Why do people bless us

when we sneeze?

from Wikipedia: Sneeze:

Onomatopoeia
Some common English onomatopoeias for the sneeze sound are achoo, atchoo, achew, and atishoo, with the first syllable corresponding to the sudden intake of air, and the second to the sound of the sneeze.

A similar linguistic approach has been taken with several other languages; in French, the sound "Atchoum!" is used; in Finnish "Atsiuh!"; in Icelandic "Atsjú!"; in Swedish "Atjo"; in Danish "Atju!"; in Dutch "Hatsjoe!" or "Hatsjie!"; in Hebrew and Lithuanian "Apchi!"; in German "Hatschie!"; in Estonian "Atsihh!" and "Aptsihh!"; in Hungarian "Hapci!"; in Polish, "Apsik!"; in Russian , "Apchkhi!"; in Turkish, "Hapşu!"; in Italian, "Etciù!"; in Spanish "¡Achís!"; in Portuguese, "Atchim!"; in Romanian "Hapciu!" ; in Malayalam "Thummal"; in Filipino "Hatsing!"; in Japanese, "Hakushon!"; in Tamil, "Thummal"; in Kannada, "Akshi"; in Korean, "Achee!" and in Vietnamese, "Hát-xì!!". In Cypriot Greek, the word is "Apshoo!", incidentally also the name of a village, which is the cause of much mirth locally.

In Howards End, by E.M. Forster, a sneeze in polite society is "A-tissue" - a literary allusion to its respective remedy.

Historic instances and practices
In the Hellenistic cultures of Classical Antiquity, sneezes were believed to be prophetic signs from the gods. In 410 BC, for instance, the Athenian general Xenophon gave a dramatic oration exhorting his fellow soldiers to follow him to liberty or to death against the Persians. He spoke for an hour motivating his army and assuring them of a safe return to Athens until a soldier underscored his conclusion with a sneeze. Thinking that this sneeze was a favorable sign from the gods, the soldiers bowed before Xenophon and followed his command. Another divine moment of sneezing for the Greeks occurs in the story of Odysseus. When Odysseus returns home disguised as a beggar and talks with his waiting wife Penelope, she says to Odysseus, not knowing to whom she speaks, that "[her husband] will return safely to challenge her suitors"". At that moment, their son sneezes loudly and Penelope laughs with joy, reassured that it is a sign from the gods (Od. 17: 539-551).

In Europe, principally around the early Middle Ages, it was believed that one's life was in fact tied to one's breath - a belief reflected in the word "expire" (originally meaning "to exhale") gaining the additional meaning of "to come to an end" or "to die". This connection, coupled with the significant amount of breath expelled from the body during a sneeze, had likely[citation needed] led people to believe that sneezing could easily be fatal. This theory, if proven conclusively, could in turn explain the reasoning behind the traditional "God bless you" response to a sneeze, the origins of which are currently unclear. (see "Traditional Responses To A Sneeze" below for alternative explanations). Sir Raymond Henry Payne Crawfurd, for instance, the late registrar of the Royal College of Physicians, in his 1909 book "The Last Days of Charles II", states that, when the controversial monarch was on his deathbed, his medical attendants administered a concoction of cowslips and extract of ammonia to promote sneezing.[4] However, it is not known if this promotion of sneezing was done to hasten his death (as coup de grace), or as an ultimate attempt at treatment.

In certain parts of Eastern Asia, particularly in Japanese culture and Vietnamese culture, a sneeze without an obvious cause was generally perceived as a sign that someone was talking about the sneezer at that very moment - a belief that is still depicted in present-day manga and anime. In China, Vietnam and Japan, for instance, there is a superstition that if talking behind someone's back causes the person being talked about to sneeze; as such, the sneezer can tell if something good is being said (one sneeze), something bad is being said (two sneezes in a row), or if this is a sign that they are about to catch a cold (multiple sneezes).

Parallel beliefs are known to exist around the world, particularly in contemporary Greek, Celtic, English, French, and Indian cultures. Similarly, in Nepal, sneezers are believed to be remembered by someone at that particular moment.

In Indian culture, especially in northern parts of India, it has been a common superstition that a sneeze taking place before the start of any work was a sign of impending bad interruption. It was thus customary to pause in order to drink water or break any work rhythm before resuming the job at hand in order to prevent any misfortune from occurring.

