Thoughts

Halloween

~ MKW Publishing ~ 3 Comments

Many things have been tipped upside down, turned inside out and become like the topsy turvy world that Alice became so familiar with after tumbling Down The Rabbit Hole. But Halloween is another of those things that has been inverted it seems, turning into what appears to be just a rather elaborate commercial enterprise. Or is it?

I’m sure that some if you know that it is the eve of what they called All Saints Day, obviously with saintly and religious meaning. But it goes back to Celtic pagans they say, where it was called Samhain and was a harvest festival to appreciate nature and the change in season. And the pre-celebration of bright costumes and bonfires was added later, to ward off evil spirits and ghosts it is said. Strange that we now dress as ‘the evil spirits’, isn’t it? Is it part of the ritual to bring them forth? Is it to trick them into thinking the demons are already here? Or is it that witches and apparitions were once here to protect us, and once they were gone, we have tried to mimic that to protect ourselves? Seems whatever its original purpose and meaning, it really has had a thorough makeover for commercial times and is for making money now. So, I would lean towards it being given the demonic overtones as a marketing angle, and to help bring in this new rather sinister landscape they want on show for society.

Many will have noticed that for a number of decades now that a demonic and sinister theme has slowly worked its way through all the forms of entertainment and media we are fed, and choose to consume. Music, news, television, films, fashion, literature and society generally has taken a dark turn, deciding to give everything a devilish overhaul. Making it seem super cool and sexy, carefully placing enticements and things in the mainstream to hook your interest. Glittery skulls, pagan symbols, clothes, accessories, artwork and movies to give you a visual to go with the concepts being put forward. Exposing minds to the dark side, luring them in with an offer of something, like in That’s The Ticket, but with witchery and spells instead of a golden ticket. Even trick or treating is about knocking on a door and asking for sweets, wanting the door opener to volunteer sweets to them, but even by opening the door you may have accepted the ‘contract’ in the form of the interaction. And if you don’t give them something, you are supposed to then play a trick, if you don’t get your treat. In my mind along the thought of that, maybe like a vampire knocking and wanting you to hand yourself over, when you say no, the trick is to return pretending to be something else, either dressed up or shapeshifter style. And then get invited in, so by the time you have opened the door and heard the words ‘Trick or Treat’ you are already lost. The real ‘trick’ is to not open the door.

But is it speculated that the date they have chosen for this All-Saints Eve, is the time of the year when the veil between worlds or dimensions is thinnest. That the dead or supernatural entities of other dimensions and realms are able to cross over into ours. And who knows, maybe there are times when we are closer to a gateway than we think, like two gateways passing each other at the correct moment and they are connected. A temporary bridge to another dimension, where it seems things are able to cross over to here, but does not seem as though we are as capable, and end up instead sensing something is different, but unable to locate it or pinpoint it, but we can feel it. Almost as if the air changes around you, and something that can’t be seen is present, like they say in the film Poltergeist ‘they’re here’…

(c) MKW Publishing

A Ceremonial Revelation

~ MKW Publishing ~ 2 Comments

Wow, where do you begin with something like this. So much to see if you are looking and have come to recognise the methods and symbolism at play. The numbering of this particular games being the 33rd, has not gone unnoticed. In fact, it seems rather relevant.

The light bringer – seems they might have borrowed one of the characters from Assassins Creed. A medieval knight’s templar to hand over the signal.

Satanism – it seems the dark and pagan theme running through Hollywood, the entertainment industries, politics, sport, and society overall is out there for everyone to see now. A very public display of debauchery and grotesqueness with a big old side helping of sinister. Likened to Sodom and Gomorrah and seems across the board has raised more than a few questions. With a general ghoulish theme continued with a decapitated head singing with flames and red featuring heavily. Very sporting like, don’t you think?

They also had a visual effect of a pale horse with rider running across the surface of the river water, which did seem like it might fit a certain quote from the bible. From the book of revelation, no less –

Revelations 6:8 “And I looked, and behold a pale horse: and his name that sat on him was Death, and Hell followed with him. And power was given unto them over the fourth part of the earth, to kill with sword, and with hunger, and with death, and with the beasts of the earth.”

Tower of Babel – the Eiffel Tower lit up with lasers, reminding me of the invention in Batman 3 by the Riddler. One to drain your mental energy and ideas. Also, it was likened to being the Tower of Babel, a ritual focus point for the ceremony. Making me think of The Main Arena for that and how much energy was gathered in that event.

The Last Supper – a very busted up representation of what appeared to be The Last Supper, with an array of misfits and oddities in the line-up. Ordinarily, I will always try to look for the artistic quality to something, even if it’s not my thing. But this didn’t appear artistic or creative in any way, although a great deal of thought probably did go into it. And it’s the intention behind that thought that seems to have shone through, with many viewing it as a religious mockery. And being honest, it did.

If you look back at the previous opening ceremonies, you’ll start to notice a weirdness and ritualistic enactment of things. At first, they appeared as things that have long since passed, of heroes and Kings and adventures of old. And then it seemed they were showing what was to come, as in Show and Tell, needing people to be part of it coming. And now it seems as though they are revealing where we are, or at least where they would like us to be, but it seems there might be hope out for a better world and future. Because if we keep on our projected path, it’s starting to feel like it might be about to get a whole lot darker…

(c) K Wicks

Coming to Your Senses

~ MKW Publishing ~ 2 Comments

There are some sayings and phrases that represent a physical action to cause a mental adjustment. And sometimes just to convey what has occurred, so that people are aware of the course of action needed thereafter.

