Happy YULE ..... Merry Christmas

To all my wonderful friends I bid you all the brightest and happiest YULE and may 2012 bring you all that you desire (within reason - don't be greedy)

Robert Sigl

Films such as Laurin, School's Out, Hepzibah and others along with great mini series such as Ghost Hunter John Sinclair, The Investigator and LEXX - The Series to name a few, have been works that not only grabbed audience's attention but is left embedded in one's mind to talk about years later.

I remember watching LEXX and thought how wonderful and entertaining it was - (Malcolm Mcdowell being one of my favourite actors) though in honest truth never thought to credit the director for his work (sorry about that Robert) It wasn't until I saw the film School's Out did I start recognizing Mr Sigls work. I wasn't a fan just yet but once Hepzibah was released, he reeled me in and now I have been trying to get my hands on most of his achievements.

Sigl has the power to direct you into a a dark realm filled with suspense and fright without the over indulgence of blood and gore (Schools Out being an exception). He leaves you with a sense of dread and that feeling of some strange presence lurking behind you and as the final credits roll, you just sit there, mesmerized as the film you have just watched repeats in your mind. Am I over exaggerating? No, not at all. I am sure you will find others who will tell you the same thing. 

Hepzibah - Aka The Village (2010) with the lovely Eleanor Tomlinson is a film that shows Robert at his best giving the viewers a taste of mystery, thrills and scares.

In 1987 came the film Laurin, a haunting movie about a mysterious little girl whose life is filled with strange and dark secrets. Filmed in Hungary, Laurin was awarded the Bavarian Award for best direction of a newcomer to the film industry - an award to be proud of at the age of 25!!!

Not only are there elements of surprise and dread, Sigl takes the audience a step further in the field of fright but it is not just the scare tactics he uses to make the scenes compellingly frightening but the suggestions that cause controversy is his form of drawing people in. We all know the saying,"Curiosity killed the cat" and as humans, we are drawn to curiosity and want to know more before we step away and begin criticizing what we had just witnessed.  (This I know as my book had that effect with some people.)

The Spider, Malcolm Mcdowell as the main character has already caused some controversy, and the film is still in production! The movie takes you to Istanbul where a student and his family have relocated. A series of horrific events take place  and an ancient tomb is unearthed. Possession, murder, reincarnation, sex, it's all there including elements which may cause that "controversy" to shine out into the media. Well, that's ideal if it does come to that, just proves the impact the film has made on the public, and the publicity - good or bad is always a positive thing. 

The way I see it, whether you are a writer, director, producer actor etc, one can not make the whole world happy. 

There is always going to be some type of negativity come your way, but a person who is not afraid to show what he is all about: gutsy, adventurous, open minded, you are sure to get a few surprises and shocks and that makes entertainment. Unfortunately there are people who read too much in what they see and can't spend an hour and a half to melt into a world of fiction and enjoy creativity, escape from the mundane and be part of a world where people are giving you a chance to share their artistry.

"The 13th Disciple" is another that will bring gasps of shock. Jesus's evil twin brother! How tasteful is that? And I really mean tasteful! Wow, never would I have thought of such an idea for a film. Just love it! It's a fantasy adventure filmed in India compromising of Indian actors where 2 German archaeologists look for evidence that Jesus visited India . They uncover that Jesus had an evil twin brother who has reincarnated as a head of a religious sect.

Robert Sigl, an underground film maker, a Hollywood blockbuster or a general entertainer, who brings to you gothic scares, science fiction humour, shocking and disturbing plots, however you look at him, he has a genre of his own and I for one give his work much credit. There is passion in what he does and for a man who enjoys sharing his talent should be respected and I am sure he is respected by most people.




I have been entertained and always walk away satisfied. I look forward to more of his work. 

All photos that appear on this blog are presented here under the

authorization of Robert Sigl. 

Visit Roberts blog at:

 http://www.robert-sigl.com

Superstitions - The Origins

BLACK  CATS

Black cats are considered bad luck especially when one crosses your path. The old days, a woman possessing a black cat was considered to be a witch. Christians who wanted others to convert told stories about black cats and how they were demons searching for souls. A black cat crossing your path is an omen of bad signs to come, an enemy casting a curse on you. Again, this was a witch's doing. Another tale regarding a black cat crossing your path meant it had created a wall to prevent you from entering heaven.

THE NUMBER 13

has many beliefs: Good and bad luck. Some hotels don't have a room 13, office blocks never went further than 12 floors and there are some where the 13th floor just doesn't exist; you went directly from 12 to the 14th floor.

