Countdown to Season 5 of Supernatural - Season 1 Overview

Just because I *can*. And, you know, everyone should have my obsessions inflicted on them. :)

The dork with the cool curvy knife is Sam (Jared Padalecki), the cool guy with the gun would be Dean 'Awesome' Winchester (Jensen Ackles).

Supernatural, Season One: The Beginning (mwahahaaaaa)

Right, so we start off with this lovely domestic scene, a mother, father, and an older brother putting baby to bed. So cute! So adorable! Pinch his little cheeks!

And then it all goes horribly wrong!

Mom (Mary Winchester), thinks she hears something, and heads into the baby's (Sam) room to check. She pokes her head in, sees a man standing over his crib, and assumes that it's her husband (John). She turns to head back to bed, and on the way realizes that John has fallen asleep in the living room watching tv.

She, of course, rushes back up to Sam's room, and, well. Mary winds up dead on the ceiling. Yes, the ceiling. And then the house bursts into flames. Or, well, not quite. What happens is John wakes up (he heard something), goes looking, walks into Sam's room, and sees blood dripping into Sam's crib. He looks up, sees Mary on the ceiling (pinned like the worlds most horrible butterfly) and *then* *she* bursts into flames, which catches the house on fire. John hands Sam to his big brother (Dean, who's four) and tells him to get his brother out of the house, while John tries to save Mary. Clearly, since she was gutted, *on the ceiling*, and then *on fire*, this is futile, but John *really, really* loves Mary, so he tries.

And their house burns down. This was...November 2, 1983, All Souls Day.

John, obsessed with finding out what the hell just happened, winds up going to a psychic, who tells him that a demon killed his wife. This becomes John's new purpose in life: hunting and killing supernatural things, all the while searching for the demon that murdered his wife. Look, John is at no point going to win 'Father of the Year' awards, because he hauls his kids all over the country, in the back of his Impala (Metallicar!) hunting things that hunt back, and training them to do the same. The Winchester family is *special*, and not in a good way, but they're *family*, and they work, to an extent.

They go on this way until Sam hits college age, at which point he rebels, and leaves to have a normal life. Which he succeeds at, mostly. Of course this is all covered throughout the season, and with flashbacks, etc. The first ep. jumps from 'house burning down' to Sam in college, being a dork.

One night, Dean shows up. Their fathers gone missing, and he wants Sam to come help him find him. Sam does agree, and off they go. They track John to his last 'case/hunt', and take care of the ghost, but no sign of John. Sam insists that he needs to get back to his life, and Dean takes him back to college.

Where he finds his girlfriend gutted, pinned to the ceiling and then bursting into flames.

Sammy's luck sort of sucks, yes?

Dean rescues his brother from the burning building (AGAIN) and now Sam's all gung-ho for the 'family business' because the demon is a jerk who is making certain that Sam's going to need therapy for years! And, also, you know, *demon*.

So, the first season follows the boys looking for their father, and hunting other monsters and ghouls along the way. And I brush over it, but the individual stories for each ep are great! And they do a lot of traditional folk tales and such. Bloody Mary, the Woman in White, Windigo, all that sort of stuff.

They do, eventually, find John, and discover that he's figured out how to track the demon (Yellow Eyed Demon - YED for short), and *also*, and more importantly, how to kill him.

The Colt. Which is a special gun made by Samuel Colt, during the Battle of the Alamo and at the time of Halley's Comet. This gun can kill *anything*, even demons, which ordinarily can't be killed, just kicked back to hell, where they can come back from.

Due to circumstances out of their control (except where there was *stupid* involved, and mostly I'm looking at you, Sam), and the fact that, again, *demons*, plural, and YED being, well, YED, and clever and evil, the Winchester's are captured, and the YED possesses John and tortures Dean, and then Sam kneecaps him with the Colt, which drives YED out, but fails to kill him, because Sam would have had to kill John to do it.

And then in their rush to get to the hospital, what with the torture and the bullet wounds and all, a semi being driven by a demon smashes them. Leaving them even *worse* off than they were, plus, THEY SMASHED THE IMPALA! The Impala is the fourth Winchester, and *integral* to all the plots. All of them.

