In the shadowy depths of Pennsylvania’s hemlock forests, where fog clings to the trees like ancient whispers, lives a creature so pitiful, so heartbreakingly sorrowful, that it is said to dissolve into a puddle of its own tears when confronted. Meet the Squonk, perhaps the only cryptid in North American folklore whose defining characteristic isn’t terror or mystery—but profound self-loathing.

A Beast Born of Sadness

First appearing in folklore of the late 19th century, the Squonk (Latin name Lacrimacorpus dissolvens, meaning “tearful body that dissolves”) is said to haunt the dense woodlands of northern Pennsylvania, particularly in the areas once rife with logging. Descriptions of the creature paint a tragically comic figure: covered in saggy, warty skin, moles, and blemishes, the Squonk is so ashamed of its appearance that it actively avoids all human contact. Its weeping is said to echo through the trees at night, a mournful sound that tugs at the heart.

Unlike more aggressive cryptids like Bigfoot or the Chupacabra, the Squonk poses no threat. It is not a hunter or a monster. It is a timid, melancholic, and deeply insecure creature. According to legend, if someone tries to capture a Squonk, it will collapse into a pool of bubbling tears and vanish, leaving behind only salty water and sorrow.

Origins in American Tales

The Squonk first gained public attention in Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods, a 1910 compendium of mythical beasts told by lumberjacks around the campfire. While the book was meant to entertain with exaggerated frontier lore, the Squonk stood out. It wasn’t fearsome. It was, instead, almost too human in its emotional depth. Some historians believe the Squonk may represent the struggles of the logging industry or reflect personal feelings of alienation and low self-worth, turned into a creature of folklore.

The Hunt for the Squonk

Despite its fragile nature, there have been supposed attempts to capture the Squonk. One tale recounts a man who managed to coax a Squonk into a sack, only to feel the bag suddenly go limp. When he looked inside, all that remained was a pool of tears and sadness. The creature had, true to legend, dissolved from shame. Modern cryptid enthusiasts still share sightings and theories, although no solid evidence has ever been produced. Yet the Squonk endures, not because people are convinced it exists, but because of what it symbolizes.

A Modern Mascot for the Melancholy

In recent years, the Squonk has enjoyed a sort of cultural renaissance. It’s become a symbol of emotional vulnerability, social anxiety, and the quiet battles people face within themselves. Artists, musicians, and writers have embraced the Squonk as a mascot for anyone who’s ever felt “too ugly,” “too weird,” or simply not enough. Progressive rock band Genesis even dedicated a haunting track titled “Squonk” on their 1976 album A Trick of the Tail, likening the creature’s sadness to our own all-too-human feelings of regret and loneliness.

More Than a Myth

Whether or not the Squonk ever actually roamed the Pennsylvania forests is beside the point. It lives on in a different way, as a comfort, and a mirror to all of us odd balls out there. In a world that often prizes perfection, the Squonk reminds us that vulnerability is part of being alive. So, if you ever find yourself wandering through the woods on a misty evening and hear quiet sobbing from behind a tree, don’t be afraid. It might just be the Squonk, hiding not from you, but from itself. And maybe, just maybe, it needs a friend..

Litha, also known as Midsummer or the Summer Solstice, is one of the eight key moments celebrated by indigenous people, pagans, Wiccans, and other earth-centered spiritual paths. Marking the longest day and shortest night of the year, typically around June 20–22 in the Northern Hemisphere, Litha is a celebration of light, life, and fertility.

As the wheel of the year turns and the sun climbs to its highest point in the sky, we arrive at Litha, the Summer Solstice, a sacred pause in time when the day stretches to its longest and the night shrinks to its briefest breath. This is a celebration of solar power, earth’s generosity, and transformation, rooted in ancient traditions around the world. Litha is more than a seasonal marker. It is a deep inhalation of light before the long exhale into shadow. It is the blazing crown of the sun before it begins its slow descent. At this moment of balance tipping toward change, ancient peoples gathered in reverence, in firelit joy, and in offerings to the unseen spirits of land, sky, and sun.

Origins and Ancient Celebrations.

Across ancient Europe and beyond, people watched the sky and honored the turning points of the sun’s journey. Litha, as a Pagan term, draws heavily from Celtic, Norse, and Germanic traditions, but its celebration is found around the world:

Celtic and Germanic Traditions: In the old Celtic lands, Midsummer was a time of bonfires, fertility rites, and sacred unions. Fire festivals were held to boost the sun’s power, ensuring a rich harvest in the coming months. People leapt over flames, believing the smoke and embers could purify and bless. In Germanic regions, herbs gathered on the solstice were believed to hold powerful healing magic. Couples handfasted beneath the sun, and communities danced in rings of flowers and firelight.

Norse Traditions: For the Norse, Midsummer was a time of community feasting and storytelling. Offerings were made to the Goddess Freja and the God Frej. Sacred wells and springs were visited, and the boundaries between this world and the realm of spirits were believed to thin making it a potent time for divination and blessings.

Indigenous Peoples Traditions: The Summer Solstice has long been honored by Indigenous cultures across the globe, often as a time of renewal, gratitude, and alignment with the Earth’s natural cycles. Some have the Sun dance, others have festivals of the sun and ceremonial rituals including drumming, chanting, praying and storytelling.

Symbols of Litha

Litha is a festival of fire, greens, flowers, sun, and life in full bloom. Everything is at its peak—the grass is lush, the days long and golden, and the fruits of the earth begin to swell with promise.

Key Symbols and Themes: Green leaves and flowers. Life-giver/Birther, Symbol of divine feminine energy, fertility, and growth. Altars are often decorated with sunflowers, green or golden cloths, birch and oak leaves, and fresh herbs.

The Sun: Life-giver, illuminator, symbol of the divine masculine energy.

Fire: Transformation, protection, and celebration. Jumping over fires was believed to bring luck and fertility.

The Oak and Holly Kings: In Wiccan lore, the Oak King (who reigns from Yule to Litha) is vanquished by the Holly King, signaling the waning year.

Modern Observances

For modern Pagans, Wiccans and some indigenous people, Litha is a time of ritual celebration, ecological awareness, and personal reflection. It’s a moment to pause, gather energy, and honor what has grown in one’s life—both literally and metaphorically. Common practices are music, bonfires and poles dressed in leaves, flowers, and ribbons. The fire is used to honor the sun’s peak and mark the solstice, and the pole is a fertility-symbol, blending the female fertility energy with the male fertility energy, as to become one.

During Litha some people get up early to see the solstice sun rise and stay up until late to watch the sun set, both moments can be a powerful spiritual act for the person doing so. Many meditate or offer prayers of gratitude at dawn and/or dusk. Herbal Magic is also a key factor during Litha. Herbs like St. John’s Wort, mug wort, rosemary, and chamomile are collected and dried for use in potions, teas, or protective bundles.

In some cultures, seven different flowers are picked in silence and placed under the pillow to have dreams about future partner. Others gather around a body of water and ask the water spirits for guidance and miracles. Offerings to Spirits is always a good thing to think about. Many leave flowers, coins, or food at sacred places or in wild groves to honor nature spirits, ancestors, or faerie folk.

A Time to Bloom and Let Go

Though Litha celebrates the sun at its height, it is also a threshold—the moment the year begins to wane. This gentle truth reminds us that even in full bloom, change is inevitable. The fruits of effort ripen, and we prepare to harvest what we’ve sown in coming months. It is a time for joy, but also for intention. As the golden sun sinks slowly beyond the hills, may you feel its warmth in your spirit. May the fires of Litha ignite your purpose, and may the turning of the Wheel bring peace, prosperity, and power to your path.

