Writer's Within!: June 2014

Saturday, June 28, 2014

The Unexplained S1E11 Bedtime Stories: The Legend of Alice in Wonderland

The Chira Project is covering different types of bedtime stories that will scare the pants off of little children. If you know of any kind of scary bedtime story, please share it with us. This is our Eleventh bedtime story is none other than... Alice in Wonderland!

This is our last showing for radio but don't worry, you can catch us on YouTube starting in July or August. We do have an intro video, which will be linked at the end of this blog.

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What is the origin of 'Alice in Wonderland'?
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland (commonly shortened to Alice in Wonderland) is an 1865 novel written by English author Charles Lutwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll.

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Who is Alice in Wonderland?
It tells of a girl named Alice who falls down a rabbit hole into a fantasy world populated by peculiar, anthropomorphic creatures. The tale plays with logic, giving the story lasting popularity with adults as well as with children. It is considered to be one of the best examples of the literary nonsense genre. Its narrative course and structure, characters and imagery have been enormously influential in both popular culture and literature, especially in the fantasy genre.

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When was Alice in Wonderland born?

May 4, 1852 is when Alice in Wonderland was first created by Alice Pleasance Liddell (/ˈlɪdəl/; 4 May 1852 – 16 November 1934). She inspired the children's classic Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll (Charles Lutwidge Dodgson), when she asked him to tell her a story on a boating trip in Oxford. The character of the fictional Alice is not, however, based on her, as many had assumed. Relations between the Liddell family and Dodgson continue to provoke speculation—including, in late twentieth century biography, allegations that Dodgson took an unhealthy interest in the child. Liddell married a cricketer Reginald Hargreaves, and they had three sons.

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Where did Alice in Wonderland come from?
The classic children's book was born on July 4th, 1862. Where did Wonderland come from? Alice and the Author? You’ve fallen down a rabbit hole, only this time you’re not in a room full of doors, no, you’re on a rowing boat on your way to a picnic with you two sisters and two close friends. It’s July 4th 1862 and you want Charles to tell you one of his strange whimsical story’s for the journey. You hear him talking of rabbit holes and white rabbits in waistcoats, doors, talking animals, a red queen with an enormous head, you hear him talk of Wonderland.

The story teller, Charles Lutwidge Dodgson better known as Lewis Carroll was close friends with the Liddell family. Dodgson was the eldest of eight siblings. The Liddell family became friends with him after their father was appointed church dean at the church were Charles worked as a mathematician. The Liddell’s had three daughters Edith, Lorina and Alice. The girls got on well with Dodgson as they liked the strange, exotic and engagingly whimsical stories that he told them.

Wonderland came alive on July 4th 1862, when the three girls, Dodgson and one of his friends Robert Duckworth set out on a rowing boat from Folly Bridge to Godstow to have a picnic. The three daughters wanted Charles to tell them one of his fascinating stories. Charles told them a tale of a girl named Alice who fell down a rabbit hole and found herself in a bizarre new world. The real Alice, Alice Liddell, was so taken with the story that she asked Charles to write it down for her, which, of course he did. Late he added a few more chapters and illustrations so the story, and named the tale Alice’s adventures underground. A friend of Dodgson, an author George McDonald read the story to his children and they were taken with the story to, he highly encouraged Charles to get the tale published. In 1865 Dodgson changed his name to Lewis Carroll and had his book published by Macmillan.

There are some rumours that Dodgson favoured Alice Liddell, and that there are connections with her and fantasy Alice. For example the poem through the looking glass every letter at the start of each line spells out Alice Liddell’s full name, Alice Pleasance Liddell. Also the two Alice’s are the same age although both Alice’s are the complete opposite, Alice Liddell has short dark hair were as fantasy Alice has long blonde hair and is short in size. Both Alice’s even had the same birthdays, May 4th. Incidentally, it also seems that the character of the Red Queen in Through the Looking Glass owed something to the Liddell children’s alarming governess. Dodgson denied that he intended to portray Alice Liddell in this whimsical tale.

In 1963 the friendship between the Liddell’s and Dodgson broke down for unclear reasons, it might have been that Alice’s mother was uncomfortable with Alice’s and Dodgson friendship. A part of his diary that explains this was torn out by one of Dodgson’s descendants. After a few months polite relations were returned but none of the earlier warmth of the friendship. Dodgson died in 1898, he remained a bachelor until his death, and Dodgson revealed the nature of his feelings for Alice Liddell in his diary but poured ink over it a few days before he passed. Alice Liddell died at the age of 82 in 1934, Alice married Reginald Hargreaves who died in 1926, and Alice’s was so short of money that she sold the original manuscript of Alice’s adventures underground for £15,400. In her last years she said that she was “tired of being Alice in wonderland.”

