Some Humor for Monday

Why was the acid so rude on Monday?
He was a-mean-o-acid

Why does Sunday always beat Monday in arm wrestling?
Because Monday is a weakday.

What’s the most depressing sound on Monday?
Alarm clocks.

How do cheeses greet each other on Monday mornings?
Have a Gouda week.

Why did the skeleton do such a poor job in school on Mondays?
His heart wasn’t in it.

Why did the magicians in class get the best mark on their test on Monday?
They got all of the trick questions right.

How do hens feel on Mondays?
Eggshausted.

Why does Santa hand out candy canes on Mondays?
For encourage-mint.

What did the teacher say to her aardvark student when he walked into class on Monday morning?
Why the long face?

Why did the corrupt calendar go to prison?
Monday laundering.

Some Humor for Sunday

A man on a train gets up and moves to the doors. A conductor notices and says “Sorry sir, this train doesn’t stop at the next station on a Sunday night.” Seeing how disappointed he is, the conductor says “It does slow down going through the station though, perhaps there is a way I could help you if you like.”

So as the train slows down the conductor takes hold of the man’s coat collar and lifts him out over the platform, “Start running in the air so you don’t fall over as you touch the ground.”

The man starts running in the air as the conductor lowers him and he has so much momentum as he hits the platform that he runs past his carriage and comes alongside the next one, the door of that carriage opens and a passenger reaches out, grabs his coat collar and lifts him inside, slamming the door, saying “You’re lucky there mate, this train doesn’t stop here on a Sunday night.”

Good Day WOTC Family and Friends Here is a Poem for Today

Edgar Allen Poe is one of my favorite all time writers. As my right-hand witch Graphia has a special link with Ravens this is dedicated to her.

The Raven

Once upon a midnight dreary, while I pondered, weak and weary,
Over many a quaint and curious volume of forgotten lore—
    While I nodded, nearly napping, suddenly there came a tapping,
As of some one gently rapping, rapping at my chamber door.
“’Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door—
            Only this and nothing more.”
    Ah, distinctly I remember it was in the bleak December;
And each separate dying ember wrought its ghost upon the floor.
    Eagerly I wished the morrow;—vainly I had sought to borrow
    From my books surcease of sorrow—sorrow for the lost Lenore—
For the rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
            Nameless here for evermore.
    And the silken, sad, uncertain rustling of each purple curtain
Thrilled me—filled me with fantastic terrors never felt before;
    So that now, to still the beating of my heart, I stood repeating
    “’Tis some visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door—
Some late visitor entreating entrance at my chamber door;—
            This it is and nothing more.”
    Presently my soul grew stronger; hesitating then no longer,
“Sir,” said I, “or Madam, truly your forgiveness I implore;
    But the fact is I was napping, and so gently you came rapping,
    And so faintly you came tapping, tapping at my chamber door,
That I scarce was sure I heard you”—here I opened wide the door;—
            Darkness there and nothing more.
    Deep into that darkness peering, long I stood there wondering, fearing,
Doubting, dreaming dreams no mortal ever dared to dream before;
    But the silence was unbroken, and the stillness gave no token,
    And the only word there spoken was the whispered word, “Lenore?”
This I whispered, and an echo murmured back the word, “Lenore!”—
            Merely this and nothing more.
    Back into the chamber turning, all my soul within me burning,
Soon again I heard a tapping somewhat louder than before.
    “Surely,” said I, “surely that is something at my window lattice;
      Let me see, then, what thereat is, and this mystery explore—
Let my heart be still a moment and this mystery explore;—
            ’Tis the wind and nothing more!”
    Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter,
In there stepped a stately Raven of the saintly days of yore;
    Not the least obeisance made he; not a minute stopped or stayed he;
    But, with mien of lord or lady, perched above my chamber door—
Perched upon a bust of Pallas just above my chamber door—
            Perched, and sat, and nothing more.
Then this ebony bird beguiling my sad fancy into smiling,
By the grave and stern decorum of the countenance it wore,
“Though thy crest be shorn and shaven, thou,” I said, “art sure no craven,
Ghastly grim and ancient Raven wandering from the Nightly shore—
Tell me what thy lordly name is on the Night’s Plutonian shore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
    Much I marvelled this ungainly fowl to hear discourse so plainly,
Though its answer little meaning—little relevancy bore;
    For we cannot help agreeing that no living human being
    Ever yet was blessed with seeing bird above his chamber door—
Bird or beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door,
            With such name as “Nevermore.”
    But the Raven, sitting lonely on the placid bust, spoke only
That one word, as if his soul in that one word he did outpour.
    Nothing farther then he uttered—not a feather then he fluttered—
    Till I scarcely more than muttered “Other friends have flown before—
On the morrow he will leave me, as my Hopes have flown before.”
            Then the bird said “Nevermore.”
    Startled at the stillness broken by reply so aptly spoken,
“Doubtless,” said I, “what it utters is its only stock and store
    Caught from some unhappy master whom unmerciful Disaster
    Followed fast and followed faster till his songs one burden bore—
Till the dirges of his Hope that melancholy burden bore
            Of ‘Never—nevermore’.”
    But the Raven still beguiling all my fancy into smiling,
Straight I wheeled a cushioned seat in front of bird, and bust and door;
    Then, upon the velvet sinking, I betook myself to linking
    Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominous bird of yore—
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and ominous bird of yore
            Meant in croaking “Nevermore.”
    This I sat engaged in guessing, but no syllable expressing
To the fowl whose fiery eyes now burned into my bosom’s core;
    This and more I sat divining, with my head at ease reclining
    On the cushion’s velvet lining that the lamp-light gloated o’er,
But whose velvet-violet lining with the lamp-light gloating o’er,
            She shall press, ah, nevermore!
    Then, methought, the air grew denser, perfumed from an unseen censer
Swung by Seraphim whose foot-falls tinkled on the tufted floor.
    “Wretch,” I cried, “thy God hath lent thee—by these angels he hath sent thee
    Respite—respite and nepenthe from thy memories of Lenore;
Quaff, oh quaff this kind nepenthe and forget this lost Lenore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!—
Whether Tempter sent, or whether tempest tossed thee here ashore,
    Desolate yet all undaunted, on this desert land enchanted—
    On this home by Horror haunted—tell me truly, I implore—
Is there—is there balm in Gilead?—tell me—tell me, I implore!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
    “Prophet!” said I, “thing of evil!—prophet still, if bird or devil!
By that Heaven that bends above us—by that God we both adore—
    Tell this soul with sorrow laden if, within the distant Aidenn,
    It shall clasp a sainted maiden whom the angels name Lenore—
Clasp a rare and radiant maiden whom the angels name Lenore.”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
    “Be that word our sign of parting, bird or fiend!” I shrieked, upstarting—
“Get thee back into the tempest and the Night’s Plutonian shore!
    Leave no black plume as a token of that lie thy soul hath spoken!
    Leave my loneliness unbroken!—quit the bust above my door!
Take thy beak from out my heart, and take thy form from off my door!”
            Quoth the Raven “Nevermore.”
    And the Raven, never flitting, still is sitting, still is sitting
On the pallid bust of Pallas just above my chamber door;
    And his eyes have all the seeming of a demon’s that is dreaming,
    And the lamp-light o’er him streaming throws his shadow on the floor;
And my soul from out that shadow that lies floating on the floor
            Shall be lifted—nevermore!
Public domain. First published by Wiley and Putnam, 1845, in The Raven and Other Poems ​​​​​​​by Edgar Allan Poe.

