Cats in Mythology

Those who know me well will agree that I fully embody the term "crazy cat lady"...

 

This is literally me ^^^^^

So this week I decided to look into the mythology surrounding the best four-legged creature in the universe, the cat. As we all know, cats in Ancient Egyptian culture were worshipped and associated with goddesses and the feminine. Apparently the punishment for killing a cat was death (as it should be).

In Japan and China manekineko (fortune cat) statues bring good luck and attract customers in restaurants. Myths about manekineko tell of the cat saving people, leading to them erecting cat statues in his honor.  

One of my favorite myths surrounding cats is that they are associated with witches (especially black cats). When a witch is with her cat, it makes her magic even stronger. In Norse mythology, the goddess Freya had her chariot pulled by two cats given to her by her brother Thor.

As an animal lover and vegetarian I love all animals on all this planet. But cats will always, always be my favorite. Honestly, I believe everything in the myths about cats to be true; cats are divine, magical creatures!

Dragons

I'm currently reading a book called Seraphina, about a girl who can transform into a dragon. As a child my favorite genre of books was fantasy and I often read books involving dragons. I decided to learn more about the origin of the idea of dragons.

The idea of dragons started in both Ancient China and in Europe. Scholars speculate that people may have found dinosaur bones and hypothesized that they were giant reptile-like creatures. Anthropologist David E. Jones speculated that dragons are the product of fear in the human brain. Like all mythical beasts, dragons were created by the human's fear of large predators. This is easy to believe because humans feel better when they can put a name/being to their fear of the unknown.

Dragons in Greek mythology were separated dragons into three categories: dracones (giant serpents), cetea (sea monsters), and dracaena (female dragon creatures). I find it interesting that female dragons have their own separate category. Most of the dracaena are beautiful but deadly, reminding me of how women are often portrayed as having deceiving appearances in myth.

In Chinese mythology dragons are associated with good fortune and prosperity. Dragons in Eastern mythology are basically the complete opposite of dragons in Europe. They are not feared, but rather worshipped and loved as deities. There are nine types of dragons in Chinese culture: the horned dragon, the winged dragon, the celestial dragon, the spiritual dragon, the dragon of hidden treasures, the coiling dragon, the yellow dragon, and the dragon king. I definitely find Chinese dragon mythology to be be more fascinating because of the positive aspect of these frightening-looking reptiles.

The Zodiac Calendar and Myth

I've always been interested in astrology and horoscopes. When I took a psychology class and found out that they have absolutely no basis in reality I was so sad. I don't know why but there is just something so fascinating about determining people's personalities based on the stars and when they were born. I was born July 3rd and I fit the description of a Cancer perfectly! How does this work? 

So apparently myths surrounding the zodiac signs came from the Greek "Scriptures of Delphi". Since I am a Cancer I decided to look into the myths regarding my sign. Let me just say that the Greek mythology before the Scripture of Delphi involved a crab getting stepped on by Hercules and the goddess Hera feeling bad for it and giving it a place in the sky... This would be just my luck. So the newer Greek mythology talks about a giant, immortal crab who is super strong and protective. He wins a battle with a "vampire squid" but he suffers grave injuries and becomes a crippled, but brave crab in the sky. This story describes me in a nutshell: protective, brave, but [emotionally] crippled.

I also find it interesting that Cancer is supposedly ruled by the moon. The moon in cancer makes them very emotional and sensitive. I am obsessed with all things moon and I am the most sensitive person in my family. I wonder how all of this information can accurately describe me judged on the time of the year I was born...

This picture is my aesthetic...

Ancient Egypt

I was inspired by the article we read about Egyptian mythology a few weeks ago and I decided to learn more about it.

Demons
I was unaware that along with the Egyptian gods and goddesses, there are myths about demon spirits. Apparently they are not as powerful as the gods, but they are stronger than humans. The demon called Ammit was a bizarre combination of crocodile, hippopotamus, and crocodile. She eats people's hearts to ensure that they are a restless spirit in the afterlife. It is interesting to note that in many cultures the demons are powerful beings, but are never more powerful than the divine.