End season.

Tomorrow, or maybe later today, since I have four seasons to cover, and season five starts Thursday, Season 2!

My New Header - The Ladder of Divine Ascent Icon

Susanne asked for an explanation of my new header, and I wasn't certain if she wanted an explanation of the icon itself, or why I chose it. So I present both in their very own post.

First, the icon in question:

This is the Ladder of Divine Ascent.

Why did I pick it?

It has a ladder, which is quite like stairs.

No, really. I've been going with a 'stairs' theme for my headers, not that anyone else knew it, and I thought, 'I've had Deir el Bahri, I've had Kukulkan with its really cool snake shadow, I need something more Christian, but with stairs!' So, actually, I was looking for something with Jacob's Ladder in it, and I found this icon. That's it, the whole explanation.

Below is the explanation of the icon, from the Orthodox Christian Information Center.

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The Ladder of Divine Ascent

AMONG THE VERY IMPORTANT SCENES depicted on the walls of churches decorated in the traditional Byzantine manner is "The Soul-saving and Heavenward Ladder," usually referred to as "The Ladder of Divine Ascent." This painting or mosaic is a large synthesis that is given prominence in the narthex of some of the churches and refectories of the Holy Mountain of Athos, as well as in some old churches elsewhere.

The icon is connected with the famous spiritual classic entitled The Ladder of Divine Ascent of Saint John Climacos, who flourished in the seventh century. His memory is celebrated by the Orthodox on March 30 and on the Fourth Sunday of the Great Lent.

In this book, he describes thirty stages of spiritual development, which he likens to thirty steps upward on a ladder. The steps lead the spiritual striver to theosis, divinization, salvation—the ultimate goal of askesis or spiritual struggle.

In the icon which is inspired by this book, the ladder stands on the earth and reaches Heaven, symbolized by a vault from which emerges Christ. The ladder stands at an angle. Sometimes, the lower half of it is at a forty five degree angle, while the upper half stands upright. This is done in order to convey the idea that more effort is required for rising to the highest levels of spiritual development.

At the right side of the scene is shown a building, symbolizing a monastery, and outside its entrance stands Saint John Climacos. With his right hand he points at the ladder for the monks who stand behind him, while in his left hand he holds a scroll on which is written: "Ascend, ascend, Brethren."

Over the top of the ladder is Christ, emerging from Heaven. With His right hand He blesses the monk who has climbed to the top of the ladder, or holds the monk’s hand. In His left hand He holds a scroll, symbolic of His Gospel, or a crown which He is about to place on the head of the victorious monk. Below, there are other monks at various stages of ascent. Some stand on the ladder firmly, and are about to rise to the next rung. Others, however, are barely retaining their hold, as they are drawn by demons. The latter are flying at the left of the ladder. One of the monks has fallen off the ladder and is being swallowed below by a great dragon with wide open jaws. The dragon is used as a symbol of Hell.

Near the right side of the ladder are portrayed holy Angels encouraging and helping the ascending monks. This is in accord with the statement made by Saint John and other Eastern Church Fathers, that those persons who struggle for the acquisition of the virtues are helped both by God and by His Angels.

The Angels are shown with halos, clothed with light-colored garments and large, strong wings. The demons, on the other hand, are depicted without halos, without garments, with small, weak wings. Their bodies are of dark, dull colors, and have something that the bodies of the holy Angels do not have: tails. The latter symbolize the fallen state of the demons, their animalistic state. For the rational faculty, with which God endowed them when He created them—and which distinguishes both the angelic nature and human nature from that of the beasts of the field—has been corrupted by their rebellion against God.

The demons are depicted in order to remind the beholder that there exist such evil incorporeal beings, who act upon us through mental suggestion and assaults, and also to symbolize various "passions" (negative emotions and desires) in us. Saint John describes and minutely analyzes the nature of the passions, namely, pride, gluttony, lust, anger, despondency, malice, and so on. Positive qualities—the opposites of the "passions"—e.g., humility, temperance, chastity, gentleness, hope, love, etc.—are symbolized by the holy Angels, who are also to be viewed as real beings.

