Hades: (Gr.), or Aides, the "invisible," the land of shadows; one of whose regions was Tartarus, a place of complete darkness, as was also the region of profound dreamless sleep in Amenti. Judging by the allegorical description of the punishments inflicted therein, the place was purely Karmic. Neither Hades nor Amenti were the Hell still preached by some retrograde priests and clergymen; and whether represented by the Elysian Fields or by Tartarus, they could only be reached by crossing the river to the "other shore." As well expressed in the "Egyptian Belief," the story of Charon, the ferryman (of the Styx) is to be found not only in Homer, but in the poetry of many lands. The River must be crossed before gaining the Isles of the Blest. The Ritual of Egypt described a Charon and his boat long ages before Homer. He is Khu-en-na, "the hawk-headed steersman." (See Hell.)

Halloween: (All Hallow's Eve) One of the former four great Fire festivals in Britain, is supposed to have taken place on the ist of November, when al! fires, save those of the Druids, were extinguished, from whose altars only the holy fire must be purchased by the householders for a certain price. The festival is still known in Ireland as Samhein, or La Samon, i.e., the Feast of the Sun; while in Scotland, it has assumed the name of Hallowe'en. All Hallow's Eve, as observed in the Church of Rome, corresponds with the Feralia of the ancient Romans, when they sacrificed in honour of the dead, offered up prayers for them, and made oblations to them. In ancient times, this festival was celebrated on the twenty-first of February, but the Roman Church transferred it in her calendar to the first of November. It was originally designed to give rest and peace to the souls of the departed. In some parts of Scotland, it is still customary for young people to kindle fires on the tops of hills and rising grounds, and fire of this description goes by the name of a " Hallow­e'en bleeze." Formerly it was customary to surround these bonfires with a circular trench symbolical of the sun. Sheriff Barclay tells us that about seventy years ago, while travelling from Dunkeld to Aberfeldy on Hallowe'en, he counted thirty fires blazing on the hill tops, with the phantom figures of persons dancing round the flames.

In Perthshire, the " Hallowe'en bleeze " is made in the following picturesque fashion. Heath, broom, and dres­sings of flax are tied upon a pole. The faggot is then kindled ; a youth takes it upon his shoulders and carries it about. When the faggot is burned out a second is tied to the pole and kindled in the same manner as the former one. Several of these blazing faggots are often carried through the villages at the same time.

" Hallowe'en " is believed by the superstitious in Scot­land to be a night on which the invisible world has peculiar power. His Satanic Majesty is supposed to have great latitude allowed him on this anniversary, in common with that malignant class of beings known as witches, some of whom, it is said, may be seen cleaving the air on broom­sticks, in a manner wondrous to behold. Others again, less aerially disposed, jog comfortably along over by-road and heath, seated on the back of such sleek tabby cats as have kindly allowed themselves to be transformed into coal-black steeds for their accommodation. The green-robed fays are also said to hold special festive meetings at their favorite haunts. The ignorant believe that there is no such night in all the year for obtaining an insight into futurity. The following are the customs pertaining to this eve of mystic ceremonies: The youths and maidens, who engage in the ceremony of Pulling the Green Kail, go hand-in-hand, with shut eyes, into a bachelor's or spinster's garden, and pull up the first "kail stalks" which come in their way. Should the stalks thus secured prove to be of stately growth, straight in stem, and with a goodly supply of earth at their roots, the future husbands (or wives) will be young, goodlooking and rich in proportion. But if the stalks be stunted, crooked, and have little or no earth at their roots, the future spouses will be found lacking in good looks and fortune. According as the heart or stem proves sweet or sour to the taste, so will be the temper of the future partner. The stalks thus tasted are afterwards placed above the doors of the respective houses, and the Christian names of those persons who first pass under­neath will correspond with those of the future husbands or wives.

