Mammals as Omens: Cat, Dog, Horse, Bat, Squirrel, Etc.

[catherineyronwode]

This thread is a blend of several that have deal with mammals as omens -- most notably the black dog or hellhound and the black cat, both unlucky and unlucky. Also included are dolphins, foxes, squirrels, elephants, tigers, rabbits, and more!

These omens may appear in waking life or dreams. They may present as mundane animals or animal spirit guides.

Post your questions here.

[luckyhoodoo]

In a message dated 9/27/2005 7:22:12 PM Central Standard Time,
sistaword@yahoo.com writes:

Hey everyone,

I had a question about a dream a had. I was in an apartment that and
I was looking out my window and I saw a large man outside who had
grabbed two identical black cats in his hands. I yelled down to him,
hey those are my cats what are you doing. He came into my apartment
and tookout a knife and slit their throats. Sorry to sound so graphic.
But I was wondering if that was a bad omen or good omen for me. I
thought that black cats suppose to be good signs for luck in hoodoo.
On a side note I do have two cats but one is gey and they other is not
completely black. If anyone has any ideas I would love some input.

Thanks
Cidalia



Cidalia, that's a weird dream. The important thing to ask yourself is "What
does this or that symbolize to me". This will help you quite a lot. I
used to interpret dreams in college for some extra cash. I only charged $2 but
I got so many clients that I always had ciggs and gas. Anyway, this is what
jumps out at me. 1. Twin Cats, this is important. 2. You yelled "those are
my cats" but they actualy weren't "your" cats since yours are not black.
3. The man came into your apartment. Overall, I believe the dream is rather
good but I want you to figure out the meaning for yourself because you will
get a lot more out of it if you do, instead of having someone else tell you.

-Jason Gammon


[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

[sistaword]

thanks for your input jason. i do have some vivid and sometimes
unusual dreams. this definitle was one... i always thought that twins
was a sign for double luck or double trouble to me. so i kind of
thought it could be a warning to me. the thing about that morning was
that i had actually 3 lucid dreams in a row. the first one which a
women told me things are not always what they seem. well that got me
thinking that i had to look closer to what was not said or done verses
what was. anyways i think it's possible the man didn't harm me becuase
he was not a threat to me. the fact that he looked big and strong may
have meant power struggle possibly or overcoming some thing. the home
environment may also mean that it would affect me and my children.
well that's what i have so far but i will check the lybrary for some
info on lucid dreams and meanings?

thanks again.
cidalia

ps.i hope i didn't freak anyone out because i do love my cats.

[luckyhoodoo]

In a message dated 9/28/2005 3:13:15 AM Central Standard Time,
sistaword@yahoo.com writes:

thanks for your input jason. i do have some vivid and sometimes
unusual dreams. this definitle was one... i always thought that twins
was a sign for double luck or double trouble to me. so i kind of
thought it could be a warning to me. the thing about that morning was
that i had actually 3 lucid dreams in a row. the first one which a
women told me things are not always what they seem. well that got me
thinking that i had to look closer to what was not said or done verses
what was. anyways i think it's possible the man didn't harm me becuase
he was not a threat to me. the fact that he looked big and strong may
have meant power struggle possibly or overcoming some thing. the home
environment may also mean that it would affect me and my children.
well that's what i have so far but i will check the lybrary for some
info on lucid dreams and meanings?

thanks again.
cidalia

ps.i hope i didn't freak anyone out because i do love my cats

[Syren]

--- In hrcourse@yahoogroups.com, "sistaword" <sistaword@y...> wrote:
> >> well that's what i have so far but i will check the lybrary for some
> info on lucid dreams and meanings?
>
> thanks again.
> cidalia
>

I don't want to sound like a nitpicker but...lucid dreaming is a
specific type of dreaming where the dreamer is able to influence the
dream, participate in it. Your dreams sound like *vivid* dreams with
lots of detail and action.