The statement on the open scroll held by Saint John Climacos is taken from the concluding exhortation of his book. It begins thus: "Ascend, ascend, brethren, ascend with eagerness and resolve in your hearts, listening to him who says: ‘Let us go up to the mountain of the Lord and to the house of our God, Who maketh our feet like those of the deer, and setteth us on high places, that we may be victorious with His song.’"

The Ladder of Saint John Climacos, which the icon depicts, is inspired by the Ladder which the righteous Jacob saw in a dream. Jacob saw a ladder which rose from earth to Heaven, on which some Angels were ascending and others were descending. His dream—or, better, his vision—is described in the book of Genesis as follows: "Jacob dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to Heaven, and the Angels of God were ascending and descending on it. And the Lord leaned upon it and said: I am the God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac; be not afraid.... And behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places wither thou goest" (28:12-13, 15—Septuagint).

Saint John’s Ladder expresses the Orthodox view that spiritual perfection, theosis, salvation is not something attained all at once, as by a leap, but comes after a long arduous process of spiritual striving or askesis. In this process, with sustained effort one rises gradually from lower to higher and higher levels of spiritual development. Thus, in the ninth step, Saint John remarks: "The holy virtues are like Jacob’s Ladder. For the virtues, leading from one to another, bear him who chooses them to Heaven." Later, in the discussion of the fourteenth step, he observes that "no one can climb a ladder in one stride."

Commenting on this, Saint Symeon the New Theologian says: "Those who want to climb these steps climb the first rung of the Ladder, then the second, then the third, and so on.... In this way one can rise from earth to Heaven" (Tou Hosiou Symeon tou Neou Theologou ta Heuriskomena Panta, p. 368). The first step of spiritual ascent, says Climacos, consists in these three virtues: guilelessness (or truthfulness), fasting, and temperance. "All babes in Christ begin with these virtues, taking as their model natural babes. For in these you will never find anything sly or deceitful. And they have no insatiate appetite, no insatiable stomach, no body that is on fire or bestialized." These three virtues will serve, he says, as a secure foundation for the rest.

The idea of a Ladder of Spiritual Ascent appears often in Orthodox hymnography. The Kontakion chanted on March 30, feast day of Saint John Climacos, speaks of his Ladder thus: "By offering fresh fruits (teachings) from thy book, O wise one, thou dost delight the hearts of those who in a state of inner wakefulness heed them; for it is a Ladder that leadeth from earth to heavenly and abiding glory the souls of those who with faith honor thee."

I must add a few words about the life of Saint John Climacos and about the intent and influence of his book, The Ladder of Divine Ascent. This great and very wise ascetic was tonsured a monk at the Monastery of Saint Catherine on Mount Sinai. After three years he withdrew to a hermitage about five miles from the Monastery and lived there for forty years. Subsequently, he became Abbot of the Monastery and wrote his Klimax—the Greek word for ladder. He owes his name—Climacos—to the title he gave to his book.

Although this book is addressed to monks and to those who are thinking of embracing the monastic life, it contains a wealth of observations, counsels, and exhortations that are profitable to everyone who is interested in making progress in the spiritual life. For, as he remarks in one of his discourses (or "steps"), "Angels are the light of monastics, while the monastic state is a light for all men."

From the time it was written to the present, The Ladder of Divine Ascent has been read assiduously by monastics as well as by pious Christians living in "the world" in the Hellenic East, in Palestine, in Russia, in Serbia, in Rumania, in Bulgaria, in Europe, and elsewhere. It has been translated, from the ninth century on, into many languages: Syriac, Arabic, Latin, Slavonic, Russian, Bulgarian, Serbian, Modern Greek, Rumanian, Italian, Spanish, English, and other languages. There are two translations of it in the English language, one published around 1960 in New York by Harper and Brothers and one published later by Holy Transfiguration Monastery in Boston.

