Archives for October 2020

Staircases without Destinations

When hiking in a National Park, deep, deep within the forest you may come across a staircase. Just a staircase. So many thoughts may dance through your head at that moment. Such as, “Why is it here?”, “Where is the house foundation outline?”, “Who would build a staircase in the middle of a forest?”.

There are numerous reports of stairs in the woods which are found scattered about within National Parks in the United States. People will come across staircases just randomly sitting out in the middle of the National Park, with no sign of other structures around. Often theses staircases are at least 5 miles to 40 miles into the forest. Right now, I bet you are thinking, “And? someone built them back in the day.” Now here is where it becomes interesting. The staircases range from looking like they are either ancient or pristinely maintained and new. The have been seen to be built of a wide range of materials from stone to steel. Most cases claimed that it seems vegetation won’t grow in the immediate vicinity of the stairs. Also, a wide range of supernatural phenomenon occurs as you approach the stairs.

Reddit user after Reddit user has claimed to have heard of these staircases. Users reported that these staircases could be seen sometimes even as deep as 60 kilometers into the forest. While reports of the staircases started off being situated all over America, soon reports of staircases found in Germany, Brazil, Portugal, and the Philippines were posted.

The first Reddit user, who is now in the process of writing a book and I believe has deleted the post, a user by the name of searchandrescuewoods. This Reddit user was been a member of a volunteer Search and Rescue unit (SAR):

Now, I don’t know if this is true in every SAR unit, but in mine, it’s sort of an unspoken, regular thing we run into. You can try asking about it with other SAR officers, but even if they know what you’re talking about, they probably won’t say anything about it. We’ve been told not to talk about it by our superiors, and at this point we’ve all gotten so used to it that it doesn’t even seem weird anymore. On just about every case where we’re really far into the wilderness, I’m talking 30 or 40 miles, at some point we’ll find a staircase in the middle of the woods. It’s almost like if you took the stairs in your house, cut them out, and put them in the forest. I asked about it the first time I saw some, and the other officer just told me not to worry about it, that it was normal. Everyone I asked said the same thing. I wanted to go check them out, but I was told, very emphatically, that I should never go near any of them. I just sort of ignore them now when I run into them because it happens so frequently.

Another Reddit User, Case “9” , states that he encountered some sort of t presence upon reaching the top of a stair case he found in the woods, saying:

I found the staircase while walking through foliage so thick I didn’t see it until it was almost underfoot. The stairs were made of loose cobble and moist earth like they were a work of masonry once, long ago. I climbed the stairs thoughtlessly, half expecting there to be a landing to greet me at the top. There wasn’t though. Just another crumbly step and an unimpressive view. Something caught my eye as I craned my head… the bushes were packed tight except where the stumps of dead trees formed sunken wells around them, and from one of the craters someone was looking at me. I remember clearly their dark, lean face, their round eyes black. No sooner had I seen the face than it disappeared again, only then did I have the foresight to take off down the steps and back through the bushes and brambles.

There are many more accounts of people finding the staircases and the supernatural events they encounter. I hope you enjoyed this on your Halloween and be careful if you find a staircase while you are out in the woods.

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The Hallow

So many different images flow through my mind when I see the word Hallow. Which leads me to the breakdown of the Halloween as a word. The practice of Halloween actually predates the Middle Ages. The night before All Hallows’ Day (the original name for All Saints’ Day, November 1st) is called ‘All Hallows Even’ or ‘All Hallows’ Eve’. ‘All Hallows’ Even’ was shortened to ‘Hallow-e’en’ by the 16th century, and the rest is history.

There was a Hallowmas feast on all Hallows’ Day, it was a Christian feast day believed to date back to the seventh century AD when the Pantheon, a temple built by the emperor Hadrian, was re-dedicated to all the Christian saints.

All Hallows Even also had a practice of Souling. Soulers (mainly consisting of children and the poor) go from door to door during the days of All Hallows Eve and Day singing and saying prayers “for the souls of the givers and their friends”. People would often give them cakes (referred to as souls) when they came to their house. The tradition of giving soul cakes was celebrated in Britain or Ireland during the Medieval period and was continued there until the 1930s.

In some parts of Cheshire in the United Kingdom, during the 19th century, adults and children who went Souling would perform plays. The plays consisted of carrying an Old Hob. This was a horse’s head enveloped in a sheet. The head would be put on a pole and sometimes, a candle would be lit inside, in which case the pole bearer would be covered in a sheet.

