#Authentic self-expression

[gdusil]

The Nietzseche herd who are embarrassed witnessing an outburst of human emotion represent the epitome of insecurity.

[wickedzeevyln]

POV

It’s just assumption to read what’s on your thoughts. I’m not a citizen of your mind, though the city is lit bright, I can’t read emotions in your eyes without adding verbs like ‘seem’ or ‘appear’, as in, love seems to be in your eyes. But I can always open up all of me with an intent to understand. Maybe have a feel for hints? Maybe you could pour your heart into my ears so it can course…

[carlasboutik456]

Discover captivating Cultural Fashion at https://www.carlasboutik.com/. Explore our website for a diverse collection of clothing, embracing global styles and traditions. Elevate your wardrobe with cultural flair today!

[spiritualseeker777]

[astrosouldivinity]

Full Moon: Journal Prompts ☽◯☾

There will be a Full Moon on Thursday, October 17th which will be in the sign of Aries. ✨ ♈︎ ✨

💫 This is a good time for taking charge, embracing your individuality, and setting your intentions, especially around personal goals and self-empowerment.

𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ݁˖ 𖥔 ˖ ݁

❤️‍🔥 1. What new beginnings do I want to manifest in my life, and how can I embody the bold, fearless, and assertive energy of Aries to support these changes? For instance, identifying decisive actions and embracing spontaneity while trusting my instincts.

‪‪♥︎ ‬2. What specific goals do I want to achieve in the coming lunar cycle? Write down actionable steps to pursue them. In other words, what tangible steps can I outline to help manifest my goals? Consider creating a vision board, developing a business plan, or setting a weekly schedule.

❤️‍🔥 3. What does personal power mean to me? How can I cultivate and express that power in my daily life? For example, personal power might mean having the confidence to speak your truth, so you could practice assertive communication in your conversations. It could also involve setting healthy boundaries, allowing you to prioritize your well-being.

‪‪♥︎ 4. What creative project have I been wanting to start or what goals have I been wanting to achieve? During this time, take a moment to reflect on what brings you joy and consider the steps you can take to bring these ideas to life. Ask yourself, how can I harness my passion to make meaningful progress with my projects or goals.

❤️‍🔥 5. What new experiences or adventures am I eager to explore, and how can I take the first step toward them? Reflect on what excites you and sparks your curiosity. Consider practical actions, such as researching opportunities, signing up for a class, or reaching out to someone who has experience in that area.

‪‪♥︎ 6. In what ways do I want to express my true self more fully, and how can I embrace my uniqueness? Reflect on the aspects of your personality, interests, or talents that you wish to share with the world. Think about practical steps, such as trying new forms of self-expression through art, writing, or performance, or engaging in activities that align with your authentic self.

𝔁𝓸𝔁𝓸- 𝓚𝓲𝓴𝓲 ❤️

𝚃𝚒𝚙 𝙹𝚊𝚛 🫙🙏🏿

©𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚍.

[posi-pan]

for anyone who has ever seen someone claim pansexual was coined on social media by teenagers in the early 2000s, the 2010s, and even in the past few years, and believed it or wondered if it’s true, or known it’s not true and been annoyed by the misinformation, this article is for you!

after listing out all of the claims i’ve seen, i succinctly debunk them by laying out a brief overview of pansexual’s history dating back to the 1960s, both as a term generally indicating universal appeal/inclusion and a term indicating sexual freedom/attraction to all genders. i include a look at pansexual’s use specifically within queer spaces, with a focus on bisexual spaces, as well.

i also touch briefly on omnisexual and polysexual existing in similar contexts to pansexual dating back to the 1960s. and finally, i discuss a little bit about how when, where, and by whom a label is created doesn’t determine the validity or usefulness of it, because these claims come with the implication that new labels, labels created by kids, and labels originating on social media aren’t legit forms of queer expression and identification.

happy pan week! 🥰💗💛💙

[teamsasukes]

Was Itachi's forehead poke to Sasuke a sign of distancing himself and not wanting Sasuke to get involved, rather than just a mere sign of affection? I saw a few people talk about that and how it's weird that Sasuke does that to his family considering the original meaning.

yes, you've got an accurate handle on the original meaning of the Forehead Poke. fundamentally it is an expression of distance that itachi wields at times when he cannot be with sasuke. and it seems to be a throughline of his childhood: sasuke asks itachi to do something as mundane as train together but itachi continually refuses on account of his duties as a shinobi.

it is not a gesture devoid of love -- it's not as though itachi ever delights in dismissing sasuke (on the contrary, he is always regretful). but there's a cruelty in the uncertainty of it all: the most direct translation is "maybe next time", so itachi fails to provide even an assurance that they can, like, hang out next week or something. this chasm between them is then widened by itachi promising, on the night of the massacre, that he might allow a final battle between them if sasuke ever proves competent enough to bother fighting, leaving sasuke in protracted pursuit of the looming specter of his older brother.