Blessed Be!

Throughout history, few mythical creatures have captured the human imagination like the unicorn. With its spiraled horn, graceful form, and elusive nature, the unicorn has galloped through ancient legends, religious symbolism, and medieval tapestries into modern fantasy fiction and pop culture. But where did this creature come from, and what does it symbolize?

The Ancient Roots of the Unicorn Legend

Far from being a recent invention of fairy tales or fantasy novels, the unicorn has roots that stretch deep into the ancient world. The earliest known references to unicorn-like beings date back over two millennia. Greek historians and travelers, such as Ctesias of Cnidus in the 5th century BCE, recorded tales of strange, one-horned beasts reportedly seen in the distant lands of India.

Ctesias described them not as mythical creatures, but as real animals, with the body of a horse, the head of a stag, the feet of an elephant, and a single, spiraled horn of deep red and white. These accounts were likely drawn from secondhand reports or misinterpretations of animals such as the Indian rhinoceros or oryx, filtered through the lens of exoticism and limited understanding. Yet they sparked the imagination of the West, planting the seed of a legend that would flourish for centuries.

In the East, a similarly revered creature existed—but in a vastly different form. In ancient Chinese mythology, the unicorn-like Qilin was considered one of the four sacred animals, alongside the dragon, phoenix, and tortoise. Unlike its Western counterpart, the Qilin was not equine in form but bore features resembling a deer, an ox, or even a scaled dragon, with cloven hooves and sometimes a blazing mane. Its appearance was considered an omen of great fortune, heralding the birth of sages, the rule of virtuous emperors, or periods of profound peace.

Confucius himself was said to have been visited by a Qilin before his birth, further cementing its status as a cosmic harbinger of wisdom and moral order. Both the Greek and Chinese traditions reflect a human longing to define and identify the extraordinary, be it in the natural world or the spiritual realm. Though the unicorns differed in form, the symbolic meaning is somewhat the same: purity, wisdom, and morality.

The Unicorn lore in Medieval Times

During the Medieval Ages, unicorns were elevated beyond their earlier exotic origins to become profound symbols in Christian theology (of course, Big Church had to appropriate on unicorns too), and medieval art. No longer mere curiosities of distant lands, they were woven into the spiritual and moral fabric of European culture. The Western unicorn, with its solitary spiraled horn and ethereal grace, came to embody transcendent ideals like purity, chastity, and divine mystery.

In Christian allegory, the unicorn was frequently interpreted as a symbol of Christ himself. The creature mirrored the mystery of the divine, while its supposed vulnerability to capture only by a virgin, was seen as a metaphor for the Incarnation, Christ entering the world through the Virgin Mary as well as the "importance of being pure of heart" to know Christ. The unicorn's taming was thus not just a charming folktale but a coded theological message: a spiritual "truth" cloaked in myth.

One of the most iconic artistic expressions of this symbolism is found in the late 15th-century tapestry cycle The Hunt of the Unicorn. These richly woven panels, likely created in the Southern Netherlands, depict a vivid and allegorical pursuit of the unicorn by noble hunters and hounds through a stylized, dreamlike forest. The unicorn’s journey culminates not in death alone, but in resurrection, depicting Christ’s Passion and triumph over mortality.

In a pivotal image, the unicorn is seen resting its head in the lap of a maiden, serene and unresisting. This moment—often interpreted as both literal and mystical—merges courtly love traditions with sacred Christian iconography. The maiden, symbolizing purity, becomes the intermediary between the wild, holy creature and the mortal realm. Thus, unicorn imagery in medieval Europe was far more than decorative; it was layered with meaning. Tapestries and manuscripts featuring unicorns served as visual sermons, inviting contemplation on divine mysteries, the virtues of virginity and sacrifice, and the interplay between the earthly and the eternal.

Symbolism and the Power of Belief

The unicorn’s symbolism did not remain static. As the Middle Ages gave way to the Renaissance, belief in unicorns as real creatures persisted. Their horns, known as alicorns (not to be confused with MLP:FiM-alicorns) were believed to possess magical properties. People tried to hunt down unicorns to use their horns, but the closest thing they came to a "unicorn" was the narwhal, so it had to cosplay as a unicorn. The "unicorn" (narwal) horn was ground into powders, set into royal goblets, or kept as relics thought to purify water and "neutralize" poison.

Monarchs and wealthy collectors paid fortunes for these trophies, believing they held the power to ward off death itself. Beyond its medicinal mythos (of the narwhal), the unicorn became a broader symbol of the sacred feminine, healing, and inner truth. Its solitary horn represented unity and singularity of purpose, making it a talisman for purity of heart and unwavering vision. In heraldry, it adorned coats of arms as a sign of fierce virtue and indomitable spirit, often chained, symbolizing that even the wildest spirit could be bound by moral strength or divine law.

Symbolically, the unicorn has evolved with the times. In modern contexts, it represents individuality, magic, and freedom, particularly among young people and in LGBTQ+ symbolism, embodying pride in difference, the right to be rare, and the beauty of authenticity (Happy Pride-Month, btw!). Among many cultures and subcultures the unicorn symbolize breaking free from convention. It's no longer a solely spiritual or regal figure, the unicorn now represents individuality, nonconformity, and the celebration of uniqueness.

The Unicorn Today

Though modern science has long since dismissed the unicorn as a zoological impossibility, its magic still lingers. Today, the unicorn has found new life in the realms of fantasy, pop culture, and personal identity. From the pages of Harry Potter and The Last Unicorn to pastel-colored toys, art, and viral internet trends, it continues to bring magic to people of all ages. There are still people believing in unicorns, and they might have seen one, and the might have not seen one. Who knows for sure? I personally don't think Western or Asian unicorns exists in real life, in this dimension. But it could be a possibility in another dimension.

However, maybe the unicorn still endures, not because it supposedly exists, but because we need it to exist, as a symbol of hope, of purity, of resistance, uniqueness and of magic beyond measure. In believing in the unicorn, we affirm something profound about ourselves: that wonder still has a place in the world, and that the unseen, whether spiritual, moral, or mythical, still matters.

The moon has “always”, at least the past millennia, been showered with praise, mysticism, and magic. Is captivating, with its soft reflection of sunlight on a dark night, the fullness of a full moon and the pull it has on water. The moon is a very important part of sustaining harmony regarding Earth’s rotation cycles, climate, and the bodies of water. But has it always been there?

Many theories about the Moon

We are taught that the moon has existed forever, but scientists can’t agree on how the moon was formed in the first place or exactly what it is made of. Or when it got there. One theory regarding the moon's connection to the Earth is the capture theory. This theory suggests that the moon was simply floating along in empty space, drifted near the Earth and was pulled into orbit. It’s a nice story, but it’s nearly impossible for it to have happened that way. Earth may have a great gravitational force, but not that strong that it would be able to pull such large object as the Moon from space. If we look at other planets and their moons, they have much smaller moons (or satellites) in comparison to the planet’s size. So far, Earth is the only object in known visual space to have a huge moon.

Another theory is the accretion theory, suggesting that the Moon and Earth formed from dust clouds in the early solar system. The problem with this theory is that systems that form through accretion, share similar traits. In other words, the Moon would have an iron core like the Earth and would spin on an axis like the Earth. The Moon doesn’t have any of these. The most widely accepted theory is the giant impact theory which tries to explain the Moons being, as an “accident” that happened. That a large planet like object collided with the Earth in its very early stages, and the debris from this collision coalesced to create our Earth-Moon system. The issue with this theory is that the odds of this happening are astronomical. So, still, despite a lot of efforts to explain the Moon, we still don’t know how the moon was created or why.

