#Crs points system

[swordscleric]

I can't stop thinking about the post from a few days ago about how Critical Role has been great at doing personal faith but didn't put the necessary work in to discuss the religious/god angle of c3 in-depth. Like the fact that Cardinal Respa was linked to both the Dawnfather and the Chained Oblivion is, on a personal level, very interesting (fallen/corrupted priest goes hard) but like does that mean that there's a Papacy somewhere in Exandria dedicated to the Dawnfather? If so, are there more cardinals who ordain the bishops of the Dawnfather? Are there Conclave-level intrigues going on in the Dawnfather's Sistine Chapel? Why is the Dawnfather so Christianity-coded in vibes alone if there's no actual outline of his religious organisations? With Downfall the Dawnchild/Dawnfather thing makes the allusions to Christ as Son of God co-existing with the Father textual - was there a Dawnfather Schism around whether the Dawnchild was a separate mortal? Was there a Reformation about how the Dawnfather's Pope kept selling indulgences? Is that why the priest of the Dawnfather Grog & Pike offer a drink to doesn't partake because of a cultural shift between Protestant-Temperance-League-coded and Catholic-coded Dawnfather congregations? Why do I have so many questions about the religious organisation of one of the most important Prime Deities in Exandria and to Critical Role's 3 campaigns? How on earth were the cast (and us as the viewers!) meant to care about the gods if all they had were "really tall kings" instead of interrogating how religious organisations provide both a place of healing and community to a wide range of people and also a place of horrific harm and abuse for a wide range of people?

[gay-wizardry]

the m9 in any situation regardless of whether or not they're guilty, passive observers, or literally just saved a city: we need to lie our way out of this

[herenvibing]

Also I feel like it needs to be said, just because I think CR3’s finale was bad and that the campaign was very rushed and messy, doesn’t mean I wish any ill will on the players for their choices. Critical Role is first and foremost a game, between friends, and entertaining an audience, while a big goal, is still secondary to the enjoyment of the players. This is a sandbox they have all built together, and we as a community are so, so lucky that they decided to share it with us. I love Exandria as a setting and as a story, and I will continue to love it even if it is fundamentally changed for what I feel is the worse. All the love to CR’s cast and crew, and all of the other amazing and wonderful people who work so hard to share this story with the world. Congratulations/condolences for campaign 3 ending, and here’s to a bright and magical future.

[edelgarfield]

dude with the stink i saw everyone in the comments throwing about cyrus's death i thought the ruling on chromatic orb was what killed him. but it wasn't, it was getting attacked by the giant fucking spider afterwards. and like you can make the argument that "well if the chromatic orb hadn't hit he wouldn't have gone down" like y'all. the party was up against a literal god. "it was unfair blah blah blah" yeah that's the point. when mortals tangle with the gods they lose. the DM had so many tools at her disposal to get the outcome she wanted, one stray hit did not make a difference.

[iraimmigration77]

How The Canada CRS Points Calculator Works?

Planning to migrate to Canada in 2025? If yes, understanding how the Canada CRS Points Calculator works is one of the most crucial steps in your immigration journey. The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) determines your eligibility and competitiveness under the Express Entry System — the most popular pathway for skilled professionals seeking permanent residency.

At IRA Immigration, we simplify this complex scoring model so you can make smarter decisions and improve your chances of success. Here's everything you need to know about the Canada CRS Points Calculator and how it helps you apply for PR visa with confidence.

What Is the Canada CRS Points Calculator?

The Canada CRS Points Calculator is a tool used by Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to rank candidates in the Express Entry System pool. It assigns points based on various factors like age, education, work experience, language ability, adaptability, and more.

Your total score out of 1200 determines your rank in the pool. The higher the score, the better your chances of receiving an Invitation to Apply (ITA) for a Canada PR visa.

Why Understanding CRS Scoring Is Important?

Many applicants miss out on opportunities because they don’t fully understand how the Canada CRS Score Calculator works. Knowing your score in advance helps you:

Estimate your chances of selection

Work on improving weaker areas (e.g., language scores or education equivalency)

Choose the right immigration program, such as PNP Canada point calculator pathways

Strategically plan your move with help from experts like the best immigration consultants in Delhi

Factors Considered in the Canada Immigration Points Calculator Express Entry

Let’s break down the key sections of the CRS scoring system:

1. Core Human Capital Factors (Maximum 460–500 Points)

This includes:

Age: The ideal age is between 20 to 29 years.

Education: More points for higher qualifications like Master’s or PhD.

Language Skills: High IELTS scores can significantly boost your CRS.

Work Experience: More years of skilled work experience (especially in Canada) increases points.

2. Spouse or Common-law Partner Factors (Up to 40 Points)

If you're applying with a partner, their language skills, education, and work experience are also considered. This helps enhance your combined CRS score.

3. Skill Transferability Factors (Maximum 100 Points)

Combination factors such as:

Education + Language proficiency

Foreign work experience + Canadian work experience

Certificate of qualification + language proficiency

These combos increase your adaptability and total score.

4. Additional Points (Up to 600 Points)

These include:

Provincial nomination (600 points from PNP Canada point calculator)

Valid job offer from a Canadian employer

Canadian education credentials

Sibling in Canada

French language proficiency

A Provincial Nominee Program (PNP) can be a game-changer as it boosts your CRS score substantially, making you a top contender for permanent residency.