Some of the Witchcraft/Magickal Correspondence and a Spell for Sunday

(YOU CAN COPY AND PASTE ANY COROSPONDENCES AND SPELLS POSTED TO A DOCUMENT TO PRINT AND/OR SAVE ON YOUR COMPUTER)

Sunday from thewitchandwand.com

Sunday honors the sun and brings success, hope, inspiration, and prosperity.

Metal: Gold

Colors: Gold, Yellow, Orange

Gems and Stones: Amber, Carnelian, Topaz

Botanicals: Lemon, Cedar, Frankincense, St. John’s Wort, Sunflower, Orange

Spellwork: wealth, creativity, inspiration, happiness, hope, recognition

Leaf Spell for Release

Take a walk in nature and reflect on what no longer serves you. Collect a leaf and use it to cast this spell to let go pain and the past so you can summon peace and restore your sense of inner harmony.

I love casting this spell in fall, especially around the fall harvest festival known as Mabon. The fall is a wonderfully transformative time. As the leaves begin to change color and drop to the ground, we are reminded that sometimes we need to let go in order to change.

ITEMS NEEDED

  • leaf

  • ziploc bag

  • chopstick or something similar

STEPS

1. Go for a walk outside and reflect on what you would like to let go of

2. Collect a newly fallen leaf

3. Place the leaf in a ziploc bag and use the chopstick to “write” the thing you want to let go of on the leaf. Press on the leaf through the ziploc bag firmly enough to see the marks on the leaf, but be careful not to tear the leaf.

4. Take the leaf outside. Focus on releasing what no longer serves you and recite the incantation below. Let go of the leaf and release it back to nature.

“The past I leave with this leaf,

let go of pain and summon peace”

Goddesses – Ma’at Egyptian Goddess Of Truth And Justice

Ma’at Egyptian Goddess Of Truth And Justice

Ma’at (aka Maat) was the ancient Egyptian concept of cosmic order and balance. The philosophy of Ma’at allowed them to rationalize the events occurring around them. As long as the universe revolved around Ma’at there would be a purity that ensured balance and justice. Through this ideology, Ma’at became the basis of Egyptian culture.

The Ma’at concept was personified as the goddess of truth and justice. From the earliest eras in Egypt, people considered her as essential for the stability of life. She represented truth, justice, harmony and balance. The opposite of chaos, Ma’at gave order to nature and society. Reaching beyond being simply a goddess, Ma’at became a focus for leadership, philosophy and law.

Born a Goddess Over All Creation

Historians found the first written accounts of Ma’at in the Pyramid Texts, written between 2375 and 2345 BCE. However, the divine concept of the goddess is a much older idea. Ma’at is a central figure in the Egyptian creation story. She was with her father Ra on his celestial barque, or sailing boat, as he came from the waters with the Egyptian gods and goddesses.

Egyptians saw Ra as the most important god in Egyptian society. He made Ma’at even more important by standing on her pedestal to establish all creation. This placed Ma’at as the order that transformed chaos into creation. She ruled both gods and people.

Over time, Ma’at developed beyond being simply the daughter of Ra and responsible for order to being the reason that the universe existed. Some of her other responsibilities include:

  • Relationships
  • The cycle of seasons
  • The movements of the sun, moon and stars
  • All parts of religion
  • How people behaved
  • The positive characteristics of men
  • Rulers, leaders and judges
  • The afterlife

Historical texts transform Ma’at from a goddess to actually being creation. In many instances, ancient Egyptians considered their society and religion to be “Ma’at”, while the wilderness and other cultures were considered chaotic and unjust.

