Comments on: Confessions of a Spider Killer http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/ My life as a father, Buddhist and Japanophile. Fri, 10 Jun 2011 15:44:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.com/ By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4592 Doug Sun, 12 Sep 2010 05:41:18 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4592 Hi Louise and welcome to the JLR, and apologies for the delay in replying. It's a tough situation. This weekend, my wife and I went through our entire yard and clipped and trimmed all the branches and shrubs around our house, since many of them have branches hanging really close to our house. Even if the outside spiders aren't getting in, they are making a mess of our porch and such, so it was time. At the very least, our yard looks much, much better. For the indoor spiders, I am not sure there's anything to be really done at this point, but then again they do eat pests I never see, so I guess it's not all bad. I will say though, having spent an entire day clearing shrub and brushing spiders off my gloves, I don't quite fear them as much as I did earlier in the day. Frankly I just got tired of it and was too busy working to care by the afternoon. I guess it's more of a mental aversion than anything else. :-/ Best of luck, and please let me know if you resolve your phobia or not. Hi Louise and welcome to the JLR, and apologies for the delay in replying. It’s a tough situation. This weekend, my wife and I went through our entire yard and clipped and trimmed all the branches and shrubs around our house, since many of them have branches hanging really close to our house. Even if the outside spiders aren’t getting in, they are making a mess of our porch and such, so it was time. At the very least, our yard looks much, much better. For the indoor spiders, I am not sure there’s anything to be really done at this point, but then again they do eat pests I never see, so I guess it’s not all bad.

I will say though, having spent an entire day clearing shrub and brushing spiders off my gloves, I don’t quite fear them as much as I did earlier in the day. Frankly I just got tired of it and was too busy working to care by the afternoon. I guess it’s more of a mental aversion than anything else. :-/

Best of luck, and please let me know if you resolve your phobia or not.

]]> By: louise http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4580 louise Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:58:12 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4580 ooooh! ive had 4 HUGE brown S's in my living room over a period of about 7 days and i can hardly cope any more im on edge all the time. we have large conifers tree's out in the garden and when its warm i do open the windows so im assuming they come from there but if they are already in the house this is worse, how can i tell? i am so terrified of them i cant live like this any more and im sick of my fear controlling me, on the other hand i have NO intention of making 'friends' with these creatures i just want to keep em out! ooooh! ive had 4 HUGE brown S’s in my living room over a period of about 7 days and i can hardly cope any more im on edge all the time. we have large conifers tree’s out in the garden and when its warm i do open the windows so im assuming they come from there but if they are already in the house this is worse, how can i tell? i am so terrified of them i cant live like this any more and im sick of my fear controlling me, on the other hand i have NO intention of making ‘friends’ with these creatures i just want to keep em out!

]]> By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4554 Doug Thu, 02 Sep 2010 17:11:04 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4554 Hi guys: <strong>Stephen:</strong> I read on Wikipedia that they do indeed often eat cockroaches, so it's probably worth having one or two around the house, even though they're scary looking. :p <strong>Robert:</strong> Good advice actually. You go me thinking about about the importance of effort, over results, though certainly both matter. As for severity of taking life, that's something I've heard, but seems subjective to me. Then again, what do you do about bacteria and such? Hi guys:

Stephen: I read on Wikipedia that they do indeed often eat cockroaches, so it’s probably worth having one or two around the house, even though they’re scary looking. :p

Robert: Good advice actually. You go me thinking about about the importance of effort, over results, though certainly both matter. As for severity of taking life, that’s something I’ve heard, but seems subjective to me. Then again, what do you do about bacteria and such?

