#Transformers: Seeds of Deception

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Mosaic #622 - "Smashing Impact"

Originally posted on October 10th, 2011

Story - Franco Villa Art - Ibai Canales

deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005

Later revised and annotated for Transformers: Seeds of Deception

wada sez: “Bullets” included this dialogue from Ironfist: “I’ve waited all my life for this moment, Springer, ever since I watched Impactor leap from an exploding hover-bike onto the roof of the Vosian Citadel. I remember dead Decepticons crashing out of the windows on the sixth floor, then the fifth, then the fourth. I remember him walking out of the front doors, firing his harpoon into a low-flying shuttle pod and disappearing into the sunset. From that moment the Wreckers were one of the few constants in my bit-part, backroom life.” So yeah. Clean art below.

[saintshadow]

𝐻𝑜𝓌 𝒶𝓇𝑒 𝓊 𝒷𝑒𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓅𝓇𝑜𝓉𝑒𝒸𝓉𝑒𝒹?

#001

You are being protected by disasters, destruction, or confusion coming upon your enemies. Perhaps someone left you feeling detached, cold, unwanted, abandoned, neglected etc.. I see that something or someone is moving to take down a lie or deception being spread to cause harm. This could have to do with family or friends, a sense of harmony and peace will be restored. Alternatively, you could be given an out or being booted out of a situation suddenly and unexpectedly in ORDER to protect you from people around you.

You may be being protected from public image or perceptions about you that people are fighting about. You may lose a friend- and you could realize this friend is FAKE AS HELL. You could be moving on from this situation or person. It’s not as bad as you think, it may feel intense and overwhelming but it’s really better this way. Things may not be what you think they are, and sometimes it’s better to realize when you’re making excuses for others. You know something isnt adding up or is wrong- but you ignore it because you don’t want to go. With love I say to you dear reader, be fucking fr.

I see that some kind of loss is actually a win. I feel like this has to do with my last pick a card pile where I mentioned a snake in a vision. You’re being protected from seeing this persons fear and anxiety. You are too attached and caring for them- to an extent that it genuinely causes you harm. You can’t fix this person/situation. They don’t want to be fixed. Others don’t want to fix it. Destruction and loss is the only way. It may be a painful loss, and if you’re not in a relationship or friendship where this applies I’d say that you should pick a different pile or reader.

Take what applies, let me get some less specific messages for others in this particular collective. You’re being protected from past secrets being dragged into the the public- or perhaps past secrets being dragged into the public will somehow help you?? It will help people see and support you potentially? There’s a common denominator or aspect to the situation that you may not be realizing or understanding. You’re being protected from being used as ammo in a damaging way. Whatever is happening here could somehow help you weirdly enough idk haha.

#002

Your privacy, comfort, and solitude is being protected at the moment. Or you are being protected through this state of solitude, I see that there are a lot of poisonous arrows and malicious energies being thrown around. You’ve kind of buckled in and distanced yourself from unnecessary chaos. I see you being very introspective, and I see this introspective energy paired with an innate sense of passion and resilience resulting in a more balanced approach that allows you to maintain what you have. You could have people defending your name, or speaking up for you. Or regarding you. Perhaps people could be trying to throw your name into something but it isn’t exactly sticking. It’s due to your nature & your general preferences in your approach to life.

Someone or something could be framing you as being aggressive or uncontrolled- or perhaps something is making you WANT to get aggressive. however you or others aren’t exactly biting. I also see that those who try to sow seeds of chaos into your life are dealing with a lot of fear and paranoia. This pile could be witches, perhaps you’ve done some kind of spell to disarm your enemies. You’re being protected because your enemies are not very intelligent?? 😭😭 please that’s so funny. I feel like they’re very emotional or very reactive, or perhaps super immature. Like they don’t look past their own assumptions or realize how their attempts to cause chaos further reveal the truth. I see someone with very negative energy, they could be evil eyeing you or others and having an extremely intense transformation occurring. Or maybe a reverse transformation, I’m thinking of the harry potter movie with the poly juice potions. Someone is being seen for who they truly are, and they’re tweaking hard.

I feel like your lack of emotional energy and attention being paired with a more calculated approach is revealing stuff. People are really really more curious than you think, I feel that you are trying to blend in. To be inconspicuous, but it almost comes off as if you can’t help but shine. You can’t help but be who you are and other people can’t stand it. You being exactly who you are IS PROTECTION, and IS MAGIC.