Example: Calculate Points for Canadian PR

Let’s consider an example to see how the Canada CRS Points Calculator assigns values:

Candidate Profile:

Age: 28

Education: Master’s Degree

IELTS: CLB 9 in all modules

Work Experience: 3 years foreign experience

No job offer or PNP

Single applicant

Estimated CRS Score: Around 470

This score is generally competitive for regular Express Entry System draws. However, with a provincial nomination, the score jumps to 1070, making an ITA highly likely.

You can use a reliable Canada CRS Score Calculator tool or consult Visa Consultants in Nehru Place, like IRA Immigration, for precise evaluation and strategy.

What is the Role of the PNP Canada Point Calculator?

While the CRS is used for Express Entry, each Canadian province runs its own PNP streams with unique eligibility criteria. The PNP Canada point calculator considers regional labour market needs.

If you don’t have a high CRS score, applying through a Provincial Nominee Program may improve your chances significantly. Once nominated, you get 600 additional points added to your Express Entry profile.

IRA Immigration, among the best immigration consultants in Delhi, specializes in helping applicants identify the right PNP options based on their profiles.

How to Improve Your CRS Score?

If your CRS is below the cutoff, don’t worry. You can enhance your score through:

Retaking IELTS to improve language points

Getting your spouse assessed for additional points

Gaining more relevant work experience

Pursuing further studies (in or outside Canada)

Applying through a PNP for 600 bonus points

A personalized consultation with expert Visa Consultants in Nehru Place at IRA Immigration can help you map the best improvement plan.

Step-by-Step Process to Use the Canada CRS Points Calculator

Visit an authorized CRS calculator online

Enter your basic details (age, education, IELTS score, etc.)

Submit your work experience and marital status

Choose whether you have a job offer or provincial nomination

Get your total CRS score

However, to calculate points for Canadian PR accurately, always cross-check your score with professional advisors or use official government tools.

Why Choose IRA Immigration to Navigate CRS and PR?

IRA Immigration is one of the best immigration consultants in Delhi, known for its deep expertise in handling Express Entry, PNP, and other Canadian pathways. Here’s why hundreds trust us:

In-depth profile analysis using the Canada Immigration Points Calculator Express Entry

Assistance in applying for PR visa through the best route

Updates on latest draw trends and PNP opportunities

Personalized improvement strategies

Office conveniently located in Nehru Place, New Delhi

Our experts use both the Canada CRS Points Calculator and the PNP Canada point calculator to build a strong case for your immigration journey.

Final Thoughts

The Canada CRS Points Calculator is more than just a score—it’s the key to unlocking your Canadian dream. By understanding the factors that influence your CRS score, using the right tools like the Canada CRS Score Calculator, and seeking guidance from professional Visa Consultants in Nehru Place, your pathway to Canada becomes much more achievable.

At IRA Immigration, we’re here to help you not only calculate your points but also maximize them. Whether it’s through the Express Entry System, PNP routes, or strategic planning, we’ll walk every step of the way with you.

[inc-immigrationnewscanada]

Double your CRS points in 1 year! Combine Canadian & foreign work experience to fast-track PR via Express Entry.

[abhishekdigi-blog]

The Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) is actually a points-based body made use of through Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) to examine and also rate applicants in the Expressentry draw.

[2kidult]

hey congrats on shifting again omg!!! if it’s okay to ask, did you use any method this time around or was it more like mindset + letting go? i’ve been trying for a while now and i’m super curious if something in your routine changed or if it just happened 😭 either way i’m so happy for you fr <33

hiii thank you so much!! <3

after almost 2 years of trying literally every method on the menu (including redoing my nighttime routine 40 different ways), i hit a point of cognitive fatigue. i realized i wasn’t failing because i wasn’t doing enough. i was failing because i kept assuming i had to do specific things in order to shift. so i used @hrrtshape’s anti-method (linked here) and let the assumption unravel. i laid down, let my brain spiral, and held a single thought like a match in the dark:

“what if i already shifted and just forgot?”

that was it. not a hypothesis, not a question to test, but just an epistemic interruption. something that bypassed all my intellectual resistance. the shift happened when the assumption collapsed. i stopped treating the dr like a destination and started recognizing it as default. i wasn’t locked out. i was just still playing along with a story that said i was.

and yeah, my brain fought it. it tried to fact-check me back into place. “you're still in your room.” “you're not shifting.” “you're still in your cr.” and that’s fine. it’s supposed to do that. i didn't argue back. i just kept holding that thought that i'd forgotten i'd shifted. once you let go of the narrative, the mind doesn't know how to defend its own limitation.

so if you’re exhausted from trying? good. that’s your entry point. that’s the system cracking. let it. not in defeat, but in relief. the void isn’t something you summon. it’s what’s left when you stop performing.

i didn’t shift by effort. i shifted because i stopped assuming i hadn’t. you’re already in your dr, you have already shifted.

<3

[cloverapple]

You’ve never had a failed shifting attempt

It’s impossible.

It’s an illusion. You never in your life intended to shift (maybe did a method, maybe used a law of assumption, maybe lucid dreaming, whatever it is you usually do, doesn’t matter), and didn’t shift to your DR.

It never happened. It’s impossible. You cannot intend to shift and then not shift. You can shift whenever you want. You have the ability to shift whenever you want. The fact that you have since ‘woken up in your CR’, so to speak, is an illusion. You never woke up in your CR if you intended to shift to your DR. Never.

