The practice started in ancient Egypt where gargoyles ejected the water used to clean sacred vessels which was done on the roof of the temple.  In ancient Greece, water would pass through the mouth of a lion carved into the building out of marble.

A great number of medieval cathedrals are adorned with gargoyles.  The most famous of these is the Cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris.  During it’s construction, a number of gargoyles were constructed.  Some were designed to convey water, others were put in place to ward off evil spirits.  The king of France had a number of enemies at the time and ordered the architect to design every fourth gargoyle in the likeness of on of his enemies.  To this day if you look closely at the gargoyles on Notre Dame, you will notice every fourth one looks much more human than the others.

Both ornamented and unornamented water spouts were common on buildings until the early 18th century.  At that time, more and more buildings were using pipe guttering to convey water directly to street level.  In 1724, the London Building Act made pipe guttering compulsory for all new construction and gargoyles fell out of favor.

What started as a simple means to convey water took on a life of it’s own.  Next time you find yourself in a European city, take a look up and see what details you notice.

Amethyst has been a precious stone for thousands of years. The name comes from a-(not) and -methustos (intoxicated). Amethyst literally means “not drunk” since the ancient Greeks and Romans believed it had the power to keep one from feeling the effects of wine. They would make charms and drinking vessels out of amethyst believing it could keep them from getting drunk.

There are stories about how amethyst got it’s purple color. Most involve Dionysis (the Greek god of wine) turning a beautiful woman into crystal and then weeping tears of wine over her because of what he has done (ancient gods seem to have a very ADD quality about them) thus turning the crystals purple.

Today, amethyst and other crystals are better understood. There is no evidence to suggest that wearing an amethyst crystal will keep you from getting a hangover, but there is evidence that amethyst works in concert with your bodies natural electromagnetic field to induce healing and tranquil feelings. Amethyst can also be used in meditation to channel your thoughts and open blocked energy paths.

Whatever your feelings, amethyst is a beautiful crystal with more than it’s fair share of mystery and romance.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful holiday season full of fun and family.

Thousands of years ago, ancient people had the same thing.  They told stories of gods with superhuman powers fighting monsters and traveling to far away lands.  Each culture had it’s particular gods and stories to tell about them.  In the far north in ancient Scandanavia tales were told of Thor and his hammer, Mjollnir.

Thor’s hammer is said to have the power to level mountains.  If thrown it would return to Thor’s hand.  To wield Mjollnir, special gauntlets had to be worn and a belt that would increase the power of the hammer.  There are many stories about how the hammer was forged and not everyone agrees which is the most accurate.

Today, the stories are told in comic books and soon to be in the movies.  Thor and Mjollnir have endured the centuries and is still today a major icon.  Scandanavian people still pray to Thor just as some people pray to a saint.  The symbol of Mjollnir is found in many places all over Scandanavia, in towns and on the crest of many families of Nordic descent.

Germanic Neopagans are fond of wearing pendants depicting Mjollnir as a sign of their faith.  There has been some controversy in the United States as to it’s religious undertones since it resembles an upside down cross.  These are usually the rantings of overzealous Christians who have little or no understanding of cultures outside their small town.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Autumn season and looks forward to your comments and insights.

Do this:

3 drops Bergamot

2 drops Grapefruit

OR

3 drops Sandalwood

2 drops Orange

OR

3 drops Jasmine or Neroli

3 drops Frankincense

2 drops Clary Sage

Add these to a small bottle, cap tightly and mix by rolling gently between your palms.  At any time you are feeling afraid or you know you will be afraid (right before you enter the haunted house), uncap and inhale the aroma.  The smell will calm your nerves and help you feel relaxed.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and (some) frights.

These are the attributes associated with the werewolf as we know them today. Stories of werewolves have been around for centuries. Petronius of ancient Greece wrote stories about men who could turn into wolves at will.

Herodotus wrote in his Histories about a tribe in the north-east of Scythia, the Neuri, were transformed into wolves once every 9 years. This was to symbolize Earthly regeneration and rebirth. Another myth tells the tale of Lycaon, who was transformed into a wolf by Zeus after consuming human flesh. This is actually one of the earliest examples of the werewolf legend.

Other stories from ancient Greece and Rome tell similar tales as a way of teaching morality. These were often used to teach the younger generation about how to live and treat other people.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.

Although vampires are generally not believed to exist, vampire sightings still occur today. In fact, vampire hunting societies still exist and are gaining in popularity. In late 2002 and early 2003, allegations of vampire attacks swept the country of Malawi in Africa resulting in the stoning to death of one man and the attack of at least 4 others.

I Europe, where most vampire tales originates, vampire are believed to be fictitious. There can still be found the occasional village that claims to have vampires but these are for economic purposes and not because they are real.

