Beck (celtic_cherokee) wrote in mashup_ooc, @ 2023-08-25 23:05:00 |
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Entry tags: | !characters: family trees, !plot: general, odinson: dr. thor, proudstar: jimmy, redshaw: troy, silvercloud: eva, silvercloud: jon, silvercloud: mateo |
RAVENS
Generally, the Raven symbolizes creativity, mischief, and magic throughout most Pacific Northwest Indigenous cultures. According to Native American legend, the raven is how the stars, moon, sky, and rivers were exposed. Raven's dual role in folklore seems to be creation and mischief. Although mischievous by nature, humans don't take a sinister view from Raven's actions but find more positive ways to learn about life from Raven.
Although ravens are not always considered to be good luck, they do have many positive symbolic meanings that are associated with them. Because of its dark black color and ominous appearance, many believe the raven to symbolize mystery, power, magic, knowledge, independence, disruption, or defiance.
BEARS
The Mexican grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis, formerly Ursus arctos nelsoni) is an extinct population of the grizzly bear in Mexico. The holotype was shot by H. A. Cluff at Colonia Garcia, Chihuahua, in 1899.[2] The extinct California grizzly bear extended slightly south into Baja California. The bears in Durango, Chihuahua, Sonora and central Mexico were likely more related to the bears of Arizona, New Mexico and Texas than to those of California. Known in the Opatas language as the pissini,[3] the grizzly was one of the heaviest and largest mammals in Mexico. It reached a length up to 1.82 m (6 ft 0 in) and an average weight of 318 kilograms (701 lb).[4] Due to its silver fur, it was often named in Spanish as el oso plateado (the silvery bear).
Texcatlipoca (Nahuatl: “Smoking Mirror”) god of the Great Bear constellation and of the night sky, one of the major deities of the Aztec pantheon.
In her entry on Fauna in the authoritative Archaeology of Ancient Mexico and Central America: an Encyclopaedia, Kitty Emery writes: ‘Bears, restricted to the highlands of Mexico, are represented by a single genus. Almost extinct in this area today, they may be the basis for the legendary Nahuatl monster cuetlachtli, a participant in the Mexican “gladiatorial sacrifice”.’ She adds, in a personal communication, a word of caution in this area: ‘taxonomic identifications of Mesoamerican fauna in iconography is notoriously tricky because the ancients often combined attributes of several creatures to depict emotions, characteristics, legends, and other things - they were less interested in representative art of whole creatures.’
In her highly recommended little book ‘El culto a los astros entre los mexicas’, Mexican scholar Yólotl González Torres references the ‘Historia de los mexicanos por sus pinturas’ (written in the 1530s), which suggests that Ursa Major (The Great Bear) is Tezcatlipoca, who appears in the sky in the form of a jaguar. She notes that there are images of jaguar-stars in the Codex Bodley and other manuscripts.
Callisto Zeus transformed himself into the figure of Artemis to pursue Callisto, and she slept with him believing Zeus to be Artemis. She became pregnant and when this was eventually discovered, she was expelled from Artemis's group, after which a furious Hera, the wife of Zeus, transformed her into a bear, although in some versions Artemis is the one to give her an ursine form. Later, just as she was about to be killed by her son when he was hunting, she was set among the stars as Ursa Major ("the Great Bear") by Zeus. She was the bear-mother of the Arcadians, through her son Arcas by Zeus.
Lycaon, father of Callisto. Grandfather of Arcas. First 'werewolf'. According to Pausanias, Lycaon was instantly transformed into a wolf after sacrificing a child on the altar of Zeus and sprinkling the blood on the altar. The version recounted by Hyginus in his Fabulae[23] is basically the same as that of Pseudo-Apollodorus.
In Astronomica, Hyginus describes the victim of Lycaon as being Arcas, son of Jupiter (Zeus) and Callisto, the daughter of Lycaon. When saved and restored to life, Arcas was brought up to be a hunter. By mistake, he hunted himself and his mother (for the moment transformed into a bear) into a temple where entrance was punished by death. Both were saved by Zeus to constitute the constellations Arctophylax and Ursa Major, the Great Bear.
According to Eratosthenes, Lycaon butchered his grandson (that is, Arcas), who was put together again by Zeus and placed upon the constellations, whereas Lycaon's house was struck by a thunderbolt.
The story of Lycaon was apparently told in order to explain an extraordinary ceremony, the Lycaea, held in honour of Zeus Lycaeus at Mount Lycaeus. According to Plato (Republic, Book VIII), this ceremony was believed to involve human sacrifice and lycanthropy (assuming the form of a wolf).