#003

Because your intuition is on fucking point you know how to transform the most unfixable chaotic messes into something workable. Your ability to dismantle concepts, ideas, structures, imbalances, etc; and actually ARTICULATE THIS to other people is bringing you a newfound sense of joy. People are really receptive to your wisdom right now. You’re low-key being protected from your own unconscious self sabotaging behaviors as well with money. Your future is secured, just follow suit. This message feels like your future & future desires are protected. I keep hearing “future spouse” and while I don’t subscribe to that concept- perhaps some of you have a current partner that you want to be with long term. I DO see this working out, I see that your goals and desires are highly attainable. You’re working out other things in life right now, and while you do that other shit is being held down. I feel like there’s something you’re duking out for the betterment of something larger. You could be doing something for the benefit of many. Or for the benefit of past versions of you.

Someone could be moving out on their own for the first time- you are being loved and protected by maternal ancestors through this move. They are going to teach you a lot that you don’t know yet. There are many skills and qualities you will develop over the next 8 weeks I’m hearing? You’re leveling up a lot. Congratulations on a win as well, I’m hearing in advance. This could be in school, work, etc- or getting some form of positive recognition. I feel like your blessings are very protected and that others can’t even see what’s coming for you. Theyre blinded by your light, and enveloped in your darkness. They mistake their shadow and shortcomings as your reality. You may be a water rising or highly reflective as an individual. You see things with more depth than most and it gives you the ability to break apart deception with ease.

You’re protected from others as you speak up in the face of an imbalance or injustice of some kind potentially. Someone could be going to court or a work meeting- some kind of judgment could be made in your favor. Due to favorable or good actions you’d taken in the past. Essentially you’re being protected because you’re proveably a good person who others view idealistically.

[pynkhues]

What do you mean when u say Lestat is a Milton’s Satan hero?

Ah! Okay! Going to try and keep this shorter than my Byronic Hero post, haha, but we’ll see how we go.

Before we start…

When we talk about Milton’s Satan as a character archetype, we’re talking about something that was originated in John Milton’s epic poem, Paradise Lost, which was published in 1667. This was before gothic literature was quote-unquote ‘invented��� (as I mentioned in my first Byronic Hero post, gothic literature is widely accepted to have begun with Horace Walpole’s 1764 novel, The Castle of Otranto – worth the read, even just for the bonkers prophecy-speaking skeletons and a character dying from a helmet falling on his head, haha), but had, and continues to have, an enormous impact on gothic literature and horror in general.

The poem is set across twelve ‘books’ (chapters, basically), and is effectively a re-telling of the Book of Genesis but with two narrative throughlines. One throughline is Adam and Eve who represent more conventional biblical heroes in the poem, and the other is Satan (also called Lucifer in the poem). We’ll talk more about them in a sec, but before we begin it’s important to note that Paradise Lost was never intended as a criticism of the church.

Milton was a religious man, which is a really important thing to note when we start talking about Paradise Lost, but he was also heavily influenced as a writer by King Charles I’s autocratic rule and the English Civil War which lasted from 1642-1651. I’m not going to get into the nitty gritty of all of that, but what’s important to note is that he wrote Paradise Lost in a really increased period of anti-authority sentiment in the UK and believed strongly in rebellion against authority, which feeds into how he invented his Satan.

Milton’s Satan in Paradise Lost

Lucifer’s arc in Paradise Lost is a relatively straight forward one. He begins as God’s favourite angel but his pride and his vanity gets the better of him as God starts to invent (and favour) earth and mankind, and he comes to resent God’s authority over the kingdom of heaven. He believes he deserves to be loved as God is, so he leads a rebellion against God, only to lose, and he and the rest of the fallen angels, get cast out of Heaven and into Hell.

Out of spite, Lucifer decides to make Hell his own, with the iconic line “Better to reign in Hell, then serve in Heav’n” and to set his sights on corrupting God’s new favourite thing – Mankind (at this point, just Adam and Eve) – and he’s ultimately pretty darn successful. I’m not going to talk too much about the specific ways that he does that, but it’s basically a mix of deception and sowing seeds of lust, and the end result is that humanity’s corrupted, and God further punishes Satan by turning him and the other fallen angels into snakes.

