HALLOWEEN BLOG

[theclown74]

If you don't find any try some good Helloween themed movies, TV specials, music and images to post and discuss.

[GEMINIGUY]

In deciding to 'revive' [pun intended] my Halloween Blog, i wasn't sure how i'd go about it this time.
Instead of making it a daily 'blog' once more, i've decided to only post only on days i post a story [the 5th, 10th, 15th, etc.], plus on Halloween. I may change my mind if the mood hits me and post more often.
Please try not to interrupt the Blog until my last post on All Hallow's Eve.
Thanks in advance!

[GEMINIGUY]

                    **October 1st**
                       Abracadabra
"Magical invocation that is now associated chiefly with stage conjurors and pantomime witches but has in fact a much longer history as a cabilistic CHARM.
First mentioned in the writings of the Gnostic physician Quintus Serenus Scammonicus in the second century B.C., abracadabra comprises the abbreviated forms of the Hebrew words Ab (Father), Ben (Son) and Ruach A Cadsch (Holy Spirit), though an alternative derivation relates the word to Abraxas, a god with snakes for feet who was worshipped in Alexandria in pre-Christian times.
The charm was said to have special powers over FEVERS, TOOTHACHE and other medical ailments as well as to provide protection against bad luck.
Sufferers from such conditions were advised to wear metal AMULETS or pieces of parchment folded into a CROSS and inscribed with the word repeated several times, with the first and last letter removed each time until the last line read just 'A'.

[GEMINIGUY]

According to the thinking behind the charm, the evil force generating the illness would decrease as the word grew shorter.
Once the charm had proved effective(after a period of nine days), the wearer was instructed to remove the parchment cross and to throw it backwards into an eastwards-flowing stream before sunrise.
Such charms were, according to Daniel Dafoe in his Journal Of The Plague Year (1722), widely worn in London in the seventeenth century as a protection against the plague.
Simply saying the word out loud is also said to summon up strong supernatural forces, hence its use by contemporary stage performers and entertainers throughout the West."

[GEMINIGUY]

                     **October 5th**
                         Irish Stone
"An old British supertition claims that certain stones brought over from Ireland have special healing properties, and stories about miraculous cures effected by touching such stones have persisted into relatively recent times.
Irish stones are supposed to be particularly effective in healing injuries if a person of Irish birth apllies them to the affected part.
Because there are no snakes in Ireland, it is said that Irish stones will kill such creatures and, if kept indoors, will prevent any snakes or toads from entering the house."
[Do you think Indiana Jones knows about this? ;-) ]

                             Ivory
"Because ivory is an animal product it has its own significance to the superstitious.
It is said that any jewellery or trinket made of ivory is lucky and it is also credited with the power of warding off corruption of various kinds, notably cancer."

[GEMINIGUY]

                                    Ivy
"The evergreen ivy has been considered a sacred plant since pre-Christian times.and - though Romans linked the plant with the revel-loving god Bacchus - it has fairly gloomy associations for most people and is often used for funeral wreaths.
Poisonous and suitably funereal in colour, it is none the less valued as a protection against evil  and has many applications in folk medicine.
Ivy can cure drunkenness and can also be used to treat corns, running noses and rashes. Drinking out of a cup of ivy wood will cure a child of whooping cough.
Growing on the walls of a house, ivy will protect the occupants inside from evil; however if it dies their bad luck will be doubled.
Ivy plants should not be allowed inside the house, however, because they invite misfortune and death. Neither should they be given as gifts as this will end the friendship.

[GEMINIGUY]

"Any young man who wants to get a glimpse of his future lover is recommended to take ten ivy leaves and sleep with them under his pillow in order to see his lover in his dreams.
Girls, meanwhile, must place the leaves in their bosom and chant the following lines:
          Ivy, ivy, i love thee,
          In my bosom i place thee,
          And the first young man that
          speaks to me
          Shall be my love and marry me."
[I guess that leaves out old men... ]

[GEMINIGUY]

