and coyotes not excluded. One of the most remarkable things about owls is the way they move their entire heads when looking at something rather than simply moving their eyes in their sockets like most other vertebrate animals. The reason for this is that owls need large forward-facing eyes to gather in scarce light during their nocturnal hunts and evolution couldn’t spare the musculature to allow these eyes to rotate. Instead owls have astonishingly flexible necks that allow them to turn their heads three-quarters of a circle or 270 degrees—compared to about 90 degrees for the average human being!
I have been aware of the Goddess Lilith most of my life but growing up in the toxic environment during my childhood, Lilith was characterized as an evil and malicious demon which I later learned is a Christianized version twisted for that religions own purpose. The truth is that Lilith’s origins is shrouded in some mystery and is quite a complex Goddess who is deserving of true respect, honor and dedication. That is my purpose of this blog post which is important to me as I have close friends who work with her in their magick practices.
Lilith’s Origins
The exact origins of Lilith are uncertain and there is lot of speculation around the historical accuracy of most versions of her myth.
In Mesopotamian mythology, Lilith was associated with the figure of a female night demon. In this culture, the shadowy creature symbolized the wind and, therefore, had its image related to pests, malaise and death. To get in touch with her universe, Lilith used water as a portal. Already in Hebrew mythology, with quotes in the Midrash and Talmud, Lilith is also seen as a demon.
Among the Sumerians, in the middle of 3000 BC. C., Lilith was known by the name of Lilitu. In that period, her figure appeared, at first, in the representation of a group of demons or spirits related to storms and winds. According to some mythologists, in 700 BC the name was changed to Lilith. As in Sumer, the peoples of Babylon associated Lilith with evil spirits and demonic entities. Symbolizing her by the moon, the Babylonians believed that the female devil varied between bad and good phases.SOURCE
Lilith is a Sumerian or Babylonian demon Goddess, Who is perhaps better known for Her role in Jewish legend. Called “The Dark Maid” or “Maiden of Desolation,” Lilith is associated with owls and is a creature of the night. She is depicted on a Babylonian clay plaque from 2000-1600 BCE as beautiful winged woman with bird’s feet and claws.
As a young woman,Inanna, the Sumerian Goddess of love and war, plants a sacred huluppu-tree from which She hopes to make Her throne (representing Her power as an adult woman) and bed (representing Her full sexuality). But Lilith, along with the serpent and the lion-faced anzu-bird, takes up residence in the huluppu-tree, as a symbol of Inanna’s fears. The hero Gilgamesh eventually drives Lilith out, and Inanna is then able to claim Her throne and bed.
In Jewish legend, Lilith is Adam’s first wife. She refused to have sex with him because she did not want to be beneath him. She left him and was cursed to give birth to one hundred demon children a day who were then killed. She was said to take Her revenge for this curse by stealing or killing human children. Her name means “Screech Owl” or “Night Creature.” She is mentioned in the Bible: as the Hebrew God, Yahweh, threatens the destruction of Edom (a land located to the south and east of the Dead Sea) He describes what will happen after it is laid waste: “…The night creature shall rest there, and find for herself a place of rest” (Book of Isaiah, chapter 34, verse 14). Like in the Inanna legend, Lilith’s presence symbolizes a dark time of fear or desolation.SOURCE
Burney Relief, Babylon (1800-1750 BCE). Some scholars (e.g. Emil Kraeling) identified the figure in the relief with Lilith, based on a misreading of an outdated translation of the Epic of Gilgamesh. ( CC BY-SA 3.0 )SOURCE
Epithets and Names of Lilith
Lilith has had many names throughout history, some with known origins and some without. A few popular titles are:
There are at least three versions of Lilith’s fate outside Eden: the first tells that she was confined to the caves of the Red Sea, where she would still live dedicating herself to pagan rites in full harmony with nature.
On the other hand, the second version says she was the lover of every demon in the world: in essence, once she left the Garden of God, she would have lain with the demons present on earth to prove that she did not need divine grace.
This version, however, would be forced and is not very valid for the followers of Lilith, who point out that since there are only two human beings on a still pure earth, there certainly could not be many demons.
A third version says that Lilith could be allowed to return to Eden as long as she became the protector of all newborns. Lilith, however, saw it as an affront: taking care of children not her own would be a punishment. It seems therefore that she went far away until she met the demon Asmodeus.
Between the two it was an instant love or, at least, it was something that resembled it; it seems that they chose each other as companions and that Lilith gave birth to many Lilim, or demon children, also called jinn.
At this point, it seems that once again God tried to bring her back. He commissioned three angels, Senoy, Sansenoy, and Semangelof, to look for her. The three did not use the right strategy: they ordered her to return by threatening her with death, but she replied that she could not return to Adam after having had a relationship with a demon and that she would never be able to die because she became immortal.Continue reading HERE.