Other Things “Wrong” With The Moon

On Earth, the newest rocks are found on the surface, and as you go deeper, the rocks become older. On the moon, however, the soil on the surface is older than the rocks underneath, and the surface rocks are older than the rocks beneath them. The only way we humans know of regarding this phenomenon, is when we drill, dig, and mine the soil. That’s how we bring older materials to the surface. But this pattern of old soil on top of younger soil is found all over the Moon. It could be due to some for us humans, unknown natural causes.

Another thing regarding the Moon is the fact that we are always only seeing the same side of the Moon. At all times. Regardless of whether it's a crescent, half, or full moon, it's still the same side. The other side of the moon is never visible from the Earth. Another strange fact is that the rotates on its own axis at the precise rate as the Earth. This is known as being ‘tidally locked’ with an object. Furthermore, the moon's surface is covered with asteroid impacts that have been occurring for millions or even billions of years. One would expect the rocks around these impact craters to have varying ages, but there is a peculiar uniformity in their ages. In typical planetary structures, denser materials are found towards the core, while lighter materials are nearer the surface. On the moon, this relationship is reversed, and no one has been able to explain why.

Also, according to scientists the Moon is a lifeless form that just happen to be there. It’s not “expected” to have an atmosphere. It’s not “supposed” to have any activity. However, on March 7th, 1971, a cloud of water-vapor materialized on the moon. The water-vapor covered an area of a hundred square miles and persisting for 14 hours before dissipating. And there are more than six documented events like this across many years. Large boulders have been documented to roll for miles, even uphill and strange lights have been seen on the Moon’s surface. In 1992, the Aristarchus crater was photographed, and with that a luminous blue light was captured from the middle of the crater. Earth-based telescopes have observed this phenomenon occasionally, since. These occurrences of mysterious lights and mist happen with such frequency that they even have a name: Transient Lunar Phenomena (TLPs).

Hollow Moon Theory

In 1970, two Soviet scientists carefully examined all the evidence and these strange phenomena that surrounds our Moon. Like its nearly perfect orbit, size, and distance from Earth. How the Moon, when visible in the sky, seems to be the same size as the sun. How the distance from Earth to the sun is exactly 400 times greater than Earths distance to the moon, and the size of the sun is exactly 400 times larger than the moon. It seems a little too perfect to be a mere coincidence or a random thing that just happened to occur here on Earth. It's more like it was designed for Earth, hence it had to be made by somebody as well as transported here by somebody and therefore might be hollow on the inside.

The Hollow Moon theory is based on the suggestion that since large lunar craters are almost equally shallow with flat or even convex bottoms, unlike craters on Earth or other planets/moons in the universe that we know of, there must be some sort of barrier that prevent asteroids from making deeper craters. It's also suggesting that the Moon must be hollow as an explanation for why the Moon, with a density is 3.3 g/cm3, is less dense than the Earth (whose density is 5.5 g/cm3 Hence, the scientists concluded that not only is the moon hollow, but it is also consciously placed near Earth beings in the distant past to stabilize the climate on Earth, and that there was a time when there was no moon.

Old Legends

The memory of a world without a moon, lives in oral tradition among many old nations on Earth. From Colombia to Africa, from Australia to Greece. Every ancient culture on Earth possesses stories about the moon. As well as stories about the time before there was a moon. In ancient Roman and Greek manuscripts there are tales about people known as the Arcadians who is said to have existed before the moon graced the heavens. In Zulu-legends in Africa, there are stories about how the Moon was brought to Earth by two fish-like-humanoids called Wowane and Mpanku. They rolled the Moon across the sky to Earth which brought about cataclysmic events on this planet that ended the “Golden Age” of the past. In science lingo, this is during the Younger Dryas, a.k.a. the time of the Great Flood.

The ancient Tiwanakus in Bolivia are also mentioning a period when there was no moon. According to their accounts, the moon arrived between 11,500 and 13,000 years ago. Again, the Younger Dryas. The Sumarians spoke of a tale old as times, about two brothers named Enlil and Enki who, just like in the Zulu-legends, came to Earth with the Moon. The Zulu people also claim that before the moon's arrival, Earth had a different climate. There were no seasons, and it was covered by a thick blanket of water vapor, the sun was only visible through the mist. The climate was shifting dramatically as well as the tides and floods. When the moon was eventually placed into orbit, this entire water mist fell simultaneously to the surface, resulting in a catastrophic global flood. Also known as the Great Flood that took place in the The Younger Dryas.

Cultures from all over the world have stories and legends of the great flood from the same period of time: The Younger Dryas. For many, many years Western scientist denied that there ever had been a global great flood, but with new research, even scientists agree to the fact that a great global flood had occurred and reshaped the world as we know it 11, 600 years ago. And it wasn’t until the 20th century that Western scientists “proved” and understood the connection between the Moon, tides, and seasons. Ancient cultures managed to make this correlation thousands of years ago without Western scientific equipment and explanations.

So, is the moon hollow, and artificially placed here?

There is a huge possible that the moon is not what it seems nor what we have been led to believe. Sure, I can’t say it’s one thing or the other, but I do question science and governmental stories as well as not full buy into all conspiracy theories, stories, and legends. However, ancient legends across the globe telling the same thing from different perspectives is probably not a “coincidence”. There are things we don’t know about our planet, our universe and not about our own Moon.

NASA acknowledge that they have had classified images of the Moon. They're not acknowledging any structures or buildings on the Moon, just that there were some "anomalies" on the images that needed to be "examined further" before being released to the public and then sadly got "lost" over the years... My belief is that ancient stories of a time before the Moon have survived thousands of years for a reason and most ancient cultures know more about the world and the universe than Western scientists do, they don’t need “proof”, they have their proof in the stories and legends. Western scientist also tends to ridicule stories, legends, and myths just because they can’t capture them, photograph them, measure them, or rinse and repeat in a lab. They also tend to claim that things are one way or another, without actually knowing for sure, as well as misleading people to fit their own world view.

So, if you believe the Moon is a hollow spaceship, you keep believing that. If you believe the Moon is just a dead piece of rock in the sky, you believe that. Until we get actual proof, in terms of governments actually telling us the truth about the Moon or the scientist actually goes up there, drills a hole to the core live on YouTube to show us that it’s not hollow, we simply just don’t know what the Moon is, where it came from or why we have it, more than it's a good companion to Earth and a stabilizer for life to thrive on this planet.

During two consecutive nights in 1936 on the grounds of St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children, rural Jefferson, a creature was found digging on a close by burial ground. The beast was described as 6 ft humanoid covered in fur and with a head resembling a wolf. The eyes were large and glowing red-orange and it sometimes walked on two legs, and sometimes on four legs. But what is the Beast of Bray Road, really? A cryptid? A supernatural being? Or a misidentified animal steeped in local folklore?

Sightings and Origins

The earliest documented sighting dates to 1936, when a night watchman at the St. Coletta School for Exceptional Children reported encountering a hairy, humanoid figure near an ancient burial mound. But it wasn't until the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Beast of Bray Road gained notoriety, when multiple residents of Walworth County, Wisconsin, reported seeing a strange creature lurking near the rural Bray Road. Eyewitnesses described the creature as large and bipedal, standing 6-7 feet tall. It was covered in dark brown or grayish fur, with glowing yellow or red eyes.