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Why did Alice in Wonderland go from good to evil?
Alice in Wonderland isn't an evil story at all but there are good and evil characters within the story.

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How was Alice in Wonderland created?
Is Alice in Wonderland really about drugs? Alice's Adventures in Wonderland is, on one level at least, the story of a girl who disappears down a rabbit hole to a fantastic place full of bizarre adventures. The heroine follows a talking white rabbit, meets the Queen of Hearts and plays croquet using flamingos as mallets. Since the 1960's there has been a trend for readers to identify an underlying drug theme in the book. The Cheshire Cat disappears leaving only the enigmatic grin behind. Alice drinks potions and eats pieces of mushroom to change her physical state. The caterpillar smokes an elaborate water pipe. The whole atmosphere of the story is so profoundly disjointed from reality - surely drugs must have had an influence? After all this was the era of legal opium use.

Jefferson Airplane's 1967 psychedelic anthem White Rabbit runs with the drug theme. "When the men on the chessboard get up / And tell you where to go / And you've just had some kind of mushroom / And your mind is moving low / Go ask Alice, I think she'll know."
To read more, go to: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-19254839

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Does Alice in Wonderland Exist?
No one knows for sure as to if Alice in Wonderland really exists, unless you are on drugs like LSD.

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Which Alice in Wonderland film do you prefer?
43%- The original Alice in Wonderland from 1951
57%- Tim Burton's “Alice in Wonderland” from 2010

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Critic's Pick: Alice in Wonderland

Alice Through the Looking Glass
Tim Burton's “Alice in Wonderland”
Jefferson Airplane- White Rabbit
Stone Sour- Though Glass
Eurythmics- Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)
The Matrix (Follow the white rabbit. Take the red pill or the blue pill)
Once Upon a Time
Alice in Wonderland Restaurant in Japan https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1KwVQviBwF8&feature=youtu.be
東方 Metalcore - Alice In World's End https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ibiPGkeaRDw&feature=youtu.be
Avril Lavigne - Alice https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YI4m-l2yRZA
SAD ALICE SAID-Open your eyes (HD,HQ-lyrics on screen) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E5ZxVb2E3JU&feature=youtu.be
American McGee's Alice - The Red Queen METAL Cover https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5eE0blQIyhM&feature=youtu.be
Alice: Madness Returns Teaser and Trailer HD Compilation and First Gameplay Footage https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1X1C333nN8&feature=youtu.be
Royal Flush Gang https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EgMuu9wNSkM&feature=youtu.be
The Candy Spooky Theater "Alice" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vFvd2QyWfRw&feature=youtu.be
Marilyn Manson - Sweet Dreams (lyrics) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BHRyMcH6WMM
Nobodies Alice In Wonderland https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwX2iVWttyM
We are Alice ~{Sweet Dreams}~ Emily Browning/Marilyn Manson https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1tEJOt7b8Q
Peter Hunt on Lewis Carroll's 'Alice' books https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RFL-yBZJJN4&feature=youtu.be
Batman: Arkham City - The Tea Party (Mad Hatter) - Side Mission Walkthrough https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TGYPGQYTRxE&feature=youtu.be
Batman Arkham City Mad Hatter Interview Tapes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMLR1Ewd6u8&feature=youtu.be

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The Legend of Alice in Wonderland S1E11
VIDEO TBA...

Stone Sour- Though Glass

Eurythmics- Sweet Dreams (Are Made Of This)

The Chira Project Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/TheChiraProject

The Chira Project TV: Intro

Jefferson Airplane- White Rabbit

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In through the looking glass

A boat, beneath a sunny sky
Lingering onward dreamily,
In an evening in July

Children three that nestle near
Eager eye and willing ear
Please a simple tale to hear,

Long had paled that sunny sky
Echoes fade and memories die
Autumn frosts have slain July

Still she haunts me, phantom wise
Alice moving under skies
Never seen by waking eyes

Children yet, the tale to hear
Eager eye and willing ear
Lovingly shall nestle near

In a wonderland they lie,
Dreaming as the day goes by
Dreaming as the summers die

Ever drifting down the stream
Lingering in the golden gleam
Life, what is it but a dream?

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Monday, June 23, 2014

How to: Create the Perfect Beauty Vanity Table

How to: Create the Perfect Beauty Vanity Table
By Kristina Ioannou
(Beauty Editor)

Ahoy hoy DDGDians. I survived the move to my new apartment, oh yes I did, and I lived to tell the tale.

As expected, my number one priority when was organizing the gallons of beauty products I'd brought along with me. It was literally the first thing I got stuck into, and took preference over hanging up my clothes and arranging my shoes (judge me).

