People get fascinated with unknown creatures that we catch a glimpse of but otherwise remain just beyond our reach. Scientists won’t recognize these animals until they get the chance to examine an actual body, dead or alive, so the animals we’ve only experienced via short videos and photos get classified under cryptozoology.Out of the recognized cryptids, lake monsters and lake serpents have the richest and longest history. I’d like to introduce one such lake monster to you today: Selma.

Selma is believed to be 30 to 45 feet full grown, which makes her a small lake monster. She can be found in Seljordsvatent Lake in Seljord, Telemark, Norway. “Lake Sel” is 12 miles long and 15 miles wide.

It used to be thought that sea serpents were giant seals with long necks or dinosaurs that escaped extinction. Now it’s believed that sea monsters could be Zeuglodons, which is a type of whale with a unique look that is thought to be extinct by mainstream science.

Eye witness accounts of Selma started as early as the 1750s, and over 500 eye witness accounts have been recorded since. Jan Sundberg has seen Selma many times, and he was working with a giant trap to attempt to catch her so DNA and tissue samples could be extracted, and then she could be released with as little stressed caused to her as possible.

This is a video capture od what is thought to be Selma: http://nyhederne.tv2.dk/article.php/id-52205923:sagnomspundet-s%C3%B8uhyre-filmet-i-norge.html

Want to see more lake monsters cryptozoologists are following around the world? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xI_cZlYK1uc#t=116

 

REFERENCES

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selma_(lake_monster)

http://cryptozoo-oscity.blogspot.com/2009/05/selma-norwegian-lake-monster.html

http://theparanormalblog.tumblr.com/post/33752325470/lake-monster-caught-on-tape-in-norway-holy

http://www.tsemrinpoche.com/tsem-tulku-rinpoche/science-mysteries/7-lake-monsters.html

http://www.newanimal.org/sea-serpents.htm

http://www.xprojectmagazine.com/archives/cryptozoology/selmatrap.html

Original Blog Can Be Found Here: http://lifescaperadio.com/various-popular-forms-of-divination-in-the-usa

 

 

Various Popular Forms of Divination in the USA

By Kelly Spina

 

Astrology, sometimes referred to as Western Astrology or the Western Zodiac, is the system of Astrology most people in the United States are familiar with. Astrology is an ancient “science” based on how the position of planets at a given moment affect people, places, and things. Our horoscopes and our sign, ie Libra, Taurus, are based on Western Astrology.

For more information on Western Astrology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_astrology

 

Cartomancy is a form of divination that uses regular playing cards as opposed to using Tarot cards or other forms of divination decks, like Angel cards or Oracle cards. Each card is given it’s own meaning, and is read in a similar way to other divination decks, the main difference being that the occult symbols are not on the regular deck of playing cards.

For more information on Cartomancy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartomancy

 

Clairvoyance means clear vision, and is sometimes referred to as one’s sixth sense or one’s intuition. A clairvoyant is able to “know” or “see” things without the use of any of the basic five senses.

For more information on Clairvoyance: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clairvoyance

 

Chinese Astrology is based on Chinese Astronomy and the Chinese calendar, and differs in many ways from Western Astrology. Every year is assigned a different sign, ie Year of the Snake, Year of the Dragon, and a person born into that year is said to be born with traits of that sign. In Chinese Astrology, one is also born into a Yin Year or a Yang Year, as well as one of the elements:, metal, wood, fire, earth, water.

To learn more about Chinese Astrology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_astrology

 

Geomancy is a form of divination that looks for signs in various markings on the ground or by using dice. It’s often compared as being very similar to the Chinese Fenh Shui and the Chinese I Ching. Depending on how the dice fall and settle, the Geomancer can tell if wishes will be granted or denied, time frames, etc.

To learn more about Geomancy: http://www.quadibloc.com/other/geoint.htm

 

Necromancy is the practice of communicating with the dead, usually for the purposes of gathering information or to predict the future. Some say it’s not necromancy if one only communicates with their own ancestors, and some say necromancy covers any time one tries to commune with the dead. Some necromancers have actually raised the body of the dead to use the body for necromancy, but they are not the norm.

To learn more about Necromancy: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Necromancy

 

Numerology is a form of divination that relates a number and a person/event by using a set of numbers that are determined by when one was born. Each year has a different value for each person, and that value helps determine what they should and shouldn’t pursue in a year based on the challenges and opportunities that will be provided.