There is also the custom of Eating the Apple at the Glass. Provide yourself with an apple, and, as the clock strikes twelve, go alone into a room where there is a looking glass. Cut the apple into small pieces, throw one of them over your left shoulder, and advancing to the mirror without looking back, proceed to eat the remainder, combing your hair carefully the while before the glass. While thus en­gaged, it is said that the face of the person you are to marry will be seen peeping over your left shoulder. This "Halloween" game is supposed to be a relic of that form of divination with mirrors which was condemned as sorcery by the former Popes.

The Burning Nuts. Take two nuts and place them in the fire, bestowing on one of them your own name ; on the other that of the object of your affections. Should they burn quietly away, side by side, then the issue of your love affair will be prosperous ; but if one starts away from the other, the result will be unfavorable.
And for the Sowing Hemp Seed, steal forth alone towards midnight and sow a handful of hemp seed, repeating the following rhyme: " Hemp seed, I sow thee, hemp seed, I sow thee; And he that is my true love, come behind and harrow me." Then look over your left shoulder and you will see the person thus adjured in the act of harrowing.

The ceremony of Winnowing Corn must also be gone through in solitude. Go to the barn and open both doors, taking them off the hinges if possible, lest the being you expect to appear, may close them and do you some injury. Then take the instrument used in winnowing corn, and go through all the attitudes of letting it down against the wind. Re­peat the operation three times, and the figure of your future partner will appear passing in at one door and out at the other. Should those engaging in this ceremony be fated to die young, it is believed that a coffin, followed by mourners, will enter and pursue the too adventurous youth or maiden, who thus wishes to pry into the hidden things of the future, round the barn.
Another is Measuring the Bean Stack. Go three times round a bean stack with outstretched arms, as if measuring it, and the third time you will clasp in your arms the shade of your future partner.

Eating the Herring. Just before retiring to rest eat a raw or roasted salt herring, and in your dreams your hus­band (or wife) that is to be, will come and offer you a drink of water to quench your thirst.

Dipping the Shirt Sleeve. Go alone, or in company with others, to a stream where " three lairds' lands meet," and dip in the left sleeve of a shirt ; after this is done not one word must be spoken, otherwise the spell is broken. Then put your sleeve to dry before your bedroom fire. Go to bed, but be careful to remain awake, and you will see the form of your future helpmate enter and turn the sleeve in order that the other side may get dried.

The Three Plates. Place three plates in a row on a table. In one of these put clean water, in another foul, and leave the third empty. Blindfold the person wishing to try his or her fortune, and lead them up to the table. The left hand must be put forward. Should it come in contact with the clean water, then the future spouse will be young, handsome, and a bachelor or maid. The foul signifies a widower or a widow; and the empty dish, single blessed­ness. This ceremony is repeated three times, and the plates must be differently arranged after each attempt. Throwing the Clue. Steal forth alone and at night, to the nearest lims-kiln, and throw in a clue of blue yam, winding it off on to a fresh clue. As you come near the end, someone will grasp hold of the thread lying in the kiln. You then ask, " Who holds ? " when the name of your future partner will be ottered from beneath.

Hallucination: A false perception of sensory vividness arising without the stimulus of a corresponding sense-impression. In this it differs from illusion, which is merely the misinterpretation of an actual sense-perception. Visual and auditory hallucinations are the most common, and especially the former; but hallucination of the other senses may also be experienced, though it is not so readily distinguishable. Human figures and voices most frequently form the subject of a hallucination, but in certain types other classes of objects may be seen—as, for instance, the rats and insects of delirium tremens. Though hallucination is often associated with various mental and physical diseases, it may, nevertheless occur spontaneously while the agent shows no departure from full vigor of body and mind, and may be induced—i.e., in hypnotism—in about go per cent, of all subjects. The essential difference between sane and insane Hallucinations is that in the former case the agent can, by reflection, recognize the subjective nature of the impression, even when it has every appearance of objectivity ; whereas in the latter case the patient cannot be made to understand that the vision is not real.

[Read full article]

Hand of Glory: The hand of a dead man, in which a lighted candle has been placed. It was formerly believed in Ireland and Mexico to be an instrument of magic. If the candle and its gruesome candlestick be taken into a house the sleeping inmates will be prevented from waking, and the candle itself will remain invisible. To be truly efficacious, however, both hand and candle had to be prepared in a special manner.