It was also claimed to have a wolf-like snout and powerful limbs and it was sometimes seen hunched over roadkill or chasing vehicles. The phenomenon was so persistent that local reporter Linda Godfrey published a series of articles and eventually a book, "The Beast of Bray Road: Tailing Wisconsin's Werewolf", solidifying the creature's place in the cryptid world. Since then, sightings have spread beyond Wisconsin, with similar creatures reported across the Midwest, often referred to as the “American Dogman" but it's not sure if they are related. "Dogmen" are a topic for another day.

Beast or Legend?

There are several theories attempting to explain the Beast of Bray Road and the first and foremost explanation, which could also be the most likely story in many cases (but not all), is "a misidentified animal". The most grounded theory is that the Beast is simply a misidentified bear, large wolf, or feral dog. Wisconsin’s wildlife includes black bears that can stand on hind legs, especially when threatened or curious. Coupled with poor visibility at night, the possibility of mistaken identity is high.

The pattern of sightings supports this: they spiked in the 1980s-1990s, when local media brought attention to the phenomenon, but have significantly decreased since the early 2000s. If the Beast were a genuine cryptid species, one would expect a more consistent stream of sightings across generations and a somewhat documented history. Cryptozoologists, however, propose that the Beast could be an undiscovered species of upright canine—a North American cousin of the werewolf mythos. The frequency of similar “dogman” sightings across the U.S. supports this theory, but still, it is believed to be two different cryptids, others argue that it could be a misidentified Bigfoot.

4.Offerings Offerings of foods, herbs or ribbons were traditionally left at sacred wells or trees to honor local spirits or deities. Tying cloth to trees near holy wells—known as “clootie trees”—is a practice that survives to this day in parts of Scotland and Ireland and is also very respectful to the trees and plants.

Since many witnesses report a strange, almost paranormal presence when encountering the Beast. Its glowing eyes, apparent intelligence, and ability to vanish quickly have led some to believe it’s a supernatural guardian or shapeshifter. However, shapeshifters tend to have other features as well and are connected to First nation legends. Not many First Nations are mentioning shapeshifters around the area of Bray Road. This could lead to a theory that posits that the Beast sightings could have been a local pagan practitioner. Could a modern-day witch or pagan, donning a wolf suit for ritualistic purposes, have been mistaken for a cryptid? Given the rural setting and the often-misunderstood nature of pagan traditions, this theory—though tongue-in-cheek—could be true.

A Legend with Local Flavor, Not Ancient Roots

Unlike many cryptids that are rooted in centuries of folklore, the Beast of Bray Road lacks any significant Native American legends or early settler reports describing a similar creature. Given that Wisconsin's indigenous cultures, like the Ho-Chunk and Menominee, had rich mythologies involving animal spirits, it's saying that no stories of upright wolf-men appear to originate from these traditions.

This absence suggests that the Beast is unlikely to be an old cryptid. It’s important to recognize its relatively recent origin. Unlike many other legends, its abrupt appearance in the 1930s, media-fueled peak in the late 20th century, and subsequent decline suggest a phenomenon more rooted in contemporary culture and psychology than in old folklore. That said whether the Beast is a cautionary tale of how folklore is born, a case study in misidentification, or a local witch’s moonlit mischief, the Beast of Bray Road remains as a mystery. And I like it that way. Not everything needs an explanation.

Beltane, celebrated on May 1st, is one of the ancient Gaelic festivals marking the changing of seasons. Alongside Samhain, Imbolc, and Lughnasadh, it forms a key part of the Celtic wheel of the year. Rooted in pre-Christian traditions, Beltane is associated with fertility, fire, and the return of life and abundance to the earth.

Origins of Beltane

The word Beltane derives from the Irish gaelic La Bealtaine and La Bealltainn in Scottish gaelic, meaning "bright fire" or "Bel’s fire," referring to the Celtic sun god Belenus. As a seasonal festival, Beltane signifies the beginning of summer and was and still is, celebrated when livestock are moved to summer pastures, when the leafes turns green, flowers pop up and birds are singing and nesting. It serves both agricultural and spiritual purposes, blessing animals, crops, and people with protection and fertility. Historically, Beltane was most widely celebrated in Ireland, Scotland, and the Isle of Man. The earliest written references date back to medieval Irish texts, though the customs themselves likely originated in the Iron Age or earlier.

Key Practices and Traditions

1.Bonfires and Fire Rituals At the heart of Beltane is the lighting of sacred bonfires. Fire is believed to have purifying and protective powers. In traditional communities, two large fires would be lit, and people and their cattle would pass between them to receive blessings and protection for the year ahead.

2.Maypole Dancing Though more associated with later European May Day traditions, Maypole dancing shares thematic links with Beltane's focus on fertility and the union of male and female energies. The pole, often decorated with ribbons and flowers, represents the axis mundi, or world axis, symbolizing connection between earth and sky.

3.Green Man and the May Queen Some Beltane festivities include symbolic representations of nature spirits or deities. The Green Man, representing wild nature and male fertility, and the May Queen, a goddess-like figure of blossoming spring, may be enacted in pageants or dances symbolizing the sacred union that ensures the earth’s fertility.

4.Offerings Offerings of foods, herbs or ribbons were traditionally left at sacred wells or trees to honor local spirits or deities. Tying cloth to trees near holy wells—known as “clootie trees”—is a practice that survives to this day in parts of Scotland and Ireland and is also very respectful to the trees and plants.

5. Beltane Cakes and Feasts Back in the day, traditional Beltane cakes (sometimes called bannocks) was made and shared, and in some communities, pieces were marked for ritual purposes—such as choosing a symbolic "sacrifice" or scapegoat (a mock figure, not a real person).

Magic and Beltane

If one feel like it, magic or spiritual rituals to enhance love, fertility and joy can be practiced throughout the day or the day previous to Beltane. Those rituals or practices can include dancing, praying, lighting candles and/or cleaning your home, dusting out the winter and thus bringing light and renewed energy into your home.

If you have an alter, you may decorate it with green and pink ribbons, to symbolize flowers and greenery, refilling the water (if you have water on the alter), or place some carefully and respectfully picked flowers or green branches. It's just very important to remember to ask permission (of the plant) before picking it. because, when picking a flower or a breaking a branch of a tree, you are killing it slowly, and the life it had will be no more. It's a big sacrifice for the plant.

Some might think I'm too "sensitive" regarding plants, trees and stones/crystals/rocks and anything else found in nature, but as a Sámi, I'm taught that everything has a spirit and is part of the universal consciousness, and I as human, have no right to just do whatever just because I can. They have thoughts and feelings like all beings, and thus can tell anyone willing to listen very carefully, what they want. Some are okay being picked/plucked and put in a vase or on an alter, others are not.

Modern Times

Although Beltane celebrations declined with the spread of Christianity, the 20th-century revival of paganism and interest in Celtic traditions has brought the festival back to life. Today, it’s widely celebrated by Wiccans, neo-pagans, and Druidic groups, as well as secular communities. One of the most well-known modern observances is the Beltane Fire Festival in Edinburgh, Scotland, which began in 1988. It features dramatic performances, fire displays, and symbolic rituals, blending ancient tradition with modern creativity.

