Mel Mystery

The Green Man’s Guide, European Edition, Summer 2026

The European Edition of the Green Man’s Guide for our friends “across the pond.” The European guide is very similar to the North American guide, but has different directory listings for groups, events, and historical places in selected regions of Europe (including the UK, Germany, France, Iceland, and the Netherlands). Compiled and created by Anarion […]

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Types of Shapeshifters, Part 4 – Types of Transformation

There is one final component of shapeshifting and that is the type of transformation. Is it physical, mental, or shamanic? Physical Transformation – I am skeptical that full physical transformation actually happens beyond mythology, folk tales, and the movies.  Some people believe full and partial transformations can be generated by the manipulation of ectoplasm and

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Types of Shapeshifters, Part 3 – Man or Beast?

Besides the many different types of animals, one can shapeshift into and the many types of shapeshifters, there are also various degrees of shapeshifting.  Since there are specific terms related to werewolves, I will use them here.  The terms may be somewhat different for other shapeshifters, but the general concepts will be similar.  Throughout this

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Types of Shapeshifters, Part 2 – Nature vs. Nurture?

Within shapeshifting lore, there are various ways that one might become a werewolf or other shapeshifter. These include: Natural and Hereditary Shapeshifters – These are folks who are born as shapeshifters. Their entire family might be shapeshifters, or there may be special cases where certain members of a family acquire animal or shapeshifting traits.  In

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Types of Shapeshifters, Part 1 – What’s your type?

Shapeshifters come in many animal forms.  Historic shapeshifting warrior cults typically chose the predatory animals of their regions to serve as their inspirations.  Animals for shapeshifting can be chosen for their size and strength, but they might also be chosen for other attributes such as their intelligence, cunning, speed and agility, or association with certain

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Werewolf as a Metaphor, Part 6 – Of Hunters and Homophobes

I can’t leave this topic without taking a moment to compare werewolf hunters of old to the homophobes of today.  During the famous European witch hunts, a number of werewolf hunts and trials also took place.  Many of the witch and werewolf hunters were pious God-fearing Christians, or else men who entered the profession for

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Werewolf as a Metaphor, Part 4 – Werewolves and Gender

Like LGBTQ+ folks, werewolves combine both masculine and feminine energies.  The wolf is typically a masculine archetype, but the werewolf is ruled by the moon.  In most cultures, the moon is symbolic of feminine energies.  Like Transgender folks, the werewolf changes form from a man into something else – whether woman or beast.  The process

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