The Ideal Egyptian Woman

Ma’at is often represented as a slim woman with a white ostrich feather on her head. She often carries a scepter or an ankh. Some ancient representations feature Ma’at with wings of divinity outstretched. Egyptians viewed her slim figure and symmetrical features to represent the appearance of the perfect Egyptian woman.

The symbol of Ma’at is a primeval mound. The symbol represents Ma’at as being the mound on which the gods stood upon when creating the universe. Other symbols associated with Ma’at are the ostrich feather and scales.

Family Tree

FatherRa, the sun god.

Sister: Shu, the air god.

Husband: Thoth, the moon god

Role as a Goddess

Ma’at ruled everything, which made her a very busy goddess. Every day she helped Ra to steer his boat across the sky, making a path for the sun. She was the partner of Thoth and the mother of the eight deities known as the Chief Gods and Goddesses of Hermopolis.

Beyond being the force which kept the Egypt functioning as an orderly society, Ma’at held an important role in the afterlife. She not only kept order among the living, but served as the judge of the afterlife.

Ma’at’s ability to view truth and justice was key in judging a soul.

When an Egyptian died, the process of mummification included leaving the heart within the body. Egyptians considered the heart to be the soul of the person, by which he or she would be judged in the afterlife. After death, Ma’at would judge the hearts of the dead in Osiris’s Judgment Halls of the Dead. Once the dead reached the halls, Ma’at would weigh the heart of each person against the weight of her ostrich feather. If the heart weighed the same or less than the feather, they were considered just and worthy of continuing into the Duat, or everlasting afterlife.

If the scales indicated that the heart was heavier than the feather, then the person was shown to not be a follower of Ma’at during his or her life. The consequence of this was that the deceased was refused an afterlife and the heart was eaten by a demon. In some versions of the judgment, the crocodile-headed Ammut would devour the entire person.

More Than Just a Goddess

The many different names of Ma’at give an idea of her importance to Egyptian society. Egyptians referred to Ma’at as:

  • Eye of Ra
  • Mistress of the Underworld
  • Queen of the Earth
  • Lady of Heaven
  • Lady of the Gods and Goddesses

Egyptians saw Ma’at as an everlasting goddess. By representing order, she became the most important goddess of ancient Egypt.

Pharaohs Worshiped Ma’at

Pharaohs in ancient Egypt weren’t simply rulers, but were also seen as gods. The idea that all gods worshiped and respected Ma’at meant that the pharaohs of Egypt must also seek Ma’at in order to prosper. Egyptians believed that if a pharaoh did not follow Ma’at, the chaos would return and destroy the world.

Many pharaohs wanted to show that Ma’at blessed them and that they were everything Ma’at represented. Wanting to be seen as good leaders, they would often call themselves the “Lords of Ma’at.” This showed that they had truth and justice in their hearts. Egypt’s pharaohs often took great efforts to discredit previous rulers. This practice strengthened their position of power. By saying that the previous pharaoh did not have Ma’at in his heart, the current pharaoh would position himself as the savior of Egypt by restoring truth, justice and order.

Legally Speaking

Because Egyptians saw Ma’at as the judge of souls in the afterlife, Egyptian judges based Egyptian law on the teachings of Ma’at. The spirit of Ma’at became the idea behind how Egyptian judges applied justice. Starting in the fifth dynasty, Egyptians referred to the head of justice as the “Priest of Ma’at.” After 2370 BCE, judges continued to wear the image of Ma’at while on duty.

Egyptian judges believed that justice and fairness equaled peace and harmony. In order to have a peaceful society, justice through Ma’at was very important.

Facts About Ma’at

Ma’at became the basis of Egyptian culture

She represented leadership, philosophy and law

Ra placed Ma’at at the center of all creation

She was worshiped by pharaohs, who often called themselves “Lords of Ma’at”

Some Humor for Saturday

1. What do Ghosts suffer from?
Saturday fright fever.

2. Why are Saturday and Sunday strong?
Because all the other days are week days.

3. What do chicken families do on Saturday afternoon?
They go on peck-nics.

4. If you think Thursday are depressing, wait two days
Then it would be a sadder day (Saturday)

5. John Travolta tested negative for Coronavirus last night.
Turns out is was just a Saturday Night Fever.

6. Why could I not attend my friend’s dumplings party on Saturday morning?
Because I had to wok on Friday night.

Meet the Clairs

theuncommonshaman's avatarThe Uncommon Shaman

The Clair Senses

This collective word phrase includes any or all types of psychic sensitivities that correspond to the physical senses of sight, sound, touch, smell, taste, and sense/intuition.

The first that we’ll discuss is Clairvoyance.

Clairvoyance: 1. A person who has a supernatural ability to perceive events in the future or beyond normal sensory contact.
Synonyms: Psychic, fortune teller, medium, telepath, mind-reader, remote viewer

Clairvoyance literally translated means clair, French for “clear”, and voyance meaning “vision”. It is that ability to reach into that psychic frequency and visually perceive “within the minds’ eye” something not physically known. A person with this ability is called ‘a clairvoyant’, or “One who sees clearly”. They generally receive extrasensory impressions, sometimes in symbols, sometimes in ‘moving picture’ form or mental images, but are seen without using the physical eyes. The information is generally outside the limits of time and space. The…

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Goddesses – Chinese Nüwa Mother Goddess

Nüwa Chinese Mother Goddess

Nüwa, also read Nügua, is a mother goddessculture hero,[1] and/or member of the Three Sovereigns of Chinese mythology. She is a god in Chinese folk religion and Taoism.[2] She is credited with creating humanity and repairing the Pillar of Heaven.[3]