"In addition to all this male issue, Lykaon (Lycaon) had a daughter Kallisto (Callisto). This Kallisto (I repeat the current Greek legend) was loved by Zeus and mated with him."
"The youth of Arcas, offspring of Lycaon's child [Callisto] . . . [Hera curses when Callisto is placed amongst the stars ]: ‘Let him [Zeus] now divorce his Juno [Hera] and consort with her, and lead Calisto to his couch, and take that wolf, Lycaon, for a father-in-law!’"
JAGUARS
In Mesoamerican Culture (Aztec, Incan, Mayan, indigenous groups)
Tezcatlipoca’s nagual, or animal disguise, was the jaguar, the spotted skin of which was compared to the starry sky. A creator god, Tezcatlipoca ruled over Ocelotonatiuh (“Jaguar-Sun”), the first of the four worlds that were created and destroyed before the present universe. Tezcatlipoca was generally represented with a stripe of black paint across his face and an obsidian mirror in place of one of his feet. The post-Classic (after AD 900) Maya-Quiché people of Guatemala revered him as a lightning god under the name Hurakan (“One Foot”). Other representations show Tezcatlipoca with his mirror on his chest. In it he saw everything; invisible and omnipresent, he knew all the deeds and thoughts of humans.
COYOTES
Coyote God of Aztecs: In Aztec mythology, Huehuecóyotl (from huēhueh "very old" (literally, "old old") and coyōtl "coyote" in Nahuatl) is the auspicious Pre-Columbian god of deception, music, dance, mischief, and song.
Coyote in North American Indigenous: The myths and legends which include Coyote vary widely from culture to culture. In many of these stories he is a major sacred character with divine creative powers; in others he is a malevolent and often comical trickster. In some stories he combines both roles.
A Maidu myth says that as the Creator was fashioning various creatures out of clay, Coyote tried to do the same. However, as he kept laughing, his efforts did not turn out well. The Creator supposed that if he stopped laughing, he might do better. Coyote denied laughing - thus telling the world's first lie.
Some stories depict Coyote as the embodiment of evil lechery: a serial rapist who uses trickery to attack a variety of victims including, for example, his own mother-in-law and his sister. Such tales may have served to reinforce the community moral code, by using outrageous humor to portray examples of intolerable behavior.
The role Coyote takes in traditional stories shares some traits with the Raven figure in other cultures.
Coyote is compared to both the Scandinavian Loki, and also Prometheus, who shared with Coyote the trick of having stolen fire from the gods as a gift for mankind, and Anansi, a mythological culture hero from Western African mythology. In Eurasia, rather than a coyote, a fox is often featured as a trickster hero, ranging from kitsune (fox) tales in Japan to the Reynard cycle in Western Europe. Claude Lévi-Strauss, French anthropologist proposed a structuralist theory that suggests that Coyote and Crow obtained mythic status because they are mediator animals between life and death.
WOLVES
In Shoshone mythology, Wolf plays the role of the noble Creator god, while in Anishinabe mythology a wolf character is the brother and true best friend of the culture hero. Among the Pueblo tribes, wolves are considered one of the six directional guardians, associated with the east and the color white.
"The Sorceress Revolt or Quelling the Demons: an account by Raven Silvercloud." -Nathaniel Zale (July 2020)
Book opens on Eva's desk on its own. The temperature between them changed, Zap was cold, Nate was warm. When their hands met, she felt heat. And literal chills.
The journal: "Greetings my dear..."
"You have a lovely aura. Amethysts, spiritual connection, journal not nefarious." -Nate "Amethyst also happens to be a great piezoelectric conductor;" or "it pops when pressed." -Zap
Zap compares Nate's powers to Mouse from the Matrix with magic.
"The notion that a long deceased ancestor of yours might have imbued a journal with mystic properties does not baffle you, but rather incites a reaction that I would akin to finding out you have mice in your basement." -Nate
Zap tells about Forge, the war, demonic 'presence', lost 'parts of himself', not allowed to seek out mother's spirit. Explains Mateo's ties to the astral realm, abilities manifest as an apparition of a wolf."
Zap feels amethyst-like sensation when Nate comes near.
Sumerian, chalk circle, massive astral carbon footprint. Nate hears a howl. Pup arrives. Nate offers to teach her. Electric lights dimmed, she felt weaker. Expresses concern about protecting Mateo.
"Not safe. Tread lightly." -figure from the dark corner (French-sounding)
Zap tells Nate she's sure he was destined to find the journal.
Nate gives necklace to Zap for Mateo ('mild protection charm').