this distance is really only bridged (barely) in their final scene when itachi lays bare the truth of his motives, his regrets (which are lacking, to put it mildly, but for sasuke this is nonetheless momentous), and his unconditional pride in and love for his little brother. the Forehead Poke is notably absent here because textually, the enforced distance wrt sasuke is framed as itachi's greatest wrong. (seriously, itachi says something to the effect of: i shouldn't have done All That because maybe you, my 7-year-old brother, could have brought change to our clan... thereby reducing inconvenience for konoha, of course. the paucity of virtue in massacring the uchiha doesn't really register for him even during this reconciliation, and it's deliberate... because the author doesn't see it as much of an issue either!)

anyway, it might seem odd for sasuke to repeat this gesture with sakura in chapter 699, then, particularly because it seems to be invoked in a manner identical to itachi in his neglect. kind of an odd way to signify a happy ending for these characters, right...?

well, it works for me solely because it is not identical! and naruto's english dub is my worst enemy. i would grab a couple of manga panel screenshots in the original japanese to prove it, but it's easier for me to just plug these scenes from the anime. here is an itachi Forehead Poke (0:51) and here is sakura seeing sasuke off at the konoha gate (0:33). there's a subtle but meaningful distinction in the phrasing: "mata kondo da" vs. "mata kondo na". which, in effect, alter the meaning from "maybe next time" to:

(there's an excellent tumblr post from years ago which performs a substantive analysis of the japanese in both contexts, but eludes me now. pls send if any of you have a link to it!)

so personally i adore its inclusion in chapter 699 specifically. it obviously carries a great deal of weight for sasuke and it's meaningful he chooses to express it to sakura specifically despite leaving the entire team behind -- in lots of ways, and more than any other character, i think for sasuke, sakura is the anti-itachi. (that would require another post to elucidate.) so not only is it an expression of regret at unintended distance, but, more crucially, it's a promise of return. i think it's incredibly sweet that sasuke can repurpose the gesture from something soul-rending to something hopeful.

(also deserving of another post lol but this scene also achieves a neat and, crucially, subversive callback to sakura's foundational insecurities... it's like poetry it rhymes)

all that said, i understand why it reads as something different once we are then given the context of chapter 700 and gaiden... i dislike both of these installments, primarily for the implication that distance becomes a love language, so to speak, between sasuke and sakura/sarada. these relationships are ruled by distance and sasuke accepts it. it's disappointing! his journey to learn about more of the world in chapter 699 jibed with the character's arc until that point. this does not.

my unpopular take is i think this has just about nothing to do with sakura or the sasusaku relationship and everything to do with authorial outlook on sasuke's actions in part 2. and for the record, i maintain that these crimes ultimately amount to very little -- violence and death are occupational hazards if one is a shinobi. konoha is also foregrounded by a cold calculus on the worth of human lives; i'm sure sasuke's indispensable role in saving the world outweighs the killing of a few samurai. i just think kishimoto needs sasuke to atone, somehow, forever, via endless service to the village. and he also cannot sensibly write a kakashi- or naruto-headed government that would impose any meaningful punishment, so sasuke is relegated to a state of permanent rootlessness in some dumbass quest. it's a sacrifice on his part, but contrived for a number of reasons, chief among them being that the sasuke we came to know in the original series would literally never internalize konoha's ideals in this manner. so even though the Forehead Poke in gaiden and boruto retains the elements of promise and anticipation of eventual reconciliation, it feels kind of... lame and weightless. there is a superficial signal at growth but materially, for the parties on the receiving end of the Forehead Poke, very little seems to change.

frankly, i think we are meant to view sasuke's love as noble (and sasuke himself as penitent, suggested by the ascetic quality of his life). sasuke is still doing things differently than itachi, insufficient though it may be: he is honest about the reason for his travels, he does not rush to dismiss sarada when she needs emotional support, his motives are selfless rather than selfish (sasuke guards against the threat of the otsutsuki; itachi... wanted sasuke to kill him, in no small part as a desperate ploy to end his own suffering, notwithstanding the subsequent damage that would be inflicted on his thoroughly traumatized little brother). gaiden is surprisingly candid about the distance as a source of distress for sarada, sakura, and even sasuke, but by the end everyone understands why it must be as it is. the state above all! (you'll notice even itachi's apology to sasuke held this precept intact... there is a reason the series closes with sasuke accepting his old hitai-ate.) it is admittedly vexing, considering the totality of evidence here, to see sasuke's nomadic status in boruto pinned on how much he hates his dumb bitch wife and not, you know. the shockingly bad politics underpinning the narrative.

i appreciate the attempts of sasuke enjoyers to explain his distance as natural aversion to konoha, but this isn't canonically backed by any interiority (which seems to be absent in boruto-era team 7 at large) and moreover it requires miscommunication between sasuke and sakura (or even naruto) so great as to be unbelievable. i've accepted that post-pt2 sasuke is an unfortunate victim of kishomoto's nationalist views. his weird takes on how a man like sasuke would behave in a loving relationship and likely desire for a continued revenue stream don't help either. yes i will weep forever...

