Yes, it's another meme...
...I'll have real content some time after Hallowe'en, I promise.
To participate, leave me a specific request (I don't want to discourage comments from non-participants) and I'll pick five of your user pics. Then you post with reasons why you use those user pics. You can post your responses either here, or in your own journal.
These are the five userpics that lyssrose asked me to explain:
See entry icon - the Tattoo. This is my left shoulder; the tat I got for my 30th birthday. I had it retouched during the summer of '07, mostly to see if I could still handle the sensation of having ink done. Yup, I'm good to go; I get my right shoulder done in about six weeks. Yay! (For the full story behind my first ink, clicky!)
*****
Sleipneir: Briefly - Thor, the Giant-Slayer, was away from Asgard slaying giants in the north, when a hrimthurs (giant) disguised as a human stonemason appeared, offering to rebuild the wall all around Asgard in exchange for the sun, the moon, and fair Freyja. The gods agreed, thinking that it would be good, since part of the wall was crumbling, and also believing the giant would never be able to complete it in the agreed upon six month time frame. The giant asked one thing: the use of his gray stallion, Svadilfari (literally, "slave", or possibly "ill-fated"). Loki quickly agreed before any of the other gods could reply.
The work began. Using the stallion, the giant began building the wall, and was well on his way to receiving the sun, the moon, and Freyja. The gods, seeing this, became furious at Loki, and said if they lost the sun, the moon, and Freyja, they would torture Loki eternally (which happened later anyway). Then, as Svadilfari was dragging the final brick to complete the wall back to Asgard, Loki transformed into a beautiful white mare, and led the stallion away, angering the giant. When the giant began tearing down the wall, Thor appeared and smashed the giant on the head with his hammer, Mjollnir.
Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir, the offspring of the gray stallion Svadilfari and Loki when "he" was the beautiful white mare. When Loki returned to Asgard, he gave the eight-legged gray colt to Odin, telling him that the horse was the swiftest on earth, and could bear Odin over sea, through the air, and to and from the land of the dead. According to Sigrdrífumál in the Poetic Edda, Sleipnir has runes carved on his teeth.
A nod to my interest (bordering upon obsession with) Viking legend and culture; I use this icon on those days when potential seems endless.
*****
The symbol of the Affirming Church, a movement within the United Church of Canada to actively open our doors to the gay/lesbian/bisexual community. I am happy and immensely proud that the congregation of which I am a member is a part of the Affirming Church network.
*****
These three stones are a part of the Avebury stone circles. I spent a day at Avebury when I was sixteen; stunning. I love these ancient stone monuments, and the skin-prickling sense of power that still sits over them.
This icon I'd intended to use for a regular "Three things about today" kind of posting, but it was too formulaic an idea and quickly abandoned. These days, the three stones are most likely to appear when I'm participating in some kind of structured listing post, like when I participate in the Friday Five.
*****
Ah yes, the medicine wheel.
The Medicine Wheel
"The symbol of the circle holds a place of special importance in Native beliefs. For the North American Indian, whose culture is traditional rather than literate, the significance of the circle has always been expressed in ritual practise and in art. The lives of men and women, as individual expressions of the Power of the World move in and are nourished by an uninterrupted circular/spiral motion. This circle is often referred to as the Medicine Wheel. Human beings live, breathe and move, giving additional impetus to the circular movement, provided they live harmoniously, according to the circle's vibratory movement. Every seeker has a chance to eventually discover a harmonious way of living with their environment according to these precepts.
Each of the four directions represents a particular way of perceiving things, but none is considered superior or more significant than the other. The emphasis is always placed on the need to seek and explore each of the four great ways in order to gain a thorough understanding of one's own nature in relation to the surrounding world.
The four cardinal points of the circle transcend the mere compass directions. The directions themselves embody four powerful natural forces representing seasonal influences associated with various other powerful attributes.
North represents Wisdom. Its colour is white, its power animal is the buffalo and its gift is strength and endurance. From the South comes the gift of warmth and growth after winter is over, a place of innocence and trust. Its colour is green (or sometimes red), its power animal, the mouse. To the West is the place of introspection, of looking within one's spirit. Its colour is black, its gift rain and its power animal the bear. The East is marked by the sign of the Eagle. Its colour is gold for the sun's illumination, the new dawning sky and enlightenment. Its gift is peace and light."
That's barely touching the surface, but any more would have to come from dialogue and far more time than I have at the moment...