"Horns, tail, fire-proof skin, strength, and speed..." -Ronan of Brayden
"Mystical influence, astral projection, summoning, energy manipulation, teleportation..." -Ronan of Nathaniel
"I'm sure the contents will be educational, but the thing itself is what we need to address. In multiple mediums, it spoke to both of us." -Eva
"I used Eva's connection to the astral realm to show her beyond the veil and her influence over it. We didn't fully enter the astral plane, but Mateo's astral self noticing and the other things we experienced have led me to believe that something or someone has been very active across the planes." -Nathaniel
Illyana Rasputina, Magik, teleported outdoors, no memory, hands hurt, crowbar, magical repulsion, flash of light
The coyote stalks just beyond your vision. Circle the wagons and protect your own. The wolf and the ram defend the flock.
Hug, head kiss, smile from Raven to Eva.
"Kipitaakii - the coyote, the old woman. The Blackfoot credit her for creating death." -Eva
“She may have been the most ethereal spirit I’ve ever…” -Nathaniel
“My ring, it’s changed.” -Nathaniel (White gold jewelry was now platinum.)
Raven was both ethereal and corporeal. Demons were realm walkers. But spirits and astral beings were usually limited to the rules (and confines) of their own domains. Some many things she thought she understood were quickly coming into question... -Eva
"I heard a roar, just after Raven vanished."
"The young man who came to my house yesterday is back. He is relentless. I do not hesitate to offer him what he is looking for. I only fear that the knowledge will consume him. He is intelligent in mind but weak in heart, this man, this Aleksandr Zaleski. R.S. July 25, 1683 New Orleans" -Raven Silvercloud
Aleksandr Zaleski met Raven Silvercloud, page opened to this passage.
Troy shares about coin, well, 'nosiness'. Spirits free goats.
Moon 'critical' in Zap's training. Spiritual center, moon above horizon she can access astral 'self'. She mentions reading.
"I've been told my chakras are top heavy." -Zap. The 'crown' and 'third eye' chakras sat highest on the physical body, and were violet and indigo, respectively. Knowledge, spirituality, visualization, clairvoyance. She had always assumed her strength in those areas laid mainly under the umbrella of the practical; the natural (knowledge/visualization). Not the supernatural (spirituality/clairvoyance). It seemed, at least for her, there wasn't much of a distinction.
There came a dimming that she wasn't fully aware of, then a low growl. It was the same source as the roar; she could feel it in her heart. It was being sent out and away from them, not inward. It slowly faded into a gentle and constant hum that was in tune with the buzzing in her skin.
Closed eyes exercise, vibrating energy, then physical contact, warmth. Arms supported from behind, embrace. "You're magnificent." -Nathaniel
Candle chanting, 'air around me, grant me fire'. Asking about her brothers, she confirms they would try to learn. Slow dancing pose embrace.
Ouroboros tattoo, patch job, deep dive, sexy acrobat, pentagram tattoo, Sumerian tattoo, triple-moon goddess UV tattoo. She mentions reading again.
Nate kisses Zap, she kisses him, part ways, she mentions reading again. Kiss more, Pup arrives, leaves, Nate touches Zap's belly with toasty candle fingers.
Both mention reading the journal and part ways.
Some Native American legends see the moon as a hostage. It is captured each night by a hostile tribe, and a pair of antelope is entrusted with rescuing it and handing it over to a good tribe. But the coyote gets there first, tossing the moon into a river.
In Aztec mythology, Mētztli (also rendered Metzi, literally "Moon") was a goddess of the moon, the night, and farmers. For the Otomi people, Zäna was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Young Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire.
Frequently, the Maya moon goddess is represented with a rabbit in her lap.
The neoplatonist philosopher Porphyry was the first to record an explicit belief that the three aspects of Hecate (an important goddess in the Neoplatonic tradition of Late Antiquity) represented the phases of the moon: new, waxing, and full. In his 3rd century AD work On Images, Porphyry wrote: "the moon is Hekate, the symbol of her varying phases and of her power dependent on the phases. Wherefore her power appears in three forms, having as symbol of the new moon the figure in the white robe and golden sandals, and torches lighted: the basket, which she bears when she has mounted high, is the symbol of the cultivation of the crops, which she makes to grow up according to the increase of her light: and again the symbol of the full moon is the goddess of the brazen sandals."
Metztli In Aztec mythology, Mētztli (Nahuatl: [metstɬi]; also rendered Meztli, Metzi, literally "Moon") was a goddess of the moon, the night, and farmers. Otomi mythology: For the Otomi people, Zäna was the Moon, the Queen of the Night, probably the main deity. They called her the Young Mother, who represented both Moon and Earth simultaneously. Her spouse, the Old Father, was the god of fire. The Otomi counted lunar months as a period from new moon to new moon. They gave every month 30 days.