Hanger 18:  kkkkkk

Hantu Pusaka: A Malay demon.

Harodim: A degree of. Freemasonry very popular in the North of England, and especially in the County of Durham, and probably founded in Gateshead in 1681. It was brought under the Grand Lodge in 1735. They were the custodians of the Ritual of All Masonry, or the Old York Ritual. There were nine lodges in all. A London version of this society was the Harodim-Rosy-Cross, of Jacobite origin, probably carried to London by the Earl of Derwentwater. This latter may have been a Scotch rite in very early times.

Heartlink: From the Michael teachings, a bond formed through life experience that does not end when the lifetime is completed.

Hell: The derivation of this word is probably from the root helan to cover, designating a subterranean or hidden place. In Ward's Mythology we find it in the form of Hel as a "place of the dead" alone, by no means a place of punishment. The conception of such has a more or less clear train of evolution behind it. The Christian idea of a place of punishment was directly coloured by the Jewish conception of Sheol, which in turn took shape from Babylonian sources. When exactly the idea began to form itself as a place of punishment is not clear, as among the ancient Semites, Egyptians and Greeks, we find the under-world regarded as a place of the dead alone. Thus in Egypt we find Amenti distinctly a place of the dead, in which the tasks of life are for the most part duplicated. This is the case also among barbarian people, who merely regard the land of the dead as an extension of human existence, in which man led a more or less shadowy life. The savage does not believe in punishment after death, and conceives that any breach of moral rule is summarily dealt with in this life. It is only when a higher moral code emerges from totemic or similar rule that the idea of a place of punishment is invented by priest-craft. This is, however, not always the case: in Greece, Rome and Scandinavia, we find that Hades was merely looked upon as a place of the dead, where, like shadowy ghosts, mankind flit to and fro, gibbering and squeaking as phantoms are supposed to do. According to the Greeks, Hades was only some twelve feet under the surface of the ground, so that Orpheus would have had no very long journey from the subterranean spheres to reach earth once more. Hell is generally regarded as a sovereignty, a place definitely ruled in an ordinary manner by a monarch set there for the purpose by the celestial powers. Thus the Greek Hades ruled the Sad Sphere of the Dead; Osiris was lord and governor of the Egyptian Amenti; in Central America, we find twin rulers in the Kiche Hades, Xibalba, whose names are given as Hun-came and Vukub-came. These latter are actively malignant, unlike the Mictlan of the Mexican, whose empire was for the generality of the people. These could only exist there for the space of four years, after which they finally became entirely extinct. The Mexicans represent Mictlan as a huge monster with open mouth ready to devour his victims, and this we find paralelled in the Babylonian Tiawith. We thus see that a certain stage in all mythologies, the conception of a place of the dead was confounded with the idea of a place of punishment. The Greeks generally bewailed the sad end of humanity which was condemned for ever to dwell in semi-darkness after death. The possibility of the existence of a place of reward never seemed to appeal to them. To the vivid Greek mind life was all in all, and it was left to the finer and altogether more upright Semitic conscience to evolve in the near East the conception of a place of punishment. Thus Sheol, from being regarded as a place of the dead became the home of fire, into which the wicked and unjust were thrust for their sins. This was certainly foreshadowed by Babylonian and Egyptians ideals, for we find the Egyptian unable to pass the test of justification simply rejected; from the idea of rejection would soon spring the idea of active punishment. The Semitic conception of Hell was probably reinforced on the introduction of Christianity into Europe, and coloured by the conception of the places of the dead belonging to the other mythologies of Europe. Thus the Scandinavian idea, which was also that of our Saxon forefathers, undoubtedly coloured the English conception of the place of punishment.

