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Mantids
@ congjing yu. thanks for the clarification. And the mantis thing was what I had assumed they looked like based on similarities between yours and others mentionings of them. You are not the only person I know who claims they are quite pleasant - if that is even the right word - to be around.
Just a useless tidbit that is stuck in my memory. Someone wrote that the Mantid skin feels like that of a watermelon....LOL. A useless fact, I know. But it somehow interested me enough to remember.
This is so fascinating.
When I was a kid everyone - and I mean everyone - was terrified of even accidentally killing praying mantises. I can’t remember if it was a huge fine or jail time - but even to the adults - praying mantises were not insects o be killed. To this day I don’t randomly swat at things crawling on me in case it’s one. I wonder if them maybe even being related to mantids has anything to do with the taboo.
So now we got that they feel like watermelon- that’s cool - but here is a strange one - do they have a smell?
The reason I ask is because even though we don’t realize walking around that the sense of smell is one of the stronger senses, but even jarring our memory bank-do they have a “natural” smell to them or do they smell “artificial”. Like made in a factory to be used as a costume?
I will say this - in the past week 2 different species of praying mantis was crawling on me. Both times -seriously -I was like “If your relatives are taking care of me - please sit anywhere and enjoy the day, you are safe on my skin”.
Strangely I have also a certain respect for the Mantis Shrimp. I don't know if it is because of a subconscious association with insect Mantises/Mantes? Anyways they seem to have something going on inside those big eyes.
The mantis shrimp is on the menu in my part of the world. It is considered a delicacy and is expensive. But I can't bring myself to eat them. To my mind they might have a higher evolutionary path in the future. Who knows? maybe they will inherit the earth after we have left this nursery.
Have you watched the movie District 9?
The aliens in the movie are called "prawns" - not sure whether it is due to their physical appearance.
https://district9.fandom.com/wiki/Prawns
https://aliens.fandom.com/wiki/Poleepkwa
Anyway, does anyone have any deep insights on this film?
I watched it and found it to have an interesting premise. It's something that I had not considered, aside from reading Ringworld were there was a species that ate a kind of spice and became super creatures with super intelligence. Much like in Dune with the spice there.
@pissedlizard I read again your article about the Mantids, you wrote there are insects "under the care" of the mantids. Are dragonflies under their care? How about ants and wild bees? And spiders?
And this goes almost hand in hand with a question I have for @daegonmagus because it's about dreaming.
When I was little, about 2-6 years, I would wake up screeming and crying because I dreamed the insects I saw during the day where under my pillow. And the dreams were so vivid I can still remember them. And I also remember that often my dreamscape would be like laminated over the reality. So I think I really saw the insects when my parents would lift up the pillow. And since there are no coincidences I remember having those dreams about Octopus, a praying Mantis, ants, and spiders. Are they all sentient? And @DM my kids have also these dreaming episodes where they sit up straight in bed seeing things I can't and there's nothing I can do but wait until their crying is over or get through to them. Do you know about that? Sorry it sounds so stupid rereading this, but my parents never had "nerves" to deal with me and my dreams. They always said "Think of something nice and turn to the wall. Now go back to sleep." and seeing my little ones with the same problems is kind of difficult for me.
Nooooooooo! Don’t eat Mantis shrimp! Not without butter anyways! Why can’t you eat our crustacean friends? Some are here to PROVIDE us with nutrients we need. Insects as well. Some are culturally taboo - that’s a different story - but if it’s on the menu - feast now - while you can is my advice.
ALLLLL crustaceans are under the Mantid “care”. There are many MANY insectoid species that the Mantids are genetically linked to. Again, adenosine and tyrosine via quantum “strings”. So they actually “feel” genuine distress if it’s loud enough - from insects and sea crustaceans.
To kill some is not bad - they can bring disease and harm. If something is in your “bubble” that you don’t like - listen to your gut. Is it a spider that has fangs that may bite in your sleep? If you think it’s a threat - neutralize it. That’s my friendly advice anyway.
And Octopi have my highest respect. And they are also one of my favorite foods!
All of this I know to be true.
EMMA/EMMT
@mirri are your kids around about the 7-8 age by any chance? this seems to be the common age group for when sleep paralysis starts. It can feel like you are completely awake and you can see many, many scary things whilst in SP. I remember one instant where I saw these two pearl eyes and my vision became fixed on them, then out of no where death appeared and hit me with its scythe. I believe most of it is just illusions put in place to stop us from disconnecting our consciousness from our body. I have found if you try shaking your head left and right like you are saying no it usually helps wake you up. There are things that can mess with you out of SP. I am still trying to figure how to get these things to go away as they mess with our kids on a regular basis.
And @mirri, if I may - If you are a Christian or believer in Jesus the Christ, may I suggest placing the heel of your palm on the child in questions forehead, and have the (palm) of your right hand over where the child’s front soft spot was - where 2 cranial sutures meet.
Place your Left hand in the air, close your eyes, believe, and say “In the name of Jesus Christ my Lord I say your prayer”
Say the Lord’s Prayer THREE times. Encourage the child to say with you, if you like.
Open your eyes.
Your child should sleep and wake with memories of wonderful dreams.
So Mote It Be.
This I know to be True
EMMA/EMMT