-Holly

[sistaword]

actually I think it was lucid bc i tackled him after he had contact
with the cats. plus i wasn't looking at myself from the outside but
felt like i was actually there interacting in the environment. well
thanks again everyone.

cidalia

(cidalia, a lucid, as i understand it, isa dream in which you are consciously affecting the dream itself -- often even conscious that you are dreaming. Example (from my own deam-life): I am dreaming that i am flying and i think, "Hmmm -- since i can only fly in my dreams, i must be dreaming right now, but, hey, this is a great opportunity to investigate the mechanism of flight in my dreams, just in case i can use the information to teach myself to fly while i am awake." I then study my flight abilities and realize that they are governed by my breathing, and, while still flying, i think, "Too bad, i know that inhaling deeply doesn't make me float when i'm awake, so i guess i can't transfer the power of flight from dreaming to waking life. Nice try, though. I' guess i'll just enjoy flying here while i'm dreaming." --cat)

[marta cornelio]

thanks cat it seems that in almost all mty dreams i
feel like i am conscous but i am going to test your
example to get better handle on things.

peace and blessings to you.

cidalia

[Quimbisero]

--- In hrcourse@yahoogroups.com, "sistaword" <sistaword@y...> wrote:
> > actually I think it was lucid bc i tackled him after he had contact
> with the cats. plus i wasn't looking at myself from the outside but
> felt like i was actually there interacting in the environment. well
> thanks again everyone.
>
> cidalia
>
>> (cidalia, a lucid, as i understand it, isa dream in which you are
>>consciously affecting the dream itself -- often even conscious that
>>you are dreaming..." --cat)

Yes, I agree with Cat, all the definitions I have ever heard of Lucid
dreaming, and I have done a fair bit of reading and experimenting with
dreams, is that a lucid dream is one in which you are aware that this
is a dream. That is what lucidity in this context refers to,
awareness, ie, awareness that this experience is a dream WHILE you are
in the dream.

In the early stages of working with lucidity, it is quite common that
people wake upon realizing that they are dreaming, although not all
have that problem. Either way, it usually is overcome with practice.
Like dreaming in general, it is easy to do if one focuses one's desire
upon it. Apart from the more entertaining aspects associated with
lucidity, it has a lot of really practical applications.

Eoghan

[luckyhoodoo]

In a message dated 10/3/2005 4:13:27 AM Central Standard Time,
sistaword@yahoo.com writes:

actually I think it was lucid bc i tackled him after he had contact
with the cats. plus i wasn't looking at myself from the outside but
felt like i was actually there interacting in the environment. well
thanks again everyone.
I believe the adjective you were looking for is "vivid". So vivid that you
though it was reality.


cidalia

(cidalia, a lucid, as i understand it, isa dream in which you are
consciously affecting the dream itself -- often even conscious that you are dreaming.
Example (from my own deam-life): I am dreaming that i am flying and i think,
"Hmmm -- since i can only fly in my dreams, i must be dreaming right now, but,
hey, this is a great opportunity to investigate the mechanism of flight in
my dreams, just in case i can use the information to teach myself to fly while
i am awake." I then study my flight abilities and realize that they are
governed by my breathing, and, while still flying, i think, "Too bad, i know that
inhaling deeply doesn't make me float when i'm awake, so i guess i can't
transfer the power of flight from dreaming to waking life. Nice try, though. I'
guess i'll just enjoy flying here while i'm dreaming." --cat)




You know, I have never had a dream of just me flying. I'm always in a car
with the front doors open and flapping like wings. At first I was afraid that
it was an omen that I was going to get into a car wreck but nothing
materialized. Oh, and one of my funniest dreams is when I dreamed that everything
was in black & white except for the color purple. The setting was 30-40's
Chicago and I was a gangster. Now I watched "The color purple" that night so
that's where that comes from but I have no idea about the gangster part.

-Jason Gammon

[marta cornelio]

so if i am dreaming and I tell my self ok I think I am going ask this person this question and then I do or maybe i will go over here and do this , is that lucid dreaming?

(Only if you are *aware that you are dreaming* and then do that. --cat)

also what about ancestral contact orcontact with spirit guides when there is a dialogue going on that feelsspontaneous and present. are those lucid dreams?

Cidalia


(Contact with animals, guides, spirits, or ancestors in a dream does not mean you are having a lucid dream, unless you are *aware that you are dreaming* while in the dream. --cat)

[leothelion10526]

Miss cat

I have a question to ask you.