"'Hela,' or 'Death', in the prose Edda, is one of the offspring of Loki and the giantess Angurbodi; their other two being the wolf Fenrir and the Midgard serpent. The gods were not long ignorant that these monsters continued to be bred up in Jötunheim, and having had recourse to divination, became aware of all the evils they would have to suffer from them; their being sprung from such a mother was a bad presage, and from such a sire one still worse. All-father therefore deemed it advisable to send one of the gods to bring them to him. When they came he threw the serpent into that deep ocean by which the earth is engirdled. But the monster has grown to such an enormous size that, holding its tail in his mouth he encircles the whole earth. 'Hela' he case into Niflheim, and gave her power over nine worlds (regions), into which she distributes those who are sent to her, that is to say, all who die through sickness or old age. Here she possesses a habitation protected by exceedingly high walls and strongly-barred gates. Her hall is called Elvidner; Hunger is her table; Starvation, her knife; Delay, her man; Slowness, her maid; Precipice, her threshold; Care, her bed; and Burning Anguish forms the hangings of her apartments. The one-half of her body is livid, the other half the colour of human flesh.' A description of Niflheim itself, the abode of Loki and his evil progeny, in given in the Voluspa. It is 'a dark abode far from the sun'; its gates are open to 'the cutting north'; 'its walls are formed of wreathed snakes, and their venom is ever falling like rain.' It is surrounded by the dark and poisonous streams 'Elivagar.' Nidhog, the great dragon, who dwells beneath the central root of Ygdrassil, torments and gnaws the dead."

The probabilities are that the ideas concerning the Celtic other-world had little to do in forming the British conception of Hell. The Brythonic "Annwyl" was certainly a subterranean locality, but it was by no means a place of punishment, being merely a microcosm of the world above, where folk hunted, ate and drank, as in early Britain. Nor was the Irish other-world much different and after crossing the waters of oblivion the possessed person found himself in a sphere in many ways resembling the earth-life.

In Southern Europe again the idea of Hell appears to have been strongly coloured by both classical and Jewish conceptions. Our best picture of the mediaeval conception of the place of punishment is undoubtedly the Inferno of Dante, who in most things followed the teaching of contemporary schoolmen in describing it. Acknowledging Virgil as his master, he follows him in many descriptions of Tartarus; but we find the Semitic idea cropping up every here and there, as in the beginning of one of the cantos, where, what looks suspiciously like a Hebrew incantation, is set down. The dramatis personae are classical; thus we have Pluto and many of the breed of Tartarus. In later mediaeval times the ingenuity of the monkish mind came to the rescue and conceptions which in some instances appear to be perfectly original sprang up. Thus, Hell obtained an annexe, Purgatory. Its inhabitants took on a form which may distinctively be alluded to as European, in contradistinction to the more satyr-like shape of the earlier hierarchy of Hades. We find grizzly forms of bird-like shape, with exaggerated beaks and claws, and the animal forms and faces of later mediaeval gargoyles give us a capital idea of what the denizens of Hades seemed like in the eyes of the superstition of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries. It was only a modified version of these ideas which came down to our grandfathers, and one may suspect that such superstitions were not altogether disbelieved by our fathers. This is not the place to embark upon a theological discussion as to whether the Hell of the Christians exists, or does not exist; but it may be interesting to remark that a great controversy has raged ever since the time of Origen as to the question whether or not the punishments of Hell are eternal. Those who denied that this was so were called Universalists, and believed in the final redemption of all. Enough has been said to show that most Eastern mythological systems possess a Hades which does not differ in any fundamental respect from that of most barbarian races, except that it is perhaps rather more specialised and involved. Many later writers, such as Swedenborg, Boehme, Blake and others (not to forget Milton), have given us vivid pictures of the hierarchy and general condition of Hell. For the most part these are based on the patristic writings. In the Middle Ages endless controversy took place as to the nature and offices of the various inhabitants of the place of punishment (See Demonology), and the descriptions of later visionaries are practically mere repetitions of the conclusions then arrived at.

The locality of Hell has also been a question of endless speculation; some believed it to be resident in the sun, giving as their reason for this the fact that the Greek name of that luminary Helios; but such childish etymologies appear to have been in disfavour with most writers on the subject, and the grand popular idea that Hell is subterranean has had no real rival.