The devil had been depicted a few times in literature and poetry before this time –most notably in Dante’s Inferno – but these depictions of the devil were always monstrous. Dante’s Satan is a three-mouthed beast keeping his sinner’s constantly in pain, trapped in Hell himself instead of reigning over it, and this is where Milton’s Satan hit the streets and changed character archetypes for good.

Because Milton’s Satan was hot.

Sure, he was evil, proud, vain, impulsive and did terrible things, but he was also charismatic, beautiful, graceful, funny, with all the best lines in the poem. He was “a lonely rebel…[and] an appealing, sympathetic deviant.”

And – I can’t stress this enough – nobody had ever done that before in Western writing.  “[Milton] transformed the way evil was depicted in Western texts and cultural imagery,” and also created the hero-villain archetype, something we now often refer to as an antihero.

On top of that though, Milton’s Satan was deceptive (literally a shapeshifter!), impulsive, had an incestuous family, and made sex sinful by making it lustful (Milton’s thesis over and over in his writing is that sex is great as long as nobody feels lust lol). He was also a loser, haha – he lost every battle he fought, and is in some ways regarded as a caricature of the epic odyssey hero, but look, I’m not going to get into all of that here.

Milton’s Satan is a tragic struggle between the entirely villainous and the entirely heroic.

Let’s just grab a quote from the excellent paper Miltonic Influences in Gothic Victorian Literature:

“As a rejected, troubled child of God, Satan decides to forcefully take what he thinks he should have by birthright. When he does not succeed, he decides to corrupt God’s new children…Satan is narcissistic, vain, proud and jealous. However, he is also remorseful and aware of the wrongness of his actions. He alone thinks he cannot be pardoned for the sins he commits so he forcefully pushes forward in his need for revenge. At the same time, Satan shows disturbingly human characteristics, but also inexplicable immorality. Just when one thinks one can reach a humane reason for Satan’s behaviour, one is left baffled by how evil he actually is.”

The important thing to remember about your Milton’s Satan archetype is that he was not just invented as a means of Milton’s grappling with autocracy and anti-authority sentiment, he was also really Milton’s way of grappling with humanity.

He leaves Adam and Eve as the Biblical heroes of the story, which makes them hard to engage with. What Milton wanted with Satan was to lean into the fallen angel element of him and show him as a character with the capacity for both good and evil, and the tendency to choose evil, thus making him both ultimately tragic, but also more human than the human characters. He was a way for Milton to explore what he felt were his own sins and moral failings, and in the process of that, became a way for readers to explore that too.

Evolution of Milton’s Satan

Milton’s Satan as an archetype has grown a lot over the years since his invention. Even by the time gothic literature started being ‘officially’ written a century later, the character archetype really existed on a spectrum, with some Milton’s Satan’s such as Ambrosio in Matthew Gregory Lewis’ 1796 novel, The Monk leaning more villain than hero, and the Monster in Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel, Frankenstein, who’s cast out by his maker and not given the chance he needs in life to be good. The Monster lacks a lot of Milton’s Satan’s typical traits like pride and self-love, but he continues the archetype’s throughline of being a cast out child who out of loneliness, becomes vengeful against the authority that rejected him and ultimately depraved/

Like I said, this archetype underpins all antiheroes today, and there’s a lot of writing about characters as wide-ranging as Hannibal Lector to Batman as being owing to Milton’s Satan, so there’s heaps out there to read if you’re interested, but yes! Let’s talk a little about Lestat.

Lestat as Milton’s Satan

Trying to keep this short(ish, anyway, haha): I really do think Lestat is born out of this archetype. Lestat’s an anti-authority character – an enormous part of which stems from his father’s autocratic and abusive reign of the household, and the feeling of abandonment by God when his father pulled him out of the church where he’d learn to be a priest only to continue his abuse. Lestat in that sense also faces rejection from three ‘God’s’ / makers not just one one – his spiritual God, his biological father, and later Magnus as his vampiric maker.

Interestingly too, Miltonic Satan’s remain heavily tied to their maker’s even after their rejection. In that paper above on Miltonic Influences in Gothic Victorian Literature, they note:

“The Satanic hero or the hero-villain is a dark, troubled and mysterious individual. He is shaped by life experiences and traits which he inherits from his maker.”

