Taking The Bull By The Horns

I’ve been wondering why the bull that killed Maryann was a Brahmini bull, an Indian ox, and not another breed.

Nandi is the sacred mount of Lord Shiva, destroyer of evil, whose statue can be seen behind Lafayette in the Moon Goddess during the ritual to free Antonia’s spirit from Marnie.

His white colour symbolises purity and justice.

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After Sookie destroys the offerings prepared for Dionysus, and at the moment MA is about to strike her, MA hears an animal sound.

Out of the darkness a bull appears and she goes to meet it.

MA planned to use Sam as a sacrifice in her search for union with her Lord but Sam takes on the shape of a bull and she is gored.

The usually peaceful Nandi has dispensed justice.

When Sam resumes his human form he rips out MA’s black heart, taking on Shiva’s destructive aspect and destroying evil.

In Taoism the bull can represent the animal nature of human beings and Maryann harnesses this side of the people of Bon Temps to summon Dionysus.

For Zen Buddhists, the bull can also be used to symbolise enlightenment and there is a series of poems called the Ten Bulls that describe the stages on the path.

After the ritual, when life in Bon Temps has returned to what passes as normal, Sam wears a belt buckle with a bull on it.

Let There Be Light

Bobsgran made me curious about Sookie’s glow hands, so I had a look to see if they were colour co-ordinated in any way.

When Sookie uses her power, the colour of the light we see, though it starts off white, ends up looking different depending on the situation and who she is dealing with.

She thinks she has no control over it but she is able to shine a light on what is happening and cut through a situation at the point when she has had enough of what is going down.

Unlike the clear light experienced by Lala and Jesus during the first part of their V trip, to begin with the colours associated with Sookie’s glow hands are smokier and contain hints of other colours.

When faced with MA the light has a shade of purple and pink.

In answer to MA’s question “What are you?” Sookie replies “None of your business”

In response to Sam saying “Destroy it, all of it”

In Dallas when Cooter tells her that he’s going to get her and she tells him “maybe not” the light is mainly blue with a tinge of pink.

When he grabs her she shouts “Noooo!“

When she separates Eric from Russell outside Fangtasia to save Eric from burning in the sun her light is mainly tinged with green.

Goaded by Russell to use her gift and power, he tells her “not to think about it” and she is able to break the chain of the handcuffs linking Eric and RE.

When RE orders her to drag him back inside she zaps him away and there is also a hint of peachy yellow.

And in the land of the Fae her light turns yellow when faced with Mab.

Ordered to eat the fruit she shouts “get away from me” and ends up zapping Mab. The spell is broken, there is a flash of white light and the scene changes. She finds herself in a different world and without the yellow glow usually associated with the Fae realm

At the FOT rally the light that cures Eric of the amnesia spell is white.

This time, against a blue background, she  raises both her hands shouting “No more”

And the light that hits Eric is pure white

Watching from the balcony, M/A says “Broken”

When Sookie is part of the circle at the Moon Goddess casting a spell to draw the vampires towards the barrier she hears what sounds like Jason saying “Stop this Sook“.

Below a double string of coloured prayer flags, both her hands glow white

The circle is filled with light

and the spell is broken

The Spirits Are Always Looking For A Way In

According to Abuelo: “The spirits are always looking for a way in” and we met three of them in S4 of True Blood.

Antonia

The oldest spirit is Antonia, burnt at the stake as a witch and abused by vampires, her hatred and desire for revenge has fueled her unquiet soul for 400 years.

Thanks to a willing blood offering by Marnie, Antonia is able to possess her body and is then free to enact her revenge. Her presence seems to be linked to Luis, the vampire who escaped being burnt when Antonia and her fellow witches cast a spell on those who were responsible for their suffering. She also appears to recognise Eric and be able to protect him to some extent. When she becomes aware of the full extent of Marnie’s hatred and its implications she no longer wishes to play a part in her schemes and she is free to leave.

Mavis

Mavis can only be seen by the Arlene’s baby Mikey and Lafayette. It might her longing for a child that has caused her to be drawn back to the world of the living. Though she is a spirit who had not yet taken possession of a living human, like a poltergeist she seemed to be able to affect the material world, saving Mikey from the fire.

However, when Lafayette sees her she puts a finger to her lips, telling him to keep silent, reminiscent of the way that Cecilia shooed Jesus away during the first part of the V trip. When she takes possession of Lala we are shown how she dies and a baby’s grave is discovered. Reunited with her child she vanishes away.

