Mystical Mermaids; Just Humans or Creatures with Healing Powers?

Astrid Berges-Frisbey

Since the day I first watched The Little Mermaid, I have been just crazy about them and I would read numerous books about these mystical creatures whom we refer to as mermaids. Now that I've grown out of the mermaid-dress-up phase I've gotten into the research phase. From my knowledge, I know that mermaids are half human-half fish creatures that enchant sailors and drown them underwater to make them their eternal husbands. This idea of magical creatures seem so unreal and unbelievable yet, I wondered if it was really true.

How could people long ago make up stories about magical underwater creatures without basing it on something real? The very first mermaid must be modeled after something that resembled it in physical resemblance or in characteristics. This lead me to such information that I just had to share.

I came across a website called Woman Thou Art God and it discusses the possibilities of mermaids being resembled or mistaken for humans or animals. William Bond, the author of The Secret History of Mermaids, discusses how history provides evidence that mermaids could actually be woman divers in many areas of the world, which is why some sightings of mermaids record that they did not have tails. During these times, women were forbidden to be swimming in the wide ocean or be nude so it could be that when sailors saw such occurrences,  they believed that they have encountered mermaids.

The key to making sense of all these tales comes through the story of a Dutch seaman called Hamel. He was on a Dutch ship, ‘Sperwer’ that was wrecked near the Korean island of Cheju in 1653. Where he and the other survivors of the wreck spent ten months on the island. On returning to Holland, he wrote a book about his experiences and claimed that there were mermaids on the island. What’s interesting is that even today women from the island dive for shellfish and edible seaweed. Does this mean that what we refer to as mermaids are simply women divers?

Thanks to television, I was introduced to a mermaid, a woman who can interact with underwater creatures, free dive for 50M underwater in one breath. She was interviewed on 20/20 on a special edition called "Superhumans".

"The tail gives me so much more propulsion and streamline ability," said Fraser. "I can swim much faster with the tail on than other people can without it. So really fast, strong swimmers can't keep up with me when I'm wearing it. It's like it imbues me with some kind of superhuman powers of confidence and longevity to be in the ocean."

 What got me thinking was the documentary of "The Little Mermaid", a girl born with a mermaids tail. This is called the mermaid syndrome also known as sirenomelia.  Her name is Shiloh Pepin and she was born with the mermaid syndrome, her muscles joined her two legs and she was born without a rectum, bladder, vagina, colon or uterus.

Mermaid Syndrome

Could it be that people saw a woman with the mermaid syndrome and thought she was a mermaid? Also, why is it that people who have this syndrome are all women?


In the movie, Pirates of the Carribean - On Stranger Tides, the mermaids were known to have healing powers. Why is this so? Is it something about their soul? Could mermaids be a symbol for women healers? Why is it that mermaids are known to have these healing powers?
There are stories of mermaids and mermaid powers.

Sometimes a kind mermaid will give good advice to human beings. There was once a man in Galloway who had skill as a curer of diseases, and it was said that he received some of his knowledge from a mermaid. A beautiful girl named May was ill with consumption. The Galloway herbalist tried in vain to cure her, and as he loved her dearly and wished to marry her, his heart was very sad when he found that his herbs did not do her any good. One evening as he sat sorrowing on the shore, a mermaid raised her head above the waves and sang:
Would you let bonnie May die in your handAnd the mugwort flowering in the land?
(Mugwort is a flowering, aromatic plant.)

Then she vanished. The man went at once and gathered the flowers of the mugwort, and made a medicine. This he gave to May, who was soon restored to health.

Maybe these legends are not false at all. Maybe there is a possibility that mermaids were once healers, human beings who walked the earth.

I still would like to believe that there are such creatures as mermaids and one day our technology will be astronomically advanced that we will be able to venture down below into the unknown?
Yes, I believe we will.

Talking about sex

Late last night my girlfriends and I decided to have dinner after long hours of hitting up the beach and working out. After two hours of discussing which restaurant to dine at, we decided to go to Curry House on McCully street. As we were discussing each others lives, I realized what we were doing now reminded me of all the dinner scenes in Sex and the City. That got me thinking; how far is going too far when it comes to talking about sex?

