Imps

For my first "I" word, on this blog project....

Imps came to mind.

You know them already, I'm sure. They are the magickal folk who play tricks, steal your one sock in the dryer, lead you on wild goose chases and can play pranks.Sometimes they can even be malicious or deadly (if it's a really bad one).

Imps have been in literature throughout history, being called minor demons, pranksters and evil doers. They were often associated with witches as their familiars (that started when the Inquisition was on their witch hunts...Inquisition will be my next "I" word next week....).

It is said that Imps just are lonely and want human company. So to get their attention, imps play tricks and cause a lot of mischief to be noticed. Even when a human DOES friend an imp, the merriment does not stop, but can often increase.

 In Mexico, there are wee beings known as the "Aloosh". I learned a lot about them when I was visiting the ruins in Tulum. In order for a person to "get the luck" of the Aloosh the people must "feed" little stick figure people that represent them. If the human forgets tho...impending calamity may happen. Why would a person ever start "feeding" a stick poppet in the first place? Well, to take care of something. To have family.

Imps can be a friend that's fun.

But sometimes those friendships can get out of hand.

Personally, (even while I ADORE Lilo & Stitch :),  I do not feel that an imp is good kinfolk.

I know this from personal experience. In my youth, there was an imp who hounded me, rattled doorknobs, would leap out of closets to scare the beejaysus out of me and otherwise cause me terror. It tortured my soul.

When I was grown and had children of my own, my youngest daughter (who has Down's Syndrome) who knew nothing of the big bad world, would often complain to us that "a little man was pinching" her.
Could we see him?
NO.
Could SHE see him?
YES.
Did I believe this sweet innocent girl's tale?
Absolutely.
This child wasn't capable of lying. Nor would she make up anything with such an adamant declaration of such profound truth to her.

Imps can also "attach" themselves to an object and come into your life in that way. I once bought a painting at a library book sale. It was a copy of Franz Hal's "Gypsy Wench". I liked it. I liked the mischievous wench. She seemed fun and lusty. It reminded me of the renaissance faire. I love the ren faire.

Well, something happened.

Within ONE day of having it home, and after hanging it on my stair wall, the picture started to take on a life of it's own. I would've sworn that it LEERED at me. My daughter Jesse, who is a very brave soul and unruffled by most things, confided to me (in another room so the painting "couldn't hear her" that "It scared me".) In sooth, we both started to feel like this silly painting was "watching us." I believed the thing had started growing wings at one point.
Really, I got up in the middle of the second night of having it in my house, I walked into the hallway to go to the bathroom, and remember feeling like the painting down on the stairs below....was "awake" and that it was only a matter of time before it flew off the wall and attacked me.
(I know you probably think I'm nuts, but I don't care. I'm telling you the truth). 

I had the painting a total of THREE DAYS. I decided to get rid of it's menace and impending disaster...and I gave it back to the library to resell. I thought about it, but I did not want to destroy it. (Gods knows what would've happened if I had). I don't know how the next owner fared with it, but I always wonder....

This was a perfect case of the IMP.

Can we protect ourselves from Imps? Well, I put up iron horseshoes (my grandfather's horse's shoes from the Cavalry) up over my front and back doors. It helps.

Someone called me the other day, out of the blue, about a problem with a mischievous imp or something darker. I advised them to "Cleanse the house with sage and broom. Stop ANY underhanded, illegal or slightly immoral behavior, if any is happening in the house. And put up some horseshoes."

If you cleanse it, stop the attraction of what would be "inviting behavior" and put up a barrier these can all be very helpful.

I've also heard that imps like to control temperature spikes and dips.

I wonder if they have anything to do with these hot flashes? :)

Imps.
Love 'em....but honey, you are best served to leave 'em.