As creator of mankind, she molded humans individually by hand with yellow clay.[4] In other stories where she fulfills this role, she only created nobles[5] and/or the rich[6] out of yellow soil. The stories vary on the other details about humanity’s creation, but it was a tradition commonly believed in ancient China that she created commoners from brown mud.[5] A story holds that she was tired when she created “the rich and the noble”, so all others, or “cord-made people”, were created from her “dragg[ing] a string through mud”.[6]

In the Huainanzi, there is described a great battle between deities that broke the pillars supporting Heaven and caused great devastation. There was great flooding, and Heaven had collapsed. Nüwa was the one who patched the holes in Heaven with five colored stones, and she used the legs of a tortoise to mend the pillars.[4]

There are many instances of her in literature across China which detail her in creation stories, and today, she remains a figure important to Chinese culture.

Name

The character  (Chineselit. ‘female’) is a common prefix on the names of goddesses. The proper name is wa, also read as gua (Chinese). The Chinese character is unique to this name. Birrell translates it as ‘lovely’, but notes that it “could be construed as ‘frog’, which is consistent with her aquatic myth.[7] In Chinese, the word for ‘whirlpool’ is wo (Chinese), which shares the same pronunciation with the word for ‘snail’ (Chinese). These characters all have their right side constructed by the word wa (Chinese), which can be translated as ‘spiral’ or ‘helix’ as noun, and as ‘spin’ or ‘rotate’ when as verb, to describe the ‘helical movement’. This mythical meaning has also been symbolically pictured as compasses in the hand which can be found on many paintings and portraits associated with her.

Her reverential name is Wahuang (Chinese媧皇lit. ‘Empress Wa’).[8]

Description

The Huainanzi relates Nüwa to the time when Heaven and Earth were in disruption:

Going back to more ancient times, the four pillars were broken; the nine provinces were in tatters. Heaven did not completely cover [the earth]; Earth did not hold up [Heaven] all the way around [its circumference]. Fires blazed out of control and could not be extinguished; water flooded in great expanses and would not recede. Ferocious animals ate blameless people; predatory birds snatched the elderly and the weak. Thereupon, Nüwa smelted together five-colored stones in order to patch up the azure sky, cut off the legs of the great turtle to set them up as the four pillars, killed the black dragon to provide relief for Ji Province, and piled up reeds and cinders to stop the surging waters. The azure sky was patched; the four pillars were set up; the surging waters were drained; the province of Ji was tranquil; crafty vermin died off; blameless people [preserved their] lives.[9][a]

The catastrophes were supposedly caused by the battle between the deities Gonggong and Zhuanxu (an event that was mentioned earlier in the Huainanzi),[b] the five-colored stones symbolize the five Chinese elements (wood, fire, earth, metal, and water), the black dragon was the essence of water and thus cause of the floods, Ji Province serves metonymically for the central regions (the Sinitic world).[12] Following this, the Huainanzi tells about how the sage-rulers Nüwa and Fuxi set order over the realm by following the Way () and its potency ().[9]

The Classic of Mountains and Seas, dated between the Warring States period and the Han Dynasty, describes Nüwa’s intestines as being scattered into ten spirits.[13][non-primary source needed]

In Liezi (c. 475 – 221 BC), Chapter 5 “Questions of Tang” (卷第五 湯問篇), author Lie Yukou describes Nüwa repairing the original imperfect heaven using five-colored stones, and cutting the legs off a tortoise to use as struts to hold up the sky.[14]

In Songs of Chu (c. 340 – 278 BC), Chapter 3 “Asking Heaven” (Chinese问天), author Qu Yuan writes that Nüwa molded figures from the yellow earth, giving them life and the ability to bear children. After demons fought and broke the pillars of the heavens, Nüwa worked unceasingly to repair the damage, melting down the five-coloured stones to mend the heavens.[15]

In Shuowen Jiezi (c. 58 – 147 AD), China’s earliest dictionary, under the entry for Nüwa author Xu Shen describes her as being both the sister and the wife of Fuxi. Nüwa and Fuxi were pictured as having snake-like tails interlocked in an Eastern Han Dynasty mural in the Wuliang Temple in Jiaxiang county, Shandong province.[citation needed]

In Duyi Zhi (獨異志; c. 846 – 874 AD), Volume 3, author Li Rong gives this description.

Long ago, when the world first began, there were two people, Nü Kua and her older brother. They lived on Mount K’un-lun. And there were not yet any ordinary people in the world. They talked about becoming husband and wife, but they felt ashamed. So the brother at once went with his sister up Mount K’un-lun and made this prayer: “Oh Heaven, if Thou wouldst send us two forth as man and wife, then make all the misty vapor gather. If not, then make all the misty vapor disperse.” At this, the misty vapor immediately gathered. When the sister became intimate with her brother, they plaited some grass to make a fan to screen their faces. Even today, when a man takes a wife, they hold a fan, which is a symbol of what happened long ago.[16]

There are stories that have her as the “consort” of Fuxi rather than his sister.[2]

In Yuchuan Ziji (玉川子集 c. 618 – 907 AD), Chapter 3 (“與馬異結交詩” 也稱 “女媧本是伏羲婦”), author Lu Tong describes Nüwa as the wife of Fuxi.[citation needed]

In Siku QuanshuSima Zhen (679–732) provides commentary on the prologue chapter to Sima Qian‘s Shiji, “Supplemental to the Historic Record: History of the Three August Ones”, wherein it is found that the Three August Ones are Nüwa, Fuxi, and Shennong; Fuxi and Nüwa have the same last name, Feng (Chinese; Hmong: Faj).[c]

