Every Cat Has a Tale
Blog posts by Best Selling author, Amythyst Raine
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- The Red Lipstick Society
Monday, March 18, 2024
Sunday, March 17, 2024
Sleep Paralysis ~ "They" come in the night
Sleep paralysis, definition:
During the process of waking up or falling asleep, you're suddenly unable to move. Your body becomes paralyzed as if an unseen weight is upon you. You may be unable to move your arms or legs, body, and head. You can breathe and think, but you may be unable to speak.My mother, myself, and one of my daughters have experienced this strange phenomena. As I was researching for this blog post, I realized that the mundane medical field has a pat explanation for the experience, which of course is centered in the science of their fields. However, when you have experienced sleep paralysis yourself, and when you hear other people's experiences, it opens the door for explanations that are far from mundane. For those of us who believe in the paranromal and have had other experiences of this nature, besides sleep paralysis, it is very clear that this is a supernatural experience, not a medical event. And who is right? You tell me.
My mother
She was laying in bed beside my sleeping step-father, tucked in cozy beneath the quilts and comforter, stretched out full length, with her feet near the end of the bed. She said that suddenly something grabbed ahold of both of her feet and began to pull her slowly down to the end of the bed. She said she could feel the sheets and blankets as she was sliding through them. She was aware of my step-father as she was sliding past him, but she could not move to free herself and she could not call out for help. She told me that before she began to physcially be pulled off the end of the bed, she used monumental concentation and physcial strength to kick off whatever was holding her feet. This experience terrified my mother. It's an experience that was always as sharp and unforgettable to her as if it just happened. After this event, she was afraid to sleep stretched out, with her feet near the end of the bed.
My daughter
My daughter was also in bed, tucked in with her husband in the middle of the night, when she heard something that sounded like a noise at their front door. She thought for a brief panicky moment that they had forgotten to lock the front door and there was an intruder in their house. When she went to turn and wake her husband, she discovered that she could neither move nor speak. She lay frozen as she watched a black shadow figure of a man wearing a hat wander through the house, passing their bedroom door several times. She said that it took monumental effort of both concentration and physical strength to break the paralysis, and once she did, the figure was gone. She adamantly states that she was not asleep, that there was no "waking up" period when the experience ended, that she was completely totally awake and conscious throughout the entire event, beginning, middle, and end.
My experience
I was tucked into my large cozy bed all by myself in the upstairs bedroom of my grandmother's house, laying on my right side, the blankets pulled up around my chin. Suddenly, I felt a hot breath on my left ear and heard a whispered voice saying, "Call me if you need me." This was repeated several times, and each time it was spoken I felt the hot air on my ear. The voice was familiar, it was the voice of the man that I was dating at the time, but I knew that this was not really him. I felt the negative evil energy, and I was scared to death. I started reciting every childhood prayer I could think of, over and over. Then I felt the bed raise up off the floor, shaking and unsteady, when it was dropped back in place. This happened several times, over and over. I couldn't move, but I could close my eyes, and so I did, very tightly, refusing to look at whatever was in my room, and refusing to answer the voice. I continued reciting the prayers that I knew at the time, concentraing hard on doing this, until I don't remember anything anymore. When I got up the next morning, I actually walked around the large bed to look at the bed posts and see if they had moved from their original positions.
- Is sleep paralysis related to evil?
Rarely is sleep paralysis linked to deep underlying psychiatric problems. Over the centuries, symptoms of sleep paralysis have been described in many ways and were often attributed to an "evil" presence: unseen night demons in ancient times, the old hag in Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, and alien abductors.
- The night hag
- Folklore
In many parts of the Southern United States, the phenomenon is known as a hag, and the event is said to portend an approaching tragedy or accident.
In Newfoundland, it is known as the "Old Hag". In island folklore, the Hag can be summoned to attack a third party, like a curse. In his 1982 book, The Terror that Comes in the Night, David J. Hufford writes that in local culture the way to call the Hag is to recite the Lord's Prayer backwards.