]]> By: Robert http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4545 Robert Tue, 31 Aug 2010 09:12:30 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4545 It seems you're not alone in worrying about the consequences of killing insects. An insecticide company famously sought to alleviate their guilt (?) by building a monument on Koyasan. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koyasan-Okunoin-shiroari-ireihi.jpg I have no particular fear of spiders so maybe I don't know what it's like. But a couple of things occur to me. It seems that the Buddhist way would be to work to try to overcome your fear. After all it's all in your mind. And maybe I'm wrong but a lot of Buddhist teaching is about training the mind. Maybe you don't have to be successful but you should attempt the journey. (It seems to me that because you are bothered by your actions, you are already on the journey) Also (and I can't remember where I read it) I once read a piece by a Buddhist scholar that discussed the idea that not all life is the same, that killing a spider (while wrong) is not the same as killing a mammal let alone a human. The other thing that occurs to me is that you should try not to pass this fear on to your daughter... It seems you’re not alone in worrying about the consequences of killing insects. An insecticide company famously sought to alleviate their guilt (?) by building a monument on Koyasan.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Koyasan-Okunoin-shiroari-ireihi.jpg

I have no particular fear of spiders so maybe I don’t know what it’s like.
But a couple of things occur to me. It seems that the Buddhist way would be to work to try to overcome your fear. After all it’s all in your mind. And maybe I’m wrong but a lot of Buddhist teaching is about training the mind. Maybe you don’t have to be successful but you should attempt the journey. (It seems to me that because you are bothered by your actions, you are already on the journey)
Also (and I can’t remember where I read it) I once read a piece by a Buddhist scholar that discussed the idea that not all life is the same, that killing a spider (while wrong) is not the same as killing a mammal let alone a human.
The other thing that occurs to me is that you should try not to pass this fear on to your daughter…

]]> By: Stephen http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4544 Stephen Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:39:54 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4544 That hutsman spider (we call them Avondale Spiders) will do wonders against those cockroaches Johnl! That was an excellent site on spiders, full of things I didn't know. Unfortunately knowledge sort of goes out the window when there is one on you arm maybe. I like the four-pairs of legs guys. Snakes I'm not so calm about, don't even mention the four letter w word. Despite what I know, I act irrationally. When I hear the buzzing, I throw my arms around and run. Great way to get stung. Fear leads to anger, but in the end I cannot see that there is something that can be done rid oneself entirely of a phobia, yet while that phobia exists we are breaking the Five Basic Precepts, even if we don't drop the book on it or we run from it, or hide from it. I just have to accept I will never be able to master them, which means I don' even qualify for rebirth as a human. If only there was another way Namu Amida Butsu Stephen That hutsman spider (we call them Avondale Spiders) will do wonders against those cockroaches Johnl!
That was an excellent site on spiders, full of things I didn’t know. Unfortunately knowledge sort of goes out the window when there is one on you arm maybe. I like the four-pairs of legs guys.
Snakes I’m not so calm about, don’t even mention the four letter w word.
Despite what I know, I act irrationally. When I hear the buzzing, I throw my arms around and run. Great way to get stung. Fear leads to anger, but in the end I cannot see that there is something that can be done rid oneself entirely of a phobia, yet while that phobia exists we are breaking the Five Basic Precepts, even if we don’t drop the book on it or we run from it, or hide from it. I just have to accept I will never be able to master them, which means I don’ even qualify for rebirth as a human.
If only there was another way
Namu Amida Butsu
Stephen

]]> By: Doug http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4543 Doug Tue, 31 Aug 2010 03:14:16 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4543 Wow, great comments from everyone. I have to agree with everyone at some point or another. :) P.S. Wish I had time to write more, but very busy today. Wow, great comments from everyone. I have to agree with everyone at some point or another. :)

P.S. Wish I had time to write more, but very busy today.

]]> By: Ron http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4542 Ron Tue, 31 Aug 2010 01:18:02 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4542 I can completely relate to this. Out here in the middle of no-where the spiders in our house are brown recluses. My wife was bit by one and it is truly amazing (and horrible) the damage these spiders do. Her aunt also has them in her house and she had an exterminator come to get rid of them. He came 4 times total and on the last visit basically just told her "good luck" getting rid of them. Evidently, these aren't the average, run-of-the-mill spiders. The poison has to contact them directly. So, while I do try to respect all life as a Buddhist, I have to admit that I kill these spiders, the brown recluses, with zeal. I have seen what they do. And we have children in here to think about. So when I kill one, I look at it as that is one spider that will not be harming my family. I can completely relate to this. Out here in the middle of no-where the spiders in our house are brown recluses. My wife was bit by one and it is truly amazing (and horrible) the damage these spiders do. Her aunt also has them in her house and she had an exterminator come to get rid of them. He came 4 times total and on the last visit basically just told her “good luck” getting rid of them. Evidently, these aren’t the average, run-of-the-mill spiders. The poison has to contact them directly. So, while I do try to respect all life as a Buddhist, I have to admit that I kill these spiders, the brown recluses, with zeal. I have seen what they do. And we have children in here to think about. So when I kill one, I look at it as that is one spider that will not be harming my family.

