Mythology - Interesting? by Tobias Robbins

I find mythology interesting. But why should you? How can the beliefs of people from two thousand years ago impact your day-to-day life? 

 

I could argue that not all of the belief sets on this chart are buried in the past. Millions of people still hold some of these as sacred and true. But unless you are a member of that group you most likely won't care. What if I tried the "entertainment" argument then? Imagine the spectacle of a superhero comic with the drama of a soap opera, that's what these stories are. You might retort with something like, "Yeah, but I've got Netflix." OK, fair enough. Well, how about I appeal to your morality then? These characters and their struggles help us define our values. What's that you say?  You've already got the solution to the old "good vs evil" dilemma all figured out? Oh, wow good for you. 

 

Here is my last pitch. I have struggled with empathy throughout my life. I found it far too easy to judge people for their differences. However, the more I learned about mythology, religion, and beliefs, the more I came to see our similarities. Different does not have to mean "wrong." Mythology can be a bridge. It can help you understand yourself within a wider context. 

 

So, give my chart a glance. It's made from several different sources, and it is still a work in progress. (Same here though, don't judge.) 

	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Greek	Hecate, queen of moon, led dancing spirits to Earth. Also Hades.	Athena. Born from Zeus head (strategy).  Also Ares (fighting).	Void then egg, earth mother Gaia. Created Uranus (sky) and Cronus (time). Golden age before mankind.	Cyclops or Hephaestus made lightning bolt, trident, Athena helmet. Heracles club. Tore up an olive tree, so heavy only he could lift it.	Poseidon- Athens. because mad that Athena beat him in a contest to see who gave the best gift to become the god of the city. He also sank Atlantis for their greed.	Artemis/ Apollo- hunt and music.		Hermes- Winged sandal/ helmet. Charon- Boatman, river Styx.	Scylla- woman dog bodies in water vs Odysseus. Bellerophon and Pegasus vs Chimera. Perseus vs Medusa.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Norse	Hel-Female. bed of disease, body half  rot, half beauty.		Out of void came a realm of fire and one of ice, Ice giant Ymir battled the first gods Odin, Vili, Ve. killed the giant and made earth from his body. First human Ask and Embla made from trees.	Frey- self fighting sword.			Ragnarök, Loki, Fenrir, world serpent, Hel.		Fenrir- giant wolf. Jormungand -world serpent. Fafnir- dragon.	Valhalla- Odin’s dining hall. If died in battle.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Aztec	Mictlantec-uhtli Skeleton covered in drops of blood.		Tlaltecuhtki goddess, body for the earth. Eats human hearts.					Xolotl- Dog. created man but hated them so switched jobs to guide.		Nine layers, the lowest is Mictlan.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Japan	Emma-o - Ruled and judge of dead. Evil wore list of sins until they rotted into demons. He sent good souls back to be reborn.	Hachiman- emperor then god, protector of Japan.	Izanagi and wife Izanami stood on a bridge and stirred water with a spear to create land.	Kintaro’s ax- tree cutting/ monster slaying. Kusanagi- (grass cutter), found in the body of a killed dragon.					Hiruko- leech child born when mother improperly did the marriage ceremony.   Tsuchigumo-earth spider, killed by hero.	Yomi- demons chase you.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Finland			Goddess in water, duck egg creates world.							Tuonela: dark forest/ icy rivers, monsters. Beer of oblivion, to forget.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
China	Yen-Lo- ruler and judge souls are weighed and tested, then maybe reincarnated.	Guan Di- Sold tofu before becoming a great soldier, three brothers of the peach orchard.	Pan Gu slammed his arms on the void of chaos and separated sky and land. (or Yin and yang balanced and broke him out of an egg). He went to sleep and his body became the rest of the world and space. Goddess Nu Wa made people from clay. (or Pan Gu fleas turned to humans)		Emperor of Heaven sent flood because angry at sinful humans. His grandson Gun went to help by making canals but was killed for it. A dragon named Yu emerged from his body and helped with the Emperor's permission.	Ho twins bring good fortune, their name means harmony.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Voodoo	Ghede- death and sexuality. Not evil: fun-loving.							Baron Samedi- skull face, top hat, black suit. Controls zombies Waits at crossroads.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