Judas was considered to be the 13th guest at the last supper and was not one of the disciples. A witches coven contained 13 members. Originally there were 13 months in a year. These opened up gates to bad omens and people started believing that by having the number 13 would see them a bleak future. Another interesting find is that the clock - as we now know it has 12 numbers. When daylight savings arrives we turn the clock an hour forward. Sundials were used to show the time and due to the day being longer, people couldn't understand why there was this change and then started to believe that the Gods had granted them an extra hour of daylight - therefore a thirteen hour clock.

LADIES FIRST

This doesn't come under superstition but wanted to add it because I find it quite interesting. As men, we are in a habit of being respectful to women - opening doors for them, letting them go first and so on. Well, sad to say that the origin of "Ladies First" is not how we perceive it today. In fact men these days are being rude to let ladies go first!

Throughout history, men always entered houses first or were the ones to shield a woman from any trouble. To let a woman go first signalled that if any sort of danger was ahead, she would be the one to confront it first, therefore when we open the door for a woman, whatever is behind that door, she would be hit with it first. So in respect, as men we are not being rude to walk out of the elevator first, enter a restaurant first etc. We are protecting our women against anything strange that may be lurking around the corner.

FRIDAY 13th

The dreaded day the comes every now and then. Why are people so superstitious about this day? Well, it is said that Jesus was crucified on a Friday and on the day of the last supper (as stated above) there were 13 people. The Knights Templar were "assassinated" took place on Friday 13.
It is said that Eve tempted Adam on a Friday and the great flood happened on a Friday though there is no mention of it being Friday 13 but many people assume this. Gathering together as a group of 13 on a Friday will result in the death of one of the guests.

WALKING UNDER AN LADDER

Why do we avoid walking under a ladder? Because it's bad luck! This superstition came about in the times when witches were being hung. It is said that once a witch is hung, her curse lingers near the body and anyone close to it's proximity would be cursed. Not too sure what the ladder signified but other tales state that as it formed a triangle, the soul was caught between the ladder and the gallows therefore to be in contact or under the ladder (in the triangle) would cause the witch's soul to pass the curse. In later times, the story of the ladder creating a triangle (by it resting on a wall). The triangle represents the Holy Trinity and by stepping underneath it, you are interfering with its power which would bring bad luck.

CEMETERIES


People hold their breath when passing a cemetery because a recently departed soul may be inhaled. As living souls, we have and create energy which spirits need to manifest or grow strong. They can sense us when we pass a cemetery and so many would love to get a chance to taste life again. So, take a deep breath when passing the dead, you wouldn't want to take home a departed soul, would you?


There are so many superstitious beliefs which can be found on the internet. These are only a few and there are so many interpretations as to the meaning, of these "old wives tales"

HAVE A SAFE AND FUN FILLED HALLOWEEN 

Book Of Secrets - paperback

Purchase a copy of the book of secrets through this blog

14.95 (including Postage) 

The book will be signed along with post cards and flyers included

Email: carlojvella@yahoo.com for  your copy

or purchase a copy from Amazon or skobebooks

I started writing the novel 6 years ago, all the while researching the information and writing anything that I found suitable for the book on scraps of paper and note pads.

You hear many stories regarding the apocalypse or religious figures appearing before mankind and other tales (if that is what they are) which people truly believe in. The Book of Secrets is just that! A tale to believe or to enjoy as a fictitious novel. 

The war in Heaven, I remember as a child was told to me at Sunday school and have to admit how scared I was. We were even told that the fallen ones (angels) did not go to hell but were sent here on earth.

I think of these stories and how frightened I became and growing up, my thoughts turned to how the catholic church frightened people to make us believe. I was a confused child not knowing which was the truth and whether the truth was being told by someone who honestly believed in what they were telling us.

The Book of Secrets takes you through a journey back in time when the book was found and how the Knights Templars found the tome and tried to keep it away from prying eyes.

As you read, you are taken to an historical period when suddenly, you are back into the 21st century and slowly find that history is repeating itself.

Told inmain character and also hear the other side of how the tale took place. first and third person narrative, I want the reader to understand and feel the pain and joy of the 

The book does have a gay feel to it but the story is not intended to be about homosexuality. I wrote it in this way to show that gay people are as human as any other. Yes, there are some scenes in the book which people may find distasteful and I am not talking about explicit sex but discussions of homosexuality within religious orders.

