The Three Fatima Prophecies

Third Vision of Fatima Revealed

Medjugorge: Marian Apparitions

Our Lady of Medjugorje's December 25, 2011 Message Given During Jakov's Apparition - Medjugorje.com

This is a good site on the apparitions of The Madonna at Medjugorge.

THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SCENES

This great blog has relocated. Here's the new location:


THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SCENES

Allan Kardec: Founder of Spiritism

In 1983, my husband and I visited the Cimitiere du Pere Lachaise in Paris.  It is a magnificent place, and many famous persons are buried there, amongst them, Jim Morrison of The Doors (Mr. MoJo!), Oscar Wilde, Frederick Chopin, Marcel Proust, Simone Signoret, and the list goes on.
I had read about this fabulous cemetery in Smithsonian Magazine and I determined that I would visit the place one day. The tombs are mostly above ground, and they're works of art.  As you walk the cemetery, traveling beneath the massive trees that shade the alleys, you have the feeling that you're in an enormous outdoor museum.

More than 400 cats live in the cemetery and they're fed daily by old Frenchwomen dressed in black who walk the grounds leaving food for the kitties in various places.

We arrived at Pere Lachaise late one afternoon, and after passing through the cemetery's iron entrance gates, I encountered a very big above-ground tomb that turned out to be the grave of Allan Kardec.  I didn't know then who he was.  The tomb featured a bust of Kardec's head, and it was surrounded by offerings of flowers and candles--a mountain of them!  I thought, who the hell was this?  I pulled out my camera and just as I was about to snap a picture, a very large woman with a baby carriage came running out of nowhere screaming at me, "Interdit!  Interdit!"  I don't speak French, but I got her message loud and clear:  I was not to take a photo of the grave.  Why the hell not?  I didn't take the picture 'cause this mad Frenchwoman scared the shit out of me.  I later found out who Allan Kardec was, and that his followers believe that if you take a photo of his grave you are "stealing" his soul. 

Ha!  Here's a pic of Kardec's tomb... alas,
someone else took it, not me!

As we stood by Kardec's grave and I hurriedly put away my camera, my husband told me to wait until the big Frenchwoman left, and then take the picture, but I didn't do it.  I felt really isolated at that moment--I was in a foreign country where I couldn't understand the language and I just wanted to be home because if a fat woman had accosted me at a cemetery at home, I would of told her where to shove it and what's more, to go fuck herself!  And, so, I didn't take a photo of Kardec's grave, but I never forgot his name.

Christmas 2011 brought me a surprise.  I received, as a gift, The Spirits Book by Allan Kardec.  It was given to me by a very, very special person who happens to have quite similar beliefs to mine regarding Spirits--they're REAL!  I've just started to read the book and once I've finished it, I'll post a review on Goodreads (a damn good book site!).

If you're curious about Kardec, here's good info Allan Kardec - a brief biography.

Peace and Love!

TRUTH BEHIND THE SCENES

Note:  This blog has a new address:  Truth Behind the Scenes New Address

Check it out--this is an awesome blog!


THE TRUTH BEHIND THE SCENES ACTUAL AND REVEALING NEWS, SCIENCE, TECH, SPACE, ANCIENT CIVILIZATIONS, HISTORY, MYSTERIES, SECRETS, UFO AND EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE

Reiki

At this link you'll find a good overall description of What Is Reiki? I particularly like the following, which is from the description:

Their purpose is to help people realize that healing the spirit by consciously deciding to improve oneself is a necessary part of the Reiki healing experience. In order for the Reiki healing energies to have lasting results, the client must accept responsibility for her or his healing and take an active part in it. Therefore, the Usui system of Reiki is more than the use of the Reiki energy. It must also include an active commitment to improve oneself in order for it to be a complete system. The ideals are both guidelines for living a gracious life and virtues worthy of practice for their inherent value.

The secret art of inviting happiness
The miraculous medicine of all diseases
Just for today, do not anger
Do not worry and be filled with gratitude
Devote yourself to your work
Be kind to people
Every morning and evening, join your hands in prayer

Pray these words to your heart and chant these words with your mouth
Usui Reiki Treatment for the improvement of body and mind
The founder , Usui Mikao

Coast to Coast

Here I'll keep a list of Coast to Coast shows/guests that I found interesting.

Show of 12/22/2011--Guest first hour:  James McCanney, Physicist
I'd love to be able to get a transcript of this guy's chat, but I'm not a member of Coast to Coast. 

