10.26.09
Posted in Egyptian, Essential Oils, Healing Oils, Information at 11:28 am by Administrator
This Halloween season, many of you will no doubt be going to a haunted house or two. It’s fun, exciting and best of all scary. Not everyone gets excited about going to a haunted house and having chainsaw wielding clowns jump out of the shadows. For those people who are going out with their friends but would rather not bring a change of underwear, try any of these aromatherapy blends before hand to calm your nerves and ease your fears.
Do this:
3 drops Bergamot
2 drops Grapefruit
OR
3 drops Sandalwood
2 drops Orange
OR
3 drops Jasmine or Neroli
3 drops Frankincense
2 drops Clary Sage
Add these to a small bottle, cap tightly and mix by rolling gently between your palms. At any time you are feeling afraid or you know you will be afraid (right before you enter the haunted house), uncap and inhale the aroma. The smell will calm your nerves and help you feel relaxed.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and (some) frights.
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10.23.09
Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information, Runes, Symbols, travel at 3:05 pm by Administrator
Lycanthropy is the mythological ability of a man to shapeshift into a wolf, or wolf-like creature. Sometimes this is done willingly, other times is is done because the person was bitten by another werewolf or placed under a curse. The transformation accompanies the appearance of a full moon.
These are the attributes associated with the werewolf as we know them today. Stories of werewolves have been around for centuries. Petronius of ancient Greece wrote stories about men who could turn into wolves at will.
Herodotus wrote in his Histories about a tribe in the north-east of Scythia, the Neuri, were transformed into wolves once every 9 years. This was to symbolize Earthly regeneration and rebirth. Another myth tells the tale of Lycaon, who was transformed into a wolf by Zeus after consuming human flesh. This is actually one of the earliest examples of the werewolf legend.
Other stories from ancient Greece and Rome tell similar tales as a way of teaching morality. These were often used to teach the younger generation about how to live and treat other people.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.20.09
Posted in Egyptian, Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information, Runes, travel at 12:30 pm by Administrator
The vampires of today are often suave and charismatic. We have Bram Stoker to thank for this modern interpretation of the vampire. His late 19th century book, Dracula, gave artists through the years the framework upon which to build the modern vampire.
Although vampires are generally not believed to exist, vampire sightings still occur today. In fact, vampire hunting societies still exist and are gaining in popularity. In late 2002 and early 2003, allegations of vampire attacks swept the country of Malawi in Africa resulting in the stoning to death of one man and the attack of at least 4 others.
I Europe, where most vampire tales originates, vampire are believed to be fictitious. There can still be found the occasional village that claims to have vampires but these are for economic purposes and not because they are real.
Vampire superstition can still be found in the more rural areas of Romania. In 2004, relatives of Toma Petre believed he had become a vampire. They dug up his corpse, tore out his heart, burned the heart and drank the ashes with water. Clearly, vampire superstition is still around.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.15.09
Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Healing Oils, Information, Symbols, travel at 1:03 pm by Administrator
Ghost Hunting has been around for much longer than most people are aware of. Thanks to the popularity of movies like Ghostbusters, and TV shows like Ghost Hunters, most believe that hunting for spirits is a new phenomenon. The truth is that hunting for the restless spirits of the dead goes back much further.
The oldest recorded case of ghost hunting is reported by Pliny the Younger in 100 A.D. When he told the story, it was already a century old tale. The tale tells of a man who bought a house in Athens. The price of the house was far below what it was worth but the sellers wanted to be rid of it and quickly. One night while the new owner was resting comfortably by the fire, a spirit came to him wrapped in chains. The spirit beckoned him to follow and so he did. He was led to a spot in the garden behind the house where the spirit vanished. The next morning, with the permission of the city magistrates, he dug the spot and found a skeleton wrapped in chains. Once the body was given a proper burial the hauntings ceased.
Not much of ghost hunting is mentioned for centuries until the mid-1880’s. William James, a philosopher, suggested applying scientific methods in the search for spirits and ghosts. He found allies in London with Alfred Wallace, Harry Sidgwick, Harry’s wife Elanor and Edmund gurney. Together they founded the Society for Phychical Research to collect evidence proving, or disproving, the existence of ghosts, haunted houses and other paranormal phenomenon.
Ghost hunting would not become a mainstream hobby until the 1970’s with the founding of the Chicago area Ghost Trackers Club (which became the Ghost Research Society in 1981). Today there are over 300 separate ghost hunting organizations throughout American and England and the list is growing.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween Season full of fun and frights.
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10.14.09
Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information, Symbols at 12:27 pm by Administrator
Most of the myths we have today about vampires had their origin in the Medieval Period. Two 12th century historians recorded accounts of revenants but otherwise account of vampiric beings after this are scant. Tales of vampires were mostly silent until the 18th century.
During the 18th century there was a dramatic increase in vampire sightings, especially in Eastern Europe. Frequently there were grave diggings and stakings of suspected vampires. Government officials often took part in these as well. Even though this was known as the Age of Enlightenment, beliefs in vampires rose to the point of mass hysteria throughout most of Europe.
In 1721 a panic began in East Prussia and spread to other communities. From this panic arose one of the first and most famous of vampire cases. The story revolves around Peter Plogojowitz of Serbia. The story says that one night in 1725, a knock came to the door of Peter’s house around supper time. The stranger was allowed in and offered to sit at the table. The stranger asked for food but was refused. The next morning, Peter’s was found dead with puncture marks on his neck. The surviving family believe the “stranger” was Peter’s father who had died ten years earlier.
