Kumiho

by Charles La Shure

 
Kumiho means, literally, “nine-tailed fox.” The following description appears (word for word) in both the Donga Color World Encyclopedia (Tonga wonsaek segye paekhwasajeon) and the Dusan Great World Encyclopedia (Tusan segye taebaekhwasajeon):
“A fox with nine tails that commonly appears in the oral tales of our country. It can freely transform into, among other things, a bewitching girl that seduces men. A fox that lives a thousand years is said to turn into a kumiho. There are a number of legendary tales in which the kumiho appears.” A half dozen or so of those legendary tales can be found in the encyclopedic Compendium of Korean Oral Literature (Hanguk kubimunhak taegye). A quick look at them will help supplement the brief description given above.

Imbolc, Febuary 2

Imbolic (Celtic): Candlemas, Imbollgc Brigantia (Caledonii), Lupercus (Strega)
February 2
‘Candlemas’ is the Christianized name for the holiday, of course. The older Pagan names were Imbolc and Oimelc. ‘Imbolc’ means, literally, ‘in the belly’ (of the Mother). For in the womb of Mother Earth, hidden from our mundane sight but sensed by a keener vision, there are stirrings. The seed that was planted in her womb at the solstice is quickening and the new year grows.
At the time of Candlemas, the newborn Sun God is seen as a small child nursing from his Mother.

Breathing In Life

by Anja Heij

 

“And God formed figures from clay, blowed on them to breathe in life, and they became men.”
This biblical story highly puzzled me when I was a child; I did not understand how grown-ups seriously could believe such a thing. It surely wouldn’t work with the clay dolls I made… But then it wasn’t to be taken literally. It was symbolically explaining that we are spiritual beings in a physical body, sharing God’s life force and creative possibilities. The Kabbalah too speaks of breathing in life, and the process is of course literally exercised in re-animations. The central idea is to enliven the body through blowing in the Holy Spirit, (re)awakening one’s God-force by sharing and mirroring yours. All reiki masters use this technique with their attunements/initiations. It is not some vague spiritual idea but a proven and valid method.