In Lucan's work, the witches speak of "Persephone, who is the third and lowest aspect of our goddess Hecate".
According to the 3rd century BC grammarian Epigenes, the three Moirai, or Fates, were regarded by the Orphic tradition as representing the three divisions of the Moon, "the thirtieth and the fifteenth and the first" (i.e. the crescent moon, full moon, and dark moon, as delinted by the divisions of the calendar month).[7] The Moirai themselves are traditionally depicted as a young girl, or Spinner of the thread of life, an older woman, or Measurer, and an elderly woman, or Cutter, representing birth, active life, and death. The connection between the Fates and the variously named Triple Moon Goddess, then ultimately led to the conflation of these concepts.[8] Servius made the explicit connection between these phases and the roles of the Moirai: "some call the same goddess Lucina, Diana, and Hecate, because they assign to one goddess the three powers of birth, growth, and death. Some that say that Lucina is the goddess of birth, Diana of growth, and Hecate of death. On account of this three-fold power, they have imagined her as three-fold and three-form, and for that reason they built temples at the meeting of three roads."[9] Servius' text included a drawing of a crescent moon (representing the new moon), a half moon (representing the waxing moon), and the full moon.
The threefold division [of the year] is inextricably bound up with the primitive form of the goddess Demeter, who was also Hecate, and Hecate could claim to be mistress of the three realms. In addition, her relations to the moon, the corn, and the realm of the dead are three fundamental traits in her nature. The goddess's sacred number is the special number of the underworld: '3' dominates the chthonic cults of antiquity."
While Graves was the originator of the idea of the Triple Goddess as embodying Maiden/Mother/Crone, this was not the only trinity he proposed. In his 1944 historical novel The Golden Fleece, Graves wrote "Maiden, Nymph and Mother are the eternal royal Trinity...and the Goddess, who is worshipped...in each of these aspects, as New Moon, Full Moon, and Old Moon, is the sovereign deity."
The Maiden represents enchantment, inception, expansion, the promise of new beginnings, birth, youth and youthful enthusiasm, represented by the waxing moon; The Mother represents ripeness, fertility, sexuality, fulfilment, stability, power and life represented by the full moon; The Crone represents wisdom, repose, death, and endings represented by the waning moon.
Timekeeping: The Norse people relied on the moon’s cycles to measure time, especially for tracking months. The Old Norse word for “month,” “mánaðr,” is derived from “Máni,” emphasizing the moon’s central role with time.
Spiritual Connection: The phases of the moon, especially the dark moon or new moon, were believed to be times when the veil between the living and the spirit world was at its thinnest. This idea allowed the Norse people to feel a closer connection with their deceased ancestors and the spiritual realm.
Alchemical Symbols
The Silver symbol consists of a crescent moon shape. Silver, along with the moon, are associated with femininity. The symbol represents contemplation, intuition and wisdom.
The alchemy symbol for platinum combines the crescent symbol of the moon with the circular symbol of the sun. This is because alchemists thought platinum was an amalgam of silver (moon) and gold (sun).
The Aztecs used silver in their jewelry and dress. They believed in the reflective nature of the metal. Mirrors found in Mexico which were created of highly polished minerals were symbols of portals to the spirit world.
Warden Trees (Norse) It was often believed that the wights (Swedish vättar) of the yard lived under the roots of the warden tree, and to them, one sacrificed treats to be freed from disease or bad luck.
The Witch Tree as it is commonly known, also called Manidoo-giizhikens, or Little Cedar Spirit Tree by the Ojibwe First Nation tribe is an ancient Thuja occidentalis (Eastern White Cedar) growing on the shore of Lake Superior in Cook County, Minnesota. The earliest written records of the tree by Europeans in the Americas are by French explorer Sieur de la Verendrye in 1731, who commented on the tree as a mature tree at that time, making it over 300 years old.
The evergreen cedar tree is a symbol of endurance, eternal life and immortality. One wouldn't be surprised to find out that ancient civilizations, particularly Egyptians, used cedar resin to mummify their dead.
Superstition is responsible for the nickname of “graveyard tree” for red cedar. Allegedly, if you plant a cedar, when it gets tall enough to shade a grave, it's time for you to die.
Because of its characteristics (size, diameter, lifespan), the cedar has become a symbol of greatness, of nobility, of strength and of incorruptibility.