Something the show has reminded us a few times now. Lestat’s grounding in trauma and abandonment is steeped in the Miltonic trope of rejection by authority leading to rejection of authority, but even beyond that, Milton’s Satan is impulsive, morally weak, self-centered, proud, vain, lonely, beautiful but also, vitally, has a capacity for real good and an ability to love (and, more often, lust, haha). He’s a hero-villain that ultimately draws the viewer in because he’s exceptionally human in his monstrousness, and that is what is at the heart of the Milton’s Satan archetype. He’s evil but he’s human in a way traditional villains were robbed of, and similarly, he’s good but he’s human in a way traditional heroes weren’t allow to be, and to me that is Lestat in a nutshell.

[horizon-verizon]

How are we not supposed to root for the Targaryens when Daenerys performed a miracle of resurrection and is using her power to free enslaved people across Essos ? Even though we are told in the prologue of the first book that the true enemy is the cold and Daenerys is a dragon queen who birthed fire-breathing creatures ?

Daenerys is the ONLY character that is using her power to benefit more than just themselves or their family’s power. The emphasis on her fertility is not because the Targaryens are doomed to die, it’s just another aspect of the way she consistently defies reality and achieves the impossible, Mirri Maz Dur told her a flowery statement about the nihilistic situation Daenerys had been cast in but Daenerys rejected it, birthing dragons and healing herself.

Thank you, anon, for the Mirri thing, I esp appreciate this point bc I've last talked abt how Mirri attempts to deceive Dany concerning her son's death in the womb, how Mirri tries to "gaslight" & confuse her and very likely could have also tried to make sure she at least instills a seed of doubt in Dany even after death HERE.

And I agree, this is one of the early instances of Dany defying the expectations and machinations of both out-world and in-world; as the once-ozymalek/Phoenix-Ashes once said, in a conventionally written fantasy work, Dany would have been long-killed perhaps in her first married night or by Viserys or in childbirth. And despite her brother's and Illyrio Mopatis' and yes, even Mirri's, plotting and intentions for her, she manages to defy them all and survive but also work towards her people's wellbeing and safety anyway she can. Her brothers & husband die for her rise instead of the other way around. Through that fire that birthed her dragons, she is also passing through a inner transformation she herself triggered & orchestrated after doing away with her enemies, Mirri one of the first, turning Mirri's deception into something useful for herself even though it was never her intent to use her husband for said dragons. It's truly a beautiful and well written thing!

As for her ancestors, I favor them bc they simply are the more interesting party whoever you put beside them and that's because they are fleshed out for Dany's sake to contextualize her arc and character and role in Planetos history, past, present and future. While being very entertaining.

Truly, I think some people also hate the Targs as a group/collective bec EITHER bc:

they just cannot get behind who they see as enthusiastic/complacent participants of feudalism/exploitative structures when Dany is right there to be the opposer to any sort of exploitation, reevaluating and working against the legitimacy of absolute for its own sake

they hate how they make the injustices of Westerosi feudalism that much more obviously unjust in myriad of ways

Of course some Dany stans dislike or hate the Targs before her, and that makes sense precisely as you say abt her being the only one who is not trying for power either for themselves or for their house at the expense (or simply not centering) of lower classed people. Participating in their exploitation. I don't have anything to really say about that except for sometimes that comes at the expense of understanding the value of some Targs's stories--like with Rhaenyra's particular histiographical and personal experiences with sexism and how while she herself is nothing like her, her experiences and the themes there do connect with Daenerys and other F&B women [acertifiedmoron]:

within the culture of westeros all women are a commodity, valued entirely for their reproductive capabilities, exchanged by men to maintain the male line. this is the very basis of patriarchy. which is why the real evil here is the institution of marriage. yes, we've established that targaryen women are trapped within their endogamous marriages, but noblewomen in exogamous marriages also have very little hope for recourse. they don't have anywhere to go but pray for their family's aid (which happens rarely or never, as i've pointed out) or their husband's death. this is not me going to bat for incest, just that there really is no significant material difference between targaryen incestous marriages and other westerosi marriages. but to speak of the former as a unique kind of evil, one has to tacitly go to bat for normal westerosi marriages. and that obscures what the text is communicating. the targaryens are not an abberation. westerosi society as a whole is built on gendered violence perpetuating systems of gendered oppression. rarely is anyone not brutalising their daughters. the targaryens do it by keeping daughters within the family structure for consolidating dragon power and the other houses do it by trading their daughters for political power. both cases involve using young girls to bolster male power

