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Thursday 9 August 2012

MYSTIC CREATURES

We are currently pursuing our lives based on the scientific beliefs, and we only believe in the existence of those creatures that science forces us to believe.
When it comes to mystic creatures like dragons, hybrids, werewolves ,vampires etc. some of might us react in a positive way, others might think that we are psychos talking about such creatures in a world where science is progressing at such a fast pace. Although everyone has different point of view about such existences, but we cant deny that from centuries generations have been talking about their existence , and is believed that creatures like vampire , werewolves , genies lives in a camouflaged lives in the current society, hiding their true identities, and do not reflect their identities to someone until they truly trust the person.

This blog will help you to discover such creatures and also you can share your experiences.A list of such creatures is mentioned below and you can find about them in detail under the pages MYSTIC CREATURES mentioned on the right hand side of this blog.And Share with your friends if you like the blog


DRAGONS



                                                                    UNICORNS



                                                                     GRIFFINS



                                                                     WEREWOLVES




                                                                     GOBLINS




GENIES
                                                               



                                                                       DEMIGODS




                                                                       CENTAURS




VAMPIRES

                                   


                                                             WITCHES AND WIZARDS




OGRES



MERMAIDS



I don't have complete knowledge about all the creatures, whatever i know , i post here, if you have some knowledge about similar creatures, i will be greatfull if you help me improve my blog.

Monday 6 August 2012

SPIRIT GUIDES


Spirit guides are incorporeal beings that are assigned to us before we are born that help nudge and guide us through life.  They’re responsible for helping us fulfill the spiritual contract we make with ourselves before we incarnate.  Your higher self helps select these guides, who help us while we are living out our incarnation.




Who are these guides?
Some guides will stay with you throughout your entire life, and others will pop in every now and again to help you with specific areas of your life or goals you are trying to achieve.  These guides are at varying levels of consciousness themselves.  Some may be highly ascended masters and others might be your average spirit who just happens to be a master in a certain area.  They may appear to have a male or female energy, though in reality they are just energy.  They may be spirits who have had physical incarnations, or they might be spirits who have never taken corporeal form.  You may be the only person they are guiding, or they may be on the “panel” for other people as well.  They might be deceased relatives, but that is less likely.  When it’s time for your spirit guides to help you, they tune in to your energy and help direct you to fulfill your earthly mission.



Spirit Guides, as former  human beings, are well aware of the problems we face in our everyday, mundane lives.  They were once concerned with very similar matters.  They tend to have their own special areas of expertise, often based on past personal experiences or careers they have had in a past life.
Your Spirit Guide is always there to help you.  This is their sole purpose, to offer the living their help and guidance.

However, as spirits, they operate on a higher vibrational frequency than mortals do, so the majority of us cannot see them, cannot hear them, and cannot sense their presence.





METHODS OF COMMUNICATING WITH A SPIRIT OR SPIRIT GUIDES


OUIJA BOARD
One of the first mentions of the automatic writing method used in the Ouija board is found in China around 1100 B.C., and it is first recorded in historical documents of the Song Dynasty. The method was known as fuji “planchette writing”.
One source notes that, according to a Greek historical account of the philosopher Pythagoras, in 540 B.C. his sect would conduct séances at “a mystic table, moving on wheels, moved towards signs, which the philosopher and his pupil, Philolaus, interpreted to the audience as being revelations supposedly from an unseen world.




An ouija board, also known as spirit board or talking board is a flat board marked with letters, numbers, and other symbols, supposedly used to communicate with spirits. It uses a planchette (small heart-shaped piece of wood) or movable indicator to indicate the spirit’s message by spelling it out on the board during a séance. The fingers of the séance participants are placed on the planchette, which then moves about the board to spell out messages.

Since its invention in the late nineteenth century, the Oujia board has been associated with the threat of demonic possession. Consequently, mainstream Christian denominations have warned against using Ouija boards. Occultists, on the other hand, are divided on the issue, with some saying that it can be a positive transformation; others echo the warnings of many Christians and caution inexperienced users against it.



MEDITATION
This is the act of disciplined contemplation and reflection. Highly disciplined meditation is set towards the goal of enlightenment and possibly the connection with spirit guides. It is the process of silence and reflection, proper breathing is critical, and finding that peaceful quiet place of the mind is essential.




Until one is experienced with meditation, it is best to start with guided meditations that are available on recordings from many different vendors. In many of these recordings a verbal guide will take one through the steps necessary to achieve balance, serenity, and peace. Once there one may be guided into a secret garden, or a beach, or even a mountaintop.

Then one will attempt visualization techniques to create a world around their mind.Once someone has developed a safe quiet place that is their own it is much easier for the guides to approach. In meditation one is less apprehensive, it is their created space, and they control the environment, so there is a level of safety
that is designed into the creation whether it was subconscious or not. By this time become aware of the subtle messages that abound in the spirit world. It just takes that quiet time to be able to listen.



ASTRAL PROJECTION
 A deeper form of meditation. But in this case the person can often travel via spirit form to other places, or other planes of existence, and sometimes very rarely they can travel time. Astral Projection is a method of such deep meditation that one is able to utilize the eternal energy form (spirit) and for a time leave the body. First one should master the meditations, and then slowly move into the Astral Projections. Taking very small steps and learning slowly.



It is unusual but possible to lose oneself in the astral. It can be much like taking a walk in the woods and becoming so involved in the journey that one actually forgets their way. The difference is with Astral Projection the spirit is always connected to the body via a silver cord. Remembering that on astral journeys is essential.

