A to Z Challenge 2017 -- Yusuke Urameshi #atozchallenge

To die to save a life can be noble especially if the person doing the saving is an unrepentant street fighter and slacker with a cruddy home life.  This is what happens to Yusuke Urameshi in Yu Yu Hakusho.

He found out that the boy he tried to save would have survived without his interference so his death was basically in vain as Botan tells him. She then goes to explain that he could come back to life since his death was unexpected although the conditions to return were strict.

After his return, he becomes a Spirit Detective for Koemna.

Yusuke's smart-mouth, delinquency, intimidation, fighting, and huge chip on his shoulder all conceal that he is a kind individual that loves his friends deeply.

🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆🎆

And because this is the one of the final A to Z posts, here's a bit of trivia: the writer Togashi Yoshihiro is also the writer of Hunter X Hunter. He is also married to the writer of Sailor Moon Takeuchi Naoko.

A to Z Challenge 2017 -- Ban, Merill "Benten" Yanagara #atozchallenge

Locked in the prison at Baste Dungeon,Ban  is my first character in the B category.  Ban (bahn), the Fox Sin of Greed, comes from the Anime Seven Deadly Sins. It is a fantasy genre anime that pulls in Arthurian characters, which has over-the-top action and is just a riot especially when the main male character, Melodias, is a perv.

Ban is an enigmatic character.  He fell in love with a fairy princess, Elaine, but lost her in a battle with a demon.  He can heal unscathed from most wounds, which makes him wreckless in battle nevermind who is the enemy. The scar is the only wound that never healed and was given to him by Meliodias.

He is emotional and appears laid back most of the time, but his motivations are deeper than at face value.

🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜


Merill "Benten" Yanagara is from the early 90s anime Cyber City Oedo 808.  The foul-mouthed anime has a multitude of crude jokes and cursing, but the three stories are interesting despite that.

Benten, as he is called, is a multi-life sentence criminal who works for Police Chief Hasegawa as a cyber policeman to reduce his sentence. The chief controls the mini-bomb collar around Benten's neck as well as the other criminals working for him.

Effeminate looking with his albino appearce and painted nails, he is anything but a pansy. He prefers silent weapons and has great acrobatic skills. He wields a monowire in his ring that can cut through steel or flesh.

A TO Z CHALLENGE 2016 -- UKTENA

Yes! Come warrior, you think as the lithe man appears.  He has traveled far to face you.

He has no idea how easy it will be to destroy him.  He will die trying to take your life, to claim the stone you possess.

He won't succeed. You will dazzle him and the warrior shall perish.



The Uktena, in one legend, was a man who was transformed by the Little Men (maybe it was the Yunwi Tsunsdi' aka Little People).  As this creature he was sent to kill the Sun.  She has sent down a sickness because man angered her.  He failed and was angry and jealous that Rattlesnake was sent instead.

Pronounced ook-tay-nah, this creature is the one of the deadliest among the creatures of the Cherokee.  It has a body of a snake and has rings or spots of color going down its body.  One description also has it having buzzard wings and deer horns.

They are hunted for the crystal on their forhead.  As an object of great power, the Ulunsuti or Ulun'suti stone has great magic for good and evil.

It dazzles the person and even asleep it can render death.

A to Z Challenge -- T -- THUNDER, WOLF, AND THREE

TALISMAN -- Talismans are objects charged with personal power.  They are used to attract a specific energy or force.

THREEFOLD LAW -- The Threefold Law is not technically a law per se.  It is more of a defining principle that governs many pagans and wiccans.  It is similar to karma.  Basically what it means is that whatever you send out be it magic workings or whatever will come back on you three times as powerful.

When or how it comes back to the person depends on which variation is believed.  There are several different thoughts on this from cosmic to the more mundane.

Not all use magic practitioners use this principle.  Just like with any religion, there are differences in beliefs in Paganism and Wicca.

