#tools and everyday items are just as important for remembering the past!

[armed-aphrodite]

Pentiment is rightly praised for how it shows its history's foundations, but what it does best is show you how history is corrupted. In tracking a town for 25 years, you get to see how decisions change the town over time. But you also get to see how down the line, nobody agrees on why those decisions were important, how they should be remembered and depicted.

It's most tangible with regard to the events of the town, the murders and the Event toward the end of Act 2. You get to take part in these, see exactly what happens, decide to some degree the fate of the town. And then when you paint the murals, you see the disparate ways different people remember, want to remember, and want to be remembered the events you've seen. You send letters to people in far off places for whom these events are distant memories because they're! somehow! the! best! source of information for events in the town you are in at the time!

It's most impactful though in the history of the town. The Pagans, the Romans, the Christianization, all exist in half-remembered stories and myths that come to you naturally, but it's hard to remember (until the fantastic end) that they are these half-remembered bastardizations. Keeping them in memory is difficult in itself; if you don't manage to convince Ursula to remember the old ways as a child, nobody will keep the Pagan rituals and myths alive.

And the act of painting of the murals in Act 3, seemingly an excuse to get you to investigate, are really an opportunity for you to do just what those older civilizations did. Like the Pagan art that is Roman, the Roman art that is Christian, the Christian art that is Modern, the murals that you paint will be interpreted and misinterpreted and coopted by whoever comes next. You get to take part in the same awkward act of creation. I think the Roman ruins are the best metaphor: the future won't live in the home you built, but will use the stone to make a home for themselves.

#pentiment #the tools and knickknacks found by the farmers getting left in piles makes me so sad every time #tools and everyday items are just as important for remembering the past!

[lilibet46]

Can a Drinking water Flosser Eliminate Plaque and Tartar?

 Initially, the majority of the individuals are not familiar with the idea of Water flosser. They have no idea what exactly it is, the actual way it is utilized, and also for what objective. It is really an alienated concept for individuals.

 Men and women really should not be held responsible because the overall health officers attempt to consist of masses brushing their teeth. The advertising and marketing businesses also would rather publicize tooth pasts mainly because they generate from their store. Our system makes scrubbing our day-to-day program since they all generate out from our wallets as a result of these fake notions of better wellness. The fact is that other items are significantly more powerful than just toothpaste and brushes.

 A normal water flosser is among one of all those merchandise. It holders tall and direct out of all other modern tooth cleansing tools because it provides greatest safety with minimum cost and it has no unwanted effects. Every one of these qualities make normal water flosser the very best the teeth cleansing resource in the marketplace. We should floss everyday .

 Brushing our tooth 2 times per day is actually a routine process. Do most dental surgeons advocate it, or do we learn this behavior from Television set ads and also other marketing stations? It is a query all of us should ask ourself!

 There are indeed harmful bacteria that can damage our gums and teeth. Even so, these harmful bacteria cannot be eradicated only by scrubbing since they reside inside oral cavaties where remember to brush cannot get to. Over 600 various kinds of harmful bacteria can stay and damage gums and teeth. Brushing alone cannot guard you these lethal bacteria you must  floss daily.

 Flossing is as Crucial as Brushing

 Why do we merely read about brushing on television and another computerized foundation? Why does no person focus on the huge benefits and essentialness of flossing?

 Flossing is as important as cleaning in terms of oral hygiene. There are many harmful bacteria within the mouth cavity of any human being. These germs reside in far-off corners from the mouth cavity. These bacteria often reside in spaces between teeth and gums. Harmful bacteria can harm and also destroy gums and teeth if still left unattended. Only cleaning cannot remove these microorganisms. We should possess a complete tactic to get to individuals far-off corners to take out individuals bacteria.

 These bacteria are dangerous. The foodstuff we eat provides them required solutions to start your metabolism. During their respiratory system process, harmful bacteria produce acids. For this reason their existence brings about the teeth and chewing gum degeneration. Flossing one or more times every day as flossing prevents harmful bacteria from reproducing and safeguards oral cavaties.

 Before heading into the specifics of flossing, we need to create fundamental ideas. Flossing implies removing plaque buildup and dirt from small cavities between the teeth. The function of a drinking water flosser would be to go in tight places of teeth and clear them up. It could safeguard you against the different conditions linked to tooth. It washes your pearly whites by spraying streams water in steady pulses. It had been everything about the best water flosserhighly processed normal water flossing can perform the better.

 Precisely what is Plaque buildup?

 Exactly what is plaque, or how would it be linked to mouth health care? These are typically typical concerns because the open public is not aware of the concepts.

 Plaque is a slender coating of deposits on your the teeth containing waste materials and germs. It is created because of eating diverse foods. Whenever we drink or eat anything, those items create acids in our mouths. Of course, if these acids carry on accumulating, they may result in several conditions like gingivitis. Plaque could also build on the higher covering of pearly whites or perhaps inside the pearly whites too.

 Difference between Plaque buildup and Tartar

 Tartar is the following phase of plaque. When the oral plaque continues incorporating high on your the teeth, a point will come where that plaque becomes too difficult. It commences receiving the shape of tartar, in fact it is a lot more tough to remove in comparison with plaque. A specialist dentist are only able to get rid of tartar, and regular toothbrushes cannot help you with getting rid of this tartar.

 Bottom line

 Scrubbing your tooth two minutes each day is not sufficient. You have to do one thing extra to protect your tooth and dental cavity. Every individual has to floss tooth. Dentistry flossing is an effective and productive method of purifying your pearly whites and battling with oral illnesses. Foods pieces, oral plaque, and germs that increase in dental oral cavaties can be hugely dangerous to improve your health. It is possible to take away every one of these perilous materials with the aid of dental flossing.

 You can reach body fat-off places with your oral cavity through flossing that can not be cleansed using a conventional clean. By eliminating the particles and plaque, you can enjoy a much healthier lifestyle.

 For this day, flossing is regarded as the effective approach to thoroughly clean your tooth and teeth cavities extensively. Flossing prevents build up and guarantees dental hygiene, and gives you a good look.

 Even though you clean your the teeth 3 to 5 occasions per day, the chance of harmful bacteria surviving in tooth decay and chewing gum continues to be continual. Only brushing will not be the response to this issue. More complex methods for example flossing may help get rid of the risk.

 Cited fromhttps://www.tumblr.com/blog/emma12153

#travel #dental hygiene

[a-d-curtis]

Artifacts

“Uh…” Aang looked down at the dilapidated wooden bucket that was placed reverently into his hands. The man bestowing it sank deferentially into a low bow; his head ducked so deeply that all Aang could see was the back of the man’s thin topknot tied far back on his balding head. “Uh… thanks?”

Aang looked down at the bucket in his hands. The bucket was old; that much was obvious. Aang held it up to get a closer look. The metal braid that held the darkened, dried wooden planks together was rusted until it was nearly black. When Aang looked into the bucket, he noted that the plank at the bottom didn’t fit snuggly like it should.

“Do you want me to… um, to help you fix your bucket? If you soak this wood, the planks will expand tightening the planks, and I can straiten out that bottom piece for you… this isn’t very useful if we can’t get it watertight again. But I can always make you a new one, if you, you know… need a water bucket… or something…?” Aang trailed off as the gentleman rose slowly out of his bow, looking at Aang with a look of utter disbelief, as though Aang’s words filling him with dismay.

“What?!” the man sputtered. “Make a new one?! No, no! You must not understand! This is an authentic, an original, air nomad water bucket!” He enunciated each word as though only someone truly obtuse would not see this for the prize that it was.

“Oh, right…” Aang hedged, looking at the beat-up old bucket. “I see.”

Of course Aang knew what this was. He and his friends had carried buckets just like this to and from the stream near the Southern Air Temple everyday. Each monk child would carry one in each hand as they bounded back from the stream, anxious to deliver the water to the cook. It was a mundane thing, something that just needed to get done. The sooner they got through with that chore, the more likely they might be able to squeeze in a quick game of airball before breakfast!

Out of habit, Aang looked behind him, searching for Katara to swoop in and help him navigate this awkward interaction. But of course she wasn’t there, Aang remembered with a slight drop in his stomach that he had come on this trip solo. Katara was still back in Ba Sing Se, busy working on a new project for the museum. Aang didn’t plan to be here in this small village more than a day, so instead of pulling Katara away from her work to come with him as he wanted to, he simply opted to handle this little task alone.

Aang held up the bucket with an importance he certainly didn’t feel and declared, “Why so it is! This is… um, very… special.” He looked at the bucket again, biting on his lip at his choice of words. To him, this bucket looked anything but special.

But the man beamed with delight at Aang’s praise!

“Yes, yes, it is!”

The man in his enthusiasm took the bucket from Aang’s hands and turned it over excitedly. “See!” The man pointed out. “Right here! An Air Nomad symbol!” Again he spoke the words like they were wondrous. “Carved right here on the bottom!”

Aang bent over to look. Sure enough. There it was. Three Air swirls carved (rather poorly, Aang noted) in the bottom wood piece.

“Well,” Aang said, brightening up a little as he took the bucket back from the man. “that would explain why the bottom doesn’t fit!” Aang shifted his staff into the crook of his elbow and turned the bucket upside down under his arm and gave the bottom a firm pound with his fist, knocking the bottom panel right out. The man gave an audible squawk, his hands jumping over his mouth aghast as the piece of wood fell into the dirt.

But Aang kept talking as he picked up the bucket’s base and flipped it over, fitting it back into the bottom of the water bucket. “See we always put the symbol on the inside of the bucket.” After making sure the base was fit in more securely, Aang handed the bucket back to the man. “There! That ought to hold water a lot better now! I still suggest you soak the whole thing, but now it ought to do it’s job just fine!”

The man looked at the bucket shoved so casually into his hands with a gaping mouth for a moment. Then his words began to tumble out of his mouth. “Oh, thank you, thank you, Avatar Aang! Now I know: the symbol goes on the inside! Oh I wish my father was here to see! You see my father acquired this treasure on one of his travels along the Granite Trading Route when he was a young man, bought it off a peddler near Dong Shaan City. This has sat in a place of prominence in my house ever since! My father had a great appreciation of antiques; and he had quite a collection. But this was his most prized – his only genuine Air Nomad artifact!”

The man’s face sobered, his voice taking on a formal tone as he once again fell into a deep bow, holding the bucket out towards Aang reverently. “But I would like you to have it now, Avatar Aang. A way to return it to its rightful place, among its rightful people. It wouldn’t be right for me to keep it, when an Air Nomad still exists to return it to.”

Aang hesitated before taking the old bucket apprehensively. The bucket suddenly felt heavier, and he felt heavier too. Sure he had run into situations like this before, where people felt inclined to present him with gifts. But it was always the most awkward for him when-- like now-- they were gifts recovered from the Air Nomads: a set of long cooking chopsticks, a half-broken glider, a rare item of fragile old saffron clothing. But these items didn’t belong to Aang, and they held no significance to him personally. Like this bucket. It is true that it appeared to be a genuine Air Nomad bucket. But to him, it was just a bucket. Something they had used a dime a dozen when he was a child. A tool. Nothing sacred or important and certainly not something revered. What would he do now with a leaky old bucket?

Wish for a new one, probably. Aang answered his own question ruefully. One that held water better, I’m sure.

He knew Katara would probably be thrilled if she were here. She was always getting excited over every little Air Nomad trinket or knickknack they found. In fact, a new Air Nomad exhibit at the Museum of Natural History is what Katara was working on right now in Ba Sing Se. In addition to working as a consultant for the project, Katara was also donating a great many of the things she had collected to the exhibit, things she had gathered over the past couple of years since she and Aang had begun traveling together.

Aang never objected when Katara would accumulate Air Nomad objects, and he appreciated her enthusiasm. Really. He was touched by how important his heritage was to her. However, there was something about it that more recently had begun to bother him. He wasn’t quite sure what it was, but Katara’s tendency to “collect” his people’s leftover things didn’t always sit right with Aang.

Maybe it was something about how collecting these “antiques” made him feel even more distant from his people; each item proof of how long they had been gone, how far removed he was from them. Proof that his family was little more than memories and artifacts now. These items served as a concrete reminder that his people were extinct, gone forever. It made it harder to just forget and pretend he was just on a journey right now. That the others were still out there, just not right here with him.

Aang imagined taking this man’s bucket back to the museum. He imagined it being put behind glass on a display pedestal. What would people gain from observing this bucket? How would a bucket like this make them feel? It certainly wouldn’t make them laugh remembering the time that Dhun got his head stuck in one of these buckets when he’d been showing off for the girls from the western air temple and fell head first into the custodial closet after tumbling off his glider. They wouldn’t imagine the taste of sweet exhilaration from that water fight Aang had started that time when all the kids had decided to dump their buckets on each other instead of delivering them to the cook (they also wouldn’t recall the feeling of raw hands after lugging one of these buckets up the northern chanting tower to scrub every, single, stair as punishment for their water fight.)

What would this bucket teach a common museum patron about Aang’s people? About who they were and how they lived and what they valued?

Nothing. It would mean nothing at all.

And seeing it on display would only solidify the cold, concrete feeling in Aang’s gut that he was also an artifact now. A remnant of a nation dead. And long since, at that. Should he be on display? Did he now fit better in a museum among his people’s remaining relics than anywhere else?

Maybe it was these unspoken apprehensions that spurred Aang to find excuses to leave the museum as often as possible. Aang knew that the Museum Curator would gladly have Aang take up a permanent residence at the museum if he could finagle it, just so the dry little man could pepper him with questions about his people’s agricultural practices, yearly migration habits, and gross national trade products. Katara’s project was a good one, but one that Aang found himself finding more and more excuses not to be a part of.

Aang hadn’t told Katara any of these feelings, so he knew he couldn’t expect her to just know. And sometimes he found himself falling into the same trap, getting excited or possessive of every scrap of his culture they came across. But lately he had been working extra hard, actively trying not to. This was exactly the kind of attachment his people had tried to avoid; placing value on something that was inherently temporary and unimportant.

Aang knew he couldn’t let go of his attachments to the people in his life – a spiritual flaw that he had long since come to accept about himself – but attachment to things was still something he still tried valiantly to avoid.

