"What Is...?" Wednesday

Mothman

The Legend of the Mothman centers around events that culminated in a horrific catastrophe at Point Pleasant West Virginia. During the late Autumn evening of December 15, 1967, the Silver Bridge collapsed, spilling dozens of vehicles into the Ohio River, resulting in the deaths of forty-six people.


Many believe that the mysterious creature known as the Mothman was involved either directly or indirectly with that disaster. For thirteen months before the bridge collapse, there were several sightings of a man sized bird-like creature in the region of Point Pleasant. After the fateful night of the collapse, the sightings of the Mothman trickled to a complete halt a couple of months later.

Throughout world history there have been reports of mythical creatures and mysterious beings that share our planet. Most reports have never been supplied with ample proof nor have they been dismissed due to lack of proof and the same goes for the Mothman.




In 2002, a movie was made about this legend, starring Richard Gere.  All in all, it's sometimes fun the entertain the thought..."What if...?"

How Butterflies Came To Be

"You can chase a butterfly all over the field and never catch it. But if you sit quietly in the grass it will come and sit on your shoulder."


Author Unknown

Now, one day after Earth-Maker shaped the world, Iioi, our Elder Brother was sitting and watching the children play. He saw the joy and the youthfulness they displayed. He saw the beauty of their surroundings, and the fresh fragrance of the trees and the flowers. He heard the happy songs of the birds, and saw the blue of the sky. He saw the women as they ground cornmeal. He saw their beauty, and the sunlight as it shone from their hair. These were wonderful things.


But then Elder Brother realized that all of these things would change. He knew that these children would all grow old and weaken and die. The beautiful women would someday grow fat and ugly, and their beautiful black hair would turn gray. The leaves would turn brown and fall from the trees, and the beautiful flowers that smelled so fresh would fade. The days would grow short and the nights would be cold. Elder Brother's heart grew sad and troubled.

As Elder Brother watched the women grind cornmeal, the wind made some fallen yellow leaves dance in the sunlight. He decided to do something which would capture some of these wonderful things which He saw. He decided that He must make something that everyone could enjoy, that would lift their hearts and spirits. So, He took out His bag of Creation and began to gather some things together.


He took some blue from the sky, and some whiteness from the cornmeal. He gathered some spots of sunlight, and the blackness of a beautiful woman's hair. He took the yellow of the falling leaves, and the green of the pine needles. He gathered the red, the purple, and the orange from the flowers. As He gathered these things, He put them into His bag. And, last, He put the songs of the song birds in the bag.

When He had finished gathering these things together, He called the children together. He told them to open the bag and there would be a surprise for them. So they opened the bag, and out flew hundreds of beautiful Butterflies! They were red and gold and black and yellow, blue and green and white. They looked liked flowers, dancing in the wind. They flew all around the gleeful children, and lit on their heads. The hearts of the children and the adults soared. Never before had they seen such wonderful, happy things. They began to sing their songs as they flew.

But then song bird lit on Iitoi's shoulder and asked Him. He said, "It is not right to give our songs to these pretty things! You told us when you made us that each bird would have his own song. These pretty things have all of the colors of the rainbow already. Must they take our songs, too?"  Elder Brother said, "You are right. I made one song for each bird, and I must not give them away to any other." So butterflies were made silent, and they are still silent to this day. But their beauty brightens the day of all People, and brings out songs from their hearts. And that is how Elder Brother meant it to be. 


 Papago Tribe

Wiccan Symbols

The Elven Star

The Elven Star or seven-pointed star, is found in some branches of the Faerie tradition of Wicca. However, it has different names and can be associated with many other magical traditions.

The Element Encyclopedia of Secret Signs and Symbols, the Elven Star (or Faerie Star) is also representative of the seven stars called the Pleiades. It is also a reminder that seven is a sacred number in many magical traditions -- it is connected with the seven days of the week, the seven pillars of wisdom, and many other magical theories. In Kabbalah, seven is connected to the sphere of victory. Aleister Crowley used a septagram as the emblem of his Order of the Silver Star.

In modern Pagan practice, this symbol can be used to keep information hidden from the prying eyes of the outside world. Use it on your Book of Shadows, to keep the contents safe, or on an amulent to prevent others from reading your thoughts.


Hecate's Wheel


Hecate's Wheel is a symbol used by some traditions of Wicca. It seems to be most popular among feminist traditions, and represents the three aspects of the Goddess -- Maiden, Mother and Crone. This labyrinth-like symbol has origins in Greek legend, where Hecate was known as a guardian of the crossroads before she evolved into a goddess of magic and sorcery.

According to fragmentary texts of the Chaldean Oracles, Hecate is connected to a maze which spiralled around like a serpent. This maze was known as the Stropholos of Hecate, or Hecate's Wheel, and refers to the power of knowledge and life. Traditionally, a Hecate-style labyrinth has a Y in the middle, rather than the typical X shape found at the center of most labyrinths.

Images of Hecate and her wheel have been found on first-century c.e. curse tablets, although there seems to be some question about whether the wheel shape itself is actually Hecate's domain or that of Aphrodite - there was some occasional overlap of goddesses in the classical world.