Dr. McCanney (bio here) was a very interesting guest.  He discussed Comet Lovejoy that hit the Sun on, I think, December 15, 2011 and didn't disintegrate.  It seems that NASA claims that (and I quote from McCanney's site):  the [comet's] nucleus is only 600 feet across (about the size of two football fields)... this tiny nucleus covered, they say, with a dusting of snow (remember that of the five comets for which they have photos at close range NONE, yes, NONE, have shown any ice or snow or water of any kind either on the nucleus nor coming off of the nucleus!!!)... this come tail was so large that it dwarfed the image field of the C2 and C3 cameras onthe SOHO solar monitoring satellite... then you are expected to believe that the comet nucleus survived a passage, emerging on the other side of the Sun after plunging for hours through the multimillion degree solar atmosphere to emerge relative unscathed and began displaying a comet tail again!!!... I know I have a huge audience that is well educated, but imagine 95% of the public clueless and buying into this nonsense!

Dr. McCanney discussed hurricane forecasting and said that ...the two main figures over the past 20 years in the govenment supported positions of predicting hurricanes resigned this past week (week of 12/11/2011) and in a surprise announcement stated that they do not know how to predict hurricanes and that basically nothing they have done in those 20 years had any predictive value... I have for decades led the field in not only exposing this fraud but also providing the real explanation for what causes hurricanes... my coined phrase "you can't predict the weather if you do not know what causes the weather" may have finally found its mark.  As I was able to understand this (and, anyone, please correct me if I've misunderstood), According to Dr. McCanney, electrial charges in Earth's ionosphere are what cause weather events, and these are what should be observed, studied, etc., in order to accurately forecast hurricanes.  Planetary alignments apparently also play a role in this.

HAARP

Good information!

HAARP – Everything You Wanted to Know – Nick Begich: Angels Still Don’t Play This HAARP – VERY Informative

Deer

Deer are beautiful animals.  I'm reading The Hidden Life of Deer by Elizabeth Marshall Thomas and I'm amazed at what I've learned about deer.  Here's an excerpt that surprised me:

"During the rut, a male will try to impregnate as many females as he can.  Some... will impregnate most of the females while others may impregnate none.  But the females may or may not keep the semen."  Wow!  If only human beings could do that!  Of course, we can use birth control, but avoiding pregnancy isn't as easy for us as it seems to be for does.  Read on: 

"If a doe wants to retain the semen, she will stand still after copulating, with her back arched.  She also may squat and strain as if to expel it.  Why would she do this?  Many animals have preferences, so perhaps she would rather carry someone else's fawn.  Or perhaps she chooses not to be pregnant at all."  Absolutely fabulous!  Just squat and strain!

Here's another tidbit:

"More males are born than females.  We do that too.  Baby boys outnumber baby girls, allegedly to compensate for our warlike inclinations."  Hmmm.  News to me.  I always believed that baby girls outnumbered baby boys.

"Like war, the rut is conducted at the expense of life and profoundly engages all those who are involved with it, at enormous cost to one, but not both genders.  As far as male deer are concerned, the rut is the ultimate distraction.

"Our response is to open the hunting season.  Taking full advantage of the needs and distraction of the deer, we fill the woods with invasive primates camouflaged to look like piles of leaves who sneak around, sprinkling estrus doe urine and manipulating gadgets that sound like antlers clashing, all designed to trick rut-consumed males into coming in their direction."  It's a shame, I think, that we hunt deer, or any animal for that matter.  Sad.

This is a wonderful book.  Elizabeth Marshall Thomas writes beautifully and her books peak my curiosity.

Witch Bottles

Witch Bottles

The information on Witch Bottles, below, comes from White Magic, an Etsy vendor who does beautiful work.  I'm fascinated by the history of Witch Bottles so I thought I'd post it below.  Check out the products sold by White Magic on Etsy--their candles are beautiful, and I've posted a review about them on this blog, titled Candles and Home Fragrance Oils, under October 2011.  Rita SpiritualGoods is another Etsy vendor who sells creations with very good juju.  She, too, makes beautiful Witch Bottles.  Check 'em out!