By utilizing astral travel one can learn to ascend or descend the dimensions that exist.By achieving the multidimensional travel among the planes of existence one is able to become aware of lessons and possibilities that exist that never were considered before.



AUTOMATIC WRITING
 This is the practice of allowing the spirit guide to control the writing hand and the ability for them to convey written messages. The use of a dedicated folder, binder, or other resource that holds paper is recommended.

Focus, relaxation, and the overcoming apprehension are essential in automatic writing. When a guide takes over and begins to write it is a very symbiotic relationship. It is a relationship that is mutual and giving from both sides. Focus on allowing the pen to write, not what is should write. Automatic writing is not about focusing on the words, it is about allowing the action. I have even known several artists that utilize similar methods for there various mediums. Allowing the paint to flow and become what it is meant to be is a way to think about it. An alternative to writing words is the drawing os symbols or pictures in order to convey a message, that is a method of automatic writing also.



VISION QUOTES
 An ancient tradition common with old European, African, and Native American traditions. It is to exercise extreme physical action in order to allow the mind to enter a state of connection with spirit guides. This can include sweat lodges, physical exertion (running in the heat), and some cultures use hallucinogenics to enable the vision quest.

Like meditation and astral projection methods, vision quests take a fair amount of preparation on all three levels. Physical, spiritual, and mental disciplines are essential in order to have an effective vision quest. Take time to prepare, exercise and get the physical body in shape. Focus on cleansing the spirit of negative energies. And take time to contemplate the journey you are going to participate in. These events should not be taken light heartedly, but rather seriously.



INVOKING SPIRITS
A method most commonly utilized by pagans, gypsys, and some mediums to call upon specific spirits and draw them into the presence of the group. Sometimes utilized during seances, but most often during pagan ritual in order to commune with loved ones, diety, fairy, mythology, and the magic of earth herself.

Invoking Spirits most often utilizes a ritual that embraces the elements of the spirit being summoned. The ritual takes into consideration the elements that the spirit prefers, to include; herbs, incense, flowers, stones, and etc. Often it entails the casting of a circle and the recitation of a poem, ode, or song to the spirit. And then it proceeds to commune with the spirit for lessons to be learned or messages to be conveyed. These rituals can be conducted in solitude or group formats.





HAVE YOU EVER BEEN HELPED BY YOUR SPIRIT GUIDES ??

Psychological  Help
Sometimes you might have noticed , or it may have occurred to you at some instant of your life, that you are about to do an important task, but at the end moment a thought clouds your mind, and you think ' no i should do it this way, it will be far more better ' ,and you change your decisions at the end moment hence directing your tasks to a right path. The change of direction of thoughts in your mind may be caused by your spirit guides, thus helping you in a psychological way.


Physical  Help
You might have met a stranger in your life who just came to help you and then disappeared somewhere in the dark corner of the world. That stranger came to you when you needed someone's help, or he/she came to you when you were lost in the darkest corners or when you needed psychological support and when that person came to you, you felt that you have met him before, or you know him/her , or you have a close bonding, however you were meeting that person for the first time in your life, that someone might be your spirit guide, who came to help you in a humanly form, and when he thought that he has directed you to the right path, or has helped you he/she then disappears.

Sunday 5 August 2012

Vampires


Vampires are mythological or folkloric beings who subsist by feeding on the life essence (generally in the form of blood) of living creatures, regardless of whether they are undead or a living person/being.

Although a number of people consider vampirism as a plague that spread in prehistorical times.
Vampirism is now registered by the United States Health Department, alongside Werewolves, as a disease. Transmitted only through blood transfusion, Vampirism is essentially a virus.

                                                                  

BIOLOGICAL EXPLANATION


A Vampire’s infected body cannot produce Protein and many blood cells, and thus it is forced to absorb this through the blood of others. A Vampire’s body then condenses the blood into a superconcentrated form, leading to Vampire blood becoming distinctly dark colored, almost black. A Vampire who consumes human blood will be endlessly capable of dividing and recovering his already-existent cells, though the loss of transmittable genetic code means that he/she will never grow. 

Animal blood, because its composition and genetic codes are distinctly different from that of a human, will yield a far lower energy intake and will cause the vampire to “age,” in fact slowly wasting away.

A vampire can consume food, but the need to activate his digestive system is also very tiring. Vampiric Cells tend to react badly to metals, particularly silver. While they can touch it, dissolution into the body is extremely damaging. Because, unlike demon possession, Vampirism is more an organic condition than a curse, normally effective exorcism methods such as Holy Water, Prayer Chants and Purification salt have very little effect. 



VAMPIRE BATS

Although many cultures have stories about them, vampire bats have only recently become an integral part of the traditional vampire lore. Indeed, vampire bats were only integrated into vampire folklore when they were discovered on the South American mainland in the 16th century.Although there are no vampire bats in Europe, bats and owls have long been associated with the supernatural and omens, although mainly because of their nocturnal habits.

Vampire Bat




FAMOUS STORIES ABOUT VAMPIRES

    Elizabeth Bathory 
    She was known as the bloody countess and she lured young women to her castle so she could bathe in their blood. She believed that if she bathed in their blood it would give her eternal youth. She kept a diary and before she was stopped she murdered 612 young women.



    The Vampire Monster of Boston

    In 1867 a Portuguese sailor named James Brown was caught in the act of sucking the blood from a the neck of a man he had just killed. It was Brown's second blood meal of the day. He was placed in an insane asylum after President Andrew Jackson commuted his death sentence. He attacked other patients in the Insane Asylum and then escaped. He was finally killed in Sacramento California after he fled there after he escaped from the Insane Asylum. He was caught in a prostitutes room after he had killed her and was in the act of sucking her blood when he was shot and killed.