The practice among certain Islamic cultures, in turn, has largely been based on various Prophetic traditions and the teachings of Muhammad. An example of this is Al-Bukhaari's narrations from Abu Hurayrah that the Islamic prophet once said:
When one of you sneezes, let him say, "Al-hamdu-Lillah" (Praise be to Allah), and let his brother or companion say to him, "Yarhamuk Allah" (May Allah have mercy on you). If he says, "Yarhamuk-Allah", then let [the sneezer] say, "Yahdeekum Allah wa yuslihu baalakum" (May Allah guide you and rectify your condition).

Traditional responses to a sneeze
In English-speaking countries, the common verbal response to another person's sneeze is "(God) Bless You" or the lesser common "Gesundheit" (the German word for "healthiness"). There are several proposed origins for the use "Bless you" in the context of sneezing:
Various alleged but conflicting superstitions relating the sneeze to evil spirits. This includes beliefs that a sneeze could release one's soul, thus leading to its possible capture by lurking evil spirits (as explained in the "Historic instances and practices" section above), or that the evil spirits could enter the body though the open mouth of a sneezing individual, or that the individual is sneezing out sins or evil spirits which had taken residence within the body and is thus in need of the blessing to prevent the exorcised spirits from re-entering the body. Some proponents of this last theory have further suggested that it was bad luck to open the mouth again to thank the person who uttered "Bless you" for fear of circumventing the original purpose of the blessing.[citation needed]
Some say it came into use during the plague pandemics of the fourteenth century. Blessing the individual after showing such a symptom was thought to prevent possible impending death due to the lethal disease.
Attempting to bring the sneezing individual back from the brink of death in the brief moment during the sneeze when the heart skips a beat, which otherwise leaves the sneezer momentarily in limbo between states of life and death
A polite way of congratulating the sneezer for his or her impending good luck as signaled by the sneeze.
In various other cultures, words referencing good health or a long life are used instead of "Bless you":
In Albanian, one says Shëndet (shuhn-det), to which typical responses are Faleminderit, meaning "Thank you", or Shëndet paç, meaning literally "May you have health".
In American Sign Language, it would be appropriate to do the Excuse-Me sign.
In Arabic (Levantine Arabic), the response is صحة (Sahha), which likely evolved from the word صحة (Sihha), meaning "health", or نشوة (Nashweh) which means "ecstasy". The response is either thank you شكراً (Shukran) or تسلم (Tislam/Taslam) which means "may you be kept safe".
In Arabic, the typical response to a sneeze is يرحمكم الله (yarhamkom Allah) and the answer is يهديكم الله و يصلح بالكم (Yahdeekom Allah wa yousleh balakom) or شكراً (thank you). However, it is more common to say Alhamdo lel lah i.e "All praise is for Allah (God)", to which people will respond Yarhamokomo Allah, meaning "God Bless you".
In Armenian, one says առողջություն (aroghjootyoon).
In Azeri, sneezing is usually followed by the response Sağlam ol, which means "be healthy". Sometimes, Afiat is used, similar to the Persian response.
In Bosnian, one says Nazdravlje, meaning "To your good health". The person who sneezed usually responds with Hvala, meaning "Thank you".
In Bulgarian, one says Наздраве (Nazdrave), which means "[to your] health" or "cheers". The person who has sneezed can then say Благодаря (Blagodarya), which means "Thank you".
In Chinese, one says (bù hǎo yì si) (Standard Mandarin) or (Standard Cantonese), meaning "excuse me" or "sorry".
In Croatian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For sneezer it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "thank you."
In Czech, one says Pozdrav Pánbůh, meaning in colloquial Czech "Bless God" or "Greet God".
In Danish, one says Prosit, from the Latin meaning "to your benefit". Originally used when toasting, today it is used only when someone sneezes.
In Dutch, one usually says Gezondheid (literally translated as "health") or Proost (which means "cheers", see Latin below).
In Estonian, one says Terviseks, which means "[to your] health".
In Ethiopia, one says Yimarih/Yimarish, which means "[May God]have mercy on you".
In Finnish, one says Terveydeksi, which means "[to your] health".
In French polite speech, after the first sneeze, one says à vos souhaits which means "to your desires". If the same person sneezes again, the second response is à vos amours, which means "to your loves." Santé ("Health") is the informal response.
