Vampires

[Synnthetika]

TeaDidikai

Synnthetika>> Medicine has repeatedly ruled out any biological need to consume blood for all known pathogens and genetic disorders.

A number of the undead characteristics have more to do with decomposition than anything else.

As for nutrition being linked to low energy, sure. It's possible people violate others energetic fields in order to steal energy from them. I find the practice repugnant and worthy of crossing myself- be it for cult sacrifice or personal use.

I would think then, that the Zombie, Werewolf, and Vampire myths all stem from a fear of decomposition and death while simultaneously the community is trying to scapegoat a person/thing for causing their ills. This is all very "DUH!" but still, now I can at least see how they're related based on reasoning instead of just "that sounds about right."

As for stealing energy, maybe they don't really mean to. Take survival cannibalism; at some point during starvation the cerebral cortex shuts down, along with many of our "ethics" processes. We then become more animal like and are only concerned with keeping ourselves alive. I'm not saying that it's right or acceptable, just that a person who has resorted to survival cannibalism is doing so out of desperation and is probably horrified at themselves. Much in the same way might someone react if they were psychically or emotionally starving. I have no way to back the connection up, but it's a thought. What do you think?  

[whiporwill-o]

Synnthetika

I would think then, that the Zombie, Werewolf, and Vampire myths all stem from a fear of decomposition and death

could you explain how your view of the werewolf fits in with the fear of death and decomp?

sorry if that sounds snooty, it isn't my intention, i just couldn't think of any other way to word it, my brain is tired sweatdrop  

[Fiddlers Green]

whiporwill-o

could you explain how your view of the werewolf fits in with the fear of death and decomp?

sorry if that sounds snooty, it isn't my intention, i just couldn't think of any other way to word it, my brain is tired sweatdrop

Just to throw in on this, and sick to the gills with certain game companies making them into some kind of animistic avatars...
In some mythologies, lycanthropy represents the death of the higher self, the death of reason and gentle emotion. While under it's effects, you are a beast, a monster. And those closest to you die first. Thus your community rots around you.
I know that wasn't directed at me, but it is something that I felt pertinent.  

[whiporwill-o]

Fiddlers Green

whiporwill-o

could you explain how your view of the werewolf fits in with the fear of death and decomp?

sorry if that sounds snooty, it isn't my intention, i just couldn't think of any other way to word it, my brain is tired sweatdrop

Just to throw in on this, and sick to the gills with certain game companies making them into some kind of animistic avatars...
In some mythologies, lycanthropy represents the death of the higher self, the death of reason and gentle emotion. While under it's effects, you are a beast, a monster. And those closest to you die first. Thus your community rots around you.
I know that wasn't directed at me, but it is something that I felt pertinent.

ah, thanks. i am unfamiliar with myths and legends of werewolves, personally i never held much interest in it (i blame Underworld).  

[chaoticpuppet]

TeaDidikai

chaoticpuppet

TeaDidikai

chaoticpuppet

The only ones I know of, and they're only very loosely connected to drawing from energy fields - if at all, are studies of the psychoneuroimmunological effects of meditation.

Is this the Newberg and Rause stuff?

RJ Davidson, mainly. But, it's a very loose association, if at all, for him.

Linkies?

Sorry for the long wait, real life beckoned, any way, this is the main study that Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. This essentially shows that those who had a flu shot and went through an 8-week mindfulness meditation course had a significant increase in antibody titers compared to those not had the flu shot without going through the course.

There may be some more on his site.

It's not necessarily drawing from an energy field per se, but it is a bit related, since meditation can in some ways raise one's energy levels, thought it's not always the intent.  

[TeaDidikai]

chaoticpuppet

Sorry for the long wait, real life beckoned, any way, this is the main study that Alterations in Brain and Immune Function Produced by Mindfulness Meditation. This essentially shows that those who had a flu shot and went through an 8-week mindfulness meditation course had a significant increase in antibody titers compared to those not had the flu shot without going through the course.

There may be some more on his site.

It's not necessarily drawing from an energy field per se, but it is a bit related, since meditation can in some ways raise one's energy levels, thought it's not always the intent.

Thank you!