Tio Luca

Tio Luca is Jesus’ uncle who manifests during the trip that Jesus and Lafayette take to Mexico.

Drawn by the sacrifice and Abuelo’s power, the spirit of Tio Luca returns and heals Jesus by temporarily possessing Lafayette. Though a spirit guide can take the form of an animal or of a human, from Jesus’ reaction it could seem that Tio Luca has not been allowed to finally rest. Through the imagery of the the cauldron and the voodoo doll shown in the V trip he is linked to the forces of evil through Abuelo. Jesus told Lafayette that his mother took him as far away as possible from his grandfather, “as he had big plans” for him.

Some years ago, in an interview about Six Feet Under, Alan Ball  said:

“In the writers’ room, we envision that, when the dead speak, they’re not ghosts. They are the dead person’s presence and memory and influence, in the mind of the person being spoken to.”

http://www.tricycle.com/profile/big-mind-small-screen-six-feet-unders-alan-ball

I remember it well…

Wasn’t sure what I would find when I started looking at the scenes Eric saw when his memory returned, so it turned out to be a journey of discovery. Hope some of it makes sense.

After Eric is zapped by Sookie with white light his memories return. He is standing next to a column of coloured balloons: red, black and silvery white.

First he remembers his family and being turned by Godric.

The colours are earthy and ochre, yellow for the colour of earth, the material world. When this energy is in balance things are stable, grounded and secure. Out of balance we feel unable to move as Eric was when facing death and being turned, or restless and dissatisfied as he was when he expected to behave as a Prince. These scenes show where Eric came from and form the basis for his future.

A thousand years later Eric owns Fangtasia and he has become a sheriff.

There is a predominance of red, the colour of fire, when this energy is in balance it this can signify creativity and accomplishments. Too much fire can lead to anger and intolerance – Sookie slaps Eric and he has a confrontation with QSA. Too little fire can lead to a lack of vitality and inspiration – life for Eric has become routine until Sookie enters his world.

The next important memory for Eric is the rooftop at Dallas where Eric’s maker Godric has decided to meet the sun and Sookie shows empathy and compassion .

These scenes are blue, the colour of space and when it is balanced we know who we are and this leads to freedom. Too much space and and we can feel lost and out of touch, too little space we can become overwhelmed and caught up by whatever comes up,  Eric feels both extremes when faced with losing Godric.

Sookie is again wearing a dress of red and white, the colours of clarity and discrimination.

The death of Eric’s parents, killed by Russell’s wolves, lead him to kill Talbot and later, following Godric’s example, he is prepared to meet the sun in an effort to save Sookie.

Pam, Sookie and RE are wearing green in the following scenes. Green is linked to air and  to change, it can transform negativity to positivity. Too much air can lead to worry and unhappiness and too little and we can become stuck. It takes Pam’s balanced intervention for Eric to come up with a plan to save himself and those he cares for. Eric is also wearing a green jumper when Sookie slaps him in Fangtasia yet he remains balanced.

Eric killing Talbot was the ground for Eric’s later interaction with RE.

Eric’s amnesia brings a chance for him to walk in the sun and bathe in the lake and he returns to his Viking past, seeing himself as Æsir, God of the Sea

White is linked with water and sets the scene for Eric’s union with Sookie. Water is fluid and we can feel full of joy, happy with our lives. Too much water and we can get lost in our emotions, too little and we become disconnected. Eric is saved from being burnt by the red blanket that Sookie wraps him in to lead him back to the house where their relationship evolves.

The final scenes bring together blue and white – Clarity and Freedom.

Grounded by his relationship with Sookie and bringing together all five elements, he has remembered.

The Bardo of Becoming – Part II

Though the main emotion that governs the realm of the Devas is pleasurable distraction and pride is the emotion mainly associated with the realm of the demi-gods, those who believe they are god-like can also be ruled by self-esteem.

Pride leads MA to believe that she can summon Dionysus.

QSA’s self-esteem encourages her to believe that she is able to outwit those stronger than herself.

Russell’s conceit shows when he plays the role of leader to the V-addicted weres.

Pride can manifest as anger and wrath, and those who live in the Realm of the Asuras are often at war.

The Realm of the Asuras

The light associated with this realm is red and should someone follow this light they will find themselves in a world where they might see a ring of fire and find themselves in the middle of a battlefield.

Antonia was tied to a stake and trapped in a ring of fire during the Inquisition. She and her fellow witches fought to create a spell that would overpower the vampires who abused them and force them to meet the sun.