Aang looked up from the bucket in his hands at the man before him, his head still bowed, although he glanced up apprehensively, evaluating Aang’s reaction to his gift. Aang could see the sincerity in the man’s eyes, his wish to honor the Last Airbender with this gift. But there was pity there too. And maybe even a little guilt? A glimpse of the world’s collective shame at allowing an entire nation to be massacred.

Aang was used to these kinds of looks: looks of pity, shame, guilt. He had lost more than anyone would truly understand, but that didn’t mean he wanted to be pitied all the time for it.

Aang took a fortifying breath, and as he exhaled, he let go of the flare of resentment he’d felt. It was his choice how he would respond. Would he pity himself too? Or would he choose to live in the moment, accepting without clinging to the loss?

Aang smiled and moved the bucket handle onto his arm, and his glider into the crook of his shoulder so he could bow respectfully to the man. “What did you say your name was?” Aang asked warmly.

“Um, I didn’t say, but it’s Shao, sir,” the man replied as he looked self-consciously to the side, his shoulders still hunched in a bow.

“Well, Shao!” Aang said cheerfully as he wrapped his arm around Shao’s shoulder, lifting him from his bow and compelling the man to walk with him. “This is a really nice bucket—I mean a really nice genuine Air Nomad artifact. And I am honored by your generosity and your gift.” Which was true. Aang was honored that Shao would offer something that clearly meant so much to him. “Please consider your gift accepted and appreciated. However,” Aang stopped walking and turned toward Shao, placing the bucket back in his hands, “it would make me happiest if you would keep it. Remember your father when you look at it. The Air Nomads, we gift this back to you.”

Shao looked at the bucket in his hands, stunned before a glow began to lighten his expression leaving a large smile radiating brightly on his face. “Thank you, Avatar Aang! I, and my children, will treasure this forever!”

Aang clapped Shao’s back heartily before walking backwards several jaunty steps.

“Or maybe just get yourself a drink of water with it,” Aang winked before opening his glider and lifting lightly into the sky, flying light and free, unburdened. Remembering his people by being one.

Just a Nomad on the wind.

………………

Other works in this series:

Chant

Incense

#ALTA #aang #avatar aang #the last airbender #do I belong in a museum? #air nomads #airbenders #kataang #Avatar the Last Airbender #choose your own reaction #he ain't dead too

[merkavahpartyvan]

Learning alchemical correspondences

What’s neat about alchemy is that if you know a little about it, you can immediately apply the knowledge because so many magical, scientific and other disciplines were and still are built on basic alchemical principles. This isn’t about whether or not alchemy is right or wrong, just about its place in the evolution of our thought and art and sciences. You will it everywhere because it’s been around... and knowing how to read its tracks will help you understand a lot of things!

For instance, the shorthand of alchemy is used a lot in many places in magic and history. You can find it in heraldry, where it also bridges into the history of important aristocratic houses, and you will find it in chemistry, where it defines our earliest understandings of the behavior of metals and materials. You will especially find it in descriptions and charts dealing with spirits and magical ingredients, or names and descriptions of magical items.

So, here is a list of seven things you can look for that will give you alchemical knowledge about whatever subject is referencing alchemy. If you’re researching historical subjects, it’s especially useful because the further in the past you go, the more you’ll find people depending on alchemical knowledge, because at one time it was all we had. If you understand the thinking of the writers, you can understand their writing more, and find hidden references. You’ll also be more likely to pick up on the things they forgot to explain because they assumed some knowledge would be common to the everyday reader that no longer is. And you’ll know that if a ritual is supposed to be on a certain day of the week, and it asks for iron tools and red decor, you’ll be doing it on a Tuesday, and you’ll know that because you’ll know how to recognize Mars in a ritual.

I’m going to identify the metal, the day of the week, and the color. I say ‘color of decor’ to mean altar cloths, text color, colors of flowers and gems... etc. I’ve listed the colors I’ve often found “in the wild” in different correspondence charts and magical systems--it’s usually determined by what ink colors the author/culture had at their disposal, so don’t stress yourself out on getting it perfect. Once you have these basic correspondences down, you’ll be able to find many more.

Gold

Gold is the metal of the Sun. Sunday is the day that corresponds. The color of decor can vary from yellow to white to gold, depending on the constraints of your palette.

(Since Venus is copper, sometimes your palette’s limits may mean that the Sun is white, Venus is yellow, etc. You’ll find similar behavior with Mercury’s color associations.)

Quicksilver

Quicksilver is the metal of Mercury. Wednesday is the day that corresponds. The color of decor can vary--grey or silver or iridescent is typical, with some way that it is contrasted from the Moon.

(By the way, if you need a shortcut for remembering days of the week and which correspond to which metal, just look at them in French! Here’s a table.)

Iron

Iron is the metal of Mars. Tuesday is the day that corresponds. (Mardi Gras is always on a Tuesday!) The color of decor will be red. Iron is what makes dyes and paints--and blood--red, in fact.

Silver

Silver is the metal of the Moon. Monday is the day that corresponds. The color of decor will be silver or blue, depending on your palette’s constraints, and there’s the option of using white if the Sun isn’t doing that.

Copper

Copper is the metal of Venus. Friday is the day that corresponds. The color of decor will be copper or orange--gold/brass will work if it doesn’t conflict with other planets. (This last part only refers to the color brass. If you use the metal brass instead of copper, that can create conflicts, so be aware of that.)

Tin

Tin is the metal of Jupiter, so put on your tinfoil hat. Thursday is the day that corresponds. The color of decor will typically be green for Jupiter, which gives you a real break from having to find yet another shade of grey or silver in this system.

Lead

Lead is the metal of Saturn. Saturday is the corresponding day. The color of decor should be black or a dark color like purple, just goth it right the heck up.

This is why magicians end up keeping so many correspondence charts--you can find plenty of associations to add with just this basic set of information to start from, I’m sure, and every magician has their set of correspondences they prefer. You’ll find various systems that build on or copy off of this system, or that modify and mutate it. From it, you can also see the structures that make up a base foundation for a creative, scientific and magical system. If you’re interested in rolling your own, then this is a good place to start studying!

[stygiantarot]

Everyday Witchcraft

Taught on The Alexandria Archives, 7/1/19
 ~~~~ I have been incorporating witchcraft and magic into my daily routine for over a decade now. Some of my personal favorite ways are enchanting daily objects like wallets, keys, phones; simple daily kitchen witchcraft like morning cups of tea or coffee, toast/bagels, cereal; and using a shower to do more intensive cleansing and energy work than a simple rinsing of your skin and hair. ~~~~

Why is everyday witchcraft important?

Connection to the world around you: the very central commonality amongst witches and practitioners of varying types and paths is connection. We are connected more than the average person. Connected to life, to love, to death, to the Earth, to the cosmos, to our ancestors, entities, spirits, deities. We are those that understand the sum is greater than the parts deeply. It’s important to maintain that connection.


Connection to spirits: this can be any type of entity- ancestor, astral, nature, guides, familiars, etc. Being able to regularly communicate with these entities requires upkeep and practice- just like playing an instrument or participating in a sport or exercise activity. It’s a muscle!


Connection to Deity: If you are theistic, daily connection to your deities is important to keep that relationship meaningful and rewarding for you. It can not only help deepen your direct connection with the deity, but it also helps you steer clear of feeling negative about yourself for “falling behind” or becoming “fractured” in your worship. Worship does not have to be time consuming or costly. It can be done in a daily fashion. It’s all about building habits and routines.


Connection to Self: As I’ve said in past lessons, you are the absolutely most important tool at your disposal. You need special time daily to help hone that tool and take care of it. There are likely things you already do self-care wise that you haven’t counted as “witchcraft”- guess what? It is! Witchcraft isn’t just the casting of spells, crafting of rituals and worship, imbuing of objects and charms. It’s taking care of your tools; yourself included!


~~~~~

Creating a schedule

Your life is your own, and only you know how much time, effort, and energy you can put into things. Take a moment to think about your daily schedule and routine and where there are moments of pause and when there are moments of stress and movement. 
Don’t beat yourself up or force yourself to be the perfect witch - they don’t exist. 


Take it slow, instead of trying to add a million habits at once. The way a habit is formed is step-by-step. You want to start with something easy. I’m going to use offerings as an example (who the offering is for doesn’t matter). Start with water. You have a single specific cup or vessel that you have set aside. Fill it with water once a day at a certain time of day (close to the same time, but some fluctuation is fine) and leave it out as an offering. Do this daily until it becomes almost like second nature. You pass the cup at a certain time and you automatically take it to the sink to fill. Then you can build on it! Add a cracker or piece of candy- or light some incense or a candle. Do it multiple times a day. Add additional offerings for other entities. Alter it the way that works for you but that foundation is there. That is the heart of making a routine without it feeling like a “job”. Utilize energy and time when you have it. If you can’t do the same routine seven days a week- that is completely normal. I don’t do the same witchy routine all seven days a week! Plot out the best times you have that extra bit of time or usually have a little bit more energy or focus. Work around those times. Start out small; only add to it if you feel you haven’t hit your comfort level yet. If you’re there with only a couple small things a week, that is absolutely fine! ~~~~

Magic throughout the day

Morning:

Write down any dream notes or thoughts you remember. Even just a flash or emotion you have without clear memory.

Open your curtains. Look outside. Absorb the day’s energy into you; let it temper you for your day’s needs.


Infuse your morning drink with intent by stirring or adding certain flavors


Draw simple sigils on toast/bagels with toppings or with a bowl of cereal

Take a moment for some daily divination (using an app counts!)

Light a candle or incense burning for a brief moment of focused meditation/relaxation

Leave your morning offerings 

Create a glamour when doing your morning bathroom routine (doesn’t have to involve makeup- you can use water, soap, lotion, sunscreen, or just your fingers!
 

Take a moment to enchant your “daily pocket/purse items” (wallet, keys, phone, etc.) with intention needed for the day
 

Select or create a special “witchy” playlist or podcast to play during your morning, something with the energy you need to push along!
 

On your commute, take a moment to bond/communicate with your deities or spirit companions

Create a personal hydrosol scent and have a small spray bottle of it near your door or in your car. Spritz yourself gently before leaving your home.
 

Take a moment when starting your car or get ready to take transportation to charge a safe travel charm (should be actually created in advance, the morning action is only for charging it)
 

Drink water, refuel, be gentle with yourself. The morning can be intense.

At school:

Doodle sigils on your books and folders

Charge your pencil and pens to let words flow easily

Carry a focus stone or object with you and rub it during lectures to help focus. Then rub it again later while studying the same information.

Swirl a bottle of water before drinking to draw energy to you or banish negativity away. Flavor the water with intention.

Recharge a glamour by playing with hair, clothes, jewelry, accessories
 -Stretch when you need to! Take your time walking to a class when you can. Notice the world around you. Reflect.

Practice reading energy fields and other clairsentience types things with fellow classmates or teachers (respect passive boundaries)

Sigils and enchantments on your laptops and phones related to classwork

Dedicating study sessions to your deities

Color correspondences for supplies or clothing

Bring a snack that imbues needed intent

At work:

Enchant your work clothes with intention you feel you need (communication, patience, efficiency, luck, etc.)

Use a specific sigil-based home or lock screen on your phone while at work for additional intention.

Take any moment you can to observe something outside; even through a window or door on your way in or out. Remember that though you may not be amongst it for a chunk of the day, it remains there. Waiting.

If you’re on a break, take an extra minute or two to just close your eyes and recharge. Commune with spirits or deities. Feel yourself piece by piece and think about what your body does for you during the day while you are focused elsewhere.

Bring a plant or crystals into your workspace

Ward and cleanse your workspace

Charm your phone with a sweet talking spell or other action needed for work


 Evening:

Take a moment to decompress. Do not think about plans or the rest of the week. Just look outside and think about how the sun is leaving the sky and soon the moon will appear. Stars will wink at us from that black tapestry. The ground below you and nature around you is cooling off for the day, settling down with the murmur of nocturnal creatures.

Greet any housemates, physical or not and notice their energy and how it might mingle with yours briefly upon your arrival. Notice if you or your housemates energy behaves any differently if you mood is different; whether you directly tell them or not. 
 

Do some simple kitchen witchcraft for dinner (stirring and basic seasoning is intent!)

Take a moment to research a correspondence or other witchy aspect you’ve been curious about. Write it down on a note in your phone or a prepared scrap sheet for your grimoire/journal.

Write down any thoughts or ideas of a more intensive spell or ritual you’d like to try when you have some time. Write the supplies and time you’d need for it. Think about the ideal way to accomplish it.

Do some meditation, or commune with deity/entities, or do some shadow work (this is a good time to charge your phone as well; a little ways away)

Turn household tasks and chores witchy. Cleanse your dishes energy-wise and recharge them for health and prosperity while you put them away in the cupboards. Sprinkle spell powders on the floor right before vacuuming to release their intent while sucking up some dirt. Sweep away negative energy. Enchant your washer and dryer to do more than just clean your clothes.

Enjoy some hobby, crafting, binging time! You can incorporate some witchy stuff like knot magic, enchanting, spirit companion bonding, etc or you can just recharge yourself!

Work on a witch talent you enjoy for a little while (divination, spellwork, spirit work, crystals, astrology, kitchen witchcraft, etc.)
 

Use your nighttime bathroom routine to deepen your cleansing and grounding before bed. Focus on washing your skin not just removing surface dirt and oil but sloughing off the energy that snagged on you during the day like a stray hair. The worries you focused on. The stress you lingered on.

Draw sigils of peaceful sleep and happy dreams, healing, luck on you with lotion or creams.

Brush your teeth in counterclockwise circles to banish negativity

Splash your face with some water playfully. Remember what it is to feel, to touch, to enjoy the simple things. Let yourself chuckle or giggle.

Make sure you drink water!

Have a “sweet dreams” hydrosol by your bedside to spritz on your sheets before lying down.

Arrange your favorite bedside crystals. Touch them, recognize them, greet them.

Say hello to the moon. Share your secrets and worries. Let the moon keep them.

Say goodnight to your deities and spirit companions

#Witchcraft 101 #Everyday witchcraft #basic witchcraft #simple witchcraft #beginner witchcraft #witchy #TAA #stygian original #witchblr #witch tips

[artdjgblog]

Innerview: Ercan Ucer / Grafik Tasarim (Turkey) October 2008 Image: Giphy Note: Take #2 of a design magazine interview.