Synnthetika>>
I don't presume to address all myths, nor would I ever suggest that my cultural perspective is the only one in existence- even if it's habit for English Translators to bastardize the dialect and stories of my family in order to recontextualize them in something that popular cultural is familiar with.

For folks "not meaning to" steal and rape people's spiritual essence, if they find themselves doing such, they should take measures to stop. But this isn't the way vampires work. They function on justification.  

[Synnthetika]

whiporwill-o

Synnthetika

I would think then, that the Zombie, Werewolf, and Vampire myths all stem from a fear of decomposition and death

could you explain how your view of the werewolf fits in with the fear of death and decomp?

sorry if that sounds snooty, it isn't my intention, i just couldn't think of any other way to word it, my brain is tired sweatdrop

Well, as I view it, but I don't know much about Werewolf mythos, you die as a human when you become a werewolf and are then a werewolf. I would think it would be the fear of dying and coming back as something horrible.

Of course, it could not be in the same vein as Zombies and Werewolves at all. I guess it depends on that actual Werewolf mythos.  

[Synnthetika]

TeaDidikai

Synnthetika>>
I don't presume to address all myths, nor would I ever suggest that my cultural perspective is the only one in existence- even if it's habit for English Translators to bastardize the dialect and stories of my family in order to recontextualize them in something that popular cultural is familiar with.

For folks "not meaning to" steal and rape people's spiritual essence, if they find themselves doing such, they should take measures to stop. But this isn't the way vampires work. They function on justification.

I'm not entirely sure what you mean.

Vampires, instead of stopping the negative behavior (or taking measures to control it, etc.), continue to do so and try to justify it?  

[TeaDidikai]

Synnthetika

I'm not entirely sure what you mean.

The first portion is a commentary on how what people call vampires in my tradition (and when I say people, I mean English Speakers who can't be bothered to understand my cultural traditions) aren't a measure I would apply universally to "vampire myths".

I dislike the habit of homogenizing other cultures in order to boil things down to the lowest common denominator for the masses to consume.

Quote:

Vampires, instead of stopping the negative behavior (or taking measures to control it, etc.), continue to do so and try to justify it?

What I am saying is that I have never met a psy-vamp who needed to rape and steal from others. They want to. They might try and tell you they don't- that they are the victims of their own system and cannot overcome their drive, and thus attempt to justify their actions, but they do not try to heal themselves or fix any problems they may have.  

[Recursive Paradox]

TeaDidikai

What I am saying is that I have never met a psy-vamp who needed to rape and steal from others. They want to. They might try and tell you they don't- that they are the victims of their own system and cannot overcome their drive, and thus attempt to justify their actions, but they do not try to heal themselves or fix any problems they may have.

Sort of like a drug addiction?  

[TeaDidikai]

Recursive Paradox

TeaDidikai

What I am saying is that I have never met a psy-vamp who needed to rape and steal from others. They want to. They might try and tell you they don't- that they are the victims of their own system and cannot overcome their drive, and thus attempt to justify their actions, but they do not try to heal themselves or fix any problems they may have.

Sort of like a drug addiction?

I can see the analogy and how it could apply to some cases.

It often manifests closer to a polite version of domestic violence in my experience.  

[Recursive Paradox]

TeaDidikai

Recursive Paradox

TeaDidikai

What I am saying is that I have never met a psy-vamp who needed to rape and steal from others. They want to. They might try and tell you they don't- that they are the victims of their own system and cannot overcome their drive, and thus attempt to justify their actions, but they do not try to heal themselves or fix any problems they may have.

Sort of like a drug addiction?

I can see the analogy and how it could apply to some cases.

It often manifests closer to a polite version of domestic violence in my experience.

Eugh. I wouldn't exactly use the word polite, maybe less visible DV.  

[TeaDidikai]

Recursive Paradox

Eugh. I wouldn't exactly use the word polite, maybe less visible DV.

Polite is actually the perfect word. On a spiritual level it's akin to being graceful while beating the snot out of someone all the while saying "Oh dear, pardon me. My fist seems to be accosting you. Such a pity really."

Don't ask me why I have a posh English accent running through my head.