British				Excalibur- (not a sword from stone), given by the lady of lake. Lancelot stripe shield from lady of lake.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Slavic  Central/ Eastern Euro	Veles, threatens humanity. serpent/dragon, coiled in the roots of the sacred oak.	Perun- thunder/ lightning. Eagles stone and metal. A protector.	Byelborg (good) and Chernobog (bad). Created all but eternally fighting.		First humans got greedy, broke the egg from which rivers flowed, and caused a flood, Kranyatz was saved by the god of wine.				Werewolves born with birthmark then become one. Rye, mistletoe, wolfsbane.  Vodyanoi-  water spirit, drowns passers.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Egypt	Osiris- First king of Egypt chopped up by brother Set but put back together by wife Isis before going to rule the underworld.		Ra created gods when in the void waters of Nun. Waters recede to land (Benben stone). Khnum (ram) made humans on potter wheel.						Ammut- heart weighed more than the feather of truth then devourer of dead eats the heart.	Duat. Fire, lake with serpents. Souls are judged in the hall of two truths. Osiris judged bad final death. If ok then served Osiris. If good then free life.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Hindu		Kali (a form of Durga)- a goddess, defeated the demon Raktabija, whose blood dropped and formed more warriors. Necklace of skulls skirt of severed arms.	Brahma the first god, was born from a golden egg floating in waters. Brahma tried creating the universe but messed up and made night with demons, then made the day with light. 5 elements- fire, water, earth, air, ether.	Shiva’s bow-one arrow destroyed three castles. Trident-purity, energy, and inertia, destroys ignorance. Ravana’s sword Chandrahas- (moon blade) given by Shiva.	Manu gets warned by Vishnu in his fish form and towed him to safety. Manu becomes the father of mankind.		Kalki- The predicted 10th form of Vishnu the sustainer. He will come on a white horse, destroy the wicked, and renew the world.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Meso-potamia	Ereshkigal: goddess, twin of the goddess of light. Married to a monster bull named Nergal.		The o.g. Mother goddess wants to kill the younger god Marduk but he fills her with air and pops her. Her parts form the world. Marduk becomes the head god.		Utnapishtim: gathered all animals on his boat to save them from the flood. God was angry.	Ereshkigal (dark) lived in the underworld and Inanna (light)- went to visit her sis and all love/light left earth , captured by demons. Two artificial beings brought her the water of immortality to revive her.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Zoroastrian			1st god Zurvan (time) in the void, made two sons-Ahura Mazda (good) and Ahriman (bad). A.M made the world and 6 immortals to help out. Then made the first man Gayomart but Ah poisoned him so A.M. used his seed to make the first couple.				Good will defeat evil. Saoshyant (savior) will come and re-create the world.			Evil go to House of the lie.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Navajo			1st world (black/) first people made of wind, up to 2nd world (blue), 3rd (yellow), 4th (glitter) is the current world.		Third yellow world (before this world) people sinned. First Man built a tall mtn.	Changing Woman had son of the Sun named Killer of enemies, and son of water called Child of Water. Needed help to defeat evil spirits/monsters so they went to The Sun to get arrows and info.
	God of death/underworld	God of war	creation	weapons	flood	twins	apocalypse	psychopomps	monsters	hell/ underworld
Maya			Sky god and Sea god wanted people to honor gods. 1st could not speak so became animals. 2nd from clay but dissolved in water. 3rd from wood but refused to worship.4th from corn dough and are us. Mist was blown into their eyes to keep them from seeing too much and wanting to become gods.		Third version of humans did refused to worship gods so were washed away.	Hun-Hunahpu and Vucub chalenged to a ball game by the lords of the underworld, gods played tricks on them and punished them with death. Hun’s twin sons, Hunahpu and Xbalanque, also loved ball and wanted to avenge their father and uncle. They passed all tricks and tests. The underworld lords burnt them to ash but they came back claiming power over death and tricked the lords into dying. Ascended to the sky.				Xibalba (place of fear), all went here when dead. Nine levels. Tests if passed could live in the sky with hero twins.

 

Biking Through the Mountains

                                   Please click this link for book and purchase information

Each spring my husband Will and I look forward to doing e-bike rides on mountain highways while they are closed to vehicle traffic. This year we managed three spectacular rides.

The first was on the Sheep River Road, which is about an hour and half drive south of our home in Calgary. On May 10th, our group of eight met at the winter gate that blocks off the last 18 kilometres of the unplowed highway from Dec 1 to May 14 every year. The snow gradually disappears from the road in April. 

May 10th turned out to be a beautiful blue-sky day. Our summer clothing contrasted the snow-covered mountains.  

Three members of our group met the challenge of the hills on regular bikes. Impressive! We took many stops along the way, including one for the highway's namesake bighorn sheep.  

And a picnic lunch at the Sheep River Falls. 

On our return trip, another biker snapped a shot of the whole group. 