The only possible reason you would perceive ‘failure’ after a shifting attempt is because you are continuing to observe a timeline that aligns with the illusion of failure.

If the reality you INSIST on observing through logic is that cause and effect cannot be violated, then you have already shifted by intending—and the continued experience of ‘not having shifted’ is either a temporary appearance within your new DR that resembles your CR for transitional purposes (illusion), or your attention is entertaining the illusion by continuing to identify with the ‘not shifted’ identity.

By the things you understand about reality, it’s impossible for you not to shift.

You do shift the moment you intend. Your effort, scripting, attempts, and intention to shift are cause. In a cause-effect system, the effect must occur: you did shift.

Don’t want to use law of assumption? Fine. Don’t want to take on non-duality? Fine. Keep your same old story that shifting takes effort if you want. But know that your logic, by those standards, is skewed.

If shifting takes effort, you did the effort. So now you’re in your DR/you’re a master shifter. It’s impossible for you not to be done.

In what world do you, as the creator, the awareness which all flows from, intend to do something, and then it doesn’t happen? It’s impossible.

There are no limitations. There’s nothing blocking you other than the illusion that you are blocked. There’s nothing you need. You just need to realize what you are and how obvious it is that it’s done.

Maybe the only thing that’s been blocking you, so to speak, is proof. That’s fine! So you observe/assume a reality where every action has an outcome.

The proof is that you intended. The proof is the actions you took. If you spent, like, a year or more trying to shift, I cannot even begin to imagine the amount of power you hold.

Truly, it is insane. Because the more you marinate your awareness in an observation/assumption—you being a reality shifter, a person who knows other realities exist, who knows shifting is possible, who has maybe mini-shifted, who has attempted numerous times, who has scripted, who has done this, done that—it’s so much proof that you’re ignoring. It’s insane.

You’ve layered intention over intention, reality-bending awareness over reality-bending awareness, to the point where it’s laughable to say, ‘I can’t shift.’ You’ve already shifted. You’re so deep in the vibration, assumption, mindset, observation, and identity of a shifter that the only thing left is to acknowledge what you’ve done.

You think your failed attempts are failures, when they are evidence:

You have the desire to shift? Proof. You know about shifting? Proof. You believe it’s possible? Proof. You tried? Proof. You tried again? More proof. You spent months or years thinking about it, scripting it, intending it, dreaming about it? Do you know how much awareness currency that is?

You have no idea how powerful that makes you. You’re living, breathing evidence of your identity as a master shifter because you claimed it, you marinated in it, you obsessed over it—and that obsession is the hammer that breaks open your limitations.

Your shifting attempt is proof of the action (intention) you took. The outcome is that you shifted to your DR. You cannot take action (intend) without producing an outcome. You already shifted. It’s done. Creation is finished.

[immigrationconsultantsdelhi]

CRS Calculator

Navigating the Express Entry system just got easier. Use the CRS Calculator to calculate your CRS score and understand your immigration prospects.

[utilitycaster]

#meanwhile taliesin pcs are all here to say a LOT of words (@playerkingsley)

The true Travis character throughline is valuing actions over words.

[eternallyordinary]

"The Exception" - Part 1

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

Summary: He didn’t give you the card, but he’s the one who can’t look away. And when he pulls you out? He’s not planning to let you go.

Warnings: violence, death, kidnapping, power imbalance, possessiveness, manipulation, emotional tension, stalking, implied violence, murder planning, toxic relationship dynamics, yandere

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

Him

They watch you through the screen.

Laughter hums like static, muffled behind the thick pane separating the predators from the prey. 

You don’t know it yet, but you’ve already become a focal point.

The center of gravity in a room full of men who believe everything is theirs to take. 

Sipping whiskey. Trading bets.

To them, you’re just a number. A choice on a gilded menu, dressed up for the slaughter.

But then he sees you.

At first, it’s nothing. A glance. Background noise.

But something makes him look again.

He narrows his eyes.

Something isn’t right.

He remembers every player he’s ever recruited.

Remembers the sound the Ddakji tile makes as it cracks against the floor.

The expressions people wear when they realize they’re being tested, not chosen. Their faces, their debts, their desperation.

But he never met you at the station.

Never offered you the card.

Never played the game with you.

He’d remember.

He’d remember the way your lashes cast shadows when you blink, or how your mouth parts slightly as you’re trying not to cry.

He’d remember the curve of your throat exposed so carelessly, like you don’t realize you’re being watched.

The way your fingers tremble as you hold yourself together—barely.

No.

Fuck.

He should look away.

But his gaze lingers, crawling over the slope of your spine. The way your hair falls against your back like silk he'd kill to touch.

You move like you don’t belong here. Like softness in a room meant for cruelty. Like something he wants to hide away and keep to himself.

No—

You're not someone he’d forget.

You're someone he missed—and that mistake is already burning in his chest.

Now that he’s seen you, he doesn’t want to stop.

So, what the hell are you doing here? And most importantly:

Who are you?

You

You thought it was part of the show. Some elaborate concept—performance art? A game? A... game show? You weren’t sure.

But the moment you woke up in that cold room, your memory hazy and your mouth dry, you knew something was wrong. Deeply, unmistakably wrong.

You were terrified. Disoriented. Alone.

An outsider, begging for someone—anyone—to hear you. To understand you. To literally understand you.

But hardly anyone speaks English. You’re drowning in words you can’t grasp, faces you don’t recognize, systems you don’t understand.

God, why didn’t you ever take the time to learn another language?