​0​1) How do you name yourself other than being a versatile designer? In the past year and a half I’ve come to realize that I’m not really a graphic designer. It’s definitely in there and will always be because design is a poison, like any vocation or skill can be. But, I’ve always approached the way I work as an artist first, and I don’t fancy myself an artist either. I am what I am, though I can’t always be so selfish. Am I an illustrator? I guess there is a collision of the three. Add this to a love for getting my hands dirty, plus a celebration of youth and American pop-culture mixed with Eastern European and post-WWII American Design – B.C. (Before Computer) and the product is me? “Versatile” is too defining of a word for me and way too classy. I simply like to say I make things. Each day is new and I haven’t a clue what I’m going to do. ​0​2) What is the relationship between marketing and your designing process at different areas? (poster, packaging, logo…etc) A design is a marketing tool, no doubt. I haven’t really worked on a large scale setting with this, but I have in terms of marketing on a small scale for rock concerts and prospective CD buyers. Though, a designer plays eye-grabber, a designer is not really a marketer, but I guess it helps to attract attention or sell something. I had friends in college who studied marketing as well as design and they’d probably be more equipped to answering this question. It’s an area I’m not familiar with other than thinking of ways to attract people to get excited for a musical group, a sound, feeling or expression by way of putting a stamp on a poster, CD or logo design. It is a marketing tool especially when working with a client. It certainly is not only what the artist-designer can bring to the “product” (Though, I do think this can apply at a certain larger level with selling something), you’re also working for somebody and trying to sell an image or an item. In the case of a show poster, you’re selling a concert venue or the place the poster is hanging or even the music scene and the city and environment. I think this can be a tricky walk. I’ve been fortunate to have some small success with great clients and great projects to where things work out well. I guess it helps that independent music graphics kind of start out in left field to begin with, to where they are approached more like an art project than a product? Though, I don’t think that the work should not limit itself to a certain kind of audience. I think it’s great when the work speaks to anybody. There are times though where things don’t mix well, whether under the weather by design, client-wise or consumer. It’s just part of the deal. The work isn’t always going to be a homerun. Another deal is the way people interact with communication in marketing. Today I find that technology has a lot to do with people getting information for a rock concert via social networking sites, musician, ticket and concert venue sites. I don’t think that something like the poster will ever be dead, but technology can almost make a poster feel second-rate, a collector’s keep-sake and more for show than for the actual show. Logos are very interesting when it comes to marketing for bands because they are generally slapped onto many-many products. I’ve worked with a lot of music-related designs, but I’ve also made logos varying from a lawyer to an internet-computer company to a church before. So, these different applications encourage me to find new ways to talk to other audiences who come searching for something that isn’t entertainment, but I approach these designs with the same techniques and tools I use with the music graphics. I try to give something unique, and of a new take, to get a double-take. ​0​3) Can you tell us about your working environment and your different feelings or extraordinary events that inspires you? Ever since I was a child growing up on a farm, my working environment has been outside and especially in my bedroom. Working environments also extended to anyplace I had my eyes open. I certainly believe in a home base or comfort zone of operations, but a lot of my more thorough processing happens while out and about and then I bring it back home with me to make. Currently I work out of a basement in my home. I’ve constructed a work space out of wood found in the street. I call it my “club house”. I love it down there despite my continual problem with having a work space that barely has room for me to work in! I collect and store a lot of things around me and still have a lot of my childhood things around me, along with piles and piles of supplies, research and things I’ve found or see the potential in for a future use. I have a mind-set that if I can’t use it today, I can easily use it in 50 years. I’m a major fan of extraordinary events and tend to find humorous and peculiar ones to be more my taste, and more-so in retrospect of the event. I feel to be blessed with a certain quality that attracts odd circumstances, or maybe it’s all in my head? Extraordinary has its own brand of “something”, but more often I find inspiration in places, events and things that are fairly run-of-the-mill and everyday ordinary for anyone, which can give them an added cushion of “extra” for me. On my website I’ve made a list of my history, the things that have been the everyday ordinary for me, but might seem very out of ordinary to others. It all depends on perspective and where you’ve been. ​0​4) When did you discover the impulse that led you being a designer? This impulse to leave behind a paper trail of some sort on my impression has always been kicking around in me. I didn’t fully know it at the time, but I believe it started when I was young as I don’t remember a time when I wasn’t doing or making something. It’s a large part of my make-up. Much of it has to do with my farming background and watching my Dad and his Dad and others always doing or working on something whether it was building fences, planting crops or tending animals. I also owe a lot to my Grandma, for her hands-on making skills and to my parents for allowing me to grow-up fully plugged into the American pop-culture of books, toys, music, movies, video games and sports. Now, I just feed off of my former self and continue to feed for the future. It’s not work to me when it truly works and I enjoy myself. ​0​5)  Is looking at life always from a different angel, the designer’s necessarily ego? Most any area of most any job, skill, talent, business doesn’t come without some ego hurdling. The ego is amped further within the arts. Inflated achievement comes with ease when your voice gets a little loud in a “scene” or beyond. I’d like to think I’m fairly grounded, but it’s hard not to feel the eggs weight the other side when I’m told I could be sitting on a couple of golden ones. Working a day job can help matters, but it can also be a nightmare with time management. I have to just tell myself that I am a man and a man who happens to make things. Still, that can be hard. It doesn’t mean that I’m better than somebody or am a “somebody” because I’ve found a certain something within me. I just enjoy my life and feel very fortunate to even know what I want to do with it. I think one needs healthy doses of reality and a whole heap of humor to make it too. Besides, I have no answers. If you know somebody with it all figured out, have them call me! What helps me is to find comfort and ease is venturing back into my child manner. I’m much more content and find peace when I’m either looking at the world through a certain lense that I might qualify for, or just making and enjoying the act of celebration in creativity. The moment I start to think too much about it all or answer questions, that is when it can get a little dangerous in the head. I’d like to think gaining wisdom through age and maturity helps. I know that my energy and will-power have died some, and of late I’m leaning on this as a benefit. I think I say and do some dumb stuff today, though I’m positive it’s a little less than yesterday! ​0​6) Can you inform us about graphic design’ s one of the important field, package design and your sketches? / Tell me about the sketching and process of packaging. There is a certain amount of image longevity that becomes attached to packaging. I’m not experienced in much more than musical CD packaging, but I think a long life span especially applies to this in the iconic halls of pop-culture, even on small levels. Though, that’s not the reason to put into making something and/or package something but if you can add some meaty eye candy, then so be it. I love poster design because there are endless possibilities to exhaust, many ways to work reach-and-grab-of-the-moment and intuitive, and if something doesn’t work all-around, it’s throw-away and will die soon like house flies. CDs are so different, at least for me, and they can be quite intimidating and intoxicating. Sometimes another designer’s great CD package makes me not wish to do another one, and in a good way! With my own process, I do a little bit of sketching, but more-so the process and evolution of the CD package is the sketching for me. If I’m rewarded with an ample amount of time to work on a CD I usually make it happen in three different sessions, or what I call “incubation stages”. This allows me time to sit on ideas and to come back to them with fresh perspective and clear head, to play or spin off ideas and avenues. When figuring out an image or “look” for an album, I like to at least digest the music or get a track listing. With the way in which I work, I tend to feed off of my day-to-day (sometimes minute-to-minute) emotional handy work. It can be a little strange though as I can easily obsess over wondering the what-might-have-been with something like a CD package or anything. I think that a CD package for me can be extremely different given what day I’m at. I do believe my best packages have come down on me at the last minute, intuitively and usually on the lowest of budgets. And I mean cheap, major cheap. 0​7) What are the benefits of making global designs for the designer? I love a body of work, one that breathes and not only serves as a timeline for the maker, but also for views and observations on life itself. Ideas that can extend globally even, throughout time. I think that a great body of work can extend to anybody, anywhere in the world. And even if it is for some other body like a client, it is always from its original body of the creator. Anything that goes global is still connected to that first breath of singular life. Due to technology, it’s so much easier today to go “global” with designs, even if one does operate on a small scale. I think it’s great to put the work out there, to share, even if it’s not marking up or wrapping up a popular product. In today’s fast-paced world of millions and billions of images and things flashing, it really does mean a lot that my meager things have made it in some strange little way. Even, if it’s just a grin or a double-take by someone looking at a little poster on a wall or in a magazine or a global internet billboard or world-wide magazine and book distribution. Though, a part of me still likes to keep some things to myself. And I’m odd because I personally don’t like to attract attention to myself with graphics on the shirts I wear or product logos on bags and things. ​0​8) Can you explain the relationship between marketing and designing? I’m not sure if I was successful, but I tried to answer some of this in question 2. With this one I’ll try to wrap it into the way that I work, to where my designs act as marketing tools for me, as well as the product they are pushing. Until recently I’ve never had to market myself in conventional practice. For the first six years my work itself was the marketing. Everything from a poster to a package and a logo has been on the same level with causing a “Trickle Down / Word of Mouth” marketing effect. And I’ve been fortunate to keep fairly close relationships with my clients due to a small industry I work in. These clients have brought other clients. For my first two years I was living and working with several bands in a house. I didn’t have to leave and would get new work constantly. At times I’d just make things before I was even asked. Some of the best marketing can come in poster making and that is how I started to gather some attention. Posters have a short shelf life in comparison to packaging and logos, so there is always a new one to tack up. And if a poster doesn’t succeed, then it’s easy to just make another one. It’s just a poster and practice is good. After a while people start getting curious and come looking for you. ​0​9) Does any of your designs have an unforgettable story? The “Whatever Makes You Happy” CD package design I made in my basement in June of 2002 for the band Elevator Division, is one of my most memorable moments. It was a special run of 250 handmade CD packages and my idea came at the last minute. I made an image of a hand shooting off its index finger like a missile that married the themes for the album perfectly, with reflections of war and failed relationships. It was the idea of shooting off one’s options and making decisions. It was fitting for the band-music but also for the national-world climate. Each one was hand-cut from cardboard and stencil sprayed and rubber stamped. Inserts were copied, cut, folded and glued. At the last mist of red spray paint, a crack of thunder shook the massive home’s foundation and I bolted from the basement and out the front door to a down pour of rain. I leapt off the front porch and slid head first down the front lawn embankment and into the street flowing like a river current. The drug dealing squatters of the home across the street were on their front step looking at the fire in my eyes and the red paint streaming from my ears, nose and mouth. It was a high much higher than that of chemical substance. -djg

#innerviews

[eduethicblog]

Computer Data Science And Data Analytics Engineering

Data is all over. The measure of computerized information that exists is developing at a quick rate, multiplying like clockwork, and changing the manner in which we live. states that information is becoming quicker than at any other time. Continuously 2020, about 1.7 megabytes of new data will be made each second for each person on the planet, which makes it critical to know the fundamentals of the field at any rate. All things considered, here is the place our future untruths. 

In this article, we will separate between the Data Science, Big Data, and Data Analytics, in view of what it is, the place it is utilized, the aptitudes you have to turn into an expert in the field, and the compensation prospects in each field.

What is Data Science? 

Managing unstructured and organized information, Data Science is a field that includes everything that identified with information purging, readiness, and investigation. 

Information Science is the blend of measurements, mathematics , programming, critical thinking, catching information in astute ways, the capacity to take a gander at things in an unexpected way, and the movement of purging, getting ready, and adjusting the data. 

In straightforward terms, it is the umbrella of systems utilized when attempting to extricate experiences and data from information.

What is Big Data? 

Enormous Data alludes to humongous volumes of information that can't be prepared viably with the conventional applications that exist. The preparing of Big Data starts with the crude information that isn't totalled and is regularly difficult to store in the memory of a solitary PC. 

A trendy expression that is utilized to portray huge volumes of information, both unstructured and organized, Big Data immerses a business on an everyday premise. Huge Data is something that can be utilized to break down experiences that can prompt better choices and vital business moves. 

The meaning of Big Data, given by Gartner, is, "Huge information is high-volume and high-speed or high-assortment data resources that request savvy, inventive types of data handling that empower improved knowledge, basic leadership, and procedure mechanization."

What is Data Analytics? 

Information Analytics the study of inspecting crude information to presume that data. 

Information Analytics includes applying an algorithmic or mechanical procedure to determine bits of knowledge and, for instance, going through a few informational collections to search for important connections between's one another. 

It is utilized in a few ventures to enable associations and organizations to settle on better choices just as confirm and invalidate existing hypotheses or models. The focal point of Data Analytics lies in induction, which is the way toward inferring ends that are exclusively founded on what the specialist definitely knows. 

Presently, let us move to utilization of Data Science, Big Data and Data Analytics.

Uses of Data Science 

Web Search :

Web search tools utilize information science calculations to convey the best outcomes for search inquiries in a small number of seconds. 

Digital Advertisements :

The whole Digital advertising range utilizes the information science calculations - from show pennants to computerized bulletins. This is the mean explanation behind computerized promotions getting higher CTR than conventional ads. 

Recommender Systems :

The recommender systems not just make it simple to discover significant items from billions of items accessible yet in addition adds a ton to client experience. A ton of organizations utilize this system to advance their items and recommendations as per the client's requests and pertinence of data. The suggestions depend on the client's past list items.

Utilizations of Big Data :

Enormous Data for Financial Services 

Visa organizations, retail banks, private riches the board warnings, protection firms, adventure reserves, and institutional venture banks utilize huge information for their money related administrations. The normal issue among them all is the huge measures of multi-organized information living in different unique system, which can be unravelled by large information. Hence enormous information is utilized in a few different ways like: 

Client investigation 

Consistence examination 

Misrepresentation investigation 

Operational examination 

Big Data in Communications :

Increasing new endorsers, holding clients, and growing inside current supporter bases are top needs for media transmission specialist co-ops. The answers for these provokes lie in the capacity to join and break down the majority of client produced information and machine-produced information that is being made each day.

Huge Data for Retail :

Block and Concrete or an online e-posterior, the response to remaining the game and being focused is understanding the client better to serve them. This requires the capacity to investigate all the divergent information sources that organizations manage each day, including the weblogs, client exchange information, internet based life, store-marked charge card information, and reliability program information.

