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Aztec Mythology: Mictlán

In Aztec cosmology, the soul intakes a journey to the Underworld after death and they have four destinations: the Sacred Orchard of the Gods, the Place of Darkness, the Kingdom of the Sun, and a paradise called the Mansion of the Moon. The most common destination for a soul is Mictlán (Place of Darkness) with… Continue reading Aztec Mythology: Mictlán

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Norse Mythology: Loki

Loki (Old Norse: Loki “knot/tangle”) is a wily trickster god of Norse mythology. While treated as a nominal member of the Aesir, he occupies a highly ambivalent and unique position among the gods, giants, and the other kinds of spiritual beings that populate pre-Christian Norse religion. Loki is the father of three monsters with giantess… Continue reading Norse Mythology: Loki

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Voodoo Folklore: Baron Samedi

Baron Samedi is the leader of the Barons and possibly the Gedés. He presides over a sprawling, confusing, complex clan of spirits. Baron Samedi literally means Baron Saturday, which may sound innocuous compared to Baron Cemetery but a connection through Christianity is Saturday was between the crucifixion on Friday and resurrection on the Sunday. Thus,… Continue reading Voodoo Folklore: Baron Samedi

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Norse Mythology: Freyr

Freyr (Old Norse Freyr, “Lord”) is one of the Vanir gods and is also counted among the Aesir gods as a hostage after the Aesir-Vanir War. Fryer’s father is the Vanir god Njord. Freyr has been the lover of numerous goddesses and giantesses and rumoured to include his own sister, Freya. Incest seems a common… Continue reading Norse Mythology: Freyr

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Greek Mythology: Nyx

Nyx is a very unique goddess. She has the ability to bring sleep or death. Even Zeus feared Nyx because she was older and stronger than him. She is the only goddess he’s ever known to fear. She is often described as a winged or riding in a chariot across the sky, shrouded in mist… Continue reading Greek Mythology: Nyx

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Breton Folklore: The Ankou

The Ankou (Breton), Ankow (Cornish) or Angau (Welsh) from Celtic legend most commonly occurs in Brittany. Here you can still spot the Ankou haunting many of the churches and cathedrals. What is the Ankou? It’s defiant remnant of Pagan influence that had survived hidden among the stone-work of Christian buildings. The Ankou haunts the graveyard… Continue reading Breton Folklore: The Ankou

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Irish Folklore: Féar Gortach

The Fear Gorta means Famine Man or Féar Gortach and refers to the Hungry or Famine Grass in Irish folklore. The Famine or Hungry Man is a skeletal wraith and a harbinger of death. Féar Gortach is a folklore tale of a cursed patch of land where if you tread, you are doomed to die… Continue reading Irish Folklore: Féar Gortach

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Inuit Folklore: The Amikuk

The Amikuk is a monster from Inuit legend that is as deadly on land as it is in the water. They possess a deep hatred for al humans and actively hunt for kayakers in the open waters off the Alaskan coast. The Amikuk are often described as extremely long but almost human-like in shape. They… Continue reading Inuit Folklore: The Amikuk

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Leprechaun Folklore

The stereotype of the leprechaun is of lucky charms and pots of gold at the end of a rainbow. But leprechauns are members of the Fairy folk, a type of sidhe and are unusual because leprechauns are almost exclusively always male. The name leprechaun derives from the Gaelic leith brog “one shoemaker.” The leprechaun is… Continue reading Leprechaun Folklore

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Freyja: Norse Mythology

Freya (Old Norse Freyja, “Lady”) is one of the preeminent goddesses in Norse mythology. She’s a member of the Vanir tribe of deities, but became a member of the Aesir gods after the Aesir-Vanir War. Her brother Freyr also became a member of the Aesir. Freyja is the Norse goddess of love, fertility, beauty and… Continue reading Freyja: Norse Mythology