In the collection Four Great Books of Song (c. 960 – 1279 AD), compiled by Li Fang and others, Volume 78 of the book Imperial Readings of the Taiping Era contains a chapter “Customs by Yingshao of the Han Dynasty” in which it is stated that there were no men when the sky and the earth were separated. Thus Nüwa used yellow clay to make people. But the clay was not strong enough so she put ropes into the clay to make the bodies erect. It is also said that she prayed to gods to let her be the goddess of marital affairs. Variations of this story exist.[citation needed]

In Ming dynasty myths about the transition from the Shang dynasty to the Zhou dynasty, Nüwa made evil decisions that ultimately benefited China, such as sending a fox spirit to encourage the debauchery of King Zhou, which led to him being deposed.[17] Other tales have her and Fuxi as exclusively the “great gentle protectors of humanity” unwilling to use subterfuge.[18]

Iconography of Fuxi and Nüwa

The iconography of Fuxi and Nüwa vary in physical appearance depending on the time period and also shows regional differences.[19] In Chinese tomb murals and iconography, Fuxi and Nüwa generally have snake-like bodies and human face or head.[19][20][21]

Nüwa is often depicted holding a compass or multiple compasses, which were a traditional Chinese symbol of a dome-like sky.[1] She was also thought to be an embodiment of the stars[1] or a star god.

Fuxi and Nüwa can be depicted as individual figures arranged as a symmetrical pair or they can be depicted in double figures with intertwined snake-like bodies.[19] Their snake-like tails can also be depicted stretching out towards each other.[19] Fuxi and Nüwa can also appear individually on separate tomb bricks.[19] They generally hold or embrace the sun or moon discs containing the images of a bird (or a three-legged crow) or a toad (sometimes a hare) which are the sun and moon symbolism respectively, and/or each holding a try square or a pair of compasses, or holding a longevity mushroom (Chinese靈芝pinyinlingzhi) plant.[19][21] Fuxi and Nüwa holding the sun and the moon appears as early as the late Western Han dynasty.[19] Other physical appearance variation, such as lower snake-like body shape (e.g. thick vs thin tails), depictions of legs (i.e. legs found along the snake-like body) and wings (e.g. wings with feathers which protrude from their backs as found in late Western Han Xinan (新安) Tomb or smaller quills found on their shoulders), and in hats and hairstyles, also exist.[19]

In the Luoyang regions murals dating to the late Western Han dynasty, Fuxi and Nüwa are generally depicted as individual figures, each one found at each side of the central ridge of tomb chambers as found in the Bu Qianqiu Tomb.[19] They can also be found without intertwining tails from the stone murals of the same period.[19] Since the middle of the Eastern Han dynasty, their tails started to intertwine.[19]

In the Gansu murals dating to the Wei and Western Jin period, one of the most typical features of Fuxi is the “mountain-hat” (Chinese山字形pinyinShanzixing) which looks like a three-peaked cap while Nüwa is depicted wearing various hairstyles characteristic of Han women.[19] Both deities dressed in wide-sleeved clothing, which reflects typical Han clothing style also commonly depicted in Han dynasty art.[19]

Legends

Appearance in Fengshen Yanyi

Nüwa is featured within the famed Ming dynasty novel Fengshen Bang. As featured within this novel, Nüwa is very highly respected since the time of the Xia Dynasty for being the daughter of the Jade Emperor; Nüwa is also regularly called the “Snake Goddess”. After the Shang Dynasty had been created, Nüwa created the five-colored stones to protect the dynasty with occasional seasonal rains and other enhancing qualities. Thus in time, Shang Rong asked King Zhou of Shang to pay her a visit as a sign of deep respect. After Zhou was completely overcome with lust at the very sight of the beautiful ancient goddess Nüwa (who had been sitting behind a light curtain), he wrote an erotic poem on a neighboring wall and took his leave. When Nüwa later returned to her temple after visiting the Yellow Emperor, she saw the foulness of Zhou’s words. In her anger, she swore the Shang Dynasty would end in payment for his offense. In her rage, Nüwa personally ascended to the palace in an attempt to kill the king, but was suddenly struck back by two large beams of red light.

After Nüwa realized that King Zhou was already destined to rule the kingdom for twenty-six more years, Nüwa summoned her three subordinates—the Thousand-Year Vixen (later becoming Daji), the Jade Pipa, and the Nine-Headed Pheasant. With these words, Nüwa brought destined chaos to the Shang Dynasty, “The luck Cheng Tang won six hundred years ago is dimming. I speak to you of a new mandate of heaven which sets the destiny for all. You three are to enter King Zhou’s palace, where you are to bewitch him. Whatever you do, do not harm anyone else. If you do my bidding, and do it well, you will be permitted to reincarnate as human beings.”[23] With these words, Nüwa was never heard of again, but was still a major indirect factor towards the Shang Dynasty’s fall.

