Quick Facts – The Dama Dagenda of the Huli people (Papua New Guinea)

Written by and copyrighted by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

The Huli people of Papua New Guinea knew a terrifying creature named Dama Dagenda. They fiercely strike back against mankind inhabiting and conquering their jungle territories. Their hatred towards manking is mainly founded in the fact that they view humans as utterly destructive and a virus to the Earth. There is no bargaining with these spirits who mainly reside in or on trees and they will lash out at child, woman and man setting only one toe into their “realm”, punishing them with great pain, loss or even death. They speak all the languages of the tribes in the region and the only way to avoid their persecution is to seek out a medicine man/shaman and learn an ancient or new dialect from him; when transversing the jungle the Huli sang or loudly spoke this unknown dialect in order not to be harmed. Some Huli adopted the practice of singing or shouting complete nonsense, so that the Dama Dagenda wouldn’t recognize them as humans and hence leave them be.

Quick Facts – Nareau the Creator, the “Spider Lord” of the Gilbert Islands

Written and copyrighted by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt

Nareau the Creator – whose name means “Spider Lord” – is an Oceanic high god of the Gilbert Islands. Before time was, Nareau’s full name was Nareau te Moa-ni-bai, Weaver Lord of the First Things. The legend is that in the beginning there was only Nareau who walked Te Bo ma Te Maki (the darkness and cleaving) in solitude. The creation myth is unclear, some say that Nareau wove the first two beings. Some say that when the darkness and cleaving started merging and producing substance, Nareau made Na Aribu and Nei Teukez out of sand and water. They in turn created the other Gods, amongst them the Ocotpus Lord, The Eel, The Wave, The Woman Between (the worlds – basically the first “witch”) and last was Nareau the Younger, the mischief maker. (Similarly to Heathens debating the role and character of Loki there are those that vehemently reject the idea that Nareau the Younger was a mischief maker, but that he was a deliverer.)
Nareau the Elder considered his work in terms of creating Gods was done and appointed the task of creating a world of and for man to Nareau the Younger. So that man would not be alone and separate from him, Nareau the Elder told his son to slay him and create the Earth out of his body. His right eye became the sun, the left eye the moon. His brain was scattered across the sky and became the stars. The Octopus Lord Na Kika helped form islands out of his flesh and make trees from his bones.
Nareau the Younger gave the children of the earth wit, spirit, conscience. Like his father, he was a weaver and thus he wove each man’s fate, tempting, testing and constantly putting obstacles in their ways, but with the intention that the children of the earth might disentangle themselves from his web and become their own masters, their own Gods.

The Lenormand Cards – #5 The Tree

Copyrighted and written by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

Weekly Lenormand
Madame Marie Anne Lenormand (1772-1843) lived during the time of the French revolution and it is in this time of upheaval that the Lenormand cards were born. Albeit the symbols on today’s Lenormand cards were created without her input; she used regular playing cards, some of them with handwritten remarks, astrological and other symbols on them. That is why today’s Lenormand decks always include a depiction of the value of the playing cards on them. Once you have mastered learning the symbols you can easily use any card playing deck for your readings as well.

Card #5 – The Tree (7 of Hearts)

Key words:
illness, (health), medicine, long period, growth, ripening

General description:
If you are a spontaneous, impatient person you will not be pleased to see the tree anywhere near the cards answering your question. The tree card means things will take time (to evolve), a lengthy period of time even. Otherwise the tree is the medicine and illness card. If not in combination with positive cards such as the sun, the bouquet or similar it does not stand for health and advises you to take good (better) care of your physical well-being. However, the Tree in combination with the Moon – usually a positive card – means mental illness or significant emotional distress.

If you picked the Clover in for your Daily Tendency Card:
Something has been on your mind for a long time. Now is the time to explore it in depth and find the right answers for yourself.

Love
Got your eyes on someone? This is someone you might have a long and happy relationship with. (Note: long does not necessarily equal forever…!) Still, you have to be patient and tend to the seed of this little flirt in order for it to unfold its true potential. This process of ripening can’t be sped up by anything, keep the goal in mind but also enjoy every stop of the way toward it.

Work
All medical fields and related professions.
Especially when bordering on the #35 Anchor card long-lasting troubles at work are awaiting (or if combined with/surrounded by positive cards long-lasting troubles at work, such as bullying for example, are about to finally end). This card asks you to hang in there and keep on doing your best so that you will be able to reap the reward of your hard work – even if it will take a little longer (than expected…)

Health
Take extended walks in nature and meditate, quieten the mind, do breathing exercises, connect with your higher self, find your higher purpose. Allow yourself enough alone-time to fully explore your different dimensions, feel every scar, every hurt, injustice and pain and give it to the Gods to heal. Letting go of the pain does not mean you are somewhat invalidating what happened to you and that it was wrong. The tree card advises you not to let things fester. It is in most cases emotional upheaval or repressed feelings causing actual physical problems, health issues or chronic illness.

Time Factor:
Within the next few years. (Usually up to five).

Spread: Small Health Oracle

1. This is the root cause of your issues.

2. What led to your current situation.

3. What you need to do in order to change the situation for the better.

4. The most likely outcome.

5. How the situation will most likely progress if you do not initiate change.

Spread:
Pentagram-shaped: Top, top left, top right, bottom left, bottom right.