Herbal Medicine: A type of alternative medicine that uses roots, stems, leaves, flowers, or seeds of plants to improve health, prevent disease, and treat illness.

Popular herbs include: Ginkgo Biloba, for memory and increased blood flow; St. John's Wort, for depression; Garlic, for high cholesterol; Ginseng, for fatigue and weakness; Echinacea, for colds and respiratory infection; Saw Palmetto, for prostate conditions; Kava Kava for anxiety; and Evening Primrose, for PMS and menopause.

[Visit Herb index]

Hermes Trismegistus (' the thrice greatest Hermes "): The name given by the Greeks to the Egyptian god Thoth or Tehuti, the god of wisdom, learning and literature. Thoth is alluded to in later Egyptian writings as ' twice very great" and even as "five times very great" in some demotic or popular scripts, (ca. third century B.C.) To him was attributed as ' scribe of the gods " the authorship of all sacred books which were thus called ;i Hermetic " by the Greeks. These, according to Clemens Alexandrinus were forty-two in number and were sub-divided into six portions, of which the first dealt with priestly education, the second with temple ritual and the third with geographical matter. The fourth division treated of astrology, the fifth of hymns in honour of the gods and a text-qook for the guidance of Kings, while the sixth was medical. It is unlikely that these books were all the work of one individual, and it is more probable that they represent the accumulated wisdom of Egypt, attributed in the course of ages to the great god of wisdom.

As " scribe of the gods " Thoth was also the author of all strictly sacred writing. Hence by a convenient fiction the name of Hermis was placed at the head of an extensive cycle of mystic literature, produced in post-Christian times. Most of this Hermetic or Trismegistic literature has perished, but all that remains of it has been gathered and translated into English. It includes the " Poimandres," the " Perfect Sermon," or the " Asclepius," excerpts by Stobacus, and fragments from the Church Fathers and from the philosophers, Zosimus and Fulgentius. Hitherto these writings have been neglected by theologians, who have dismissed them as the offspring of third century Neo-Platonism. According to the generally accepted view, they were eclectic compilations, combining Neo-Platonic philosophy, Philonic Judaism and Kabalistic theosophy in an attempt to supply a philosophic substitute for, Christianity. The many Christian elements to be found in these mystic scriptures were ascribed to plagiarism. By an examination of early mystery writings and traditions it has been proved with some degree of certainty that the main source of the Trismegistic Tractates is the wisdom of Egypt, and that they " go back in an unbroken tradition of type and form and context to the earliest Ptolemaic times."

The "Poimandres," on which all later Trismegistic literature is based, must, at least in its original form, be placed not later than the first century. The charge of plagiarism from Christian writings, therefore, falls to the ground. If it can be proved that the '' Poimandres " belongs to the first century, we have in it a valuable document in determining the environment and development of Christian origins.

Mr. G. R. S. Mead, author of " Thrice Greatest Hermes " says in a illuminating passage:—
" The more one studies the best of these mystical sermons, casting aside all prejudices, and trying to feel and think with the writers, the more one is conscious of approaching the threshold of what may well be believed to have been the true adytum of the best in the mystery traditions of antiquity. Innumerable are the hints of the greatnesses and immensities lying beyond that threshold—among other precious things the vision of the key to Egypt's wisdom, the interpretation of apocalypses by the light of the sun-clear epopteia of the intelligible cosmos."

Hermeticism: kkkkkk

Hieroglyphs: Hieroglyphs were, and are, frequently made use of by the spirits in the so-called " direct" writing, i.e., writing produced without a medium or any physical agent. Direct writing, though frequently produced at séances, is perhaps most common in poltergeist outbreaks, when the poltergeist is wont to distribute messages through the house. Thus in the disturbance in the house of Dr. Phelps, Stratford, in 1850-51, hieroglyphs were found on the walls and ceilings, while turnips covered with them were seen to grow from the pattern of the carpet. On this occasion the matter was investigated by Andrew Jackson Davis, who recognized the hieroglyphs as spiritual symbols, which he was inspired to interpret as friendly messages from high spiritual powers.