TLDR: i think the Forehead Poke fits in chapter 699 precisely because it diverges from itachi's. i resent its recurrence suggesting distance from loved ones is an inevitable condition of sasuke's life to which he's stoically acquiescent.

[glowettee]

✧・゜: how i'm learning to trust my creative intuition :・゜✧:・゜✧

hey lovelies! ✨

i've been thinking a lot about creative intuition lately, that quiet inner voice that nudges you toward certain ideas or projects. for the longest time, i was absolutely terrible at listening to it. i'd get these little sparks of inspiration and immediately talk myself out of them. "that's been done before" or "you don't have the skills for that" or my personal favorite: "who do you think you are?"

sound familiar? thought so.

the thing is, i've slowly been learning that my intuition actually knows what it's talking about. those random ideas that pop into my head at 2am or while i'm in the shower? they're not random at all, they're my creative compass trying to guide me toward what truly lights me up.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ recognizing intuition vs. fear ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

the first big challenge was learning to tell the difference between my intuition and my fear. they can sound weirdly similar sometimes!

my intuition tends to feel like excitement mixed with certainty, like "yes! this!" even when it makes no logical sense. it feels light and expansive, like opening a window in a stuffy room.

fear, on the other hand, feels heavy and contracted. it comes with a lot of "shoulds" and worrying about what other people will think. it's the voice that compares my chapter 1 to someone else's chapter 20.

i started keeping track of when these different voices would speak up, and slowly got better at recognizing which was which.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ creating space to listen ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

intuition doesn't shout. it whispers. and in our noisy, constantly-connected world, those whispers can get completely drowned out.

i realized i needed to create actual space to hear myself think. for me, that looks like:

morning pages: three pages of stream-of-consciousness writing before looking at my phone

solo walks without podcasts or music (just me and my thoughts)

intentional boredom: staring out windows, lying on the floor, letting my mind wander

reducing input before trying to create output (no scrolling before creative sessions)

it's amazing what starts to bubble up when you're not constantly drowning it out with other people's voices and ideas.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ the "stupid idea" notebook ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

one of the most helpful tools has been my "stupid idea" notebook, a judgment-free zone where i write down every creative impulse, no matter how ridiculous it seems.

the name is intentionally silly to remind myself not to take it all so seriously. some ideas truly are stupid, and that's perfectly fine! but some turn out to be the beginnings of something meaningful.

the rule is simple: write it all down, evaluate later. this creates a safe space for intuition to speak without immediately being shut down by my inner critic.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ small intuition experiments ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

trusting your intuition is like building a muscle, you start small and work your way up.

i began with low-stakes creative decisions: which color to use in a drawing, which topic to write about in my journal, which route to take on my walk. when something felt intuitively "right," i'd go with it, even if i couldn't explain why.

gradually, i started trusting my intuition with bigger choices: which project to pursue, which opportunities to say yes to, which creative direction to explore.

with each small win, my confidence in my inner guidance grew stronger.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ embracing the "wrong" turns ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

here's the thing about intuition: sometimes it leads you down paths that seem to go nowhere. i've followed creative impulses that resulted in projects i never finished or ideas that didn't work out.

but i'm learning that these aren't failures, they're necessary detours. every "wrong" turn teaches me something i needed to learn or leads me to connections i wouldn't have made otherwise.

intuition isn't finding the most direct path; it's finding YOUR path, with all its twists and surprises.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ letting go of external validation ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

perhaps the hardest part of trusting my creative intuition has been detaching from external validation. when you follow your intuition, you might create things that don't immediately resonate with others or fit neatly into what's trending.

i'm still working on this one, honestly. but i've noticed that my most intuitive creations... the ones that felt most aligned with my inner voice, are ultimately the ones people connect with most deeply, even if the audience is smaller.

⋆.ೃ࿔:･ a gentle practice ･:࿔ೃ.⋆

trusting your creative intuition isn't a destination, it's an ongoing practice. some days i'm better at it than others. sometimes fear still wins. but each time i choose to listen to that quiet inner knowing, it gets a little louder, a little clearer.

if you're struggling to trust your own creative voice, start small. create tiny spaces of silence. write down the whispers. follow the sparks of excitement. and be patient with yourself when you forget.

xoxo, mindy 🤍

[serenagaia]

Individuality

[wwillywonka]

IT MUST BE BELIEVED TO BE SEEN

↳ alex jennings as WILLY WONKA in CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY; west end, 2015

[urloveangel]

[carlasboutik456]

Discover captivating Cultural Fashion at https://www.carlasboutik.com/. Explore our website for a diverse collection of clothing, embracing global styles and traditions. Elevate your wardrobe with cultural flair today!

