T = JRR Tolien

The son of English parents, Arthur Tolkien and Mabel Suffield, John Ronald Reuel and his brother Hilary were South African by birth. After the early death of his father, a bank clerk, Mabel returned with her sons to her childhood home of West Midland in England.

Not long after Mabel’s conversion to Catholicism, she was diagnosed with diabetes and died. John Ronald and Hilary were boarded with two different families until they became adults.

Even through this tumultuous upbringing, JRR Tolkien demonstrated his linguistic skills mastering Latin and Greek, as well as Gothic and Finnish. In his spare time he made up his own language and shared it with his friends and co-members of the Tea Club, Barrovian Society.

Completing his education, he served in World War I. After the war he worked various jobs until he eventually became a professor at Oxford. His academic career was unremarkable by Oxford standards. However, his social group was quite remarkable. The Inklings members included Own Barfield, CS Lewis and Charles Williams.

To read more about JRR Tolkien visit: http://www.tolkiensociety.org/

H = Hermes

The son of Zeus and Maia, Hermes is the god of transitions. He moves between Olympus and the mundane world.

Invoked as a protector, his devotees included athletes, travelers, herdsmen and thieves. The conductor of souls to the after world, Hermes enjoyed the respect as a messenger and emissary of the gods.

Hermes' female admirers were many evidenced by scores of children. Some of his children became well-known: Pan, Eros, Cephalus, and Palaestra.  

Devotees of God Hermes believe he is a teacher of secret wisdom which can be learned only through religious ecstasy. He also directs dreams to dreamers. He’s identified by his winged sandals, winged cap and his herald’s staff.  

Interested in Greek Gods? Read more at: http://www.greek-gods.info/

Blue Moon

Blue Moon or an extra full moon in the season or an extra moon within a calendar month was once called the betrayer or liar’s moon. At one time priests decided to use the extra moon, the thirteenth moon to relate the story of Judas the betrayer, the thirteenth follower of Jesus.

Since the medieval time, superstitions have come and gone to explain the moon and it's effects on the tides and people's hearts.

• Superstitions about blue moons include an old farmer belief that the full moon pulls the plants up from the ground. The extra full moon symbolizes the promise of a bumper crop on the way.
• Underground vegetables such as carrots or potatoes grow better if they’re planted by the moon.
• For the romantic, the full moon is as good as a green light to take your relationship to the next level. Many a young woman hoped to receive long stem roses and a ring by the light of the full moon.
• For the sick, the full moon represented a time for curing illness. As doctor’s know now, if a patient believes something is a good omen or the sign of healing, the belief often works it’s placebo effect and the patient does exhibit improvement.

Poets often write about the moon as did JRR Tolkien in the following:

The Man in the Moon Came Down Too Soon

There is an inn, a merry old inn
beneath an old grey hill,
And there they brew a beer so brown
That the Man in the Moon himself came down
one night to drink his fill.

The ostler has a tipsy cat
that plays a five-stringed fiddle;
And up and down he saws his bow
Now squeaking high, now purring low,
now sawing in the middle.

The landlord keeps a little dog
that is mighty fond of jokes;
When there's good cheer among the guests,
He cocks an ear at all the jests
and laughs until he chokes.

They also keep a hornéd cow
as proud as any queen;
But music turns her head like ale,
And makes her wave her tufted tail
and dance upon the green.

And O! the rows of silver dishes
and the store of silver spoons!
For Sunday there's a special pair,
And these they polish up with care
on Saturday afternoons.

The Man in the Moon was drinking deep,
and the cat began to wail;
A dish and a spoon on the table danced,
The cow in the garden madly pranced
and the little dog chased his tail.

The Man in the Moon took another mug,
and then rolled beneath his chair;
And there he dozed and dreamed of ale,
Till in the sky the stars were pale,
and dawn was in the air.

Then the ostler said to his tipsy cat:
'The white horses of the Moon,
They neigh and champ their silver bits;
But their master's been and drowned his wits,
and the Sun'll be rising soon!'

So the cat on the fiddle played hey-diddle-diddle,
a jig that would wake the dead:
He squeaked and sawed and quickened the tune,
While the landlord shook the Man in the Moon:
'It's after three!' he said.