In contemporary western culture the phenomenon of supernatural assault are thought to be the work of what are known as shadow people. Victims report primarily three different entities: 1. a man with a hat, 2. the old hag, 3. a hooded figure.
In Brazil, there is a legend about a mythological being called the pisadeira ("she who steps"). She is described as a tall, skinny old woman with long dirty nails in dried toes, white tangled hair, a long nose, staring red eyes, greenish teeth, and an evil laugh. She lives on the roof tops, waiting to step on the chest of those who sleep with a full stomach.
- The scientific explanation of sleep paralysis
Saturday, March 16, 2024
The Mystic Crone ~ today's podcast: Look and Look Again
Today we're going to pick a random tarot card and write down our interpretation of it. Then we're going to leave it set out for the day, and we're going to go back two more times to look at the card and write down our interpretation of it... with surprising results.
click HERE
Monday, March 11, 2024
The Princess Kate Photo Hoopla
So I read an article this morning on goodmorningamerica.com about all the hoopla over the photograph Kate Middleton released of her and her children, the first official photo post-surgery, and how it's been pulled all over the world and taken down because they declare that it has been suspiciously edited. It also said that Kennsington Palace does not intend to re-release the unedited version. Why?
By refusing to re-release the unedited version, they just added more fuel to all the speculation and conspiracy theories going around. Why not just re-release the untouched photo if the only thing "wrong" with it is that it's not quite as polished as the "suspiciously edited" version?
My opinion? The photo does indeed look weird, something is really "off" about it. And could it be that they refuse to re-release the original because there is no original, the entire photo is made up of composites.
Wednesday, February 28, 2024
Daily Cards/Daily Wisdom ~ what an eye-opening and fun set of cards!
Daily Cards/Daily Wisdom... I had so much fun with this series of 8 cards! They were both eye-opening and fun. You'll have to see how many of them you connect with. Also, to my troll (s), it's going to be okay, really, it is. I know you might feel bitter or betrayed the way life has played out for you, but you may have also dodged a bullet and you don't even realize it.
Monday, February 26, 2024
"Where is Wendy Williams?"... and do we really care?
Am I the only one who finds this whole Wendy Williams saga suspicious?
- #1 Ms. Williams supposedly okayed this documentary/reality special that's coming out.
- #2 Her niece said that Ms. Williams was the executive producer.
- #3 Just before this TV special is released, the news is let out that Ms. Williams has been diagnosed with aphasia and FTD.
- #4 And just hours before the show is going to run and the public has the chance to see it, this mysterious unnamed guardian files a motion to stop the release of the documentary.
Podcast, Mediumship Reading ~ Conversation with a Loved One
So is someone finally taking responsibility for their actions and decisions from the other side? Better late than never?
Sunday, February 18, 2024
My Uncanny Valley Experience ~ The Doll from Hell
I received the doll when I was 3 or 4-years-old. She was a gift from my Aunt, and she was the same size as me. She had shoulder length auburn hair and bangs, big blue eyes with dark lashes, a stretchy narrow gold headband, a light blue and white party dress, and black patent leather Mary Jane shoes. She eventually found a permanent spot in my upstairs bedroom, and this is where she stayed for many years to come, and so did I.
I grew to be very afraid of this doll, and I grew to hate her.
It started when I was about 6-years-old. I would get an uneasy feeling around this doll. She stood as a sentinel at my bedroom door, and I would have to pass by her every time I entered or exited the room. I noticed that when I did this, the hair on the back of my neck would stand up. This is something that I kept to myself, thinking it was just me. I never told anyone of my experiences, or even how I felt about this doll.
But there was an even more disturbing phenomena, which became more pronounced and troubling with time, and it's also something that I never told anyone... out of the corner of my eye, with my peripheral vision, I would see this doll move. She would raise an arm slightly, or turn her head. And I always had the unnerving feeling that it was watching me.