Bobbing for apples also took on a different spin as well and was known as “Snap-Apple Night” or “Nutcrack Night”. According to History.com, an apple was speared on one end of a stick while a lit candle was fixed at the other end. The stick was spun around, and the goal was to take a bite of the apple, while avoiding a face full of hot candle wax.

So this Halloween remember that we are fortunate for All Hallows Eve to morph into the fun loving dress up time we all know of today.

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The Blue Moon on Halloween

This Halloween there is a very special full moon. It is the second full moon in one month. The first full moon for October 2020 happened on October 1st. The second is on Halloween. The last time this was seen was during World War II. The next Halloween Blue Moon will occur in 2039.

What is mystically and magical about Blue Moon on Halloween? Due to the thinning of veil and timing of the Blue Moon this 2020 it is apparently a perfect time for prophecy and protection. People on a Blue Moon will perform rituals to attract a new job, healings, love, legal undertakings, money and dreams.

The 12 Superstitions that surround the Blue Moon are as follows:

Good deeds that are completed on a Blue Moon are multiplied.
Good time to resolve feuds.
Women who stare at the Blue Moon will become pregnant.
Picking flowers on a Blue Moon will create abundance.
Pointing nine times at a Blue Moon can keeping you from entering heaven.
If you want children, it is said to turn your bed on a Blue Moon.
Looking at a Blue Moon through glass will bring bad luck.
Blue Moon means change is coming.
On a Blue Moon you should turn a coin over in your pocket for Good Luck.
Don’t fall asleep with the Blue Moon lighting your face or it will lead to lunacy.
Eating on a Blue Moon can lead to indigestion.
If you receive a wound on the Blue Moon, it will take longer for the bleeding to stop.

According to Astrology this Halloween should be unique and changing especially since the Blue Moon is extremely close to Uranus, the planet of change and revolution. So whatever you do this Halloween be prepare for the unexpected.

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Fae and Halloween

As the veil between worlds thin and the sun twilights earlier each day, the chances to see the otherworld increases. Faeries and/or Fae begin to own this world for a short time once again. They are so prevalent in our history. With stories and lore that engage our imagination. Disney’s Onward, is one of the most recent movies in regards to Fae (very good, a must watch). Who and what are the Fae? Are they the monsters so tales present or good nature like our heroes in Onward. I think a little bit of both. Let us begin the deep dive into the otherworld. The word “fairy” originates from the French “faerie”, a spelling which is still used occasionally to this day. In addition, fairies as a whole are also known as “the Fae”. Though the Fae appear in the mythologies of other cultures, the classic fairy is Celtic in origin, you may recognize names such as Brigit, the Morrigan, and Rhiannon. Also, you may have read up on the Tuatha De Danann. Other Celtic myths are pixies, elves, banshees, brownies, goblins, and leprechauns. Different countries throughout the world also have creatures that were later considered to be of the Fae, including satyrs, nymphs, Valkyries, nine tailed fox (kumiho), gnomes, sylphs, and even dwarves.

In most European folktales, the Fae kept to themselves unless they wanted something from their human neighbors. It is important to note that the Fae are typically considered mischievous and tricky, and should not be interacted with unless one knows exactly what one is up against. Many legends discuss benevolent and not so benevolent acts of the Fae. How do you meet the Fae on their own turf? They have secret entrances to their underground home. These were typically guarded, but every once in a while an enterprising adventurer would find his way in. Time passes slowly in their realm. In several tales, mortals who spend a day in the fairy realm find that seven years have passed in their own world.

There are a few books that cite early cave paintings and even Etruscan carvings as evidence that people have believed in the Fae for thousands of years. With so much of our human history interacting with Fae, it is possible on this Halloween that you may meet up with an individual whose costume is too real.

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Evil Eye

Curses comes to mind as Halloween approaches. One in particular that I always thought was interesting, but did not look into until now, is the Evil Eye. The Evil Eye glance is believed to have the ability to cause injury or death. This type of energy is often the result of envy, jealousy and hatred, and causes great discomfort for the person on the receiving end. When a person concentrates hard enough on causing someone harm, and when their energy is focused on the misfortune of that person, it is very possible that the other person will receive the Evil Eye and if they do not have the enough strength to repel these vibrations, they will be affected by it.