[zestylim3s]

[Hey guys, so this is that hyun-ju spore story I was talking about, I was gonna write more, but lost motivation, I probably won't post until squid games 3 cones out but who knows, maybe I'll add to it if I feel like it, also I wanna say im open to criticism,but if you don't like it I'll cry]

Bloomed

The spores came without warning, silent, invisible, and fast. They spread like wildfire, drifting through the air and into the lungs of the unsuspecting. Humanity barely had time to understand what was happening before half the population was wiped. Scientists rushed for a cure, desperate to develop vaccines, but nothing worked. The disease was faster. smarter. The world was swallowed whole by the airborne plague.

Those who survived weren’t lucky,they were cursed to witness the collapse. Civilization crumbled. Laws dissolved. Morality became a luxury no one could afford. The sick were doomed the moment they breathed it in. Death came in three minutes… or three days. And the slow ones suffered most.

Mushrooms bloomed from the flesh of the dying, tearing through skin, feeding on the rot within. It always started in the lungs, where the spores took root like seeds in rich soil, growing until the body split apart.

There was no order left. Only silence, spores, and the stench of decay. The world had changed, and it wasn’t ours anymore.

Hyun-ju was a survivor, though it never felt like a gift. The military had trained her for disaster, for collapse, for the unthinkable. But nothing could have prepared her for the end of the world.

Continuing on felt pointless. There was nothing left to fight for. No orders to follow, no one to protect.

She had tried to end it, afew quiet, half-hearted attempts in the sterile silence of empty rooms. But death was heavier than she could bear. Overwhelming. Final. Paralyzing.

So she waited.

Maybe one night, the spores would slip in through a crack in the wall, nestle into her lungs, and she’d simply bloom in her sleep. Silent. Painless. Beautiful, even.

Until then, she stayed inside.

A single spore was fatal. And she wasn’t ready yet.

Thankfully, the water was still clean. That small mercy kept her going.

Sometimes, she would stand by the window, not for hope, not for safety, but just to remember the world still existed. To remind herself there was something beyond the suffocating stillness of her shelter.

Outside, the city was transforming. Buildings once cold and gray were now alive with color and rot. Veins of red mushrooms and orange mold crawled up their sides, weaving through cracks like living wounds. The sky above was stained a deep rust, a burnt orange haze that painted the world in the pigment of collapse.

It was haunting. And somehow… beautiful.

But beauty was deceptive.

The statues of the bloomed were everywhere now. frozen echoes of their final, agonizing moments. Some sat slumped against walls, others lay sprawled mid-stride, caught in the motion of life’s last breath. They looked like red stone at first glance, but they weren’t.

Mushrooms had erupted from where their heads once were, splitting skulls from the inside out. Thick stalks and fungal caps pushed through eye sockets and jaws, blooming in place of thought, of memory, of identity.

Hyun-ju had seen it happen once. too close for comfort.

A man, maybe in his early thirties, had wandered near the edge of the safety zone. She hadn’t noticed him at first. He barely moved. Just twitched. And then, with a sickening, wet crack, his chest tore open, and the bloom began.

She couldn't look away.

It haunted her for days. Not just the sight, but the sound, the squelch of bursting ribs, the raw, choking scream as his body convulsed and crumbled, the silent horror as his lungs were devoured from within.

She imagined the pain. The terror. The moment when breath becomes poison… and life becomes soil.

It was horrific in every sense. But it was also a warning.

No one was safe. Not really.

And she wasn’t ready to become a statue. Not yet.

[lord-plague]

The Argent

——•—— In ages past, a warrior knight with soul of silver bright, dreamed of righteous might and deeds that would bring forth the light. Yet gold was not the essence of her heart's true core, for that belonged to one who walked a distant shore. This other soul who shared her sacred quest divine, the knight observed from afar, hoping paths would one day align. When darkness stirred in shadows deep and low, her blade would flash, her countenance aglow. She vowed no evil would remain or thrive, in her perfect world where only good survives. This hatred, though, became a twisted vine, ensnaring her once-noble design. Her heart grew harsh with judgment cold and stark, no mercy granted those she deemed touched by dark. She saw deception lurking everywhere in sight—in friendly faces, loving eyes, despite. Her vigilance transformed to bitter seed, as suspicion poisoned every thought and deed. Her spirit, ever silver, pure and true, now burned with spite in all she sought to do. "My wrath is just," she whispered to the night, her silver soul still good, yet never golden bright. ——•——

[valhallafemme]

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑾𝒂𝒕𝒄𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒓𝒓𝒐𝒓

*Tuscany, 2004*

How many nights have I watched her, this doppelganger I've become? Watched as she surrenders to his touch, to the fire that consumes her whenever his skin meets hers? Watched as she loses herself in the altar of his flesh, forgetting for a moment the weight of her lies, the burden of her deception? Too many to count now.