This is a modern-day
Witch Bottle

Imagine that you've just decided to do some work in the yard of an old eighteenth century home into which you just moved. As you begin to work the soil, you discover a green bottle that when opened, reveals small pieces of metal, a rusty nail and a piece of dark leather. This is exactly what happened in 2005 in Lincolnshire, England. Research showed that it was a Witch Bottle dating back to the early 1800s. A large number of Witch Bottles have been found dating back to the 1600s in England, the first found in the US was in Delaware in 1976 which dated back to the mid 1700s and contained six pins, a piece of bird bone, and a pottery shard.

The history of Witch Bottles goes back hundreds of years. The origins of this tradition has been dated to the 1500s. Back then, the fear of Witches produced ways of protecting oneself against them during times when slightest misfortune was easily interpreted as being caused by a curse put on one or another member of the family. From the point of view of a present day Witch, the original purpose for building a Witch Bottle wasn't that pleasant as they were intended to keep Witches and Witches' curses away. The contents of a Witch Bottle were designed to not only divert an attacking Witch, but also to cause her to suffer the agonies brought on by all the nasty things inside the bottle. To put it simply, to turn the curse back to the curser.

Modern day Witch Bottles are very similar to historical Witch Bottles in their basic structure, even though their intended purpose has changed. The most common purpose for constructing a Witch Bottle today is capturing and reversing negative energies. Even though some bottles are mirroring in nature, they aren't normally built to cause agony to the sender of negative energy/caster of curses. Some Witch Bottles are intended to change negative energy into positive energy and then release it into the surrounding area. These kinds of bottles could be classified as "guard and protect" bottles. The basic structure of the Witch Bottle can be used for protection, love, financial gain, for helping with artistic creativity, to call forth positive energy for improving health, negative situations, etc.

2012

Below, I've started a list of artices, websites, information, etc., regarding 2012 I've found interesting.  If you've encountered some good 2012 material, please leave me a comment.  Would sure appreciate it!

Oh, and what do I believe about 2012?  That it's definitely NOT the end of the world, but it is going to provide a wonderful opportunity for all life on this planet to perhaps look at things differently, to respect each other more, maybe even to learn to be peaceful towards each other and, especially, to be kinder to our planet and all of its creatures.


ABC News:  2012 End-of-the-World Countdown Starts Today (12/21/2011)
2012 End-of-the-World Countdown Based on Mayan Calendar Starts Today - ABC News


NASA Website:  2012:  Beginning of the End or Why the World Won't End?
http://www.nasa.gov/topics/earth/features/2012.html


Universe Today:  Planetary Alignment (7/5/09)
http://www.universetoday.com/34076/planetary-alignment/


Planetary Alignment:  Fact or Fiction?
http://www.etsu.edu/physics/etsuobs/starprty/22099dgl/planalign.htm


Universe Today:  Galactic Alignment (5/12/2009)
http://www.universetoday.com/30762/galactic-alignment/

Deities, Saints, Angels, Elementals

Erzulie Freda
The following is from a wonderful blog titled The Sacred & The Divine.  I recommend that you hop on over to it and read the posts.  In the meantime, I've copied this material regarding Erzulie Freda, whom I did not know, but with whom I'm very happy to now be acquainted.  She sounds lovely!

This is Erzulie Freda's veve (symbol)

"Erzulie Freda is one of the most powerful Voodoo goddesses to work with. As the lover of powerful spirits, she wields great authority and power, perhaps the most effective and influential in the pantheon. If she smiles on you, great blessings will be experienced in the realm of love, romance, and sex.

Synchronized with the Virgin Mary, she is pure, good, and benefic, and also extends great protection. If you are a woman seeking to take another woman's husband do not appeal to Erzulie! As a benefic goddess, she will not help with intentions such as those, no matter how passionate you may be. If your heart, intent, and agenda is pure, she will surely come to your aid. Once she has smiled upon you, and rituals to her have resulted in movement, make sure offerings are made with regularity, and communication with her remains open. She will continue to aid you in your love affair.

"Offerings to her are champagne, cake, luxurious food, jewelry, and clothing. She loves the colors pink and pale blue. The use of her veve (symbol) is also necessary in rituals.

She is one of my favorite goddesses to work with, especially when all the rituals have failed, she will intercede. I have seen her make the most distant and uninterested people warm and tender, she brings men home, keeps them home, stops philandering, stops hurtfulness, abuse, cheating, keeps your love faithful and kind. She also intensifies your seductive abilities, infusing you with her charm." 