    VAMPIRIC ORIGINS
    Earliest myths of vampire-like creatures seem to come from India, and other places in the East like Tibet and China. The “Gypsies” or the Roma people, actually began as nomadic tribes in northern India, taking stories of vampire legends with them as they traveled westward.
    In India, the vampires were generally viewed as demonic beings that could reanimate the corpse of a human. It would use the body of the human to destroy others and drink their blood. Typically this was a human who was buried improperly or not given the proper funeral rites. These ideas persisted about vampires as the Gypsies spread the legends throughout Europe.



    The Gypsies also had some interesting ideas about protecting against vampire attacks. They would drive steel or iron through the corpse, or put steel in the mouth or over the eyes of the corpse of a suspected vampire. They would place hawthorn in the socks of the corpse or drive a hawthorn stake through the body. They would also pour boiling water over the grave or the corpse.




    SOME FAMOUS VAMPIRE STORIES

    The Legendary Arnold Paole
    While you may have never heard of him Arnold Paole was quite famous as a suspected vampire back in the 1700's and he is still remembered in the Serbian areas today. Many people in the area still believe he was a real life vampire even today.

    The real life vampire story of Arnold Paole took place during 1727-1728 in the Serbian village of Meduegna. Arnold Paole was a soldier serving in the Austrian Army and he came home to his home village in the spring of 1727. But before he came home he said he was attacked and bitten by a vampire in Greece and he was able to kill it. But he told people in the Serbian village of Meduegna that he had started to feel weird and wake up at all hours of the night after being bitten by the vampire. 

    He was not back home in his village of Meduegna for long before he fell off a hay wagon and busted his head wide open causing his death. He was buried and before long people in and around the village would claim to have seen Arnold at night in and around the village. It was said he went to many peoples houses and they held their door closed and refused to let him enter their home. Two people in different homes in the village were found dead with puncture marks to their throats. The villagers burnt those bodies and scattered the ashes to make sure they did not turn into vampires.

    Forty Days after Paole had died army troops arrived from Belgrade and they dug up Arnold Paole at the request of the village elders. When the casket was opened it is said that Paole was laying on his back but as soon as the sun fell on him he screeched and rolled up in a ball on his stomach. The soldiers fired their muskets over and over into the casket and then they drug him from the casket chopped off his head and burned it and his body to ashes and poured them into the near by river. The vampire problems were then over in the village of Meduegna. Was he a vampire or was he not we can not say for sure. Its up to you to decide. But this is one of many documented tales of a real live vampires.


    The Story Of  Mercy Brown
    About this time every year people in New England tell the story of Mercy Brown. How people in Exeter Rhode Island decided after Mercy Browns death that she had in fact became a vampire and that she was coming out of the grave and feeding on her sick brother.

    She herself had followed he mother and sister to the grave and the people of the area were in a panic. So one cold March afternoon Mercy's father and some of his neighbors dug up Mercy's grave to see if she had indeed changed into a vampire. 

    It was found that she had shifted in her coffin and it was reported her mouth was full of fresh blood as was her heart. Her heart was cut from her chest and burned on a near by large rock to stop Mary from keeping coming out of the grave. Some of the ashes were even fed to her brother as a cure but he still died two months later and when he died he was staked through the chest and tied in his coffin to be sure he didn't turn into a vampire like Mercy. 




    FATHER OF VAMPIRES / ORIGINATORS OF VAMPIRES


    Cain and Lilith

    This myth begins at the very creation of man. Lilith, according to Hebrew/ Jewish texts, was the first woman created for Adam.
    Lilith was Adam's first wife before Eve.She demanded equality with Adam, When Adam would not relent in his domination of her, she grew so angry that she uttered the holy name of God and vanished. God then had to make Eve for Adam, making her of his rib bone, rather than wholly dust, so that she would be attached to him and not leave as Lilith had done.Lilith went out to the Red Sea, where she made a bargain with the angels who had been sent to fetch her back to Adam. She was allowed to stay out on her own, as a witch, mother of all demons. She was allowed to kill infants up until their naming day , unless they had a charm over their sleeping place with the names of the angels on them.

    The theory of Cain is a possibility and this is why. Cain is claimed to be the first born son of Adam and Eve. Cain killed his brother Able in a jealous rage and was thus banished and given a mark.
    According to vampire legend, Cain wondered until he found Lilith (Adams supposed first wife) by the Red Sea. Lilith showed him the power of blood which may be considered to be the tree of life. It is said that this is why the Jewish drain all blood from their meat before cooking and eating it. From this union between Cain and Lilith came forth a host of demons and vampires in myths across the globe. Cain is said to have had legitimate children with an unnamed woman. Some of his children are regarded for inventing the harp and metal working. However, Cain’s children are almost erased from further mention in the Bible past Genesis 4:26. Cain is referred to only twice more after in the New Testament as the prototype of wicked man.





    JUDAS ISCARIOT

    Some theories claim that the original vampire might be Judas Iscariot who is the betrayer of Jesus Christ. Because Judas betrayed Jesus to the Romans, he and his family were cursed for this evil deed. The Bible states that Judas committed suicide because of his guilt. Vampire folklore claims that those who commit suicide are doomed to come back as vampires. Judas is told to have had red hair and this was the identifying trait of his descendents. The Greeks are told to have thought that all who had red hair were vampires. It is also said that vampires may detest silver for this reason also. Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. Judas tried to return the silver but couldn’t so he threw it away in disgust.