Hippomancy: A method of divination practiced by the ancient Celts, who kept certain white horses in consecrated groves. These were made to walk immediately after the sacred car, and auguries were drawn from their movements. The ancient Germans kept similar steeds in their temples. If on leaving these on the outbreak of hostilities they crossed the threshold with the left forefoot first, the presage was regarded as an evil one, and the war was abandoned. 

Hoagland, Richard: kkkkkkkk

Hobgoblin, Robin Goodfellow, or Puck: An English domestic fairy or brownie of nocturnal habits. He is of a happy disposition, and is believed to be one of the courtiers, probably the jester., at the court of Oberon. Reginald Scot, in his Discovery of Witchcraft says :—" Your gran-dames' maids were wont to set a bowl of milk for him for his pains in grinding of malt and mustard, and sweeping the house at midnight. This white bread, and bread and milk, was his standard fee." He is perhaps best known in Britain by his appellation of Puck, and his qualities and attributes are represented under this name in Shakespeare's '; Midsummer's Night's Dream." By some he is believed to be the demon who leads men astray during the night. Sometimes he is clothed in a suit of leather^close to his body, and sometimes he wore green. He is usually represented as full of tricks and mischief.

Hocus Pocus: Words of magic import, which by some are believed to be derived from "Ochus Bohus," a magician and demon of the north. It is perhaps probable, however, that as others say they are a corruption of the Latin words "hoc est corpus," and are an imitation of the act of transubstantiation practiced by the priests of the church of Rome.

Hod: The name assigned in the Kabbala to the number eight and meaning "Eternity" -- Eternity of the conquests achieved by mind over matter, active over passive, life over death.

Holland (Occultism in): (For early matter see Teutons). Since the introduction of spiritualism into Holland, in 1857-8, no small part of its history has been enacted in that country, notwithstanding that the phlegmatic and by no means impressionable temperament of the Dutchman would seem to make but an indifferent medium of him. The first Dutch spiritualist of whom we have record is one J. N. T. Marthese, who, after studying psychic phenomena in foreign countries, finally returned to his native Holland, bringing with him the American medium Home. The latter held séances at the Hague, before several learned societies, and by command of Queen Sophia, a stance was given in her presence. The medium himself, in an account of the performance, tells us that the royal lady was obliged to sit out seven séances, on consecutive evenings, before any results were obtained. These results, however, were apparently satisfactory, for the Queen was thereafter a staunch supporter of the movement. During Home's visit, spiritualism gained a considerable hold on the people of Holland, and the practice of giving small private séances became fairly wide-spread. Spirit voices were heard at these gatherings, the touch of spirit hands was felt, and musical instruments were played upon by invisible performers. 

[Read full article]

Holly: This name is probably a corruption of the word "holy" as this plant has been used from time immemorial as a protection against evil influence. It was hung round, or planted near houses, as a protection against Eghtning. Its common use at Christmas is apparently the survival of an ancient Roman custom, occurring during the festival to Saturn, to which god the holly was dedicated. While the Romans were holding this feast, which occurred about the time of the winter solstice, they decked the outsides of their houses with holly; at the same time the Christians were quietly celebrating the birth of Christ, and to avoid detection, they outwardly followed the custom of their heathen neighbors, and decked their houses with holly also. In this way the holly came to be connected with our Christmas customs. This plant was also regarded as a symbol of the resurrection. The use of mistletoe along with holly is probably due to the notion that in winter the fames took shelter under its leaves, and that they protected all who sheltered the plant. The origin of kissing under the mistletoe is considered to have come from our Saxon ancestors, who regarded this plant as dedicated to Freya, the goddess of love.