The Ladder of Divine Ascent occupies an important place in the tradition of Orthodox spirituality known as Hesychasm. Among the famous Saints who were deeply influenced by it are Symeon the New Theologian, the great eleventh-century Byzantine mystic; Gregory Palamas, the great fourteenth-century exponent and defender of Hesychasm; the eighteenth-century Greek "Kollyvades" Macarios of Corinth and Nicodemos the Hagiorite; and Starets Paissy Velichkovsky, also of the eighteenth century, who translated the Philokalia and The Ladder of Divine Ascent into Slavonic.

From Orthodox Tradition, Vol. XII, No. 4, pp. 60-63.

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The Meaning of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

Okay, so, from googling, etc. I've come across what the 'story' behind the scene portrayed in the icon is. This particular write-up of it is from here. Anything in red is me, of course.

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The Meaning of the Icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help

This beloved picture may look strange to modern Western eyes. It doesn't portray Mary as a delicate maiden with downcast eyes. Her direct gaze and strong features command our attention. We are struck by the unrealistic qualities of the figures. Jesus is the size of toddler, but his features are those of an older child. Mary and Jesus aren't set in a scene but float against a background of gold.

This picture was painted in the Byzantine style of the Eastern Church. The purpose of this style of art is not to show a beautiful scene or person but to convey a beautiful spiritual message. Because the artist is trying to communicate something more glorious than anything in this world, the picture isn't a realistic portrayal. A Byzantine painting is like a door. Seeing a beautiful door is nice, but who wants to just stand there looking at the door? We want to open the door and go beyond it. The door might be attractive or unattractive, but it is only a door, there to lead us into a new world.

That's how we must approach this picture. The artist, realizing that no one on earth would ever know what Mary or Jesus really looked like, and that their holiness could never be depicted in purely human terms, has portrayed their beauty and their message in symbols.

What do you see when you look at this picture?

First of all you see Mary, because she dominates the picture and because she looks straight at you - not at Jesus, not at heaven, not at the angels above her head. She looks at you as if to tell you something very important. Her eyes seem serious, even sad, but they command attention.

This is an important woman, one of power and position. She is set on a gold background, a symbol of heaven in the middle ages. She is dressed in dark blue robes with a green lining and red tunic. Blue, green, and red were the colors of royalty. Only the Empress was allowed to wear those colors.

The eight-point star on her forehead was probably added by a later artist to represent the Eastern idea that Mary is the star that leads us to Jesus. To reinforce the symbolism, there is an ornamental four-point cross to the left of the star on her headdress.

The letters above her head proclaim her the Mother of God (in Greek). Looking at the painting, we know that she has the power to intercede for us in heaven.

Mary's gaze is fixed on you, but her arms hold Jesus. In Byzantine icons, Mary is never shown without Jesus because Jesus is central to the faith. Jesus too is wearing the clothes of royalty. Only an Emperor could wear the green tunic, red sash, and gold brocade portrayed in the picture. The Greek initials to the right of the child and his halo decorated with a cross proclaim that he is "Jesus Christ."

Jesus isn't looking at us, or at Mary, or at the angels. Though he clings to his mother, he's looking away, at something we can't see - something that made him run so fast to his mother that one of his sandals has almost fallen off, something that makes him cling to her for protection and love.

What would frighten a little boy, even the Son of God, so much?

The figures that hover on either side of Jesus and Mary - the Greek letters above them identify them as Archangels Gabriel and Michael - provide us with the answer. Rather than carrying harps or trumpets of praise, they bear the instruments of Christ's Passion.

On the left, Michael holds an urn filled with the gall that the soldiers offered to Jesus on the cross, the lance that pierced his side, and the reed with the sponge.

To the right, Gabriel carries the cross and four nails. (This, actually, is what many sites say frightened Christ to run to His Mother, the sight of Gabriel with the Cross and nails.)

Jesus has seen part of his destiny - the suffering and death he will undergo. Though he is God, he is human as well and afraid of this terrifying future. He has run to his mother, who holds him close in this moment of panic, the same way she will be close by his side through his life and death. While she can't spare him his suffering, she can love and comfort him.