The almost-finished product is the above pic, and I gotta say, I'm pretty proud at how quickly I threw it all together. When I was done, I kind of felt like strutting down the street, pimp stick in hand, a smug smile on my dial. Like a boss, like a boss.

But where was I? Ah, yes, today's post is going to be short and sweet (or shorter than what you're used to), because last week's rant was a whopper. But short and sweet is good, because it means you can go scurry off and start creating the vanity table of your dreams, right? Right-o.

Below I've listed what I used to set up my makeup stand and some tips and tricks to help you assemble your own. Let's begin!

- Purchase a booze cart: It's seriously the best thing I've ever done. I scored the above bar cart from Adore Home-wares, this adorable little Melbourne interior store below the DDG office and I'm in love. It set me back just under $300 but it was so worth it!

- Purge everything: I literally spent about 3 consecutive hours going through mountains of products until I nailed it down to my ultimate favourite items that I wanted to have on display at all times. The rest I stowed away in my bathroom cabinets and storage cupboards, and anything that remained I threw into a box to give away to family and friends (lucky ducks!). Having a small assortment of products makes setting them up neatly a cinch, and the display looks beautiful and clean. In the image above, you might have noticed that there's a few gaps. They're being reserved for my skincare prods which I'm yet to go through. It's hard having to choose between my babies!

- Store your loot in glass jars: The amount of glass jars, vases, glasses and little vintage plates I've been collecting over the past year is phenom (that's phenomenal to you non-insta using, Ja'mie King watching folk). I've nabbed these items from op shops, two dollar stores, home-wares stores and even grabbed a few from my mum's glassware cabinet (soz, mumsy dear). You can store pretty much any kind of treasure in these vessels, be it lipsticks, nail polishes or makeup brushes. They're seriously the best!

- House your lipsticks in clear cube storage squares: A new thing I've been doing is investing in clear stationary cubes. You can find them at your local post office, Office-works or even online (try eBay), and they're fantastic for storing your lipsticks in. I've been color-coding all my lippies and I've got about 200 more to go through. Gulp.

- Cake stands make for great perfume holders: They do indeed, so go and get yourself one (ask mum nicely) and sit all of your pretty fragrances on top.

- Get some flowery friends: While I wish my pink posies were real, I really can't be bothered having to replace them each week when they die, so fake flowers are the next best thing. They offset the beauty products gorgeously by adding a pretty, feminine touch that completes the overall set up.

- Add the finishing touches: I've popped a wrought iron mini Eiffel tower, a candle and a few empty art deco vessels in amongst my beauty loot for added decoration, but you can adorn your table with anything you like, really. Whatever your style is, just go with it. Either way, I'm sure it will look amaze!

Have you been struck by a beauty lightening bolt?
Will you be throwing together your own vanity table?
Tell us in the comments below!

How to: Beautify Your Vanity

How to: Beautify Your Vanity
By: Deven Hopp
Staff Editor

A quilted cushion sitting atop a low-backed stool placed neatly under an elegantly distressed vintage desk; the desktop adorned with porcelain jewelry boxes, crystal canisters and pink powder puffs. What we've just described is a vanity of the Pinterest variety. A dreamy, mythical space that we choose to believe only exists in the imaginations of professional Photoshopers, but never in real life. In real life, your average vanity looks more like a disaster zone–an explosion of beauty products with no rhyme or reason. Said vanity may not even be a vanity at all. But no matter what space you’ve made into your own little makeup haven, it has the potential to be a picturesque escape. Just remember these simple, glamorizing tips…

Display Something Pretty Above
Creating a beautiful beautifying station begins with the space around you. Chances are you spend a decent amount of time at your vanity, so give yourself something nice to look at while you’re there. Hang some of your favorite jewelry pieces from decorative knobs, put up black and white photos or create a miniature gallery wall using your favorite artwork.

Choose an Antique Mirror
There’s simply nothing attractive about a lighted magnifying mirror. It doesn’t look nice sitting atop a vanity, nor does it feel nice looking into it. Use an antique vanity mirror instead. Trust us, you’ll be able to see just fine. If the natural lighting around you isn’t sufficient, add a small table lamp. This will provide more flattering lighting than overhead beams.

Create a Serene Color Scheme
Make your lipstick and eyeliner color choices as exciting as you please, but avoid strong colors on your vanity. Light colors will open up the space and make it easier to see all of your beauty bits and pieces. Soft shades like pale pink or sky blue feel inviting and calming. Start with neutrals and just add a few accents of color to keep the space feeling clean.

Add Ambiance With Small Touches
Vanities are not typically the largest areas to work with, so a full bouquet of flowers may not be the best use of space. But sometimes simpler is chicer (and cheaper). A single fresh bloom is just as effective at infusing the room with natural fragrance and color. A favorite candle also goes a long way in creating ambiance.