There is fine line between discussing some parts of our daily lives and exposing too much about ourselves. One of my girlfriends is studying abroad in Japan and she lost her virginity at twenty years old to a man she only dated for two weeks. Why wait that long to give it away so quick? Now she had entered the unsettling and mysterious world of sex. She wanted to know all about yeast infections, the pills, the STDs and turned to one of us for help.

Her questions made me wonder about all the women in the world who do not have girlfriends to talk to about sex and the grey areas which we have no clue how to deal with. Although the world came up with medications, education and disease control to aid those of us who need it, why is it that the rate of sexually transmitted diseases are shooting through the roof?

We are too scared to face the things that can be harmful to us so we end up disregarding the warning signs that read "Danger! Use a Condom" or "See a gynecologist".


The truth is, sex isn't something to be ashamed of or to hide. Yes, it is something to be done in privacy with someone special but it should not be a sinful or embarrassing thing. We are meant to have sex and reproduce, it's us who made this into something bad. If everyone's conception of sex was viewed as a natural process of love, then we won't be too afraid to learn about it and ask questions, therefore limiting the spread of diseases. Don't you agree?

William Li - Starving Cancer

This is an interesting video sent to me by my sister, it's a video of William Li explaining Angiogenesis.


William Li: Can we eat to starve cancer? | Video on TED.com

 FROM TED.COM

William Li presents a new way to think about treating cancer and other diseases: anti-angiogenesis, preventing the growth of blood vessels that feed a tumor. The crucial first (and best) step: Eating cancer-fighting foods that cut off the supply lines and beat cancer at its own game.

Finding a job as a alternative health columnist

Being a writer is tough, finding a job as a writer is even tougher, however, finding a job as an acupuncture columnist is even harder. 

 Basically, the only acupuncture related newspaper or magazine I know is Acupuncture Today and that's all the way in San Diego, CA. I'm all the way here in Washington state, how the heck am I going to apply for a job there? 


It's really frustrating because alternative medicine is rising so quickly but there aren't that many writers that are speaking out about it. For example, on Oahu, the local newspaper do not have a health columnist that has solely dedicated his or her work to alternative medicine. Although I have started my blog that is relative to acupuncture and alternative medicine, it's not quite there. I do not have an acupuncture degree nor have any educational background on it other than the fact that I've worked at an acupuncture clinic. 


I want to become a health columnist that will dedicate all of her work to spreading the knowledge of alternative medicine and make sure that the community will be more familiarized with this practice. I want to get my license, expand my mother's clinic by adding my position there, eventually travel the world to experience and discover other forms of alternative medicine, write about my experiences through my health column/blog/articles and finally, to build my own online magazine or weekly newspaper dedicated to acupuncture and other forms of alternative medicine. 


It's a bit depressing to know that this is a long shot and will take possible all my life to get there. 

From google search engine. Just random pics

Another part of me is saying, screw this. Get my license and become a designated acupuncturist for a MLB team. Preferably the Brewers. 

Speaking of which, here's an article on Haro Ogawa, the designated acupuncturist for the San Francisco Giants. 

Haro Ogawa interview with Acupuncture Today 

http://acupuncturetoday.com/mpacms/at/article.php?id=32011

Damn, if I could get that job, I would have for real lived a good life. 

Anyways, there's still hope for those of us aspiring acupuncturists. Just keeping out heads up.

This is a story covered by Hawaii's KHON2 News on Oahu.
Thought I should share this with you all.

 Protection from the Flu Through Acupunctur

http://www.khon2.com/news/local/story/Protection-from-the-Flu-Through-Acupuncture/_GegbGmKLUaqijth_E5XeQ.cspxe