Cases such as this were common during this period. Government officials wrote case reports and published books on the subject. So much was the hysteria surrounding vampires, it became known as the “18th Century Vampire Controversy” It wasn’t until physicians got involved that the vampire controversy was “put to rest”. Laws were passed prohibiting the opening of graves and desecrating of bodies. Even so, vampire stories continue to live on in artistic works and local superstition.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.13.09
Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information, Symbols, travel at 12:59 pm by Administrator
Scientists have, for decades, been interested in proving the existence of ghosts to be false. Scientists are by nature skeptics and therefore require tangible evidence of something before they will believe. Even with evidence, scientists tend to try and disprove it until there can be no doubt to it’s authenticity. Very few scientists will take anything on faith.
One theory is that geomagnetic fiends can act on the temporal lobe of the brain and cause many of the experiences associated with hauntings. This theory has been tested in several ways but never proven conclusively. Other scientists attempt to link the onset of haunting phenomenon to increases in global geomagnetic activity. Other theories include carbon monoxide poisoning and infrasound (sound waves lower that 20 Hz). All of the work being done has been controversial and subject to debate.
There are at times rational explanations as to why certain phenomenon occur. Changes in the air pressure in a room can cause a door to suddenly close, or lights passing through a window at the right angle can give one the impression of being haunted.
For the times when no rational explanation can be found, we turn to “Ghost Hunters”. People who have a real desire to put ghosts to the test and verify their authenticity. These dedicated men and women spend their free time searching for evidence of ghostly activity or to prove that there is, in fact, a plausible explanation.
Mystical Charm hope you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.11.09
Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Healing Oils, Information at 12:29 pm by Administrator
In 1848, two sisters from Hydesville, New York, claimed to have the ability to communicate with the dead. What followed became the spiritualist movement in America that claimed a number of adherents in the 19th century.
An increase in the popularity of all things paranormal rose as a consequence. Books were written for the growing middle class which included sketched of “ghosts and spirits”. Accounts of ghosts, doppelgangers, poltergeists and haunted houses began to surface all of the United States. In London, a newspaper was devoted to the Spiritualist community. Called The Light, the newspaper contained articles such as “Ghosts in Africa” and “Chronicles of Spirit Photography”.
The ability to summon or exorcise spirits of the dead have been part of religious practices for Spiritualists and practitioners of ritual magic for centuries. The Spiritualists movement of the 19th century has had an impact on the way the western world sees ghosts that lasts to this day. The pseudoscientific explanations of ghosts such as spirit photography and “ectoplasm” lend an almost scientific method to ghosts. Today, ghost hunting and ghost photography are as popular as ever with new “Ghost Hunting Societies” coming together almost daily.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.10.09
Posted in Egyptian, Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information at 3:06 pm by Administrator
Stories of supernatural beings who consumed the flesh of others and drank their blood are found in nearly every culture around the world. Today we would call these beings vampires but 5000 years ago the word vampire did not exist. These acts would be attributed to spirits or demons. Even the devil was once synonymous with a vampire.
In India there are tales of vetalas, ghoul like beings that inhabited corpses, have been compiled into the Baital Pachisi. The most well known story tells of a king who spends his nights in pursuit of one. Also in India, the goddess Kali has fangs and wears a necklace or corpses or skulls, is associated with the drinking of blood.
The Persians were one of the first cultures to have stories of demons who drank blood. Pictures of creatures drinking blood from the living have been found on excavated pottery shards.
Ancient Babylon had the story of Lilitu, a demon who drank the blood of newborn babies. The ancient Hebrews adopted this story into their culture and renamed the demon Lilith.
The ancient Greeks and Romans were unique in that their cultures did not have blood drinking demons or spirits but instead demigods who consumed the flesh of mortals simply for pleasure. Some would transform into a young woman and seduce a man, getting close enough to drink their blood. Another were described as birds who drank blood and ate flesh.
Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.
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10.09.09
Posted in Egyptian, Fantasy, Information at 1:02 pm by Administrator
The idea of the vampire has existed for millenia. Every ancient culture, including the Mesopotamians, Ancient Greeks, Hebrews, Egyptians and Romans, all had legends of demons and spirits who we would view as a precursor to the modern vampire. Although there were vampire-like creatures in these ancient cultures, the vampire as we know them today originated in the early 18th century in Southeast Europe.
Tales of vampires in this region included revenants (a visible ghost or animated corpse) of evil beings, people who killed themselves and witches. It was believed that a evil spirit could also possess a corpse thus creating the vampire. Or one could be bitten by a vampire and be “turned”.
Such legends had a powerful impact on the lives of a superstitious people. In some areas it has caused mass hysteria and public executions of those believed to be vampires.
Mystical Charm wishes you a wonderful Autumn season full of fun and the occasional fright.
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Posted in Essential Oils, Fantasy, Information at 8:57 am by Administrator
Ghosts took on a new dimension during this period. There was a renewed interest in ghosts and Necromancy at this time and stories began to surface all over the world. Songs, poems and ballads also made their way into mainstream life.
Some stories recounted a ghost returning to beg a loved one for release from his promise to marry her. Her refusal would mean his soul would be damned for eternity. Such stories were common at this time. People believed that a ghost would haunt a lover without a formal release of their relationship.
Other tales across Europe took it one step further. They believed that ghosts were caused by the grief of the living. The mourning of the living did not allow the dead to rest in peace.
Mystical Charm and Holy Land Favorites hopes you have a wonderful Autumn season full of fun and frights.
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