In German, Gesundheit ([to your] "Health") is often said after a sneeze. This is also common in parts of the United States.
In Greek, γίτσες (jitses) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze.
In Hebrew, one says לבריאות (livri'ut), meaning "to health".
In Hindi, one says Satyam (sat'yam), meaning "truth".
In Hungarian, one says Egészségedre!, which means "[to your] health".
In Icelandic, one says Guð hjálpi þér! ("God help you!"). There is also an old custom to respond three times to three sneezes like so: Guð hjálpi þér ("God help you"), styrki þig ("strengthen you"), og styðji ("and support").[5]
In Irish, one says Dia linn!, which means "God [be] with us!"
In Italian, one says Salute, which means "[to your] health".
In Japanese, a sneezer might apologize for the outburst, by saying ｷﾝﾜｹ (Sumimasen) or ｸｵﾜｵｽ (Shitsurei shimashita), meaning "Excuse Me". In formal occasions and less often within the family, after one sneezes, someone else blesses them by saying ｨｾ｢ｶﾉ (O-daiji ni), meaning "Take Care" in informal contexts and something along the lines of "Get Well Soon" in a more formal situation.
In Korean, a sneezer might say ?(Nuga nae yaegi hatseo), meaning "Did someone talk about me?" after a sneeze.
In Kyrgyz, one says Акчуч! [aqˈʧuʧ] (which may be based on an onomatopœia of the sound of a sneeze, like English "atchoo" discussed above), to which one may respond Ракмат!, meaning "thank you", if the person who said "акчуч" is liked.
In Lithuanian, one says Į sveikatą, which means "to your health". And person which sneezes answer Ačiū that translates as "Thank you".
In Macedonian, one says На здравје(na zdravje), meaning "[To Your] Health". The person who sneezes usually says Здравје да имаш (zdravje da imash) which means "Have Health [yourself]", or just says Благодарам(blagodaram) "Thank You" or Фала(fala) "Thanks".
In Maltese, one says Evviva, which comes from the Latin for "[He/She Is] Alive!".
In Norway, Sweden and Denmark, one sometimes says Prosit - Latin for "[May It] Advantage [You]".[6]
In Persian, if the sneeze is especially dramatic, Afiat Bahsheh (عافیت باشه) is said, "[May] Cleanliness/Purity be bestowed [upon you]".
In Polish, Na zdrowie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze as is Sto lat ([I wish you] a hundred years [of health]).
In European Portuguese one says Santinho, which means "Little Saint".
In Brazilian Portuguese, one says Saúde, which means "[to your] health".
In Romanian, one says Sănătate ("[To your] Health") or Noroc ("[To your] Luck").
In Russian, the appropriate response is будь здоров(а) (BООD' zdah-ROV - to a male sneezer, or BООD' zdah-RO-va - to a female sneezer), which means "be healthy". For the sneezer it is polite to reply спасибо (spah-SEE-bah) meaning "thank you".
In Serbian, Na zdravlje (almost always pronounced nazdravlje) ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Hvala meaning "Thank you."
In Slovak, Na zdravie ([to your] "Health") is said after a sneeze. For the sneezer, it is polite to reply Ďakujem meaning "Thank You."
In Somali, one says Jir, which means "Live Long".
In Spanish, one says Salud, which means "[to your] health" and Jesús (in Spain) referring to Christ (similarly to God bless you in English).
In Tamil, one says Nooru aayisu for the first time, which means "(Have a life of) 100 years", for the second time it would be Theerga-aayisu which means "(Have) a Long life" and for the third time it would be Poorna-aayisu which means "(Have) a healthy long life".
In Telugu, particularly around the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, the phrase is Chiranjeeva, which translates to "(May you be blessed with a) Life without death".
In Turkish, a sneezer is always told to Çok Yaşa, i.e. "Live Long", which in turn receives a response of either Sen De Gör ("[and I hope that] you see it") or Hep Beraber ("all together"). This is to indicate the sneezer's wish that the person wishing them a long life also has a long life so they can "live long" "all together". For more polite circles, one might say Güzel Yaşayın, i.e. "[May You] Live Beautifully", which may be countered with a Siz de Görün ("[And may You] witness it").
In Urdu, the response is traditionally Al-hum-do-lillah, i.e. "All praise is for Allah (God)".
In Vietnamese, the response is traditionally Sống lâu, i.e. "Live long" which, like "Bless You", is an abbreviation of "Wish you a long life" or "Lạy Mụ" /layh-moo/, from the culture of Middle Vietnam, meaning "Mother Nature blesses you."