 

Once again, I would like give credit to the blog, The Sacred & The Divine (link at top of this post); itis the source of the material you have just read.  Check out the blog; it's very informative.

Ochun and Yemaya 

The information below comes from information published by Moma Sarah, an ETSY vendor.  Her ETSY site is lovely, so check it out, and buy yourself a little good juju!  http://www.etsy.com/listing/76054570/yemaya-la-sirene-mami-watta-oil-pendant

"Yemaya is a West African creation goddess, often depicted as a mermaid. She is associated with the moon, the ocean, and female mysteries. Typically portrayed as a beautiful woman, Yemaya governs the household and intervenes in women's affairs. She is a merciful goddess, invoked by women for aid in childbirth, love, and healing. She rules over the conception and birth of children and ensures their safety during childhood. As a creation goddess, Yemaya's womb spilled forth the fourteen Yoruba goddesses and gods, and the breaking of her uterine waters caused a great flood, which created the oceans. From her body the first human woman and man, who became the parents of all mortal beings on Earth, were born.

"Yemaya nurtures, heals, touches, blesses, comforts, and makes whole that which is incomplete. She is within you and you need only look inside yourself to find her eternal presence.

"Yemaya's name may be spelled Yemalla, Yemalia, Yemanja, and many other ways. She rules the sea, the Moon, dreams, deep secrets, sea shells, ancient wisdom, salt water, fresh water, ocean secrets, the collective unconscious, and the surface of the ocean, seas, and lakes. Her many titles include Queen of Witches, Mother of Fishes, The Constantly Coming Woman, The Ocean Mother, Mother of Dreams and Secrets, Mother of All, Mother of the Sea, Holy Queen of the Sea, The Womb of Creation, Mother of Pearl, Stella Maris (star of the sea), and Yeyé Omo Eja, Mother Whose Children Are the Fish. In Africa she is Mama Watta, Mother of Waters.  In Cuban Santeria, Yemaya is "Cachita," La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.  My Note:  I believe that the statement contained in the last sentence is not correct.  In Cuban Santeria, Yemaya is La Virgen de Regla, protectress of Havana Bay.  (Source:  Longing for Darkness:  Tara and the Black Madonna by China Galland).  Ochun is the name assigned to La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre.


This is La Virgen de Regla, Havana, Cuba

In the west African religion of Santeria, she is

known as Yemaya

 







This is La Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre,
Cuba's Patron
In the west African religion of Santeria, she is
known as Ochun



"The cowrie shell is Yemaya's symbol, and fish are sacred to her. Her jewels include crystals, pearls, and mother of pearl. Blue, white, and silver are Yemaya's colors. Seven is her number. Yemaya is celebrated on February 2 and December 31, when offerings are made to her. She is also honored on September 7, September 9, and on the eve of Summer Solstice, by casting flowers and votive boats into water. There is a Brazilian tradition of the candelaria on December 31, lighting candles on the beach at midnight for Yemanje. Votive boats made from flowers are cast into the sea. It is a good omen for the coming year if she accepts your boat, and carries it out to sea. It is a bad omen if your offering is refused, and your boat is washed back upon the shore.



"Invoke Yemaya for blessings, compassion, wisdom, fertility, creation, riches, inspiration, motherhood, female power, natural wealth, love spells, wish magic, sea spells, fertility rituals, water magic, women's issues, having children, sustaining life, washing away sorrow, revealing mysteries, acquiring ancient wisdom, protecting the home, learning not to give your power away, and comforting children in crisis. Invoke her as Erzulie for beauty, good fortune, and good health. Invoke her as Yemoja to cure infertility, as Yemana for rain, as Emanjah for teaching children, as Yemaya Olokun for dream magic and protecting babies in the womb; and as Yemaya Ataramagwa for money spells. Invoke Yemaya as Agwe for affection and blessings.

"Yams, grain, soap, perfume, jewelry, and fabric are all traditional offerings to Yemaya, thrown into the sea. Rams are also sacrificed to her. Wear pearls or crystal beads to invoke her. To ask Yemaya to grant a wish or bestow a blessing, write her a letter and cast it into the sea."

Zadkiel The Archangel



The following information concerning the Great Archangel Zadkiel (apparently he's very close to me) comes from the website Seraphim.com.  I have quoted directly from the site.  After the quote, you might be interested in my own comments as to how I became familiar with Archangel Zadkiel, and the blessed Zadkiel Key I own.