    And there is a legend among the Hebrew people that God cursed Judas and said that Judas and his decedents would roam their earth as creatures of the night until the end of time. They believed that Judas Iscariot had red hair in life and that vampires with red hair were directly descended from Judas. 

    The Hebrew legend goes on to explain that vampires have a aversion to silver because of the fact that Judas was paid with 30 pieces of silver for his betraying Christ. Judas tried unsuccessfully to return the 30 pieces of silver so he cast it away from himself and went and hung himself. And the legend says that God refused to allow Judas to escape that way so he ordered him and his decedents to wander the earth as vampires.

    However another legend says that Lucifer ( The Devil ) refused to allow Judas to die from hanging himself so he created a half human , half demon race out of Judas and condemned him and his kind to roam the earth to the ends of time. This legend goes on to say that all vampires have red eyes and fangs and will burn if exposed to direct sunlight.



    And in this blog, i wont post, how to identify if someone is a vampire or not because vampires are such mysterious creatures that they wont expose themselves, and their close ones will not expose them , because they will not like to pose any kind of danger to them..

    Wednesday 1 August 2012

    Mermaids


    A mermaid is a legendary aquatic creature with the upper body of a woman and the tail of a fish.Mermaids appear in the folklore of many cultures worldwide, including the Near East, Europe, China, and India. The first stories appeared in ancient Assyria, in which the goddess Atargatis transforms herself into a mermaid out of shame for accidentally killing her human lover. Mermaids are sometimes depicted as perilous creatures associated with floods, storms, shipwrecks, and drowning. In other folk traditions (or sometimes within the same tradition) they can be benevolent, bestowing boons or falling in love with humans.



    Mermaids are associated with the Sirens of Greek mythology and with the Sirenia, a biological order which comprises dugongs and manatees. Historical sightings by sailors may have been the result of misunderstood encounters with these aquatic mammals. Christopher Columbus reported seeing mermaids while exploring the Caribbean, and sightings have been reported in the 20th and 21st centuries in Canada, Israel, and Zimbabwe. The US National Ocean Service stated in 2012 that no evidence of mermaids has ever been found.

    Mermaids have been a popular subject of art and literature in recent centuries. Danish author Hans Christian Andersen wrote his popular fairy tale "The Little Mermaid" in 1836. They have subsequently been depicted in opera, paintings, books, films, and comics.




    Sightings


    In 1493 while sailing off the coast of Hispaniola, Christopher Columbus reported seeing three "female forms" which "rose high out of the sea, but were not as beautiful as they are represented". The logbook of Blackbeard, an English pirate, records that he instructed his crew on several voyages to steer away from charted waters which he called "enchanted" for fear of merfolk or mermaids, which Blackbeard and members of his crew reported seeing. These sighting were often recounted and shared by sailors and pirates who believed that mermaids were bad luck and would bewitch them into giving up their gold and dragging them to the bottom of the sea. Two sightings were reported in Canada near Vancouver and Victoria—one from sometime between 1870 and 1890, the other from 1967.

    In August 2009, after dozens of people reported seeing a mermaid leaping out of the water and doing aerial tricks, the Israeli coastal town of Kiryat Yam offered a $1 million award for proof of the mermaid. The Mermaid Medical Association, an American mermaid advocacy group, threatened to take legal action against the town in response to their offer, which "badly and outrageously damages the legendary mermaid legacy." In February 2012, work on two reservoirs near Gokwe and Mutare in Zimbabwe stopped when workers refused to continue, stating that mermaids had hounded them away from the sites. It was reported by Samuel Sipepa Nkomo, the water resources minister.



    Hoaxes


    In the middle of the 17th century, John Tradescant the elder created a wunderkammer (called Tradescant's Ark) in which he displayed, among other things, a "mermaid's hand". In the 19th century, P. T. Barnum displayed a taxidermal hoax called the Fiji mermaid in his museum. Others have perpetrated similar hoaxes, which are usually papier-mâché fabrications or parts of deceased creatures, usually monkeys and fish, stitched together for the appearance of a grotesque mermaid. In the wake of the 2004 tsunami, pictures of Fiji "mermaids" circulated on the Internet as supposed examples of items that had washed up amid the devastation, though they were no more real than Barnum's exhibit.


    Facts

    Scientists do not think it’s possible for a creature to exist that is half mammal and half fish, the two species are simply too far apart in terms of vertebrate’s evolution. The popular scientific theory is that manatees or sea cows are what some sailors have seen and, due to long voyages at sea and malnutrition, have mistaken them for human-like creatures. The manatees are found in coastal regions and have a fish-like tail, but they could never be described as having a comely face.

    Even though we know very little about our oceans, with such a tiny portion of it explored; scientists still believe it unlikely mermaids are creatures yet to be discovered. They agree that there are many animals that we don’t know about yet and sometimes creatures are discovered; like the Coelacanth, ("see-la-kanth"), that 400 million year old "living fossil" fish, pre-dating the dinosaurs by millions of years and once thought to have gone extinct with them, 65 million years ago, the Coelacanth with its "missing link" "proto legs" was "discovered" alive and well in 1938 at the mouth of the Chalumna River on the east coast of South Africa. But the truth is, say the scientists, that the deep-sea areas have only become inhabited fairly recently in geological terms; so the likelihood of anything popping up from mythology is pretty low.

    So does this mean that the mermaids of myth and legend have never existed? Some argue that there is a link between the Sirens of Homer’s Odyssey and mythological mermaids; the only problem with this is that the Mediterranean Sea, where the Odyssey is set, completely dried up around 10 million years ago and only started to refill recently during the times of mankind. In early Homer references the sea was as dry as a desert. This means that ancient Western stories from the Mediterranean cannot have creatures of this kind in them brought over from ancient times. But the interesting thing about mermaids is that stories about them come from all over the world, from different countries and cultures; as if they are part of the human collective memory. In West Africa, Mami Wata is a Vodou goddess of the sea who appears in mermaid shape; she is kind to women and often blesses them with children, but has special sympathies for barren women.




