Is magic related to electro-magnetism?

[Gary Childress]

Unicorns, and many other mythological creatures, turn up in many different and widely separated mythologies. I don't think they were just literary devices, but what they were, I have no idea.

I pay homage to the earth goddess in my Pagan practice.

Why don't you think they were literary devices? If they aren't then what else could they be?

I don't know. But literary devices can't spread to unconnected cultures.

What unconnected cultures have references to unicorns?

[Maia]

Why don't you think they were literary devices? If they aren't then what else could they be?

I don't know. But literary devices can't spread to unconnected cultures.

What unconnected cultures have references to unicorns?

That's probably a bad example, since although they existed in Sumerian myth, that's not totally unconnected to Greek myth. A much better example is the dragon. That occurs in both China and Europe.

[Gary Childress]

I don't know. But literary devices can't spread to unconnected cultures.

What unconnected cultures have references to unicorns?

That's probably a bad example, since although they existed in Sumerian myth, that's not totally unconnected to Greek myth. A much better example is the dragon. That occurs in both China and Europe.

I would think China and Europe have connections going way back, generally through the Middle East as well as through Russia.

[Gary Childress]

Presumably, if you go back far enough, humanity as a whole probably had time to trade folklore from one end of the globe to the other. The Americas and Australia were supposedly inhabited by people who came from somewhere on the main continent of Europe/Asia/Africa.

[Maia]

What unconnected cultures have references to unicorns?

That's probably a bad example, since although they existed in Sumerian myth, that's not totally unconnected to Greek myth. A much better example is the dragon. That occurs in both China and Europe.

I would think China and Europe have connections going way back, generally through the Middle East as well as through Russia.

The first known connection came during the late Roman Empire.

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

[vegetariantaxidermy]

That's probably a bad example, since although they existed in Sumerian myth, that's not totally unconnected to Greek myth. A much better example is the dragon. That occurs in both China and Europe.

I would think China and Europe have connections going way back, generally through the Middle East as well as through Russia.

The first known connection came during the late Roman Empire.

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

You are about as 'spiritual' as a block of cheap cheese.

[Maia]

I would think China and Europe have connections going way back, generally through the Middle East as well as through Russia.

The first known connection came during the late Roman Empire.

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

You are about as 'spiritual' as a block of cheap cheese.

An interesting assertion.

[Gary Childress]

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

It's possible that dragons may point to earlier folklore that circulated among early humans before they crossed the Bering Straight. Or maybe it's an archetype that is readily reproducible in any human no matter how far removed geographically. Otherwise, what would be your explanation of what a dragon is?

[Maia]

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

It's possible that dragons may point to earlier folklore that circulated among early humans before they crossed the Bering Straight. Or maybe it's an archetype that is readily reproducible in any human no matter how far removed geographically. Otherwise, what would be your explanation of what a dragon is?

Why would such an archetype exist?

Dragons often symbolise the spiralling nature of earth energy.

[Gary Childress]

There were also dragon like creatures in Meso-American folklore.

It's possible that dragons may point to earlier folklore that circulated among early humans before they crossed the Bering Straight. Or maybe it's an archetype that is readily reproducible in any human no matter how far removed geographically. Otherwise, what would be your explanation of what a dragon is?

Why would such an archetype exist?

Dragons often symbolise the spiralling nature of earth energy.

"Spiralling nature of earth energy?" Do dragons spiral? Chinese dragons perhaps but I believe European dragons usually looked more like lizards.

[Maia]

It's possible that dragons may point to earlier folklore that circulated among early humans before they crossed the Bering Straight. Or maybe it's an archetype that is readily reproducible in any human no matter how far removed geographically. Otherwise, what would be your explanation of what a dragon is?

Why would such an archetype exist?

Dragons often symbolise the spiralling nature of earth energy.

"Spiralling nature of earth energy? Do dragons spiral? Chinese dragons perhaps but I believe European dragons usually looked more like lizards.

Earlier stories emphasised their worm-like nature. Indeed the word "worm" comes from the Old English for dragon.

[Gary Childress]

In any case, Maia, you're "open mindedness" with respect to magic and mythology is probably rather instructive on how religions are born out of literature or folklore--in essence--how a person who has otherwise not seen a unicorn can become convinced that there is "something to the myth." From there we can go in any direction imaginable because, literally, that's what you are using, your "open minded" imagination.

[Gary Childress]

Why would such an archetype exist?

Dragons often symbolise the spiralling nature of earth energy.

"Spiralling nature of earth energy? Do dragons spiral? Chinese dragons perhaps but I believe European dragons usually looked more like lizards.

Earlier stories emphasised their worm-like nature. Indeed the word "worm" comes from the Old English for dragon.

Old English doesn't go that far back. It's very conceivable that someone who spoke old English could have come across folklore influence from China.

[Maia]

"Spiralling nature of earth energy? Do dragons spiral? Chinese dragons perhaps but I believe European dragons usually looked more like lizards.

Earlier stories emphasised their worm-like nature. Indeed the word "worm" comes from the Old English for dragon.

Old English doesn't go that far back. It's very conceivable that someone who spoke old English could have come across folklore influence from China.

The word goes back into proto-Indo-European, related to vermin, which comes from Latin.

[Gary Childress]

Why would such an archetype exist?

Dragons often symbolise the spiralling nature of earth energy.

"Spiralling nature of earth energy? Do dragons spiral? Chinese dragons perhaps but I believe European dragons usually looked more like lizards.

Earlier stories emphasised their worm-like nature. Indeed the word "worm" comes from the Old English for dragon.

Also, why do you say that "earth energy spirals"? What is Earth Energy? Where is an example of this energy that one can witness?