So why is Mary looking so intently at us instead of her child in need? Her gaze brings us into the story, makes us part of the painting and the pain. Her gaze tells us that just as Jesus ran to his mother and found refuge, so too may we run to Mary.

Her hand does not clasp the hands of her frightened son in a protective grip, but remains open, inviting us to put our hands in hers and join with Jesus.

Mary knows there are many things in our lives that are dangerous and terrifying, and that we need someone to turn to in times of suffering and dread. She offers us the same comfort and love she gave to Jesus. She tells us to run to her as fast as Jesus did, so fast that we don't even think about what we wear or how we go, just so we get there.

What are you waiting for?

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The History of the Icon

For many centuries throughout the world, this picture has been revered as an icon of hope and inspiration.

The original picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help is a product of Byzantine art. It is known to be at least five hundred years old in its present form. Painted in tempera on hard nutwood and only 17 by 21 inches, the picture may date back another 1,000 years to the ancient madonnas of Constantinople. Some church legends even date the picture to the first century and the hand and brush of St. Luke the Evangelist.

It is only in the past 125 years that devotion to Our Mother of Perpetual Help has increased dramatically. In 1866, Pope Pius IX entrusted the miraculous icon to the Redemptorists and told them to "Make Her Known Throughout the World."

As they have criss-crossed the globe bringing the Good News of Salvation, Redemptorist priests and brothers have also erected churches and shrines to Our Mother of Perpetual Help. They have encouraged people to gather each week to pray the novena prayers and then to pray daily in their homes to Mary, Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

Countless miracles, healings, and conversions are attributed to Mary by those who pray to her as Our Mother of Perpetual Help. There's even a bit of the miraculous in the way the Redemptorists received the picture in the first place.

Historical records indicate that around the year 1490, the picture was located in St. Matthew's Church in Rome. Although it was a relatively small church located on the Via Merulana between the great Roman basilicas of St. John Lateran and St. Mary Major, people came from miles around to pray before the picture because of the many miracles attributed to this sacred icon.

For three hundred years the picture hung over the main altar in the church of St. Matthew the Apostle and the miracles continued to occur. In 1798, the picture was taken into hiding by the monks who fled the city of Rome to avoid being captured by Napoleon's invading armies. The picture resurfaced some years later in an Augustinian monastery chapel.

Meanwhile the Redemptorists had built the new church of San Alfonso near the site of St. Matthew's which had been destroyed by Napoleon's invasion force. In time the Redemptorists learned about the miraculous picture of Our Mother of Perpetual Help that had been enshrined on that site for several centuries. They requested that the picture be placed there once again.

The Holy Father Pope Pius IX agreed and on April 26, 1866, the original icon of Our Mother of Perpetual Help was placed above the high altar in the Church of San Alfonso. To this day, the miraculous picture is there for all to see.

Millions of copies of the picture can be seen around the world in churches and homes. Each week hundreds of thousands of people gather to pray the novena prayers to Our Mother of Perpetual Help while in their homes each day millions of people invoke the assistance of Our Mother of Perpetual Help.

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I read on a personal blog, which I'm not going to quote, because I don't know that his opinion is widespread or anything, that the sandal hanging on by one thread is us, clinging to Christ through Grace.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Icon

So, while slogging around the net, looking for a new header pic (which I found, btw), I was reminded of an icon that was hanging in the chapel at the retreat my RCIA class went on for our first confession. (I spent a *lot* of time staring at the icon, as I had quite a bit of penance to be said...)

There was this *detail* of the icon that struck me as odd. But I sort of forgot about it, until I started looking for the new header pic and wanted an icon...so after I found the icon I wanted as header, I went looking for this other icon, but of course I didn't know the name of the icon, I just remembered that it was the Virgin Mary holding an infant Christ, plus the odd little detail. Of course, there're a few icons like that, minus 'weird detail', and I got nowhere. Until I thought, 'hmm, maybe the retreat has a website & a picture of the chapel/icon.' And lo and behold, they do. Have a website, that is.