    The Babylonian God Oannes is said to be the first recorded creature part man, part fish; Lord of the Waters.
    There have been links with human women and mermaids for a long time; the pain a mermaid goes through when she wishes to become human has been compared to the pain of menstruation and childbirth. Inthe Hans Christian Anderson story, The Little Mermaid, she has to bear the pain of 8 oysters being attached to her tail at the age of 15 to denote her rank, that she has come of age. Later when the witch grants her wish to become human, she has to bear the terrible pain of her tail splitting in two, becoming legs, with every following step feeling like walking on needles and swords. The tail here seems to be symbolic of the female reproductive system. In Melusine the French Medieval tale, Melusine married Raymond of Poitou, she forbid him to see her in the bath one day out of the week. They had children, and some of them had strange features like big teeth. One day he spied on her in the bath, and saw that she was part serpent or fish. This is thought to parallel men’s feelings of being unable to affect the changes women go through, particularly their menstrual cycle. Stories like these may back up what the scientists say, that mermaids do not exist, they could merely be a way of expressing certain human conditions in stories.

    Still others argue that we should not discount the similarities of world-spanning mermaid sightings and myths, pervading so many different cultures who express aspects of life in vastly different ways. Mermaids are said to have fairy-like powers, with the ability to grant wishes; some fisherman have believed that spotting a mermaid is a bad omen, yet spotting them has saved their lives by making them steer clear of their intended paths. It could easily be argued, and well believed, that if something can exist with such prominence in the human psyche, the chances are that it is real; mermaids either exist here on Earth and appear when they wish, or live in some other dimension or plain of existence that our collective consciousness remembers.



    How did the myths about mermaids arise? 

    Legends of half-human, half-fish creatures go back thousands of years. Everyone has seen pictures of mermaids. Sightings were made by the early Arabs and the Greek Pliny in 586 A.D. Many medieval sailors claimed to have seen them and such reports continued right into the 1900's.

    Most sightings by sailors were probably normal marine creatures, such as manatees, dugongs, or sea-cows (now extinct). These appear to cradle their young much as a human would carry a baby. It is possible that sailors, seeing these unfamiliar beasts, would assume that they had stumbled across some sort of humanoid species. Mermaids described by the famous explorer, Christopher Columbus, were almost certainly manatees. He reported seeing three mermaids in the ocean off Haiti, in January of 1493. He said they "came quite high out of the water", but were "not as pretty as they are depicted, for somehow in the face they look like men."

    However such descriptions are very different from the usual portrayal of a mermaid and the idea, of a beautiful but dangerous creature, probably arose from the earlier stories of the Sirens of the Aegean Sea. The Sirens were sea-nymphs who had the power to charm by their song all who heard them, so that the unhappy mariners were irresistibly impelled to cast themselves into the sea to their destruction. The Sirens were first mentioned in Homer's Odyssey. This may have shaped the portrayal of mermaids from medieval times onwards. The modern view of mermaids has also been influenced by Hans Christian Andersen's fairytale, The Little Mermaid, written in 1836.



    So, are mermaids good or bad? 

    It seems it would depend on which story you read. However, based on the evidence, you would need to be very careful if you ever encountered one.
    In British folklore they can be bringers of bad fortune, capable of causing storms and killing humans.Some of the bad things that mermaids are accused of include telling sailors their ship is doomed and enchanting sailors
    and causing shipwrecks. Seeing a mermaid is a sure sign of a violent storm to come. In other stories, they deliberately drag people down in the water and squeeze the life out of drowning men. They also take men down to their underwater kingdoms.

    However, on occasions, mermaids can also bring good fortune by giving humans cures or granting them wishes. In some tales, they even marry and live with humans. For example, the Merrow of Ireland and Scotland.
    These mermaids are beautiful, gentle, modest and kind. They wear a red cap and, if this is captured and hidden from them, they will shed their skins and stay on land. However, most times they eventually retrieve the cap and return to the sea. They also lure young men to follow them beneath the waves. Here they live in an enchanted state. Merrow music is often heard coming from beneath the waves.





    How did this story come about? 

    The Lizard in Cornwall is a high plateau surrounded by the sea, with numerous hidden little coves and beaches, just the sort of area for mermaid stories.

    Many Cornish people, particularly sailors, have claimed to have seen or heard a mermaid and belief in them was once widespread. There are many stories of mermaids seen on the rocks and of mermaids sitting weeping and wailing on the shore.

    The mermaids in Cornish stories possess many of the features of mermaids the world over. They are beautiful, often seen combing their golden hair and live for a long time without ageing. Like many British and Irish mermaids, the mermaid in this story has more sympathy, inquisitiveness and interest in humans than other mermaids.

    It was often thought that people with a knowledge of healing or a knowledge of the future gained these powers by supernatural means, either from the witches, fairies or, in this case, a mermaid. This is not the only tale passed down the generations, of special powers given to an ancestor from a mermaid. Preparing a vessel of water, which would show the face of a thief, as in the story, is a common means of detection that occurs in many myths.

    Mermaids are one of the most famous mythical creatures, depicted regularly in literature and film. The "Mermaid's Rock" can still be seen off the coast and you can visit Kynance cove and the beaches by the Lizard.