My daughter for the past 2 weeks has been seeing a hairless dog with black skin,and red eyes. The first time was around the tree just 10 feet away from our house.then she seen another one when she was walking up the drive way she said it walked right passed are carport.

And today when she came home from work, my daughter parked her car in our carport, and when she got out of her there was the dog again it scared her! I asked her if it came into our carport she said NO mom it was just standing about 3 feet away from dads car?

Miss cat, is this what they call a Hell Hound? what are they really? I've never seen one. And why would it be following my daughter for????? or better yet why would something like this be around our house??????

and I don't watch the show Supernatural.

[leothelion10526]

Miss cat,

Thank you so much for this very much needed information, so many wired
things has been,
happing around our house for the passed 2 months.

My Own car has been in the shop 5 times and they can't fined anything wrong
with it ?
I have blessed my car inside, and out. I do have an evil eye talisman
hanging down from my rear view mirror. I'm going to give this information to my
daughter would that be alright with you she is very worried and so I'm I.

Late last night she almost got into an car accident with some crazy person
out on the road.
Here I'll give you my daughters e-mail address _DarkAngeL120o2@aol.com_
(mailto:DarkAngeL120o2@aol.com) she might not listen to me she can be hard headed.

Joy Reyes # 670

(Feel free to pass that letter on to your daughter. It ws meant for her (but not for the whole world to read). Best wishes to both of you. Stay safe. --cat)

[dcperez93]

Some Magickians/Sorcerers use the dogs to guard their Aetheric temples
and also to attack those who have crossed them, they're also known as
the guardians of Hades known as Cerberus the guardian of the Greek
Underworld, and a faithful servant of Hades (the god who ruled that
gloomy realm hell). He was represented as a grotesque dog who had
three heads. Basically they keep things from going in and out of the
the underworld with no pass and they come to collect hells due.


Don Perez #876

[catherineyronwode]

leothelion10526 --

It is unclear from your description whether this is a very weird-looking physical neighborhood dog or a spiritual vision, but i am going to assume it is a psychic vision -- and yes, it certainly sounds like a Hell Hound, otherwise known as The Black Dog of Death. I used to be haunted by two of them -- a father dog and a son dog, one big (REAL big, like the size of a Russian Wolfhound) and the other smaller (the size of a normal large dog like a Black Labrador, but thinner). The ones i saw were not hairless, but had very short hair, black all over, and they had red eyes. They scared the dickens out of for almost ten years, but i kept facing them down, especially just after sundown, and also in dreams, and we reached a mutually respectful stand-off, after which they delivered a message to me and they were gone -- and i have never dreamed of them or seen them again. I saw another one (not one of "mine" -- just a loose one), about the size of a Doberman, but all black, and again with red eyes, following a so-called friend of mine, too, and it ran right past me, jumped him from behind, and pulled him down (this was in a dream) -- and he was arrested shortly thereafter, then had a heart attack, and now has a diagnosis of cancer -- a man the same age as me, but not doing so well, as you can plainly see. When i saw the Black Dog pull him down in my dream, i knew he was downward bound and would not be walking alongside me for long, and that certainly came true.

Now, Joy, i do not want to scare you, but the fact that your daughter is seeing this dog is a very serious sign of imminent danger. Many folks have heard of the song "Hell Hound on My Trail" by Robert Johnson -- he recorded that just over a year before he was poisoned to death. So take it seriously. And notice that this dog seems to be associating itself with cars -- the carport and the cars themselves. So there is a warning there about automobile accidents. Take it very seriously, for all members of the family. I do not believe that such Black Dogs represent curses sent to harm people -- i see them as warnings of death if they cannot be dealt with in a satisfactory way and sent off. The good news is that they CAN be dealt with -- i did it myself, and here i am alive and well, 30 years later -- but to do that, you have to stand and face them and then communicate with them.

Black Dogs are not evil in and of themselves, but they are waiting to see what happens, and if things turn out badly, they are there to carry you away -- perhaps not to Hell, despite their name, but to the realm of Death, for sure. They are found in many cultures, by the way, going all the way back to Anubis the black Jackal (wild dog) god of ancient Egypt who carries souls to the afterlife. In fact, one way i finally dealt with the two that were dogging me around was to invoke the spirit of Anubis (i used a papyrus painting of the Black Jackal and called on him repeatedly, asking for communication with the Black Dogs of Death, and my request was granted).