The Wonders of Yarrow

From ancient Chinese and European civilizations to Indigenous Nations of the Americas; from back in Neanderthal times (truly!) to modern day herbalists, yarrow (Achillea millefolium) is celebrated throughout the world for its varied medicinal properties. The aromatic plant grows up to 1 m. tall and has fern-like divided leaves (up to 10 cm long) that grow up the hairy stems. The flowers are white (rarely pink) with yellow centres and grow in clusters at the top of the plant. Cultivated varieties sometimes have differently-coloured flowers. They grow commonly throughout British Columbia, particularly in open areas like clearings, meadows or along the edges of roads or woods.

Uses: To scratch the surface of the many uses of this wonder-plant, yarrow has sedative, pain-killing, antiseptic, anti-inflammatory, and anti-spasmodic constituents. For tea or medicinal purposes the flowers are preferred, but the whole herb (which is more bitter) can also be used. Internally the plant has been used to treat fevers, colds and diarrhea, cool burns, soothe earaches, and purify blood. The plant stimulates salivation and has been used to improve appetite and digestion.

Externally yarrow has been used to stop bleeding, treat sores, mosquito bites, sore eyes, pimples, and as a hair rinse. Smoking it is said to relieve headaches and mashed leaves or roots have been used topically to soothe sore teeth. Some people smear the leaves on their skin to keep mosquitoes at bay. Its insecticidal properties have been taken advantage of by starlings, who sometimes line their nests with the plants thereby reducing insect parasites; and studies have shown yarrow oil effectively killing mosquito larvae. While sometimes planted in gardens yarrow does have a tendency to spread; the dried herb has been used in powders, perfumes, and floral arrangements. Though not often used for food, yarrow has been parboiled as a vegetable, and in Sweden has been used in place of hops to make beer.

Harvest: Flowers can be harvested as they start to bloom in the summer, but before they open completely. Snap the flowers off by hand before they open, or use pruners if you get to them a bit later in the season. Harvesting in cool weather is advisable to avoid heat damage.

Preparation: The plant can be used fresh or dried for teas and tinctures. For drying, leaves or stems can be tied into bundles and hung to dry at 21- 32^oC,or spread out on drying racks which may take from a couple days to up to 2 weeks. Wood heat provides a nice even heat for drying if available. The leaves, flowers and roots dry at different speeds and so should be dried separately. They can then be stored in opaque, air tight containers. The shelf life is about 1 year; after this the herb may be suitable for tinctures.

Caution: Yarrow contains thujone which can be toxic if consumed in large quantities; some people may be sensitive to yarrow applied on the skin and develop dermatitis

Bright Blessings

this past 5 days
has been a reminder
to me
of what is truly important

Ancient Riders

From the website: www.ancientriders.org

'The Ancient Riders is a group for motorcycle enthusiasts who are pagan. All bikes are welcome. All people who ride are welcome, we are however a Pagan organization. By Pagan we mean that our religious and philosophical beliefs are Pagan. As Pagan people our spiritual paths are earth based. Our group is open to Wiccans, Druids, Celts, Asatru, and any other Pagan paths.

As free people we are not bound to conventional mores. We are responsible people who encourage safe responsible riding. We are also free thinkers who live life to the fullest and experience all we can. We do not discriminate on the basis of gender, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, or brand of bike. All are welcome. We don't care what your spiritual path, or motorcycle make, let's live life in peace as brothers and sisters."

Full Flower Moon....

May

In most areas, flowers are abundant everywhere during this time.

Thus, the name of this Moon.

Other names include the Full Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.

Merc in Retro!

I hate to be the bearer of bad news....but...
(isn't but the liar's word?)