Uses of Data Analytics 

Human services 

The primary test for emergency clinics with cost pressures fixes is to treat the same number of patients as they can proficiently, remembering the improvement of the nature of care. Instrument and machine information are being utilized progressively to follow just as upgrade quiet stream, treatment, and hardware utilized in the emergency clinics. It is evaluated that there will be a 1% effectiveness addition that could yield more than $63 billion in worldwide medicinal services reserve funds.

Travel :

Information examination can upgrade the purchasing experience through portable/weblog and web based life information investigation. Travel sights can pick up experiences into the client's wants and inclinations. Items can be up-sold by connecting the present deals to the ensuing perusing increment peruse to-purchase changes through altered bundles and offers. Customized travel suggestions can likewise be conveyed by information investigation dependent via web-based networking media information. 

Gaming :

Information Analytics encourages in gathering information to advance and spend inside just as crosswise over games. Game organizations gain knowledge into the abhorrences, the connections, and any semblance of the clients. 

Vitality Management: 

Most firms are utilizing information investigation for vitality the board, including shrewd network the executives, vitality advancement, vitality circulation, and building computerization in service organizations. The application here is focused on the controlling and observing of system gadgets, dispatch teams, and oversee administration blackouts. Utilities are enabled to coordinate a large number of information focuses in the system execution and lets the specialists utilize the investigation to screen the system.

[goodvibesatpeace]

Chakras: Opening Your Third Eye

You can’t argue with the fact that the Earth is waking up from this man created illusion that we have been living in, and a lot more human beings are finally getting in touch with their true nature, otherwise known as self-realization. However, the spiritual movement has a long way to go before it stabilizes, there are still so many beings that need to mature and integrate the basic understanding of spiritual concepts.

It’s easy to get caught up in spiritual wisdom that circulates the public domain, one of the most common power infused ideas that catch the attention of seekers and those who would love to change their life, is the idea that by opening their third eye, they’re going to experience life in a new and exciting way that puts behind all the negativity and problematic experiences. Not so.

I have seen it many times over in the recent years — questions, answers, content, and even paid promotions, on the topic of ‘opening your third eye’, it baffles me when I see people who are willing to pay money to have their third eye chakra ‘opened’ by some mysterious guru, who in reality is only looking to open up your wallet and manifest some dollars for himself.

Third eye opens naturally, yet the process is gradual and you can’t expect to have your third eye blossoming after a few meditations.

The first step towards igniting the flame within this chakra is to have a sit down with yourself, and measure the importance of spirituality in your life.

Here are some thought provoking questions:

How does meditation affect my life. Have I noticed a difference?

How do I define spirituality, and how does spirituality define me?

What’s more important: to love myself, or to love temporary experiences.

How do I feel about the third eye, what’s my motivation behind having it begin to open?

What’s my understanding of the third eye, how is it going to impact my life?

You have to be honest with yourself before you can dive into the deeper exploration of spirituality, and experience all that it has to offer.

Answer the above questions truthfully and see how you feel about them, what kind of emotions do they trigger, and see for yourself whether you would like to work more on improving the quality of your life by practicing meditation and self-love.

Third Eye Opening

Our third eye is part of our energetic body, it has been with us since the very birth of our physical body, and it has always been activated and spinning.

I highly recommend to contemplate childhood experiences around the age of 3 to 5 (or as far as you can remember), and reflect on things like: confidence, truth, willpower, and trust.

As children, before our mind switches to the state of conditioned being, we are ultra-sensitive and fully aligned with our spiritual selves, but as children we don’t see it that way, we’re just happy to be alive, happy to experience all that life has to offer.

It’s very common for the modern human being to reach early adulthood with sever depression, anxiety and fear about life, the self, and the future.

The period from age 6 to 20 is so intense and overwhelming that we completely lose ourselves in the illusion of materialism and egoism.

How exactly does that relate with the opening of third eye?

Well, it’s quite simple actually. When we begin a spiritual practice, such as meditation, and invest our faith and trust into it, eventually it starts to manifest in our reality, and this reality is not so much different from our childhood. The third eye is a direct link with our intuition and knowing.

How does intuition and knowing manifest in our reality?

We become more confident, because we have a sense of knowing and understanding about our life’s path and there’s nothing more satisfying than knowing how to go about things, even when times are tough.

We begin to see things more clearly, which allows for truth to manifest in our heart and mind, and all of a sudden the egoistic illusion of everyday life don’t bother us anymore.

All those abilities that we had as children begin to return to us in our adult life, and it makes for quite some experience!

I’m sorry to disappoint you if you thought that opening your third eye is going to manifest dragons, fairies and unicorns, it certainly is very possible that you will experience vivid visions and sudden flashes of that nature, but it won’t happen all the time, and it’s naive to think that it would.

Neither is your third eye opening going to save you from rough patches in life, or give you a special golden ticket to the secret land of rainbows.

Third Eye Intuition

I do want to emphasize the fact that the opening of the third eye chakra has a very significant impact on your intuition, this newly found intuition takes many forms and shapes, but it will come about so strongly that you won’t be able to miss it.

There are times when many months go by without any particular insights or experiences, but then suddenly one day you might look back and realize just how beautiful life can be, and this keeps you moving forward!

Life isn’t meant to be a strict linear path of good experiences, or good fortune, or a path that doesn’t offer challenge.

Your Brow Chakra is a magnificent tool that once opened and amplified with meditation, can bring about insights and understandings that will gently guide you and inspire you in the direction of your highest growth and evolution.

I hope that the above information, insights and experiences clears up some of the misconceptions about this beautiful chakra, and I am happy to answer any additional questions if you have them.

Now that we have gotten that out of the way, what about some meditations that we can practice on daily basis to stimulate the third eye and show to it that we’re interested in learning more about it?

The following meditations are also great practice for helping yourself to raise your energetic vibrational frequencies.

Meditation for Stimulating the Third Eye

It doesn’t matter which meditation approach you take, you can begin your meditation with any of the traditional meditation techniques that I have already written about in the past, likewise you can use your own favorite meditation technique.

The following method for stimulating your third eye is so simple that the only three things you need are willpower, trust and discipline.

Use your favorite meditation technique to relax and let go.

Keep breathing, relaxing, until you feel that you’re fully in meditation.

Begin to visualize a candle in front of you. (Continue to read after this for more info!)

Stay focused on the candle and don’t let it disappear.

The goal is to stay focused on the candle, no matter what.

You will naturally visualize the candle within the area of your third eye, and let me tell you — it sounds a hundred times easier than it actually is. I know this, and I know what you might begin to experience as soon as you start this process.

Your Ego will have a hard time accepting the fact that you’re trying to teach yourself discipline and focus, and will continue throwing all kinds of distractions your way, just to keep you away from the image of the candle that you’re trying to hold in front of you.

You might think to yourself that you’re not imagining the right candle, or that it’s too far away or too close, but all you have to do is just keep that focus ignited and it will manifest itself eventually.

You may also sometimes get a feeling or a knowing that you’re doing it right, and that will give you a good return point in future meditations.

It doesn’t have to be a candle, although a candle seems to be very straightforward and indeed very stimulating, it could be a specific color you like, or it could be another item that you’re fond of. There’s no written rule that it has to be a candle. Don’t let that stuff get to you.

Third Eye Symptoms (Buzzing)

The last thing I wanted to mention in this post, was third eye symptoms and how to recognize that the third eye is opening, but giving it some thought and looking back on my own personal experiences, the information and insights that I have given in this post already should be enough to determine whether your third eye is influencing your intuitive life experience.

After two years of ‘intense’ meditation, there came a day when suddenly my third eye was buzzing, it certainly is a nice experience and it can elevate your spiritual understanding drastically, it doesn’t stay on for too long, the longest has been a month or two maybe, which I recognize as spiritual growth and further integration of the Higher-Self.

#chakra #spirituality #third eye #higher self #brow #6 #anja

[harrisonteller]

[mason, 25, pst, he/him] did you hear who just got out of quarantine? It’s HARRISON TELLER. He’s our THEO JAMES lookalike from CHICAGO. He’s THIRTY-FOUR years old and a former ELECTRICIAN. people think he’s ABRASIVE and CYNICAL, but he’s also DEPENDABLE and RESOURCEFUL. 

[tw: death mention, drugs] [misc.: I'm very much open to all plotting/connection ideas. there’s nothing too crazy that Harrison wouldn’t want to be a part of!]

[biography // past life]

There are always people who believe in fate, or those that believe there is something better out there. Harrison Teller isn’t one of those people — never has been and probably never will be. From a young age he had very little hope that there would be a better life past the four walls of his room which he would hide inside every single day while his mother and father got high off whatever could give them a good trip. It was all that they had ever really cared for and most of the time they’d sleep soundly despite the fact that their son had come home with a letter from his teacher asking about the small burns on his arms or why he’d spent most of his lunch time hustling the other kids for some of whatever lunches their parents had packed for them. For a little while he actually hoped that someone would take the next step and have authorities sent to his house to see the type of place he had as a so-called home… but that never happened. That was when he knew that there was nothing anyone could do to change things for him or even really cared to try. 

Things at home weren’t always bad though, he vaguely remembered being happy and getting a goodnight kiss from his mommy after he’d been tucked into bed. It had been forever ago and memories of that felt like they were nothing but dreams.  Everything after that was like a nightmare that he couldn’t escape no matter what he did, like drowning and any cry for help was as futile as simply holding your breath and hoping that the agony of running out of breath wouldn’t overcome you.

While most of these things went on while he was still very young he remembers most things as if they had just happened yesterday. One thing he could never forget was the look in his mother’s eyes when his aunt decided to take Harrison away from his parents. His mother was so lost, she had no idea she’d never see her son again.

[weapons  & equipment // what he’d never go anywhere outside the walls without]

Harrison isn’t a big fan of firearms. He finds that their ability to kill and destroy faster than a jagged piece of metal takes a lot of fun out of things. Sure they can come in handy in a tight situation, but he tries to pick his battles in order to reduce the chances of getting himself into something fatal whether it’s against the living or the dead. Melee weapons are his bread and butter — quiet and in his opinion, a lot more threatening. There’s something about inflicting deep wounds or even simple swift ones with sharp objects that strike fear into others much more than bullets. Still, he isn’t completely against using them

Crowbar (1), Carpenter’s Axe (1), Tire Iron (1) During the first few days of the outbreak there was theft among the chaos. Many took advantage thinking that the destruction would settle in a few weeks and that the government would do something to fix things, and when that happened they’d rich. People couldn’t have been more wrong though, but Harrison had known that all along. He wasn’t one to hold onto hope when it was clear things had gone to shit and passed the point of no return. Still, he joined a group of looters that had been collecting equipment and weapons. His plan was never to stick with them — they were loud, reckless, and it wouldn’t be long before they ran out of bullets. It all seemed like some sort of joke to them and used their brute strength to colonize a city that was going to eat them alive. On the fourth night with the group while the everyone slept, he decided to leave in the middle of the night taking a large amount of supplies with him. As much as he could carry with him anyway and only important things. The most important to him was a black crowbar and as many sharp tools that would surely come in handy.

Screwdrivers (3 - one slotted, two phillips) Among the things he stole from the group he’d been with were a few dozen screwdrivers that the guy in charge of equipment had so stupidly gathered in one place. Unfortunately as time passed, Harrison has been forced to use many of them whether it’s been to pierce through the heads of many runners or to actually use as intended and now only has three.

shiv (2 - both sharp broken glass) It’s not too difficult to come across glass from either broken car windows or mirrors and windows from abandoned homes. They’re easier to come by and work with than metal or steel. The only downside is that they sometimes shatter far too easily but it’s not too much of a deal breaker as long as it can cut a fine line across a person’s throat.

glock 19 (no bullets) During his solo journey through the state, Harrison has encountered many people. Some with good intentions and some too stupid to go through with their threats. Not only that but he has come across old faces, one being a member from the looting gang he had stolen from back when the outbreak had just started. It had been weeks since Harrison had left them and he thought he’d never hear about them ever again, much less see them. As it turned out one of the guys had been trying to find Harrison for months. He wanted to tell him all about what happened to the group but most importantly to get revenge. Harrison had taken a very large amount of supplies from them — the most crucial being most of the ammunition the gang had stored but chose to leave the firearms behind. It seemed funny at the time to leave them stranded in an infested city with only a few bullets in their guns until Harrison finally learned what had become of the people he stole from. They were attacked; cornered by runners they thought they’d be able to kill off with the decent amount of firepower they thought they had at their disposal. “We thought we were safe… we had weapons after all,” he’d been told by the revenge-fueled man. There was a mix of anger and hurt in both his voice as he held the glock up aimed at Harrison’s back. As he carried on with the story of what happened to the others, he got to the part about why he was so hell-fucking-bent on finding the guy that had basically left them with very little chances of survival. Among the guys from the group that was killed was his brother. A kid that had only just turned seventeen had nothing to defend himself with spent his last seconds alive balled up in a corner, crying, until runners got to him. Guilt should have filled Harrison instantly but there was nothing. Instead, he laughed and told the man that he wouldn’t be getting a proper revenge if shot the man responsible for his brother’s death in the back. That of course, instantly became the opening Harrison needed and the rest was nothing but a blur to him and they were both on the ground with the gun several feet away from them. From there the only thing that made sense were fists connecting with jaws mercilessly over and over again and Harrison didn’t stop until his hands were covered in blood. In fact, it was nearly impossible to stop as if there was something that had taken over him that kept him going. After what felt like forever he was finally able to stop himself from continuing the attack once he had realized that there was no longer any life to beat out of the man he was kneeling over. Gathering enough energy to get up he reached out for the gun with the intention of putting a bullet through the guy’s head so he wouldn’t turn. To Harrison’s surprise there wasn’t a single bullet in the gun. It’s been months since the incident and he looks back on it every now and them as if it were a fond childhood memory. He’s also kept the gun without any bullets regarding it as a memento of the first time he genuinely wanted to kill someone with his bare hands and did.

Sackpack He was carrying this with him on the day the chaos began. He’d been using it to carry a few clothing items. It’s old and on the verge of ripping beyond the point of repair but he’s managed to keep that from happening. It’s not everyday that you come across a sporting goods store to pick up a brand new one now.