    Basilisks



    In European bestiaries and legends, a basilisk  is a legendary reptile reputed to be king of serpents and said to have the power to cause death with a single glance. According to the Naturalis Historia of Pliny the Elder, the basilisk of Cyrene is a small snake, "being not more than twelve fingers in length,"[2] that is so venomous that it leaves a wide trail of deadly venom in its wake, and its gaze is likewise lethal; its weakness is in the odor of the weasel, which, according to Pliny, was thrown into the basilisk's hole, recognizable because all the surrounding shrubs and grass had been scorched by its presence. It is possible that the legend of the basilisk and its association with the weasel in Europe was inspired by accounts of certain species of Asiatic snakes (such as the King Cobra) and their natural predator, the mongoose.

    The basilisk is called "king" because it is reputed to have on its head a mitre- or crown-shaped crest. Stories of the basilisk show that it is not completely distinguished from the cockatrice. The basilisk is alleged to be hatched by a cockerel from the egg of a serpent or toad (the reverse of the cockatrice, which was hatched from a cockerel's "egg" incubated by a serpent or toad). In Medieval Europe, the description of the creature began taking on features from cockerels.




    MORE ABOUT BASILISKS

    The mythical king of the serpents. The basilisk, or cockatrice, is a creature that is born from a spherical, yolkless egg, laid during the days of Sirius (the Dog Star) by a seven-year-old rooster and hatched by a toad.

    The basilisk could have originated from the horned adder or hooded cobra from India. Pliny the Elder described it simply as a snake with a golden crown. By the Middle Ages, it had become a snake with the head of a cock, and sometimes with the head a human. In art, the basilisk symbolized the devil and the antichrist. To the Protestants, it was a symbol of the papacy.
    According to legend, there are two species of the creature. The first kind burns everything it approaches, and the second kind can kill every living thing with a mere glance. Both species are so dreadful that their breath wilts vegetation and shatters stones. It was even believed that if a man on horseback should try to kill it with a spear, the power of the poison conducted through the weapon would not only kill the rider, but the horse as well. The only way to kill a basilisk is by holding a mirror in front of its eyes, while avoiding to look directly at it. The moment the creature sees its own reflection, it will die of fright.
    However, even the basilisk has natural enemies. The weasel is immune to its glance and if it gets bitten it withdraws from the fight to eat some rue, the only plant that does not wither, and returns with renewed strength. A more dangerous enemy is the cock for should the basilisk hear it crow, it would die instantly.
    The carcass of a basilisk was often hung in houses to keep spiders away. It was also used in the temples of Apollo and Diana, where no swallow ever dared to enter. In heraldry the basilisk is represented as an animal with the head, torso and legs of a cock, the tongue of a snake and the wings of a bat. The snake-like rump ends in an arrowpoint.

    Witches and wizards



    Witchcraft, in historical, anthropological, religious, and mythological contexts, is the use of alleged supernatural or magical powers or spells. A witch (from Old English wicca masculine, wicce feminine) is a practitioner of witchcraft.A "witch" differs from a sorcerer in that they do not use physical tools or actions to curse; their maleficium is perceived as extending from some intangible inner quality, and the person may be unaware that they are a "witch", or may have been convinced of their own evil nature by the suggestion of others.


    Bad or Good? In many myths and legends, witches are evil, dishonest, or dangerous. Some cultures do not consider them fully human. If not evil by nature, witches may be possessed by demons or wicked spirits determined to harm humans. Yet ordinary men and women may learn magic for the purpose of hurting others. Such people are sometimes called sorcerers and sorceresses rather than wizards and witches. African tradition distinguishes between good magicians, or medicine men, and bad magicians, or sorcerers. Both types are distinct from the nonhuman witch.
    During the Middle Ages in Europe, the belief in witches was widespread. Witches were said to be worshipers of the Devil. Thousands of women and some men were tortured and executed after being accused of witchcraft.
    Not all witches and wizards are evil. Some myths and folktales feature good spirits or magicians who help people. These are said to practice "white magic" rather than the "black magic" of the evil witches and wizards.





    THERE ARE TWO TYPES OF WITCHCRAFT PRACTICES

    White Witchcraft
    Practiced to provide good intentions to the people around you.
    The practitioners are often said to have a Wiccan faith. This is a religion which is guided by modern pagan beliefs. It allows one to look in the earth and aspire for its development.
    Practitioners believe in the threefold return. This belief says that for every good action you make, the return of this is three times in magnitude. This also applies in the bad side. However Wiccan practice does not encourage bad practices in life.Practitioners normally utilize prayers and rituals. They use spells to provide luck to the people around them.Practitioners also use objects which are highly useful for witchcraft. Some witches utilize talismans and crystals. They are said to benefit a lot from such objects.

    Black Witchcraft
    Practitioners perform acts which are spiteful and provide harm to others.
    They utilize unnatural acts which inflict danger to a number of people. With this, their enemies can be washed away or banished in a certain place.They conduct negative acts in order to punish spiteful enemies for their selfish gain.Practitioners use black magic. Nonetheless, black magic is not solely used for negative sense. It can also provide best hopes to those people who are hurt and needs to regain strength through fighting back.
    People do not take black magic lightly. They tend to fear the practitioners of black witchcraft.
    The magic used in this kind of witchcraft is a common source of misconception.
    Black magic is commonly practiced in most of the black witches’ covens.
    Practitioners sometimes fear the negative consequences of black magic.





    WITCHCRAFT AROUND THE WORLD

    African Witchcraft
    Evans-Pitchard, the author of Witchcraft, Oracles and Magic among the Azande, says that the Zande witches have many beliefs such as magic and sorcery. The Zande witches came from the Zande tribe in Northern Africa. Magic and sorcery plays important roles in the Zande witches' lives.

