The nuckelavee or nuckalavee is a horse-like demon from Orcadian mythology that combines equine and human elements. It has its origins in Norse mythology, and British folklorist Katharine Briggs called it "the nastiest" of all the demons of Scotland's Northern Isles. The nuckelavee's breath was thought to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and the creature was held responsible for droughts and epidemics on land despite being predominantly a sea-dweller.
A graphic description of the nuckelavee as it appears on land was given by an islander who claimed to have had a confrontation with it, but accounts describing the details of the creature's appearance are inconsistent. In common with many other sea monsters it is unable to tolerate fresh water, therefore those it is pursuing have only to cross a river or stream to be rid of it. The nuckelavee is kept in confinement during the summer months by the Mither o' the Sea, an ancient Orcadian spirit, and the only one able to control it.
Orcadian folklore had a strong Scandinavian influence, and it may be that the nuckelavee is a composite of a water horse from Celtic mythology and a creature imported by the Norsemen. As with similar malevolent entities such as the kelpie, it possibly offered an explanation for incidents that islanders in ancient times could not otherwise understand.
Stories of mythical Orcadian demons are recorded in the 16th-century Latin manuscripts of Jo Ben,who may have been referring to the nuckelavee in his description of the Orkney island of Stronsay.Dennison transcribed much of the information available about traditional tales told on Orkney, but to an extent romanticised and systematically altered certain elements of the stories in the process of transforming them into prose.
The nuckelavee is a mythical sea creature that appears as a horse-like demon when it ventures onto land.Writer and folklorist Ernest Marwick considered it very similar to the Norwegian nøkk, the nuggle of Shetland and the kelpie. A unique and solitary creature possessing extensive evil powers, its malevolent behaviour can influence events throughout the islands.Islanders were terrified of the creature and would not speak its name without immediately saying a prayer. It was often found in the vicinity of a beach, but would never come ashore if it was raining.
No tales describe what form the nuckelavee takes when in the sea,but its appearance on land has been recounted in graphic detail. An islander, Tammas, claimed to have survived a confrontation with the beast and, after much cajoling from Dennison, reluctantly gave his description of the monster, the only known first-hand account.[c] According to Tammas, the nuckelavee has a man's torso attached to a horse's back as if it were a rider.The male torso has no legs, but its arms can reach the ground from its position on top of the equine body, the legs of which have fin like appendages. The torso has a large head – possibly as much as 3 feet (90 centimetres) in diameter – that rolls back and forth. The monster described by Tammas has two heads; the equine head has an enormous gaping mouth that exudes a smelly toxic vapour, and a single giant eye like a burning red flame. A particularly gruesome detail is that the nuckelavee has no skin;[ black blood courses through yellow veins, and the pale sinews and powerful muscles are visible as a pulsating mass.Other reports state that the creature resembles a centaur; narratives are inconsistent in the finer details of the demon's description however.Traill Dennison only describes a man's head with a "mouth projected like that of a pig". Marwick also only mentions one head with a single red eye, and he borrows some of Tammas's characterisation by recording the creature's mouth as "like a whale's".
The nuckelavee's breath was thought to wilt crops and sicken livestock, and it was considered responsible for epidemics and drought. Seaweed burning to create what was known at the time as kelp began on Stronsay in 1722. The product – soda ash – was an alkali mainly used to treat acidic soil, although as time went on its commercial importance in soap and glass manufacture increased. The pungent smoke emitted during the process was believed to enrage the nuckelavee, resulting in a wild rampage of plague, the deaths of cattle and the destruction of crops.] The nuckelavee was said to have infected horses on Stronsay with the deadly disease known as mortasheen,[d] to demonstrate its fury and exact its revenge against the islanders for burning seaweed; the infection subsequently spread to all the other islands involved in the industry. The creature was also blamed for prolonged periods of abnormally low rainfall, leading to water shortages and poor harvests.
I received this awesome Alpha Flight T-Shirt this morning.
The April Fool’s day & its secret Symbolism!
The Fool is innocent and true to himself and his dreams. He doesn’t see anything as impossible and therefore he is able to turn the impossible into reality. Walking at the edge of the cliff, looking up to the sky, he is ready to fly. His friendly companion may bark to encourage him, or to warn him, but either way the divine spirit of The Fool can defy the material nature of the dog, and his beliefs can be proven more powerful than the laws of nature.
The April Fool's day & its secret Symbolism! <>\br
In his state, The Fool can become whoever and whatever he wishes, and can bring forth everything he desires. Detached from the material restrictions and truly free, he is able to make his decisions anew and therefore to create his world around him as he pleases.