Beltane is a festival of vitality, joy, and sacred connection to nature’s cycles. Whether through roaring bonfires, dancing around the Maypole, or simply enjoying the smell of flowers to honor the season, the essence of Beltane invites us to celebrate the power of life, love, and renewal. In an increasingly urban and digital world, this ancient festival offers a powerful reminder of the rhythms that sustain us as well as the connection to nature we all carry within us. Have a Joyful Beltane!

It started simply enough. In the summer of 1947, something crashed on a ranch near Roswell, New Mexico. The nearby Roswell Army Airfield issued a press release stating that they had recovered a "flying disc”. Just hours later, the military did another press release saying it was merely a weather balloon. But by then, the seed of doubt had been planted.

The Initial Discovery

The story begins when rancher Mac Brazel stumbled upon a strange debris on his fields: shiny metal scraps, rubber strips, and sticks that didn’t seem to match any aircraft known to the public. After hearing about "flying saucers" being spotted across the country, Brazel wondered if he had found one and thus brought the items to the Roswell sheriff, who in turn contacted the Roswell Army Airfield (RAAF). After collecting the wreckage, the RAAF initially confirmed the discovery of a "flying disc."

Newspapers around the world picked up the story, and public excitement skyrocketed. Yet, within 24 hours, the military changed their statement, saying the debris was from a "weather balloon." The sudden retraction only fueled suspicions: Was the government hiding something? I don't know about you guys, but my thoughts are: yes, the government was and is hiding something. What that something was or is, I don't know, but I'm a firm believer of extraterrestrial/extradimensional lifeforms. And I'm also a firm believer of governmental shaddow-stuff. So, to me it's sussy when the backtrack their statements and try to convince people with sussy excuses to why they are backtracking and/or gave the "wrong" statement.

In 1994 the air force "revealed" that the recovered material was from a spy balloon, likely part of Project Mogul, a top-secret operation using high-altitude balloons looking somewhat like a box kite, made of foiled paper fastened to a balsa wood frame, to detect Soviet nuclear tests. I'm curious to why not even the air force seems to know if the debris was from Project Mogul or not. One could assume that they would know for sure...not hesitate. Or is it just me?

Alien bodies

The Roswell incident went somewhat silent for a couple of decades, until story was rediscovered in 1978 by then nuclear physicist Stanton T Friedman. He was tipped off that a retired military man had an interesting story to tell. That military man was none other than Jesse Marcel, one of the army personnel to actually witness the debris firsthand. Marcel told Friedman that there had been a cover-up. The weather balloon-story was fake, and the photos had been staged. The actual photos of the actual debris hidden far away from public eyes and weather balloon debris being substituted for the real wreckage. Marcel claimed that everyone involved in the retrieval agreed that the scattered object was indeed an extraterrestrial spaceship.

In the research for the truth (back in 1970s), claims of alien bodies and alien autopsies surfaced. However, according to U.S Air Force, the alleged aliens" observed in the New Mexico desert were actually anthropomorphic test dummies that were carried aloft by U.S. Air Force high altitude balloons for scientific research. The alleged bodies were also claimed to be charred bodies that originally came from an airplane crash during the 1950s that a civilian witness saw back in the day.

The claim was and is that the witnesses that claimed alien bodies were found and transported to a military base, simply combined two separate events when questioned; the Project Mogul crash and the crash test dummies and the 1950's airplane crash, in their memories. Still, for many, the official explanations seemed fake. Most likely because of the timing of the first statement as well as the total turn-around, as well as claims and reports told other stories. Not always the same story, but similar enough stories regarding the alleged UFO-crash.

Hoaxes, books, and festivals

In 1980, The Roswell Incident was published. The book’s authors, Charles Berlitz and William L. Moore argued that the original debris was from a crashed alien craft and material from a weather balloon was “hastily substituted" to cover the real deal. The book sparked additional conspiracy theories and several hoaxes, like fake classified documents (Majestic 12 or MJ-12 for short) and fake alien autopsy at Roswell. The book was disputed, and the hoaxes should have killed the public speculations and interest in the incident, but it didn't. The incident became a significant part of the city of Roswell's economy. In 1992 the International UFO Museum and Research Center opened in Roswell, and since 1996 Roswell has been the site of an annual UFO festival.

Is it true?

Despite the above-mentioned fabrications as well as many debunked hoaxes, the public interest strengthened, which is quite understandable. You have a possible alien aircraft with alleged alien bodies. You have the army showing up, giving a statement, then immediately taking back the statement, and claiming it was a weather balloon. The army and the U.S. government have strong reasons to keep stuff secret, as well as a quite good track-record of being deceptive and doing shady things behind closed doors. If a UFO actually did crash, there are strong indications that the U.S. government would do a cover-up as well as never, ever tell the truth. If it was just a weather balloon, then why go the extra mile and make a weird story about it to begin with? You don't go out and about for a failed weather balloon, no matter how "secret" it is.

Whether you believe the crash was extraterrestrial, military, or meteorological, something crashed in Roswell. What that something is, we can only speculate. For now. Meanwhile all we can do is speculate and enjoy the aftermath from the story: like awesome movies, series, and books, as well as cool gadgets, festivals and Extraterrestrial Highway.

Long before mermaids enchanted Western sailors and storytellers, the waters of ancient China were said to be home to their own merfolk, the Jiaoren. These beings have swum through centuries of Chinese folklore, their shimmering legends a blend of beauty, mystery, and deep ecological symbolism.

Origins in Ancient Texts

The concept of merpeople in Chinese mythology dates to at least the Shan Hai Jing (The Classic of Mountains and Seas), a geography text believed to have been compiled during the 4th century BC. Different to Western description of merpeople, the Chinese versions are not like H-C Andersen's Ariel. We there are several different forms of merpeople: Renyu; the catfish-like creature with four legs, Chiru; the armless fish with a human face, Lingyu; the fish with a human arms and face and, Diren; similar to westerns merpeople. There are more creatures, each with their own unique traits and mystical roles within the seas they inhabit. Now, it's about Jiaoren, the river-dragon people.

The Jiaoren of the Ming and Qing Dynasties

The Sou Shen Ji, a compilation of supernatural tales from the Ming Dynasty (1368–1644), provides one of the most detailed accounts of the Jiaoren. These merpeople are said to live in the warm, shimmering waters of the South China Sea, described as having a human upper body, a shark/dragon like lower body, black skin, yellow hair, and webbed hands. Their eyes, mouths, and noses are distinctly human. The tears of the Jiaoren are said to transform into pearls, a poetic symbol of sorrow turned into beauty. Their garments, woven from a mythical fabric known as dragon silk (jiaosha), are light, gleaming golden-white fabric, that never wet by water, no matter how much they swim.

Legends says that this merfolk occasionally take human form, emerging onto land to sell their dragon silk at markets. During the Qing Dynasty (1644–1911), the biologist Nie Huang documented sightings and tales of mermaids in his book Hai Cuo Tu, further validating their place in Chinese natural philosophy and folklore.

Keepers of Balance and Harmony

Beyond their mythical allure, the Jiaoren hold a symbolic role in Chinese culture. Known for their peaceful coexistence with all beings, they are revered as guardians of marine life. They thrive in clean, undisturbed waters, making them an implicit cautionary figure in stories. Their very existence in folklore speaks to an ancient reverence for the sea, and their stories offer a timeless metaphor for the fragility of ecological balance.

The Jiaoren Legacy

Though not as globally recognized as Western mermaids, the Jiaoren remain a unique and powerful figure in Chinese mythology. They are a blend of beauty and warning, mystery, and wisdom. In a modern context, the Jiaoren could be seen as cultural ambassadors for ocean conservation. In the end, whether one believes in merfolk or not, the message of the Jiaoren is clear: nature, and water must be respected if we all want to endure..