Protection from the Flu Through Acupuncture

Reported by: Olena Heu Email: oheu@khon2.com Last Update: 11/19/2009 8:07 am

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< Previous Next > Play Video Video 1 of 1 All Video Protection From the Flu Through Acupuncture Protection From the Flu Through Acupuncture Flu season officially began last month and will run until May of next year, but in Hawaii the rate of infection continues year-round. There are many ways to boost your immune system and prevent getting sick...including a method that will poke you into good health. It’s just another visit to the doctor's office…with a steady hand and precise placement, the use of needles, heat and incense, if done right, is said to improve circulation, boost the immune system and offer relief for pain and prevent illness. “Everybody said how you take care is the answer of how you live a healthy longer,” Dr. Jun Ae Ha of Dr. Ha’s Clinic said.(Dr. Jung Ae Ha) In an effort to keep healthy and stay flu free many are seeking out traditional acupuncture. “Just mainly our local patients they tell their friends, their daughters and they come in and they bring their friends in,” Sunnie Kim said. “Maybe the ear acupoint very much good yeah,” Dr. Ha said. Acupuncture is said to have originated in china thousands of years ago and uses needles to stimulate nerves, muscles and connective tissue. “Now number one topic is how we can help and how we can keep or how we can increase immunity,” Dr. Ha said. Dr. Ha's office also recommends an organic all natural way to prevent illness with herbal supplements. “They're grinded, dried, packed herbs that’s actually used for the liquid medicine but Dr. Ha grinds them herself,” Kim said. Dr. Ha says she uses organic herbs to treat almost any ailment including the flu. “We have patients coming in and they freak out and they are coming here “oh I need three hundred pills,” Kim said. At about a dollar a pill the herbal supplements are proving to be very popular...but maybe not as popular as the resident therapy dog Rosie.  People come from all over the island to receive treatment and spend time with their little furry friend.

The Growth of Acupuncture

[My mom's acupuncture clinic. Rosie, therapy dog with Dr. Ha]

I can recall when people used to think that Acupuncture was a "fake" medical practice and was frowned upon because it was different. probably it's because the theory and philosophy of Acupuncture is hard to understand and to accept. If someone who has never experienced or heard of Oriental Medicine will have a hard time understanding Qi and meridian channels used in Acupuncture studies.


What's really great is that now a days, Acupuncture is more frequently searched for as a means of medical practice. Acupuncture is not the only medical practice that's rapidly growing, Naturopathic Medicine, Chiropractors and other alternative medicines are growing throughout the nation. Dr. Oz from the Dr. Oz Show and Oprah Winfrey Show graduated with a Ph. D in Naturopathic Medicine at Bastyr University last year.  The fact that Naturopathic Medicine and Alternative Medicine is being accepted in society is a big step up from the types of social label these practices had in the past.

The number of Acupuncture schools are growing also along with the number of medical health insurances that are covering for Acupuncture and Chiropractors. What really surprised me is that Acupuncture and Oriental Medicine degrees are being offered at universities that are not specifically focused on alternative medicine. For example, So Cal University of Health Sciences, Southern Cross University, and University of Bridgeport.

I personally like University of Bridgeport because you can get your Acupuncture Degree and play sport and be part of a bigger community. Usually universities that are merely focused on alternative health sciences do not have any extracurricular activities or NCAA sports. UB has the degree that you want and you can have a real college experience.

You see, Acupuncture has grown a lot and is slowly making it's way to state schools. Hoping that one day it'll be even more well recognized by the society.

My Experience with Acupuncture

So.. This whole misconception of Acupuncture being this painful method of crazy medical practice is stupid. Basically Acupuncture is an oriental medical practice that's been around for thousands of years and it's not painful at all. 

As a patient, I feel that it's relaxing and surprisingly pleasant. The moment the needles are in my body I feel my body just letting go of all the stress and falling straight to sleep. 

Crazy Fact 1: Acupuncturists can tell if you are pregnant and determine the sex of the baby by checking your pulse. 

I know it's totally unbelievable but I swear, I've seen it. My mom is an Acupuncturists and with the help of her needles and medicine a lot of women have gotten pregnant, better yet she told them the sex of the baby also. Not all on the same day but couple months later she did.

Crazy Fact 2: I'm a bit tired so I'm just going to stick with number 1. 

This is MY experience with Acupuncture so I've decided to make this blog extremely casual. It's  was a long weekend; first week of school and my brain just decided to crash right now. 

I've heard horror stories about fake Acupuncturists that have their own clinic but do not have a License. My high school counselor told me that her husband had terrible back problems and when she went to an Acupuncturist in downtown of Hawaii, the Acupuncturist placed needled in his back while he was sitting down! How crazy is that? What kind of Acupuncturist would do that? Um obviously a fake one? So please be careful when it comes to picking which Acupuncturist to go to. Check yelp or other search engines for review sites because not all Acupuncture clinics are legit. One particular clinic, so far as I've heard, used bottles of tylenol in their herbal medicine. The patients have reported terrible and severe side effects like vomiting and headache. 

Once again, be extremely careful. Usually the best clinic to go to is one that's been spread by word of mouth. 

Happy choosing!