To learn more about Numerology: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Numerology

 

Palmistry is using the lines on one’s hand to foresee their future. One’s hand shape is matched and defined by one of the four occult elements: air, water, fire, earth. Each hand also includes a heart line, fate line, and a head line. Reading one’s left hand and one’s right hand give a more focused reading, as each hand is tied to different parts of one’s life.

To learn more about Palmistry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmistry

 

Scrying is a form of divination where the scryer uses a crystal ball, black mirror/ fire, smoke, bowl/body of water, etc to gaze on and see images of the future. Gazing helps the scryer clear their mind and go into a trance, and that allows them to see images that help them make predictions.

To learn more about scrying: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scrying

 

Tarot cards used to be a card game in Italy and France, and a couple decades later their use turned to being used by occultists for divination purposes. Tarot cards have four suits:, wands, cups, pentacles, and swords. They have 78 cards that consist of Major Arcana and Minor Arcana. The Major Arcana, or the Trump cards, stand for the greater secrets of the Tarot, and are associated with the journey of the Fool. The Minor Arcana stand for the lesser secrets.

To learn more about the Tarot: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tarot

 

Original Blog Can Be Found Here: http://rainbowpsychics.com/2014/09/24/skinwalkers and http://lifescaperadio.com/skinwalkers

 

 

Skinwalkers

by Kelly Spina

 

The best documented cases of skinwalkers are the Navajo, which literally means “he gets on all fours.” They used to wear a pelt of the animal they wished to shape shift into, but that ancient practice faded as the pelts could be sued to identify who the skinwalkers were. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skin-walker)

In 1978, Frances T. and her family had a brush with skinwalkers while driving through Navajo land in Arizona. Twenty miles away from the nearest town, they were driving alone on a dark country road. They went around a bend and saw a creature shapes like a man and wearing men’s clothes, but otherwise he was hairy and didn’t look like a man. Everyone in the family saw it. A couple nights later, the younger two family members saw the skinwalkers again; they were trying to hop over the family’s back fence but couldn’t quite get their legs up high enough to make the hop. When a Navajo friend was approached about the strange sightings and experiences, the family was told the skinwalkers risked exposing themselves to get close enough to the family to steal their power. The Najavo Native then blessed them family, and they haven’t had any skinwalker experiences since. (http://paranormal.about.com/od/othercreatures/a/aa061801.htm)

In Navajo beliefs, skinwalkers are witches who can take the form of any animal they wish. They are said to be powerful enough to mind control their victims to suicide if desired, are fast enough to run faster than a car, and can even jump off a mesa cliff with very little effort. While not all Navajo witches are skinwalkers, all skinwalkers are witches. Horrible crimes have been pinned on skinwalkers from murder to necrophilia to grace robbing to making people ill. To gain initiation as a skinwalker, one might even turn on their own human family and kill a sibling. (http://www.rense.com/general77/skin.htm)

To learn more about Navajo folklore and beliefs pertaining to skinwalkers, visit http://www.navajolegends.org/navajo-skinwalker-legend.

Skinwalker sighting

Original Blog Can Be Found Here: http://cadella.livejournal.com/5052.html

 

Tonight my family of four got together to do my ADF High Day Ritual. We welcomed all the deities and spirits in, the main ones being Perspehone and Hades so we could observe the rape of Persephone as well as celebrate their marriage.

One of the things ADF Druids do that I really like is, toward the end of the ritual, we make “wishes” and ask the deities to grant them. Then we use a form of divination to draw the Omen to see how the dieites respond to our request.

My 4-year old daughter, Cassandra, asked to never be separated from her family. She drew the Tarot catd THE SUN as her Omen.

My 8-year old daughter, Concetta, asked for a new rocking horse, and she wanted freedom for all the good people in the world (but not for the bad people. She drew the Tarot card THE LOVERS as her Omen.

I asked for my psychic business to take off so I can use it to support my family, for my will to remain strong as I recommit to being a Vegetarian again, and for the path to open up for me to get a dog. The Tarot card I chose was the TEN OF PENTACLES as my Omen.

My husband, Michael, asked for justice and prosperity. The Tarot catd he chose was TEMPERANCE as his Omen.

We also drew a card to ask if the divine was happy with our rite, and the Tarot card we chose was the FOUR OF WANDS.