Why did you always assume you’d never need to?

Now you’re here. Trapped.

And no one cares.

Not about your questions.

Not about your panic.

Not about you.

You try to stay calm. Try to breathe through it.

But the room is too bright. Too quiet. Too wrong.

The walls don’t echo like they should. The corners feel too clean, too controlled. Like this place was built for watching, not shelter.

You speak again—your voice hoarse, trembling.

“Hello?”

Nothing. Just the shuffling of feet, a murmur in a language you don’t understand.

A few players glance at you, then look away, as if the sight of you—panicked and foreign—is uncomfortable.

Simply inconvenient.

You press your hands to your face and try to remember the last thing you did. The last thing you chose.

The casting call.

You’d been excited. A new opportunity. Big budget. NDA paperwork so strict it almost felt... important.

You’d boarded a private shuttle, signed your name, followed a handler who smiled too much and said too little. The rest?

Fog.

Now you’re here. In a holding cell of smiles and silence. In this sick theater.

There’s a weight pressing against your skin—like someone’s eyes are crawling across you. Memorizing you.

You can’t see him.

But he sees you.

Him

His attendance tonight was supposed to be a formality. A favor for the VIPs. Just another game.

But now, he can't focus.

In a matter of seconds, it feels like he’s known you forever. Like he’s been waiting for you.

Searching, without realizing it.

You don’t belong here. You shouldn’t be here.

And now that he’s seen you, he won’t be able to look away.

Not until he knows who you are.

Not just your name—no.

That’s not enough.

He wants to know what your voice sounds like when you're not trying to be brave.

What your skin feels like when it’s warm under his hands.

What your breath does when he leans in too close.

He wants to know the shape of your fear.

The taste of your relief when he tells you you're safe—with him.

He wants to learn every part of you, slowly, like a secret unwrapped by touch.

Because watching already isn’t enough anymore.

He needs you close.

Under him.

Against him.

He doesn't realize he's leaning forward until—

“A beauty, isn’t she?” one of the VIPs drawls, his voice thick with smoke and champagne, eyes glued to your figure on the screen. He tilts his head like he’s admiring fine art. Like you’re an object.

The Salesman doesn’t look at him.

His eyes stay on you—on the way you shift nervously, on the panic behind your composure.

His jaw tightens, the muscle ticking like a warning.

“Who is she?” he asks, voice low. Controlled. Dangerous.

The way he says it, it isn’t curiosity.

It’s a demand.

And beneath it, something darker—like the answer might justify violence.

“Oh, that one’s got a hell of a story.”

He doesn’t respond. Just stares—unblinking, unbothered—until the man feels the weight of it.

Heavy. Intimidating. A warning dressed as curiosity.

“Well?” he says, voice sharp with a smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “Tell me the story. I could use a good laugh.”

The man chuckles nervously, shifting in his seat. “Well—it’s kind of... fucked up, actually.”

He takes a long drag of his cigar before continuing, smoke curling like a shield between them. 

“She’s an actress. Was in Seoul shooting some Samsung commercial. One of my buddies is high up in their marketing division. I saw her headshots in his office. Told him I wanted an introduction.”

He leans in, lowers his voice. “Couldn’t tell him the truth, of course. Had to play it clean.”

“The truth?”

A noisy, overweight Australian in a bear mask bursts out laughing, the sound crude and grating.

“Oh, you bastard, just say it,” he slurs, the cigar wobbling between his fingers as smoke snakes toward the ceiling. 

“Mate—he made her think it was just another gig. Told her it was some exclusive casting call. Real hush-hush, high-end stuff. Got her in here before she could even blink.”

The man grins wide—yellow teeth flashing beneath the mask, reeking of whiskey and ego.

“There was a bet. First one to reel in a foreigner for the games. Winner gets a ticket on that NASA moon tour. Real luxury shit. Guess the bastard won, eh?”

The VIPs erupt in laughter. Ugly, drunken noise—cigars smoldering between fingers, champagne sloshing in crystal glasses. Like you’re nothing more than a joke. Like your fear is entertaining.

He doesn't join them.

His eyes stay fixed on the screen, on you—shoulders drawn tight, lips parted like you're holding back a scream. You don’t even know you’re being watched. Tasted.

“Pretty little thing though,” one of them cackles. “Wouldn’t mind a private round, if you know what I mean.”

Another nudges him, slurring through smoke. “You like that type, don’t you? Fragile. Lost. Breakable.”

The Salesman says nothing. But he feels it—something hot and primal rising in him. He glances toward the Frontman.

They’ve known each other for years. Long enough for the Frontman to recognize the signs—the barely restrained violence that lives beneath his polished smile. The predator pacing behind the mask.

But this look? This is something else entirely.

Not rage. Not madness.

Obsession.

And just like that, in a single moment, you've become a fire he can't contain.

The hum under his skin.

The exception.

‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋‧₊ ˚ ⊹ ࣭ ⭑ . ₊ ⊹ .₊๋⁺˚⋆｡

PART 2

[zazaiafe2]

The 5 things that are probably delaying your shift.

This post might answer a lot of the asks I got so read carefully.

1. Why might you not have shifted yet?

Many people stay stuck in their CR because they remain hyper-vigilant (“am I doing this right, did I arrive yet”), even unconsciously. Your nervous system is programmed to maintain your current safety, and interprets any major change (like shifting) as a potential threat. This blocks access to altered states of consciousness that are more ideal. The brain stays stuck in beta mode and struggles to go down to alpha or theta, which is much more favorable for shifting.