Use a Variety of Decorative Displays
Plastic organizers are great for storing makeup…in drawers beneath your vanity. On top of your vanity, choose items with more charm, like mirrored trays. Or DIY a vanity tray out of an old gilt frame and a piece of fabric. Use an assortment of pieces in different shapes and sizes to organize beauty products. Try bringing a cake stand into the mix—the height of a tiered stand will add interest and give you more space to place your trinkets. You can even make your own makeup storage stand out of a few trays or plates separated by (and glued to) candlestick holders.

Be Selective With What You Show
And finally, after all that color scheming, atmosphere creating and display decorating, it all comes down to what you put out on your vanity. Save bent up bobby pins and beat up nail files for the bathroom drawer. This is the place where you display eye-catching perfume bottles, clean makeup compacts and a few shiny pieces of jewelry. Are you a lipstick queen and a sucker for pretty packaging? Pick your favorite gilded tubes and lay them about. Always go back to the same three shades of pale pink polish? Since they go so well together, keep them here for a touch of color.

Have we inspired you to beautify your vanity?
Let us know if you’ll use any of these tips below!

Saturday, June 21, 2014

The Unexplained S1E10 Bedtime Stories: The Legend of Phantom Knocking

The Chira Project is covering different types of bedtime stories that will scare the pants off of little children. If you know of any kind of scary bedtime story, please share it with us. This is our Tenth bedtime story is none other than... Phantom Knocking!

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What is the origin of 'Phantom Knocking'?
Phantom Knocking is when a unseen phenomena knocks out of the blue. No one knows as to why these things happen and for what. In folklore and parapsychology, a poltergeist is a type of ghost or other supernatural being supposedly responsible for physical disturbances such as loud noises and objects moved around or destroyed. Most accounts of poltergeists describe movement or levitation of objects, such as furniture and cutlery, or noises such as knocking on doors.
Poltergeists occupy numerous niches in cultural folklore, and have traditionally been described as troublesome spirits who haunt a particular person instead of a specific location. Such alleged poltergeist manifestations have been reported in many cultures and countries including the United States, Japan, Brazil, Australia, and most European nations, with early accounts dating back to the 1st century.
The word poltergeist comes from the German words poltern ("to make sound") and Geist ("ghost" and "spirit"), and the term itself roughly translates as "noisy ghost" or "noise-ghost".

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Who are these Phantom Knockers?
Phantom Knockers or Ghost Knockers are the unseen's way of getting your attention. It's there way of communication with you among other ways. No one knows for certain what ghosts are, or if they even exist; some believe that they are spirits of the dead who for whatever reason get "lost" on their way to the afterworld; others think that ghosts are the souls of people whose deaths were violent or premature.

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When was Phantom Knocking born?
Honestly, no one knows for sure when Phantom Knockers were born or when the first one to exist. My theory on Phantom Knocking are just regular people like you and me that have past away and have not moved/gone into the light. By them knocking is there way of getting a message out there to you, weather or not the message is good or bad; its up to you to determine and/or decipher the messages/clues that it is been given upon you.

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Where did Phantom Knocking come from?
Phantom knocking is a related link between all manifestations from the spirit world. whether it be good or bad, to factually state an origin point would be too empty of a guest-imitation on mine and Chira's research. I would roughly say based on the limited information on the subject its simply a phenomenon.

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Why did Phantom Knocking go from good to evil?
Poltergeists have also been claimed to be capable of pinching, biting, hitting and tripping people.
A poltergeist is perhaps the best-known — and most feared — type of ghost. It is a spirit that is said to harass and torment its victims. This harassment typically includes minor but mysterious and disturbing events such as loud sounds, moving furniture, sheets and covers being pulled off beds, small objects inexplicably falling off shelves, stones rising off the ground and being hurled at people, and so on.

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How was Phantom Knocking created?
Its a favored move to use in the arsenal of a spirit/entity, etc. I believe it was honestly a stumbled across scenario when someone from the physical world re-acted to the noise caused from the knocking.

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Does Shadow People Exist?
Yes- 96% Which this all includes: Full Body or Partial Body Apparitions, EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), Cold Spots- Which are an area of localized coldness or sudden decrease in ambient temperature, Black Shadow- Like figures (Often referred to as shadow people), Poltergeist Activities- Involves inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, erratic noises and physical attacks on the living.
No- 4%

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What Do You Think Shadow People Are?
40% Ghosts Or Spirits
10% Demons
10% Time Travelers From Another Dimension
40% Not Sure But I Have Seen One Or More Shadow People

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Do You Believe in Ghosts and The Paranormal?
90% Yes I Do
10% No , I've Never Seen A Ghost Or Experienced Paranormal Activity.