To close - the book is based on some facts though I have classed it as fiction, a supernatural tale of the occult, a story of ones self being and what one must do to make themselves believe that other forms of life - apart from humans do exist.

Ruins 750 BC

Ruins 800 years older than Pompeii.

Vilars, Arbeca, Spain - Ruins dating back to 750 BC.

The astonishing fact about the Iberian tribe is the way they led their life and the daily rituals they conducted each day. As most of us know, the word Pagan is used for a person who follows a belief from the village, and it is not necessarily a religion. 

This pagan tribe used to have a fire lit on a daily basis no matter what type of weather controlled the environment. They looked upon this fire, and water, not only as powerful elements, but also respected and treated them like deities.

A small table would sit near the fire, and on top of the handmade wooden structure were ritual items used to conduct their rites. The items consisted of a cup, knife, and a plate of earth. Unwanted items were tossed into the fire - in a form of thanks - and with the knife they would close the ritual and sprinkle water into the fire to unite the 2 elements.

Off course, Christianity was not known back then, and the belief of a form of religion was never something that entered one’s mind. To people, the mysteries of life remained in the power of the universe. The moon also played a part in their daily following, and the changes in its pattern from new to full moon was a magical sight. They made Holy water by leaving a jar of water outside on a full moon throughout the night. It would then be collected in the morning and used for special purposes.

The tribe lived in ranks, the higher the rank the larger the house and the bigger the altar. Each believed in their "faith", though there is uncertainty if a high priest or a person in a religious position existed within the tribe.

Belchite, Zaragoza, SPAIN

Belchite, a village which dates back to 1,800 BC where a cave was uncovered, many wars were fought there including Napoleon and finally the bombing on September 1937 which destroyed the village. (dates may not be accurate)

The moment we saw the village, there was a feeling of sadness as you see the whole village in complete destruction where around 5,000 people perished. Some claim to be able to hear the sounds of crying and war planes heard flying over the village.

"No more kids walking down the streets, no more jotas (spanish for a type of dance and song) to be heard by those which our parents used to sing"

Saint Martin, at the entrance of the church you see the above saying in Spanish. My heart sank as I read this and as I sat at an entrance of a house where which only two walls were left standing, I pictured the children laughing and running down these now deserted and ghostly streets, the sadness of the many lives that were taken was overwhelming.

The village also attracts quite a number of ghost hunters. It is claimed that the sounds of fighter planes can be heard in the dead of night. Recorded sounds were passed on to professionals for analysis and came up with more extraordinary sounds on the tape.

A haunting voice is heard saying "There is only one life" Sounds of children can be heard and voices being carried through the air along the deserted streets. The cross (above right)  was where all the dead bodies were gathered and in that hot ghastly afternoon day, the smell of slowly decaying bodies was becoming to much to bare and the burning began.

Beltiche - A haunted ghost town with a remarkable history. The last habitant living there was in 1960 after Franco went back on his word after  telling the survivors that they would be given a free home to live in.

Investigations are still being conducted. Who knows what ghostly proof someone will come up with. Come and spend the night in Belchite, you may end up going home with a ghost story!

Portugal, 2nd Visit

Well, I just had to return to Lisbon and I can't help but to repeatedly say how wonderful the city is. No disrespect to Spain but Portugal once was part of Spain until they became their own entity and culturally they are now more advanced than Spain; attitude, professionalism, it is something I respect when I visit countries and apart from waiting for a salesperson in a store for 20 minutes, the people there make you feel welcome.

On my second visit I spent time visiting some wonderful villages with breathtaking architectural monuments that left you breathless. The monastery of Santa Maria Da Vitoria (left) is an amazing structure in Batalha. The building of the monastery started in 1386 and finished in 1517 and the end result, well the photo does not do it justice. The building has to be seen to take in its beauty and glory. The unfinished chapels at the rear of the monastery was commissioned by King Duart in 1437 where he and Leonor, his queen are buried there. Again the design and architecture is amazing.

There is so much history in this world and unfortunately one life time is not enough to piece everything that existed before our time. These glorious buildings, hand carved, sweat and blood pouring into every stone, years of carting rock by rock to build wonders where in the 20th century, no such building could ever be compared. Think of it this way, here you have a marvel over 500 years old and is still in great shape. There are other twice, three times older and still standing. Remarkable.