What a beautiful ritual, and what positive Omens!

 

Original Blog can be found at: http://cadella.livejournal.com/4619.html

 

I’ve chosen to take the first steps on the Dedicant Path so I can understand my own connection to the divine better, and to eventually serve as a member of the clergy. I would also like to merge my two spiritual paths – Roman Paganism/Strega and ADF Druidry – into one by founding an ADF protogrove. There are many things that building a grove and going through the Dedicant Program and Clergy Program have hand in hand. From what I understand, they compliment each other well.

I’m unsure if this is a step in my path or if this will become the Path itself. From where I sit now, this is simply a step in my path, but I can see how it could become the Path as I find myself contemplating each question carefully and wanting to get the most from the experience. Is it possible it will become the Path itself for the time I am studying via the Dedicant Path, and then my path will merge into the next ADF study program? I do get passionate about my studies in that regard.

I expect to learn a lot from the ADF Dedicant Program. I want to learn to feel comfortable and at home with the format of the ADF ritual. I want to reach a new level of meditation with the Two Powers meditation. I also hope to learn a lot more historical truth than fakelore. That’s one thing I really respect about ADF; they would rather have facts than a romanticized fiction.

I expect to get a lot out of this journey. In addition to completing the Dedicant Program and being able to move forward. I expect to build up more of a respect for the Wheel of the Year. As a Roman Pagan in a mostly Wiccan and Celtic Pagan geographic area, I get so fed up with people saying they are Roman or Hellenic, but they follow the Wheel. Since I’m dedicating to ADF and taking my education with them seriously, I’m hoping a better relationship with that damn Wheel will emerge.

This path will take me to a place where I can either start the Initiate’s Program or the Clergy Program. Both are programs I want to complete. I’ll probably decide which to do first based on where my protogrove is at the time. If it looks like we could turn into a grove shortly, then I’ll probably go right into the Clergy Program. If we’re still building our numbers and we’re taking it slow, I’ll go to the Initiate’s Path next. Either way, I’m looking forward to completing all three programs.

I’ve started and stopped this journey many times over the past nine years. I honestly don’t know why it fizzled out so many times before, but this time it feels like the momentum is building and I’m going to actually do it this time. It’s probably because both my children are in school now and I finally have time to myself that I can count on and set aside to do my spiritual studies. Being a mother of very small children is all consuming. Now that I’m thinking about teaching them spirituality, it feels good to belong to ADF and know that I can teach my children ADF Druidry.

The actual work looks easy enough, but being consistent is the hard part. But this time I’m going to be forgiving on myself if I fall behind schedule. If I don’t complete 52 lessons within 52 weeks, it’s ok. I can take as long as I need. Each lesson I complete makes me one step closer to being an actual Dedicant.

The requirements that look hard is the journaling. Not that journaling is hard, but finding the time to do it and be thorough and consistent is hard for someone who procrastinates sometimes. Another requirement that looks hard is leading my own ADF rituals. I’ll have to keep referring to the outline to make sure I have it right and what the next step is.

The requirement that will be easiest for me is the book essays! I’m a bookworm as it is, always have been, so to have an excuse to make time in my day to read is going to be very satisfying.

I don’t have any questions or concerns at this time. I simply have excitement!

Original blog can be found at: http://cadella.livejournal.com/3598.html

 

I’ve been flirting with this course of study for 9 years now, so I’m finally just going to do it. If you’re not familiar with ADF, you can read more about them via their web page.

Luckily for me and every other person deciding to undergo the ADF Dedicant Program, and manual has been assembled as a road map. I tend to follow it: https://www.adf.org/system/files/members/training/dp/publications/dp-through-wheel-of-year.pdf
The ADF Manual is at https://www.adf.org/members/training/dp/dp-manual-web/index.html.

My target audience for this blog is fellow ADF members, and somewhat the larger Pagan community. People who don’t fit into those categories are still welcome to follow the blog and ask questions.

I submitted paperwork this past week to start my own ADF protogrove, so I figured this is the right timing to start this journey as well. My plan is to reach the status of Fully Chartered ADF Grove right after I complete the ADF Clergy Program, which will be my next course of study.

And to clear up any confusion, my birth / legal name is Kelly, and my spiritual name is Cadella. I’ll answer to both. 🙂

Thank you for taking an interest in my journey!

 

 

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