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Weird Stuff: 10 Scientific Explanations For Ghostly Phenomena
By: Nolan Moore
September 30, 2013
According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted houses, and according to a 2013 HuffPost/YouGov poll, 45 percent believe in ghosts. These are surprising numbers, but the next time you hear a spooky sound, don’t call the Ghostbusters—get a scientist instead. Behind every shadow, poltergeist, and disembodied voice, there’s a perfectly rational explanation.

Electric Stimulation Of The Brain
Ideomotor Effect
Infrasound
Automatism
Drafts
Camera Issues
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Mass Hysteria
Ions
Quantum Mechanics

To read about the explanation on these 10 facts, please go to:
http://listverse.com/2013/09/30/10-scientific-explanations-for-ghostly-phenomena/

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Critic's Pick: Phantom Knocking

The Tommyknockers (1987 science fiction novel) by Stephen King
The Frighteners (1996 Film) with Michael J. Fox as Frank Bannister and Jake Busey as Johnny Charles Bartlett (The Riper).
Dave Edmunds I hear you Knocking (1970 Song)
The Strangers (2008 Film)
Someone's Knocking at the Door (2009 Film)
Eli Roth's Next Horror Movie To Be 'Knock Knock'!
Night Gallery (1969 Film)
Ghost (1990 Film), an American Romantic Fantasy with Patrick Swayze as Sam
The Ghost (1963 film), an Italian horror film
The Ghost (1982 film), a German drama
The Ghost (2004 film), a South Korean horror film
Ghosts (2005 film), a German drama
Ghosts (2006 film), a British drama
The Ghost (2010 film), a French-German-British political thriller
Ghost: In Your Arms Again, a 2010 Japanese remake of the 1990 American film Ghost
Ghost (2012 film), an Indian horror film
Ghosts (2014 film), an American horror thriller film
Michael Jackson's Ghosts, a 1997 short film
The Ghost Writer (film), based on the novel by Robert Harris, released in Britain and Ireland as The Ghost

For More Information, Please go to:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_(film)#Film.2C_television.2C_and_theatre

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The Legend of Phantom Knocking S1E10
VIDEO TBA...

Phantom Door knock Ghost Orbs Ghost EVP Phantom Doorbell

Dave Edmunds I hear you Knocking (1970 Song)

Fats Domino version of you hear me knocking

(For some odd reason, it wont let me post the video up here).
HOW TO FIND OUT IF YOUR HOUSE IS HAUNTED
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceQ0tMl7BJM

True haunting! Ed and Lorraine Warren investigation - Bridgeport poltergeist! Disturbing haunting!

Ed and Lorraine Warren Water Poltergeist

Ed & Lorraine Warren - Poltergeist

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Sunday, June 15, 2014

Origins and History of the Book of Kells

Origins and History of the Book of Kells
The greatest achievement of Irish religious art, the Book of Kells, was formerly held to be earlier than the Lindisfarne Gospels (which are dated approximately from 700 CE) but is now generally assigned to the late eighth or early ninth century. It can only have been made in one of two places: Iona or Kells. It seems probable, though, that due to its resemblances to the Lindisfarne Gospels it was at least begun at Iona (a traditional centre of holy learning and illumination, from where Saint Columba launched his mission to Christianize Scotland and where he was later buried), the base from which Lindisfarne had been colonized about the year 635. Unfortunately, Vikings frequently raided the island, burning the monastery and killing the monks.

In 804, after two Viking raids, the monks of Iona fled from their exposed island monastery to Meath, in Ireland. They obtained a grant of land at Cenannus (Kells) and established there the metropolis of the Columban Order. But they regretted abandoning Iona and made various attempts to resettle there, carrying with them the sacred objects and books of the monastery. Finally in 849 all were brought back to Kells, the great manuscript probably with them.

That the manuscript was at Kells two centuries later we know from an entry in the Annals of Ulster (1007). And as it is hardly probable that such a work should have been begun during the troubled years between 804 and 849 (and since most of its decorative art points to a date within the eighth century) it is reasonable to assume that an important part of it had been produced in the scriptorium of Iona before the Viking raids drove the monks to Meath. In any case the most probable date of the Book of Kells is between 760-804 and 815-20; and it is likely that different painters were working at it for several years. Again, in view of A. M. Friend's evidence that in its Canon Tables and Evangelist portraits it has borrowed motifs from the continental Ada Group, these elements must be dated at the earliest about the close of the eighth century.