One day, when I was about 9-years-old, I was exiting my bedroom door, when out of the corner of my eye, I saw the doll raise her arm. Without hesitation, I bolted down the short hallway, spun around the banister at the top of the stairs, took the first 2 or 3 steps, and then leaped from the staircase to the floor below. I don't know how I did this without getting hurt. I didn't go back upstairs for hours that day. I put it off as long as I could, dreading going back up to my room.
When my grandmother passed away, I was 28 and still living in this house, still the inhabitant of the upstairs bedroom, and that wretched doll still stood guard at that bedroom doorway. Now, having the house to myself, I picked it up and shoved it in the upstairs hallway closet. Everytime I passed through my bedroom doorway and walked down that short hallway, past the closet door, the hair on the back of my neck would stand up.
Fast forward decades later, I'm 36-years-old. I'm visitng my Aunt in South Dakota, and my sister had come out to her house to visit as well. My Aunt dug out photo albums from our childhood, and my sister and I sat in a huddle at the kitchen table, pouring over these photos and reminicing. We came to a photo of a 4-year-old me and the life-size doll. My sister lowered her voice, leaned in close to my face, and she said.... "Did you ever see her move?"
Saturday, February 17, 2024
Uncanny Valley... What is it?
I have never heard of this term until today, but it makes a lot of sense and puts a name to something that so many people experience -- fear of dolls, mannequins, clowns, elves, robots, etc. Why are they so creepy? Well, there's a reason...
Uncanny Valley, definition: a term that describes the “eerie sensation” people feel when they encounter a robot with human-like characteristics. It was first coined in 1970 by Masahiro Mori, a robotics professor at the Tokyo Institute of Technology.
The Uncanny Valley theory: Uncanny Valley is a theory in aesthetics suggesting a humanoid object appearing almost, but not exactly, like a real human can evoke feelings of eeriness or revulsion, rather than familiarity, due to the object's proximity to reality yet noticeable imperfections.
Why do we experience Uncanny Valley: Some cognitive explanations of Uncanny Valley include the idea that we assign humanlike qualities or a mind to artificial people, this can cause cognitive dissonance and confusion since we don't know if we should treat them as human, or trust them to behave as such.
Why is the movie, The Polar Express, considered Uncanny Valley: The Polar Express is controversial and creepy to some viewers thanks to its animation style, which created a phenomenon known as Uncanny Valley. While the filmmakers clearly opted for a more realistic art style, many of The Polar Express's characters look human but not human enough.
For those who are creeped out by The Polar Express, know that you're not alone. What's more, while the visuals were pretty impressive when the movie was released back in 2004, it hasn't aged well and the sense of Uncanny Valley has arguably worsened with its age. The creators of The Polar Express made the fatal mistake of filming actors with motion-capture technology, which gave every character dead lifeless eyes.Is Uncanny Valley a psychological response: There are a number of psychological phenomena in which dramatic emotional responses are evoked by seemingly innocuous stimuli. A well known example is the Uncanny Valley effect, whereby a near human-looking artifact can trigger feelings of eeriness and repulsion.
Does everyone experience Uncanny Valley: Further, neuroscientists have found that not everyone experiences Uncanny Valley the same way; one may be more or less affected by the phenomenon based on previous life experience.
How do you overcome Uncanny Valley: For those professionals who create humanoid figures and characters for movies and books... A good way to avoid Uncanny Valley is to move a character's proportions and structure outside the range of human. One reason Gollum was so successful is that he has big eyes, and the shape of his face is not quite human. Grendel in Beowulf is also disfigured and deformed.
Why is Uncanny Valley so creepy: Mori coined the term Uncanny Valley to describe his observation that as robots appear more humanlike, they become more appealing, but only up to a certain point. Upon reaching Uncanny Valley, our affinity descends into a feeling of strangeness, a sense of unease, and a tendency to be scared or freaked out.
Friday, February 16, 2024
Dance...
The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess... [excerpt]
• Dance
Long, long ago, I would dance. I would put on several layers
of the large discarded house dresses, party dresses, and
petticoats of my grandmother and my aunts, slip my small
feet into their oversized high heels, and spin in the middle of
my bedroom, making the long skirts fan out around me.
This was my dance...