[tumbler-polls]

We've recently come across an interesting video about the ego and autistic people [this one], which got us wondering about authenticity in the context of self-expression.

Feel free to expand on your choice in the tags/comments & please reblog for a bigger sample size!

We know that there are other factors that go into it, such as mental health, being a part of the lgbtq+ community, etc.

[astrosouldivinity]

𝑻𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒕 𝑹𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈: 𝑷𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒂 𝑷𝒊𝒍𝒆 ✨

What specific aspects of your authentic self-expression have you been neglecting?

1 2 3

Pile 1: Earrings (Seven of Pentacles, Eight of Wands, & The High Priestess).

How to Heal:

There is a need for deeper reflection and acknowledgment of your skills at this time. You should make time to celebrate your achievements, no matter how big or small. You might be holding back in some way, struggling to express your innermost thoughts and desires, possibly due to a fear of judgment. But there is a disconnect from your intuition and inner voice, which could stem from self-doubt or external influences. It’s important that you reconnect with your intuition and trust your instincts and feelings. Additionally, identify what is causing these delays. This could involve addressing any fears or external pressures that are preventing you from accessing your true self. Authenticity is the highest frequency; while it attracts, it can also repel. However, by embracing this energy, you will naturally draw in what is meant for you. Although it may feel intimidating at first, fully embracing your authentic self-expression can be incredibly liberating. 🦋

Pile 2: Necklace (Five of Cups, The Fool, & Two of Cups).

How to Heal:

You may be overlooking the positive aspects of your life and the opportunities for growth and connection around you. It’s easy to focus on previous disappointments, which creates barriers preventing you from fully embracing your authentic self. Additionally, you might be neglecting the playful and carefree aspects of your self-expression, causing you to remain stuck in unhealthy cycles. When you focus solely on the negative, it can stifle your creativity and joy, making it harder to explore the lighter, more adventurous sides of your personality. I encourage you to take risks and embrace spontaneity. Step into the unknown and take a leap of faith. A fear of trust might also lead you to withdraw from relationships, so seek out a supportive community that helps you feel valued. Remember to find spaces where you are genuinely appreciated and loved, rather than merely tolerated. ♥︎

Pile 3: Ring (Ten of Swords, Five of Cups, & The Hermit).

How to Heal:

You are in the process of healing and recovering from past trauma. This may involve coping with a betrayal or painful experiences that have left you feeling defeated and isolated. These experiences could have created barriers between you and your authentic self, as you might be focusing on the pain rather than on your healing and renewal. As a result, you may be neglecting aspects of your self-expression, fixating on past hurts or regrets, which can hinder your ability to move forward and embrace your true healed self. While it's natural to seek solitude to process your trauma, excessive isolation can also contribute to this disconnect. It's important to find a balance between introspection and engaging with the world around you. The darkness is where you learn, but the light is where you share those lessons. 💡

Feedback: 📝

𝚃𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚒𝚜 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚍 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚌𝚘𝚕𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚒𝚟𝚎; 𝚝𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞. 𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚜, 𝚢𝚘𝚞𝚛 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚍𝚋𝚊𝚌𝚔 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚋𝚎 𝚐𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚊𝚙𝚙𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚒𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚍. 💕

🫙- 𝚃𝚒𝚙 𝙹𝚊𝚛 (𝚂𝚞𝚙𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚝 𝙼𝚢 𝙲𝚘𝚜𝚖𝚒𝚌 𝙹𝚘𝚞𝚛𝚗𝚎𝚢) 🙏🏿

🧚🏾‍♀️ 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝚓𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚕𝚛𝚢 𝚏𝚎𝚊𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚠𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚋𝚎 𝚊𝚟𝚊𝚒𝚕𝚊𝚋𝚕𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚙𝚞𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚜𝚎 𝚘𝚗 𝚖𝚢 𝙴𝚝𝚜𝚢 𝚜𝚑𝚘𝚙. 💎

📋 - 𝙼𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 - 𝚆𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎

📖 - 𝙿𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 - 𝙰𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚢 🌌 ✨

🧿 - 𝚄𝚙𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐: 𝚃𝚊𝚛𝚘𝚝 𝚁𝚎𝚊𝚍𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜 (𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚢 𝚃𝚞𝚗𝚎𝚍)

©𝚊𝚜𝚝𝚛𝚘𝚜𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚗𝚒𝚝𝚢 𝙰𝚕𝚕 𝚁𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚜 𝚁𝚎𝚜𝚎𝚛𝚟𝚎𝚍.

[wordsofwisdomandsoul]

[subjectseventeen]

what if i just started putting our art in alterhuman tags... would that really be so bad?