Zadkiel, who is also often known as Tzadqiel or Hesediel, is a great and mighty archangel of mercy, freedom, benevolence, and absolute forgiveness. Translated from ancient Hebrew into English, the name Zadkiel is said to mean Righteousness of God, The Righteousness One, or God's Righteousness. On a rare occasion you might also come across the name Zadkiel spelled as Tzadkiel, Zedekiel, Sachiel, Zedekul, or even Zadakiel. According to Rabbinical teachings Zadkiel is the Patron Archangel of all humans who exhibit forgiveness, and he is also the heavenly prince of mercy. Legend has it that Zadkiel was the holy archangel that stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac. Orthodox Jews also believe that the holy archangel Zadkiel and Jophiel are the two mighty standard bearers who follow the great archangel Michael each time that he marches into battle. Along with Michael and Jophiel, Zadkiel helped cast the great prince Lucifer out of heaven.



With regard to rabbinic scripture, the archangel Zadkiel is ranked among the great order of Hashmallim, which is on par with the order of Dominions and Dominations. Zadkiel is also considered by many to be the great commander or ruler of the Hashmallim order. With the Maseket Azilut, the archangel is also considered to be the co-captain or co-commander of the holy order of Shinanim, with it's other commander being the renown archangel Gabriel. Being the archangel of mercy as Zadkiel is said to be, he is widely accredited with being the unnamed canonical archangel that prevented Abraham from killing Isaac with a knife. Many Jewish and Christian scholars share this belief, which makes Zadkiel an official canonical scripture backed archangel, which is significant because many of the archangels are derived from the noncanonical scripture such as the Book of Enoch. These noncanonical backed archangels usually have trouble staying recognized.



With regard to the odd world of occult and Western Judeo Christian inspired ritual magic, Zadkiel is well recognized as both a great archangel, as well as the watcher of the planet Jupiter. Zadkiel also holds the fourth position within the Sephirot, which is the position of mercy. There are many New Age or mysticism driven magic rituals featuring Zadkiel, for example I came across several excerpts within spell books and charm books which call for a mercy driven binding spell. It is claimed that if a prayer or summoning is conducted to draw out Zadkiel's power, that it can be aimed at someone who's heart if full of vengeance, and once touched by the archangel's holy essence, they will let go of their grudge or ill will. In some of these magic rituals a group will bind Zadkiel's power of mercy with a small crystal, and then that crystal is to be given as a necklace or bracelet to the person harboring unforgiveness or a grievance against the magic spell's binder.

When it comes to artistic representations of the archangel Zadkiel, there are many beautiful contemporary pieces in circulation. Zadkiel is often associated with the color violet or purple, and thus most of the paintings that you will see that feature the angel are bright and colorful. In many of these paintings that exist, some of which are earlier period pieces from centuries past, Zadkiel will be seen wearing a long flowing violet colored robe and sash, and having outstretch pure white angelic wings. The angel is also usually seen with a flaming sword, a symbolic reference to the fact that Zadkiel is a warrior archangel, who serves under Michael. There are also many digital created paintings and artful interpretations available that feature Zadkiel. All of these are contemporary pieces obviously, and most of them are breathtaking in the range of violets and pastels that they possess. I will post some these photos of Zadkiel here in the very near future.

A few months ago, I purchased a vintage key from an ETSY vendor whose shop is named RitaSpiritualGoods.  My Key has an an image of Archangel Zadkiel mounted on the front ofit.  The lady from this shop asked me to allow her to select my Archangel, so she used whatever information she gleaned from me, intuitively, and selected Archangel Zadkiel for me.  When she mailed the Key to me, she also provided a page of information.  It's been wonderful.  I love the Key.  Sometimes I wear it, sometimes I keep it with my sacred things on my desk.  It is powerful.  It's funny, but sometimes I see a violet spark in the air.  Turns out, violet is Archangel Zadkiel's color.  OK, I've rambled on long enough.  Here's Rita's Spiritual Goods info on these sacred keys:

Ritas Guardian Angel Vintage Key Amulet NUMBER 624



This is my Key



Have you ever seen repetitive numbers? Have you ever had a strange number appear over and over on different things in a short period of time? Have you ever needed answers to questions or thoughts you hold in your head? Would you believe me if I told you those numbers are actually angels speaking to you?