Thursday, February 15, 2024
Sunday, February 11, 2024
Paranormal Investigation #1 ~ Bump in the Night
This is the first of a couple paranormal investigations that I documented at the time with photos as well as copious notes that became a blog post and have today turned into this video. This took place in Fremont NE, the year was 2009, and we were off to experience a haunted house. Enjoy! (We did)
Sunday, February 4, 2024
My Beefs ~ #2 I like Meghan Markle
I can, from personal experience, empathize with this woman on some of the most important points (or criticisms) that come up:
1. Estranged from a father that double-crossed her... CHECK
2. Has a bitchy half-sister that she only met once... CHECK
3. Had to leave a family of super toxic poisonous in-laws... CHECK
Yep, and to the mass of general public all over the world that thinks they know what they don't know, well, what can I say. You have to be there to really know the stories and the reasons.
I hope for Meghan that she has the support system and the stamina to hold up, live her life with gusto, and outrun negative people and negative criticism, because that's what I did. Sometimes, because people have made the choice to hate you, ramped up on adrenalin and group bully mentality, nothing you ever do will be right, there will always be those people out there who choose to find something wrong... CHECK
My Beefs ~ #1 Smudging
I smudge my house with sage. I've been doing this for over 40 years, and I will continue to do so, though probably not for another 40 years.
Smudging: burning sacred herbs such as sage to cleanse a space, object, or ourselves of negative energy.
American (or Canadian) Indigenous People are not the only people upon our beautiful planet who smudge. And by the way, kudos to them for being among those of us who follow this practice.
Note... "smudging" is not a term that is protected by either copyright or trademark. It is a word in the dictionary, and it is free to be used by the public.
More information:
Spiritual Appropriation ~
It's a Conundrum for the American Melting Pot
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Bucket List Locations ~ Chino Valley AZ
From CG to Chino Valley... 2 hr 29 min (155.8 mi) via I-17
(Chino Valley is located 10 miles north of Prescott)
Chino Valley
Town in Arizona
Description: Chino Valley is a town in Yavapai County, Arizona, United States. According to the 2021 U.S. Census, the population of the town is 13,492. Wikipedia
Area: 62.48 mi²
Elevation: 4,708′
Chino Valley is vastly wide open spaces, big blue skies with a culture defined by friendly people, unique eating establishments, and outdoor adventure.
Founded in 1864 and later incorporated in 1970, Chino Valley is the first original Territorial Capital of Arizona. Our rural community has 4 beautiful distinct seasons and boasts a truly hometown feeling.While you are visiting you will be in awe of how friendly our community is. We wave at each other as we pass. Come witness the “Chino Wave.”
1. The Ranch House
2. Si Es Mi Tierra
3. Chef's Table
4. Cravings
5. Pinon Grill
Chino Valley, AZ, has a wide range of great places to eat, with everything from sizzling steaks to unique flavours. The Ranch House, Asi Es Mi Tierra, Chef's Table, Cravings, and Pinon Grill all offer different kinds of delicious food, so every time you go to Chino Valley, you'll want to come back for more. Start out on a tasty adventure and enjoy all that this charming town has to offer.
A wilderness area covering 56,000 acres, Sycamore Canyon offers color in its cliffs, peaks and even a marsh-like region in what is otherwise desert.
Mountain lions and black bears are the stand-out mammals who find their home here, though you may prefer not to see them. The ringtail cat, a cousin of the raccoon, is common but nocturnal and has become the State’s official animal after a poll of schoolchildren. You may have to make do with the birds, and by day and you will both see and hear them.
This is a great place for camping, with cabins available for rent. Designated trails will lead you through the Wilderness whether you trek or ride a horse. Fishing and swimming are also popular activities here.
The 40-mile round trip includes the train going through a manmade tunnel, but everything else is truly natural. The Railroad’s luxury cars will have you imagining a bygone age, making this experience popular with significant numbers of visitors..
An “Arizona Treasure”, the railroad is one of the definite highlights when spending time in the region.