                   **October 10th**
                                 Key
"Various superstitions surround locks and keys, no doubt inspired by their symbolic quality.
It is thought to be bad luck to drop a key, and even worse to break one.
Possessing keys that go rusty despite all attempts to prevent this occurance is, however, a good omen: in the England Midlands it is said to suggest that someone is about to leave the owner an inheritance in their will. The luck-preserving powers of keys are also reflected in an old European tradition that slipping a key under a child's pillow will keep the inant safe from evil while asleep.
Indeed, because keys were traditionally made of iron, touching a key when danger threatens is considered a sensible precaution against all manner of evil.
If a person is uncertain about which way to go coming to a crossroads, meanwhile, one solution is to toss a bunch of keys over the left shoulder and observe how they fall:

[GEMINIGUY]

the longest key will point out the right direction to take.
All owners of bunches of keys are warned against jangling them on Wednesdays, as this will make the owner go mad."

                                Iron
"Because iron is associated with fire and has been one of the principal materials used by man since time immorial, it is the most supernaturally potent of all metals.
The ancient Egyptians believed that iron had the power to repel evil forces, and it is still considered a strong defense against malevolent forces and simple bad luck. A witch, for instance, cannot cross over iron, so laying a pair of scissors or a knife under the doormat will stop one entering the house. Many people touch iron to avoid the threat of the Evil Eye and various objects made of iron, such as horseshoes and nails, are considered highly effective as luck-preserving amulets.

[GEMINIGUY]

Even rusty iron has its uses: keeping a rusty sword beside the bed will ward off cramp, while an old scythe over the bed will keep witches out of the bedroom.
In contrast, though, some say dulled old iron (which is not shiny enough to scare away evil) should never be brought into the house for fear of bringing misfortune with it; and iron must never be allowed to come into contact with a plant picked for its medicinal properties, especially mistletoe, for this will cause any beneficial qualities to be lost.
Many blacksmiths refuse to work iron on Good Friday in remembrance of the nails used on the cross."

[GEMINIGUY]

                   **October 12th**
                                Fire
"As one of the four elemental forces once thought th govern the Earth (alongside air, earth and water), fire has long represented many things, including renewal and life itself.
In ancient times it was thought that fire was a gift from the gods, and so most of the dead and living religions of the world feature fire in their rituals.
Some surviving beliefs about fire that are common to British and US tradition originated with the Druids, while others were engendered by the work of medieval alchemists, who sought to turn base metals into gold by exposing them to heat.
Ceremonial bonfires were once a common sight on certain set days of the year, and were usually intended to preserve the luck of livestock and crops. In the British Isles, the tradition lives on in the popular festivity known as Bonfire Night. This occasion for big communal bonfires and fireworks displays purports to commemorate the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot to burn

[GEMINIGUY]

the Houses of Parliament in 1605, but undoubtedly has its origins in the fires that were once lit at Hallowe'en to mark the end of the summer.
The fireplace is widely considered to contain the collective soul of the household. Innumerable superstitions surround the business of anointing hearths and lighting fires as well as observing the flames, smoke and ashes for the purpose of divination.
A fire should not be kindled by two people, as they are sure to quarrel.
Some people will draw the curtains on lighting a fire, believing that it will not 'catch' in the direct light of the sun, which is deemed to be jealous of such an imitation.
In some households only residents are permitted to poke the coals for fear of offending the gods of the hearth, though an acquaintence will be allowed to perform this service if he has been a friend seven years or has drunk in the company of his hosts at least three times.

[GEMINIGUY]

A fire that bursts to life very quickly or suddenly flares up for no apparent reason is said to be a portent of visitors arriving very shortly, while fires that are reluctant to burn are showing sensitivity  to someone being in a bad temper or else are bewitched by evil spirits. One remedy in the latter case is to place the poker upright against the grate so that a cross is formed. Difficulty in lighting the fire on Christmas morning is particularly unwelcome, as this presages an unlucky year ahead.
It is formerly considered very unlucky to leave dead embers unswept on retiring for the night, and soot falling down the chimney was once said to warn of a terrible calamity in the offing. Should a fire from the previous evening still be burning in the morning this is taken as a bad sign in some quarters, threatening illness and even death.
It is also deemed unlucky to spit into a fire or to allow a fire to be left burning when a corpse is present.