Imagine walking in the forests in eastern Europe, it's a nice day. Then suddenly you lost track of where you are and where you came from. A mysterious wind blows up and distorts the surroundings. Then voices echoing throughout the woods, scaring you. You look around and what you see is a giant plant-like humanoid, walking towards you. Who is this giant being? And is it a friend or a foe?

The Groot-like being

In ancient tales, Leshy, the embodiment of the entire forest, is often portrayed as a plant-human, or more accurately as a phytoanthropomorphic being (part plant, part human). Besides the human form, he can also take on a plant-form such as a tree, a bush, leaf, or a mushroom. In his human form he's more like a green version of Thor (the Norse god of thunder), with green beard, long tangled green hair, and skin as well as clothing in the texture and color of bark or leaves.

According to Slavic folklore, this giant Groot-like being is the divine arbiter of woodland realms, and/or the sovereign ruler over other diminutive forest spirits. And you don't want to make him angry. Even though his attitude towards humans can vary, depending on how they interact with the forest and their overall behavior in nature, Leshy is known to notoriously misguide wanderers and abduct children.

A shapeshifter

According to mythology, Leshy change his size from the smallest grass to the tallest tree and it is said that Leshy's height changes based on the surrounding vegetation, other perspectives suggest that Leshy seems tall at a distance but appears ordinary or small when seen up close. When it comes to the shapes, it is believed that Leshy can assume myriad forms and he could turn into all sorts of wild animals like magpies, wolves, owls, bears and frogs, as well as different forms of domestic animals like horses, dogs, cats, and goats. If Leshy is in a more human form, he's often accompanied by an animal companion, such as a dog or a goat. Another belief was that he may take on the form of a whirlwind, a storm-cloud, rain, and fog. In this form, he could cause inconvenience for humans. In some regions, the most common image of Leshy is in the form of a whirlwind, and in certain places, any kind of nasty weather was identified with him.

The Trixter of the Forest

Way back in the day, Slavs thought that migrations of animals were Leshy's doing, as he was seen as the guardian of the forest. He is the shepherd of all woodland creatures and it's believed that he herds the animals, ensures their nourishment as well as defends them from hunters and fires. Farmers and shepherds and their families who was living close to the forests, tried to please Leshy with offerings and rituals. Since they had their cattle grazing amidst the trees, as well as they fished in the waters, harvested mushrooms, berries as well as gathered wood for both construction and warmth, they didn't want to anger him.

The perception of Leshy as a forest guardian was not always consistent among the people. Some people could also consider Leshy to be hostile and dangerous, even though his goal never was to harm humans, but to punish improper behavior in the forest. As the trickster he supposed to be, harming people intentionally wasn't his deal, but he did play tricks in a crude and malicious manner. He could hide their baskets or tools, scare them, and lead them astray. On the other hand, if he felt like being helpful, he could lead people to eatable mushrooms and berries, have game-animals sprinting to the hunter’s direction or lead the way out of the forest.

So, next time you're in the Baltic/Slavic woodlands and some mysterious things start to happen, stop, and reflect upon if you have done any damage to Nature. Did you toss a piece of plastic? Did you kick a tree or broke branches of a bush? Did you really put out that fire in the fire pit? If you have done some bad things, repent on your sins and pray you'll get out before Leshy tricks you to walk around in the woods forever.....

Time travel is the ability to travel through time, and it's an activity human have been fascinated with sine we became aware of time. Some people say time travelling is a possibility others say nay, we are stuck in this time and can't move through it. Some try to build machines and others think you can only time travel through your mind or through some glitch in the matrix. So, what is time travelling and is it a mere fantasy or a reality?

A longtime longing

Humans have long longed to visit past eras and future events, to see what life is like in different times and maybe change a thing or two. Many humans have also claimed that they accidentally slipped through the cracks of time and got to meet people of the past and the future. Others have claimed to have built time machines and managed to travel that way. Many governments have tried to figure out how to travel through time as well as how to control time. The Nazis for example claimed to have built a time machine named "Die Glocke". It was an alleged top-secret scientific technological device developed in the 1940s in Nazi Germany. It is claimed to have been about 12 ft (4 m) high and 9 ft (3 m) high and bell-shaped. Besides Nazi- Germany, the CIA has also shown high interest in the alleged ability to time travel as well as finding ways to do so.

The CIA Gateway Experience

The concept of the Gateway Experience is originally created by Robert Monroe in the 1970's who studied the effects of certain sound patterns on human consciousness. He claimed that his experiments with brain hemisphere synchronization led to out-of-body experiences and among those: mental time travelling.

In 1983, the CIA asked U.S. Army Lt. Col. Wayne M. McDonnell to use Monroes theories to figure out possibilities for people to travel through time and commune with other-dimensional beings. This mission turned into the Gateway Experience that got declassified in 2003. This experiment gives a glimps into the intense effort the CIA put into creating a scientific instruction and technical assistance for their subjects to use to time travel. However, their efforts were never for ordinary people to visit their dead grandmother and share a fond memory, but for their agents to access secrets in order to weaponize them as well as destroy countries on their "bitch-list". Of course. If the CIA ever managed to do some time-travel, we might never know. They may well have erased that from world history. It's not like they are going to brag about it.

Like Persephone, the goddess of spring and the Queen of the Underworld according to Greek mythology. Her return to the surface world marks the arrival of spring and the blossoming of flowers. She represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Her mother, Demeter, is the Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. Her joy at the return of her daughter symbolizes the renewal of life and the earth's fertility. In Mesopotamian mythology, Ishtar is the goddess of love, fertility, and war. She can be connected to the revitalization of the land and the flourishing of life during spring. Her goddess-sister Freya in Norse mythology, is a powerful and independent goddess who embodies the spirit of nature's renewal. So, if you'd like to have a girls-party with different goddesses/principals, then you have your invitation-list.

Different scientific theories

In difference to sci-fi novels, movies and conspiracy-theories, scientists have long pondered upon the concept of time travelling. Albert Einstein is one of them and he created the theory off general relativity, which many traditional scientists still rely on to this day. Some solutions to Einstein's theory of general relativity suggests that motion in space and time might allow time travel. This is based on the idea of time as an illusion that moves relative to an observer, a.k.a not a fancy flash to a certain point in time, but mere a different experience of an event that differs from another person, depending on their relative speed at that same event.

The theory describes the universe as under a system of fields that determine the distance- function of spacetime. There are equations that include closed time-like curves which are lines that intersect themselves. Some lines point in the causal future and others the causal past, hence a situation that technically can be described as time travel.

2:The theory that Jesus may or may not have lived and died but is more likely a parable and a principle of nature. With this I mean, Jesus described "death" is a parable of the principal of Winter: a.k.a Death. Hence, the "resurrection" is the principle of Spring, a.k.a. Life. In other words, Jesus' death and resurrection is the described principle of the Spring Equinox. Many mystery-schools like the Rosi-Crucians and Templar Knights believe that the latter theory is the more accurate story, or the more likely story and I'm in favor for this theory. It makes more sense in many aspects.

Another theory is the Primordial wormhole-theory. It suggests that wormholes could work as viable space-time shortcut. It was described by physicist Pascal Koiran who used the Eddington-Finkelstein metric (have no fudging clue what that is), which theoretically allowed a hypothetical particle to be traced through a hypothetical wormhole. A wormhole is a hypothetical structure that hypothetically connects disparate points in spacetime and is often visualized as a tunnel with two ends at separate points in spacetime, like different locations or different points in time. Wormholes are not proven though, even though they are a nice idea.