Chino Valley’s temperatures make this Aquatic Center a great place on all but the coolest of days.
Swimmers are in their element and the facilities are suitable for small children, with a very shallow entry pool. The waterslide is fun, and for those wanting to swim any significant distance, they can pick a swimming lane.
If the kids cannot swim, they can take a lesson and perhaps after a few lessons, they will be off. You might like to try some water aerobics while the kids are taking their lessons.
There is more to Granite Creek Vineyards than just the wine. It also plays a part in introducing local musical talent to visitors.
You will have the chance to sample the wines with a nice lunch, with most popular brands being Sunset Red Blend and Prairie Sun Pinot Gris. They compare favorably with the best wines available in the state.
Enjoy some time there or perhaps even consider booking a special event there with family and friends.
This scenic forest is known for its flora and fauna. Indeed, there is a type of small sunflower that is only found in the forest.
The vegetation varies from the bottom of the canyon at 4,500 feet, to the mountain tops 2,000 feet higher up. Pine and deciduous trees contrast beautifully with snow-covered peaks, streams and stunning red rocks.
100 species of mammal, 300 different birds and 16 different kinds of fish are just some examples of the wildlife that justifies a visit to this stunning forest.
Daily Cards/Daily Energy ~ Two-Faced
Finally, after being laid up for over a month with back issues, I'm slowly rejoining the world of the living. I have created a new tarot reading, and I chose to go with my blog The Mystic Crone. Happy reading...
click HERE
Thursday, January 25, 2024
Tuesday, January 23, 2024
Back in the Saddle Again ~ sort of
For those who don' know, I've been pretty much out of commission since the week of the Winter Solstice (Dec 21st) with very badly pulled back muscles, excruciating, I could hardly get up and down off the sofa by myself. I really did it up good with a combination of activities I should not have been doing in the first place, like wrestling a 50lb bag of cat litter across the front yard and up our camper steps. I shall not do that again, but I was childishly proud that I accomplished this feat at the time. Little did I know.
During most of this period, I virtually stopped posting on social media, stopped creating videos, or doing tarot readings, or doing much of anything really. I was trying to cope with the pain without having to go to the doctor and experience all the hub-bub and inconvenience that it would cause. Anyway, as I told my significant other, "What's a doctor going to do, tell me my back muscles are strained and provide a prescription for medication that I probably won't take?" So far, I've managed on my own with ice packs and a rotating combination of aspirin and Ibuprofen.
It's getting better. I just have to remember that when I hit a good day it does not mean that I can jump up and resume physical activities as usual. I've set myself back a couple times doing this.
Thank you to those who were aware of this situation and sent me lots of positive energies and good wishes, and thank you to those who didn't know but who kept visiting my blogs and websites and watching my videos. I can't wait to begin creating new material again, and I'm so anxious to do some new tarot readings. It's been a while.
Peace out, and to my northern peeps, stay warm and stay safe during some of this nasty winter weather.
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
PODCAST ~ Micro-Readings: 3 readings, one story?
There are three micro-readings here, which means there are three sets of cards with one sentence interpretations, but for someone, these three readings are telling us one story.
Tuesday, January 9, 2024
Conscious Awakening Network
Did I mention how much fun I had being interviewed by Glenda Dawson? Well, I had a lot of fun. She's my kinda' gal, it was a hoot.
Personal Demons, be gone!
Our first tarot reading for the new year! Be sure to join me at my tarot website and my YouTube channel.
Deck: Rider Waite version
Cards: The Devil -- reversed; 5/swords -- reversed; Page/wands
You will be starting this new year off on a very promising positive foot, which is a much needed change for some of you. You'll find that you have shook off some personal demons that have been plaguing you and causing so much trouble in your life on a variety of levels. You've also either come to a truce with a group of people you were in conflict with; or you walked away from the conflict and this is one of the demons you got rid of. For some of you, this might not represent a group of people you were in conflict with, but it may represent a conflict that you were battling within yourself. Either way, it's gone.
