Wicked Moon Website

A very lovely site: Wicked Moon. You'll find e-cards, which are free and beautiful, like the one shown here, a forum, and more. (thanks Kithra for the lovely card!)

Fabulous vintage esoterica images

There are some great historical and lovely esoteric photographs at The Commons at flickr for your perusal, fair usage, and input.

From their page: The key goals of The Commons on Flickr are to firstly show you hidden treasures in the world's public photography archives, and secondly to show how your input and knowledge can help make these collections even richer.

There are lots of great finds to be discovered.For example, these two Victorian era spirit photographs from the Spirit Photographs of William Hope set from National Media Museum's photostream:

and this fetching one from George Eastman House photostream:

winter remedies that really work...

Our household is thankfully just coming out of a round of winter ills; I thought I'd share some easy home remedies that I've used and written about elsewhere.

Sore throat pain eliminator:
Stick out your tongue as far as possible, trying to touch the tip of it to your chin. This is an extreme stretch; when you feel you have reached full stretch capacity, stretch it further, and then even further. You should give this all you've got. You should stretch your tongue toward your chin until you nearly gag. That's it! Usually, sore throat pain will be minimized (if not removed!) immediately. Repeat this technique every half hour until signifigant improvement is gained.
full article here

more remedies:
Staying warm with ginger
All purpose winter ills tonic

Darklore Volume II

I'm shamelessly promoting Darklore Volume II, seeing as how I'm in it. If you're not familar with Darklore, it's a journal of collected articles on the paranormal and esoteric, published and edited by Greg Taylor, who runs the excellent The Daily Grail site. Taylor is also a contributor.

The first volume was fantastic, the second promises to be as well. I just got mine today, and am devouring it; articles by Nick Redfern, Paul Devereux, Mac Tonnies, Jon Downes, Theo Paijmansm Michael Prescott, The Emperor, Philip Coppens, Blair MacKenzie Blake, Michael E. Tymn, Stephen E. Braude Ph.D -- I'm very happy, but astounded, I'm in such fantastic company!

It's a great issue, and no, I'm not just saying that. You can order Darklore Volume II via amazon.com, or the order page at The Daily Grail site.

Trickster-Mary-Devil in the Mysterious Valley?

I'm reading one of UFO and fortean researcher Chris O'Brien's books: Secrets of the Mysterious Valley, and found a slight but interesting bit about a BVM sighting (sort of) in the mid-1800s. You can read it on my blog UFO-Mary: Trickster-Mary-Devil in the Mysterious Valley?

Time Wasting Blog Quiz Thing

Your Spiritual Number is Seven

You bring knowledge and wisdom into people's lives. You are an expert in many fields, and you give excellent advice. Right now, your life is about perfecting your skill set. You are almost a virtuoso at the thing you love best. With some practice, you'll get there. You are highly intelligent and intellectual. You have profound analytical skills. But you also have the soul of an artist. You long to create.

What's Your Spiritual Number?

A Psychic's Tale

My latest post is a long one but it entails the humble beginnings of how I stumbled upon my life as a psychic medium. So if you're interested the weird world of the psychic, this one is for you. :D

A Psychic's Tale

Look UP, Damnit!

Look UP, damnit! Why is there so much apathy and fear? Why do people refuse to look up, even then they see someone near them looking up and watching . . .something up there? Why do they, if they do look up, refuse to acknowledge what they've just seen? Chris Holly writes about this strange behavior that she's experienced many times, as have I. So I ask, what the hell is it people are afraid of?

I posted a little review of Chris Holly’s article on UFO Digest: What’s Going On? - The Sky is filled with Chemtrails and No One Looks Up! In that article, Holly mentions an earlier article she wrote for UFO Digest about seeing a UFO at a friends house during a party.Something is Wrong - That was a UFO
and NO One Noticed!In both articles, Holly mentions the bizarre apathy of the majority of potential witnesses to things right above their heads, be they UFOs or chemtrails. As strange as both those events are, it’s certainly as strange to know that people do not -- and will not, when asked to -- look up. Often, when they do, after seeing a UFO, or the strange patterns made by those umarked white planes, they simply shrug and move on. Holly writes about the UFO she, and a few others, witnessed at the party, and their reaction:

I stood there flabbergasted at what we just observed. I could not believe I was so lucky to have had a deck full of friends to share this incredible sighting with. I turned towards the three who had been watching this display with me and said “ My god, did you just see that?” They looked at me and sort of shrugged.

Frustrated and confused by the lack of interest and excitement of her friends at seeing the UFO with its defintly un-plane like characteristics, Holly writes that she asked her friends about what they’d all just seen:

Wait a minute guys, did you just see what went on out there with those lights?’ They looked at me as if I was crazy. “It was just some lights Chris, probably a couple of planes.” I turned towards the three who witnessed the strange maneuvers of the lights with me and asked.” Have any of you ever seen a plane do what those lights just did?” To my complete amazement they just sort of looked at me blankly.

This response “It was just some lights, Chris, probably a couple of planes” is astounding. Of course, I wasn’t there, and didn’t see what Holly saw. But I have experienced the exact same thing, many times over, that Holly describes in both her articles.