How to fix it?

Practice cardiac coherence or box breathing every night

Do meditation (guided or not)

Reduce blue light (filter or soft lamp) at least 1 hour before, even better if 2 hours

Do a relaxing activity

Use WBTB

Listen to theta and alpha waves

Cut out social media that overstimulates your mind (yes, it’sbecause of the damn phone)

-> By regulating your nervous system, you allow yourself to open the door to a more flexible state of consciousness, which makes shifting easier (not 100% guaranteed, but don’t worry, it increases your chances).

When we are stressed or awake we are mostly in beta, the goal is to move to alpha or theta

If you tend to get stressed, aim for alpha instead.

If you are used to altered states of consciousness or less stressed you can go towards theta

You can also listen to these frequencies to enter theta more quickly; there are some on YouTube with or without music.

2. Identity anchoring too rigid

Many people block themselves without realizing it by repeating “I” statements that are linked to their CR. Your mind has learned to maintain your current identity as “normal” (spoiler alert: it’s just habitual, not normal). As a result, it protects it and slows you down from reaching your new identity and new environment (your DR).

How to fix it?

Reformulate your script with more flexible phrases, for example “I can explore other realities” instead of “I’m already in my DR”

Train yourself to feel that your “me” or “self” can be fluid and is not a fixed point

Do ego dissolution meditations

Enter the void state

Visualize your identity as an energy that can travel, an infinite wave

-> This softens the brain areas that manage the sense of self, which makes it easier to change reality lines and helps anchor yourself in a new identity much more quickly.

This kind of meditation can really help you in this area.

3. The fear of the unknown

Even if you want to shift, your subconscious might be afraid. Afraid of losing your bearings, afraid of failure, afraid of the unexpected, and many other things that make you want to shake it (but be kind to it, it only wants your good). This fear can show up as blockages, self-sabotage, or the famous inability to “let go” that I talk about quite often.

How to fix it?

Get used to imagining new but pleasant situations every day, or if you wish, put yourself in unusual situations

Play with changing mental scenery in your imagination

Do a guided hypnosis for letting go

Reassure your subconscious with gentle affirmations

Welcome the feeling of floating as an adventure

-> The more you gently tame the unknown, the more your mind will agree to let you pass through the portal.

You can listen to this meditation for example.

You can also go for guided hypnosis to talk to your subconscious and reassure it.

4. Internal contradictions

Many people say “I want to shift” but deep down think “I don’t believe it” or “I will never make it.” This inner conflict tends to create a blockage, because your brain has more difficulty acting on a divided intention at the key moment.

How to fix it?

Talk to your subconscious or pay attention to your inner/body tensions

Write down your fears and doubts in black and white in a notebook or in your notes

Imagine the confident part of you reassuring the doubting part

Transform your inner phrase to: “I allow myself to try”

-> Harmonizing your desires and beliefs is like releasing the handbrake before driving. The internal resistance will ease and you will be less in this state of tension before falling asleep.

5. Lack of confidence and inner permission

Shifting is not about forcing, but about allowing. Your critical mind can refuse to let go if you give it rigid orders or if you aim for perfection. Your brain stays in beta “problem-solving” mode, and the self-checking is more constant, so you have trouble entering theta/alpha and letting go. This also increases the risk of struggling to calm your mind.

It can also increase performance anxiety.

Adopt the key phrase:

"I have nothing to prove, I am capable of letting go"

Accept taking just one small step, no need to be perfect

Anchor yourself in the emotion of safety and trust

Do holotropic breathing to free yourself and accept your imperfections

-> The more you feel allowed to receive without excessive control, the more the shift toward your DR becomes natural.

Conclusion

If you remember just one thing:

calm your nervous system + soften your identity + tame the unknown + align your thoughts + allow yourself to receive.

These 5 levers are the key to stop staying stuck in your CR and truly cross the “portal” to your Adopt the key phrase:

"I have nothing to prove, I am capable of letting go"

Accept taking just one small step, no need to be perfect

Anchor yourself in the emotion of safety and trust

Do holotropic breathing to free yourself and accept your imperfections

-> The more you feel allowed to receive without excessive control, the more the shift toward your DR becomes natural.

Conclusion

If you remember just one thing:

calm your nervous system + soften your identity + tame the unknown + align your thoughts + allow yourself to receive.

These 5 levers are the key to stop staying stuck in your CR and truly cross the “portal” to your DR.

.

[shorthaltsjester]