Creation of humanity[edit]

Pangu was said to be the creation god in Chinese mythology. He was a giant sleeping within an egg of chaos. As he awoke, he stood up and divided the sky and the earth. Pangu then died after standing up, and his body turned into rivers, mountains, plants, animals, and everything else in the world, among which is a powerful being known as Huaxu (華胥). Huaxu gave birth to a twin brother and sister, Fuxi and Nüwa. Fuxi and Nüwa are said to be creatures that have faces of human and bodies of snakes.[24]

Nüwa created humanity due to her loneliness, which grew more intense over time. She molded yellow earth or, in other versions, yellow clay into the shape of people. These individuals later became the wealthy nobles of society, because they had been created by Nüwa’s own hands. However, the majority of humanity was created when Nüwa dragged string across mud to mass-produce them, which she did because creating every person by hand was too time- and energy-consuming. This creation story gives an aetiological explanation for the social hierarchy in ancient China. The nobility believed that they were more important than the mass-produced majority of humanity, because Nüwa took time to create them, and they had been directly touched by her hand.[25] In another version of the creation of humanity, Nüwa and Fuxi were survivors of a great flood. By the command of the God of the heaven, they were married and Nüwa had a child which was a ball of meat. This ball of meat was cut into small pieces, and the pieces were scattered across the world, which then became humans.[26]

Nüwa was born three months after her brother, Fuxi, whom she later took as her husband; this marriage is the reason why Nüwa is credited with inventing the idea of marriage.[25]

Before the two of them got married, they lived on mount K’un-lun. A prayer was made after the two became guilty of falling for each other. The prayer is as follows,

“Oh Heaven, if Thou wouldst send us forth as man and wife, then make all the misty vapor gather. If not, then make all the misty vapor disperse.”[25]

Misty vapor then gathered after the prayer signifying the two could marry. When intimate, the two made a fan out of grass to screen their faces which is why during modern day marriages, the couple hold a fan together. By connecting, the two were representative of Yin and YangFuxi being connected to Yang and masculinity along Nüwa being connected to Yin and femininity. This is further defined with Fuxi receiving a carpenter’s square which symbolizes his identification with the physical world because a carpenter’s square is associated with straight lines and squares leading to a more straightforward mindset. Meanwhile, Nüwa was given a compass to symbolize her identification with the heavens because a compass is associated with curves and circles leading to a more abstract mindset. With the two being married, it symbolized the union between heaven and Earth.[25] Other versions have Nüwa invent the compass rather than receive it as a gift.[27] In addition, the system of male and female sex, the yang-yin philosophy, is expressed here in a complex way: first as Fuxi and Nüwa, then as a compass (masculine) and a square (feminine), and thirdly, as Nüwa (woman) with a compass (man) and Fuxi (man) with a square (woman).[28]

Nüwa Mends the Heavens

Nüwa Mends the Heavens (Chinese女娲補天Chinese女娲补天pinyinNǚwā bǔtiān) is a well-known theme in Chinese culture. The courage and wisdom of Nüwa inspired the ancient Chinese to control nature’s elements and has become a favorite subject of Chinese poetspainters, and sculptors,[29] along with so many poetry and arts like novels, films, paintings, and sculptures; e.g. the sculptures that decorate Nanshan[30] and Ya’an.[31]

The Huainanzi tells an ancient story about how the four pillars that support the sky crumbled inexplicably. Other sources have tried to explain the cause, i.e. the battle between Gong Gong and Zhuanxu or Zhurong. Unable to accept his defeat, Gong Gong deliberately banged his head onto Mount Buzhou (不周山) which was one of the four pillars. Half of the sky fell which created a gaping hole and the earth itself was cracked; the earth’s axis mundi was tilted into the southeast while the sky rose into the northwest. This is said to be the reason why the western region of China is higher than the eastern and that most of its rivers flow towards the southeast. This same explanation is applied to the sun, moon, and stars which moved into the northwest. A wildfire burnt the forests and led the wild animals to run amok and attack the innocent peoples, while the water which was coming out from the earth’s crack didn’t seem to be slowing down.[32]

Nüwa pitied the humans she had made and attempted to repair the sky. She gathered five colored-stones (red, yellow, blue, black, and white) from the riverbed, melted them and used them to patch up the sky: since then the sky (clouds) have been colorful. She then killed a giant turtle (or tortoise), some version named the tortoise as Ao, cut off the four legs of the creature to use as new pillars to support the sky. But Nüwa didn’t do it perfectly because the unequal length of the legs made the sky tilt. After the job was done, Nüwa drove away the wild animals, extinguished the fire, and controlled the flood with a huge amount of ashes from the burning reeds and the world became as peaceful as it was before.[32][33]

Empress Nuwa

Many Chinese know well their Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors, i.e. the early leaders of humanity as well as culture heroes according to the Northern Chinese belief. But the lists vary and depend on the sources used.[34] One version includes Nüwa as one of the Three Sovereigns, who reigned after Fuxi and before Shennong.[35]

The myth of the Three Sovereigns sees the three as demigod figures, and the myth is used to stress the importance of an imperial reign. The variation between sources stems from China being generally divided before the Qin and Han dynasties, and the version with Fuxi, Shennong, and Nüwa was used to emphasize rule and structure.[36]

In her matriarchal reign, she battled against a neighboring tribal chief, defeated him, and took him to the peak of a mountain. Defeated by a woman, the chief felt ashamed to be alive and banged his head on the heavenly bamboo to kill himself and for revenge. His act tore a hole in the sky and made a flood hit the whole world. The flood killed all people except Nüwa and her army which was protected by her divinity. After that, Nüwa patched the sky with five colored-stones until the flood receded.[37]

Popular culture

Gods – Chinese Gong Gong Water God

Gong Gong Chinese Water God

Gonggong (/ˈɡɒŋɡɒŋ/) is a Chinese water god who is depicted in Chinese mythology and folktales as having a copper human head with an iron forehead, red hair, and the body of a serpent, or sometimes the head and torso are human, with the tail of a serpent.[1][2] He is destructive and is blamed for various cosmic catastrophes. In all accounts, Gonggong ends up being killed or sent into exile, usually after losing a struggle with another major deity such as the fire god Zhurong.