In India, the dark god Bhairava (a fierce form of the god Siva) is accompanied by a Black Dog, which signifies his wrathful and deadly role as a destructive being, who is also strongly protective of those who apply to him for help. The truth is, these Black Dogs, like "real" dogs, have both loyalty and wildness in them, and they can be tamed and befriended if you don't run away from them by losing your nerve and acting like "prey" or a victim. If you run, they will tear you down in an instant. If you stand and face them with a strong heart, they will end up helping you. Now, as to your daughter's situation, since it is so far only associated with the carport and the cars, i want you to absolutely check the vehicles for defective mechanisms, make sure she wears a seat belt, and then prepare some protective charms, talismans, or mojo bags for carrying in the glove box of the cars -- Safe Travel charms of some sort. Also, it would be good for her to have a personal protective packet or charm to wear -- a silver dime, a toby, or a holy medal, according to your family's customs. If the dog comes closer to the house, then extend your protection to the house itself. God bless and keep you all safe.

[Kwame Ajamu]

In hrcourse@yahoogroups.com, "dcperez93" <perez8257@...> wrote:
> >
> Some Magickians/Sorcerers use the dogs to guard their Aetheric
temples
> > and also to attack those who have crossed them, they're also known
as
> > the guardians of Hades known as Cerberus the guardian of the Greek
> Underworld, and a faithful servant of Hades (the god who ruled that
> gloomy realm hell). He was represented as a grotesque dog who had
> three heads. Basically they keep things from going in and out of the
> the underworld with no pass and they come to collect hells due.
>
>
> Don Perez #876

--I have had bad dreams about black dogs trying to attack me from
behind, I could hear their claws clacking on the pavement and turned
around. Back then I was a christian and I turned faced them and said
the lords prayer until the dogs disappeared. in my dream, one leaped at
me and as he was leaping he disappeared as he was about to attack , or
disappered and his fading body going right thorugh me like as if not
even a slight gust of air. The dog was always a doberman.

And in real life as a youth, dogs would always try to attack me and
I wold hear their claws clacking the pavement. I would turn and they
would stop, some would turn and run, others would stand there and bark
or growl then eventually leave, and yes in real life they were mostly,
the ones that didnt turn and run immediatley , either black dobermen
or pit bulls, even a brendal colored pit bull once.

Kwame Ajamu

(The Lord's prayer is a powerful prayer when under such attack. I have also simply yelled at dogs, "In the name of JESUS -- BEGONE!" and watched them skink away. --cat)

[maduro01]

Good day everyone,

A black cat just crossed my path about an hour ago. Now, I am expecting the worse to come down on me. Is there any spell that I can cast to prevent this from happening?

Thanks in advance

[Miss Bri]

Hi,

Actually the whole black cat superstition thing comes out of an entirely different framework from the one in which we find hoodoo. In conjure black cat's are considered lucky as is the number 13. Read more about it here:
http://www.luckymojo.com/blackcat.html

good luck,
Bri

[Turnsteel]

Edit: beaten to the punch by Bri, who said it much better then I

I wouldn't worry about it. The black cat crossing ones path= bad luck comes from the belief that witches would transform themselves into animals to do evil, and from superstitions about witches familiars being sent out to do their mistresses biding, at least that's what I've read. If you are worried about being jinxed because a black cat crossed your path then look into Fear Not To Walk Over Evil, Jinx Killer, 13 Herb bath, that kinda thing. But keep in mind that many people see a black cat as lucky, as a form of reverse bad luck the same way that some gamblers take the number 13 to be lucky.

[maduro01]

That makes me feel much better!

[Rukia Fae]

try living in a house with 3 black cats ! ;0)

I view them more as good luck!

[yoopylucks]

lol thats fun ive heard of the superstition that if a black cat does cross your path you could spit three times and this omen with go away however in hoodoo like bri said they are considered lucky

[marcoa]

Hi,

If you look up "black cat" on Wikipedia, you will find a very cool history about the different cultural beliefs of black cats. I, mainly because of my experiences with them in hoodoo, always see them a a great luck bringer. In my own European family beliefs, black cat's are good to have in the house because they avert evil from coming in.