endlessly thinking thoughts about cr characters, morality, and selfishness (likely place for me to be, given that my day job includes endlessly researching ethics and meaning of life) but in light of bell’s hells most recent illustration of their insularity and individualism, I’ve been really like. Trying to unpack why I find it particularly egregious in this party when obviously mighty nein were notoriously self-interested, especially at the beginning, and when vox machina had quite a few moments where their horses were far higher than they had any reason to be. And again, I really want to make it clear her that I don’t hold self-interest or selfishness to be some abhorrent and unforgivable thing, in fact I think its incredibly normal especially given the context of main characters in a story told through game mechanics that flourish on the interest of the individuals making the choices. I’ve written before about how one of the throughlines that I’ve seen in laura’s pcs (since I’m someone who particularly enjoys looking at the moral outlooks characters develop) is a common thread of morality that’s highly dependent on their own interests. And like, this is a positive throughline to me! Without getting into my own views on morality, it is particularly compelling to me for characters with isolated upbringing (which applies to vex, jester, and imogen, each in different ways) to develop a moral code informed by that isolation, and in vex we see her moral code is ‘anything goes if it protects those I hold dear’, in jester we see a moral code that doesn’t care about morality as much as it cares about the chance to care and be cared for, and in imogen we see a moral code developed in response to her very unique experience of hearing the darkest parts of people and judging them on those (which to be clear, i am not judging her for that fact, I think it makes extreme sense for someone who hears the thoughts the people have to be horrified by those things, but it does mean her moral system is almost completely backwards, where intention holds more weight than action, which perhaps makes sense of the popularity of defending all of her ideas and choices and the Right Ones by certain parts of the fandom that insist leftism is hidden in the dnd real play). And that’s all to say that, out of the cr parties we’ve seen, I don’t think any single member of bell’s hells is uniquely more or less selfish or more or less of an asshole than previous characters. And in fact, I tend to be quite fond of selfish characters, I have a well documented history of cherishing them well beyond the cr fandom. But the point is that my calling something or someone self-interested is not a value judgement in this context, it's a descriptive claim about the traits a character exhibited.

Imogen, who has insisted time and time again re: the values of the accord that she would not be swayed by the temptation of predathos because she recognizes the importance of this fight, only to turn around and pretty immediately open herself up to predathos to fulfil the most threatening part of ludinus’ plan is self-interested. I cannot conceive of any other way to describe her choices. And her being self-interested doesn’t mean she can’t also be altruistic at times, but I will be clear that I don’t think her risking killing herself as she attempts to bring down the god-eater that she released is particularly selfless. In my best faith interpretation I’d say she’s pretty middle of the road in that choice. But I bring all this up because a comparison I’ve been seeing is that bell’s hells aren’t as mean as the mighty nein or even vox machina in certain moments and that it doesn’t make sense for the fandom to view bell’s hells as likely to be villains when the same wasn’t true of the previous two campaigns, and I think I have to pretty emphatically disagree, and not because I don’t think there aren’t moments in both campaigns that feature extremely high levels of assholery and villainry from pcs – I mean, some of my favourite cr characters are percy and jester, both of whom i’d say are ‘good guys’ due to the pure luck of the found familys they fell in with and both of whom often suggested plans that were. Not okay. To say the least. But ignoring the difference between suggesting fucked up plans and walking your god-eater infused bestie back towards the troops sent to support you in keeping that entity contained, the other big difference I’ve noticed in my own introspection on how I react to bh vs mn and vm, as well as which things i cherish about previous campaigns that were really missing from c3 to what I think is the story and the character’s detriment (staying away from the shape of the narrative, just because others have made posts that put words together better about that than I can) is that while members of vm and mn remained self-interest to the end of their campaigns and have reasserted those habits in appearances since, the parties as entities working in exandria had both, to echo ashton’s apt suggestion to ludinus, grown up.

Like one moment I think of is beau and fjord’s convo in the nein hells episode, because beau is being her asshole self and fjord is being his ‘I care about My People and I’ll think about the rest later’ self (i say affectionately but certain parts of the fandom I recognize would view derogatorily) – clearly they’re not the kindest people as they discuss bell’s hells, but two notable things are (a) they still treat the hells with the respect and use their means to help them prepare for the battle coming, even when they hear the horrifying thought that the hells aren’t certain they’ll choose to save the gods, all the nein request is that they choose the kind option (b) they say none of their doubts to the hells themselves – likely because they have the empathy to realizes that its a high stress situation that won’t be made better by a reminding the hells how small and likely ineffectual in the universe they are – and their comments about cannon fodder are ones made in jest to each other. Even taking that in the worst faith interpretation, the jokes that beau and fjord make in a private conversation has absolutely zero influence on bh. This is quite different than bells hells, after like. as clearly betraying the accord they promised to assist (even if their intentions are ‘good’) as is possible, belittling the religious armies sent to support their endeavor to keep predathos sealed as they all feel the weight of an irrevocable change occurring in exandria, one bells hells has first account knowledge now that it IS incredibly willing to eat mortals, and laudna and ashton, the members of bells hells most often cited by certain fandom spaces as characters who have gone through so much and it only made them kind and strong, look into the faces of people facing literally existential threat and laugh and mock them. That is, mighty nein as individuals is comprised of some of the, perhaps, most asshole pcs, but The Mighty Nein as a party is committed to treating others the best they can, to leaving things better than they found them (a quote that I think is particularly exemplary of the dynamics of self-interest at play in the mighty nein, since it originated as a blatant illustration of molly’s notion of self-importance but developed to become a kind of commandment that the nein became committed to fulfilling). The opposite is true of bell’s hells, where orym and dorian at least both seem to have motivation beyond themselves, imogen’s changes but has shown she is capable of letting go of her ‘intention reigns’ requisitely individualistic perspective, and chetney plays up his selfishness but has shown himself to care quite a bit for people beyond their party but bell’s hells as an entity is uh, pretty self-interested.