Quantum mechanics may have some answers

Quantum mechanics is a part of science that describes the very, very small, like particles smaller than atoms, such as electrons and photons. On these subatomic scales, physics operates in ways that is different than what humans first imagined. Like, many other things. One peculiar observation that has emerged from the study of the quantum realm is something called non-locality. This means that a change in a particle's state in location A, instantaneously influence another "entangled" particle in location B. This possibility makes a lot of physicists unhappy since the effect of instantaneous non-location, where the information conveys from place A to place B at faster than the speed of light, is supposed to be impossible, but it's not.

Another quantum-theory is the Many-Worlds Theory that suggests that all possible quantum events that has ever occurred and can ever occur do so in mutually exclusive histories. This creates variations of different universes that also allow those universes to interact with each other. Hence a person might accidentally get a glimpse of a parallel world and therefor believe they have travelled through time when they're actually just experiencing another universe. Physicist Stephen Hawking however claimed that time travel is not possible, and never will be. If that was the case, we would already be invaded by hordes of tourists from the future.

Regardless of if time travel is possible or not, it's a fascinating idea that brings out curiosity in people and sparks imagination to life. There is a possibility that some people actually have slipped through to other universes and/or have travelled through time. We might never know for sure. But we do know for sure that many people fabricate stories about it, for various reasons (like fame, attention, or money). Some people believe in time travelling others don't. Some find them interesting others find them unrealistic.

I personally like the idea of many-worlds-theory and the concept of us all just co-existing simultaneously in different pockets. It feels most accurate. Then again, I'm not a scientist nor a physicist and hence can't prove anything in this matter. However, it's not said that it has to be a scientist or a physicist that proves time travels, sometimes the most accurate information is to be found among the many stories our ancestors collected and passed down to the next generation. Most of what scientists today "discovers" regardless of its nature, is just "re-discovers" that ancient people already knew about. If time-travel is real, I'd love to try it. First thing on my list would be to travel back in time and prevent my neighbor from ever moving in. She's a menace and the worst neighbor to have.

Spring Equinox, Ostara or the Resurretion of Jesus; this moment marks the first day of spring, with the light triumphing over the darkness. The earth begins waking up, plants start to sprout from the ground, and animals come out of hibernation. But what is it really about?

The Spring Equinox

The Spring Equinox or Ostara (a.k.a. Easter) typically falls on or around March 20th to 21st in the northern hemisphere. However, the exact date can vary slightly from year to year, as it is based on astronomical factors and the Earth's position in its orbit around the sun (or the lamp, for you Dome-theory-believers). In 2025 the Equinox takes place on March 20, which means Ostara/Easter occurs this day, and not in April 2025 as standard western society/ some Christians have dotted in their calendar.

So, what happens this day? Well, during the equinox, the direct rays of the sun hit the equator, making day and night equal in length. The most important part of the day is when the sun hits its zenith, the precise moment when the sun is perfectly lined up with the equator. On the northern hemisphere, this is the shift calling in light and shedding the heaviness of winter. The spring equinox is a significant event in the astronomical cycle of the earth, as well as energetic cycles.

Ostara; Celebration of new life and new beginnings.

Spring is about returning to a state of resilience. We can learn from nature’s graceful transition, for nature does not revolt or resist. It slowly moves from the dark to the light, and from the light to the dark again. It’s all about finding the balance in our world. Spring Equinox also go under the name Ostara and is most commonly known as a Wiccan holiday and one of their eight Sabbats. The word Ostara is the Anglo-Saxon name, and it is a celebration of Eostre, the goddess or principle of spring and new beginnings. Like many other spring celebrations in other cultures, Ostara symbolizes fertility, rebirth, and renewal. This time of year, marked the beginning of the agricultural cycle, and farmers would start planting seeds.

Ostara is a holiday that finds its roots in various cultures and traditions around the globe (or Dome if you're a flat-earther). While many western Wiccans, Druids and unspecified Pagans associate Ostara with the above-mentioned goddess/principle Eostre, there are a few other goddesses you might consider connecting with during Ostara.

Like Persephone, the goddess of spring and the Queen of the Underworld according to Greek mythology. Her return to the surface world marks the arrival of spring and the blossoming of flowers. She represents the cycle of life, death, and rebirth. Her mother, Demeter, is the Greek goddess of agriculture, fertility, and the harvest. Her joy at the return of her daughter symbolizes the renewal of life and the earth's fertility. In Mesopotamian mythology, Ishtar is the goddess of love, fertility, and war. She can be connected to the revitalization of the land and the flourishing of life during spring. Her goddess-sister Freya in Norse mythology, is a powerful and independent goddess who embodies the spirit of nature's renewal. So, if you'd like to have a girls-party with different goddesses/principals, then you have your invitation-list.

Ostara and Jesus

As mentioned earlier, may, but not all, Christians have their own version of the Spring Equinox. No offence to anyone identifying as Christian, this is not to be demeaning to anyone, I'm just stating more accurate information on the history and origin of Easter/Ostara. In Christianity, Easter is all about the resurrection of Jesus. It's the celebration of Jesus (the Lord of Life) bringing victory over death. In many western households, there is a belief that this day occurs around Easter, or on a day close to Easter chosen by the church. There are at least two (if not more) ways to look at this:

1:The theory of Jesus being an actual living person and hence actually did die and resurrected and the early Christians were using Jesus' death/resurrection as an argument to be seen as superior to other cultures and hence take over old ways and traditions, hence "invented" Easter.

2:The theory that Jesus may or may not have lived and died but is more likely a parable and a principle of nature. With this I mean, Jesus described "death" is a parable of the principal of Winter: a.k.a Death. Hence, the "resurrection" is the principle of Spring, a.k.a. Life. In other words, Jesus' death and resurrection is the described principle of the Spring Equinox. Many mystery-schools like the Rosi-Crucians and Templar Knights believe that the latter theory is the more accurate story, or the more likely story and I'm in favor for this theory. It makes more sense in many aspects.

No matter what the right theory may be, it is a fact that Christian missionaries moved into new lands outside Israel and had some superiority-complex and hence they had to figure out how best to convert the people. That's why they stole and converted all Pagan traditions they found out about, including Ostara, and therefore are forced to celebrate this occasion in order to maintain people’s loyalty. However, the Western calendar are not in sync with Nature and astronomic cycles, and therefore the Western Easter have different dates and months each year. This alone, I think, is a clue that the story Church is yapping about regarding Easter (Ostara) is false.

What to do with this information

Well, regardless of if you’re a Christian or a Wiccan or a Rosi-crucian or an atheist, the Spring Equinox will happen on March 20, 2025. When it comes to actual astronomic events, there is no arguing regarding if it's a pagan event or a Christian event. It's an event. Period. If one chose to see it through a spiritual or religious lens, doesn't really matter.

Regardless of if one put magical or otherworldly labels on it or not, it will still happen. It's a fact that Christianity have tried to overtake other's holidays and celebrations, it's also a fact that we humans don't really know the truth regarding the resurrection-story. Most likely it is a parable and Jesus is more of a principle than an actual human-god-like-being, explaining life as we humans know it in correlation to natural cyclic events. No matter where one stand in this, we can still appreciate and celebrate the beginning of Spring, new life, sunshine, and warmth. It's only a moment of the year, so why not just enjoy it.

Happy Spring Equinox!