Marcoa

[Chagrinedgirl]

To quote Groucho Marx, "If a black cat crosses your path, it means the animal is going somewhere."

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[Avalon]

try living in a house with 3 black cats ! ;0)

I view them more as good luck!

I have only one, but definitely see him as a blessing.

[yooster976]

We have 2 pure black cats at my work place they
consider it unlucky to cross my path, because I
usually end up with their hair.

Brian

[Literarylioness]

Good day everyone,

A black cat just crossed my path about an hour ago. Now, I am expecting the worse to come down on me. Is there any spell that I can cast to prevent this from happening?

Thanks in advance

I love black cats and actually have a black cat jumping over a 13 tatooed on my left arm. He is real cut with green eyes. I got him in honor of being born on the 13th and he is the same cat from the Lucky 13 candles! I have a real black cat too.

I would be honored if a black cat crossed my path!

Mary

[Dominating_lady]

I want a black kitty!

[Lucylookingskyward]

Hello, all!

So as some of you know I'm working quite a few spells for love and one for breakup (on different subject) and as per the fantastic advice I've received on this forum, begun ritual cleansing/protecting rituals once a week. Usually I bathe with Hyssop and Rue, smudge myself with Sage, and then pray to St. Michael. Well, tonight, a Friday on a Full Moon no less, I woke up to a BAT flying around in my bedroom. There's no way this guy got in on his own, my fireplace is blocked, and there's no door to the outside from my bedroom, so I feel like this was a personal attack of some kind on my person. I've been putting off buying a kit because I'm on the broke side, but after tonight I feel like I really need to do something. Any suggestions?

Kindest regards
L

[Literarylioness]

Lucy,

I think you are reaching with this one. You might have a nest of bats somewhere on your property. There is a nest of bats in downtown San Francisco. I hear them all the time and sometimes see them.

In the words of Sigmund Freud, "sometimes a cigar is just a cigar."

Mary

[Lucylookingskyward]

..

[MissMichaele]

I think you are reaching with this one. You might have a nest of bats somewhere on your property. There is a nest of bats in downtown San Francisco. I hear them all the time and sometimes see them.

In my experience, omens are made of any materials that come to hand. A couple of years ago, a neighbor bumped against my trailer while doing yard work. That was enough to knock over a big lodestone on my money altar. I thought nothing of it, but the next day my bike was stolen. (True, I replaced it with a better -- & more expensive -- bike, but still.)

In much of the world's folklore, bats are an omen of disaster. However, the Chinese consider bats lucky, and so they make bat amulets of all kinds. Miss Cat has explained that contact with Chinese communities in the US is how bats came to be used in hoodoo gambling charms.

I would cleanse the room, do some protection work, and buy some Chinese bat amulets; one to keep on your person and another for the room where the bat appeared.

[Jesterjosh]

Bats are the messengers of Hekate, the Greek goddess of witchcraft. Perhaps she is trying to say that relations between the two of you are less than shiny.

[Turnsteel]

First off, its always posible it means nothing at all, if you go looking for omens and portents in everything you'll go nuts.Second symbols are often very personal. What does a bat mean to you?

[preppieroots]

I love bats, but maybe I am weird. I had the opportunity to hold a living one recently, and it was so cute, so tiny and not at all ugly, or rat like. They are such beneficial creatures, the reality of it is they are little helpers who have a super bad reputation, though they do not deserve it.

I would see it as a sign of something but not necessarily something bad... I mean a bat in your bedroom is a not something I'd dismiss as nothing, or as mundane, it really is not something that happens everyday. (and I live somewhere that there are many many bats, I too hear them most nights when it is warm, but in my bedroom? Not so much.)

Who knows, maybe Bat came forward as a guide for you? Or, if you killed it, maybe as a source for certain curios for your spell workings?

[Chagrinedgirl]

Adding my two cents on the mundane side, and having a relative who does pest control, if you live somewhere where there are bats, having them get into buildings, including homes, is very common. They're also able to get into and out of spaces so small you wouldn't believe. It may very well be a sign, or it may be the little guy found a nice warm enclosed space, lol. Even if it is a sign, I wouldn't necessarily take it as a bad one unless you have a real thing about bats.

[Miss Bri]

Hello, all!