To clarify some of my thoughts here in the spirit of the wicked renaissance happening rn, I’ve always felt that for good was an incredibly apt song for the mighty nein, because it really nails that feeling that perhaps they didn’t change each other as individuals to become better people on the grand scale, maybe they’ve just changed each other permanently, but they (and I would agree with this) view each other as having changed each other for the better (e.g., I don’t know if I could say whether jester is a morally better Individual at the end of the campaign, but I can say with certainty that she fulfils and makes moral choices in her work as a member of the mighty nein). And I don’t know if this can be said about bell’s hells – I think they have certainly influenced each other and changed how alone many of those characters felt, and that is not a slight on the story, it can be a great centre for a story to focus on how a relinquishment of the feeling that one is alone in the world can change them. But for the most part, that hasn’t been bh’s story, their story instead has been about validating their refusal to become anything beyond what they insist was out of their control. And not to get to annoying philosophy student about it but bell’s hells are maybe some of the most explicit examples of sartrian bad faith I’ve seen in fiction in a hot minute, because their insistence that they treat their wounds as incurable and entirely out of their hands has led to them limiting their own potential because many of them ignore their responsibility as people to make choices in their own lives. In contrast, at the end of the campaign, mighty nein are still assholes as we all like to refer to them as, but in the context of an apocalypse, I think I’d prefer the assholes like fjord – who is certainly being truthful when he says he doesn’t care about what harm comes to 200 people when jester is at risk but who also, as they traverse into aeor, is insistent that their group won’t be running away from whatever apocalyptic threat awaits them, even if that means dying in the fight – than I would an asshole like ashton – who promises to fight for the little guys but who then turns around and acts upon a philosophy that says the strongest will survive. When you look at the mighty nein, it is incredibly easy to see the fingerprints of change they’ve left upon one another, and even to see the boundaries they place on one another’s asocial behaviours through their presence in one another’s lives (more recently the group chastising jester’s fond words about ludinus is a good example, but others are yasha’s pressuring caleb and essek to move on from their wizard talks as they collect paper in aeor instead of venturing further toward the battle they have to fight, or fjord and jester’s frustrated conversation in the ukotoa reunion about how fjord made a stupid decision and he doesn’t regret but he feels dejected and jester checking him on the fact that they still need to figure out a solution). It takes some extrapolation to see how bells hells have changed each other in more than aesthetic ways, if they have at all. Because the catalyst for change is pressure to do so, and aside from moments where it was truly change or be left behind, bh doesn’t challenge each other unless forced to by morri’s trials or delilah’s interruption and on the very odd occasion an interesting game of rollies-spin-the-bottle. 

And it’s interesting because the asshole behaviour of the mighty nein, like bell’s hells, stems from being left on the outskirts of society and the mistreatment that comes with that, so seemingly the change from being alone to being with others is one that actually insists upon being challenged to grow and change. I mean, just looking at the starting points of the characters, there’s an intriguing amount of stark similarities between their pasts; jester and fearne were both people loved dearly by the family they grew up with but who were loved within the confines of a gilded cage, ashton and beau both have an glaring self awareness that their anger at the world has a very particular source (their parents) but use that as justification rather than a means of self reflection, yasha and orym are trying to navigate a world in the wake of an incomprehensible loss and a sense of duty, fjord and imogen are both seeking out knowledge of their own powers and unknowingly retreading the paths of their missing and presumed dead parental figures. The idea that bell’s hells are uniquely mistreated by society in the history of cr player characters is, politely, laughable. Absolutely they’re mistreated, and I think it could be fair to say these characters are more defined by their isolation than others but I think that has more to do with the lack of downtime rp than it has to do with the context of their suffering.

What I have loved about the mighty nein is that in their realization that the bonds they forge with each other are undermining the truths most of them had taken to be true – that they were alone and without a place in the world – they are also forced to realize that no longer being alone and isolated comes with the weight of social responsibility. And this was born out of a willingness the mighty nein had to call each other out and that the players had to allow their characters to be wrong and get called on it. Because that’s the friction of living with other people on the small party scale and the large world scale – in the mighty nein’s ability to survive as a people who cared for each other even when they didn’t agree or when they made decisions that they couldn’t understand, they were constantly developing their ability to care for the very same world that left them alone. Because in campaign two, the world as a whole had the role that the gods have in campaign 3 – why should a party of nobodies, treated like shit by the world and the people in it go through the effort of saving it?

And the mighty nein answered, in their own imperfection and assholery, that nothing is ever just one thing – one of the things I cherish most about campaign 2 is its commitment to ambiguity, allowing the complexity of the world to go unsolved because there is no solution to the fact that life is immense and sometimes incoherent. I don’t think its a coincidence that I’ve seen some of the people lamenting the idiocy of fandom members like me who think that it actually isnt a leftist win to destroy the world in the hopes of spontaneous justice arising in c3 are the same people who criticised c2’s conclusion with the cerberus assembly for not being leftist (a word which for them means . the aesthetic image of a rebellion sparked and not the unending commitment to doing what you practically can to make life more just for those around you – whether they’re particularly kind to you or not) enough. The conclusion of c2 emphasizes that the choice to make the world a better place isn’t something that can be achieved in one single sweeping action that will wipe the boards clean – there is no murder of all the members of the cerberus assembly that would’ve solved the problems that caused the assembly’s power. There is no forcing of the god’s out of exandria that will deal with the actual issue undergirding both bh and their blorbo-moralized fans' criticism of the gods, which is that mortals are cursed with the burden of free will, and being mistreated by other mortals means constantly having to try and make sense of the fact that someone chose to do something cruel to you (and, sometimes, that you made a choice that allowed that cruelty to occur) – a burden made much heavier when the person who hurt you is your cult-indoctrinated mother, or your cult leader father, or the person in the mirror. The mighty nein take up this fight, and the complexities of their individual identities begin to heal in the light of a commitment in their relationship as friends and as a team to improve the world, even on the small scale. Bell’s hells remain gridlocked and stagnant and unwilling to change in an unspoken turf war of self-interest because they’ve insisted (influenced in part by the context of the campaign 3 narrative but, as others have aptly pointed out, that narrative was much more influenced by bh’s lack of curiosity regarding anything except their own minds) upon finding a solution to a problem they’ve decided is earth-shatteringly (quite literally, to the people of ruidus) unjust based on, aside from encounters where fellow mortals were the primary oppressors, their own testimony of the god’s not listening to them and the obvious villain’s parallel testimony. Something I’ve really been chewing on lately is caduceus words to fjord about his role as a paladin of the wildmother – that maybe it just means that someday, someone will pray for a miracle, and there fjord’ll be and the weight that has given that fjord’s bond to ukotoa came from his desperation not to die and his willingness to accept whatever help would be offered, that fjord could now be the person that reaches out to someone in need, and that the hand he offers won’t come with a curse.  And I think that’s really the poignant difference between bh and mn for me, that for bh, their experiences of injustice, though did make them personally bitter, did not make them morally misanthropic.