I made this altar piece dedicated to Lilith several years ago for a friend in Switzerland that has the sigil for the Goddess.
Sigil of Lilith
Lilith is a symbol of femininity, beauty, freedom, rebellion, strength and courage. She is the liberator of the women, encouraging them to be strong and to fight for their rights. Lilith is also known to help during the childbirths and all which concerns the femininity.
Lilith is associated to the night and to the moon, to the water, to the rose, to the snake, to big cats, and more particularly to the cat, to the owl and to the hyena.
In the tarot, she is symbolized by the Empress and the High Priestess.
Lilith is often associated with Ishtar/Inanna, with Isis, or with Kitra for vampyres. In the Luciferian Wicca, she embodies the goddess, the symbol of the feminine energy of the universe (associated with the God, Lucifer, the symbol of the male energy).
This book shows you how to get in touch with this powerful Goddess the right way. There are several books out there that teach magical rituals using the energy of Goddess Lilith. Most of these books teach effective things, but the way they approach the Goddess can be dangerous. In this book I teach you how to contact Lilith safely and efficiently.
Calling on Lilith Ritual
In most Wiccan and pagan traditions, the sacred feminine and masculine represent different aspects of life, personalities, and energies. Often, the masculine (either in energy or via the God) is utilized for spells and rituals focused on strength. But sometimes, what you need can’t come from the masculine. Sometimes what you need is unmatched feminine ferocity, strength pulled from the fury and darkness that has built over millennia. In those instances, calling upon Lilith will aid you in finding your inner strength and releasing that power.
For this ritual, you will need:
a sliced apple (to eat, make sure it is in good shape)
red wine (or grape juice if you don’t drink alcohol)
bloodstone (for strength, courage, and confidence)
a small plate
chalice
any owl or serpent statuary or imagery you’d like to include on your altar
music from a female artist you like
Perform this ritual at night. If there is a dark moon soon, wait for that if you can. If you can perform it outdoors, that will work best, as Lilith lives in the wilds. Set your statuary or imagery on your altar if you’d like. Place the bloodstone at the center. Place the plate with the sliced apples to the right of the bloodstone. Place the chalice with the red wine to the left of the bloodstone.
Begin by focusing your intention on calling Lilith and finding your strength. Meditate on your intentions for a few moments. Play the music, pick up the bloodstone, and begin to dance. Dance wildly, widely, without inhibition. Feel the wild within your heart grow and let it flourish in your dance. Dance to a few songs, holding the bloodstone tightly as you do, letting the energy you are raising be intensified by the power of the stone.
Turn down the music (but not off) and return to your altar. Touch the stone to the apple and the wine, then replace it in the center. Hold your hands over the apple and wine and recite this incantation:
Lilith, First Witch, Dark Mother
Protector of all who are othered
Help me release my power
No longer see me cower
Move both hands over the apple. Recite this incantation:
Knowledge from its flesh
Wisdom that is refreshed
I bring your power into me
I set my wildness free
Eat one slice of apple, focusing your intention. Move both hands over the wine. Recite this incantation:
Millennia of tears and blood
Building into a flood
Of women’s fury and power
I bring to myself in this dark hour
Take a sip of the wine, focusing your intention. Turn the music up again and call to Lilith to dance with you.
Lilith, wild, strong, and free
Join in and dance with me
Help my strength to grow
My own power let me know
As you dance, take breaks to thank Lilith, eat more of the apple, and drink more of the wine. Continue until both are gone. Carry the bloodstone with you when you need the strength of the dark feminine. SOURCE
Symbols of Goddess Lilith
Correspondences and Offerings to Lilith
Clay: Lilith is said to be made of clay.
Figures of animals such as owls and snakes.
Books and artwork depicting Lilith
Lilith’s Sigil
Symbols of the Dark Moon
Crystals such as tiger’s eye, amber, bloodstone, moonstone, and obsidian.
You can use scents such as jasmine, dragon’s blood, musk, and sandalwood.
Alcohol, specifically red wine.
Some may choose to use blood as an offering for Lilith, but blood is a powerful connection to your own energy. You should only use blood in a ritual if you have a complete understanding of the energetic implications of doing so. This is not recommended for those who are just beginning to work with any deity.SOURCE
**NOTE** A close friend of mine who works closely with Lilith shared with me that Red Carnelian stone is also associated with Lilith.
A look at the magick and rituals of the most useful Daemon and Goddess in all magick. Lilith. A daemon to some. A goddess to others. A name which struck fear in the hearts of men and women in the middle ages. A name associated with the most powerful Daemoness in history. A name that is very maligned. She is actually a goddess of feminism, and encompasses all the aspects of her dual nature: Darkness and Light The largest book I have ever written on a single Goddess. Lilith is both Goddess and Daemoness, her powers range all across the spectrum.