    European Witchcraft
    King James of England was very afraid of witches in his time. In the King James Version of the Bible, the Hebrew word "kashshaf" would be translated as witch instead of "old woman" or "sorcerer." In general, many Europeans were afraid of witches and some recorded the information of the trials, tortures, and executions of witches.

    Indian Witchcraft
    There are two short stories that portray Indian witches. Both stories are based on the Santal tribal areas of India. (Witchcraft still exists in this area). Bandyopadhyay's story is about an old woman living outside a village who believes that she has powers of a witch. Throughout the story, the old woman tries not to contact other people, so she would not harm them. There is another story by Devi that portrays villagers around the Bantal area as witches.





     Pendle Witches
    The trials of the Pendle witches in 1612 are among the most famous witch trials in English history, and some of the best recorded of the 17th century. The twelve accused lived in the area around Pendle Hill in Lancashire, and were charged with the murders of ten people by the use of witchcraft. All but two were tried at Lancaster Assizes on 18–19 August 1612, along with the Samlesbury witches and others, in a series of trials that have become known as the Lancashire witch trials. One was tried at York Assizes on 27 July 1612, and another died in prison. Of the eleven who went to trial – nine women and two men – ten were found guilty and executed by hanging; one was found not guilty.
    The trials were unusual for England at that time in two respects: the official publication of the proceedings by the clerk to the court, Thomas Potts, in his The Wonderfull Discoverie of Witches in the Countie of Lancaster, and in the number of witches hanged together: ten at Lancaster and one at York. It has been estimated that all of the English witch trials between the early 15th and early 18th centuries resulted in fewer than 500 executions; this series of trials accounts for more than two per cent of that total.
    Six of the Pendle witches came from one of two families, each headed by a female in her eighties at the time of the trials: 
    Elizabeth Southerns , her daughter Elizabeth Device, and her grandchildren James and Alizon Device; Anne Whittle (aka Chattox), and her daughter Anne Redferne. The others accused were Jane Bulcock and her son John Bulcock, Alice Nutter, Katherine Hewitt, Alice Gray, and Jennet Preston. The outbreaks of witchcraft in and around Pendle may demonstrate the extent to which people could make a living by posing as witches. Many of the allegations resulted from accusations that members of the Demdike and Chattox families made against each other, perhaps because they were in competition, both trying to make a living from healing, begging, and extortion.






    SOME FAMOUS MODERN WITCH STORIES




    The Queen from Snow White
    Snow White’s stepmother, the Queen was beautiful but very proud and jealous of anyone more beautiful than herself. Unfortunately for Snow White, her beauty far exceeded that of her stepmother’s. The crazy Queen turned herself into a haggard-looking old woman (or better known as the witch)  and brought the poison apple for poor Snow White.


     Wicked Witch of the West
    Her scary green face has kept many a child up at night. This witch is bent on both revenge and power. She seeks revenge for her sister who was accidentally killed by Dorothy as well she is after the coveted magical pair of silver shoes (ruby slippers in the movie). Portrayed by Margaret Hamilton, she also played the evil Miss Gulch who tried to steal poor Toto from Dorothy. The Wicked Witch of the West is best known for the following line: "I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog too!"


    The Witch of Hansel & Gretel
    A witch has got to eat during times of famine in Medieval Germany, right?  Alas, she is vilified once again in this Germanic fairytale adapted by the Brothers Grimm. This resourceful and cunning witch constructs her house of yummy candy and ginderbread in order to lure children so as to fatten them and then eat them up. Pretty lurid plot, but it was believed that Hansel & Gretel was a cautionary fable to advocate NOT to abandon your children during tough times! Unfortunately, the witch, or wiccan-practicing folk in those days were smeared and further stereotyped. It would have been best to update Hansel & Gretel and substitute the Nazi's of World War II Germany as witch/villain.



    Samantha of Bewitched
    The pretty, sweet and benign witch in this American sitcom, airing from 1964-1972 was the most successful of the supernatural sitcoms of its day. Bewitched was about a witch married to a non-witch and all the craziness that can rise from the situation. Samantha used her nose-twitching powers for good and tried to resist the urge to use it for personal benefit. She wanted to fit in. However, the best part of the show was when her witchcraft caused issues and the problems her wiccan-family inflicted on poor "Derwood."



    The Bell Witch
    Is it a witch or a ghost...or both? The Legend of the Bell Witch, also known as the Bell Witch Haunting occurred in Tennessee from 1817-1821. Major paranormal activity intruded on the lives of the Bell family and some believe the patriarch, John Bell eventually died from it.

    Word eventually leaked about the Bell's paranormal activity. It soon attracted and was even witnessed by many townsfolk, even the future President Andrew Jackson! He was later quoted as saying "I would rather fight the entire English Army then to have to face the Bell Witch again." The first haunting occurred in 1817 when John Bell encountered a strange animal in a cornfield on his property. Soon, the Bell's heard threatening voices, especially directed towards John Bell. The witch also focused on the daughter, Betsy who was violently assaulted by the witch.

    So who was the Bell Witch? Some think it was the spirit of Kate Batts, a disgruntled neighbor of the Bell's. Apparently she sued John Bell over cheating her in a land deal. However, some believe that the Bell Witch was actually a poltergeist since their home was built over a Native American burial ground. The phenomena was turned into a movie called An American Haunting in 2006.