Blanket He came across this while he was on his way out of the big city. There were multiple homes that were abandoned and it this one in particular caught his eye. It reminded him of the one he had over his bed growing up as a child. Despite hating most of his childhood, he figured he’d need it and it reminded him that no matter what he was the only person that would look out for him. Another plus is that it’s easy to carry and practically weighs nothing, although it’s not exactly idea for the somewhat cold weather of Chicago.

Thermos He only recently picked this item up and it’s not the best for carrying any sort of liquid. With a missing cap and a broken handle and slightly cracked base, it should have been left in its place on the floor but Harrison makes due with it enough to hold some water for a few hours. That’s definitely better than having to go without any water.

Matches (thirteen), Nature bars (seven), alcohol (½ twelve ounce bottle) These are some of the many things he has stolen from people he has come across — whether they’re aware of it or unfortunately realize is missing until it’s too late. Now that he is down to very few rations of the bars he has tried to cut down on the intake so they’ll last him long enough to find something else to eat or someone else to steal from. As far as the matches and alcohol go, they’re only to be used in case he needs to set up a fire or clean up any wounds with the alcohol.

Wires (4) This one was the easiest to come across while passing through a small town. He’d made his way up one of the light posts to cut down one of the electrical wires seeing as there was no longer anything dangerous about the job. Without people to man power plants, most if not all electrically wired cities and towns have zero power. He uses them from time to time whether it’s to set up boundary lines in a small area to prevent walkers from getting through at night or as weapons. (i.e choking)

#fortunaintro

[sextoysforwomen-blog1]

Sex Toy Education: Clitoral Vibrators

Hey I’m Katie and I contribute to an informational website all about adult toys. You can view all my articles here:

https://sextoyeducation.com/

In this post I wanted to share one of my recent reports on clitoral vibrators. I hope you enjoy it:

It’s 2019 ladies, lets face it, the cat’s out of the bag.

Everybody knows we enjoy sex, as well as, sex toys!

With that being said basic vibrators have become the thing of the past.

You no longer just have the Traditional Vibrators.

You now have Realistic Vibrators, Rabbit Vibrators, G-Spot Vibrators, Clitoral only Vibrators, Speciality Vibrators, and the list seems to go on.

Intimidated? Feeling overwhelmed?

Never fear, that is why I (Katie Barker) is here!

What Type of Vibrator should I look for and why?

Hold onto your clitoris ladies, as long as you keep reading, today you will learn why you NEED a Clitoral Vibrator in your life.

I am going to save you so much time and hassle with this tip of advice, seeing as, more than 70% of women NEED clitoral stimulation to orgasm.

I am definitely part of that 70%, furthermore, don’t spend years of your life like I did.  Thinking you are to blame for your lack of orgasms.

Chances are you and your partner are just neglecting one of the most important stimulators. The clit! Find more info on what happens to your body during sex here.

The vibrators I am about to show you will not only encourage you to experiment with your lover. It will show you that you don’t necessarily need a lover with one of these Clitoral Vibrators also.

What is it?

What is a Clitoral Vibrator you ask? Well let me tell you.

A clitoral vibrator is the Mercedes of vibrators. Main purpose is designed to stimulate the clitoris, to reach sexual pleasure and orgasm.

Different Types

The different types vary from each one some allow for clitoral stimulation and penetration stimulation. Others are only for clitoral pleasure.

Some come with Rabbits attached to them, some in forms of bullets.

The world is your oyster when it comes to the different types, shapes and styles a clitoral vibrator can come in.

Different Styles

They also range in different styles/forms that are so discrete. Some even look like lipstick or phones that you can throw in your purse for everyday use.

Others looks like bath soap or facial massager. You can just leave them laying out and no one would question if it was a vibrator they would just assume it is just another bar of soap or facial massager.

Different Shapes

The shapes range from very a sensual curve to give you the most ample grip. To a long slender arch for better control and penetration.

Most Clitoral Vibrators are usually silky smooth for better touch, along with, to help feel the deep soothing rumbles from within.

What should you get?!

Don’t worry, that is where I come in.

I have broken down the top Five picks for best clitoral vibrators in 2019!

I know right? Isn’t it great that I went ahead and took the research load off of you?

I have broken down each vibrator with their different features, pro’s and con’s, along with, overall usability.

Now without further to do.

My Top Five Clitoral Vibrators

Magic Wand Massager Rechargeable

Let me start by saying that the overall usability of this vibrator is five stars out of five.

Once you put this on your clit you are on a rocket to pleasure town!

It is one of the very few toys that repetition is not an issue when it comes to my orgasm. It is speedy and easy to control.

I would recommend for a more pleasurable experience to maybe apply coconut oil or lubricant around the clit before starting.

Mainly due to this vibrator leaves you wanting for more. This will help you be able to do just that.

Otherwise you can feel a bit too sensitive or raw after a few uses.

The different features on the Magic Wand Massager rechargeable are what make it stand out.

3 hours to fully charge AND will run for 3 hours on a full charge

Cordless

One-year Warranty

Weighs 21 Ounces (1Lbs .05 Ounces)

Plug ‘n’ Play use while plugged in

Auto shut off after 20 minutes

4-speed selector switch

Silicone Head

Rechargeable wall plug in

4 different vibration patterns

I was skeptical at first. I didn’t think this wand could give me the clitoral pleasure I needed.

But in the end, it turned out to be more than I could have imagined from such a simple design.

I broke down the Magical wand into some pro and cons to help you better choose what works best for you.

Pros

Powerful vibrations

Flexible neck for hard to reach places

More durable than other vibrators

Rechargeable

Cordless

Easy to clean

Able to buy different attachments

Travel friendly

Cons

Out-of-date look and design

Only 4 vibration settings

Not waterproof

Bulky compared to other clitoral vibrators

More expense vibrator

We-Vibe Touch Rechargeable Clitoral Vibrator

Next on my list is the silky smooth and power clitoral vibrator.

This vibrator provides such a deep and power rumble that you won’t be able to put it down.

This We-Vibe Touch leaves you feeling like there isn’t anything or anywhere you can’t be touched. No pun intended.

The features on the We-vibe Touch Rechargeable Clitoral Vibrator seem to go on and on, however, in a good way.

Rounded tip to help touch every inch

An easy-hold shape for better gripping

8 different vibration modes

USB rechargeable

Last up to 2 hours on a full charge

Fits in the palm of your hand

Waterproof

Made from silicone

Take 90 minutes to fully charge

Build in memory to remember the last speed/mode used

You may be thinking, Katie I doubt this can get the job done.

Let me tell you from experience that this vibrator may look cute and innocent, nevertheless, it will have you so deep in sensation all over.

It will make you forget you were in the bathtub or anywhere for that matter.

Pros

20-minute warning pulsating before the battery dies

Made with body-safe material

Rechargeable

Size and shape of the product

Waterproof

Discreet and easy to conceal

Quieter than the average vibrator

Cons

Sometimes difficult to hold because of size

Only two-hour of battery life

Not as powerful as some other vibrators

Happy Rabbit G-Spot Vibrator

Now this gem will give you the strong and even blended orgasm you have been dreaming of all your life.

It easy to hold Happy Rabbit will leave grin on your face that nobody can shake.

This blended stimulation is so power inside and out. Without further to do the features of this specimen.

Rechargeable

Silicone

Slender tip

Fully charged in 2 hours

12 modes of vibrations, pulsations, and escalations in the shaft

3 vibration functions in the clitoral stimulator

Waterproof

The cute factor on Happy Rabbit G-Spot Vibrator already makes it a win, along with, the little rabbit on the clitoral area.

That little rabbit at the tip of the clitoral stimulator brings a whole new element into play. Especially now that they have their own vibration function also!

But if you feel like you need to see it better mapped out, let's dive into some pro’s and con’s

Pros

Independent controls helps you tailor your stimulations

Bunny-shaped clitoral stimulator

12 modes for vibration, pulsation, etc

Waterproof

Clitoral and penetration stimulation

Travel lock

Curved shaft to target your G-Spot

UBS rechargeable

Cons

Charge for 150 minutes for 120 minutes of play time

Not as powerful as other vibrators

Not as quiet as I would like

A little bulky

We-Vibe Tango

Do you travel a lot? Are you intimidated by all the different vibrators out there?

Well then this one's for you. It is one of my favorites even as a Veteran.

This is great for a first vibrator, someone who travels a lot, or you just don’t like something so complex.

Allow it to provide the power you need for stimulation without intimating you or your partner.

It is great for couples first trying sex toys out and for someone who needs something quick on the go.

The key feature of this unique shaped vibrator is as follows

8 bullet functions to provide ultimate clit stimulation

Remembers last pattern used

8-speed functions

Waterproof

USB rechargeable

Stronger and quieter than most vibrators of that size

2-hour use once fully charged

90-minute to fully charge the device

Angled tip for better clit stimulation

In addition to all these wonderful features, this vibrator is so discreet.

It really looks like a tube of lipstick! No one will know your dirty little secret if you throw this in your purse.

Pro’s

Travel friendly

USB rechargeable

Super discreet

First timer friendly

Packs a powerful punch for such a small vibrator

Pulsating 20-minute before the battery dies

Great on price

Con’s

Charge for 150 minutes for 120 minutes of play time

Can be difficult to handle sometimes because of size

Too simple for some

Lelo Sona Cruise Sonic Clitoral Massager

This Toy will make you feel luxurious, just by holding this item in your palm. The tremendous glistening backplate you hold against your palm sells the vibrator itself.

The comfort of this toy makes it perform that much better for full stimulation.

Discreet in its own unique way. I literally keep this with all my make-up, lotions, and face-washing tools. It blends right in!

The features on this Sonic Clitoral Massager will never leave you begging for more.

Uses sonic waves to reach the entire clit for better stimulation

Fluttery and humming stimulation

Soft silicon tip

USB rechargeable

Waterproof

“Cruise control” feature

8 stimulation modes

Overall, The Lelo Sona Cruise Sonic Clitoral Massager reaches nerves you didn't realize you had.

Most people don’t realize how many of your nerve ending and most stimulants are inside. Well this vibrator knows exactly how to reach those areas best.

The cruise control that this product offers is exactly what most vibrators are missing.

That extra power boost it gives once you put it in cruise control is the exact consistently you need for that big finish.

Pro’s

Easy to clean

Discreet

Travel friendly

Reaching inside and your clit stimulation

Cruise control to keep power consistent

Fits perfectly in your hand

Powerful and quiet vibrator

Con’s

Only runs for 1 hour once fully charged

Take 2 hours to fully charge

Water can get in charging port

To Conclude

Lastly, I would like to note that out of all the different, unique, and exotic Clitoral Vibrators out there there are definitely my favorites or go to.

I would like to point out that everyone has different preferences when choosing a vibrator and for many different reasons.

My reason for choosing my favorite out of the five is because of discreteness, comfort when holding, and overall pleasure.

Bringing my choice to be the last pick I talked about. The Lelo Sona Cruise Sonic Clitoral Massager.

This vibrator has it all for me personally. It has the discrete factor. Since it looks like a facial massager to me and most house guests.

Along with, the luxurious and comfortable feel it provides, you can take it anywhere, water, travel, etc.

It is moderately priced 99.00 making it the best bang for your buck in my opinion. This vibrator has been able to reach parts of me I didn't realize existed with its sonic cruise function.

This is the vibrator that will bring you everything you need and provide what you never thought you would want in a clitoral massager.

[ko-yeop]

Lovecraft: Part One | Part Two | Part Three | Coming Soon

Characters: Saeran Choi X Reader

Word Count: 4,093

Genre: Witchcraft!AU, Fluff, Angst

Warnings: Mentions of child abuse

Summary: After an unfortunate drunken night, you, a fortune teller who was cursed from a young age by an unknown witch, breaks your own creed and read your own fate. Seeing nothing but ruin and isolation in the future, you seek out an apothecary named Saeran, who gives you untested potion called Aphrodite’s Blessing, not for free though. In return, he wishes to study and document it’s effects on you. Can his creation not only save you from fate, but also break your longstanding curse?

No matter how many times Saeran rolled over, tugged the sheets above his head, and squeezed his eyes shut, the banging on the door didn’t cease. And it would’ve been a lovely morning too, with the way the sun was shining outside, and how the birds were singing their merry tune. That stupid lady just had to go and ruin his mood with her hollering at this ungodly time in the morning.

Running his fingers through the tufts of bedhead, he tried to smooth it out, make himself look presentable in some way before he greeted the irate woman screaming outside his door. He wasn’t in much of a rush, after all. Secretly he hoped that if he took long enough she’d up and leave, but considering the fact that her screeching had been going on for the better part of half an hour… Well, if she was going to leave she likely would’ve turned tail and left already. The walk downstairs seemed longer than usual, but perhaps it was just him dreading what awaited him on the other side of the door. Sighing, he reached for the door. This lady, and all the others like hers’ rapping at the door was likely why it was so rife with splinters.

“Do you realize how long I’ve been standing here?” The middle aged woman yelled as soon as the doorknob turned. Saeran wondered if the deep wrinkles on her face were caused by the excessive use of expression by her. The display she wore was far too over dramatic to be natural. Was that truly how she looked, or was she exaggerating on purpose? Her eyebrows pinched together, corners of her mouth downturned, eyes nearly bulging out of their sockets...You’d think she was auditioning for the part of evil witch in the upcoming play, not harassing a shop keep before most of the town had woken.

“Long enough to manage to wake me up,” With his long nights of mixing different compositions, reading endless page after page on herbs and their uses, and downing blue vulneraries trying to see which batch let him rest more peacefully, he tended to sleep in later, and deeper than most people. Somehow, sleeping until the afternoon did nothing to help the purple bags under his eyes that never seemed to fade.

“Whatever! Your useless potion did nothing for me!”

“Oh? And which one are you talking about?” Saeran folded his arms, leaning against the doorframe. It was freezing outdoors and he was in nothing but a thin pair of pajamas, but it was instinct to look cool and nonchalant to one up her. He knew exactly which item she had purchased too, he remembered quite well how her musky lingering perfume infested his shop a week ago, how she demanded he craft something custom for her needs rather than buying what was on the shelf, trying to bargain with him as if she couldn’t pay the price despite the gaudy jewel encrusted necklace covering the majority of her chest… This woman had already used up all his patience, and he was going to do everything he could to piss her off.

