13 of the creepiest old Halloween pictures I could find

With Halloween approaching, I thought it would be fun to share some of these creepy old photos that I found around ye olde internet.  Most of you probably know that the tradition of Halloween as we know it goes back quite a ways into our history.  The Catholics adapted the Pagan traditions somewhere around 800 A.D. and ever since then, the europeans and their descendants have been adorning masks and coercing treats from their neighbors with threats of tricks.  Compared to the costumes from generations past, today's seem quite mild.  If one of these showed up at the door today, most people would sit quietly behind their peep hole hoping to whatever power they subscribe to that the thing would go away and quickly...

I think this guy is a side of beef...?

How could I not include a creepy gnome and a pair of amanita muscaria?  Not the scariest, but certainly my favorite....

There you have it!  Taking a DIY approach to Halloween costumes could prove far more effective in scaring off the evil spirits than buying some injection molded plastic outfit from the super stores... Happy hauntings!

Celebrating the Autumn Equinox and Ancient Cultures

Today is the Autumn (Fall) Equinox.  On this day, the sun passes over the Equator and the day and night are of equal length.  This is a time when, in the northern hemisphere, the night becomes longer than the day and the seasons are dominated by the moon rather than the sun.  Of course, the opposite is true for the southern hemisphere as their summer begins.

Throughout history, cultures around the world have celebrated this crossing through many traditions and holidays.  It is curious to note that the cultural practices around the world bare striking similarities to one another.  One most notable way should, which should not be overlooked, is the building of colossal stone structures that align to the sun marking this important date.  Main stream historians dismiss this as some sort of coincidence which, when considering the evidence, is truly absurd.

On the equinoxes, if we could travel all around the world, we would be able to see this incredible feat of astrological engineering working its magic at hundreds of ancient stone sites.  One of the most famous is, Angkor in Cambodia where the sun rises along side the main pyramid spire and gracefully sits atop the tower.  Teotihuacan, In Mexico is another pyramid site at which the setting sun “touches” the top of the giant stone structure as it sets on the Equinox.  A lesser known structure is in Connecticut in the US called Equinox Calendar Chamber at Gungywamp.  This site is home to what is known as the American Stonehenge and on this day, the setting sun will create a beam of light through a tiny window of the ancient stone chamber and illuminate a calendar wall.  Other equinox alligned sites include: Chichin Itza in Mexico, Loughcrew in Ireland, The Sphinx and Great Pyramid in Egypt, and Chaco Canyon in New Mexico.  There are too many to list here but I encourage you to research these sites on your own.

Loughcrew, Ireland

It is clear that ancient people all over the globe found it greatly important to mark the changes of seasons.  We would be a bit naive to think that this practice was due to the need to keep track of planting seasons since many of the structures predate agriculture.  Rather, the ancients believed that there was a spiritual significance to the connection of humans to the celestial.  The transition of the daytime dominated season which brings life and growth into the nighttime dominated one which brings about death and rest, marks the part of the cycle which makes life on this planet possible.  It also represents the spiritual path of the soul.  It is through the cycle of birth, growth, and death, that rebirth can bring our spirits closer to enlightenment.  

I live in the low desert of Arizona which means, for me, this is a time where life can begin again.  Here the sun brings death to my plants and the heat of the endless summer keeps me hidden indoors.  As the rest of the hemisphere begins a decent into winter, we desert folk can return to the outdoors and enjoy a mild winter which I will spend growing food, hiking, biking, and camping.  To celebrate this occasion, I am going offering a special price of $15 on my "Year Wheel" T shirts in the Closet of Mysteries Etsy store until SEPT 27th!  Happy Mabon!

Ladies' "Year Wheel" t shirt
Men's "Year Wheel" t shirt

Design for Higher Consciousness

I tend to draw influence from a lot of ideas when it comes to designing a print for a shirt.  In the case of my "Schaubirdcageshroom" t shirt, this is certainly no exception.  This design was created to bring together empowering ideas for higher human consciousness.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE THIS SHIRT!

I refer to the work of Viktor Schauberger because he proposed ways of creating energy that are non-destructive.  The lotus flower mandala is a symbol of eastern religious practices at which meditation is the center of conscious development.  The birdcage is a container in which people hold something precious caught from the wild - in this case, the magic mushroom which is a powerful tool of self-realization.

When we open our eyes, we can break free of what we are taught by culture and find our true purpose through higher consciousness.  We are, after all, human, not robot.