The history of the Evil Eye is first recorded by the Mesopotamian civilization about 5,000 years ago in cuneiform on clay tablets. It is possible that the evil eye may actually have originated as early as the Upper Paleolithic age. We find the Evil Eye in Jewish, Christian, and Muslim cultures as well as Buddhist and Hindu societies.

So, the talismans created to protect against the evil eye are also frequently called “evil eyes”. The eye talismans began in Egypt based off of the God Horus. It was believed that, this eye saw all the wickedness in the world and removed poverty and ignorance. Therefore, when wearing the evil eye talisman, it would then reflect the evil intent back to the onlooker. The evil eye talisman can also be found on some forms of the hamsa hand jewelry. The word hamsa, also spelled khamsa and hamesh, means five referring to the fingers of the hand and is seen as protection against the evil eye.

Other ways to protect yourself from the energy of the evil eye include relieving yourself from stress and increasing your happiness. So as you head out on this Halloween, maybe throw down on an Evil Eye talismans, just in case.

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Familiars

Images of Harry Potter come to mind as the students pick out their animals before heading to Hogwarts. Frogs, cats, owls, dogs are common animals witches and wizards will use as familiars. Yet, what is a familiar? In legend, a familiar or familiar spirit is a supernatural being that helps and supports a witch or wizard. Familiars can be human, spirit or animal. I believe some of the familiars legends came about with the metamorphosis myth in Lycophron. The dog that accompanies Hecate was originally the Trojan Queen Hekabe. The Trojan Queen Hekabe leapt into the sea after the fall of Troy and was transformed by Hecate into her familiar.

The next time history animal familiars were mention was during the days of the European witch hunts, familiars were “said to be given to witches by the devil,” according to Rosemary Guiley’s “Encyclopedia of Witches and Witchcraft.” They were, in essence, small demons which could be sent out to do a witch’s bidding. During the Salam Witch Trials a dog was tried, convicted, and hanged.

Today, animal familiars have a friendlier vibe. From Disney’s Sword and the Stone, Hocus Pocus to Sleeping Beauty. The helpfulness of familiars are a theme in today’s culture. As Halloween is coming upon us maybe you will see a witches familiar wandering the streets as you trick or treat.

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Vampires

What is your favorite Vampire movie? Twilight? Interview with the Vampire? What We Do in the Shadows? (I completely recommend, What We Do in the Shadows?, if you have not seen it). Watching movies got me thinking about real vampires. So, I did some research to see if there are real vampires.

As you know a Vampire, also spelled vampyre, in popular legend, is a creature, often fanged, that preys upon humans, generally by consuming their blood. This legend may became intertwined with a blood disorder called porphyria, which has has been with us for millennia and became prevalent among the nobility and royalty of Eastern Europe. Porphyria is an inherited blood disorder that causes the body to produce less heme — a critical component of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen from the lungs to the body tissues. Porphyria is sometimes referred to as the “vampyre disease.”

Symptoms of patients with porphyria:

Sensitivity to sunlight, leading to facial disfigurement, blackened skin and hair growth.
Gums will eventually recede, exposing the teeth, which then look like fangs.
Because the urine of persons with porphyria is dark red, folklore surmised that they were drinking blood. In fact, some physicians had recommended that these patients drink blood to compensate for the defect in their red blood cells — but this recommendation was for animal blood.
The sulfur content of garlic could lead to an attack of porphyria, leading to very acute pain.

Unfortunately, even today, there is not a cure for porphyria, certain medications and therapies may eliminate the symptoms.

My research also lead me to discovering that there are also New-Age Vampires. Surveys conducted by the Atlanta Vampire Alliance have found that there are at least five thousand people in the U.S. who identify as real vampires. These communities have largely kept to themselves, knowing enough about public perception to not want to attract prying eyes. According Joseph Laycock, Ph.D., an assistant professor of religious studies at the Texas State University, and author of Vampires Today: The Truth about Modern Vampires, they drink blood because they believe their health depends on it. They feel vulnerable to symptoms like headaches, lethargy, pain, depression, and general weakness, if the go to long without it.

I hope you enjoyed the article and the real lives behind the Vampire legend.

