Okay this is dumb but

Discussion in 'General Advice' started by TwoBrokenMirrors, Mar 2, 2015.

  1. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    (also I need to stop making topics)
    There is something of a chance that relatively soon I will be contracted for some minor dogsitting/walking for a friend of my mother's. This is not bad in itself. I know the people well enough to not be unduly bothered, I know their house and I know their dogs.
    The trouble is, I will need to walk their dogs, and they live right next to a footpath so I imagine most of their walks will go that way, but this particular footpath scares the shit out of me.
    I've walked my own dogs up there before because they don't live that far away and every time I have felt incredibly unwelcome and afraid. It's an old sunken road, actually, I believe it was one of the main paths into the settlement before modern roads were built, and it's just- threatening. My stance on things like nature spirits and ghosts and the like is kind of uncertain and blurred, like I would like to believe and do sort of half believe but at the same time the ideas upset my brain's logic circuits so I also don't. I do read a lot of lit about it though and have an active imagination so I'm probably just imagining it, but that doesn't change the fact that I always feel like there's something there that wants me not to be there. I made the mistake of walking down it at twilight once and nearly exploded with terror to the extent that even after I got back and had a shower to calm myself, I found myself weirdly afraid that I would close my eyes, open them again and be back there, only this time in the dark.
    The dogs never seem bothered, but this doesn't really help.
    Suffice to say, whatever the reason, I do not like this path, but it's going to be the easiest way to walk the dogs if I do end up with this gig (it depends on one of our own dogs, and whether she has an operation and it works; if she does, then she'll have to be kept quiet so we can't dogsit the other dogs at our house. But she might end up being put down instead, which makes my part in the dogsitting unnecessary). And I don't know what to do other than 'find other places to walk them' because if I have to walk that path every day I don't think I'll cope. And that might well just be the answer, but of course I'm worrying about it, so I need other people to tell me it...
    Or suggest ways to make the path less frightening, I'm also open to those.
     
  2. rorleuaisen

    rorleuaisen Frozen Dreamer

    Hmmm. Well I've always had a firm belief that animals are more sensitive to things people can't sense(my own security blanket for worries about tornadoes) so animals being calm really helps me. But, have you tried singing or possibly listening to songs? Add some different sensory stimulants to distract you from the scary thing?
     
    • Like x 4
  3. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    I think the animals being calm helps me not flip out, because I think if my dog started acting weird on the path then I would completely crack and end up running the entire length of it in a screaming panic. Heh. But at the same time I feel like maybe if there's something there that wants me out, it might not be objecting to the dogs, so the dogs remain fine because they're not being targeted.
    I still don't know if I actually believe there's something there or if this is all stuff my brain's making up to be unpleasant to me. xP
    I think listening to songs would... it would either help or it would make me more antsy because then I can't hear the little sounds around me. Me singing myself has been helpful in vaguely similar situations in the past, so it could be potentially be helpful here too, if I could get up the courage to sing.
    I have actually considered bringing my training longsword with me. It'd be sort of cumbersome, and my mother would look at me like i was insane, but AT LEAST I'D HAVE SOMETHING TO HIT ANYTHING THAT SHOWED ITS FACE WITH.
     
    • Like x 1
  4. rorleuaisen

    rorleuaisen Frozen Dreamer

    xD big sticks help! Also, dogs are very loyal and friendly. They would protect you from things that want to hurt you. It is their nature.
     
  5. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    My dog is an appalling coward but I actually do believe he would defend me. I must remember this.
    Actually, what's kind of amusing is... there used to be another path that I was sort of uneasy on (not nearly the sort of fear this one causes, but creeping uneasiness still isn't fun), I think a lot because I once had a dream where I was walking along the road that runs parallel to it and there was a skeletal horse pacing me in the woods that the path goes through. So I sort of made a story where sure, there's a skeletal horse that lives in those woods, and sometimes it watches me, but it's not unfriendly per se, just very wary of humans and not that happy that so many of them walk that path- and if it showed its face and I was nice to it, we could be friends.
    I don't know if something like that would help with this path, because the fear is a lot more intense, but I could try something similarish.
     
    • Like x 1
  6. Lissiel

    Lissiel Dreaming dead

    Is there any reason you couldn't just walk somewhere else? I know it's close and convenient, but you could just walk normal streets if there's sidewalks or it's not too busy? Or are there other paths around, even if they're a bit further away? Like, you probably could power past being scared, but idk if worth the spoons if you have other options.
     