From Holly’s description it doesn’t seem that what was seen were merely planes. IF they were simply planes, that’s still pretty weird. What kind of planes do those kinds of things? Aren’t people interested in that? Human made, military, or ET from space, it still is weird enough to be curious, at least. Instead, apathy rules, acknowledgement drools.

At least Holly had one friend who acknowledged that what they saw wasn’t simply a plane, that it was, indeed, very odd. While supportive and confirming, Holly is also confused by her friends’s reluctance to talk about it openly to the group; instead, he talks to her privately,and encourages her to let it go, because he worries that she will be treated badly and considered a nut. Even though they all saw the same thing!

It’s good to know that there are others out there, like Chris Holly, who have experienced these same kinds of things. I’ve written before in various places on-line about this phenomena of people not looking up, simply refusing to, or, when they do, simply shrug and pretend it didn’t happen.

Thankfully, we have people like Chris Holly who isn’t afraid to write about these experiences and is willing to call people on their reactions, or, lack of them.

X-ZONE Podcast Appearance

This Wednesday night, November 26, I'll be on Rob McConnell's X-Zone podcast. You can find out more here.

A Haunting Questionnaire

Do you suspect a haunting is occurring in your home? Take my Haunting Questionnaire to find out if you are and what it could be that is causing dread in your basement.

When logic and proportion have fallen sloppy dead...

For anyone who hasn't seen this very bizarre and compelling instance of paredolic posturing, you really must take a look at the photo I've written about in my latest Medusa's Ladder column. It was originally sent to my husband for inclusion on his site, but I thought I'd help share it a little--it's really extraordinary.
Click here to read the article and see the photo.

'Hysteria' gets a stamp of approval

I've been wanting to write about the feminist/medical history/academic writer/critic Elaine Showalter here for a while. This story reminded me of that, and it seems like a fairly big story that isn't really making the rounds, so I thought I'd post it--I'm going to have to provide some ideas about it and Ms. Showalter (I love her) a bit later.

New TR on Binnall of America: Psychic Factor and UFOs

My new Trickster's Realm column is now up at Binnall of America: The Pyschic Factor and The UFO Experience.

The Wisdom of Amaryss

Spirit Guide - an entity which provides spiritual guidance through channeling or a medium

I feel so priviledged to have such a wonderful relationship with such a beautiful being. Here's a little story I wrote about the day I met her. The Wisdom of Amaryss

A Little Experiment: Pendulums, Telepathy and Aliens

I have an article up at UFO Digest on my personal experience with UFOs and aliens: A Little Experiment: Pendulums, Telepathy and Aliens

Three different times I’ve had the eerie experience of knowing that “they” were in the room with us. Who “they” are, I’m not sure, but a few things I just know to be true are: “they” are related to UFOs, “they” are not human, and yet have a connection to us, and “they” are very much aware of us; far more than we are of them

.



You might be wondering what Popyeye and Jeep have to do with anything; well, read it and you'll find out!

Egypt says has found pyramid built for ancient queen

Egypt says has found pyramid built for ancient queen

SAQQARA, Egypt (Reuters) – Egyptian archaeologists have discovered a pyramid buried in the desert and thought to belong to the mother of a pharaoh who ruled more than 4,000 years ago, Egypt's antiquities chief said on Tuesday.

The pyramid, found about two months ago in the sand south of Cairo, probably housed the remains of Queen Sesheshet, the mother of King Teti, who ruled from 2323 to 2291 BC and founded Egypt's Sixth Dynasty, Zahi Hawass told reporters.

Yma Sumac

Peruvian singer Yma Sumac died November 7, at age 86. I have great memories of listening to her when I was a kid; I still have some albums of hers. I think this video, with Yma in the woods -- it seems very witchy and nature goddess like -- is fitting for Women Of Esoterica.

President Obama

I know this is "off topic" but I've just published a post about the election of Barack Obama over on my blog.

It's a personal view that I wrote as soon as I heard that he had won. I just needed to get my thoughts written up. Along with the rest of the world I'm very pleased that he will be the next US President, but on my blog I do sound one word of warning. However, I wish him well.

Feliz dias de los meurtos

from miss mictecacihuatl, the lady of death.

VOTE!

Get out and vote!!!! Know what your voting rights are, know where to go or what to do to vote, and do it! VOTE!

Dr. Clifford Pickover: The Girl Who Gave Birth to Rabbits

Medical oddity, and sounds like, no doubt, a medical tragedy, from the 1800s: The Girl Who Gave Birth to Rabbits, the story of Mary Toft, as told by Cliff Pickover.
(Image is of artist Albrecht Durer's "rabbit" painting)

October 2008 updates from Farah Yurdozu

After a busy and intense summer full of conferences and travels to Roswell New Mexico, San Jose California MUFON Symposium in October we had the second Culture of Contact Conference here in New Jersey at home. Culture of Contact art show is still going on where we are exhibiting our paintings inpired by UFO /ET contact.

Also my fifth book has published in Turkey "UFO Forbidden Zone" ( UFO Yasak Bölge ) in Turkish. In this new book my Turkish readers will find a lot of information about the recent UFO cases from the world and US. Also the history of ET / Alien contact for thousands of years is another important topic that I included to my book. Now I must get back to work...