Cheers ">
edit to fix link - thanks for the head's up, ladycelia
To participate, leave me a specific request (I don't want to discourage comments from non-participants) and I'll pick five of your user pics. Then you post with reasons why you use those user pics. You can post your responses either here, or in your own journal.
These are the five userpics that lyssrose asked me to explain:
See entry icon - the Tattoo. This is my left shoulder; the tat I got for my 30th birthday. I had it retouched during the summer of '07, mostly to see if I could still handle the sensation of having ink done. Yup, I'm good to go; I get my right shoulder done in about six weeks. Yay! (For the full story behind my first ink, clicky!)
*****
Sleipneir: Briefly - Thor, the Giant-Slayer, was away from Asgard slaying giants in the north, when a hrimthurs (giant) disguised as a human stonemason appeared, offering to rebuild the wall all around Asgard in exchange for the sun, the moon, and fair Freyja. The gods agreed, thinking that it would be good, since part of the wall was crumbling, and also believing the giant would never be able to complete it in the agreed upon six month time frame. The giant asked one thing: the use of his gray stallion, Svadilfari (literally, "slave", or possibly "ill-fated"). Loki quickly agreed before any of the other gods could reply.
The work began. Using the stallion, the giant began building the wall, and was well on his way to receiving the sun, the moon, and Freyja. The gods, seeing this, became furious at Loki, and said if they lost the sun, the moon, and Freyja, they would torture Loki eternally (which happened later anyway). Then, as Svadilfari was dragging the final brick to complete the wall back to Asgard, Loki transformed into a beautiful white mare, and led the stallion away, angering the giant. When the giant began tearing down the wall, Thor appeared and smashed the giant on the head with his hammer, Mjollnir.
Loki later gave birth to Sleipnir, the offspring of the gray stallion Svadilfari and Loki when "he" was the beautiful white mare. When Loki returned to Asgard, he gave the eight-legged gray colt to Odin, telling him that the horse was the swiftest on earth, and could bear Odin over sea, through the air, and to and from the land of the dead. According to Sigrdrífumál in the Poetic Edda, Sleipnir has runes carved on his teeth.
A nod to my interest (bordering upon obsession with) Viking legend and culture; I use this icon on those days when potential seems endless.
*****
The symbol of the Affirming Church, a movement within the United Church of Canada to actively open our doors to the gay/lesbian/bisexual community. I am happy and immensely proud that the congregation of which I am a member is a part of the Affirming Church network.
*****
These three stones are a part of the Avebury stone circles. I spent a day at Avebury when I was sixteen; stunning. I love these ancient stone monuments, and the skin-prickling sense of power that still sits over them.
This icon I'd intended to use for a regular "Three things about today" kind of posting, but it was too formulaic an idea and quickly abandoned. These days, the three stones are most likely to appear when I'm participating in some kind of structured listing post, like when I participate in the Friday Five.
*****
Ah yes, the medicine wheel.
The Medicine Wheel
"The symbol of the circle holds a place of special importance in Native beliefs. For the North American Indian, whose culture is traditional rather than literate, the significance of the circle has always been expressed in ritual practise and in art. The lives of men and women, as individual expressions of the Power of the World move in and are nourished by an uninterrupted circular/spiral motion. This circle is often referred to as the Medicine Wheel. Human beings live, breathe and move, giving additional impetus to the circular movement, provided they live harmoniously, according to the circle's vibratory movement. Every seeker has a chance to eventually discover a harmonious way of living with their environment according to these precepts.
Each of the four directions represents a particular way of perceiving things, but none is considered superior or more significant than the other. The emphasis is always placed on the need to seek and explore each of the four great ways in order to gain a thorough understanding of one's own nature in relation to the surrounding world.
The four cardinal points of the circle transcend the mere compass directions. The directions themselves embody four powerful natural forces representing seasonal influences associated with various other powerful attributes.
North represents Wisdom. Its colour is white, its power animal is the buffalo and its gift is strength and endurance. From the South comes the gift of warmth and growth after winter is over, a place of innocence and trust. Its colour is green (or sometimes red), its power animal, the mouse. To the West is the place of introspection, of looking within one's spirit. Its colour is black, its gift rain and its power animal the bear. The East is marked by the sign of the Eagle. Its colour is gold for the sun's illumination, the new dawning sky and enlightenment. Its gift is peace and light."
That's barely touching the surface, but any more would have to come from dialogue and far more time than I have at the moment...
Cheers ">
edit to fix link - thanks for the head's up, ladycelia