So as some of you know I'm working quite a few spells for love and one for breakup (on different subject) and as per the fantastic advice I've received on this forum, begun ritual cleansing/protecting rituals once a week. Usually I bathe with Hyssop and Rue, smudge myself with Sage, and then pray to St. Michael. Well, tonight, a Friday on a Full Moon no less, I woke up to a BAT flying around in my bedroom. There's no way this guy got in on his own, my fireplace is blocked, and there's no door to the outside from my bedroom, so I feel like this was a personal attack of some kind on my person. I've been putting off buying a kit because I'm on the broke side, but after tonight I feel like I really need to do something. Any suggestions?

Kindest regards
L

If I understand your post correctly, you believe that this was a personal attack because you think someone must have PLACED the bat inside of your home, is that right? So the issue is not really the symbolism of the bat, but more, is someone sneaking small, furry animals into your dwelling place? Well, as others have mentioned bats can get inside places pretty easily--they are small and mobile creatures--but if you are SURE that there is no way for it to have gotten inside, then yeah, maybe someone slipped it in your room. I would do protection work and a series of uncrossing baths, and I would check my locks. If bats have a special significance to you then think about who would know that and you might get a good idea of who it was, but often with situations like this the choice of a bat says more about the person behind the prank than it does about you.

One thing that is happening right now with bats is that they are dying off at an alarming rate due to a white fungus that appears on their mouths, noses, and ears. It is not contagious to people. Entire bat colonies are being lost this mysterious fungus and we don't know why or what the cause is. What we do know is that bats are crucial at keeping the insect population down and in some cases fertilizing night blooming plants and flowers. Just like honey bees, their decline will have large ramifications, especially for certain parts of the country.

take care,
Bri

[MsHooDooPrincess]

My Fiance Seen A BLACK CAT. What does it mean?

[Ailey]

that a black cat happens to be around? Sometimes a cat is just a cat and not a sign. Don't worry.

[imjewell]

A black cat comes out of my barn every morning and sits on my window sill, ordering breakfast....along with a marmalade cat, a cat with a white bib, a gray tabby and a long-haired calico. They actually speak! They say, "Now! Ne-ow! Nee-OWWWW! ...I bend to their will....

[Joseph Magnuson]

It may mean it's time for you to stock up on all your Lucky Mojo Black Cat Supplies!
http://www.luckymojo.com/blackcat.html

There ya' go!!!

[Devi Spring]

And on an unrelated, but somewhat related note, black cats are the most unwanted color at shelters because people are superstitious about them, and also because other people find black "boring" and want a "prettier" cat. A black cat at a shelter is more likely to be euthanized than any other color. It's really tragic.

If you are looking to get a new pet cat, it's a huge blessing for you to adopt a black cat (or two) from the shelter. They need the extra support and love very, very badly!

[Joseph Magnuson]

I am in agreement with Devi Spring. I already have my hands full with my two cuties, but urge anyone thinking of adopting a cat as a faithful friend to think about giving a black cat a home. Black Cat Rescue is a wonderful thing, especially around this time of year! Get some good luck with a black cat today!

[MissMichaele]

Well, to answer the original question, if you're uncertain, do a little divination. Pull a few cards, get out your pendulum, burn a protective candle and look at the shapes in the wax, or look for other signs.

But if you're a gambler, a black cat may be lucky for you.

If you have a gift for cursing work, or making spiritual supplies, by all means adopt a graceful, beautiful black cat. Groom its fur regularly, and save the loose hairs for use in your own or your customers' enemy work.

Hope this helps,

Miss Michaele

[Joseph Magnuson]

Thank you for the post Miss Michaele. I can sometimes get a little off topic and distracted! (Keep in line, Joe!)

[Miss Tammie Lee]

Black cats make wonderful pets. They are loyal,independent loving "family members".

http://www.luckymojo.com/blackcat.html

Familiars to some, very powerful friends they are, those charming, loving, black cats.

I am against the practice of harming these creatures with cruelty, and I'm not talking about grooming. Those of you who read this statement, know what I mean as I type.

I love black cats.

[Dr Johannes]

I agree with Miss Michaele. When ever one sign is not enough for you, get some more until it is crystal clear.

