Innholdsfortegnelse for October 2021 i Chat It's Fate

The ancient Celts celebrated the festival of Samhain on 31 October, to mark the end of the harvest. It was all about respecting the dead – perhaps in the hope that they’d be looked after by their departed ancestors during the hard winter months. They celebrated the occasion with huge bonfires, sacrifices, feasting, and fortune-telling. They’d then light their own hearth fires from the sacred bonfire to help protect them over the winter. In the 8th century, Pope Gregory III designated 1 November as All Saints Day. This holiday honours those who’ve gone to Heaven, so having it on 1 November retained the links with Samhain of honouring the dead.…

VANISHING BIRDS Thousands of pigeons have disappeared in what appears to be some kind of Bermuda Triangle-type experience. The Bermuda Triangle is an area of the Atlantic Ocean where airplanes, ships and even seabirds have mysteriously gone missing, never to be seen again. Up to 250,000 pigeons were released on 19 June in the UK for pigeon races, but only 10% returned in the allotted time. Some have turned up as far away as Holland and Majorca, but thousands are still missing – and seem to have vanished without trace. Metro.co.uk reports that the disappearances were first highlighted in reports about a race from Peterborough to the North East, in which more than half of the 9,000 pigeons went AWOL. It’s been speculated that freak weather may be to…

We’ve had weapons for as long as we’ve been on the planet. From a simple knife to a deadly bomb, there are countless tools we can – and sadly, do – use to do harm to our fellow human beings. Different cultures use different weapons, and of course, these have become imbued with a symbolism of their own. Here’s what it can mean if we find ourselves dreaming of some of these dreaded implements of aggression… CUTTING IT Knives and daggers represent a need to cut something or someone out of your life, to cut ties or sever a relationship, or possibly to divide or dissect a situation to your advantage. OUT WITH A BANG Handguns are symbolic of overbearing masculine authority, pride, and power. They can also be suggestive…

Governed by the planet Jupiter, and associated with the element of fire, it’s no surprise that figs are associated with protection. Fig branches were placed by the door to keep evil at bay, and the leaves were used in divination spells. Figs can be eaten for fertility, and also given as a gift to your heart’s desire, to induce love. Make it! Take a handful of figs and slice, then pop in a bowl. Cover with 1 tbsp of brown sugar, and 1 tsp of powdered cinnamon. Mix, transfer to a baking tray, and add a couple of sprigs of rosemary. Pop in a medium hot oven for around 40 mins. Enjoy with cream, ice cream or a drizzle of honey, while making a wish for love. GOT A QUESTION…

THE WRITE STUFF Who doesn’t love a nice pen? This Parker ballpoint pen from luxury gift hub, Pen Heaven, is super-special. Coming in a magical midnight blue gloss finish, it’s etched with a silver-grey map of the constellations. If this doesn’t bring you good luck in exams or the work place, then nothing will! £45 from penheaven.co.uk SIGN OF THE TIMES Get your lips round the Zodiac Lip Balm Collection from Crazy Rumours – a galactic new lip balm collection inspired by the constellations! It consists of custom scents for Earth, Air, Water and Fire in mesmerising aromatic blends, each of which comes in your very own star sign. Fire signs can enjoy citrus, spice and berry blend; Earth signs get vanilla, rose and plum; Air signs luck out with…

Last year, Halloween was a quiet affair – but this year we’re all keen to enjoy some Halloween fun! Here’s a round-up of some of the best Halloween events taking place across the UK – along with their spooky histories... Did you know? he Halloween custom of trick or treating T derives from the much older tradition of ‘souling.’ On All Souls (or All Hallows) Eve – 31 October – poor children and adults would go door-to-door dressed as spirits accepting food in exchange for prayers. Fiery fun Each autumn, towns in Sussex light up with flaming torches and street parades as people rock up for an evening of outrageous fun and partying. For many locals, these events are the highlight of the year. Bonfire Societies prepare months in advance,…

This is Halloween month so there’s loads going on – check out our feature on p56 for more info. If you’re looking to be spooked, then you’re spoilt for choice! • Jack the Ripper stalked the East End of London in 1888, leaving a trail of corpses behind him. The serial killer was never caught or identified – but you can follow in his (bloody) footsteps by joining the original Jack The Ripper tour which sets off every evening from Aldgate East station. Tickets are £12 from jack-the-ripper-tour.com. • If you fancy a spooky stay, Warwick Castle is turning its Knights Village Lodges into Frights Village for Halloween! There’s lots to do at the castle, from meeting the Witches of Warwick to exploring the haunted dungeons. Kids will love it!…

WORLD PREDICTIONS • Newspaper sales fall steeply • People try and get back with their ex when they shouldn’t – don’t do it! • London’s transport system on the brink of collapse • Online churches become a thing • Spooky skies in the autumn nights – including strange scraping sounds! • Horses are inexplicably found dead in the UK and Europe • There’s an ancient sword with a female connection • Marriage in our 60s and 70s is on the rise • There’s worldwide social media fatigue • Bad live injury on Strictly • A big chemical plant leak in China. For Lotto luck, try 4, 15, 16, 24, 30 and 33. For Euromillions, go for 9, 17, 18, 27, 30 and 50.…

