Another lovely weekend over….just laid around on Sunday–unusual for me but couldn’t find anybody who wanted to play.
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It’s the week before Easter and I remembered a conversation with a friend who belongs to a religion that feels that it is not appropriate to celebrate these observances as they are in essence pagan ceremonies converted to modern observances. She was surprised at my knowledge of same. One reason for this is that my own childhood church had similar beliefs, though they were much less strict about having a secular enjoyment of same, but mostly because I am a person constantly seeking origins.
For instance did you know that apples are a constant theme in early religions–they have long been associated with all types of religion and even magic. Besides the Bible’s account of the apple in Eden (though in truth it was a fruit not an apple—that’s kind of been added later), we find them in gardens of multi goddesses: Scandinavian, Teutonic and Norse goddesses. The Iroquois believed that it was the tee of life and they have been used in Druid ceremonies and other pagan rites. In fact Avalon, the legendary isle of King Arthur fame was also called the Isle of Apples.
The cat was believed to be holy by the ancient Egyptians and to kill one was sacrilege. It was revered by Greek followers of Diana as well as Scandinavians (Goddess Frey–love and fertility). Later they became associated with Christian’s adherence of witches and in fact some believe that the destruction of cats by zealots helped contribute to the Black Death’s body count as it was carried by fleas that resided on rats which multiplied rapidly in the absence of one of their major enmies. To this day a black cat crossing your path is considered an evil omen.
Blood is necessary for life and as such Jewish and many other ancient peoples made that connection early on and there were numbers religious and other life regulations including animal sacrifice and regulations for women during their menstrual cycle. The blood connection continues in communion with the worshiper drinking the “blood of Christ” as part of the ceremony.
This vision of the blood connection also has become deeply ingrained in public legend. Vampires have long been a part of human lore Thailand, Tibet, of course Romania and Russian to name a few have long standing legends of the being what survives on taking the life giving red stuff rom human prey to survive. The Victorians of London believed that there was a vampire that lurked among the tombstones of Highgate cemetery along with satanic rituals. Today you can hardly click through the Cable channels and not find the fiends (Lost Boys) or romance (Twilight) of the genre.
A Norse legend calls mistletoe a puny, inoffensive thing–that was not required to swear to Figga since “no harm could be feared from it”–which proved a fatal error for Baldur when Loki used it to slay him. The plant was held as sacred and wonder-working for Celtic Druids and Norsemen as well. In ancient Britian it was used to cure all diseases and it is still banned in many Christian Churches in the British Isle because of pagan association. Of course we all know it’s current use at Christmas (purely English and English traditional) for an excuse to kiss each others and strangers.
St. Patrick banished them from Ireland and they were the form the devil took to get Adam and Eve banished from the Garden (Bible and current usage to describe Satan or the devil). In England the Adder (only poisonous snake found in G.B.) was feared in ancient times not because of it’s venom but because it was considered to be an ill omen. They continue to be part of our lore and a creature that brings fear to many modern human beings.
Vampires can’t be seen in them (probably originated by Brom Stoker and not used by Rice) and they have been used in spells and legends for time long gone by–but the modern mirror with its wonderful clarity is a thing of recent development. Mirrors have long felt to reveal a person’s spiritual double, the soul (and thus the legend that is sited to this day of 7 years of bad luck for breaking one.). But most of all who can forget the evil queen’s chant of “Mirror, Mirror on the wall.”
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All major religious traditions carry basically the same message, that is love, compassion and forgiveness the important thing is they should be part of our daily lives. Dalai Lama
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SOURCES:
Guerbr, H.A.: MYTHS OF THE NORSEMEN FROM THE EDDAS AND SAGAS
Guiley, Rosemary Ellen: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT
Lake, Matt: WEIRD ENGLAND
Morgan, Giles: THE HOLY GRAIN
Melton, J. Gordon: THE VAMPIRE BOOK
Radford, E & M.A.P: THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF SUPERSITIONS
Ross, Anne: DRUIDS PREACHERS OF IMMORTALITY