The IAN Interview

Interview - Click link below

The Independent Author Network: Carlo J Vella: The IAN Interview: "Carlo J Vella discusses The Book of Secrets and his writing experiences. IAN. Please tell us a bit about yourself. CV. I get ..."

Lisbon Portugal

Lisbon’s history dates back to 300,000 years ago. However, it emerged as a nation state in the early 12th century and ranks as one of the world's longest founded cities. As the legend tells, it is a city founded and named by Ulysses as Ulissipo or Olissopo, which has its origins in the Phoenician words "Allis Ubbo", meaning "enchanting port". It is from there, according to legend, that Lisbon got its name.

I was taken back by the beauty, the architecture and the people who not only were hospitable but they carried the burden of a hard life with a smile. Though the city does have that unclean feeling, the beauty remains and you can feel the damage that occurred after the horrendous earthquake in 1755. The people enjoy their life and having some financial difficulties in 2010 where the EU donated money to help with the economy, locals continue with their everyday chores and retain the proudness of their heritage even though some have to struggle to make a living.

It was once the launching pad for many discoverers (Vasco da Gama's epic journey to India), Lisbon was the first true world city, the capital of an empire spreading over all continents, from South America (Brazil) to Asia (Macao, China; Goa, India). It is forever known as the city of the explorers: Prince Henry the Navigator or Ferdinand Magellan. The city now rests quietly, leaving traces of history here and there but for sure the greatest discoverers will never be forgotten and having been under great stress with its financial difficulties, the city still has the reputed respect of it once being the forefront of adventurers.

The city was already existing when Julius Caesar was in power. Lisbon was a part of the Roman Empire, and was known under the name “Felicitas Julia”. Also the Islam had its time in Lisbon, and ruled the city until the first half of the 12th century. The rise of Lisbon started in 1147, when the city was conquered by the Christian crusader Afonso Henriques. Since then on, the political, economic, and cultural importance of Lisbon was increasing rapidly.




On November 01, 1755 an earthquake hit at at 9.30 am. The centre of the quake was situated in the Atlantic ocean and lasted approximately 10 minutes, sent 3 heavy shocks towards the city of Lisbon. The earthquake was felt as far as South Africa and tremors were felt in Spain, France, Switzerland and Italy. The earthquake caused a massive fire which, with the help of the quake destroyed just about the whole of Lisbon and a strong tsunami caused sever damage on the coast of Portugal, south-west Spain and western Morocco.






Lisbon being one of the most beautiful cities in Europe in 1755, was sadly destroyed, a re-enactment of  Pompeii's destruction, only this time mother nature used other means instead of poisonous gasses and lava from Mount Vesuvius.

256 years later and it is now 2011 the city may not be one of the nicest in Europe but Lisbon still holds in charm, though many will say that it looks unkept, it is still beautiful and in some way magical. It left me with awe and amazement studying its history, talking with the locals and seeing how the city was rebuilt, I felt the strength of the people that such a disaster was not going to keep them from continuing living their life. 






A piece of me is still in Lisbon and piece of Lisbon has embedded into my mind and heart. It is a city I adore and a place I will be visiting again and again.

Abandoned Village in Tarragona, Spain

We went to investigate a couple of abandoned villages this weekend that are supposedly haunted. Both villages in the South of Spain in the Province of Tarragona, villages that were wiped out during the first world war. They were built in the 17century and sad to say that most people in the village perished during the bombings.

Locals have said they could hear screams and crying and others have seen apparitions. Some of the houses are located near the woods and there seemed to be an eerie feeling as we walked through the woods to get to the old church. Though the feelings are more caused by the ghostly tales we were told. 

 We didn't end up seeing or hearing anything.

BUT ...............................

Our last stop was to visit a Knights Templar castle and while touring the massive structure, my EVP went crazy. I took out the infa-red camera and started taking pictures. Here is what came out!

 

Not too sure what to think of this photo. Not saying anything is there by the entrance but the equipment did go crazy before I took the photo.

In this pic, there have been reports of a woman being seen kneeling. The dark figure is supposedly of the woman. Before the photo was taken, my colleague stated that he saw something bright then quickly disappear. 

It is difficult to prove these photos and of course I can not state the fact that these may be paranormal. But nice to share the info.

Midsummer - Summer Solstice

There many mythical associations with the summer solstice, not the least of which concerns the seasonal life of the God of the sun. It is believed there is good reason to see the Sun-God at his zenith -- his peak of power -- on this day, and that his death at the hands of his rival would not occur for another quarter of a year. Material drawn from the Welsh mythos seems to support this thesis. In Irish mythology, Midsummer is the occasion of the first battle between the Fir Bolgs and the Tuatha De Danaan.