“Your anti-aging one!”

“Do you mean Hebe’s Nectar?”

“I don’t know! I didn’t read the label!” She tossed her hands in the air, continuing her dramatic display.

“Well, considering it’s the only anti-aging thing I sell, we’ll go with it. How are you using it?” Saeran had confidence in his works. Everything was tested on either him or another person, if there weren’t good results, it didn’t go on the shelf. Anything on the shelf was either his personal creation, or something passed down to him from Jihyun. He was not too fond of the implication that his potions were ineffective.

“What do you mean how am I using it? I take a spoon everyday like any other potion!” Silently, he prayed this woman would never reproduce, no child deserved to inherit a brain as small as hers. Their upbringing would be hell too, gods save any kids she may already have.

“Well ma’am, if you read the label, you’d know it’s supposed to be added to bathwater once a week, not ingested,” Saeran couldn’t believe this, just how stupid did she have to be to not read a label and then come screaming at the seller? He may not put price tags on products out of laziness, but he made sure the instructions and ingredients list was attached. Does everyone who owns a shop have to deal with people like this? Did his late teacher have to deal with this?

“W-Well you should have told me that when I bought it!”

“I tell every customer to read the label, whether you do or not, is not my problem,” The lady was flabbergasted, taken aback by his words. Her long, cracking nails dug into her balled up fists in an attempt to contain her anger.

“Well, am I going to get sick now? From drinking this stupid thing?”

“Likely not if you haven’t already, but maybe since you’ve been ingesting it, it’ll help with your ugly personality,”

“Excuse me? Are you implying something here boy?” She accentuated the final word, as if it were some insult to call him a child. He knew he was too young to be running a shop, and to be an apothecary. It wasn’t slander, it was a mere fact. He refused to let this woman use his age as a tool to demean him.

“Yes, now please leave, I’d like to get some sleep,” Saeran slammed the door in her face, far more pissed off than he should’ve been. It was people like her that made him question why he even ran a shop in the first place. He was kind enough to share his practice with the townsfolk and this is how they treated him? Abhorrent.

Judging from the position of the sun, it was too late to go back to bed. If he wanted to open up Lovecraft at a respectable time for once, he was better off just getting ready for the day. Sitting down at his desk, he opened the leather bound journal to an aged page. It was the last ingredient list he’d used for creating Aphrodite’s Blessing. Tea stains dotted the scribbled writing. All the markings were remnants of long past nights where Saeran was so sleep deprived his hands shook as he reached for yet another cup. Picking up the quill nearby, he began to jot down notes about his test subject. Your name, gender, age, basic physical traits… There was quite a bit of necessary information missing, however. Saeran made a mental note to ask you about your past experiences with potions, allergies and whatnot the next time you met. All factors in this test were equally important, from which kind of rose petals used, to your height. It was always unknown what results could turn up, so it was best to keep notes of absolutely everything to learn the properties of different ingredients, and their effects on certain people.

He moved to close the journal as he got up from his desk, but a brush of his hand sent it tumbling to the floor by accident. A detailed pencil drawing that had previously been tucked in between pages slid out. Carefully picking up the print, Saeran’s eyes took in every aspect. The tiny indents of the man’s pores, the cracks in his lips, and the shimmer in his eye.

It was of Jihyun, his former teacher. Saeran’s eyes began to well with tears as Jihyun’s charcoal mouth smiled onwards, as if trying to tell him not to cry, to smile instead. It was just like Jihyun, to want to be remembered as smiling. The portrait was the only picture he had to remember his face by. All the memories seemed to come rushing back to him whenever he looked upon the drawing, no matter how many times he told himself he was over his death. That was why it was tucked away, so he didn’t have to look at it. It was expected for him to still be upset though, Jihyun essentially raised him after all.

Saeran’s mother passed away when he was 8. It never really upset him though. He was more traumatized by the way she treated him than her death. She was a horrid lady, not unlike the one who had just visited to do nothing but complain and blame him for her woes. Bruises and cuts were no stranger to him. She had driven his twin brother to run from her when he was very young. He hardly remembered him anymore, his brother left early on in his life, leaving him behind to bear her abuse. It was by some god’s grace she was always too drunk to notice him sneaking out the window, running to the nearest potion shop, which just so happened to be Lovecraft. He remembered how he cried and begged for help, how much pain he was in. It felt like someone had placed needles under his wounds, the side of his face felt swollen, every movement put him in agony. Jihyun had nearly burst into tears himself at the sight of the small boy. What kind of monster could do that to a child? Jihyun began teaching him how to make his own salves and basic balms to treat his injuries when he couldn’t make it to the shop, whether it be because she had shackled him to the bed, or he was too weak and injured to move. After that, Saeran simply wanted to know more about what kinds of things apothecaries could create. He was enamoured by the fact that a mixture of common items could create something that could help people. He wanted to end his own pain, and perhaps, do something for his mother. Saeran wondered if she was in pain because of how often she cried into whisky glasses. Jihyun would only smile whenever Saeran would tell him about his plan to create “a really strong potion that will stop mother from hurting,” The child thought that maybe, just maybe, if she wasn’t in pain, she wouldn’t create pain for him either.

It was a serene night when his mother passed, everything was quiet for once. No screaming, no choked sobs, no broken glasses. Saeran recalled how he she didn’t move, how she didn’t snore or bolt out of her rocker to yell when he made the smallest of noises like she usually did. He poked his head out of his room, inhaling the overwhelming scent of alcohol. Half empty bottles were spilled everywhere, smashed glass littered the floor. Carefully, he had poked at her arm, just to see if she’d move. He shook her arm, nothing but a flop of her head. He reached his small hand up to her face, striking her as she had done to him countless times. No movement, no reaction. Saeran bolted out of the front door, running into the streets teary eyed. Rather than running to inform a town guard, he ran to Jihyun, frightened at his first hands on experience with death. The only guardian he had, even if she was a poor one, was gone. Jihyun cradled small boy in his arms, and cried with him. Saeran never understood why Jihyun was crying with him. He still didn’t know why, even though now he was older and wiser. From that point on, Saeran moved in with the apothecary, and learned to craft potions from him. Life seemed the brightest when he was with him. Jihyun was his sun, and since his departure from the world, Saeran had decided to carry on that feeling of warmth he was given, passing the same care to others.

Living with him meant sleeping in bed that creaked in the night as he rolled around, trying to escape the nightmares that haunted him, but that was fine. It was better than the sheetless mattress, or the cold splintered floors he was used to. In fact, having a bed with pillows was quite the luxury to him. At least he had somewhere comfortable to cry as he tried to sort out his feelings, tried to remember that he was no longer a small child who could only rely on the woman who’d strike him with broken bottles and forget to feed him for days on end. He was no longer trapped physically by her, but her presence, the damage she caused, lived on and encased him.

Jihyun had begun developing a relief for his nightmares before he passed. It typically took several years to perfect a potion, and sadly, he had passed before he was able to complete his work. Creating the elixir was his way of apologizing to Saeran, for not being able to remove him from his mother sooner. For letting this continue on rather than alerting the authorities. The very least he could do was to ease his nightmares. As Saeran ran his fingers over the edge of the drawing he still held, he wondered why Jihyun did what he did. He had faith in his choices, he was always a wise and calm man, but he just wish he got to know why he made his decisions. What did he foresee with his actions? What was he trying to avoid? Would the authorities have done nothing to save him from his mother? Why didn’t Jihyun act sooner? When Saeran took up his work on Bane of Phobetor, the elixir he had been working on until his death, along with running Lovecraft, he could only hope that by continuing Jihyun’s work, he could find the answers he was looking for.

Wiping stray tears from his eyes, Saeran tucked the picture back in the pages of his notebook. There wasn’t time to dwell any longer, he had a shop to open.

You found yourself staring at your own reflection at lot longer than usual of late. The eagerness to see any signs of change overwhelmed you, the thought occupied every hour of every day. You were paranoid about every minor thing, taking note of every twitch, your skin seeming to be a hue too pale or too dark, was your hair suddenly longer? Why were you more tired than usual? You had reason to be paranoid though, you were a test subject after all. You kept hoping that perhaps someone would bump into you on the streets, someone who’d genuinely be intrigued by you, someone who wanted to get to know you. However, nothing so exciting had happened yet.

You tugged the wide brimmed witch’s cap down, trying to shield yourself from frigid winds as you braved the walk to Lovecraft once again. A few days had passed, and like you promised, you’d meet up with him so he could take note of the effects. You weren’t sure there would be anything for him to write down though, but perhaps an apothecary would know better what to look for than you.

The bell chimed as you burst through the door, quickly shutting it to prevent any snow from getting in to warp his floorboards more than they already were.

“Ah, there you are,” Saeran poked his head out from behind a shelf filled with lilac coloured potions. They were haphazardly placed, far too many bottles crammed onto the weakening shelf. a few bottles threatening to dive off the edge, some knocked onto their sides.  “I was wondering when you’d stop by,” He stood up, brushing the dust and dirt off his pants. You noticed the book he held in hand, some sort of encyclopedia perhaps? You couldn’t read the title very well from this angle and distance, but it was thick with pages surely full of knowledge, gold foiled leaves decorating the burgundy cover.

“Were you in the middle of something? I could stop by later if that’s better for you,” You didn’t want to interrupt him, and you silently needed assurance that this was a good time to drop by. It was roughly early afternoon, judging by the position of the sun hanging high in the sky, but you’d heard rumours of Lovecraft opening quite late due to the shopkeeper's sleeping habits.

“Oh no, I was just doing a little research on herbs. Come, have a seat,” He motioned to the stool by the counter. You took up his offer, wanting to rest your feet after the small journey you made to get here. It wasn’t a long walk to get to the shop, but the cobblestone roads combined with thinning soles on your boots didn’t allow you to trek with much comfort.  “How have you been, noticed anything different?” His eyes eagerly looked you over, searching for any signs of physical change.

“I’ve been… the usual, I suppose,” You sighed.

“You sound a bit down,” You were caught off guard by his insight. Most people simply asked how you’d been as a pleasantry, they didn’t genuinely care how you were doing. That’s how life always was for you after all. The curse you were burdened with hung on your shoulders, as if it was scaring off anyone who perhaps wanted to ask how you really feeling that day. Someone who wanted to say more than “That’s awful,” when you explained the worst day of your life to them. Anyone who offered consolation, just… someone who listened.

“I… I’m just worried that it feels like nothing is happening,” You confessed.

“Don’t worry so much, sometimes it takes longer for certain potions to begin to take effect. And other times, the differences are so minute that you don’t even notice them,” He smiled warmly, trying reassuring you that things would be alright.

“But I’m betting everything on the hope that this concoction of yours works,” You were nervous, this was your future after all.

“I guess I’ve got high expectations to live up to,” He laughed. You appreciated how upbeat he was despite the situation you were in, he was much like a beacon in your darkest hour.

“But I suppose you’re right, I shouldn’t be worrying so much,”

“Here, let’s take a look and see if there’s any changes from my perspective,” Gently, he grabbed your chin, turning your head to the side. “Hm, Your cheeks look a bit pinker than last time…” You were taken back by his abruptness. Most strangers didn’t just grab someone’s face like that, and he was getting awfully close to you. Did he just lack decorum? Did he not understand social cues?

“I-I’m just cold, it’s freezing outside,”

“Is it? I haven’t really left the shop today,” Saeran tried to not remember how the winds whipped at his flesh while he stood in the doorway earlier in the day. Looking smug definitely had it’s cons. It’d be better for him to just forget the woman from this morning, she wasn’t worth his anger anyways. He turned your head to the other side, examining and jotting down the hue of your skin. Touching the back of his hand to your cheek, he noted how warm they were too.

“Didn’t you have to leave your house to get to the shop?” Did this guy honestly not leave his shop? If so, how did he manage to earn a reputation for opening late when he was always here?

“No, I sleep here. My room is upstairs,” He said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I’ve lived here ever since my teacher took me in, and I don’t think I’d have it any other way,”

“Isn’t this place a little too worn down for you to live in?” You went from thinking this guy was a weirdo to being concerned for his well being. The winter months were rather cold here, and he was sleeping in a barely insulated shop?

“I think it being worn down is what gives it its charm, don’t you think?” He ran his hands through your hair, examining for any colour changes in the strands. The gesture was a little odd but… Intimate, almost. It felt so relaxing, soothing. Subconsciously, you leaned into Saeran’s touch. You saw the smirk catch on his lips for the briefest of moments. “Does that feel nice?” He asked as he repeated the motion, slower this time. You weren’t sure at this point if he was still examining you or if he was toying with you.

“Ah, sorry.” You jerked upright, only now realizing your actions. “It’s just… No one ever did that and I...Uh...Yeah… It does feel quite nice. Is that a side effect of the potion?”

“Most people enjoy this, so I’m gonna go with no,” You felt your heart sink that no changes had been noted yet. He continued to tug gently at your roots, eyeing your expression.

“Well, physically, there’s not much change aside from your face being redder than usual. Emotionally, you seem slightly less reserved, but to be fair you did just meet me,”

Saeran wondered why you were so alone, and why your cards gave you such a grim reading. It’s not like you weren’t pretty, nor did you have a bad personality from what he knew about you so far. Just what was keeping people from you? And why did you being alone cause such a ruinous future? Was your problem stemming from yourself as a person, or was there a third party interfering? He didn’t believe in divination being absolute, other forms of magic such as potion, spells, curses, and enchantments could always change the future. But why were things as they were for you? It felt like he was missing a piece of the puzzle that could help him resolve your problem. There were so many questions he was trying to resolve, and you’d thrown a new quiz at him. Of course, he wanted to refine Aphrodite’s Blessing first, but he did want to assist you as well. That’s why he continued to run Jihyun’s place after all, because he wanted to help people like him, like Jihyun had done for him.

“I think I would like to try something with you,” Your head perked up, nervous at what he was about to suggest. “I’d like to go to the market with you, I want to see how you react with other people, and how they react to you,”

“Right now?”