Sookie is trapped in a ring of fire at the Moon Goddess during the battle against Marnie.

Bill and Eric are tied to a stake in a circle of fire while Sookie, Tara and Holly try to free them, fighting to release Lala from the demon’s control.

When Jesus is attempting to free Sookie from M/A’s spell, Lala is associated with a statue of Shiva Nataraja, Lord of the Dance.

Surrounded by a circle of fire, Shiva balances on a dwarf who represents illusion and ignorance. Creator, destroyer and preserver of the universe, Shiva’s dance represents the never-ending circle of time.

The Bardo of Becoming – Part I

After spending two weeks in the Intermediate State (True Blood Book of the Dead Part II) the next stage on the path to rebirth is the Bardo of Becoming.

The Bardo of Becoming

Previous actions have a great influence on a person’s future and rebirth can take place in one of the six realms that can also represent a state of mind.

1. The Realm of the Devas

This Realm of the Gods is associated with a white light and splendid palaces and is populated by godlike beings who enjoy great power and wealth. Their lives seem to be long and happy ones, but even a Deva can die. It is a state that feels good but is temporary, as Eric says “everything ends, even the immortals“.

Because they lead a life full of privilege and have great wealth and status, it’s easy for them to ignore the suffering of others, so in spite of their long lives they often show neither wisdom nor compassion.

MaryAnne

In S1 Tara meets MaryAnne and is taken to her house. MA’s house is a palace compared to what she is used to. It is comfortable, with tables laden with food, fruit and flowers.

MA is prepared to use everyone and everything in her quest to meet Dionysus.

Queen Sophie-Anne 

In Season 2 Bill and Eric go to visit Queen Sophie-Anne to discover a way of dealing with MA. QSA lives in a splendid palace, partly based on images from the film Salo, and with a swimming pool reminiscent of the one at MA’s. Instead of tables laden with food she offers a vampire alternative, a wide selection of donors.

She shows little wisdom in her dealings with those around her including the IRS and the VA.

Russell Edgington

In S3 we meet Russell Edgington whose opulent mansion shows he lives like a god. He has taken the art of vampire fine dining to a whole new level. He offers a splendid table with the rarest of blood confections.

He shows no compassion, to him humans are just a food supply, and a source of beautiful trophies.

King Bill

In S4 Bill is shown living in a palatial mansion and has become a king. Like RE he has surrounded himself with splendid objects from around the world, chosen to reflect his status within the vampire community. In spite of his previous declarations about mainstreaming, we see him feeding on humans and he has a procurer.

He sees himself as a god but, since his actions are mainly based around jealousy and fighting, he seems to have more in common with the demigods, who live in the Realm of the Asuras.

Miss Jeanette and the Demons

Miss Jeanette tells Tara that she inherited her power from her mother and from a tradition that goes back 1,000 years. The crone stone she uses in Lettie Mae’s exorcism is supposed to have come from Africa and as one of 12 children the stone chose her.

Though it’s implied that she comes from a family of conjurers, perhaps similar to that of Lafayette’s ancestor Winnie, the trailer in the woods not only contains things such as roots, stones and herbs, associated with that magical tradition, but strings of bones and the skin of a snake.

When Tara confronts her later in the drugstore and accuses her of being a fake she doesn’t deny it. She says that “just because Miss Jeanette isn’t real that doesn’t mean to say she can’t help people” and that “faith is a powerful thing”.

Lettie Mae’s ideas about demons seem to be linked to her religion. She believes that her demon is living and breathing inside her, eating her up and that they go after weak people who still have faith. Her friend from the church agrees with her that demons are everywhere.

MJ’s view of demons is that they can kill and will do so given half a chance, if you call LM’s alcohol addiction a demon, this could happen.

MJ’s methods seem to vary depending on who she is dealing with, with LM she stresses an ancient tradition, using the crone stone, chanting and drumming to which LM responds. She appears to drive the demon into another host, a possum, and then kill it.

Tara is much more skeptical but MJ seems to be aware of the negative forces driving her and lists them as rage, anger, hate and self-pity. Tara later tells Sam much the same thing.

MJ’s approach with Tara is to tell her that “Your mind, your physical body is just a manifestation of your soul, and your soul is sick”. She also gets her to see if she can face looking at herself in a mirror.

For Tara’s exorcism MJ chooses another method, this time it takes place out in the woods, by a fire and away from the trailer. She makes Tara drink a concoction of ipeca and peyote that makes her sick and start to hallucinate.