TRIPLE GODDESS --  There are many triple goddesses in ancient pantheons.  The Moirai, the Morrígna, and the Norns are a few of them.  These are three individuals that form a group function.  Then there are those with three heads like Hecate at the three-way crossroads.

The Wiccan Triple Goddess is represented by the phases of the moon and are visualized as three different stages of life: Maiden, Mother, and Crone.

There is debate as to whether She is a reincarnation of an older goddess/es or a creation of the Neopagan revival.

Mjollnir Pendant

THURSDAY --  Thursday is named after the Norse god, Thor.  He was the God of thunder and lightning.  The Romans honored their god Jupiter on this day.  Dies Jovis/Iovis (Jove's day) honors their god of sky and light.  The Greek equivalent is Zeus.

Thor was the protector of humans and gods against evil.  He carried the hammer Mjollnir.  He was one of the most popular of that pantheon.  When the church started to take over, the people began to wear Thor's hammer in defiance.

Jupiter governed over the distribution of laws and used oracles to give the people his will.

TUESDAY --  Tuesday is named for the Norse god Tyr, which relates to the Germanic god, Tiu (Twia).  The Romans called it dies Martis, which translates to Mars day.

Both Tiu and Mars were gods of war, while Tyr is a defender god.

Tyr, in Norse mythology, was shown to bear only one hand.  The other was sacrificed in the jaws of Fenrir when the gods tricked the wolf son of Loki into chains.



Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A to Z Challenge -- P -- DOLLS, HAND, AND FIVE POINTS

PAGAN --  I looked up pagan on a couple of dictionaries online.  What struck me as funny (and I'm weird and so is my sense of whimsy and humor) is that it says --- well, let me copy and paste it from dictionary.com from the British Dictionary entry:

         noun -- 1. a member of a group professing a polytheistic religion or any religion other than Christianity, Judaism, or Islam.

Okay, I agree with that since that is the modern day meaning of the word, but back in the day (as in the ancient Romans), it was Christianity that was the pagan religion.  I think the irony of the shoe being on the other foot amusing me.  Also, what is even more hilarious is that pagan used to be a term for country folk, villagers, non-combatants, and a few other not-so-nice terms with the modern meaning of redneck and hick.  It had nothing to do with religion whatsoever.  The word was corrupted over time when things were translated.

So, now that's out of the way, you're probably wondering why I bothered with this at all.  Well, it's because I just wanted to point out the fact that the terms Pagan, Wiccan, and witch can be mutually exclusive.  A person can have pagan beliefs but not be a witch or Wiccan.  Some practice the Craft without being Pagan or Wiccan.  Wiccans are not necessarily Pagan or witches, even though it's more than likely that they are inclusive.

PENTACLE -- A pentagram encompassed by a circle.  Can be made of some Earthly material (like clay) to represent the element of Earth on the altar.

It is also one of the more common suits in a tarot deck.

The inverted pentacle/pentagram has had a bad rap since it has been used as official Satanic symbol but it has a deeper history.

The Sigil of Baphomet (the inverted pentacle with a goat's head) has roots to the Knights Templar and even farther back. Some suggest it has to do with the Goat of Mendes. Others have taken the ATBASH encryption cipher (basically a substitution cipher. Z = A) to the word Baphomet. It becomes the Greek word Sophia. Sophia is the Goddess of Wisdom and referred to as the Bride of God (Yes, as in the biblical God) in Gnostic texts. So maybe the Templars were just giving the divinity back the feminine. (I'm having a Da Vinci Code déjà vu moment here.)

The Congressional Medal of Honor it bears a inverted pentacle. This medal of valor is the highest honor a member of the armed forces can receive.

PENTAGRAM -- A five-pointed star that resembles the elements Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Spirit.

It is a symbol that has a extremely long history.  From Sumeria to Greece to modern day, this symbol as well as the pentacle has laced itself into many cultures with a multitude of meanings.

Modern day flags have the Seal of Solomon (aka a pentagram) as a part of them.