The removal of the Book of Kells - along with the relics of Saint Columba - to the Irish mainland, failed to secure its safety. In 1007, it was seized by Vikings who plundered its jewelled cover. It was later unearthed in a ditch, miraculously intact with only a few sections missing.

After the surrender of the monastery of Kells to the Crown by Abbot Richard Plunket in 1539, the manuscript passed into the hands of one Geralde Plunket of Dublin, possibly a relative of the abbot, and from Plunket to James Ussher; a highly versatile and accomplished scholar of the day, and one of the earliest students of Trinity College, Dublin. Finally the manuscript passed with Ussher's library to Trinity College, where it is today.

Who Wrote the Book of Kells? (Scribes, Illustrators)?
At the beginning of the eleventh century the book belonged to the church of Kells and was called "the great gospel of Colum-Cille." This was supposed to be because, the book was written and illuminated during the time of Saint Columba (Saint Columcille) (c.521-97), perhaps even by Columba himself. However, when it is said that the Book of Kells may have been written by Columba it is not meant that he was also the artist from whose pen the elaborate ornamentation of the volume proceeded. Columba was reputed to have been a most industrious, indeed almost fanatical, scribe. But the scribe and the illuminator were seldom the same person. The illuminations were frequently executed much later than the manuscript itself and the original plan of the Book of Kells was apparently so vast that it could not be completed in a short time. The spaces to be decorated were left blank by the scribe. Several painters, possibly at different periods, were employed to fill them; there are, indeed, still to be seen some pages where the ornaments of the framework are unfinished, being only partially sketched in outline.

Furthermore, it is highly unlikely that Columba even wrote the script, since paleographic research shows that the style of Latin script used did not emerge until well after his death. In response, some experts in Irish Art consider it may have been created in 797, to celebrate the 200th anniversary of Saint Columba's death.

Four Illuminators or Artists
The scholar Francoise Henry believes that among the several artists who may have worked on the illumination at different periods four are readily identifiable on stylistic grounds. One artist, she feels, was obviously entrusted with the cruciform cover page known as "the page of the eight circles", the great Chi-Rho, and the initial page of each of the gospels, except the Quoniam. She sees in him "the goldsmith", someone familiar with work in precious metals, in enamel and in niello. The delicacy of his work is impressive, as is his interest in asymmetry. Francoise Henry recognizes another individualist in the portraitist of the three Evangelists, the page composed of square frames, and the Quoniam at the beginning of the Gospel of Saint Luke. The third is the "illustrator", the author of the Virgin and Child, the Tunc Crucifixerat, and the Temptation. Finally, a fourth artist is responsible for many less important contributions. For more, see: Irish Art in the early Christian Period (Methuen, London, 1940) by Francoise Henry.

Full Moon Water Scrying Divination

Full Moon Water Scrying Divination
By: Patti Wigington

The full moon has long been considered a symbol of wisdom and intuition. We feel its connection every month, when it lights the night sky. Many of us feel more energetic and alert during the full phase of the moon. This is partly because our bodies and mind are intricately connected to the lunar cycles. Like our selves, water is also linked to the changing face of the moon -- just ask anyone who lives on the coast about the phenomenon of "lunar tide"!

Using a reflective surface as a tool for scrying is hardly new -- the ancient Romans did it in their religious rituals, and the Egyptian "Book of the Dead" contains references to Hathor's magic mirror, used to see the future. Pre-Christian Celtic seers were believed to have visions when they looked upon dark stones such as beryl or other crystals, according to Pliny. Even in the 1500s, Nostradamus made notes about staring into a bowl of water by candlelight to gain inspiration.

This divination is one of the simplest. It's best to do it outside if at all possible, because, after all, you are relying on the moon to illuminate the water for you! If you can't perform this ritual on the night of the full moon, the night immediately before or immediately after is just as acceptable.

In addition to a clear sky and a full moon, you'll need the following items:
•A table or some sort of flat work space
•A dark bowl
•A pitcher containing enough water to fill the bowl
•A journal or notepad to write in, as well as a pen
•Optional: your favorite meditative music

If your tradition normally requires you to cast a circle, do so now. If you'd like to play some music, go ahead and start your cd player. Sit or stand comfortably at your workspace. Begin by closing your eyes, and attuning your mind to the energy around you. Feel the soft earth under your feet. Hear the rustling of the wind in the trees. Breathe in the scent of grass and earth that lingers in the air. Raise your arms out to your sides, palms facing up, and feel the energy of the moon above you.

Take some time to gather that energy. It's a pull, a palpable sensation that we can feel, if we just take the time to look for it. Feel that silvery power above you, and recognize your connection to it, and to the Divine.