]]> By: johnl http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4541 johnl Mon, 30 Aug 2010 23:19:37 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4541 My arachnophobia has mellowed with age. I get a lot of tiny black dudes in my apartment, generally no problem, although one did freak me out mildly by walking across my arm while I was asleep. I think these may be an example of the kind that will not survive well outdoors. So I just ask them to leave in a loud voice, emphasizing the potential danger of remaining here. Incense smoke may also be a positive factor (maybe tricky with a young human in the house). For me the cockroaches are a much bigger problem. I have smashed several, not proud of it! For a really big scare, try an image search for the huntsman spider of Australia! My arachnophobia has mellowed with age. I get a lot of tiny black dudes in my apartment, generally no problem, although one did freak me out mildly by walking across my arm while I was asleep. I think these may be an example of the kind that will not survive well outdoors. So I just ask them to leave in a loud voice, emphasizing the potential danger of remaining here. Incense smoke may also be a positive factor (maybe tricky with a young human in the house). For me the cockroaches are a much bigger problem. I have smashed several, not proud of it! For a really big scare, try an image search for the huntsman spider of Australia!

]]> By: Kendall http://japanlifeandreligion.com/2010/08/30/confessions-of-a-spider-killer/#comment-4540 Kendall Mon, 30 Aug 2010 22:21:45 +0000 http://japanlifeandreligion.com/?p=8924#comment-4540 I like the title of this one. I go through mixed feelings about how to deal with the spiders. One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to spiders, and bugs in general, is that they are not out to get you. When a person sees a spider crawling around they instinctively feel like it is going to bite them. Once you come to terms that they're just moving along on their own business and likely don't care about you, it becomes easier to deal with them. Though they will bite out of fear of you, which makes humanely relocating them harder. I was doing pretty well with the catch and release technique, but the really fast ones and the really small ones are harder to relocate without squashing them in the process. I've now turned to chemicals in order to deter them, spraying areas where they may come in so I don't have to kill them once their in. Essentially taking a prevention strategy. The note on spiders getting trapped in tubs is definitely true. I'll stand there watching them trying to climb out and keep slipping down. A bit comical when you think about the fact that they can climb on a ceiling, but not up a tub. Just a fun spider story from a few years ago; I was sitting next to my computer and the screen saver was running and I noticed this pretty spider decoration making it's way across the screen. As I watched it cross, I noticed it leave the screen and started crawling onto the back of the screen. I paused for a moment grasping at what I just saw, then quickly went to grab something to deal with him. I got him outside without incident and no squashing. I like the title of this one.

I go through mixed feelings about how to deal with the spiders. One of the biggest hurdles when it comes to spiders, and bugs in general, is that they are not out to get you. When a person sees a spider crawling around they instinctively feel like it is going to bite them. Once you come to terms that they’re just moving along on their own business and likely don’t care about you, it becomes easier to deal with them. Though they will bite out of fear of you, which makes humanely relocating them harder.

I was doing pretty well with the catch and release technique, but the really fast ones and the really small ones are harder to relocate without squashing them in the process. I’ve now turned to chemicals in order to deter them, spraying areas where they may come in so I don’t have to kill them once their in. Essentially taking a prevention strategy.

The note on spiders getting trapped in tubs is definitely true. I’ll stand there watching them trying to climb out and keep slipping down. A bit comical when you think about the fact that they can climb on a ceiling, but not up a tub.

Just a fun spider story from a few years ago; I was sitting next to my computer and the screen saver was running and I noticed this pretty spider decoration making it’s way across the screen. As I watched it cross, I noticed it leave the screen and started crawling onto the back of the screen. I paused for a moment grasping at what I just saw, then quickly went to grab something to deal with him. I got him outside without incident and no squashing.

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