“No no, maybe tomorrow if you’re free?” He offered. “I think I might get some better insight to how to potion is affecting you if I’m able to observe interactions with people other than myself,” He did have a point, you hadn’t really done much socializing the past few days aside from the odd reading here and there. You joked about a prince charming popping up out of nowhere when he proposed the idea of taking Aphrodite’s Blessing, but you hadn’t been acting on your own and yet you were still expecting results.

“That sounds like a good idea, but don’t you have to watch your shop?”

“I own it, I can close whenever I like. I’m not going to miss much business anyways,” Customers were few these days, and he wasn’t located in a high end of the city. The district was filled with commoners, all trying to sell their own craft to each other when no one had any money to spare. Plenty of product, yet no demand. Capitalism at its finest.

“What time did you want to meet up?”

“Noon perhaps? That’s when the market is at its busiest. The more people the better,” Saeran was scribbling away unknown notes in the journal he had laid on the counter. You were inclined to ask just what he was writing, but refrained. What if he thought you were being too nosy? Perhaps there were things you didn’t want to know.

“Sounds good to me, I’ll see you then, I suppose?” You reached for the door.

“Yep, I’ll see you tomorrow,” With a wave of his hand, you were off, braving the chill yet again.

Saeran buried his face in his palms and breathed deeply. He picked up the qull once again and began to jot more notes down.

Noticeable difference in skin hue

Skin warmer than average body temperature

Cute expression when hair is played with

No change in hair colour

Not much of an emotional/behavioural change, noted changes could be due to her warming up to me

Avoids eye contact

Glancing at his notes one last time, he realized something.

He forgot to ask about her allergies again.

#saeran choi #mystic messenger #mm unknown #mm ray #mysme #mystic messenger fic #angst #fluff #lovecraft #witchcraft!au

[qccpafmaf]

PERFORUM ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION - SEPTEMBER 22, 2018

By Saima Desai

“My grandmother told me that the only time she remembered hearing Lenape was in songs that her grandmother would sing while they were making baskets,” Vanessa tells us, “and they would only do it at night.”

We’re halfway into a conversation on “Performing Alterity.” On the stage are six Black and Indigenous performance artists: Thirza Cuthand, Raven Davis, Vanessa Dion Fletcher, Dana Michel, Harold Offeh, and Adrian Stimson.

The panel’s moderator, John G. Hampton, told us that the panel was about the differences and similarities between everyday performances and artistic performances of self. Predictably, John began with Judith Butler’s idea of performativity: performativity is a “stylized repetition of actions,” John tells us. “Gender is constructed alongside your sense of self through the way you live your life, your daily performance of self, and that’s informed by social norms and structures that you grow up in.”

But this is a panel of brown and Black queer people. The panelists understandably don’t seem interested in discussing white queer theory.  

Instead, the conversation turns to languages. John, Raven, Vanessa, and Adrian introduce themselves in their own Indigenous languages before switching to English. Later, we’ll learn that Thirza has taken a few Cree language classes, and Dana never learned Patois. Harold knows only enough Akan to be embarrassed when he visits Accra.

There’s a sharp, new sadness I found in adulthood. It’s the sadness of not being able to speak my parents’ language. My parents gave up on sending me to Gujarati language school after years of dragging my sulky, whiny ass to Sunday classes. All my friends got to go to ballet lessons on Sundays. I was stuck in a suburban classroom that smelled like the inside of a cupboard, with a teacher who rewarded up for proper conjugation with those biscuits you give to teething babies.  

Today, I can nod and smile and speak in simple two-word sentences. I can I can spell my name and nothing else, the letters shy and childish. I’m embarrassed to speak to my motapapa, my grandfather. I feel shame – not just the shame of failure, but the shame of failing at something that should be as natural as breathing.  

“She’d be lying at night, hearing these songs, and that was the only exposure she got to her language,” Vanessa continues. “[… My grandmother’s parents] wanted the kids to learn English, as a survival mechanism, and also to hide from the Indian Agents and the government.”

Indigenous languages were literally beaten out of children in residential schools, and outlawed by white colonizers. For others of us, whose people have also lived under colonization, our languages were wiped from textbooks, deprioritized, shamed, silenced, or simply forgotten.

Today, there are very few speakers of the Lenape languages, Munsee and Unami. There are only two fluent Munsee speakers, aged 77 and 90. The conversation turns briefly to a fire that destroyed 20 million items at Brazil's National Museum earlier this month. Among the items lost were audio recordings of Indigenous languages that are no longer spoken.

The news sends a shiver of fear through me. I wonder if, hundreds of years into the future, my family’s language might be endangered like that. If its connection to this world could ever be so tenuous that the string could be snapped in one go.

Vanessa continues: “But when I feel that deep sadness at the lack of access I have to my language, I think: not all moments in the past or present or future have to be ones that are through language. There are always moments of silence and moments of communicating physically and visually. Even though I will always mourn the loss of my language, for myself and for everybody, I can still have experiences that are outside of that loss.”

Later, Dana Michel will tell us that she never learned Patois from her parents: “it was deemed ‘not proper’ to pass it on to your children.” She often feels a lack of connection with her history, she says, but there are ways in which our bodies hold and speak that history. Family members tell her that she’s a lot like her grandfather – a grandfather she met maybe twice in her life.

“There’s a way of history and heritage being passed down without our knowing,” she muses. “Or a certain kind of knowing.”

“We’re becoming more aware of intergeneration trauma, so then logically, intergenerational wisdom…” she trails off.

Vanessa’s performance, on Wednesday, used porcupine quills, Wampum belts, and menstrual blood to probe the outlines of a body – physical and cultural. At one point, she filled her mouth with porcupine quills, and then walked around the Regina Public Library pulling quills from her mouth and handing them to strangers.

“Porcupine quills were used before glass beads or embroidery – to tell stories, to adorn our bodies,” explains Vanessa. “Porcupine quills would be put in your mouth to soften them before they would be sewn into clothing.”

“When I learned that, I thought: ‘I’m never going to speak the words that I want, I’m never going to have all the ideas that I want. I’m never going to be able to hear or sing the songs that my grandmother heard falling asleep at night. But I can still put this quill in my mouth, and I can feel the same thing that people in my community have felt forever.’ And that’s something that hasn’t been interrupted by colonialism.”

In my voice recorder, all the panelists hum softly in agreement. I think of the sharpness of a mouth full of quills, of jagged shards of words you’ll never speak, shattered by colonization and displacement.

“I think that’s the beauty of being an artist, and being a performance artist,” begins Adrian. “That we create our own language.”

PERFORMANCE - VISITING THAHAB - NABIL VEGA - SEPTEMBER 22, 2018

by Saima Desai

This story begins with a delayed flight. It’s fitting, for a performance about 9/11.

Because of their flight delay, Nabil Vega’s morning performance has been cancelled. Instead, I make it to the Dunlop in the evening for the second part of “Visiting Thabab.”

I am the only South Asian or Arab person I can pick out in the audience. That’s not at all unusual for the Regina art scene, but I feel a little bit smug about it today. I expect I’m better positioned to understand the art than anybody else in the room. Who better to write about a performance on what it is to be a brown femme in post-9/11 North America than me?

Nabil emerges under a sheet of gold fabric that drapes to their thighs. They silently stand or crouch in front of each audience member. I watch the audience members steel themselves for eye contact with this eyeless apparition – when their turn comes, some smirk, some squint, some adopt an air of practiced seriousness.

Nabil leaves, returns with a plastic bag full of gold glitter that slithers between their knuckles as they pace the room, casting a protective circle around the space. They wade into a red kiddie pool in the center of the room, sit wide-legged on a stool, and begin combing a tangled clump of dark hair out from under the gold sheet, eventually letting it fall into the pool.

Grasping for meaning, I think of the importance of hair for Indian women – as a tool of intergenerational care, a locus of beauty, a site of vicious gender control. I remember my own long ponytail I once cut off, eventually working up to shaving my head to a buzzcut. My parents were – still are – livid at my boyish cut.

Then, Nabil crouches in the pool, ripping at a seam at the side. Silently, and almost imperceptibly, the pool begins to leak water – I don’t notice it until audience members start nervously lifting their shoes out of its spreading path.

The water picks up glitter as it spreads, gilding its edges. There’s something sinister about this silent, unstoppable crawl of water, bordered with gold, fingers reaching towards our toes. It looks like the spread of a virus, or the march of a colonial army across a map. I think of Harsha Walia’s concept of border imperialism, which "links the politics of borders to global systems of power and repression, systems which find their roots in ‘othering,’ colonization, and slavery.”

I don’t understand the performance.

I don’t understand what it means to be a brown girl in post 9/11 North America.

After, I ask Nabil when their second performance will be, and whether it’s a continuation of the first. I’m not sure this is true, but I tell her I “really liked” the first one. I guess I really liked that a brown queerdo was making art – but I couldn’t tell you any more about what I liked about it. Haltingly, shyly, I tell them that I found their performance “more opaque” than I expected and that I was still “grappling with the symbolism.” It is my way of very quietly screaming, “I don’t get it! Why don’t I get it? Don’t I – a brown girl living in post-9/11 North America – deserve to get it?” I stop myself before actually asking Nabil to explain any of the symbolism – but anyways, they have already darted off to help a volunteer wrestle the now-flaccid kiddie pool into a bucket. When they hefts it off the ground, it looks like a dead body, still sagging with water.

*

Later, I show up outside the Dunlop art gallery in downtown Regina. Nabil is already outside, under their gold sheet. I watch as they crouch in the middle of Scarth Street and light the first blue smoke bomb between their feet, rich indigo clouds rising like bubbles in a glass. Seeing the smoke, people begin to filter out of the afterparty, gathering at a distance around Nabil. The drunk people at the bar across the street start shouting at us.

Nabil takes off towards the bar, and we begin to follow. Gary, the director of QCC, chases them, muttering “I told them they needed to take someone with them, for protection.” I glance nervously at the drunk white guys at the bar, still yelling. Do white men not know than whenever they yell – excitedly or belligerently – my whole body fractures into little triangles of fear? I’m shot through by that same fear for Nabil, which is really a fear for myself – another queer brown femme walking home alone at night past a bar of drunk and yelling white guys.

They turn, stop, stand in the middle of the darkened street, set off another haldi-yellow smoke bomb, study us. Under the rippling gold sheet, in absolute silence, with the smoke rising like a prayer, they look like a ghost.

I think of the other brown ghosts of 9/11:

Balbir Singh Sodhi, a Sikh man originally from India, murdered at a gas station in Arizona on September 15, 2001. He was the first fatality of the post-9/11 backlash against Muslims and those perceived as Muslim. His killer also shot at a Lebanese person and an Afghan family’s house. In 2011, the Arizona legislature tried to remove Mr. Sodhi's name from their state 9/11 memorial.

On the same day, Waqar Hasan, an immigrant from Pakistan, was murdered in a grocery store in Texas. He was the second fatality. Three weeks later, his murderer would kill Vasudev Patel, an Indian man.

Two weeks after Hasan’s death, Abdo Ali Ahmed, a 51-year-old Yemeni man, was shot to death outside his convenience store. Two days earlier a note reading, “We’re going to kill all you fucking Arabs,” was left on his car windshield.

I was only six when 9/11 happened. I couldn’t tell you where I was when I heard the news – probably in my Grade One classroom. I’d be lying if I said I felt, at the time, even the slightest shiver of what 9/11 would come to mean for people who look like me. How it would change entire regimes of race, of state violence and systematic dehumanization, of wars and geopolitics, of displacement and migration. The exhaustion of being “randomly selected” for the thousandth time at airport security.

I think of the way I walk faster, clamp my teeth around my tongue, tighten my heart when I pass a bar full of drunk white men, yelling. The times I thought I might become another brown ghost.

I think of the way my skin looks under lake water, so brown it’s just a little gold.

[tipsycad147]

MAY FULL FLOWER MOON RITUAL – RECOGNIZING VALUE

The Full Flower Moon get’s it’s name from Native Americans as spring flowers are literally opening everywhere you look.  It is also known as the Corn Planting Moon, Mother’s Moon, and the Milk Moon.

In order to perform this ritual as written, you’ll need the following items:

Quarter Candles (yellow, red, blue, green) Large White Goddess Candle Large Gold or Yellow God Candle Paper and pencil for each participant Fire pit or cauldron suitable for safely burning small objects and paper Altar

This is intended to be performed outdoors, under the light of the full snow moon – dress appropriately and use proper fire safety.

<Anything in the ritual that is contained with <> should be understood as instructional for the ritual leader and should not be spoken aloud>

Ritual Begins

I cast this circle all around, high above and below the ground, a sacred place between time and space, where all are welcome and all are safe!

Calling the Quarters

East

As the spring winds slip ever so gracefully across the land, we turn our eyes to the East and give high praises to the great spirits of Air.  We welcome you to our circle on this night when the moon is full and shining across the world. <light yellow candle>

South

The last of the warming rays of the sun have just dropped beneath the horizon as we turn to the South, where the great Fire spirits make their home.  We give thanks for your attendance in our circle tonight and offer high thanks and praises for the gift of light which you’ve bestowed upon us.  Keep our path illuminated as we move from place to place so that no harm or accident will fall our way. <light red candle>

West

The sound of moving Water conjures up memories of things both beautiful and filled with adventure, as we look to the West, we are filled with a sense of comfort, joy, and protection.  You honor us by joining our circle and offering us the endless gift of cleansing waters, which regenerate both our bodies and our spirit. <light blue candle>

North

Finally all souls turn toward the North, where the great spirits of Earth make their homes.  Those who have traveled through the densest forests and across the highest mountains, still find the time to share their blessings to us mortals.  We give high praise for the many gifts, the teachings, and for attending this circle tonight. <light green candle>

Great Goddess, Great God, we humbly, and with great praises and honor present ourselves as our truest selves.  We are those who work the land, and drive the herds.  We are servants, messengers, disciples, and students.  We are kings and queens and lords of our own domains.  We are individuals, and yes, we are a family.  Together you bring balance to the world and the world smiles upon us.  Thank you for attending this circle on this Full Flower Moon  <light Goddess & God candles>

Musical Interlude

Choosing the right music to complement your full moon ritual is paramount – I’ve been known to pull in all different types of genres, but I don’t think I’ve ever chose a full-on bone jarring heavy metal song…that is until today.  Out song is called Pagan Moon, by Beherit.  It’s dark sounding, but musically tight and you’ll find yourself ‘into it’ pretty quickly.