Choose your amulet by the number that speaks to you. The numbers have even more significance making these amulets unique to you and the angels that are around you RIGHT NOW. With your purchase of the key you will receive a special message from the angels surrounding you, guiding you and protecting you. A divine intervention if you will.

Inspired by My Sister Michelle and the guardian angels that surround us and protect us these original designs are brought to you to act as a sort of “worry stone.” Wear this angel key to remind yourself that you are protected and loved by your guardians and whenever you are feeling nervous or vulnerable just grab the key and hold it or rub it to relieve your worries. You can also use the number as a mantra and every time you say it your particular angels will come into action.

These vintage keys are so incredibly magical. You can feel their energy the minute you put them your hand. They have traveled through many locked doors each time being opened by a new spirit and new adventures, rebirth. A Key symbolizes opportunities. They bring the power to unlock your dreams, inner feelings , emotions and answers to problems. They represent your adaptability to a situation and help to overcome obstacles in your way. They hold properties of access, control, success, responsibility, secrets, protection and fertility.

These also make beautiful gifts. You as an Earth angel can channel the energy of a friend or loved ones needs and give them the gift of angels.

**These are also perfect for that man in your life, remember you can put these on your KEY CHAIN and carry it with you EVERYWHERE.

Black Madonnas



The Black Madonna of
Czestochowa



Interfaith_Black_Madonna is an informative website that lists several Black Madonnas I wasn't aware of. The most famous Black Madonna is probably The Black Madonna of Czestochowa--Queen of Poland. 





My personal favorite Black Madonna is Nuestra Sra. de la Caridad del Cobre (Our Lady of Charity), the Patron and Queen of Cuba, fondly known as "Cachita," and recognized as La Virgen Mambisa (the Revolutionary Virgin). 

La Virgen de la Caridad
del Cobre

The Original image of  Our Lady of Charity of Cobre resides in her sanctuary, Our Lady of Cobre, which is 12 miles northwest of Santiago, Cuba.  You'll find lots of portraits of this little Virgin where she is portrayed as white skinned, but she is not.  She is a mulatto or black image. 

I can't visit her shrine in Cuba, so I visit her at La Ermita de la Caridad, her shrine in Miami, Florida.  The image of La Caridad at this Miami shrine is not the original, but rather, a statue that was secretly smuggled out of Cuba to Miami.  La Ermita also features an amazing mural executed by Teok Carrasco that depicts Cuba's history, as well as the Virgin of La Caridad.

I am presently reading a book called Longing for Darkness: Tara and the Black Madonna by China Galland.  It's very interesting, and you can read all about it via the link I've provided.

There's a Madonna known as Madre de los Desaparecidos (Our Lady of the Disappeared).  This is what she looks like.  This Madonna hails from El Salvador.  People beseeched her for help and protection during the terrible late 1970s-early 80s when the Death Squads roamed the streets and took people away, never to be seen again.  See the white handprint on the Blessed Mother's poster?  It was a sign from the Death Squads.  A soldier would dip his hand in white paint and press it against a house's wall or door.  It was a sign to the house's inhabitants to leave.  If they didn't leave, the Death Squads would return and "disappear them."  I don't know if the Madre de los Desaparecidos is considered a Black Madonna, but she's certainly a "morena" (brown).  I think her face is remarkably similar to that of Our Lady of Czestochowa.  I love author China Galland's comments about the Virgin Mary.  She says that the Virgin is always portrayed as an obedient, kind, submissive woman, but she, the author, sees Mary as strong, powerful, and willing to fight for her people.  I think that's the way the Madonna is:  Powerful, strong, courageous, with a "don't mess with me attitude."

If you have visited a place with a Black Madonna, or have information about them, please let me hear from you!

Ghosts and Paranormal

American Ghosts and Hauntings

This is an interesting blog.

Lydia Cabrera

Have you read any of Lydia Cabrera's books?  She was a well-known Cuban anthropologist who wrote several books on Cuba's African culture and its deep roots in Santeria.  The En Caribe blog provides a good introduction to Lydia Cabrera.

Witchcraft -- Witches

THE WITCHES CORNER - The Witch's Corner: This is a very interesting website, and it is beautifully designed. I found a lot of good information on it, some of it basic, but also much that was new to me.