Quick Facts – The God Kári

Copyrighted and written by Penny Rebel

Kári [Kah-ree] is the Norse God of winter, frost, snow and the Northwind – or rather – he IS the Northwind itself. Like hardly any other God Kári represents the harshness of the Northern climate and overall life in Scandinavia and Germany. Fathered by the frostgiant Fornjotr he is brother to Loki (fire) and Aegir (water). On 18^th century German paintings he is sometimes depicted as a youth in a spring setting and as an old man in winter settings; an indication that he changes and ages with the seasons.
The only mention of Kári in the Eddas is in one of Snorri’s thulur (rhymes) but traces of him can also be found in the Finnish Hversu (as the ruler of Finland) and Orkneyinga Saga. It is unclear whether Kári is father of one son named Frosti (frost) according to the Orkneyinga Saga or whether his name is Jökull according to the Hversu or whether these are two different sons. By Frost’s son Snaer, however, he is great-grandfather to Fon (snowfall), Drifa (snowdrift), and Mjöl (powder).
Although he is often accompanied by reindeer or depicted as riding a reindeer, being a God of the air and sky he is also associated with Northern birds such as the snow goose, snow owl, robin and it is also from thence that he started being regarded as the ‘patron’ of singers, bards and those who otherwise use their voice artistically or professionally. In spring Kari’s own voice is the gentle breeze caressing the first buds and leaves, but in winter his song is more of an eerie howl or screech as he haunts the North with blizzards and snowstorms, bemoaning his own age and approaching “death”. Alas, he will be born again in the ever-repeating cycle of the seasons.

Crystals, Gems & Stones: Vesuvianite

Copyrighted and written by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

Zodiac: Capircorn, Sagittarius
Origin: Mount Vesuvius, Italy
Colors: green, brownish, yellowish, very rarely red or blue
Chakra: Heart, Third Eye (sometimes associated with Solar Plexus)
Physically: Strengthens the tooth enamel, bones and fingernails, restores body after an illness, helps banish depression,

Vesuvianite also goes by the name of Idocrase. It offers a soft vibration of loyalty and sense of community to all humans and is hence often described as the “Patriot Stone”. If you would like to facilitate cooperation between humans, especially in charity work, with humanitarian efforts but even if you are with the armed forces, this crystal is the one to use for clarity, insight and protection. It dispels negative thought patterns and helps detect and releases hidden fears and unhealthy attachments, prejudice and aggression. Vesuvianite is a provider of easy access to your higher self and true integrity.

Quick Facts – The Hindu Goddess Chinnamasta

Copyrighted and written by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

Chinnamasta, a Hindu Goddess with origins in Nepal and Northern India also acknowledged by Buddhists, is a Goddess of (sexual) abstinence and self-sacrifice. Emphasizing the latter of her main traits, she cut off her own head and thus her name literally means “She whose head is severed”. Depictions of her usually involve her standing on a copulating couple with blood spouting from her decapitated neck. In offering her own head/third eye and crown chakra to the world she represents the triumph of willpower and spirit over flesh. Unsurprisingly, she has few followers and is known as a ferocious and merciless Goddess to those that stray from her path of enlightenment. Her worshippers mainly include yogis, certain kinds of Tantric practitioners and askets or other world renouncers.
Although Chinnamasta is a Goddess, she both possesses as well as grants “demonic” powers to her worshippers. These include control of one’s foes by “poetic speech”, removal of obstacles, ability to sway kings or authority figures in genereal, conquest over the “weak-willed” and finally, salvation.

Quick Facts – The Japanese Goddess Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto

Copyrighted and written by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

Ame-no-Uzume-no-mikoto or simply Uzume is the Shinto Goddess of myrth, revelry, dawn and dance. She is also praised as “the Heavens’ forthright female”. As a reference to her capacity as a Goddess of dance Uzume translates to “whirling”. A name suiting her well, since she is also associated with life-giving streams and waters. Lore has it that when Susano, God of storm, vandalized the Sun-deity Amaterasu’s rice fields, she withdrew into a cave and refused to come out until he had apologized. The world was thrown into darkness and despair. The Gods could not convince her to return to earth, but clever Uzume turned over a large tub near the cave entrance and began a whirling, joyful dance atop it. When the sound of feet on the tub was not enough to lure Amaterasu out of her hiding place, Uzume began tearing off her clothes, prompting the crowd to cheer and laugh. Curious now, Amaterasu carefully peered out of the cavern entrance and found herself face to face with her own reflection in a mirror placed at the cavern entrance by Uzume. Thus Uzume convinced Amaterasu to return into the sky instead of hiding her beauty and light away.
As a reward for restoring the world to balance, her brother Ninigi married Uzume to the God who guards the Floating Bridge to Heaven.
The dances of Uzume are still found in today’s folk rite of waking the dead, the one of planting seeds and the Kagura, traditional dance-mime.

Quick Facts – The Yoruba Goddess Yemaya

Copyrighted and written by Týra Alrune Sahsnotasvriunt, 2014

Yemaya is The Great Mother in the Ífa’s and Yoruba’s beliefs and rules over the seas. Just like in many other traditions water is the symbol of life itself. Yemaya is maternal and nurturing, though not in the traditional sense. She nurtures her children much like Angrboda, Wenet or Lilitu by testing their willpower, strength and determination. She is not a meek Mother Goddess figure but represents the hardships of life (birth, rebirth, childbirth as well as death and demise). Her punishments can be terrible, but she’s fair minded and forgiving when remorese is shown and amends are being made. Yemaya is a wise yet cunning Goddess and she is praised for her bravery and unselfishness by her followers. When she goes to war on behalf of her children (followers), she wields a machete and no one can defeat her. She’s often depicted as wearing long flowing blue-white dresses, representing the waves of the ocean – the “waves” (ups and downs) of life.