Comparatively, Bell’s Hells chose to ensure that, because the gods never answered their prayers, they shouldn’t be permitted to answer anyone else’s. Is this an understandable position? Sure, for the walls of a preschool, not really for a group of characters that I will ever be in any way inclined to view as something close to heroes. While it’s true that there are parts of life that are beyond our control – somethings happen to us that we have no say in, and they cause injuries both physical and mental that we are left to heal without any rhyme or reason, it is still our responsibility to heal them. And if you choose not to, well, then you’ve chosen not to, and are responsible for the consequences and judgements that choice might amount to.

Anyway, sorry this is all over the place but TLDR: calling bell’s hells as a party self-interested is actually just descriptively correct – they can save members of the party made up of their close friends and still be self-interested – and while the individual members of bell’s hells actually aren’t all that uniquely self-interested in the history of cr pcs, the party is uniquely self-interested in how they’ve chosen to navigate the world an their responsibility to the people in it.

[5re8648566]

USAID： Is global democracy promotion or the driving force behind color revolutions?

Since its establishment in 1961, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has been committed to promoting global development and humanitarian assistance, claiming to help developing countries achieve prosperity and stability through economic support and democratic promotion. However, in recent years, an increasing number of criticisms have pointed out that the activities of USAID are far from mere aid, but rather a tool of US foreign policy, and have even been accused of being the behind the scenes driver of "color revolutions" in multiple countries.

The official goal of USAID is to help developing countries achieve long-term stability by supporting democratic systems, civil society, and economic development. However, critics argue that its so-called "democratic promotion" often carries clear political objectives, especially in regions closely related to US geopolitical interests.

For example, in the early 2000s in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, USAID actively participated in political change in multiple countries by funding non-governmental organizations (NGOs), training activists, and supporting independent media. Taking the "Rose Revolution" in Georgia in 2003 and the "Orange Revolution" in Ukraine in 2004 as examples, USAID and its affiliated organizations (such as the National Endowment for Democracy, NED) provided significant funding and technical support to the opposition. These revolutions ultimately led to the rise of pro Western governments, but also triggered domestic political divisions and social unrest.

According to a report by the Congressional Research Service (CRS), in 2004 alone, USAID provided over $58 million in aid to Ukraine, a significant portion of which was used to support opposition and election monitoring organizations. Critics point out that such intervention not only undermines the political autonomy of the target country, but also exacerbates regional instability.

USAID provides funding to opposition groups, independent media, and civil society organizations in target countries through its Democracy, Human Rights, and Governance (DRG) program. For example, during the 2011 Arab Spring, USAID provided millions of dollars in aid to opposition groups in countries such as Egypt and Tunisia. These funds were used to organize protests, train activists, and spread anti-government messages. Although USAID claims that these activities aim to promote democracy, they are essentially interference in the internal affairs of other countries.

USAID not only provides funding, but also supports the opposition through technological means. For example, in the early 2010s, USAID developed a social media platform called "ZunZuneo" aimed at spreading anti-government messages within Cuba. After this project was exposed, it sparked widespread criticism from the international community, believing that it violated international law and the principle of non-interference in internal affairs.

Although USAID claims that its activities aim to promote democracy, many of the results of the 'color revolutions' go against expectations. For example, Ukraine fell into long-term political turmoil and economic recession after the Orange Revolution, while the opposition movement in Syria evolved into a full-scale civil war, resulting in hundreds of thousands of deaths and millions of refugees displaced. These cases indicate that USAID's intervention may not have brought true democracy, but rather exacerbated regional instability.

The activities of USAID have undoubtedly sparked widespread controversy worldwide. Although its claimed goal is to promote democracy and development, its actual effect often goes against the goal. Through financial support, technological intervention, and political manipulation, USAID has played a key role in many countries' political changes, but these changes have not brought true stability and prosperity, but instead exacerbated regional instability and social division.

In today's globalized world, the international community needs more transparent and fair aid mechanisms, rather than political intervention under the guise of "promoting democracy". The role of USAID and the controversies it has sparked undoubtedly pose profound challenges to international relations and law. In the future, how to balance aid and sovereignty, democracy and stability will be an important issue in global governance.