At one time, it represented the wounds of Christ at his crucifixion.


POPPET -- Poppets are dolls that represent a person for use in sympathetic magic like healing.They can be made out just about anything like cotton, clay, sticks, or whatever. They are NOT Voodoo dolls!

PROJECTIVE HAND --  Hand that sends out personal power. Personal power being that which is your energy.  For right-handed people, it would be the right hand since it is the dominate hand.  For lefties, the left.




Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google..

A to Z Challenge -- L -- SOLSTICE, AXE, AND HARVEST

LABRYS -- The double-head axe that symbolizes the Goddess in some modern practices, but the labrys has a much older history.

In ancient Crete, the labrys was one of the holiest symbols.  It's surmised that in the Minoan culture it was a symbol of the Great Goddess. In depictions of the labrys, a woman always held them until the decline of the culture.  Then it was taken over by the Greek god Zeus.

The word labyrinth has etymological roots to the labrys as well.  The labyrinth may have a religious significance to the Minoans.  As does the bull.

The story of Theseus and the Minotaur in the labyrinth comes from these things being corrupted by the Greeks.

We may never know the full history Minoan culture and its influence on other peoples since much of their civilization is lost to time.


LADY/LORD --  Generic salutations for the Goddess and God.

LITHA -- A Sabbat that takes place on the Summer Solstice.  It is also known by the names Midsummer and Alban Heruin.  It is when the God is at his full power.  It is a turning point in the Wheel of the Year because He will lose his strength as darkness begins to return.  The Goddess blooms in pregnancy.

The land is at its greatest fertility, so marriages and magic rites are prevalent during this time.  Flowers and greenery are decorations. Bonfires are plentiful since this sabbat is connected with the God. Some leap over them to encourage fertility, purification and such.

We get the word honeymoon from marriage celebrations during this time.  The honey moon, or mead moon, where a newly married couple would drink mead everyday for a month.

The Romans celebrated Vestalia around this time.  It honored the goddess Vesta, the patron goddess and protector of virgins and the of the hearth.  She was Hestia to the Greeks.

She was not usually portrayed by statuary but was symbolized by a sacred fire. Bakers and millers honored this day by dressing their tools and animals with garlands.  The ass, Vesta's animal, was also honored.  Only women were allowed into the temple at this time to worship.  They made offerings to Vesta.

A Corn Doll

LUGHNASADH -- This sabbat is the celebration of the first harvest, taking place around July 31 or August 1.  It is when the God has aged.  The sun wanes and the fields give up their bounty.

Lughnashadh (pronounced ) was named after the sun god, Lugh.  In Irish mythology, he created a festival to honor his dead foster mother Tailtiu.  The funeral feast and games inclued match making and trade.

In later times, corn dollies were made (and still are) made of the last sheaves of corn or whatever grain was harvested.  They represented the spirit of the grain.

Also called Lammas, which translates to 'loaf mass'.  It was the medieval celebration of first harvest.

Grain has been a key worshiping tool for all ancient cultures.  They may vary in traditions, but they all knew the importance of their harvests and wanted to keep the local gods/goddess appeased and the land fruitful.



Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A to Z Challenge -- H -- CORD, HUNT, AND CROSSROADS

HANDFASTING -- A traditional trial marriage or engagement ceremony dating back to the ancient Celts.  Some believe that it lasted a 'year and a day'.  After the predetermined time, the couple could separate in a handparting, if they wished, or make the match permanent.  

The couple's hands were tied by a cord to symbolize their unity.  Many modern couples use the cord to signify what they wish from the relationship and to reflect their vows.  Colors like red, pink, and green are used to represent passion, love, and fertility respectively in the cord.    

Now, a handfasting is more akin to a wedding in truth. 

HAWTHORN --  One of the sacred trees.  It is one of the triumvirate of trees said to be the gateway to the fae land or to see fairies; Oak, Ash, and Thorn.