Rupert Sheldrake - The Science Delusion BANNED TED TALK

What we have been told is scientifically concrete, like so many other topics, really doesn't seem to be the case when put under scrutiny.  In this banned TED talk, Mr. Sheldrake gives an overview of some of the reasons he feels that the science that wraps everything up into neat, explainable little packages is insufficient to explain what is observable in the universe.
TED is has been practicing a lot of censorship of speakers with whom they do not agree with based on ideas that challenge modern dogma.  This, to me, really limits their credibility as a reliable source for information.  By sticking to the status quo, they refuse to break any new ground but, rather, just commit to churning out old and often mistaken concepts.  But hey, who wants to learn anything new anyway, right?

The Boy With Divine Powers - Discovery Channel Documentary

Truly inspiring people are hard to come by in this day and age.  Most of the time we see something that appears miraculous, it turns out to be a hoax.  What do we have to learn when faced with the truth that undermines the fundamental ideas about our existence?  The "Buddha Boy" meditated for six years without food or drink despite the medical "facts" about the human body.  How is this possible?  Perhaps it is time to reexamine ourselves.  If this is possible, we can also do it...

Graham Hancock's "Quest For The Lost Civilization"

One of the most fascinating documentaries I have come across regarding the origins and history of humanity is Graham Hancock's "Quest for The Lost Civilization".
Have you ever wondered why ancient and supposedly primitive cultures all over the globe have built pyramids?  How about the fact that all of the ancient stone builders were obsessed with astronomy and tracking time?
Here, Mr. Hancock travels the globe connecting evidence overlooked by main stream archaeologists that point to an advanced culture that created an empire that spanned the Earth.  It is a long movie but well worth watching!  Enjoy!

Terence McKenna - Evolving Times

Terrence McKenna was a remarkable speaker and I recommend getting past the shoddy camera work to watch this video.  In it, he explains his alternative idea for the cause of human evolution amongst other things.  If you are unfamiliar with Mr McKenna's work, this is a good introduction and his ideas are well worth exploring!  Enjoy :)

The peyote legend, mescaline, and the psychic gateway...

The peyote cactus has a history full of legend and mystique.  The earliest documentation of its use comes from the Sioux Nation.
The story tells of a tribe plagued by a great illness and suffering causing the loss of many lives.
An old woman decided to go on a quest to find a solution to her people's woes.  She took her grand daughter and wandered well beyond any place that she was familiar with.  Reaching a hill top, the woman built a shelter for her and her grand daughter to rest.  At that point she had not only not found any solution for her people, but she feared for the survival of herself and the child.
The next morning, a spirit appeared, it revealed to her that she was to eat of a powerful herbal medicine that was in the form of a cactus just outside of her shelter.  She partook of the medicine and gave it to her grand daughter as well.
For several nights, she had revelations and visions which instructed her how to use the medicine and guided her back to her people where she was to share this new knowledge.
Read the full story from the First People's site

We know today that the peyote cactus contains the powerful constituent mescaline, which gives the psychoactive effect when ingested.  Much like any powerful plant psychoactive, it brings about visions and interactions with a spirit.

It is the chemical constituent that resides within the plant that provides the connection and allows humans to interact with the spirit that resides within the cactus.

All plants are a part of a large network which make up a single living organism made of any individual of that species.  The plant will produce a chemical that will allow a person to communicate with other members of its own species, this is how the larger organism shares a consciousness.  In the case of the peyote, it is mescaline.  The same applies to different plants that contain different chemicals.

Since a plant organism has a consciousness that is not physically connected to all of its individual components, it uses a psychic connection made possible through its chemical make up.
When humans experience the effects of certain plant chemicals, we experience the world as that plant does.  This means that when we intake those chemicals, our minds become psychically open like tuning into that plant's HAM radio frequency.  The result is that we have access to the conscious mind of the plant which is why people can learn many things they did not know prior to their experience.



Here are some t shirts I have designed in honor of this sacred plant (click link below image to visit my Etsy shop):

Men's Peyote T Shirt

Ladies' Cactus Vision T shirt

For more information on Peyote and its effects, preparation, and more, please visit the Erowid site:

http://www.erowid.org/plants/peyote/peyote.shtml

Welcome to the Closet of Mysteries Blog! (an introduction)

hello, I am Scott

A curious creature by nature, I have always been fascinated with getting to the bottom of things. Discovering the truth about our origins in the universe, including things considered obscure, mystical, or taboo in our modern world. These, I believe are all pieces of a larger picture.My love for these mysteries has led me to delve into the research of ethnobotanicals, ancient civilizations and symbology amongst other wonders. 

I closed my (screen printing) shop to be able work from home in order to take care of my two children and a small urban farm in the middle of Phoenix. 

My goal is to live an environmentally sustainable life and spread a positive message to others.
These designs are a product of my inspiration from research and the ability to make shirts that are unique, educational and meaningful...perhaps, even pique others interest to delve into their own quest for discovery!

The Closet of Mysteries Store