[GEMINIGUY]

In former times it was folly of the highest order to permit a neighbour or anyone else to take fire out of the house during the New Year festivities, for instance by lighting a taper at the fire in order to return home and relight a fire that had gone out. Allowing this to happen virtually guarantees ill luck, most likely the death of one of the family."

                           Iona Stone
"A small greenish stone found on the shores of western Scotland and believed by many to have the power of granting wishes.
The story goes that such stones received a blessing from St Columba and may grant one wish each to anyone who wears them; it is also claimed that anyone who wears such a stone will always be safe from drowning."

[GEMINIGUY]

                     **October 13th**
                               Parting
"Various superstitions surround the simple act of saying goodbye to someone. These include never saying the word 'goodbye' more than once, which threatens a rift in the relationship, never saying goodbye over a gate or stile and never watching someone out of sight as this means the two parties will never meet again.
Such traditions are strongest among fisherman, pilots and other people engaged in potentially hazardous activities, although lovers are often similiarly sensitive to the dangers involved."

                           Pavement
"Ever since proper pavements were laid in towns and villages boys and girls (and even adults) have played the game of avoiding stepping on the cracks between them for fear of some dreadful fate befalling them.
Over the years supposed punishments for such carelessness have ranged from giving birth to black babies to being eaten by bears round the next corner."

[GEMINIGUY]

                  **October 14th**
                               Peach
"Chinese superstition gives the peach an exalted place, interpreting the fruit as a symbol of long life and immortality and credits it with the power to ward off evil spirits.
In the Western world, the peach tree is said to give warning of cattle epidemics by shedding its leaves early."

                              Pepper
"Though less important in terms of superstition than salt, pepper none the less has its mystical significance.
Supposedly an aphrodisiac, it should not be eaten by anyone suffering from fever as it will only cause the problem to intensify.
A US tradition holds that applying cotton wool dipped in black pepper to the ear will cure an earache and, further, that eating whole chilli peppers will see off a cold.
Finally, sprinkling a little pepper on the chair of a guest will ensure that he or she does not overstay their welcome."

[Tech_Guy]

Very interesting read GG!

[GEMINIGUY]

                    **October 15th**
                              Railway
"Superstition usually regards technology with awe & mistrust, & is not slow to devise new taboos & tips in response. In the case of railways the most widespread superstition, dating back to early days of the twentieth century at least, claims that it is unlucky if a train passes over a bridge while a person is walking beneath; if this happens, the fingers should be firmly crossed.
It is also unlucky to talk while walking under the railway bridge. This idea appears to have origins in the tradition that witches & other evil spirits inhabit bridges & arches of other kinds.
In the days before the introduction of diesel & electric trains, some people claimed that it was lucky to stand in the clouds of steam that billowed from locomotives passing under bridges.
It was also widely believed that encouraging a child to breathe air through the open window of a train while it travelled through a tunnel would alleviate whooping cough."

[GEMINIGUY]

                    **October 16th**
                                Rake
"Gardening lore advises that, should a rake fall down on the ground with its tines pointing to the sky, rain i sure to arrive the following day."

                               Razor
"Superstition dictates that razors, in common with knifes, are unsuitable presents to give one's friends, as the gift of any blade risks severing the friendship.
Similiarly, it is thought unlucky on both sides of the Atlantic to find a razor."

                         Recognition
"According to an ominous English superstition it is supposed to be unlucky to mistake a total stranger  for someone else. The consquence of such an error is the imminent death of the person the stranger was mistaken for."

[GEMINIGUY]

                  **October 17th**
                              Ulcer
"Superstition interprets the appearance of ulcers on the tongue as evidence thta the person concerned has been telling lies. For some reason it is claimed the cure for mouth ulcers will be effected bt reading the eighth Psalm ('Out of the mouth of babes & sucklings has thou ordained strength, because of thine enemy; that thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger') over the patient three times three days in succession. More drastic measures include persuading the patient to eat the tongue of a dog."

                             Underwear
"If single girls actively wish to attract men, slipping a few leaves of Valerian into the underwear will make them irrestible to the opposote sex, according to the Welsh.
Should a girl's underwear slip down for no apparent reason this is  supposed to betray the fact that she is thinking about her lover; if the girl's nightdress rides up at night,  this is a sure sign her lover is thinking of her.