Many of you will find that you're starting off the new year with a new beginning that includes lots of passion, enthusiasm, and promise. For some of you, this may indicate a new relationship on the horizon, but for others it is showcasing new job and financial opportunities. This card, as do all the Pages, also infers that open, honest, enthusiastic communication will benefit all new endeavors coming up in this new year.
Monday, January 8, 2024
Book Excerpt: The Divine Me ~ the goddess Eostre -- Easter? Estrogen?
The following blog post is a short excerpt from my book, The Divine Me: Embracing Your Inner Goddess, pages 82-85, from the chapter "The Goddess in Every Month".
Available @ Amazon in Print & Kindle
click HERE
·
March ~ Eostre
Origin: Germanic
Influences: spring and dawn, fertility, birth
AKA: Ostara
Symbols: rabbits, eggs, spring flowers, butterflies
This goddess is all about spring, birth, fertility, and the
changing of seasons, the return of spring bringing with it the planting season,
the return of warmth and promise and new beginnings.
The oddest myth that follows Eostre is the story of how she
saved a bird from freezing to death in the winter. Its wings were frozen together. Eostre magically changed the bird into a
rabbit, a rabbit which retained its ability to lay eggs.
I don’t know about you, but this puts a whole new spin on
the Easter images I grew up with.
I would imagine, in ancient times, when the rituals of this
goddess were regularly practiced among the people, she was looked upon with a
sigh of relief, as in another winter has passed and we survived. Symbolically, it seems, the celebration for
this goddess on the spring equinox would herald the return of daylight, as well
as preparations for planting and the birthing of farm animals for sustenance.
In other words, it feels like the world is coming out of a
dark frigid isolating winter and things are starting to move again, coming to
life.
Hmmm… “Eostre” sounds an awful lot like “estrogen”, just
saying.
March’s Magick/Seed Moon
A Protection Spell
The main thing about someone who thinks they need a
protection spell is that there’s something that’s making them feel threatened
in some way.
Who, or what, are you afraid of; or what is the set of
circumstances that makes you feel threatened?
What do you think you need protection from? Think about it, and then proceed with the
following spell, if you still feel that it’s needed:
Let’s create a mojo bag for protection, as this is a very
versatile way to create protection for a wide variety of reasons.
v
Start with the bag, a drawstring bag – I
would choose black to repel negative people, entities, or circumstances; to
banish unwanted things; to neutralize negative energy. But you choose whatever color makes you feel
safe and secure, warm, and fuzzy… protected.
v
Second – write down on a small piece of
paper what you want protection from, be specific, be blunt and to the
point. Next, take a red ink pen or
marker and with intention, along with much vigor and emotion, maybe a little
cursing and spitting, draw a large red X through this list. It’s okay to get emotional, get angry, get
all riled up – what you’re doing is raising energy.
v
Third – let’s add some other
“ingredients” to this bag, just so the universe and Spirit get the full
picture. This could be personal effects
from an individual, and not just the stereotypical “hair and fingernail
clippings”. It could be the button off a
shirt, a coin from their purse or wallet, a photograph, a piece of jewelry (an
earring, or ring, or necklace chain), a tube of lipstick, a cigarette butt – you
get the idea. Be creative.
Tie this bag closed, preferably with three knots. Keep it in a secret safe place and allow it
to work undisturbed. Should the time
come when you no longer feel the need for it, you can: 1) toss it in the
flame of a fire and let it burn to ash, 2) dismantle the bag and its
ingredients and toss them into the trash, or 3) bury it somewhere off
your property.
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Does Sasquatch Exist in Arizona?
Surprisingly enough, sightings of a Sasquatch-like creature have been reported in Arizona, including one in 1903 near the Grand Canyon according to an article in The Arizona Republican. Several years later, when more sightings of a similar creature near the Mogollon Rim were reported, this cryptid soon became known as the Mogollon Monster, Arizona’s Bigfoot.
In this week's episode of Valley 101, a podcast from The Arizona Republic and azcentral.com, we speak with experts on metaphysical concepts, folklore, mythology and a researcher who says he has seen Bigfoot on multiple occasions.