Vampire superstition can still be found in the more rural areas of Romania. In 2004, relatives of Toma Petre believed he had become a vampire. They dug up his corpse, tore out his heart, burned the heart and drank the ashes with water. Clearly, vampire superstition is still around.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.

The oldest recorded case of ghost hunting is reported by Pliny the Younger in 100 A.D. When he told the story, it was already a century old tale. The tale tells of a man who bought a house in Athens. The price of the house was far below what it was worth but the sellers wanted to be rid of it and quickly. One night while the new owner was resting comfortably by the fire, a spirit came to him wrapped in chains. The spirit beckoned him to follow and so he did. He was led to a spot in the garden behind the house where the spirit vanished. The next morning, with the permission of the city magistrates, he dug the spot and found a skeleton wrapped in chains. Once the body was given a proper burial the hauntings ceased.

Not much of ghost hunting is mentioned for centuries until the mid-1880’s. William James, a philosopher, suggested applying scientific methods in the search for spirits and ghosts. He found allies in London with Alfred Wallace, Harry Sidgwick, Harry’s wife Elanor and Edmund gurney. Together they founded the Society for Phychical Research to collect evidence proving, or disproving, the existence of ghosts, haunted houses and other paranormal phenomenon.

Ghost hunting would not become a mainstream hobby until the 1970’s with the founding of the Chicago area Ghost Trackers Club (which became the Ghost Research Society in 1981). Today there are over 300 separate ghost hunting organizations throughout American and England and the list is growing.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween Season full of fun and frights.

The oldest recorded case of ghost hunting is reported by Pliny the Younger in 100 A.D. When he told the story, it was already a century old tale. The tale tells of a man who bought a house in Athens. The price of the house was far below what it was worth but the sellers wanted to be rid of it and quickly. One night while the new owner was resting comfortably by the fire, a spirit came to him wrapped in chains. The spirit beckoned him to follow and so he did. He was led to a spot in the garden behind the house where the spirit vanished. The next morning, with the permission of the city magistrates, he dug the spot and found a skeleton wrapped in chains. Once the body was given a proper burial the hauntings ceased.

Not much of ghost hunting is mentioned for centuries until the mid-1880’s. William James, a philosopher, suggested applying scientific methods in the search for spirits and ghosts. He found allies in London with Alfred Wallace, Harry Sidgwick, Harry’s wife Elanor and Edmund gurney. Together they founded the Society for Phychical Research to collect evidence proving, or disproving, the existence of ghosts, haunted houses and other paranormal phenomenon.

Ghost hunting would not become a mainstream hobby until the 1970’s with the founding of the Chicago area Ghost Trackers Club (which became the Ghost Research Society in 1981). Today there are over 300 separate ghost hunting organizations throughout American and England and the list is growing.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween Season full of fun and frights.

Durring the 18th century there was a dramatic increase in vampire sightings, especially in Eastern Europe. Frequently there were grave diggings and stakings of suspected vampires. Government officials often took part in these as well. Even though this was known as the Age of Enlightenment, beliefs in vampires rose to the point of mass hysteria throughout most of Europe.

In 1721 a panic began in East Prussia and spread to other communities. From this panic arose one of the first and most famous of vampire cases. The story revolves around Peter Plogojowitz of Serbia. The story says that one night in 1725, a knock came to the door of Peter’s house around supper time. The stranger was allowed in and offered to sit at the table. The stranger asked for food but was refused. The next morning, Peter’s was found dead with puncture marks on his neck. The surviving family believe the “stranger” was Peter’s father who had died ten years earlier.

Cases such as this were common during this period. Government officials wrote case reports and published books on the subject. So much was the hysteria surrounding vampires, it became known as the “18th Century Vampire Controversy” It wasn’t until physicians got involved that the vampire controversy was “put to rest”. Laws were passed prohibiting the opening of graves and desecrating of bodies. Even so, vampire stories continue to live on in artistic works and local superstition.

Mystical Charm hopes you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.

One theory is that geomagnetic fiends can act on the temporal lobe of the brain and cause many of the experiences associated with hauntings. This theory has been tested in several ways but never proven conclusively. Other scientists attempt to link the onset of haunting phenomenon to increases in global geomagnetic activity. Other theories include carbon monoxide poisoning and infrasound (sound waves lower that 20 Hz). All of the work being done has been controversial and subject to debate.

There are at times rational explanations as to why certain phenomenon occur. Changes in the air pressure in a room can cause a door to suddenly close, or lights passing through a window at the right angle can give one the impression of being haunted.

For the times when no rational explanation can be found, we turn to “Ghost Hunters”. People who have a real desire to put ghosts to the test and verify their authenticity. These dedicated men and women spend their free time searching for evidence of ghostly activity or to prove that there is, in fact, a plausible explanation.

Mystical Charm hope you have a wonderful Halloween season full of fun and frights.