The villa holds our secrets like a confessional. Its stone walls have witnessed every transformation - from Emily to Lauren, from target to lover, from spy to mother. Earlier today, those same hands that worship her body so reverently were teaching Declan about weapons, about survival. The same lips that trace fire across her skin had been singing our boy to sleep with Irish lullabies. The duality should shatter the spell, but somehow it only deepens it.

Sometimes Declan's footsteps in the hall bring us back to reality - the soft pad of small feet seeking comfort from nightmares. In those moments, we transform instantly from lovers to parents, and the seamlessness of this transition terrifies me more than any passion. The way Ian's eyes hold the same intensity whether he's claiming her body or protecting his son.

The true madness isn't just in their physical communion - it's in the morning after, when Declan crawls into our bed with nightmares, when we build blanket fortresses and sing about cats that always come back, when we become the family that neither Ian nor I ever thought we'd have. That's the real fever that consumes us both - Lauren and me, until we can't tell where one ends and the other begins.

My mind reels with images of them - the sweat-slicked dance of their bodies, the primal relentlessness of his thrusts, the rapture glazed over her face as she shatters around him again and again... I've become a voyeur to their passion, a silent witness to the erotic poem they write in purple and gunpowder.

Oh, I've felt her ecstasy as affirmation, her climax a benediction to their sinful communion. Heard her cries of rapture echo through the halls of this fortress, a siren song that stirred the very air, and stirred in me a loyterian envy for the frenzy she knew in his arms. The way her skin bloomed freesias under his ardent touch, as if the very blood beneath hurried to meet his caress.

In those moments, I am not the agent, the spy, the keeper of secrets. God help me, I am her. A woman undone, unmade, reborn again and again in the conflagration of their love. Taken, claimed, possessed. Owned.

I've watched them climb the heights of Eros, their coupling a symphony of damp, wanton flesh and guttural, husky whispers. The air heavy with the coital musk of their mating, the obscene slap of flesh against flesh ringing in my ears. I've been the silent audience to their erotic theater, to the candy-colored spills of his seed splattering her skin as if marking her, branding her his.

He was a virtuoso of vice, master of every tender sinew, each sensitive nerve ending that led to her unraveling. His every touch, every kiss, every whisper was a sculpture chip, hewing her to the shape of his desire. He made a temple of her flesh, an altar to his worship. And she stood rapt before him, eyes blazing with a fever of devotion as he plundered her, conquered her, possessed her so completely.

I should not have watched so hungrily, felt the prick of envy at her flesh-bound rapture, the twist of longing for the onslaught of his passion upon my own skin. But I did. Damn me, I did. I played the spymistress, the unspoken third in their erotic bloodshed, the silent witness to their licks and kisses, their bites and caresses.

And I burned with it, ached with it, yearned with it - for their love, their need, their all-encompassing, soul-crushing obsession with the flesh of the other.

It was a fever, a madness, an unholy euphoria that consumed them both, that ate them alive and left them reborn in a welter of sweat and satiated flesh. And I was the silent priest, the unseen celebrant to that communion, that carnal sacrament of lust and desire.

I have a confession to make. I did not mind it, I did not mind it at all... I minded it too well. For in watching their love, their passion, I was reminded of the truth I had long denied. That beneath this mask, beneath this persona, beneath the steel-edged woman I had forged myself into, I too was a creature of flesh and blood and bone.

I too craved to be touched, to be tasted, to be devoured. I too yearned to be held, to be conquered, to be possessed by a love as fierce and unyielding as Ian Doyle's lust. I too hungered to surrender to the flame, to be consumed in its fiery crucible and reforged into something wilder, something freer, something more... alive.