You most likely already heard about the Bermuda Triangle and its eerie way of making ships and aircrafts disappear into thin air, never to be heard from again. But what is a triangle, really? And did you know there are other “triangles” which have similar behavior as the Bermuda Triangle?

First: what is a triangle, really?

A triangle is a two-dimensional shape with three sides, three angles, and three vertices (the points where the sides connect). But a triangle is also considered a polygon since it can have three or more sides. Therefor it belongs in the same shape family as the square, the rectangle and even the decagon (ten-sided triangle). They are a concept deeply rooted in ancient mathematics and geometry. Early civilizations all over the world recognized and utilized the properties of triangles several millennia ago. Mystics and alchemists see the triangle as a sacred concept that holds the very foundation of creation. It is found in the Kabbalah traditions, the Gnostic gospels as well as in Rosi-Crucian and Templar Knights traditions.

Despite it being a concept old as human comprehension, it's not a naturally occurring phenomenon, besides mountain tops. Triangles are to 99% a human mind- made-up shape and 100% given human-mind-made-up symbolism and powers. We humans like to create shapes and give those shapes names and meaning, like a triangle being "mysterious" or "powerful", when it might not be. However, if we step aside the spiritual and mathematical aspects of triangles, there are some places on this globe, that seems to have weird properties that seemingly takes the form of a triangle when pointed out on a map.

Other Triangles

The infamous Bermuda Triangle in the North Atlantic Ocean, roughly bounded by Florida, Bermuda and Puerto Rico, is probably the most known and studied phenomenon when it comes to paranormal triangles. Since the mid-20th century, it has been the focus of a legend suggesting that it glorps ships and aircrafts like there is no tomorrow. However, Bermuda is not the only triangular place, there are also other, lesser-known ones. Let's look at a few of them:

The Bennington Triangle:

This triangle has been the setting for several unexplained disappearances over the years. Over in Vermont, USA, an area that covers the craggy landmark of Glastonbury Mountain and its surrounding lands, are the place of mysterious vanishings and UFO-sightings. The first written down disappearance occurred on November 12, 1945, when 74-year-old Middie Rivers vanished while hunting in Bickford Hollows. He was a skilled outdoorsman and well-acquainted with the area. When he failed to come back from his hunting trip, a large search party was established and they searched the area as well as the surrounding area for weeks, but nothing but Rivers' handkerchief was found.

Paula Welden was 18 years old when she was last seen on December 1, 1946. She left Bellington College, where she studied, early in the afternoon, walking and hitchhiking six miles to the Long Trail. When she failed to attend class the following morning, an extensive search was launched, but no evidence of her was ever found. On October 12, 1950, Paul Jepson, aged 8 and a special needs child, vanished while accompanying his mother on farm chores. His mother left him unattended in the vehicle for about 30 minutes while she tended to the animals, and when she returned Paul was gone. He was never found and is assumed to have been abducted by humans.

The Matlock Triangle:

Located in Derbyshire Dales, UK, there is a zone called the UFO capitol of the world. One would assume that this alleged UFO capitol would be in the USA, since it is seemingly the only country where UFO's land, at least if you only consume USA-focused media or average media-cover here in Sweden. But thankfully, the USA is not the top-post for everything (no offence). In Derbyshire Dales there have been numerous stories circulated about odd, glowing objects, from cigar-shaped aircraft to bowler-hat shapes. There have been at least 25 prominent sightings in the area since the early 2000s.

The Lake Michigan Triangle:

Lake Michigan in the USA is one of the grandest bodies of water on Earth, it has also been linked to eerie aerial sightings and alleged disappearances. It is an area where several disappearances, shipwrecks, and plane crashes have occurred under unexplained circumstances. The triangle stretches from Ludington to Manitowoc, down to Benton Harbor and back to Ludington. The first major unexplained disappearance was that of the French sailing ship Le Griffon that disappeared on her maiden voyage in 1679. It was never heard from again. Due to ships frequently going missing on the lake up to 1891, as well as increasing population, attributed to better record keeping regarding the disappearances.

Besides Le Griffon, another famous disappearance was the Rosa Belle, a double-masted ship which was found capsized on the lake with no trace of the crew. This was around 1921. In 1937, Captain George Donner vanished from a freighter sailing across the lake. The captain had retired to his cabin for some rest after several hours on deck. He instructed the crew to alert him once the ship neared her destination. When the vessel neared Port Washington after about three hours journey, the crew had to search for their captain, but no sign of him was ever found. Planes have also been inexplicably downed in the Michigan Triangle, as well as people just simply vanishing without a trace when being in the triangle zone. The first reported UFO sighting was in 1913, but it was not the last.

The Formosa Triangle:

Also known to some as the Devil-s Sea or the Dragon's Triangle. This is a region of the Pacific Ocean, just off the coast of Japan and has been linked to numerous disappearances, UFO sightings and magnetic anomalies. Some people say that there are accounts of disappearances on this stretch of ocean dating back to the Mongol Empire. That's a long time ago. Anyway, in August of 1945 an airplane went missing. A distress radio transmission from the pilot Shiro Kawamoto who was crossing the Triangle created more questions than answers. The last thing his message said was "...something is happening in the sky...the sky is opening up-"

Whatever happened to him or what happened in the sky, was never revealed since nothing of Kawamoto or his plane was found. One of the most disturbing stories is when nine Japanese military vessels vanished in the Triangle in the 1950s. Researchers were sent out to see what had happened and apparently, they in turn vanished themselves. Not a trace left behind. After this, Japanese authorities labeled the sea as a "danger zone".

What is the truth regarding the triangles?

Well, what is true or not regarding those triangles or areas with assumed "triangles" is a hard nut to crack if it's possible at all. Some disappearances are, given the known information on them, baffling and inexplicable. But disappearances like these happen all around the world and are not limited to the specific triangles. Ships and planes behave the same within those areas, as they behave everywhere else in the world. There is a possibility that many or most of those mysterious places are manufactured mysteries, created by people who either purposely or unknowingly made use of misconceptions, faulty reasoning, and sensationalism. If key details are left out and/or distorted in the reports, they can contribute to create a mystery that was not there to begin with.

Aside from supposed supernatural claims, those triangular hot spots are not without fascinating and dangerous anomalies and phenomena. Many of the water-based triangles are known to have large deposit of methane gas pockets. Sudden eruptions of large methane deposits are known to occur. These could release enough methane that, upon reaching the surface, could change the density of the water. This in turn, could cause a ship to sink suddenly without warning or a trace. When it comes to none-methane areas, another theory proposed is that an unusually large and rogue wave suddenly and unexpected, have sunken some of the ships and boats. It has also been proposed that a point of increased electromagnetic activity caused by a weak spot in the Earth-s magnetic field could cause compass problems and other instrumentation failures on both ships and airplanes and thus make them sink into the deeps.

I don't doubt that people have been seeing and experienced things. I think there could be a mix of both paranormal and normal causes to those disappearances. Who says it cannot be both? One aspect doesn't automatically overrule the other, right? Not unless it's proven beyond doubt that it's one thing or the other. I’m a person that like to hear both sides of the tale, like the scientific theories as well as the personal unscientific theories. I've been fascinated by paranormal things my whole life, and my personal belief is that both normal, earthly things like giant water-farts are going on, as well as things we yet don't understand. Even though statistically a "normal" number of planes and ships disappears in those triangular areas, there are still something about those triangles that seems...off. It could be paranormal, normal or the military of unknown countries are testing something around there. We might never know.