No interiors of their chapel though, but then I noticed their crest. It was the icon! And then it occurred to me that maybe, just maybe, they'd named their retreat after the icon. *duh*

So, here's the icon:

And what's the odd detail? Look at His feet. He's losing His widdle shoe! (yes, I said 'widdle', and I meant it.) Now, among the other things I know about icons (previous posts here & here), I know that nothing is written into an icon without a reason. Everything you see has symbolic meaning. So, what is the meaning of Christ losing His widdle shoe? (Live with the 'widdle'. It's adorable.)

My Hypothyroidism

So, I have hypothyroidism, specifically Hashimoto's disease. I was diagnosed in middle school, and I've been on synthetic thyroid hormones ever since. It's not something that will ever go away, but my TSH levels are normal, with the hormone.

*However* I continue to have many of the symptoms, and I've just ignored them, because, hey, I'm on the hormone, obviously there's nothing to be done.

Here's a list of the varying symptoms, with the ones I experience bolded. (because you all need this information, of course):

Dry, thick skin
Hair thinning
Painful muscles and joints
Depression
Memory problems
Constipation
Heavy, irregular or prolonged menstrual periods
Low body temperature (below 97.8°F first thing in the morning)
Low blood pressure
Puffy eyes and face
Slow pulse
Reduced libido
Poor memory
Fatigue
Chronic sinus infections
Headaches
Sweating abnormalities
Migraines
Heat and/or cold intolerance
Irritability
Fluid retention
Anxiety
Panic attacks
Frequent colds and sore throats
Lightheadedness
Ringing in the ears
Decreased concentration
Slow wound healing
Easy bruising
Unhealthy nails
Acid Indigestion
Cold hands or feet
Inappropriate weight gain
Hypoglycemia
Falling asleep during the day
Itching
High cholesterol
Loss of outside portion of eyebrows

It's my own fault that I've never really paid much attention to my disease before, just sort of lived with it, but now, I'm hoping that I can find a diet that works with the hypothyroidism, plus I've just started taking a supplement called Bladderwrack which supposedly helps with the symptoms. We'll see. I'm still searching for the diet, because I know that there are some foods I shouldn't eat, like soy, but I don't know all of them, or what foods are suggested.

My Weekend

To make myself happy, I took the weekend off.

Meaning, I did a whole lot of nothing. I did everything around the house I needed to do on Saturday morning, and then I spent the rest of the time watching Merlin and Leverage and Supernatural eps and went to the movies and saw District 9 (which I enjoyed).

I drove around a bit too. I *like* driving around in Myrddin. I talk to him a little. :)

The picture above was my brunch on Sunday. You fast for at least an hour prior to receiving Communion, so what I usually do is just eat a slightly larger meal after Mass, instead of getting up earlier to eat.

I made myself scrambled eggs with cheese and ham (it was supposed to be an omelet, but I got distracted and didn't flip it in time) and fried potatoes. Now, you may look at that and think, 'hmm...not very healthy' and you'd be right. Mostly. However, I make it with EggBeaters, reduced fat cheese (I forget the percentage, but it's good stuff), low salt/fat ham, 2% milk, the 'special' heart smart butter, and I don't fry the potatoes in grease. I make the eggs and then fry the potatoes in the leavings of the egg pan, with a little Season All.

Older v. Younger Siblings

Right, so I'm doing a *slow* read through the Bible. And when I say slow, I mean, a chapter a day. I'm still in Genesis. And this is on purpose. I've read the Bible several times, and the last time, I set myself a schedule, and read it in a couple months. But this time I just wanted to start the day with a chapter and that be it.

I'm certain I'm not the first person to notice this, but God really seems to like the younger siblings.

I guess there could be myriad reasons for this theme in the Bible, such as societally (earthly) the oldest son inherits everything, and God blesses the younger because His rewards are not of this life, but the next...

But of course my brain goes to weird places:

Humanity is preferred to the angels - angels were created first (first born sons), but humanity was the one 'created in God's Image'. We got free will and the ability to (basically) spit in our Father's face and then repent later on. It's unclear whether or not angels get this.

Hm. Yes, this is sort of random.