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The Veil

Have you ever had an eerie feeling that things don’t seem quite right. Almost as you are in another world, but yet nothing seems to be out of place. Since it is the month of October and we are coming upon the day of the year when the veil is the thinnest, I thought it would be good to discuss the veil. Thin places, a term of the Celts, is a site where the veil of separation between the spirit world and our world is especially thin. These Thin places are important because the two worlds are interwoven here. Laws of Time and Space will be temporarily suspended during this period. You should be able to connect with a different dimension. The Celts knew about this connection. They believed that during this time you will be aware of supernatural happenings around you. The world will be filled with magic and full with supernatural power. Celts called it ‘Time which is no Time’. So where is a good place to experience this? Typically in places of gateways leading from one type of existence to another. The veil is thinnest around the areas below:

At meetings of land and water;
At meetings of night and day;
At ecosystem edges;
Places where lots of natural energy generates, such as at waterfalls;
Anywhere two ecosystems overlap;
mass soul transition sites;
Places where energy meridians overlap; and
Geological hotspots.
Crossroads.

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Halloween Fun Facts

I Love this time of year! The falling leaves, the cool crisp air and the otherworldly feeling that makes your hair rise. The veil between worlds is suppose to become thinner this time of year and magic seems to dart in the shadows. This made me wondering, how did Halloween begin? Halloween started out as a religious festival of the Celtic people. This Pagan religious festival celebrated Samhain, the end of the harvest season. “Samhain” is Gaelic (Celtic language) for “end of Summer”. [The “m” is silent. The word is pronounced “sowin”. The Celts believed that there is a material world that we live in, and a supernatural world. Twice a year (end of February and end of October), the borders between these worlds become thin, and you can pass between the worlds. Now that we have looked into the background of Halloween, let us move forward to the fun facts.

The first Jack-o-Lanterns were carved from turnips.
On average, kids who trick or treat will bring home a bag of candies worth 11,000 calories.
In Alabama, wearing a nun or priest costume for Halloween is illegal.
Walnut Creek, California prohibits Halloween masks without permits.
The fear of Halloween is called Samhainophobia.
Statistical studies found that 50% of children prefer to receive chocolate on Halloween.
The word witch comes from the Old English word ‘Wicce’.
The world record for the heaviest pumpkin weighed at 2,624.6 pounds.
The world record for the fastest pumpkin carving is 16.47 seconds.
Halloween is the second highest-grossing commercial holiday.
Halloween scarecrows symbolize the ancient and agricultural roots of the holiday.
Pumpkins classify as a fruit, not a vegetable.
In Hong Kong, Halloween is known as The Festival of the Hungry Ghosts.
It is believed that if a child is born on Halloween, they will be able to talk to the spirits.
The Halloween tradition of dressing up as ghosts comes from ancient Celtic traditions.
China holds Halloween festivals by lighting dragon-shaped lanterns.
Candy corn was originally named Chicken Feed due to its shape and color.
On average, Americans buy 600 million pounds of candy for Halloween annually.
America spends half a billion dollars on Halloween pet costumes each year.
Men are more likely to spend more on Halloween than women.

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Superstitions

The month of October is upon us and I have started thinking about all the superstitions I follow. Maybe you have a couple you participate in as well. Such as not crossing a Black Cat’s path or you will have bad luck. Below is a list of superstitions that I have managed to collect.

If you break a mirror, seven years of bad luck will follow.
If you drop a fork, a man will come to visit you.
If you drop spoon, a woman will come to visit you.
If you drop a knife, it means you will have a fight or it could mean a visitor will be a child.
When your palm itches, you will come into some money if you scratch it on wood.
Two deaths in the community will be followed by a third.
When leaves on trees turn up, a storm is coming.
Red skies in the morning, sailors take warning. Red skies at night, sailors delight.
A ring around the moon means that rain will come in three days.
Knocking on Wood to prevent bad luck.
Throwing salt over your shoulder to ward off evil.
Walking under a ladder is bad luck.
Step on crack and you will break your mother’s back.
Finding a penny will bring good luck. The rhyme is “Find a penny pick it up and all day long, you’ll have good luck.”
Having a Lucky Horseshoe.
13 is an unlucky number and many buildings will not have a 13th floor.
Crossing your figures for good luck.
Writing love letters to Juliet Capulet will help you with your love life.
Beginners luck. Thinking newbies will win when they first try something.
Rabbit’s foot will bring good luck.
Opening an umbrella inside is bad luck.

I hope you spotted some of your favorites. The list of superstitions is extensive from around the world. If you are interested in reading about superstitions from around the world, please click here.

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Archives for October 2020

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