[MsHooDooPrincess]

Thanks everyone, all posts was very helpful

[Mama Micki]

I have a black cat and love Lucky Mojo Black Cat products. I always recommend them for gambling and good luck.

[autumnalflower]

I had a black cat that passed away not too long ago, and it was the best cat anyone could ask for! I did get some of his hair before he passed, and Miss Tammie Lee I agree with your statement 100% about not harming black cats!!

[MoonBreath]

I know this discussion is old, but I just have to say ... if anyone wakes up with a bat in their room, they need to get rabies shots. The only way you wouldn't need to get the shots is if you know for sure the bat isn't rabid - and that means catching it and letting the health dept. test it.

If you were asleep, you don't know if the bat landed on you before you woke up. I know from personal experience that bat bites are often NOT visible to the naked eye. For all you know, the bat bit you when you were asleep. Same goes for finding a bat in the room with a disabled person or small child who can't tell you if the bat made contact with them ... either catch the bat and let the health department test it to rule out rabies, or assume they need the shots.

Most rabies deaths in the US are from exposure to the virus via bats. The people don't seek medical treatment, because they don't realize they have been bitten. If you wake up with a bat in your room, call the health department.

[mystic_fae]

About 5 years ago a bat flew into my old apartment, into the bedroom me and my daughter slept in. We woke up in the middle of the night and at first I thought it was a bird. It was flying all over the room really fast and loud and kept landing on my dresser, then flying around again, in circles, and landing again, etc. It was creepy! I just opened the front door and figured it would feel the air and fly out...and it did, within a minute or less. Next time I will remember to call the health dept. or get checked for rabies. Fortunately that didn't happen back then.

I've always liked bats and they never really "scared" me. They have no ill will toward humans and so many seem to believe that. They are pretty cute too I just think that them being a carrier of disease, rabies etc. leaves people to fear them.

[MoonBreath]

Mystic, you and your baby were lucky you weren't exposed. The CDC website has case study records of US human rabies cases and most involve bats. I think bats are nifty little creatures who play a vital role in the environment. I don't hate bats. So, I'm not meaning to scare people ... just make them aware. The Rabies Virus ... that's what scares me. Maybe bats got a bad reputation long ago because people noticed folks dying who had recently come into contact with them? Maybe that's why they're considered to be a bad omen by some?

Healthy bats are shy and try to avoid people. Healthy bats are not the problem .... only the sick ones. I have had to get rabies shots twice because of bat attacks. Once in 2004 and once in 2010 ... on both sides of the country. Healthy bats do not attack people ... but sick bats do.... I would be dead twice if I hadn't sought medical help right away. Both times, my wounds were not visible to the naked eye, but they ached. I just want folks to know they should check with the health department if they come into contact with a bat.

[Brian Kennedy]

One of the things I remember from when I was growing up in Fort Walton Beach Florida was people (both blacks and whites) often comparing hoodoo practice with the Brer Rabbit character. Brer Rabbit was supposed to have the same kind of quick wits, eye for human behavior and ability to get what he wanted by indirect means as was seen in hoodoo workers. Even my dad (who was from Oklahoma) told my brother and I that "Brer Rabbit was the 'real' hoodoo and that we could learn quite a bit from him".

I wondered if other folks had heard similar things?
Happy New Year,
Brian

[catherineyronwode]

In the original tales of Uncle Remus by Joel Chandler Harris, Brer Rabbit's mojo bag is described. I put the recipe in my book "hoodoo Herb and Root Magic."

[Brian Kennedy]

Thanks much, I just was looking through your book and could not find where you talk about that. What entry is it under?

Happy New Year!
Brian

[catherineyronwode]

I'm on the road and don't have the book. Try Collards...?

[Mama Micki]

Yes, it's under Collards. Collard seeds, calamus, and a rabbit foot in a "tasseled money-purse."

[Brian Kennedy]

Sure enough, under collards! Thanks much to both of you for letting me know. It is interesting to see what Br'er Rabbits 3 items were.

take care,
Brian

[MsHooDooPrincess]

Could someone delete this topic for me please?

[Mama Micki]

No, MsHooDooPrincess. All posts are the property of the Lucky Mojo Curio Company. While you may have had second thoughts about starting this thread, it does contain useful information. Live and learn.