Tara sees an image of herself as a child and MJ says that a demon will take on any form just to stay alive as it knows someone’s fears and weaknesses. Tara is told that she is the only one who can destroy it. She is  given a knife and told to stand up to her demon and not be fooled.

Shortly after we see her looking at a knife covered in blood and the vision seems to be gone.

As LM is unaware that MJ leads a double life, the exorcism seems to work for her, at least as far as alcohol is concerned.

In Tara’s case all her anger and negativity come back as she feels she’s been conned.

Lafayette’s take on exorcism is that “this world is filled with things we’ll never understand”

There’s a report on bloodcopy twitter that mentions a voodoo lady

Mike Spencer’s got his hands full. Voodoo lady killed by animal but butchered by human. That’s some crazy CSI shit. 13 Jul 09

Life as Cinema

This whole life is like a movie, film, cinema….

There are actors, there are producers, all the drama, all the romance, everything that’s in cinema.

The thing is you are the director, you are the producer and you are also the audience.

What we have to do is try to be a good audience and have a better seat so to speak, maybe in the middle so that you see all angles.

Rehearsal is something that you can do in film and then you can take again and again, the same action, supposedly the same action, anyway.

In day to day life we don’t have time for rehearsal, there’s no take 2. The moment you think something, it’s already take 1 and that’s it, that’s the final take.

Writing the story for a film at least you can do it consciously, there’s a certain amount of control within yourself, how you want to write

When we write our own story, in our lifetime, most of the time we don’t have any control how we write and the very idea, the very purpose of spiritual practice is so that we will have a control over how to write our story… our real life story.

We can write ourselves how we want, we can guard ourselves. Most of the time we can’t because we are always overpowered by our passion, aggressions, and these emotions write the story for us without any choice for us to even make a comment.

Every day we direct things, romance, anger, sadness, happiness, conflict, all of this is directed by you, produced by you and you are also the actor, and you are also the audience and that’s how our life is just like cinema.

If you know this then a certain kind of confidence and courage will come.

Dzongsar Khyentse Rinpoche

from the film Life as Cinema directed by Anika Tokarchuk

The Lord of Death

One of the supernatural creatures found in Buddhist literature is the demon Mara, also called the Lord of Death, and his name means destruction.

He rules over the whole of wordly existence and uses every trick to try and trap and delude us.

He has as an army made up of ten hosts that he can use to keep us in his thrall. These hosts are the emotions of Lust; Aversion; Hunger; Thirst; Craving; Stoth and Torpor; Cowardice; Doubt; Hypocrisy and Stupidity; False Glory; and Conceit.

He uses deception, disguise and threats to possess people and tries to cause terror and confusion through terrible means. By keeping people afraid and tied up with that fear he is able to bind people and increase his power over them.

The most powerful emotions at his disposal are personified by his three daughters who represent craving, clinging and aversion

Like Mara, there are many ways that Bill has used to trap and entangle Sookie in his web of delusion.

He has used lust to tie her to him sexually, aversion to try to turn her against Eric, craving by making her dependent on his blood and used her feelings of doubt about her self-worth against her.

He used Sookie’s fear after Gran was murdered and encouraged to her to be fearful of all other vampires.

He uses glamour to manipulate people’s emotions and control not only the inhabitants of Bon Temps but anyone who he can fix with his gaze.

He has also used deception to keep Sookie afraid of moving on and has taken many disguises in his role as procurer for Queen Sophie-Anne.

If Sookie is able to refuse Bill’s temptations she might be able to see that the arrows sent by his army of emotions are as insubstantial as flowers and remain unmoved.

The Bell and the Thunderbolt

When Antonia first appeared, Marnie was shown wearing a vajra or dorje, the Tibetan Buddhist symbol for a thunderbolt.

After Antonia fully enters Marnie’s body, M/A is shown wearing a phurba, the ritual dagger.

The sound of a bell can be heard in the graveyard when M/A says to Eric “servus”, “servant”.

In Buddhist rituals, the bell is paired with the vajra.

The bell represents wisdom and emptiness, the feminine principle, and the vajra represents method and skillful means, the masculine principle.

To reach enlightenment, these two principles must be combined. The bell is visualised as the body, the vajra is the mind, and the sound of the bell can also represent the speech of the Buddha

The vajra is held usually held in the right hand and the bell in the left hand, and together they can represent the union of male and female, method and wisdom,  skillful means and discriminating awareness