  7. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    There are other paths and places, yes, albeit not so convenient and i don't know them as well, but I will probably try to use other ones the majority of the time. I suppose I just feel like I'm... wimping out, by doing that? Like there's a path right there that the dogs can be off-lead on (one of them, anyway, the other one stays on because he's a dick) and surely there's nothing actually there so I'm just being a coward... but at the same time bugger me am I frightened.
    It helps to have other people say that walking somewhere else is a viable option. xP
     
    • Like x 1
  8. Mala

    Mala Well-Known Member

    Walking elsewhere is the simple logical answer. Also if you're worried about not hearing sounds, you could have the music playing from a speaker instead of headphones.

    You said your stance on spirits/ghosts/ect was uncertain. If you want to approach it from that angle, I can give you plenty of resources that might help
     
  9. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    Good point about the speakers. That might actually work.

    As much as it's a very uncertain stance, I would actually appreciate some resources, because if I can feel like I have ways of placating or gentling or combatting the ghosties and ghoulies my brain tends to insist are lurking everywhere, that will do wonders for my peace of mind regardless of whether they're real or not.
     
  10. kmoss

    kmoss whoops

    My basement at home is kind of similar - which is funny because i genuinely don't believe in ghosts or etc - but somehow my brain tells me that there is a bad thing down there and it doesn't like me.
    I used to sing when I had to go down there, or make up weird rules (can't touch the bare floor, don't look behind you, do not run up the stairs), but it still freaks me out. When I'm alone in the house, I'll talk at it, but it doesn't really help.

    If you can't sing at it, maybe find just one note you can hit and hum that quietly. I used to hit really resonant notes and it was weirdly soothing.
     
  11. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    Basements/cellars are the worst. My house doesn't have one, but when I housesat for the neighbours I found out they had one and felt mildly threatened every time I remembered it was there even though I never set foot in it or even opened the door to it. xP
    And I feel you on weird rules, I used to hate the entrance to a footpath that I walked past on the way back from the school bus even though it was open and I walked through it all the time and had no such hangups about the footpath itself, so I had the rule that once I went past that entrance I Did Not Look Back Or Run.
    I did actually get over that fear apparently. Which is nice.
    Humming, huh? Interesting. I used to hum all the time, maybe I should take it up again.
     
    • Like x 1
  12. rorleuaisen

    rorleuaisen Frozen Dreamer

    Oh, and just a general suggestion: if you don't want to take the path, don't. If you are feeling particularly strong/brave(even if it's not during the dog gig), grab all your tools and tricks(a friend or animal are also good ideas) and venture down the path. It can be empowering facing fears ^_^
     
    • Like x 1
  13. Lissiel

    Lissiel Dreaming dead

    Salt water in a squirt bottle. Rain or river water for preference, though tap would be just fine. Sounds silly but am totally serious. If anyone asks, you can say its for dog training, but also is the kind of stuff nasties really dont like.
     
    • Like x 2
  14. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    ...Tempting.
    Not at the moment, because I have no friends round here to do it with and I would need at least a couple, and no real tools or tricks, but... one day, definitely.
     
  15. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    Oooooh. Now that is something I could do. I knew salt was a Good Thing Against Nasties but it didn't occur to me to use salt water in a squirty bottle.
    Thank you. Really. For that.
     
  16. Missfortunate

    Missfortunate Emotional one

    Omg I totaly feel the same way about a particular stretch of road thats between my house and my SOs house and i walk back home after dark when I go out with them and just agh, as alot others have said singing and music help me immensely....also it doesnt hurt that I have a 13 inch bowieknife hiding in my purse o.o so Im totaly for the stick idea xD
     
    • Like x 1
  17. Mala

    Mala Well-Known Member

    That's what I was thinking. I don't personally practice any of this stuff myself but here goes.

    From a magic/supernatural angle there's two ways to approach this: make friends with whatever's there or shield yourself from it. Shielding's probably the fastest and easiest for what you need. http://thetwistedrope.tumblr.com/magix-guides This has some guides on sigils, amulets and warding that you can use. Make something to protect you while you walk! You could also leave an offering (make sure it's animal safe!"as a peace offering or "thanks for letting me pass safely" gift
     
  18. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    There is a lot to be said for weaponry sometimes. xP I used to idly daydream about someone trying to mug me while I was walking home from swordfighting and me beating them up. Not that I would actually ever want that to happen, because it would definitely not go the way it did in my head. xP

    ...That is excellent. Thank you so much. I feel that this really very much cannot hurt, at the minimum. xP
     
    • Like x 1
  19. Ink

    Ink Well-Known Member

    I'm not knowledgeable in the field, but how about a smudge stick?
     
  20. TwoBrokenMirrors

    TwoBrokenMirrors onion hydration

    What's a smudge stick?
     
  1. This site uses cookies to help personalise content, tailor your experience and to keep you logged in if you register.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.
    Dismiss Notice