The Magic of the Fool
The major arcana of the Tarot follows the journey of The Fool, from the very beginning, represented with The Mage, to the total divinity, represented by The World. The Fool is not exactly the beginning. He is the cause of the beginning and in that sense he is more perfect than The World and more primordial than The Mage, a Supreme God, one may say, as he is the one who holds the power of creation of everything and anything, but has not yet expressed himself.
n this series we are not going to analyse the prophetic meanings of the Tarot. We are going to use this most powerful tool in a magical way. We are using as reference the pictures of the Arthur E. Waite’s Rider Tarot, which is one of the most classical magical tarots. You don’t need to use this kind of deck. You can use one that you find more suitable for you, but the symbolisms may change from one tarot deck to another in a way that you will not be able to use the card to perform the spells we are providing you with. So, do act accordingly.
The most important thing is: Never use the same tarot deck for magic and for prophesy.
You can use one tarot deck for magic and one same for divination if you want, but they should be two separate decks. The rationale is to avoid creating unwanted results while trying to foresee the future.
You can awaken any and every aspect of The Fool by using the tarot card in an image meditation.
Use The Fool to awaken your creative spiritual power by doing this simple spell.
Have a full-body picture of yourself and next to it the card of The Fool. Have a white candle lighten on top of them, and have the flame of the candle as the only light in the room. You may use some incense or incense sticks if you prefer.
Tarot Magic and how to use a Tarot Deck in Witchcraft Major Arcana The Magical Journey of the Fool How to use the Fool in Spells & rituals
Relaxing is Vital to the Spell
Take some deep breathes and relax your body and mind or even better, perform the balancing breathing (click here for the detailed article with simple Breathing Exercises of Hatha Yoga). Then look at your photo and then the picture of The Fool. Keep alternating your focus between the two pictures. While doing so, keep repeating peacefully:
“I am the creator of my world. Everything I want, I can create”.
Just that. Don’t try to create something. The purpose is to activate and realise your creative power, as well as to come in touch with the thoughts that limit your creative power, the barks of the dog, and then free yourself from these restrictions.
Repeat the procedure daily for one week and keep a journal of your experiences. After that, work on your restrictive thoughts and then repeat the procedure again. Do that as many times as you want.
While working with The Fool indulge yourself with some foolishness. Play funny and childish games, laugh with not so intellectual jokes, draw random lines on pieces of papers, and whatever you feel relevant. Challenge your limitation with respect.
April’s fools’ day presents you with a special opportunity to do so. Enjoy the day. Try to use this chance to laugh with others and not at them. Keep your farces innocent and harmless. When lying try not to overdo it as no one will believe you. For example, on 1st of April 2004, Google said that it is going to create a web based e-mail service, providing each user with 1GB space (while, at the time MicroSoft’s Hotmail offered 10MB), nobody of course believed that stupid lie. But, hey… wait… that was actually true!
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia (1431–1476/77)
Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia, more commonly known as the Impaler or Dracula, was a three-time voivode of Wallachia, ruling mainly from 1456 to 1462. Historically, Vlad is best known for his resistance against the Ottoman Empire and its expansion and for the cruel punishments he imposed on his enemies. In the English-speaking world, Vlad III is most commonly known for inspiring the association of the name of the vampire in Bram Stoker's 1897 novel, "Dracula."
His name had its origin in the sobriquet of his father, Vlad Dracul ("Vlad the Dragon" in medieval Romanian), who received it after he became a member of the Order of the Dragon. Dracula is the Slavonic genitive form of Dracul, meaning "[the son] of Dracul (or the Dragon)". In modern Romanian, dracul means "the devil", which contributed to Vlad's reputation.
Author Mark Pinkham writes, "Vlad III spent his early years studying the Dragon Mysteries. He attended the Scholomance or "School of Solomon" in Austria, which was identified by the local uninitiated local natives to be a "devil's school." It was there that young Vlad learned many forms of alchemy, the secrets of nature, and many magical incantations. The Dragon Wisdom he learned at the School of Solomon would become a guiding light for Prince Vlad throughout his life."
Queen Elizabeth II is a distant relative of his
A clurichaun is an Irish spirit, similar in appearance to a leprechaun, that favours pubs, wine cellars and breweries.
They like to spend their time drinking any alcohol in the house, playing tricks on the inhabitants and telling stories.
Like house spirits, the often expect an offering of food to be left out for them or else their pranks can escalate to become dangerous and harmful. If they approve of the offering they may help you in small ways in return.
If you find yourself with a clurichaun you may be tempted to move for a more peaceful life- and to save your alcohol. However, they are notoriously difficult to get rid of, and a clurichaun will likely follow you wherever you move.
