God Is An Octopus: Loss, Love and a Calling to Nature

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This animal also has developed the ability to detach any of its limbs to distract its predators. You need to understand the same from the totem perspective. This means that you need to cut loose of unwanted baggage present to achieve your goals and desires. The question asked here is, what are the things in your life that you need to leave behind? This will specify how you wish to move forwards to achieving the highest good! Such parts often, tend to serve as distractions, like unhealthy relationships, TV, addictions, etc. Yes, both male and fe male octopuses die shortly after mating. The male dies a few months afterwards, while females die shortly after their eggs hatch. This is because they stop eating to guard their eggs and eventually starve to death. What is the significance of the octopus in Hawaiian mythology? Callaghan, Gavin (2013). H. P. Lovecraft's Dark Arcadia: The Satire, Symbology and Contradiction. McFarland. p.192. ISBN 978-1476602394. They are often depicted as powerful and mysterious creatures, symbolizing intelligence and adaptability. One of the most intriguing stories in Hawaiian mythology is the tale of the Octopus Woman. According to legend, there was a beautiful young woman named Kahelelani who lived in a coastal village. She was known for her exceptional diving skills and her deep connection with the ocean.

If you feel that you are an octopus in a dream, then it shows your eagerness to control others. You can explore the choices of being in a co-dependent relationship. The goal here is to grow as well as regenerate through your experiences. Greek Mythology: In Greek mythology, the octopus is associated with the god Poseidon, ruler of the seas. It is believed that the octopus was a sacred animal to Poseidon and served as a symbol of his power and authority over the ocean.In Japanese mythology, the octopus holds a unique place. Known as “Tako” in Japanese, the octopus is both feared and respected. It is often depicted as a powerful and intelligent creature, capable of shape-shifting and causing havoc. However, it is also revered for its strength, adaptability, and resourcefulness. the Old or Ancient Ones, the Elder Gods, of cosmic good, and those of cosmic evil, bearing many names, and themselves of different groups, as if associated with the elements and yet transcending them: for there are the Water Beings, hidden in the depths; those of Air that are the primal lurkers beyond time; those of Earth, horrible animate survivors of distant eons. [17] :256 The Makara is considered a guardian of the oceans and is often associated with the sea god Varuna. It is believed to possess immense strength and is often depicted as a vehicle for various gods and goddesses. While the octopus itself may not be explicitly mentioned, its characteristics and symbolism are intertwined with the mythical creature, adding to its mystique. C. The Octopus in Norse Mythology: A Sea Serpent’s Ally

In July 2019, Ben Goldsmith lost his fifteen-year-old daughter, Iris, in an accident on their family farm in Somerset. Iris’s death left her family reeling.Autophagy typically occurs in fe male octopuses after they have finished laying their eggs. The female‘s maternal instincts drive her to provide nourishment for her young, even at the cost of her own body. By consuming her own arms, she can provide the necessary nutrients to ensure the survival and healthy development of her offspring. Cephalopod Folklore: In the realm of ancient mythology, the octopus often symbolizes intelligence, adaptability, and mystery. Its ability to camouflage and change color has led to its association with deception and illusion. Octopus Symbolism in Sea Creature Legends: The octopus is frequently depicted as a formidable creature in se a creature legends. Its multiple arms and powerful suction cups evoke a sense of strength and dominance. In some tales, the octopus is portrayed as a guardian of hidden treasures or a protector of the deep sea.

British Academy. 2021. The COVID decade: Understanding the long-term societal impacts of COVID-19. The British Academy, London DOI doi.org/10.5871/bac19stf/9780856726583.001 Watson, Zebbie (June 16, 2016). "Who Is Behind Cthulhu For America?". Inverse. Archived from the original on October 25, 2020 . Retrieved May 31, 2020.You can get to know the symbolism simply by observing this animal physically. The octopus’ physicality, ranging from regeneration ability to eyesight, shows symbolic interpretations. Octopuses, with their mysterious and enigmatic nature, have captivated the human imagination for centuries. These intelligent creatures possess a unique and fascinating lifecycle, filled with intricate rituals and behaviors. One of the most intriguing aspects of the octopus lifecycle is their mating ritual, which can be described as a fatal love affair. Anyone that has suffered the death of a young friend or family member will recognise the motions Goldsmith goes through: the ‘if onlys’, obsessing over details, curiously noting preternatural elements – every one inexplicably filled with significance and pathos, the outer body experience that somehow your human story line doesn’t fit within the world around you. But of course, death does fit within the world around us. Nature encompasses every significant human experience, even mourning. [5] Death transcends our day-to-day myopia and reminds us with crushing immediacy that we are a part of something much bigger: nature, so all-encompassing that we often forget it’s there, or we treat its destruction as a trivial issue. The short story that first mentions Cthulhu, "The Call of Cthulhu", was published in Weird Tales in 1928, and established the character as a malevolent entity, hibernating within R'lyeh, an underwater city in the South Pacific. The imprisoned Cthulhu is apparently the source of constant subconscious anxiety for all mankind, and is also the object of worship, both by many human cults (including some within New Zealand, Greenland, Louisiana, and the Chinese mountains) and by other Lovecraftian monsters (called Deep Ones [12] and Mi-Go [13]). The short story asserts the premise that, while currently trapped, Cthulhu will eventually return. His worshippers chant " Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn " ("In his house at R'lyeh, dead Cthulhu waits dreaming"). [11] H. P. Lovecraft, Cthulhu's creator

There is another loss at the heart of this book. Goldsmith describes the terrifying rate at which plants and animals are disappearing from our countryside. He is already known as a strong and credible voice for conservation and, in particular, as a campaigner for rewilding, which seeks to undo the damage inflicted by humans on the landscape, restoring complex ecosystems, such as the delicate balance between vegetation, herbivore and predator. Goldsmith believes that this is only possible with the return of missing keystone species, such as lynxes and wolves. In the year that follows Iris’s death, he becomes even more passionate about reversing the decline of species and habitats.To paraphrase Orwell, good books tell you something new, the best books tell you something you already know to be true. [4] This is the case with God is an Octopus. Contained in this book is a powerful meditation on how nature heals even the most catastrophic of losses. Grasping for answers, Ben threw himself into searching for some ongoing trace of his beloved child, exploring ideas that until then had seemed too abstract to mean much to him. Missing his daughter terribly and struggling to imagine how he would face the rest of his life in the shadow of this loss, Ben found solace in nature, the object of a lifelong fascination. As Ben set about rewilding his farm, nature became a vital source of meaning and hope. Inspired by Iris’s sense of connection to all living things, Goldsmith pursues the restorative, healing aspects of nature. Plunging into the cold water of a pond, while subsumed by grief he notes, “I felt nature enveloping me, reassuring me, beneath a sun that shone hot even as it approached the conclusion of its long, daily descent westwards”. The natural world, particularly on the farm, is where Goldsmith feels closest to his daughter. Gorgeous descriptions of her merge with captivating nature writing. Iris remains vividly alive through his words as he recounts her childhood and the time they spent together, as well as the history of the landscape in which she grew up.