{"id":5178,"title":"Apotropaic symbols.","description":"Why do we use symbols for protection?","content":"<p>For thousands of years, we have scratched and carved symbols into our doors and over windows to keep evil spirits out. Perhaps the most well-known of these apotropaic symbols is the pentagram which has been used extensively in pop culture and by many heavy metal bands to denote evil. Still, its origins couldn't be further from this interpretation. It was only in the 19th century when it was flipped upside down that it started to be used with mal intent. Before this change, it was used for protection and can even be seen carved into the walls of churches with the hope that it might pin down any demons that enter.<br \/>You see, demons are thought not to be very intelligent, so when they enter the pentagram, they try and reach the end of the lines but never succeed (and so are trapped in a loop). We can see many other examples of the protective nature of the pentagram; in the story of Gawain and the Green Knight, for example, the shield of Gawain is adorned with a pentagram to protect him on his journey.<br \/><br \/>It is believed that witches and spirits entered the house through any place where air could flow; as such, witch bottles (coloured glass bottles which trap the mal intent of the witch) may be placed under doors to protect the inhabitants. Some scholars believe that witches are attracted to the smell of feet and upon getting close to shoes become trapped inside. There is one place, however, where you cannot stop the air from entering: the chimney. It is for this reason that in some medieval households they would stuff shoes up the fireplace in the hope that they would trap evil coming down. If you think these to be superstitious practices of times gone by, why do you put stockings out for Santa? The spirit who comes down the chimney.<br \/><br \/>Salt is the last method you may have heard. When performing a ritual or summoning a demon, an unbroken circle of salt is often placed around the magician for protection. The exact reason why is difficult to say. However, some believe that the crystalline structure of salt deflects and refracts the electromagnetic energy the ghosts and spirits use to manifest and move objects.<br \/><\/p>","urlTitle":"apotropaic-symbols","url":"\/blog\/apotropaic-symbols\/","editListUrl":"\/my-blogs","editUrl":"\/my-blogs\/edit\/apotropaic-symbols\/","fullUrl":"https:\/\/touchfreak.shop\/blog\/apotropaic-symbols\/","featured":false,"published":true,"showOnSitemap":true,"hidden":false,"visibility":null,"createdAt":1591562952,"updatedAt":1591563053,"publishedAt":1591563053,"lastReadAt":null,"division":{"id":45559,"name":"Touchfreak"},"tags":[],"metaImage":{"original":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5edd44ed13b0a2.88544990.png","thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5edd44ed13b0a2.88544990.png.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5edd44ed13b0a2.88544990.png.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"metaTitle":null,"metaDescription":null,"keyPhraseCampaignId":null,"series":[],"similarReads":[{"id":3305,"title":"The hard problem of morality.","url":"\/blog\/what-does-morality-mean\/","urlTitle":"what-does-morality-mean","division":45559,"description":"What does morality mean?","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e7f6b4921fbf1.39587799.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e7f6b4921fbf1.39587799.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":3226,"title":"Who are we?","url":"\/blog\/who-are-we\/","urlTitle":"who-are-we","division":45559,"description":"Hello to all you lovers of strange! I just thought I'd give a little background on who we are, what we do, and why you should care ;)Touchfreak is a father and son team of two odd bods who have always been attracted to the weird, wonderful and plain bizarre aspects of life.  We started out by making","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e7bd297576464.31245083.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5e7bd297576464.31245083.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0},{"id":5198,"title":"Alex Alchemist: Ghost hunter.","url":"\/blog\/alex-alchemist-ghost-hunter\/","urlTitle":"alex-alchemist-ghost-hunter","division":45559,"description":"In this post, I want to tell you all about a Youtuber I came across who does some fantastic work in the occult and paranormal research.  The channels is Alex Alchemist:&nbsp;https:\/\/www. youtube","published":true,"metaImage":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5ede8ed07bdc05.54341254.jpeg.jpg?w=1140&h=855","banner":"https:\/\/images.podos.io\/5ede8ed07bdc05.54341254.jpeg.jpg?w=1920&h=1440"},"hidden":0}],"labels":[]}