In astronomy, the dwarf planet 225088 Gonggong is named after Gonggong.

Name

In English, the two syllables of the name are the same. But in Mandarin, they differ in tone (共工 Gònggōng), and in other Chinese languages they differ in their vowel and the initial consonant as well (cf. Middle Chinese *ɡɨoŋh-kuŋ, also Japanese kyōkō). The most common variant of the name, 龔工, is identical to the first in English, but in Mandarin differs in tone (Gōnggōng), and in other Chinese languages in consonant and vowel as well (cf. Middle Chinese *kɨoŋ-kuŋ).

Gonggong’s personal name is said to be Kanghui (pronounced either /ˈkæŋhi/ KANG-hoo-ee in English, or as Mandarin Kānghuí kʰáŋ.xwěi kong-HWAY).

Legend

Gonggong is known from the late Warring States period (before 221 BC). Gonggong appears in the ancient “Heavenly Questions” (Tianwen) poem of the Chu Ci, where he is blamed for knocking the earth’s axis off center, causing it to tilt to the southeast and the sky to tilt to the northwest.[2] This axial tilt is used to explain why the rivers of China generally flow to the southeast, especially the Yangzi River and the Yellow River, and why the sun, moon, and stars move towards the northwest. Literature from the Han dynasty becomes much more detailed regarding Gonggong.

Gonggong was credited in various mythological contexts as being responsible for great floods, often in concert with his minister Xiangliu (a.k.a. Xiangyao), who has nine heads and the body of a snake.

Gonggong was ashamed that he lost the fight with Zhurong, the Chinese god of fire, to claim the throne of Heaven. In a fit of rage, he smashed his head against Buzhou Mountain, one of eight pillars holding up the sky, greatly damaging it and causing the sky to tilt towards the northwest and the earth to shift to the southeast, which caused great floods and suffering. In one account of the myth, Gonggong kills himself in the process and fire comes out of the shattered mountain alongside floods.[3]

The goddess Nüwa cut off the legs of the giant turtle Ao and used them in place of the fallen pillar, ending the floods and suffering; she was, however, unable to fully correct the tilted sky and earth and alter their effects on the sun, moon, stars, and rivers in China.

Good Day WOTC Family and Friends Here is a Poem for Today

Here is another poem my maternal grandfather use to read to my cousins and I when we were children. family legend has it he read it to our parents when they were younger also. My mother read this to my children out of the same book of poetry that my grandfather read it to me from. I look forward to reading yesterday’s and today’s poems to my grandchildren from the same book as I inherited it from my mom when she crossed the veil in 2015. It is important to me to carry on family traditions like this and others. Yesterday’s poem and today’s may not be too witchy, but they called to me to share them with you. I hope you enjoy this as much as I did as a child and still enjoy reading now. If you have a poem from any point in your life you would like to share with all of us please put the name of it in the comments section and I will try to find it to share.

Jabberwocky

Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.
“Beware the Jabberwock, my son!
      The jaws that bite, the claws that catch!
Beware the Jubjub bird, and shun
      The frumious Bandersnatch!”
He took his vorpal sword in hand;
      Long time the manxome foe he sought—
So rested he by the Tumtum tree
      And stood awhile in thought.
And, as in uffish thought he stood,
      The Jabberwock, with eyes of flame,
Came whiffling through the tulgey wood,
      And burbled as it came!
One, two! One, two! And through and through
      The vorpal blade went snicker-snack!
He left it dead, and with its head
      He went galumphing back.
“And hast thou slain the Jabberwock?
      Come to my arms, my beamish boy!
O frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!”
      He chortled in his joy.
’Twas brillig, and the slithy toves
      Did gyre and gimble in the wabe:
All mimsy were the borogoves,
      And the mome raths outgrabe.

Good Day WOTC Family and Friends Here is a Thought for Today

This poem was a favorite of my maternal grandfather when anyone in the family’s life hit a rough patch. Its words are needed at least by me this week.

Don’t Quit

by Edgar A. Guest c. March 1921

When things go wrong, as they sometimes will,
When the road you’re trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit –
Rest if you must, but don’t you quit.

Life is queer with its twists and turns.
As everyone of us sometimes learns.
And many a fellow turns about when he
Might have won had he stuck it out.
Don’t give up though the pace seems slow –
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than it seems
To a faint and faltering man;
Often the struggler has given up when he
Might have captured the victor’s cup;
And he learned too late when the night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out –
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And when you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar;
So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit –
It’s when things seem worst,
You must not quit.

Some Humor for Your Day

Divination Journal

Tarot Card

From tarotx.net

The High Priest – Major Arcana

Menu of Contents

 

I. Keywords and corresponding associations to the High Priest Witches Tarot

II. Meaning of the High Priest Witches Tarot

Message of the High Priest Witches Tarot

The High Priest Witches in a Tarot spread

Animal Spirit Guide or Helper

Lion

From uniguide.com

Lion symbolism and meaning include majesty, courage, strength, protection, family, wisdom, and other admirable traits. Lions once roamed throughout the African continent as well as parts of Asia and Europe. So, the lion is a subject in the mythologies and folklore of many cultures around the world. In addition, the lion spirit animal is a power animal for those who feel a special kinship with these giant cats. Others are simply starstruck by their magnificence. In this post, you’ll learn about lion symbols and meanings, lion mythology, the lion spirit animal, and more.