They rolled the Man slowly up the hill
and bundled him into the Moon,
While his horses galloped up in rear,
And the cow came capering like a deer,
and a dish ran up with the spoon.

Now quicker the fiddle went deedle-dum-diddle;
the dog began to roar,
The cow and the horses stood on their heads;
The guests all bounded from their beds
and danced upon the floor.

With a ping and a pang the fiddle-strings broke!
the cow jumped over the Moon,
And the little dog laughed to see such fun,
And the Saturday dish went off at a run
with the silver Sunday spoon.

The round Moon rolled behind the hill,
as the Sun raised up her head.
She* hardly believed her fiery eyes;
For though it was day, to her surprise
they all went back to bed!

The next blue moon will arrive August 21, 2013.

)0(

Myth and Story

Life gives characters and storyline ideas to every writer on a daily basis. There’s so much information in a day, it’s incredible. When the question comes up what to write, how does a writer decide what’s worth the telling?

The writers I like best tell stories about real life in fiction or non-fiction; it doesn’t really matter as long as truth comes through. Joseph Campbell is one of my favorite writers.

Myth serves to provide base stories for culture, much of the information given in myths in a general way works with individual life too. Given a long enough time line the characters in myth are seen for who or what they are, often providing the information needed for others or for the listener to come to the correct conclusion. Trends lead the protagonist or hero through a series of adventures to reach the discovery.

Often the discovery of self which is at least a portion of the quest includes overcoming obstacles, sin or character flaws to gain important skills and to acquire a sense of self or virtues along the way. In addition, the secondary players in the quest such as the villain or the trickster often reveal him/herself through the course of the story.

This is the stuff that makes a good story. Young writers who read myth gain the wisdom of the ages in a few short years. In addition to reading, observing people in their natural habitats help to make characters more believable. To become an accomplished writer there is a need to understand the basics of a good story as well as how people interact, so the story is not only entertaining but believable.

Resources:

http://www.jcf.org/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joseph_Campbell

Venus: Goddess of Love

Goddess of Love, Pleasure and Procreation, Venus was the most beautiful of the goddesses. She and Aphrodite have intertwined into virtually the same goddess covering love, marriage, love and fertility.

Worshipped for fertility, Venus is married to Hephaestus, the god of skilled artisans. He worked hard and neglected Venus. She found love with Mars.

Sacred signs of Venus include water and roses. These symbols equate the goddess with her origin and her purpose. She was born from the water. Roses are the symbol of love.

Water is a feminine element used to counter the masculine element of fire. The elements seek balance, male/female to fire/water.

In the story of the Trojan War, Paris prefers the gifts of Venus over Juno & Diana. The gift of love was highly valued and the cults created to worship Venus testified to the lengths the ancients would go to honor and receive love.

Typical to Roman mythology, the Roman lineage came directly from the gods. In later myths Venus is noted as the mother to Romulus, the founder of Rome.

Medusa: the Gorgon

Medusa the Gorgon is typically accepted as one of three daughter of the god Phorcys and Keto. The three sisters were considered immortal. With beauty beyond comparison, the three sisters were cursed by the jealousy of others.

Known for her fabulous beauty, Medusa received the wrath-filled transformation from Athena who cursed her after Poseidon copulated with her in the temple of Athena. Some stories speak of Poseidon’s affection gone bad: some say he was obsessed, some say to the point of rape. No matter what the story, Athena felt disrespected by the couple and took out her anger on Medusa.

Snakes replaced Medusa’s beautiful hair, her eyes and facial features became serpentine, as well as her lower body transforming into a serpents tail. Still many of her attributes were venerable. Ancient Greeks placed engraved gorgons on doors and shields for protection and as a symbol of fertility.

The gorgon lived just outside the entrance to the Underworld. To meet them was to tempt doom. Equal with the danger was the healing powers of Gorgon blood. To sprinkle blood taken from the right side of a Gorgon could bring the dead back to life.

Medusa was thought to be immortal until the battle with Perseus. Perseus armed with Herme’s sythe and Athena’s shield beheaded Medusa. Pegasus and Chrysaor, her sons by Poseidon, were born from her blood.