Ghosts of Flight 401

This tragedy took place 12/29/1972. Some years later, a movie was made about this event and I saw it. I seem to recall that the flight engineer would appear to people on board any L-1011 aircraft that was using salvaged parts from the crashed airplane.  Lots of rumors swirled around the ghost or ghosts of Flight 401.  I heard that the whole "apparitions" thing was very hush- hush, and any Eastern employee that said he or she had seen the ghost was required to visit the company shrink.  Details about the crash can be found on Wikipedia Eastern Air Lines Flight 401.

The wonderful blog, Southern Spirit Guide http://southernspiritguide.blogspot.com/2010/12/haunted-florida-photographs.html, has a brief article about a haunting at Miami International Airport and, in part, has this to say: "... legend speaks of the form of the plane’s captain, Robert Loft, being seen in the airport near where the ticket counters for Eastern Airlines once stood and disappearing into the old Eastern concourse.
In the annals of paranormal phenomena, this plane crash is the focus of many stories. Stories abound of the appearance of the captain and 2nd Officer Don Repo on planes that utilized parts recovered from the crash site. After these stories began to surface, Eastern Airlines reportedly removed all these parts from service. Additionally, during the recovery efforts for victims, many working in the swamps late at night heard whimpering and sobbing and saw phantom faces in the black water."

My sister and I took her little airplane out for a flight over Miami one day, ages ago.  We flew very low over the beach area (and I saw sharks in the water very close to the swimmers!) and then we flew over the Everglades, and over the area where Flight 401 went down.

Pinewood Cemetery, Coral Gables, Florida

Pinewood Cemetery, Coral Gables, Florida

I've seen this lovely, and spooky, cemetery at dusk.  I haven't been on the grounds, but rather, I've seen the graveyard from just outside its coral rock perimeter wall.  This graveyard is right by my brother's house.  Whenever my family gets together at his house, a big group of us, including dogs, takes a long walk throughout this beautiful, old neighborhood and we always pass by Pinewood Cemetery.

I have found a wonderful blog called Southern Spirit Guide:  A Guide to the Ghosts and Hauntings of the American South that contains an article on Pinewood Cemetery.  I was thrilled to find it because there is remarkably little information about Pinewood on the web.  I e-mailed a link to my brother.

World Grid Theory

Encounters With The Unexplained: The World Grid Theory

Very interesting article that's included in an excellent blog: Encounters with the Unexplained. Check it out!

Ghosts of Capitol Hill, Washington DC, USA

Ghosts Wander the Hill : Roll Call Around the Hill

Very interesting article. I especially like DC--the Demon Cat...

Beware of the Demon CatOne of the most frightening and infamous apparitions on Capitol Hill is the “demon cat,” affectionately referred to as “DC,” probably by those who have not encountered what is reported to be a terrifying tiger-sized black cat. Mostly seen by lone security guards on patrol in the Capitol building late at night, the demon cat tends to appear before national tragedies. It allegedly appeared before the assassinations of Presidents Abraham Lincoln and John F. Kennedy.

Livengood, chief guide and public programs manager for the Capitol Historical Society, has heard a lot about the demon cat in his time at the Capitol. He has worked in Congress since 1965 and says he has seen and heard various spirits throughout the building.

Even so, he’s quick to debunk the legend of the frightening feline. According to Livengood, in the early 19th century, there were still cats roaming around the Capitol, brought in to take care of a rat infestation problem. After the rats were removed, a few cats seemed to have stayed behind. Also at this time, the Capitol Police force was notorious for hiring underqualified friends of Congressmen as favors.

Livengood says that after a “liquid lunch,” one of these inept security guards ended up horizontal on the ground when he thought he was still standing. One of the lingering cats licked his face, and convinced that he was still standing, he crafted a story of a giant cat who terrorized and attacked him after dark. Livengood credits the long life span of the story to the fact that “eventually the other guards found out that they could get a day off if they saw the demon cat.”

Donnald Anderson, former Clerk of the House and chief historian of the Capitol Historical Society, says the reported footprints of the demon cat are indeed feline footprints but were left there when a stray walked across the wet cement on the floor of the Rotunda.

The “demon cat in the Dome, that’s been around for a long time, and I haven’t had an encounter with it personally,” Anderson says. “Out of all the ghosts said to inhabit the Capitol, I suspect that would be one of the most frightening.”

Many people claim to have seen the cat. There is a common story of one security guard who, while doing his rounds, walked alone in a hallway and came upon a small house cat. All of a sudden, it started to grow and growl at the guard. The guard stood frozen in shock and fear, and just as the cat ran toward him and pounced, it disappeared.