Lilith’s story has been told and retold by countless religious people, pagans, and feminists. In her story, Lilith was highly feared and regarded as a demon by many religious folks. Today, she is considered a goddess too many women who seek her out via ritual for her guidance with bold sexuality, feminine empowerment, and sacred rebellion.
Hag stones are something I have been fascinated with for a very long time and enjoy collecting them from all over this country and around the world. Hag stones have been a part of magical practices and folklore for thousands of years and still to this day. They have a variety of other names such as Fairy Stones, Odin Stones, Holey Stones, Witch Stones, Adder Stones, Snake Eggs, Hex Stones, Holeys, and Eye Stones. From viewing into the spirit realm to warding off evil spirits at sea, Hag stones have many uses which will be explained in this blog. Hag stones are most commonly found on beaches along the coast but also can be found on lake shores and even in river beds. So with that all said let us get into the fascinating world of these amazing stones.
Origin of the Term Hag Stone
The name “hag stone” originates in part from ancient beliefs that most maladies, which were curable by using this stone, were caused originally by spectral hags. Other areas call them adder stones because they are believed to protect the wearer from the effects of snake bite. Germanic legend says that adder stones are formed when serpents gather together and use their venom to create the holes in the center of the stones. Hag stones are said to have many uses. They have been used by witches worldwide for centuries in both rituals and spell work. They also have been used, ironically, as a toll to counteract a witch’s magick. Legend has it that they can be used to ward off the dead, curses, sickness and nightmares.
They are used to see invisible creatures of the land of the Fae and open up a window to other realms. They are used as protection against spells, warding, and healing. The spell for fertility magic had a hag stone tied to the bedpost to help facilitate pregnancy. There are stories of very large hag stones; large enough for someone to walk through. These are used by couples trying to achieve pregnancy by walking through it together or holding hands.
Livestock owners would use the stones to protect their animals from bewitchment or being ridden to the Sabbath by witches. A stone would be suspended by a cord in the center of each stable to protect the horses and other live stock. Else a cow would give sour milk and hens refused to lay and eggs. Fisherman and sailors would often find them on beaches during their travels. They would tie them to their boats to keep off evil spirits and witches from affecting their ships and their catch. It was believed that evil spirits and witches would curse ships to have small catches, but a hag stone would prevent this from happening. A few stories speak of them being able to control the winds on the high seas; or more formerly, they could control the weather.Continue reading HERE.
A few uses of Hag Stones
Hang it above your front door or over a window to keep evil spirits out.
If you’re a sailor, tie one with rope to your ship to prevent witches clinging to your vessel, and to swing in the wind to help break up storm clouds.
Wear it around your neck on a string to ensure good health and to heal any minor ills.
Nail one above the door of your barn to stop witches souring your herd’s milk or taking your horses for a gallop in the night.
Attach a hag stone to your bedpost to keep bad dreams away.
Tie one to your keys so they will never be lost again.
Use them to help you conceive a baby. (We’re not quite clear on exactly how this is done. Perhaps just have one about your person…)
Enter Fairyland through it (apparently the hole is a portal). Again, we’re unsure about how to do this, but it can’t hurt to just have a peer at Fairyland through the hole.
*Only ever take one at a time though, and only for yourself. The stones are said to find you; you don’t find the stones. And they only work for the person they found.SOURCE
Some of the hag Stones in my personal collection from the Oregon coast, Florida coast and Lake Michigan.
How to Use Hag Stones for Magick
Despite their general state being to banish faeries, if you wish to attract some, you can pour morning dew through a Hag Stone hole and anoint yourself with it.
Other rituals that can be practiced with these objects, include a fertility ritual, a ritual for increased mental balance and safety while seafaring.
For the fertility ritual, you must find a Hag Stone that is big enough to walk or crawl through, while most Hag Stones are pebble sized there are a few that are more of a boulder. You must then link hands with your partner then go through together. If all goes well you will be blessed with a baby.
For the ritual of mental healing and balance, tie a Hag Stone to your bedpost or headboard. The next time you take a nap you will be graced with calmness, enhanced mood and other benefits that resemble meditation.
For the final ritual you must nail a Hag Stone to the side of your sea-craft, make sure to secure it very tightly in order to make sure it does not fall into the watery depths of the ocean. After you have done this folklore states that storms and rough tides will be dissuaded from coming your way as will all manner of malevolent sea spirits.
While at sea, Hag Stones could also be utilized for breaking up storms, this also applies on land. In order to do this simply tie a string or rope through the Hag Stone and swirl it around your head, this will dispel the gathering storms.SOURCE
In this video, I talk about the meaning, magick, and folklore of these wonderful stones and how to use them.