Rune

From TheRuneSite.com

Bjarkan

Sound: “b”, “p”, “v”, “mb”, “mp”
Stands for: Birch Twig
Casting meaning: The birch twig represents rebirth and purification as does the rune Bjarkan. It is also a woman’s rune symbolizing gestation and birth.

Witch’s Rune

From psychic-revelation.com

Crossed Spears

Keywords: Arguments, negativity.

Meanings: The Crossed Spears is a rune that signifies arguments and negative events. Often this can be of an upsetting nature, rather like the Tower card in the tarot. It is not all bad though. If it is near to a positive rune it may indicate the end of a quarrel and healing. Especially if it lies near the Rings. This rune could mean a promotion at work, or a fast recovery if you’re ill.

 

Ogham

From LearnReligions.com

Nion/Nin

N is for Nion, sometimes called Nuin, which is connected to the Ash tree. Ash is one of three trees which were sacred to the Druids (Ash, Oak and Thorn), and connects the inner self to the outer worlds. This is a symbol of connections and creativity, and transitions between the worlds.

In Norse legend, Yggdrasil, the World Tree, is an Ash. Its roots grew down far into the Underworld, and its branches reached all the way up into the heavens. Odin hung himself from the tree for nine days as a sacrifice. Ash also features prominently in the Irish myth cycles, and is often depicted growing beside a well or pool of wisdom.

Nion Correspondences

Mundane Aspects: Remember that for every action, there is a consequence, and these effect not only ourselves but others as well. What we do in our life will carry into the future and possibly even beyond. Every one of our words and deeds has some sort of impact.

Magical Aspects: The Universe is like a giant web. Strands bind us all together, either closely or at a distance. We are all connected in one way or another, so it is important to find harmony between the spiritual realm and the physical, and between all living beings. Endeavor to live a spiritual life that considers the needs of the natural world around you.

I Ching

From psychic-revelation.com

Hexagram Eight/8

Name: Pi.

Keyphrase: Union.

Formed By The Trigrams: Water over Earth.

General: A community bound by goodwill is the most potent force for powerful positive change there is.

Love: Use goodwill and trust to achieve unity within your relationship.

Business: Strengthen networks within your business and ties with networks your business is a part of.

Personal: Form or strengthen ties with family and friends.

Overview: Pi relates to the need for unity to accomplish positive change. Relationships built on trust and goodwill should be formed and maintained for the benefit of all – not just for personal gain. This applies to not only family and friends but the community around you in general and your business community too.

Numerology

From worldnumerology.com

Eight

The most misunderstood number in numerology. The Numerology Meaning of the Number 8: BALANCE & POWER

In Numerology, both novices and professionals alike tend to focus on the “money and power” image of the 8. Often when a client requests a name change consultation, it’s because they want to add 8s to their chart with the mistaken belief it will bring them money and power.

It is true that the 8, more than any other number, emphasizes the areas of career, business, finances, and authority.

As with other single-digit numbers, the shape reflects its most important attribute; in the case of the 8 it signifies balance. The 8 is the great Karmic Equalizer, a force that creates just as efficiently as it destroys. When the 8 comes knocking, you can be assured you will reap what you’ve sown.

The 8 creates a balance between the material and spiritual worlds.

At its best, it is as spiritual as it is materialistic. The sacred side of the 8 is practical, rational, and intelligent. It knows the difference between make-believe and genuine realization.

On the material plane, it is focused on results – often in the form of money – yet it doesn’t care about acquiring wealth merely for the sake of being wealthy. It is not greedy; it sees money as a tool not an end-result. It is generous and willing to take risks.

A Little Humor for Your Day – “Why Men Are Just Happier People!”

Why Men Are Just Happier People!

Wedding plans take care of themselves.

Chocolate is just another snack.

They can wear a white T-shirt to a water park.

Car mechanics tell them the truth.

The world is their urinal.

Same work, more pay.

Wrinkles add character.

Wedding dress – $5000; tux rental – $100.

People never stare at their chest when they’re talking to them.

The occasional well-rendered belch is practically expected.

New shoes don’t cut, blister, or mangle your feet.

One mood, all the time.

Phone conversations are over in 30 seconds flat.

They know stuff about tanks.

A five-day vacation requires only one suitcase.

They can open all their own jars.

They get extra credit for the slightest act of thoughtfulness.

Their underwear is $6.95 for a six pack.

Everything on their face stays its original color.

Three pairs of shoes are more than enough.

They don’t have to stop and think of which way to turn a nut on a bolt.

They almost never have strap problems in public.

They are unable to see wrinkles in their clothes.

The same hairstyle lasts for years, maybe decades.

They don’t have to shave below their neck.

Their belly usually hides their big hips.

One wallet and one pair of shoes, one color, all seasons.

They can “do” their nails with a pocketknife.

They have freedom of choice concerning growing a mustache.

They can do Christmas shopping for 25 relatives, on December 24, in 45 minutes.

A Little Humor for Your Day – “Things A Witch’s Significant Other May Say”

Happy and Blessed June WOTC Family and Friends Here is a Thought for Today

Summer is officially only 20 days away and so is my wedding!

I am excited, nervous, and just want the 21st to get here.

Rest of the Monthly and N. H. Tomorrow POsts

I hurt me left knee about2 1/2 weeks ago and did way to much yesterday so I have been up since around 1:30 AM CDT and couldn’t fall back to sleep because of the pain. I took a prescription pain pill that is kicking and I can barely keep my eyes open so I am taking a nap. Then I will get all the posts up sometime later today. The same goes for me answering emails.

See you all later ((hugs))