Cedar, sage, sweetgrass, and tobacco are sacred to Indigenous people across North America. These herbs are used to treat many illnesses and are crucial in many ceremonies.
The Vikings believed in the concept of “Berserkers,” warriors who could transform into bears in battle. These warriors, often linked to the Old Norse word ‘berserkr,’ which means “bear shirt,” were thought to have harnessed the bear’s energy and power during warfare, making them invincible and fearless.
Viking Symbol for Bear: The Berserker
The Viking symbol for a bear, often linked to the Berserker, is both intriguing and mysterious. It encapsulates the bear’s raw power, untamed nature, and formidable strength. This symbol usually takes the form of a stylized bear, often represented in a ferocious pose or alongside other signs of war, such as axes or shields.
In Rune stones and other artifacts, the Viking bear symbol is usually depicted as a strong, intimidating figure, echoing the sheer power and fearlessness of the animal it represents. It’s not uncommon to find bear symbolism etched onto ancient Viking jewelry, armor, and weaponry, demonstrating the Vikings’ reverence for this creature.
What does a raven Symbolise in Norse mythology?
Ravens in Norse mythology: For the Vikings, few animals were more meaningful than the Norse ravens. These creatures were a symbol of Odin, the most powerful of all the gods, and a reference to both life and death. They signified wisdom and discovery, as well as prophecy and protection, making them an important part in many Viking battles. They are called Hugin and Munin and they sit on Odin's shoulders and tell him all that they saw. Hugin represents 'memory' and Munin represents 'thought'. The ravens were seen as a part of Odin; he needed them to go out to explore the world and return to him to tell him what was going on.
In Viking mythology, the ram was a symbol of power, strength, and virility, and was often associated with the god Thor, who was known for his physical prowess and martial prowess. The ram's skull was also a common symbol in Viking art, often used to represent courage and fearlessness in battle.
Wolves were seen as both being negative and positive to the Norse people. On one hand, they can represent chaos and destruction (e.g. Fenrir, Skoll, and Hati), while on the other hand, they can also represent bravery, loyalty, protection, and wisdom.
Vörðr
In Norse mythology, a vǫrðr (Old Norse: [ˈwɔrðz̠], pl. varðir [ˈwɑrðez̠] or verðir [ˈwerðez̠] — "warden," "watcher" or "caretaker") is a warden spirit, believed to follow from birth to death the soul (hugr) of every person.
The English word "wraith" is derived from vǫrðr, while "ward" and "warden" are cognates. At times, the warden could reveal itself as a small light or as the shape (hamr) of the person. The perception of another person's warden could cause a physical sensation such as an itching hand or nose, as a foreboding or an apparition. The warden could arrive before the actual person, which someone endowed with fine senses might perceive. The warden of a dead person could also become a revenant, haunting particular spots or individuals. In this case, the revenant warden was always distinct from more conscious undeads, such as the draugar.
Chernobog Lore
Chernobog may have originally meant "bad fate", and later associated with the Christian devil.
Chorts (Offspring of Chernobog)
A chort is an anthropomorphic malign spirit or demon in Slavic folk tradition. Chorts are often depicted identically to Christian devils, with horns, hooves, and a skinny tail. In Slavic mythology, a singular Chort is sometimes identified as a son of the god Chernobog and the goddess Mara. Likewise, in Ukraine mythology, Chorts were originally the priest of Chernobog. In folk Christianity, they are considered lesser minions of Satan.
Supernatural Creatures in Slavic Lore (Extended)
2020 Lion's Gate Portal
The 8th day of the 8th month of the year represents a particularly significant date. While the Sun is in its home sign Leo, we experience a specific alignment between the Earth and the fixed star Sirius that activates what is known as the Lion’s Gate.
The activation of this Celestial Stargate has been influencing us since the end of July, and its energy will be available to us until the end of Leo season. Both our individual frequencies and the electromagnetic field of the whole planet are strongly affected by this alignment.
During these days, there is a strong possibility of sudden spiritual and kundalini awakenings, the spontaneous opening of blocked chakras, potent downloads from our Higher Self and Spirit Guides, visitation from Angels, Archangels, and higher dimensional beings. We could also experience visions of future or past lives, psychic abilities unlocking, unintentional astral travels, vivid and intense lucid dreaming.
Ancient civilizations have celebrated this cosmic event for thousands of years. The alignment between the Earth, Sirius, and the Sun has a powerful effect on our DNA and on the frequency of the entire Earth. The function of the Lion’s Gate Portal Activation is to prepare our physical, mental, emotional, and etheric bodies for a significant shift in consciousness.