Yansheng coins (厌胜钱, yàn shèng qián), also known as "flower coins" (hua qian 花錢) are not circulating coins in China, and could only be used for that purpose for a limited time. Its beginnings are found in the decorative and commemorative coins of the Han Dynasty (2nd century). These were coins that copied the real ones that were in circulation,...
In previous articles we have seen an introduction to the Etteilla tarot and the meanings of the "arcana". Next we will see the meanings that Alliette gave to the different suits of the deck, on this occasion, the wands.
The use of minerals was prolific in the Middle Ages among all social strata and the three great cultures. Both Muslims and Christians (see Lapidary of Alfonso X) recognized the magical properties of minerals and assigned them fields of action. Judaism was no less, and, after all, the use of a mineral amulet could not, in any case, be...
For some time now, the hummingbird population has been reduced in Mexico, becoming in danger of extinction, due to environmental exploitation and occasional hunting to be used as spells. This animal species has been used since pre-Columbian times as part of various rituals, especially for those related to love.
Celebrations that have in common the first awakening of nature and the use of light have taken place for centuries around February 1 and 2. On these dates, female animals begin to generate milk for their future offspring, which makes it also the ideal time for humans to obtain milk, butter, cheese... The Celtic name of Imbolc has a close...
No, Ophiuchus is not a Zodiac sign. And it cannot be part of the horoscope either. Every year the same news appears, mixed with NASA statements and entertainment magazines, but the vast majority of broadcasters, in reality, have no real knowledge of how astrological or astronomical observation works, and they should not be confused.
Etteilla Tarot: meaning of the "arcana"
The news about Jean Baptiste Alliette (1738 - 1791) is varied and confusing, however, the world of Tarot owes a lot to this French occultist who, with his name backwards, Etteilla, was the first professional tarot reader and created one of the first "playable" tarot decks, that is, intended for sale and personal use, and also paved the way for...
Despite being framed in the atmosphere of Christian Christmas, the truth is that these three plants already had their uses in pre-Christian cultures, both pagan and indigenous. Furthermore, over time and the rise of neo-paganism, they have regained their value as talismans of good fortune for dates in which friendship, family and good wishes have...
Santeria is, above all, a cultural migration from Africa to America; It is the religious group that results from the fusion of elements of the African Yoruba religion with Christian elements, a cult initiated by African slaves moved to the American continent, where it is most common today, where their descendants or Hispanic population affiliated...
The name "Witches' Night" is a name exclusively from Continental Europe and the Spanish-speaking world, however, its background is common to the entire Western world. Halloween is one of the many names given to what is perhaps the most popular "non-religious" holiday of pagan origin: Halloween, whose name comes from the English All Hallow's Eve,...
Before entering the medieval world, it is necessary to do a brief review of the vision of magic within Judaism. This is a complex issue, since many acts that for them had religious overtones, for us are directly and simply magical: see thaumaturgic (miraculous) acts developed by prestigious prophets or rabbis - from Moses to Ben Dosa or bar Yohai,...