Khepre
This one made me laugh because how can anyone symbolize a god as a beetle; they don't strike me as "godly" animals... Anyway, I guess it makes more sense when you learn that the Egyptians associated the dung beetle with creation because of the way they create their balls of poop. (haha) Like a dung beetle, Khepre was thought to have rolled out the sun into the sky.

Ma’at

I think Ma'at is my favorite goddess because she is the god of truth and justice, like Sailor Moon, champion of justice! She had the ability to control the movement of the stars and to regulate the seasons. She was in charge of determining someone's fate in the afterlife by weighting their heart against her ostrich feather. 

Source: http://discoveringegypt.com/ancient-egyptian-gods-and-goddesses/

Yoga Mythology

I have recently gotten back into yoga in order to get into better shape (I absolutely refuse to jog) and as a way to manage my stress and anxiety. While the yoga poses (asanas) aren't the only part of yoga, I thought it would be interesting to look into the mythology surrounding some of the asanas I do daily.

Virabhadra, known also as Warrior II pose, conjures up the warrior spirit. Born to Shiva, one of the most powerful Hindu gods, Virabhadra was a warrior who destroyed the ego in attempt to remind people to remain humble. Practicing this pose supposedly brings about the mind of a fearless warrior.

Matsyendra, or the Half Spinal Twist pose, symbolizes bringing the front and the back part of the body together, in other words the conscious and the subconscious. Matsyendra could have actually been a real person; he was thought to be an incarnation of the bodhisattva of compassion. In one myth he is swallowed by a fish and lives inside of it for 12 years. During this time he overhears Shiva's teachings and becomes enlightened. 

Trikonasana, or Triangle pose, is associated with "threeness" found in Hindu stories. Particularly the three gods Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva who are associated with creation, preservation and destruction. The trinity could also be the connection of mind, body and spirit that the pose helps to achieve.

Witches

My favorite season of American Horror Story is the third one, Coven. The witches in the show are descendents of the survivors from the Salem Witch trials. After rewatching a few episodes recently, I decided to look more into the mythology surrounding women who were accused of being witches.

A still from "American Horror Story: Coven"

Throughout history, many stories about witches involve the Devil. A Romanian myth tells of how a woman waits for the Devil by a river and tells him that she wants to become a witch. The Devil promises that if she dances with him every night he would make her a witch. The Puritans of Massachusetts believed the myth that witches were possessed by the Devil and they would carry out his bidding. Accidents and bad luck could be caused by witches within the village. In Catalan mythology, a witch could be killed on All Saints Day if you were to mark a star on the gate to her house. 

While not all mythology surrounding witches is negative (Greek witches/sorceresses for example), many societies used this mythology to persecute women. Women who acted out of the ordinary, in other words not staying in her place, could be accused of witchcraft and be put to death. I think the reason that I like "Coven" so much is because the witches are strong women who make their own paths and defy the way they are supposed to act. Their powers give them agency and confidence to do whatever they want.  

Comic Book Heroines

After reading the excerpt from The Supergirls: Fashion, Feminism, Fantasy, and the History of Comic Book Heroines I wanted to do some research about the origin of other female comic book characters. Here's a few that I looked into:

Miss America

First seen in 1943, Miss America had the the power to supernatural strength and the ability to fly. She was part of the Liberty Legion during WWII, where she fought against Nazi enemies. It's interesting to note that, compared to Wonder Woman, Miss America's costume seems prudish. 

Black Canary

In 1947 Black Canary was introduced as a strong female vigilante who broke up criminal organizations by infiltration. She was part of the Justice League and developed a high pitch, destructive scream called the "canary cry". She seems like a total badass!

Hawkeye (Kate Bishop)

After being raped in Central Park, Kate Bishop made a promise to herself to become stronger in order to always be able to protect herself. She masters archery, martial arts, and general self-defense. She goes on to become a part of the Young Avengers and inherits the original Hawkeye's bow. 

Emma Frost 

A mutant with telepathic abilities, also known as the White Queen. She starts off as a supervillain and ends up becoming a heroine. She can also turn herself into a diamond, and she considers her revealing clothing to be an advantage to fighting men. 

I can't wait until the day when it is considered normal for female superheroes to be the star of box-office movies, not just supporting characters.