Home, Daniel Dunglas (1833-1886): One of the best known of spiritualistic mediums, was born near Edinburgh in 1833. At the age of nine he was taken by his aunt to America, where in 1850 he became a convert to the new doctrine of spiritualism, and himself developed mediumistic powers. The next five years saw him occupied in giving séances in New York and elsewhere. In 1855 some of his friends subscribed a sum of money to send him to Europe. In England his séances were attended by many notable people, and on the Continent also he was admitted into the highest society. Until 1859 he had subsisted on the bounty of his wealthy friends—for at no time did he take actual fees for his services—but in that year he married a Russian lady of noble birth, young, charming, and possessed of means. But on her death in 1862 his financial circumstances were altered again. Four years later he was adopted by a wealthy widow, Mrs. Lyon, who made him large money gifts. In a few months, however, she tired of her adopted son and sued him in the law courts for the recovery of her " gifts." The charge of fraud was not proved, and many distinguished persons filed affidavits testifying to the actuality of Home's mediumistic powers, but the court was not satisfied that he had not influenced Mrs. Lyon, and judgment was given in her favor. During all this time he had largely exercised his faculties as a medium, and in 1870-72 he held a series of sittings with Sir William Crookes In 1871 he married again, and for the second time his wife was a Russian lady of means. From 1872 onwards he lived mostly on the Continent, where he died in 1886, after a long and painful illness. Home's mediumship presents many remarkable features. His séances were productive of both trance and physical phenomena, the latter including raps and table-tilting, levitation and elongation, materialization, the fire-ordeal, and practically every form of manifestation. Unlike other mediums, he was never detected in fraud, though his mediumship was spread over so many years, and his phenomena are among the best-attested in the records of spiritualism. But a more important factor in Home's success was his wonderful personality. Though of lowly birth, he early acquired an ease and charm of manner which fitted him for the good society wherein he was destined to move. Artless and spontaneous and very affectionate, of pleasing manners and generous disposition, he won the hearts of all with whom he came in contact, and inspired in his sitters an emotional confidence which seems frequently to have over-ruled their judgment. Sir W. Crookes said of him that he was " one of the most lovable of men," whose "perfect genuineness and uprightness were beyond suspicion." Whether a medium should ever be " beyond suspicion " to a scientific investigator is, of course, open to question, but the instance shows abundantly that even scientists are not immune from the influence of personal magnetism.

Homeopathy:  also known as homeopathic medicine, is a form of health care that developed in Germany and has been practiced in the United States since the early 19th century. Homeopathic practitioners are commonly called homeopaths.

The term homeopathy comes from the Greek words homeo, meaning similar, and pathos, meaning suffering or disease. Homeopathy is an alternative medical system. Alternative medical systems are built upon complete systems of theory and practice, and often have evolved apart from and earlier than the conventional medical approach used in the United States. Homeopathy takes a different approach from conventional medicine in diagnosing, classifying, and treating medical problems.

Homeopathic Medicine: In homeopathic medicine, there is a belief that "like cures like," meaning that small, highly diluted quantities of medicinal substances are given to cure symptoms, when the same substances given at higher or more concentrated doses would actually cause those symptoms.

Homunculas: An artificial man supposed to have been made by the alchemists, and especially Paracelsus. To manufacture one, he states that the needful spagyric substances should be taken and shut up in a glass phial, and afterwards be laced to digest in horse-dung for the space of forty days. At the end of this time, there will be something which will begin to move and live in the bottle. This something is a man, but a man who has no body and is transparent. Nevertheless, he exists, and nothing remains but to bring him up -- which is not more difficult to do than to make him. You may accomplish it by daily feeding him -- during forty weeks, and without extricating him from the dung-hill -- with the arcanum of human blood. At the end of this time you shall have a veritable living child, having every member as well proportioned as any infant born of a woman. He will only be much smaller than an ordinary child, and his physical education will require more care and attention. (See Alchemy).

Hoodwin, (Shepherd): A Michael teachings channel and intuitive who is the author of several Michael books, most notably: The Journey of Your Soul.

Read some of Shepherd's channeling online.