Midsummer celebration 1962

Altogether, Midsummer is a favorite holiday for many Witches in that it is so hospitable to outdoor celebrations. The warm summer night seems to invite it. And if the celebrants are not in fact skyclad, then you may be fairly certain that the long ritual robes of winter have yielded place to short, tunic-style apparel. As with the longer gowns, tradition dictates that one should wear nothing underneath -- the next best thing to skyclad, to be sure. (Incidentally, now you know the REAL answer to the old Scottish joke, 'What is worn underneath the kilt?')

Denmark

The two chief icons of the holiday are the spear (symbol of the Sun-God in his glory) and the summer cauldron (symbol of the Goddess in her bounty). The precise meaning of these two symbols, which is believed to have recently been discovered, will be explored in the essay on the death of Llew. But it is interesting to note here that modern Witches often use these same symbols in the Midsummer rituals. And one occasionally hears the alternative consecration formula, 'As the spear is to the male, so the cauldron is to the female...' With these mythic associations, it is no   wonder that Midsummer is such a joyous and magical occasion!

Courtesy: Mike Nichols 

Many countries celebrate midsummer in their own traditional way. Here are some photos from various countries celebrating Midsummer.

Barcelona

Galway

Russia

 Sweeden

UK

History of Litha (MidSummer)

Also known as Summer Solstice, Litha, Alban Hefin, Sun Blessing, Gathering
Day, Feill-Sheathain, Whit Sunday, Whitsuntide, Vestalia, Thing-tide, St.
John's Day 

In addition to the four great festivals of the Pagan Celtic year, there are four lesser holidays as well: the two solstices, and the two equinoxes. Infolklore, these are referred to as the four 'quarter-days' of the year, and
modern Witches call them the four 'Lesser Sabbats', or the four 'Low Holidays'. The Summer Solstice is one of them. 
Litha is usually celebrated on June 21st, but varies somewhat from the 20th to the 23rd, dependent upon the Earth's rotation around the Sun. According to the old folklore calendar, Summer begins on Beltane (May 1st) and ends on Lughnassadh (August 1st), with the Summer Solstice midway between the two, marking MID-Summer. This makes more logical sense than suggesting that Summer begins on the day when the Sun's power begins to wane and the days grow shorter. The most common other names for this holiday are the Summer Solstice or Midsummer, and it celebrates the arrival of Summer, when the hours of daylight are longest. The Sun is now at the highest point before beginning its slide into darkness. 

Moons
Humanity has been celebrating Litha and the triumph of light since ancient times. On the Wheel of the Year Litha lies directly across from Yule, the shortest day of the calendar year, that cold and dark winter turning when days begin to lengthen and humanity looks wistfully toward warmth, sunlight and growing things. Although Litha and Yule are low holidays or lesser sabats in the ancient parlance, they are celebrated with more revel and merriment than any other day on the wheel except perhaps Samhain (my own favourite). The joyous rituals of Litha celebrate the verdant Earth in high summer, abundance, fertility, and all the riches of Nature in full bloom. This is a madcap time of strong magic and empowerment, traditionally the
time for handfasting or weddings and for communication with the spirits of Nature. At Litha, the veils between the worlds are thin; the portals between "the fields we know" and the worlds beyond stand open. This is an excellent time for rites of divination.

Those who celebrated Litha did so wearing garlands or crowns of flowers, and of course, their millinery always included the yellow blossoms of St. John's Wort. The Litha rites of the ancients were boisterous communal festivities with morris dancing, singing, storytelling, pageantry and feasting taking place by the village bonfire and torch lit processions through the villages after dark. People believed that the Litha fires possessed great power, and that prosperity and protection for oneself and one's clan could be earned
erely by jumping over the Litha bonfire. It was also common for courting couples joined hands and jump over the embers of the Litha fire three times to ensure a long and happy marriage, financial prosperity and many children. Even the charred embers from the Litha bonfire possessed protective powers - they were charms against injury and bad weather in harvest time, and embers were commonly placed around fields of grain and orchards to protect the crops and ensure an abundant reaping. Other Litha customs included carrying an ember of the Litha fire home and placing it on one's hearth and decking one's home with birch, fennel, St. John's Wort, orpin, and white lilies for blessing and protection.


Thanks to 13 


Happy Midsummer