Knock some sense into people – many must have heard this along the way, and sometimes represented in older movies of needing to slap someone who is being hysterical, or snap someone back to reality as they might call it.

Losing your mind / You’ve lost your mind – to denote that someone has lost all sense and doesn’t appear to be functioning with the normal reasoning we may expect from our fellow humans.

Coming to your senses – When the previous experience wears off, and after you lose your mind, you seem to find it again. Not always needing a physical intervention, sometimes that mental sense of reasoning can return of its own accord now and again.

Common Sense – covered in my article Not So Common, but does seem as though it should be considered one of our main senses despite it not having a physical attribute to allocate to it. Although it does appear to have physical consequences. And just as when someone may lose their sense of smell, taste or hearing and we say they have lost a sense, common sense should be thought of the same. Because it becomes clear to many once someone is greatly lacking in that ability. Whether it diminishes or was absent to begin with, the effect is felt the same and is noticeable.

Sense of Self – that we have an awareness as humans of our own existence and thoughts. And within that we have Perceptions of Self, but only if someone is able to understand they are a ‘self’ can they look a bit further to see what lies behind that.

We have all our senses pummelled on a daily basis, saturated and overwhelmed in a continuous flurry of experiences and information. Processing what we see, smell, hear, taste, feel, think and all the other in-built systems that gather data and help us to understand and respond to situations and life. And while it does seem as though general reasoning and sense has taken a leave of absence from certain sections of society, and really isn’t so common after all, we shall see if it is capable of a return. Because with the scale of the problem, it’s not quite as easy to just knock some sense into them, I think it’s going to take something far more miraculous than that…

(c) K Wicks

A Trail of Blood

~ MKW Publishing ~ 3 Comments

There have been a couple of articles already speculating on the vampire legends and myths, They Are Vampires, But not As You Know It and More Like Us Than We Would Like. As well In The Old Underground for a glance at what appears to be evidence of rituals, alters and so many bones, it begs the question of what exactly was occurring for that to be ‘normal’.

And sometimes I wonder of time past based on what appears to be left behind, and there is always something extra creepy and dark that runs underneath. Literally. In tunnels and caves, deep underground and hidden from view, and from sunlight. Because behind the scripts, storylines and myths, I can’t help thinking that as with much, there is a thread of truth running through it, being distorted and watered down by fantastical elements and sensationalism. Or not, maybe they are just throwing it out there in all its ugly reality, but we choose not to believe it, finding it easier to deny its existence because that would mean you have to face it and ideally, deal with it. Maybe as others have had to before, who also get a mention in fictional settings, Van Helsing being the most famous in that category. Leaving a trail of blood rather than breadcrumbs to reveal that dark thread that would prefer to stay in the shadows, or just behind the scenes.

Blood Banks – They could just be for what they say they are, to help people who are in need after an accident or medical incident. Or, that could be the cover for the actual purpose, like a convenience store in every city for those who need it to survive, without bringing too much attention to yourself by just taking it off the street as it were. And there is much speculation about us being a food source, that we are farmed and kept as we are like animals for purpose. We can’t deny there is a devious and dark thread that runs through what we know as humans, but is there something else alongside that, taking advantage of that dark cover to hide in plain sight an even darker reality? Also, they are usually stocked with blood from people who have donated as far as I know, another twist on the vampire needing to be invited, you need to be a volunteer it seems, covered as well in That’s The Ticket.

Blood Types – I sometimes wonder if it is the blood types that reveal more than we know, that it can give away the ones who would be considered ‘prime stock’ and then graded thereafter. It might also reveal a crossover where there are hybrids, like the humans and angels idea which then created the Nephilim they say, what if we have other half-breeds and hybrids among us that we don’t recognise. Not Like Us might be relevant there.

Death Becomes Her (1992) – A film that portrayed a potion, a price and immortality, made into a colourful and entertaining movie. Showing how people will trade much for fame and beauty, but without always thinking through the consequences and often being taken by ego, lust and jealousy along the way. Making you wonder if some people who appeared to ‘go before their time’ were made to step back from view as in the film, or they weren’t playing the game they had signed up for, who knows.

Adrenochrome – something that appears very much linked to the overall idea of a vampire, that certain blood is more vibrant than others, and gives them that fountain of youth that pops up here and there in myth and folklore too. And if that were so, and an ancient race of blood-drinking ‘humans’ did co-exist with us, wouldn’t it be prudent for them to look after their food source as well as herd them towards what is needed? Encourage a steady supply of blood deposits for those banks, a steady supply of offspring to feed on and be the next generation of blood donors and breeders.

And it may seem weird that they would reveal what they are, and their methods along the way, but to me it does two things. People will naturally decide mostly that it really is too far-fetched to be real, imagining the classic vampire, sleeping in a coffin, living in a castle, scared of sunlight and garlic, and crosses and hallowed ground being their nemesis. Funny isn’t it that in churchyards they also use coffins to bury people, and have crypts underneath them. Maybe they are happier being within what we have called hallowed ground after all. But if a person did happen to meet one, or find themselves in the grips of that set up, then it would also be easier to adjust to it being real perhaps, as you have a reference point and some reasoning behind it. Or maybe they have tried to hide and stay out of the way, and it is others, who like Van Helsing, take on the role of exposing it and making sure people don’t forget. Our memories can be short, and if we are on a shorter clock than they are, I can see why we might need to be reminded…

(c) K Wicks