New Gray Matters Up at BOA

A very neat ghost/trickster story by Lesley for her Gray Matters column on BOA.

Of Long Lost Cousins and Fire Eaters

I really do come from Circus Folk!

This has nothing to do with UFOs or the paranormal, but it does fit into esoterica in a way, after all, there does seem to be a Fortean, high strangeness air about circuses, clowns, and carnivals and they are often settings for supernatural or paranormal stories, both real and fiction. (Remember the HBO series Carnival? Excellent series, one of my favorites.)

Anyway, a very wonderful thing happened to me recently. I was contacted by, as it turns out, my second cousin, who found me via her searching on-line about her mother’s side of the family. She’s managed to find all kinds of things that she is sharing with me. Two bits of synchronicity in all this: one, I’ve been thinking very strongly about her all day yesterday, wondering why I hadn’t heard from her, when, to my delight and surprise, I found several emails from her in my e-mail today. (Her family had had something very serious to deal with; that's why I hadn't heard from her.) And, today, while following a link that had nothing to do with this, but some other topic, I saw, at the top of the page, this quote of Ernest Hemingway’s:

“The circus is the only fun you can buy that’s good for you.”

(I don’t agree with that, I hate circuses, at least traditional ones that use animals. And I can't stand clowns.)

My grandmother, Louise Gladstone McClocklin (Lee) and one of Louise’s sisters (my cousin’s grandmother) were known as “The Gladstone Sisters” an acrobatic, vaudeville act. Here are a few little items my cousin (I’ll call her Libby) shared with me. I've kept the original wording and spelling.

BISMARCK DAILY TRIBUNE, 29 JAN 1909, PG 2
TITLE: AT THE GEM

The Gem theatre has an exceptional bill in vaudeville for this end of the week, and at both performances last night the two acts were generously applauded.

The Gladstone Sisters, Louise & Hazel, the juvenile sunbeams,are stars,rarely equalled, and they are certainly big winners. Their harmony singing and acrobatic dancing, are new features in vaudeville acts....

RENO EVENING GAZETTE, RENO, NEVADA, 3 SEP 1910, pg 5
MECHANICAL DOLL TO BE EXPOSED AT WIGWAM TONIGHT

Tonight the mysterious mechanical doll will be taken up from the audience in full view of all, and the trick that has been so mystifying during the past week exposed.

This will be the last night you will have to hear that clever msical team, Stanley & Scanlon, alos that dainty little soubrette Minnie Baldwin.

Commencing tomorrow afternoon the GLADSTONE SISTERS, the child acrobatic wonders, the GREATEST child act ever seen in this city, will open a week's engagement at the Wigdom. This act is considered a GREAT FEATURE.

THE NEWARK ADVOCATE, 29 NOV 1906, pg8
NEWARK, OHIO

THE ORPHIUM
Theatre Beautiful.
Fouth St., Between Main and Church.
MAKE NO MISTAKES. FOLLOW THE CROWD
For ladies, gentlemen, children.
____________________________________
Week
Commencing NOV.26
_____________________________________
"CREO"
European Novelty
____________________________________
GLADSTONE CHILDREN
SINGERS AND ACROBATIC DANCERS
_____________________________________
TOMMY HAYES
Refined Musical Artist.
____________________________________
FRANKLIN A. BROOKS,
Song Illustrator
_____________________________________

THE MARION DAILY STAR, 30 OCT 1907, pg.9
MARION, OHIO
MARION FAMILY THEATER
___________________________
WEEK OF OCTOBER 28,
THE BARRINGTON CO.
High Class Spectacular & Musical Comedy,
TIPPLE AND CLIMENT
Comedy Musical Artista
THE GLADSTONE SISTERS Singers, and Acrobatic Dancers,
THE GREAT GAYLOR
A Contortionist,
EP ROWE
Illustrated Song,
POWERS MOVING PICTURES
Wonderful Flames

Matinees Monday, Wednesday and Sunday. 10 cents
Children's Sat. Matinee under 12 5cents

MANSFIELD NEWS, 5 NOV 1907, pg 7
MANSFIELD OHIO

EXCERPT
TITLE PLAY AND PLAY PEOPLE
... The juveniles get a good showing on the Orphium bill this week, the Gladstone Sisters and three of the five Benningtons coming under this classification and the bill of the week is one that will undoubtedly prove a winner, particularly with the ladies and the children.

The Gladstone Sisters, two clever little ladies, come on with a song and dance after which they give an excellent exhibition of
acrobatics, their good humor during the act being contagious.

Later, my grandmother and grandfather, and my uncle and father, joined up with the Tom Mix Circus. I’m hoping Libby will send me the scans of the actual articles from the original papers. I know there’s either a LOOK or LIFE cover of The Gladstone Sisters on it; my grandmother showed it to me when I was a teenager.

And Libby shared with me that another cousin “ran off” when she was a teen-ager, returning home a few years later, married to a fire-eater! How cool is that?

The circus seems to run in the blood. Which explains a lot, don’t ya think?