Hawthorns legends have that fairy live within them and that to cut one down was bad luck.

Parts of the tree were used as medicinal and edible substances, including the leaves and berries.

Magically, the hawthorn is used as protection and banishing evil spirits.  It's used to draw luck into your home at the new year.

Beltane and May Day are two of the prevalent celebrations where hawthorn is used.

The Greeks and Romans also used hawthorn in rites of marriage and as protection of virgin purity.

HECATE -- (Pronounced hek-uh-tee, also Hekate)  Let's just say She is one powerful goddess and is associated with many, many different things.  She is the 'Queen of Ghosts'; goddess of the cross roads, sorcery, childbirth, witchcraft, and others.  She is associated with the dark of the moon.

Pre-Olympian, Hecate came from Thrace and maybe even Egypt.  In the pantheon of Greek Gods, She was powerful in her own right.  Zeus gave her unprecedented powers to give and take away from mankind as she saw fit.  No other had that kind of power besides him.  She also had access to all three realms, Heavens, Earth, and Underworld.

Hecate's appearance has changed as time and cultures adopted her.  She went from young maiden (her associations to them) to the haggard crone (Medieval Church demonization).  Her statues were sometimes depicted with three heads as to signify she was ever vigilant.

Her origins are all over the place, depending on which place it was associated.  Some called her one of the last Titans, others had her as a Fury.

 At three-way crossroads, travelers traveling at night would leave offerings to her shrines for safe passage.  Hecate Trivia (Roman tri-via) was celebrated on November 30th.

Herne the Hunter

HORNED GOD --  This is an archetype to represent the God's masculine energy.

Cerunnos is one such version of this god; only he is antlered not horned.  Many times depicted surrounded by animals, he is assumed to be the Lord of Forest and Wild Things.

Herne the Hunter is another and could be considered one version of Cerunnos.  He may be a different god altogether. He is the leader of the Wild Hunt in some of the legends.  Herne may have been heavily influenced by the Anglo-Saxon.



Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.

A to Z Challenge -- G -- ENERGY, BOOK, AND DEITIES

GRIMOIRE --  A grimoire is a book containing rituals, formulae, preparation of equipment, and a host of other things.  It is sometimes interchangeable with book of shadows, but others prefer that they remain separate.  They have been around for centuries.

GROUNDING --  When raising power for ritual, many times there it can leave excess energy.  To ground oneself is to release and disperse said power after the completion of it back to the Earth, in some other object (plant or stone) or in some other manner.  

The symbol for the Triple Goddess

GODDESS --  The Goddess is many, one, or both.  It all depends on the person.  There is no set way to worship Her.  She can be the Triple Goddess, Isis, Hera, or any one or combination.  The Goddess is who She is needed to be.  She is life.

To name the Goddess is completely up to the practitioner.  

Symbol for the Horned God

GOD -- The God can be one or many, or all.  He can be the Horned God, Zeus, Odin, or whichever god is preferred.  There is no set way to worship.  He represents the masculine energy.  His power coincides with the Wheel of the Year. waxing in summer and waning in winter.  He symbolizes the death and rebirth.

GREEN MAN -- He is the spirit of the forest. He is symbolized by a human face through foliage. He is known by many names like Jack-in-the-Green or Green Jack.

In, modern day, he's usually part of the spring rites like Beltane or May Day along with the May Queen.

He is the archetypal representation masculine energy in nature.  One theory is that he was a fertility god before becoming the newer Green Man.

The Green Man has been traced back to ancient Rome, but there are cultures with little Roman influence that have a similar figure, including Nepal, Iraq, India, and Istanbul.  In Rome, He may have connections to Dionysus before his image morphed into the hedonistic party animal.  He was a god of agriculture and fertility of nature.

He is found in many churches in Britain in the architecture.  These early churches most likely had pre-Christian believers carving the stonework.  So the pagan tradition survived as the church took over.



Disclaimer: None of these pictures belong to me.  I found them on Google.