When you are ready to begin scrying, open your eyes. Notice the night all around you. You may feel an unusual sense of clarity and alertness - don't be alarmed, it's just that lunar energy at work. Raise the pitcher in one hand, holding it over the bowl. As you do, visualize wisdom and guidance within the water. As you pour the water into the bowl, from the pitcher, see the energy of the moon charging that water. Recognize that this water can show you the mysteries of the moon.

When the bowl is full, position yourself so that you can see the moon's light reflected directly into the water. Stare into the water, looking for patterns, symbols or pictures. You may see images moving, or perhaps even words forming. You may have thoughts pop spontaneously into your head, that seem to have nothing at all to do with anything. Use your journal, and write everything down. Spend as much time as you like gazing into the water -- it may be just a few minutes, or even an hour. Stop when you begin to feel restless, or if you're getting distracted by mundane things ("Hm, did I feed the cat?").

When you are finished gazing into the water, make sure you have recorded everything you saw, thought and felt during your scrying session. Messages often come to us from other realms and yet we frequently don't recognize them. If a bit of information doesn't make sense, don't worry -- sit on it for a few days and let your unconscious mind process it. Chances are, it will make sense eventually. It's also possible that you could recieve a message that's meant for someone else -- if something doesn't seem to apply to you, think about your circle of friends, and who it might be meant for.

Afterwards, you can leave your water out overnight to charge it even more, or you can pour it away into your garden as an offering.

I hope you enjoy this article for your spell books! Blessed Be!

The Unexplained S1E9 Bedtime Stories: The Legend of Shadow People

Who are these Shadow People?
The term “Shadow People” is a catchall for entities that exhibit certain characteristics – but their origins can be wildly different. There are different kind of Shadow People: Benign Shadows, Negative Shadows, Red-eyed Shadows, Hooded Shadows and the Hat Man. As I was reading more, I got to realize that most of the encounters people had with these Shadow People were harmless. Like these shadows are tormented and just passing by in a search for something or someone. There was no contacts with them but the constant unpleasant feeling and fear. For the type of red-eyed and negative shadows there are stories written where people felt like they are feeding on their fear. Shadow People may be demonic entities, ghosts, inter-dimensional travelers, or other denizens of the dark realm we call the Unknown. Regardless of their label, Shadow People could very well be more than just one type of being. Brad Steiger, author of “Shadow World,” has studied the paranormal for more than 50 years and agrees – there are many possible explanations for Shadow People. “I would say that experiencers are seeing all of the above and giving them/it the name of Shadow People.”

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When was Shadow People born?
Honestly, no one knows for sure when Shadow People were born or when the first one to exist. My theory on Shadow People are just regular people like you and me that have past away and have not moved/gone into the light.

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Where did Shadow People come from?

It is difficult to say what shadow people really are, some believe them to be ghosts or spirits, some say they may be time travelers or hopping over from another dimension. They may even be aliens, they may be guardian angels, demons or perhaps they are just some sort of secret service that watches over us like a big brother from an over lapping dimension. It is anyone's guess why they are and what their job is. Most people tend to report them as watching people while they sleep or simply walking up and down hallways. Some of these shadow people even stand in the corner of the room or behind doors doing absolutely nothing but standing there, some looking at you and some not.

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Why do some Shadow People go from good to evil?

I don't believe they are demons but some may be evil. Some seem to be confused and they may not even realize that they are in fact dead. They may not be as much evil as they are angry. They may be trying to talk to us and we can't hear them. If so that may be what people are thinking is evil. I have never heard a single report that a shadow person has ever harmed anyone. If you know of a single documented case of a shadow person harming anyone get in touch with me. I would like to know the story and know where it happened.

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How do Shadow People affect the living realm compared to the dream realm?

We believe its a matter of Observation. how are realm ( Living Dimension) works and operates compared to the Dream Realm or Negative realm per-say ( Hell, underworld etc.) It could be a possible plan for an overthrow of are world or a wished merge to absorb are existence and adapted in an world where permission to cross realms in banded or so difficult its nearly impossible

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Interdimensional Travelers?
Some say that the following are travelers from another dimension sent here to observe us. Kinda like the TV series Fringe.
http://mysteriousuniverse.org/2012/03/the-lurking-shadow-people/

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Benign Shadows:
Shadow People that seem to travel briefly through a person’s life. I saw these entities as a child. They appeared to walk with purpose through my room, never acknowledging me, and never straying from their path. I never felt an unholy fear, just the fear of watching a dark human-shaped trespasser walk past my bed.

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Negative Shadows:
Although these Shadow People tend to simply lurk, they are associated with a feeling of unnatural terror.

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Red-Eyed Shadows:
These entities are always negative, but stare at experiencers with blazing red eyes. Victims often say they feel this creature feed from their fear.