Celebrate Halloween, witch style! Halloween – or Samhain (pronounced Sow-win) as it’s known to witches and pagans – is one of two spirit days in the witch’s calendar, the other one being Beltane, in May. These are the times of year when the veil between our world and that of the dead is thin, and spirits can cross over. It’s also New Year’s Eve for witches, as the pagan new year begins on 1 November – so naturally they like to celebrate it in style! Why not grab yourself a glass of mulled wine (or soft drink of your choice) and celebrate along with them? Make an altar An altar is a sacred space that witches use to carry out rituals, and decorate on special occasions – such as Samhain,…

Alison Crocker, 51, from Alderholt, Dorset Deep in the woods, the boughs of ancient trees twisting above me, I turned on my camera. I was all alone in the New Forest hunting paranormal creatures – something I’ve done for the last 12 years. I’m a clairvoyant, medium and healer, and I’ve had many strange experiences with the unexplained. But then again, I do go out of my way to encounter the mysterious. And the hunt on that July afternoon didn’t disappoint. I was walking on a path, surrounded by huge oak and beech trees, with my video camera running. Experience has taught me that you can catch ‘things’ on camera that you miss with the naked eye. So, I often film my investigations. It was a muggy afternoon with no…

Lucifer is the most famous angel to have fallen from grace – but he’s not the only one Whatever our faith, we think of angels as creatures of pure light and goodness, the beings that stand between humanity and the divine – but the truth is, that’s not always the case. Some angels are actually rather nasty! Fallen angels crop up in religions and mythologies all over the world, from ancient texts right through to the present day. Found in Jewish, Christian and Muslim lore, the term ‘fallen angel’ is used to describe angels who have been cast out of Heaven, or angels who have sinned. Many people claim fallen angels and demons are one and the same, and that fallen angels roam the earth, hellbent on spreading evil. Some…

Libra At your best… Seeing both sides of an argument, combined with your natural diplomacy, makes you scrupulously fair-minded. You also prefer to look on the bright side and see the best in all people in all situations. Your love of beauty and refinement means you have excellent taste and may be a talented artist. Naturally sociable, you adore company, not just romantically, but in every sphere of your life. You’re a great best friend! At your worst… Procrastination is a big issue. and you often avoid tricky conversations and confrontations. You hate unpleasantness so much that you can be a bit ‘all about me’ and your own problems – think Marie Antoinette! You a so over-indulgence! You’re also too trusting at times. Don’t be taken for a fool. Sex…

Leila Khoury, 49, from Nottingham Sitting back in the comfy living room of my new boat, I smiled to myself. ‘Home at last,’ I murmured. It was 2007 and I’d spent the previous decade travelling round the world, but my dad wasn’t very well, so I’d decided to settle down in the UK. I bought myself a houseboat near Windsor called Diable The Fallen Angel – which was funny as I was very into all things spiritual. On a whim, I went to visit a local pet shop – and spotted a bundle of black fluff with long ears and an adorable fluffy tail. A six-month-old male rabbit! Robo couldn’t bear to let me out of his sight I remembered Dad phoning a years ago and randomly asking if I…

A dream saved my life Jane Mortimer, 68, from Essex Hobbling round the shopping centre, I had to sit down on a bench for a breather. My legs were aching painfully and my feet hurt – it was like I’d done a 10-mile run, not popped into town for a potter round the shops. SomedaysI wastootired to get out of my bed ‘What’s happening to me?’ I collapsed groaning onto the settee. ‘Something’s not right. You need to see the doctor.’ So I went to see my GP, and explained to him exactly how I’d been feeling. ‘I’ve just had enough,’ I told him. ‘I’m fed up with it all.’ I’d barely finished speaking wondered. At 65 years old, I’d always been really fit and active, loved nothing more than…

This month, jaunty Jupiter moves direct in freethinking Aquarius, making a good aspect with energising Mars. It’s time for blue-sky thinking, whatever the weather. Opportunities abound now and you can change your life for the better – if you want to! You just need to be a bit creative and to spot those opportunities when they pop up… Aries ebel without a R cause? Maybe, but anything is better than following the same old boring schedules. Your head’s buzzing with new ideas and crazy dreams. Isn’t life too short not to take a chance? FORTUNE SMILES when you brainstorm with a friend. Two heads are better than one, and although arguments are likely, debate will sharpen your mind and give you more options. Don’t be too impatient to give these…