Our second ride this spring was the Highwood Pass, the highest paved road in Canada. It closes to traffic from December 1 to June 14 due to high snowfall and to protect wildlife. The first two weeks of June the road is free from snow for biking. It's hard to find a parking spot on the popular weekends. Seven of us went Thursday, June 7, the weekday with the best weather forecast during that narrow biking window. 

Here I am (turquoise jacket) outside the winter gate before starting the ride.  

We enjoyed blue skies, but the brisk wind made the riding cool and the uphill sections more challenging, especially for intrepid Sam, on a regular bike. He also took our group selfie. 

The return ride was mostly downhill with the wind behind us, which made for lovely coasting through gorgeous mountain scenery. 

      

Our last mountain road ride of the season was June 14th on the Bow Valley Parkway from Banff to Johnston Canyon. This highway stays open in winter but closes to cars in June and September to protect wildlife and allow cyclists to enjoy the road. Tourists can rent e-bikes in Banff for the 50-kilometre return journey. The Parkway's hills are less steep than those of Sheep River and Highwood highways. This time regular bikers outnumbered e-bikers 4-3 in our seven person group. 

The weather forecast was 40 percent rain and we got pelted with with cold drops during a five-minute downhill section.  My cotton pants were drenched but dried quickly in the breeze when the sun reappeared. 

We heard reports of four bears sighted on the roadside. We missed them, but once more encountered bighorn sheep.   

These highways are so long that I've never felt crowded even when I've gone on popular weekends. This spring we did all three rides on weekdays and most of the time we had the roads entirely to ourselves. 

                                                                        

   

My Prize Winning Essay, by Karla Stover

 

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Most people haven't a clue about what garden clubs do, but they're not just about working in the yard. In my District, clubs do projects with the children at a local daycare, have planted and now maintain a pollinator garden for a library, take care of the Eatonville, WA. city park, and many other things to benefit their communities. The Washington State District of Clubs also sponsors an essay contest and that's where I come in. If no one else from my club wants to write one to enter, I do it. This year, the essay below (short but there is a word limit) won first place in Washington State and second in the Pacific Region (Washington, Arizona, California, Oregon, Nevada, Idaho, Alaska and Hawaii.) And, yes, it pays.

 One more thing: In researching I learned that it's "Madrona" north of southern Oregon and northern California's Siskiyou Mountains and "Madrone" south of them.

                                            Winter Wonderland

 The roast is in the oven, the potatoes are peeled, and the dog and I are hiking in the woods. Winter-woods walking is different from summer hiking. The trail we’re on is covered with maple leaves, many still retaining their color. I used to iron fallen leaves between sheets of wax paper to keep them shinny. Four years ago, University of Washington scientists got a grant to check the possibility of tapping big leaf maples here for syrup. Two good reasons to love them. Watch out Vermont.

But speaking of leaves, the dog has uncovered a loan oak leaf. Oak trees are native to the other end of the county so this little fellow has traveled a long way.

After drying up in summer heat, moss has returned, thanks to recent rain, and once again woodsy debris on the forest floor is softened by the versatile plant. Moss has been used for everything from surgical dressings by World War 1 doctors, to diapers by Native Americans. It’s a lovely contrast to gray-green bits of fallen lichen. I’m worried, though, because where I walk, moss is losing a competition to a ground cover

I’ve been unable to identify. The dog chases a squirrel into a cluster of Oregon Grapes. Both the Indians and the pioneers used it for medicine, food, and dye. But where we’re walking, there’s more salal than Oregon grape.It has sticky berries which, as a child, I used to put on my earlobes. The Indians were more practical, turning the berries into cakes, or drying them to treat indigestion, colic and diarrhea, and respiratory diseases such as colds or tuberculosis. Not to ignore the Oregon grape, though. It also had its uses, mainly to fight parasites and viruses.

The woods have lots of green, my favorite color. Sword ferns snuggle against Douglas firs which the Salish Indians used to ward off ghosts. When we bought our house, there was a copse of all these natives but it lacked two types of trees: cedars, which I brought in, and madrona which are notoriously difficult to propagate. My family had a number of elderly Indian friends who told me their women used madrona’s orange berries to make necklaces and various decorations. I recently learned that once dried, the berries have hooked barbs which latch onto animals for migration. How cool is that? Along our forest trail, the madrona’s peely-ochre trunks stand out among the green.

Eventually, my dog and I break out of the trees and into a little clearing, where we pass a spread of the ground cover, kinnikinnick. Before tobacco became the go-to plant for Old World smokers, folks happily puffed away on cannabis, but here the Indians sought out the nearest patch of kinnikinnick, a word that actually means “smoking mixture. Some articles I’ve read claim it’s becoming endangered. Sadly, for me, the sight of it means our walk in the woods is over. So, back to the kitchen I go.