Water Wishes

Guardian water spirits bless each place they reside. People instinctually know that giving gifts to the water brings good back to them. Following that simple instinct is the reason for many places of open water, ponds and wishing wells are filled with coins and other gifts to the sprites, nymphs or deities.

Since ancient times, legends agree the blessings of the water spirits are truly worth making the wish and tossing the coin.

Celtic and Germanic people of Ancient Western Europe believed water was a gift from the gods, wells and waterways were sacred. Norse legend tells that Odin rode to Mimir’s Well to seek wisdom.

More recently, Saint Catherine is associated with wishing wells and wishing for a husband. Drop one coin with each line of the wish…

A husband Saint Catherine
A handsome one Saint Catherine
A rich one Saint Catherine
And soon Saint Catherine
Amen ;)

Whatever you wish for… wish well!

Not-Really St. Patrick's Day

Celebrating the Ashen tree dates to pre-Christian times, pre-St. Patrick. March 17th runs deep in the genetic memory of the Irish people. The truth of the celebration is sprinkled throughout the Catholic Church's British version of the holiday.

St. Patrick’s Day celebrates the day snakes were banished from Ireland. But the lore pre-dates the Catholic priest by centuries with riddance of evil-faeries and their slithering compatriots by the protection of the Ashen tree.

Attributed to ash wood are many magical properties. Amongst those properties is the protection from snake bite, both of actual and spiritual reptiles, healing properties, for restful protection by ocean and wood spirits, and warrior protection, when the wood is used as a talisman or portion of spear, shield, or handle.

The third moon of the year, from Feb 18 - March 17, ends with a celebration of thanksgiving and rivalry that exceeds all others. The celebration feeds the Irish soul in ancient and secret ways.

The day isn’t about the British-born Catholic priest, St. Patrick, but we include him in his quest like all non-Irish folk who wish to be among the blessed people.

Medusa

Medusa was the most beautiful of the Gorgons, the daughters of Phorkys and Keto. Her parents were the children of Earth called Gaia and Ocean called Okeanos.

Medua's beauty was her undoing. She was so beautiful that Poseidon would not take “no” for an answer. He found Medusa in Athena’s Temple and had her. Athena grew so outraged she vented her anger on Medusa. Athena changed Medusa into a snake-haired monster.

Athena wasn’t finished with Medusa. The goddess provided Perseus with the shield he used to outwit Medusa, ultimately beheading her.

When Medusa's head rolled, it became known she was pregnant by Poseidon. The children of the union were Pegasus and Chrysaor.

The Getty Villa displays a rendering of Medusa created in Rome 115 – 150 CE using tile to provide the illusion of spiraling circles, a representation of the shield designs from the period.

Book Review: The Life and Legend: Doc Holliday

The Life and Legend: Doc Holliday by Gary Roberts. NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2006.

A most enjoyable read, The Life and Legend: Doc Holliday begins with background of the man who was probably best known as Wyatt Earp’s friend. Doc, named John Henry Holliday came from a Georgian family who moved Westward after the War. Their trials greatly impacted the young boy to the depths of his soul. Clearly, he cared deeply for his family and personal honor. Clearly, he wanted to be successful in his career as a dentist. Clearly, this man was dealt a formidable blow with the diagnosis of consumption (tuberculosis). It changed the direction of his life toward becoming an American Legend.

Doc Holliday does not have the column space of Wyatt Earp, but the man was as much responsible for the OK Corral as was the famous lawman turned entrepreneur. What there is known about Doc Holliday comes often from a side bar to the famous Kansas City lawman, or as a story handed down within a family both proud and ashamed of their connection with Doc. Holliday’s wife or girl, depending on who you believe, recorded her memories about the man she loved… and hated. All these bits of information, pieced into a cohesive story tells about the man and the myth.

The relationships created and broken in the Western territories shaped the Southwest into what it is today. 19th century factions of merchant ranchers fighting for land rights and cattle across the US/Mexico boarder set the stage for the most fascinating and romantic period of Western history. At no other time was there the opportunity for men to become what they might. The possibility of hitting it rich in the mines or making a reputation for oneself had never before, nor perhaps since, been so open for courageous men to seize the moment. However, life in the West may not have worked out as well as one might have hoped. Doc was one of these characters.