Despite being a cemetery, a place for the dead, the land surrounding our home teems with life. In the spring, Justin and I watch the birds building nests and raising their fledglings, and in the summer, little brown baby rabbits hop between the stones. In autumn, the leaves on the trees turn gorgeous shades of gold, brown and orange, and in winter, foxes scavenge the site, looking for food. It’s become the perfect place for me to observe my festivals and traditions. Samhain is a very special time of the year I think of myself as a solar witch, which means I feel particularly alive around the time of the summer solstice and on brighter, sunnier days. I love nothing more than watching the sun rising or setting over the…

Take this class to: • Learn about manifesting • Attract the things you want and need into your life • Become more positive, upbeat and optimistic! The Law of Attraction is one of the most powerful spiritual laws in the universe and has become increasingly recognised over the years. It works on the principle that like attracts like and what you think about will come about. Does it really work? Well, lots of spiritual practitioners believe that it does – and one of them is Law of Attraction coach Carolyne Bennett, who has worked with many clients, helping them turn their lives around and heal themselves emotionally and spiritually. The good news is that you can transform your life, too. Here, Carolyne explains how you can overcome problems and self-doubt…

All the following herbal remedies are safe, easy to use at home and available from pharmacies or health food stores. You can use them on a regular basis to help alleviate stress and improve general wellbeing. Chamomile tea This is a vital part of your herbal first aid kit. A strong cup will usually aid restful sleep, calm anxiety, and soothe the digestion. It’s specifically used in IBS, and I love it because it’s available everywhere and safe for the whole family to use. Herbal footbaths These are a great ritual to help your mental health. Not only do you get to enjoy the health benefits of the warm herbal tea as it soaks into your skin, you also get 20 minutes of well deserved self-pampering. Choose from lavender, lemon…

Last July, tech billionaire Elon Musk caused controversy when he Tweeted, Aliens built the pyramids obvs. Twitter immediately erupted with excitement and outrage – because Musk was echoing one of the biggest conspiracy theories of all time, and one that regularly does the rounds on social media. For centuries, people have been awed by the sheer size of the pyramids – at 146.5 metres tall, the Great Pyramid of Giza was the oldest man-made structure in the world for over 3,800 years. ‘Sonic levitation’is onetheory The only one of the ‘Seven Wonders of the Ancient World’ that’s still standing, just outside Cairo, it was built in the 26th century BC as the final resting place for the Pharoah Khufu. It’s constructed from 2.3 million irregular blocks of limestone and granite…

THE VENUE: Bishton Hall, Stoke-on-Trent THE HAUNTING: This stunning Grade II-listed building dates back to 1750 – and some parts of the building are so old that they’re even mentioned in the Domesday book. That’s a lot of history for one location! The hall was last used as a school, St. Bede’s – and rather disturbingly, some of the ‘play areas’ were down in the dungeons! The building is well-known for its paranormal phenomena; in particular, there’ve been regular sightings of a lady in white, believed to be Charlotte Sparrow, a beautiful philanthropist who spent her whole life in Bishton Hall in the 18th century, dying there aged 90 in 1876. With 17 bedrooms, servants’ quarters and creepy underground tunnels, there’s certainly plenty here for our resident ghost hunter and…

October is – naturally – our favourite time of year here at Chat it’s fate, and one of the best things about it is the food! There are so many delicious treats associated with Halloween – toffee apples, pumpkin pie and of course all the trick-or-treat candy – that we had to feature a few recipes on these very pages! These fun food ideas will bring a smile to the face of anyone who loves Halloween as much as we do. They’re great to make with little ones, too. Happy Halloween! Festive food HALLOWEEN TOBLERONE CHEESECAKE Serves 8 Ingredients • Toblerone cheesecake (available from Waitrose and Tesco) • 100g milk chocolate • 50g white chocolate Method: 1. Defrost cheesecake thoroughly by taking it out of the freezer and putting into…

It’s no wonder that the 19th century horror writer Bram Stoker was inspired to write Dracula on a trip to Whitby. In summer, holiday-makers flock to this pretty Yorkshire seaside town to swim in the sea and enjoy fish ‘n’ chips and donkey rides on the beach. But as the nights draw in, and the tourists pack their bags and go home, the atmosphere changes. Suddenly Whitby, with its dramatic ruined abbey on a windswept clifftop and enough ghost stories to shake a stick at, becomes a much darker place… BRAM’S INSPIRATION No trip to Whitby is complete without a visit to its famous abbey, which looms over the town from its clifftop position. Whitby Abbey was first established as a convent as early as the 6th century AD, by…

If you were given one secret door, one brilliant opportunity, or one chance to start over – would you take it? If you get that this month, the answer must be ‘yes’! SHARON OSBOURNE The next two years are important as Sharon and Ozzy will be planning where to live in the future and how best to deal with Ozzy’s ailing health. Sharon will decide to carry on with routine exactly as she normally does. She is really simple in her truth, love and regard for life and people. After all, she is an artist talent manager – she knows what’s right. I see Sharon being a grandmother again, for one of her daughters this time. Kelly relies a lot on mum – Sharon’s her safe zone. I see spirit…