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Hooded Shadows:
Dressed as an ancient monk, people who encounter these Shadow People feel a deep rage bubbling behind the black cowl.

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The Hat Man:
This entity is the most curious. Dressed in a fedora, and sometimes appearing to wear an old-time business suit, the Hat Man appears to people in cultures across the planet.

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Does Shadow People Exist?
Yes- 96% Which this all includes: Full Body or Partial Body Apparitions, EVP (Electronic Voice Phenomena), Cold Spots- Which are an area of localized coldness or sudden decrease in ambient temperature, Black Shadow- Like figures (Often referred to as shadow people), Poltergeist Activities- Involves inanimate objects moving or being thrown about, erratic noises and physical attacks on the living.

No- 4%

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What Do You Think Shadow People Are?

40% Ghosts Or Spirits

10% Demons

10% Time Travelers From Another Dimension

40% Not Sure But I Have Seen One Or More Shadow People

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Do You Believe in Ghosts and The Paranormal?
90% Yes I Do
10% No , I've Never Seen A Ghost Or Experienced Paranormal Activity.

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Weird Stuff: 10 Scientific Explanations For Ghostly Phenomena
By: Nolan Moore
September 30, 2013
According to a 2005 Gallup poll, 37 percent of Americans believe in haunted houses, and according to a 2013 HuffPost/YouGov poll, 45 percent believe in ghosts. These are surprising numbers, but the next time you hear a spooky sound, don’t call the Ghostbusters—get a scientist instead. Behind every shadow, poltergeist, and disembodied voice, there’s a perfectly rational explanation.

Electric Stimulation Of The Brain
Ideomotor Effect
Infrasound
Automatism
Drafts
Camera Issues
Carbon Monoxide Poisoning
Mass Hysteria
Ions
Quantum Mechanics

To read about the explanation on these 10 facts, please go to:

http://listverse.com/2013/09/30/10-scientific-explanations-for-ghostly-phenomena/

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Critic's Pick: Shadow People

Shadow People (2013) with Dallas Roberts as Charlie Crowe
Shadow People The Finding by: Jo Robinson
Extreme Ghost Stories (Paranormal Documentary Series)
Dead Beat (Canada TV Series on Hulu.com)
Ghost with Patrick Swayze
Ghost Busters

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The Legend of Shadow People S1E9

The Types Of Shadow People That Haunt The Dark

Shadow People in 1997, Emerson

"Shadow People Curse" by NicePasta

Shadow People | LoveAlanaChan | Real Ghost Stories

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Shadow People (2013 Film) with Dallas Roberts as Charlie Crowe

SHADOW PEOPLE is one of those films that claims to be based on true events. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I can definitely see how it could be in this case. The subject matter is steeped in realism and I would wager we have all experienced something like this at one time or another. Heck, I had trouble going to sleep last night after watching this one…and that’s saying something for a guy that watches horror movies regularly! Needless to say, this is one film that any horror fan needs to check out soon!

If you are not familiar with SHADOW PEOPLE, here is the plot synopsis courtesy of the Anchor Bay press release:

Sudden Unexplained Nocturnal Death Syndrome is a real phenomenon where seemingly young, healthy people can die mysteriously in their sleep. Survivors of the syndrome report a feeling of terror while being paralyzed in their bed as a shadowy figure attempts to grab or strangle them. When a rash of sleep fatalities is reported on air by a struggling late night radio host, a skeptical CDC investigator is called in to verify his claims. What they discover is a deadly, psychological condition where fear causes the shadow beings to appear. This supernatural thriller, based on true events, interweaves never-before-seen archival footage, interviews and news reports about this horrifyingly real phenomenon.

I am stunned that 162 reviewers on IMDB.com have given this film only 4.4 stars out of 10 as of the writing of this review. I figured this would have garnered at least 6 or 7 stars out of 10. That’s what I would have ranked it as, anyway. It’s that good.

SHADOW PEOPLE is shot very well and combines supposed archival footage with movie-style reenactments of the same events. Some folks might not like this, but I find it works very well when done correctly. This film pulls it off with ease.

The acting is also great, with Dallas Roberts headlining the cast as radio host Charlie Crowe. Horror fans will recognize Roberts from his role on THE WALKING DEAD. Roberts does a stellar job in this role, and I look forward to seeing him on-screen in the future.

The best aspect of SHADOW PEOPLE is how it scares you: the shadowy beings that are seen on camera strike a primal chord deep within the viewer’s mind. As a result, a simple movement of shadow (where there should be nothing moving) can send terror surging through your veins. I love how many times I jumped while watching this one.

SHADOW PEOPLE is a great and fun-filled jaunt into simplistic horror. This might be a great date movie because it will scare you both. I recommend giving this one a look for sure.

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