Nothing To Fear Here

Animals, Friday the 13th, Numerology, Snakes, The Moon, World Snake Day, ,

Friday the 13th is nearly here, and while some of us celebrate this day, many fear it. In Melbourne, this Friday the 13th also coincides with a Dark Moon. As some people also fear the moon, this may indeed be a very scary time for that unfortunate few.

The word phobia is derived from phobos, the Greek word for fear. Add it to the end of a word and you have a term for the fear of something.

A fear of Friday the 13th is called friggatriskaidekaphobia. The word combines Frigga, the Norse Goddess of Friday, with triskaidekaphobia, the Greek word for the fear of the number 13.

Moon

the dracula tarot

A fear of the moon is called lunaphobia, derived from “luna”, the Latin word for moon. It is also called selenophobia, derived from “seleno”, the Greek word for moon. Luna and Selene are also the names of the Roman and Greek Goddesses of the Moon.

IMG_1229

snake on a beach

If you aren’t terrified yet, Monday the 16th might tip you over the edge as July 16th is World Snake Day! The day was created to help people learn about snakes, understand their role in our world, and hopefully combat some of the fears associated with them. The fear of snakes is called ophidiophobia, derived from “ophis” the Greek word for snake.

IMG_3346snuggling with pythons

I was born in the Year of the Snake and have always felt connected to them. I love touching non-venomous snakes and don’t mind having a python draped around me. When I tell people I don’t have a fear of snakes, I mean I don’t have a phobia or irrational fear of them. But having grown up in Australia, I do have a rational fear of snakes. We are home to some of the world’s most venomous snakes. Being alert around snakes is ingrained in us. Having encountered a few of these deadly creatures in the wild, and in my backyard, I can tell you the first thing that runs through me is fear! Happily the next feeling that runs through me is fascination. I love watching them from a safe distance, keeping my eye on their movements as they slither back into the wild or the snake catcher comes to collect them. So while I do have a respectful fear of snakes, I don’t have an irrational fear of them.

Do you suffer from any of these phobias or will you be celebrating Friday the 13th, the Dark Moon and World Snake Day free from fear?

13 comments

  1. Luckily I am not afraid of any of these! Love your python pic! Where I live we do not have poisonous snakes, so any I encounter are of the harmless variety. Still, I know plenty of people who have an irrational fear of them. I love how they shed their skin, which always reminds me we can start anew. Same as the New/ Dark Moon!

    So it all fits. Love your Tarot moon card, really beautiful.

    That long ‘fear of Friday the 13th’ word always makes me laugh. I wonder who invented it?

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    1. We had a pet lizard called Hamlet. It was awesome to watch him shed his skin. He was so shiny and new afterwards. 🙂

      I’m not scared of Friday the 13th but I am terrified of trying to pronounce friggatriskaidekaphobia! Someone with a lot of time on their hand and one hell of an imagination had to have come up with it.

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      2. When Hamlet first arrived home he couldn’t decide if he wanted to eat his food so he just keeping licking it. Paul said “To eat or not to eat? That is the question” and that’s how he became Hamlet!

        Yes most likely a psychiatrist. I’m rudely wondering if they have good imaginations 🙂

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  3. I have an incredible fear of snakes more than anything else even spiders. The way they slither sends shivers down my spine. I suppose I have the trifecta when it comes to snakes fear phobia and absolutely irrational,

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