Counter Spells -- To Unforgivable Curses.
There were three "Unforgivable Curses", in the _Harry Potter_ series by J. K. Rowling:
Avada Kedavra, the Killing Curse. The Cruciatus Curse: Pain. And the Imperius Curse:
Your will is not your own. In our world, as in the wizard world, there are more curses
to contend with. Let's call them all, Unforgivable Curses! If you are in the position
of being subjected to curses, you are going to want to know how to handle yourself.
(In the wizard world this is known as dueling. In war / conflict it is known as an
arms race.) You have already used several counter spells of your own, maybe without
realizing it. Here are some more.
1. Know your Unforgivable Curses!
Recognizing a particular curse is a good step in blocking it. (See the separate
list of Unforgivable Curses, like: Bait and Switch, Sugar Plum Fairy: looks like
you're gonna get what you want! Ooo, almost!) You'll want to have a counter spell,
or protection spell, for each one. Like Harry, one counter spell can be used in the
case of multiple Unforgivable Curses. Even if you can't name a particular curse, you
can still recognize one, when you see it, and invoke a counter spell.
2. Get a Petronas Charm!
As he does many times in the series, notably in _Prisoner of Azcaban_, Harry produces a
stag Petronas charm to repel Dementors. Each witch or wizard has their own petronas
manifestation. Luna Lovegood's is a rabbit. Point is: having a protection charm, a
happy memory -- "allow it to fill you up" -- can help. But you don't have to be a witch
or wizard! Here are a few of Maria's, _The Sound of Music_, favorite things: raindrops
on roses, whiskers on kittens, ..., packages tied up with strings, ... :-) Movies,
songs, books, and the like can also take you back to a place you'd rather be than in the
'cold, dark, place of no happiness in the world' that a Dementor creates when draining
your life force. So can the act of watching movies, reading, listening to music, playing,
etc, (produced before 2003, ideally before Meg Ryan became popular, before the Columbia
Pictures woman became heroine sheik.). Might I suggest a show from my flyer? :-)
Symbols, can be used for this purpose. Get some meaningful ones of your own. Put them up
where you can see them. Wear them. What's important to you?! Be expansive! Have one for
everything that bothers you. If unforgivable curses are part of your daily life, then
visual reminders of what you love should be too.
3. Know the definitions to Insect / Bug Speak
Some Bugs / Insects / Dementors / Reevers / Zombies / Teflons seem to be able to speak
your language, but their words have a very different meaning than Websters. Knowing the
translation can help tremendously. See the Insect translation dictionary for a list. Even
if you don't know the direct Insect translation, you can know this: Insects never tell
the truth! So you will always want to ask yourself in response to one: How is this a lie?
And often: How is this Sophistry? How have the logic adages of Philosophy been used to
manipulate your thoughts? For instance: Poisoning the Well, Strawman, etc.
4. GET PERSPECTIVE!
Invaluable! Many curses are ridiculously misleading and depend largely on your not having
perspective. For instance, how does it make sense that Paris Hilton ever had a television
career?! Why did they change the Columbia woman symbol to a heroine sheik version? Do paid
/ select lanes on public thoroughfairs, that we all paid for, really make sense? How long
should it really take to finish road construction? Why now every few miles are there
"Expect Delays" signs? What situations are similar to the one at hand? And how would things
be rightly-handled in those situations?
5. WRITE YOUR OWN BOOK.
Not literally, unless you want to. The point being you control what you perceive. See what you
want to see. Never try to understand what an Insect sees or thinks about. That's madness; they
aren't even the same species! Give new meanings that you like to everything in your environment.
It's your world after all, see what you like to see!
6. Know the difference between actual magic and a magician's "magic".
We can believe in magic, ghosts, other supernatural. A power greater than ourselves. But use
reason. Most any trick you see is accomplished *somehow*! Try and figure it out!
7. DECIDE FOR YOURSELF
In _Hellboy_, Agent John T. Meyes theorizes, when sizing up Hellboy, "What makes a man a man?
Is it his origins? No, It's the choices he makes." Hellboy is the Devil's / some Demon's son
and rightful heir to the throne, yet he chooses to protect mankind, against his nature. He
could sit on a maniac-coveted throne, alone with other demons, commanding his pile of rubble
in hell on earth or he could be with friends, associates, and have love. Go figure! Refusing
to think about likely outcomes does in no way prevent them from coming to pass...! Same thing
with Harry-- he's marked by Lord Voldemort, has the Dark Lord's powers, can follow Voldemort's
path should he choose. But he doesn't. A maniac may have a reason to gain power in the beginning,
but along the way they lose themselves, their reason, and end up doing nothing but gaining more
power. Hilter was no happy camper near the end. He was a drug addict afraid of his own shadow.
But boy could he act! Just because you can't see a tyrannt's true nature doesn't mean they aren't
unhappy, afraid, and in pain! Remember: It can't be done without you!
In _Hellboy II_ the protagonist says to Hellboy, "Kill the Elemental, the last of its kind, as
commanded. If you cannot lead, you must follow." Wrong wrong wrong. There are an infinite
combinations of ways one can approach leadership and followership, as in any named path. Let the
Elemental live! :-) Watch out for those who would put easy labels on a complicated life, as
everyone knows life is. That's sophistry! Also, I've never read any authority or watched any show
where the writer didn't become overwhelmed with themselves and wander aimlessly on wrong paths
assuming they held a complete grasp of all or simply needing to authoritatively fill in the blanks
to their own understanding. Largely in those cases they defer to another authority who made it
up in the first place!
What I'm telling you here and there is this: It's your world-- own it! Own your actions in it.
Own is as a unification of a better world, one you'd like to live in!
8. GET YOUR MIND OFF OF THINGS
Whistle a happy tune. Chew gum. Count to ten. Meditate.
9. BE LIKE JOSS!
Occasionally people will tell me, "Be like me!" I'd like to forward a different suggestion:
Be like Joss! Admittedly most of us will never be the amazing multifaceted talent that is Joss
Whedon. But it's the character of the man we're after here. Championing gay rights -- he has a
gay brother. Championing women's rights -- he doesn't hate women. He isn't just looking out for
number one; he champions a better world. It's true, one can't save the world. But they can endeaver
to do what they can to make it better, make a more balanced world.
Joss has a foot fetish, stating that Summer Glau's feet are an 11th character in _Serenity_. I'd
like to forward that the 12th character is Joss himself; his commentaries are an entire movie in
themselves! _Serenity_ is a great movie, but don't forget its prequel: _Firefly_. Be a Brown Coat!
(First draft-- unedited. You never know when it will be my last.)
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