Hopkins, Matthew: Called the witchfinder; flourished in 1640. Of him Godv.in says, "Nothing can place the credulity of the English nation on the subject of witchcraft in a more striking point of view, than the history of Matthew Hopkins, who, in a pamphlet published in 1647 in his own vindication, assumes to himself the surname of the Witchfinder. He fell by accident, in his native country of Suffolk, into contact with one or two reputed witches, and, being a man of an observing turn and an ingenious invention, struck out for himself a trade, which brought him such moderate returns as sufficed to maintain him, and at the same time gratified his ambition by making him a terror to many, and the object of admiration and gratitude to more, who felt themselves indebted to him for ridding them of secret and intestine enemies, against whom, as long as they proceeded in ways that left no footsteps behind, they felt they had no possibility of guarding themselves."

[Read full article]

Horbehutet: The Egyptian winged disk. He was a solar deity who accompanied the sun-god, Ra, on his daily journey across Egypt for the purpose of warding off evil from him. His symbol was placed over the gates and doors of temples to protect them from malign influences.

Horse Shoes: Horse shoes were nailed on the thresholds in the Middle Ages to keep out witches. 

Horse-Whispering: A secret method by which certain persons are able to acquire power over refractory horses. As is well known to students of gypsy lore, that interesting people appear to be in possession of some secret by which they are enabled to render vicious horses entirely tame; and opinions are divided as to whether this secret consists in the application of a certain odour or balm to the horse's muzzle, or whispering into its ear a spell or incantation. It is said, indeed, that the gypsy horse-charmer applies aniseed to the nose of the animal. But besides being practised by gypsies, horse-whispering is in vogue amongst many other peoples.

[Read full article]

Houses: A table of houses in Western astrology is a set of figures, arranged in columns, designed to facilitate the calculation of zodiacal degrees for the ascendant, Midheaven and the other houses' cusps. In a birth chart, there are twelve houses.

• The First House: 
• The Second House: is concerned with all matters of money, possessions, earnings and moveable property. Its nature is determined by the sign upon the cusp and its lord or ruler. In a secondary sense, Jupiter and Venus also should be considered.
• The Third House: concerns relatives, kindred, travel, papers, correspondence, etc. Its nature is determined by the sign upon the cusp, its lord, and in a secondary sense, the Sun and Moon.
• The Fourth House: is concerned with the home and domestic affairs, land, and property or estate, things lost, the end of life. Its nature is determined by the sign on the cusp, its lord, and in a secondary sense the Moon and Uranus.
• The Fifth House: concerns love affairs, courtships, children, schools, all places of pleasure and speculation. The sign on the cusp, its lord, and in a secondary sense Venus and the Sun show the nature of this house.

Howling of Dogs: In ancient times the howling of dogs at night was a portent of death to those who were ill.

Hundredth Monkey: kkkk

Hypnosis: a peculiar state of consciousness, artificially induced, which liberates subconscious powers in the subject, puts him en rapport with the hypnotiser, makes him accept and meticulously execute any of his suggestions, whether hypnotic or post-hypnotic, which do not conflict with deeper instincts of self-preservation and morality, and produces strange physiological effects as anaesthesia and the remarkable control over organic processes of the body. Ordinary sleep is unstable and irresponsive, waking is easy and questions are unheeded. In hypnotic sleep the waking, stimuli are strongly resisted, the sleeper hears and answers. Its stages have been variously defined, mostly as a result of individual practice.

The three classical states of hypnotism are thus described by Dr. Paul Joire:

1. Lethargy, the state of complete relaxation with variable amount of anaesthesia, with neuro-muscular excitation as its fundamental characteristic. In this state the subject has the eyes closed and is generally only slightly open to suggestion.

2. Catalepsy, the eyes are open, the subject is as though petrified in the position which he occupies. Anaesthesia is complete, and there is no sign of intelligence. Immobility is characteristic of this state.

3. Somnambulism. The condition of the eyes varies, the subject appears to sleep. Simple contact or stroking along any limb is sufficient to render that limb rigid. Suggestibility is the main characteristic of this state.

Hypnotic Regression: kkkkk