Lunar Cycles

The Lunar Cycles should be noted.  I think so, anyway.  I used to fear the full moon.  Everything seemed to get so crazy whenever the moon was full.  I began to inform myself regarding the moon and I discovered that the moon is wonderful and a full moon is not to be feared.  In fact, it's likely that my fear of the full moon is what attracted negative energy.  These days, whenever I see the moon, I say hello to her!

Archangel Haniel's oracle card (from Doreen Virtue's Archangel Oracle Cards) tells me:  "The full moon is a perfect time to release anything your're done with, the new moon is the time to focus on manifesting desires and intentions, and the evening before the full moon is an optimal time for healing, and for recharging healing instruments such as crystals and oils.  Spend time looking at the moon, and notice how you feel in relationship to its cycles.  As you discover the moon's connection with your vitality and moods, you'll be more in touch with its Divine magic."  The moonstone is associated with Haniel so the oracle cards book says to wear or hold a moonstone in order to feel close to Archangel Haniel.

Here are the 2012 and 2013 Lunar Phases.  This is a great website that contains lots of great information, in addition to the lunar phases.  It'll come in handy for tracking the dates of the full moon, new moon, and evening before full moon, so that I can follow Archangel Haniel's advice, above!!!

Gainesville, Florida

Bolen Bluff Trail -- Paynes Prairie

Wild horses might be seen on the Bolen Bluff Trail! This article, Hiking in Payne's Prairie Preserve State Park - Durham nature travel Examiner.com, states that:

For a short day hike you can take the Bolen Bluff Trail which is 2.8 miles long which crosses through sandhill habitat. On this trail you may see gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) looking out from their burrows right off the trail. Look in the crook of tree branches for brightly colored eastern corn snakes (Pantherophis guttatus) resting. Some of the more common animals you may see are the northern green anole (Anolis c. carolinensis), eastern ribbon snake (Thamnophis s. sauritus), and the southeastern five-lined skink (Plestiodon inexpectatus). If you are a budding entomologist these trails are great to find spiders such as the black and yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). A rare treat to come upon while hiking are wild horses (Equus caballus) or bison (Bison bison). If you hear leaves crunching, walk quietly in case it is one of these animals. The horses may let you walk right up to them, but remember that despite how tame they seem, they are still wild animals and might get defensive if they are spooked or feel threatened."  Photo of Wild Horses by Kathleen Larsen

Saints, Deities, Angels

Saint Anthony of Padua and Eleggua

Encuentro - En Cuba - San Antonio-Elegguá

This article proved interesting to me. I love San Antonio de Padua, and I'd only recently learned that in Santeria San Antonio is linked with Eleggua. Through this article I learned that in addition to San Antonio, Eleggua is also linked with El Nino de Atocha & Anima Sola (got to research this last one).

Representation of the Portuguese
Carmelite nun Antonia d'Astonaco
receiving a private revelation of
St Michael the Archangel

The Chaplet of Saint Michael
The Chaplet of Saint Michael (Archangel Michael) is very popular.  I first learned to pray this chaplet on the catholic television network EWTN.  It is a beautiful form of prayer and also serves to teach us about the numerous choirs of Angels.

This link will take you to a webpage that tells you how to pray the Chaplet of St. Michael.

Chaplet Prayer

The information I've included here concerning chaplet prayer is from Wikipedia

Birds

The Sandhill Cranes (grus canadensis) have been migrating back to north Florida and I hear small flocks at night.  My neighborhood must be on a flight path because every year many of them fly directly over us as they head south to (I assume) the prairie.  They are beautiful and their call is one-of-a-kind.

Website: The Truth about Witchcraft

An interesting site. Lots of info... don't know anything about it's accuracy, but I did find it interesting: The Truth about Witchcraft.

Cemeteries

Victorian Cemeteries
I love funerary art, and I have found some beautiful photos at Victorian Cemeteries Photos.  Below I've inserted text from their site that will tell you a little bit about them.  If you like this sort of thing, visit this site and check out the photos.  Well worth it!

About Victorian Cemeteries Welcome to the Victorian Cemeteries Group.  This group is dedicated to beautiful cemetery photography. Bring us your best cemetery photographs and don't forget to comment at least ONE of the other photographs you find here. Remember that this is all about art so please, don’t just post something you snapped around the corner. Post your best and most beautiful work! Thank you and welcome again.