Opening statement

We gather tonight under this full flower moon, perhaps in smaller groups than last year, but certainly bigger than last month when the great virus was upon the land and we were alone.  Now that the world is starting to once again find itself and people are remembering that terrible things have come, but those terrible things also go, we are coming back to life.  And yet, we do so with so many questions waiting to be answered.  We wonder whether the world will ever go back to the way, “it used to be”.

At this point, none of us know what the future might bring, but we can appreciate what the past is teaching us.  I say teaching, because what we’ll be discussing tonight hasn’t really been solidified as “taught” and still has a chapter or two, to be read.  Each month gives us an opportunity to look outward and learn from the world from a scholarly approach.  If we look closely enough, with a free and open mind, we can see the future…or one possible future.  Use the energy of the Full Flower Moon to supercharge your mind’s eye and let it take a look around.

Recognizing Value

The great virus of 2020 should have opened everyone’s eyes to recognizing value.  I’m not talking about net income, the stock market, or even a purse full of cash.  No, what I’m talking about is human value.  When the virus took hold, some people disappeared, and some people stepped up their game.  Some people were in high demand, while others temporarily faded from our thoughts.  We watched as some people put their lives at risk, countless numbers of times, while others went into hibernation.  Some spoke, some even complained, while others let their actions speak for them.

Our world has just received a wonderful eye-opening and in case you missed it, the full flower moon is a perfect time to get caught up.  Up until now, those who ran big companies were considered valuable, as were celebrities, and professional athletes.  Internet superstars and talking heads had audiences of millions.  We were programmed to consume, collect, and once we’ve had our fun, to dispose of those things and buy the newest one.  We were in fact, being brainwashed into thinking what was wrong, was actually right.

Fast forward to today.  Look at the clerk in your local supermarket, or the first responder who lives in your subdivision.  Look at the guys who pick up your trash and the ladies who are manning the school lunch counters.  Across the land, regular people are doing incredible things.  Your mail is still being delivered, your doctor is still treating patients, and the highways are still filled with trucks moving fresh produce, milk, eggs, and meat from growing areas to your local store.  Field workers are still picking fresh greens and warehouse workers are still packing and shipping everything from canned soup to microwaves.  Despite the possibility of infection, these so-called, entry level or bottom of the ladder workers are punching in every day to keep the world running.

By now you’re probably deep in thought about what I’ve just stated.  You’re probably thinking differently about the people that may have seemed invisible to you just a few short months ago.  You’re starting to see that not only are they valuable, but they are very valuable.  I also bet many of you will leave here and be forever changed.  You’ll not only say hello to the woman stocking the shelves, but you’ll do so with an appreciative smile on your face.  You might even go out of the way to tell a police officer, thanks for being on the job.  You’ll see that value isn’t measured by giving a speech or running for office.  Value is earned.

Clearing and Cleansing on the Full Flower Moon

Each month we examine how our lives have changed, both for the good and for the worse.  We also examine what events, actions, or people contributed to those changes.  And once again we see both the good and the not-so-good.  We see that some things are propelling us forward, while others are holding us back.  This is very important, because if we’re held back for some reason, then we cannot grow.

Negativity and negative people often go hand in hand when it comes to roadblocks.  Anger, impatience, greed, manipulation, jealousy, lust, corruption, and laziness are all products of negativity.  Narcissism, manipulation, control issues and bullying are all tools of negative people.  When we allow those feelings to remain inside us, or those negative people to keep influencing us, we start to forget about the important things in life like love, compassion, helpfulness, and the desire to become something better than we already are.

This full flower moon offers us the opportunity to make a course correction.  Just as Mother Nature presents the earth with a fresh coat of foliage and flowers each season, you can use this ritual to clear out all the weeds and debris and replace them with a beautiful array of fresh colors and renewed feelings.

If you can see negativity in your life, now is the time to banish it, once and for all.   Our ancestors have taught us that all things can be washed away in the cleansing flames.  Together we can witness as the collective baggage of the past is consumed and the smoke travels far away.  By burning the remnants of things useless and without value, we free ourselves to find new and positive things to fill those empty spaces.

<Offer each person paper/pencil to write things down>

Write down the things you wish to rid yourself of, but be realistic.  If you only halfway feel ready about something, then don’t rush it.  Each month offers another chance to cleanse and clear.  When you are ready, approach the fire and burn your list.  As you burn each item, state the following, “I give up freely that which is no longer serving me”

<Once everyone has burned their items, have the group join hands and say the following>

We gather tonight by the light of this Full Flower Moon; we feel the warmth of spring on our faces and know that the heat of summer is soon to be realized.  The light has already returned and we are have shown we are ready to refresh our lives by first ridding our bodies and minds of that which no longer serves us.  We are now cleansed with the great fires of the South carrying the negative energies away. May the next turn of the Wheel bring us love and compassion, abundance and prosperity, fertility and life – As the moon above, so the earth below. So Mote it Be!

Once you’ve chosen to release the negativity, you will be lighter and ready to take on something new and positive.  Fill those spaces you’ve just cleared with something positive and then feed it and you’ll soon feel growth from within; growth that will be beneficial to your everyday life, but also growth that will help build a solid foundation for your future.

Cakes & Ale

Depending on the weather and the make-up of your group, you may choose to have a few libations and food at this time.  Talk, share stories, and get to know your fellow citizens of the earth.

Closing the Full Flower Moon Circle

Earth spirits, we offer our eternal thanks for joining us in our full flower moon circle.  All thoughts are on planting, growing, and spending time with the earth.  Bless us and bless that which we plant in the coming months. We bid you farewell. <extinguish green candle>

Water spirits, thank you for your presence in our circle.  Before you leave, we ask but one simple thing. Grant us ample rain as we nurture the delicate seedlings and herbs, in their infancy.  We bid you farewell. <extinguish blue candle>

Fire spirits, without your presence in our circle, our cleansing ritual would not be possible.  We continue to honor your light, the heat, and the ability to transform our lives.  May we leave here tonight with eyes wide open to the possibilities of great things in our future.  We bid you farewell. <extinguish red candle>

Air spirits, so much gratitude and so many praises for your presence in our circle this night. The light winds on our faces constantly remind us that the most powerful things are often unseen and unpredictable.  Leave us with the understanding that we do not need to know why everything is as it is, we just need to be thankful for it.  We bid you farewell. <extinguish yellow candle>

Great Goddess and Great God, we thank you both for your wisdom and love.  Together you have shown us that all things possess two sides, two energies, and only together can total balance be achieved.  Give us the guidance to look at all things in life with an even approach and open mind. <extinguish Goddess candle>

This circle is now open!

By  Thegypsy

https://www.thegypsythread.org/may-2020-full-flower-moon-ritual-recognizing-value/

[siobhandesignstorytelling]

Notes from class/readings/own thoughts

Storytelling

The form in which a narrative is told also seems to matter. “the medium is the message,” and we’ve found this is true neurologically. we cry at sad movies but cry less often when reading a novel.

Stories:

Connect us to each other

Help us learn Lessons

Influence our mental models and therefore our actions

Influences Mental Models

Dramatic arc

This evidence supports the view of some narrative theorists that there is a universal story structure. These scholars claim every engaging story has this structure, called the dramatic arc. It starts with something new and surprising, and increases tension with difficulties that the characters must overcome, often because of some failure or crisis in their past, and then leads to a climax where the characters must look deep inside themselves to overcome the looming crisis, and once this transformation occurs, the story resolves itself.

narrative transportation

Science

Neurochemical | Oxytocin & Cortisol

In one version of this experiment, if we gave participants synthetic oxytocin (in the nose, that will reach the brain in an hour), they donated to 57 percent more of the featured charities and donated 56 percent more money than participants given a placebo. Those who received oxytocin also reported more emotional transportation into the world depicted in the ad. Most importantly, these people said they were less likely to engage in the dangerous behaviors shown in the ads.

So, go see a movie and laugh and cry. It’s good for your brain, and just might motivate you to make positive changes in your life and in others’ lives as well

Note: Behavioural change - storytelling - evolution - oxytocin

The actions we take make us happy - we want to do the 'good thing'

We also tested why stories can motivate us, like the characters in them, to look inside ourselves and make changes to become better people.

Those who donated after watching Ben’s story had more empathic concern of other people and were happier than those who did not donate money. This shows there is a virtuous cycle in which we first engage with others emotionally that leads to helping behaviors, that make us happier. Many philosophical and religious traditions advocate caring for strangers, and our research reveals why these traditions continue to influence us today—they resonate with our evolved brain systems that make social interactions rewarding.

Evolution

Activity | Making toast

exercise in systems thinking

movable links + nodes

Those who see their world as movable nodes + links have an edge

exercise links storytelling and mental models

makes our mental models tangible and visible

Let's make toast

What happened?

We all had different starting points

We're all storytellers - it's something that is innately human

We all had some kind of node and links, some of us used language, some of us included people in our diagrams, some only used the tools needed, some started at the bakery, some started in the kitchen

We all have unique perspectives when telling the story of how we make toast, but ultimately its something that is an everyday activity that we all knew how to do.

This was the exercise that linked storytelling and mental models

All have some kind of node and link - a node for the content or step and the link to show the connection between them

I guess in a way, Mental Models are stories we tell ourselves about the world around us. whether this be through language, or symbols (much like some of the 'Making Toast', exercise examples) Storytelling influences our Mental Models.

In research from Rook (2013) a Mental Model is defined as, "A concentrated, personally constructed, internal conception, of external phenomena (historical, existing or projected), or experience, that affects how a person acts."

The practice of COLLABORATIVE VISUALISATION is simple:

You start with a question

You collect the nodes

You refine the nodes

You do it all over again

You refine again and again

Patterns emerge and the group gains clarity

You answer the question

This exercise helps you get clear, engaged and aligned

Why the brain loves stories

as social creatures who regularly affiliate with strangers, stories are an effective way to transmit important information and values from one individual or community to the next. Stories that are personal and emotionally compelling engage more of the brain, and thus are better remembered, than simply stating a set of facts. (How Stories Change the Brain, 2013)

The readings/videos that we've been given about storytelling, remind me of the concepts discussed by Yuval Noah Harari in his work - I found the quote below that encapsulates his view

“Homo sapiens is a storytelling animal that thinks in stories rather than in numbers or graphs, and believes that the universe itself works like a story, replete with heroes and villains, conflicts and resolutions, climaxes and happy endings. When we look for the meaning of life, we want a story that will explain what reality is all about and what my particular role is in the cosmic drama. This role makes me a part of something bigger than myself, and gives meaning to all my experiences and choices.” (Harari, 2019)

Harari's work discusses concepts around humans relation to storytelling and has largely influenced my personal perspective on the matter prior to this class. In his work he argues that humans are the only species that create and connect around ideas and concepts that don't physically exist – e.g. legal system, politics, organisations and even money. Basically that human civilization is based on storytelling.

Popular tales do far more than entertain, however. Psychologists and neuroscientists have recently become fascinated by the human predilection for storytelling. Why does our brain seem to be wired to enjoy stories? And how do the emotional and cognitive effects of a narrative influence our beliefs and real-world decisions? The answers to these questions seem to be rooted in our history as a social animal. We tell stories about other people and for other people. Stories help us to keep tabs on what is happening in our communities. The safe, imaginary world of a story may be a kind of training ground, where we can practice interacting with others and learn the customs and rules of society. And stories have a unique power to persuade and motivate, because they appeal to our emotions and capacity for empathy.(The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn, 2008)

We discovered that there are two key aspects to an effective story. First, it must capture and hold our attention. The second thing an effective story does is “transport” us into the characters’ world.

NB: Empathy is at play here

We attend to this story because we intuitively understand that we, too, may have to face difficult tasks and we need to learn how to develop our own deep resolve. In the brain, maintaining attention produces signs of arousal: the heart and breathing speed up, stress hormones are released, and our focus is high.

Once a story has sustained our attention long enough, we may begin to emotionally resonate with story’s characters. Narratologists call this “transportation,” and you experience this when your palms sweat as James Bond trades blows with a villain on top of a speeding train.

Transportation is an amazing neural feat. We watch a flickering image that we know is fictional, but evolutionarily old parts of our brain simulate the emotions we intuit James Bond must be feeling. And we begin to feel those emotions, too.

Such a neural mechanism keeps us safe but also allows us to rapidly form relationships with a wider set of members of our species than any other animal does. The ability to quickly form relationships allows humans to engage in the kinds of large-scale cooperation that builds massive bridges and sends humans into space.

By knowing someone’s story—where they came from, what they do, and who you might know in common—relationships with strangers are formed.

We have identified oxytocin as the neurochemical responsible for empathy and narrative transportation.

Storytelling is powerful at communicating ideas. Storytelling:

Stories are vessels for information

Evolution has hardwired the need for stories in our brains

Learning vital survival techniques | those who learn the lessons live longer

Stories create emotional connectiona good story makes our brain simulate what it would be like to live through said events your body can't tell the difference on whether something is real or not, it reacts as it would in real life

Creating and displaying cultural identity - culture can be defined as the stories we tell ourselves about ourselves. They are a way of sharing who we are.

Evolution has made one of the most important things in life deeply enjoyable. Survival = Storiesit taps into a raw human desire, and fulfilling it gives a kind of happiness hundreds of thousands of years in the making

If we want to communicate facts or information, stories are powerful way to do so

(Catsnake, 2021)

References

Catsnake. (2021, July 16). The Power of Storytelling, with Sir Ian McKellen [Video]. Vimeo. https://vimeo.com/125383660

Harari, Y. N. (2019). 21 Lessons for the 21st Century (Reprint ed.). Random House.

How Stories Change the Brain. (2013, December 17). Greater Good. https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_stories_change_brain

Rook, L. (2013). Mental models: a robust definition. The Learning Organization, 20(1), 38–47. https://doi.org/10.1108/09696471311288519

The Secrets of Storytelling: Why We Love a Good Yarn. (2008, August). Scientific American. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/the-secrets-of-storytelling/?error=cookies_not_supported&code=4e69a7a4-beec-49eb-bc00-661da0ca397b