Mercury in Retrograde is BACK ...
from yesterday (May 7th) until June 14th.
gak!

Get out your red candles all ye
witches and warlocks
all fae and sprite
all wee folk
good folk, elementals alike
all nymphs, and pixies
and centaurs too

remember your blessings
people of peace and fair folk

keep red fire burning
to ward off the blight!

Blessed Beltane

It is a fact that May Day, which the children do enjoy with all vibes, is not an overly prominent holiday in America. Yet, it does have a long and notable history as one of the world's principal festivals. The origin of the May Day as a day for celebration dates back to the days, even before the birth of Christ. And like many ancient festivals it too has a Pagan connection.

For the Druids of the British Isles, May 1 was the second most important holiday of the year. Because, it was when the festival of Beltane held. It was thought that the day divides the year into half. The other half was to be ended with the Samhain on November 1. Those days the May Day custom was the setting of new fire. It was one of those ancient New Year rites performed throughout the world. And the fire itself was thought to lend life to the burgeoning springtime sun. Cattle were driven through the fire to purify them. Men, with their sweethearts, passed through the smoke for seeing good luck.














Then the Romans came to occupy the British Isles. The beginning of May was a very popular feast time for the Romans. It was devoted primarily to the worship of Flora, the goddess of flowers. It was in her honor a five day celebration, called the Floralia, was held. The five day festival would start from April 28 and end on May 2. The Romans brought in the rituals of the Floralia festival in the British Isles. And gradually the rituals of the Floralia were added to those of the Beltane. And many of today's customs on the May Day bear a stark similarity with those combined traditions.

May day observance was discouraged during the Puritans. Though, it was relived when the Puritans lost power in England, it didn't have the same robust force. Gradually, it came to be regarded more as a day of joy and merriment for the kids, rather than a day of observing the ancient fertility rights.















The tradition of Maypole and greeneries:
By the Middle Ages every English village had its Maypole. The bringing in of the Maypole from the woods was a great occasion and was accompanied by much rejoicing and merrymaking. The Maypoles were of all sizes. And one village would vie with another to show who could produce the tallest Maypole. Maypoles were usually set up for the day in small towns, but in London and the larger towns they were erected permanently.

The Maypole tradition suffered a setback for about a couple of decades since the Puritan Long Parliament stopped it in 1644. However, with the return of the Stuarts, the Maypole reappeared and the festivities of May Day were again enjoyed. One of the great Maypoles, was
The changes brought about by the Reformation included attempts to do away with practices that were obviously of pagan origin. But the Maypole, or, May tree, was not issued in practice at the behest of the second Stuart.

Although they succeeded in doing this, Maypole with most of the other traditions, many still survived. And Maypole is one of them. In France it merely changed its name. In Perigord and elsewhere, the May Tree became the "Tree of Liberty" and was the symbol of the French Revolution. Despite the new nomenclature, the peasants treated the tree in the same traditional spirit. And they would dance around it the same way as their forefathers had always done.












Maypoles and trees:
Trees have been linked to a part of celebration, perhaps, to the days ancient New Year rites. The association of trees to this celebration has come riding on the back of the spring festival in ancient Europe. Trees have always been the symbol of the great vitality and fertility of nature and were often used at the spring festivals of antiquity. The anthropologist E. O. James finds a strong relationship between the ancient tree related traditions of the British and the Romans. According to James' description, as a part of the May Day celebration, the youths in old Europe cut down a tree, lopped off the branches leaving a few at the top. They then wrapped it round with violets like the figure of the Attis, the ancient Roman god. At sunrise, they used to take it back to their villages by blowing horns and flutes. In a similar manner, the sacred pine tree representing the god Attis was carried in procession to the temple of Cybele on Rome's Palatine Hill during the Spring Festival of March 22.

Roots of May Day celebration in America:
The Puritans frowned on May Day, so the day has never been celebrated with as much enthusiasm in the United States as in Great Britain. But the tradition of celebrating May Day by dancing and singing around a maypole, tied with colorful streamers or ribbons, survived as a part of the English tradition. The kids celebrating the day by moving back and forth around the pole with the the streamers, choosing of May queen, and hanging of May baskets on the doorknobs of folks -- are all the leftovers of the old European traditions.