    Cantaurs



    The centaurs of Greek mythology are creatures that are part human and part horse. They are usually portrayed with the torso and head of a human, and the body of a horse. Centaurs are the followers of the wine god Dionysus and are well known for drunkenness and carrying off helpless young maidens.
    There are also deer-centaurs, dog-centaurs, and the Gaelic androcephalous or man-headed horse. Both Greeks and Etruscans sometimes painted a centaur-like animal with the entire body of a human rather awkwardly attached in various ways to the lower or back parts of a horse.

    The father of Centaurs was Centaurus, who was held in disrepute by both men and gods. Some accounts claim that he was the son of Apollo and Stilbe but, the more interesting accounts say he was fathered by Ixion. He gave birth to the race of Centaurs by mating with Magnesian mares.

    Centaurs can live up to 300 years. There are two types of centaurs, civilized and uncivilized. Both centaurs look the same the only difference is how they choose to live. According to myths Centaurs lived in the mountains of northern Greece and in other stories they lived in the forest. Because Centaurs had two stomachs they ate human food and horse food. The uncivilized centaurs would probably attack anything that came into their territory. The civilized centaurs were peaceful smart being that would probably only attack if they felt threatened.


    Goblins



    A goblin is a legendary evil or mischievous creature; a grotesquely evil or evil-like phantom.
    They are attributed with various (sometimes conflicting) abilities, temperaments and appearances depending on the story and country of origin. In some cases, goblins have been classified as constantly annoying little creatures somewhat related to the brownie and gnome. They are usually depicted as small, sometimes only a few inches tall, sometimes the size of a dwarf. They also often are said to possess various magical abilities.


    TYPES OF GOBLINS

    Hobgoblins
    Hobgoblins, with their dark colored shaggy hair, are thought to be one of the most benign forms of goblin, closely related to brownies. They are small tricksters that love to mess with human lives through direct influence or theft when they are really in a mood to pull practical jokes. The main thing that separates them from other goblins though is their close labor relations to humans. They will do toiling work around a human house for a bowl of fresh milk or a spark of fire since they enjoy the warmth but cannot create their own just like other goblins.






    Kol'ksu
    The Kol'ksu are water goblins. They are very psychic, and they are very carnivorous. They are also beautiful, in an alien sort of way. They have white hair and white irises in their dragon-like eyes. The features are delicate and they might easily be mistaken for mythological mermaids...or sirens. 
    Kol'ksu never allow themselves to be seen by humans, and woe to the human who might somehow encounter one!





    Winged goblin
    Winged goblins are very rare, and considered of special omen among the other goblins. They come from a very old line that has mostly died out, but a particular combination of genetics can result in the birth of such a creature among the oldest of goblins.






    Bogey
    Bogeys tend to be the smallest form of goblin. To make up for their size, they are also very ephemeral, making them the hardest goblin to actually kill. They tend to be completely black in color and live in the dark places of common houses such as attics, cupboards, and closets. These particular dwellings of Bogeys help them in their most common exploits against human beings. They love to pop out from their hiding places to scare children and adults within the house, which where the terms “bogeyman” and “boogieman” came from.









    Kobold
    The Kobold is a very famous race of goblin with origins in Germanic mythology that continues in German folklore. One of the aspects that make them such a wide-spread version of goblins is their versatility as Kobolds can live on ships, in mines, and even human homes. Their appearance changes to fit their locale of choice. However, most Kobolds choose to be ambivalent household spirits where they can help with chores or can freely perform malicious tricks if insulted or neglected.




    Hogboon
    The Hogboon, or Hogboy, is a very friendly earth goblin. They are so kindly to humans that many people try to claim that they are not goblins at all.However, many tales show that they have a negative side whereby they can be very fickle if the humans refused to share the outputs of the farm with them—whether it be milk, butter, bread, or ale. They would bring ill luck to the farm, sometimes even making the land barren, or causing the death of a particularly disrespectful human who tries to get into his mound for treasure.



    Genies


    Jinn or genies are supernatural creatures as mentioned in the Qur'an and often referred to in Arab folklore and Islamic mythology that occupy a parallel world to that of mankind.In many modern cultures, a Genie is portrayed as a magical being that grants wishes.






    TYPES OF JINNS


    Aamir (dweller)
    If the jinni is one of those who live in houses with people, they call him ‘Aamir (dweller).

    Rooh (spirits)
    If the jinni is one of those who interact with children, they call them Ruh. We hear a lot from our children seeing cartoons in real life. Ones who are scared of water speak of the same cartoonish things appearing in  water to them.

    Al-nasnas – Shiqq
    Strangest of all, described as a man split into two, having half a body. Al-Jahiz speaks, that if a shiqq encounters a human, it beats him till he dies.

    Marid 
    Large and imposing, the marid are considered the most powerful tribe of jinn. They are the classic genies of folklore, often portrayed as barrelchested men with booming voices.
    Originally sea-spirits, they are often associated with water, and thought to take sanctuary in the open ocean.








    Effrit
    Intelligent and cunning, the effrit are thought to live in complex societies similar to those of humans. They are said to prefer caves and under ground dwellings. Though ostensibly demonic, they are portrayed as changeable in nature, and capable of becoming pious and good.







    Ghoul
    This tribe of jinn has traveled north and west to become a common English- language term for “undead monster.” This is pretty close to its original Arabic connotation; ghouls are thought to be zombie-like jinn who haunt graveyards and prey on human flesh. They are strictly demonic and incapable of goodness. Often portrayed as nocturnal. 







    Sila
    Talented shape-shifters who are more tolerant of human society than other tribes of jinn, sila are most often portrayed as female. Thought to be extremely intelligent, sila are nonetheless the most rarely seen of all the types of jinn, and appear only sporadically in folklore.