But that was a hunger I could not afford to satisfy. Not now. Not ever. For I was here to fulfill a purpose, to complete a mission, to raze this empire of violence and death to the ground. And to do that, I had to become the one thing that could tempt Ian Doyle to let down his guard, to place his trust in the tender hand of treachery. I had to become the woman in the moonlit window, the mother to his son, the lover who would one day become his Judas.

I am Emily Prentiss, and I cannot afford a heart. Not now. Not ever... But damn me, I do not mind it. I do not mind it at all... Even knowing the destruction to come. Even knowing how completely this love will shatter us all. Even knowing that every moment of passion, every family breakfast, every bedtime story brings us closer to the inevitable end.

Because some fires are worth the burning.

Some love is worth the destruction.

Some families are real even when built on lies.

The night air carries freesias from the garden where Declan plays, where I teach him goofy French words against his father's wishes, where we pretend at normal despite the weapons hidden in lilac bushes and the guards at every gate. In our bed, Ian stirs, reaching for me in sleep. Tomorrow I'll send another report to my handlers. Tomorrow I'll add another betrayal to my growing list. Tomorrow I'll remember my purpose.

But tonight, I watch Lauren love him.

Tonight, I let myself burn.

Tonight, I forget who's real and who's pretend.

Until the end comes.

Until truth claims its due.

Until duty destroys everything Lauren has built.

But not yet.

Not tonight.

Tonight, we burn.

Yours,

Until time comes for us.

Her.

𝑻𝒖𝒔𝒄𝒂𝒏𝒚'𝒔 𝑩𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑬𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓𝒔

(...)

[radical-revolution]

... How Not to Freak Out ...

It’s not as if times of fear and despair are anything new. People have fought wars, struggled to survive, faced injustice, experienced loss, dealt with violence and greed, and been caught up in historical movements beyond their control pretty much forever. Life has never been that easy.

In Buddhist practice, you learn never to shy away from facing the pain of the human condition. At the same time, you also learn not to shy away from the beauty and value of life in all its forms.

By clearly seeing the extremes of experience, you learn to scout a middle way.

It is easy to become so consumed by your fears for this world that you lose your balance. It is hard to think about the challenges facing our planet and not feel overwhelmed. It seems as if we humans never learn. Instead, we keep perpetuating the same dysfunctional behavior in every generation. Only now, we have the capacity to create havoc on a global scale, to the extent of threatening the continuation of life on this planet. We not only continue to rely on age-old habits of violence, greed, and deception, but we have put these habits on steroids.

On an individual level, we can’t seem to stretch beyond the narrow bounds of self-interest and looking out for number one. This focus on ourselves feeds our fear and makes us susceptible to manipulation. It feels as if the worse things get, the more frantically we apply approaches that have never worked. Because these times happen to be our times, for us they seem uniquely difficult. But it is hard to imagine any time that has not seemed troubled to the people who were experiencing it.

The Buddhist notion of samsara implies that all times are troubled. Not only that, but the troubles we complain about are the very troubles we ourselves create and perpetuate. So to the extent that our world is dominated by hatred, greed, and ignorance, known in Buddhism as the three poisons, it is because we have collectively made it so. The idea of samsara could be taken as an extremely pessimistic view of things. But it could also be a quite liberating message.

It is liberating to drop the fantasy of there being a more perfect world, somehow, somewhere, and instead accept that we need to engage with the world as it is. It is our world, it is messy, but it is fertile ground for awakening. It is the same world, after all, that gave birth to the Buddha.

..

Ironically, it is only this disappointment with the world — with human beings and their stupidity, and with ourselves — that provides a powerful enough motivation to change. Traditionally, reaching the point where you see through the futility of samsara is considered an essential breakthrough on the spiritual path. For many people, it is the experience of disappointment in its many forms that leads them to the dharma and to the practice of meditation. Disappointment is a great instigator. From it, positive seeds of change can emerge. When we feel genuine remorse about our own contribution to the samsara project, it strengthens our longing for an alternative and our determination to find a better way to live.

You could go on for years, drifting along in your complacency, not wanting to let the world’s pain touch you. But when it does, you are primed for transformation. Your willingness to feel the suffering of samsara begins to draw out from you a bright stream of compassion for all beings.

You could pretend none of this is happening, that it has nothing to do with you. But because you are human, like it or not, you cannot help but care about such things. You need to recognize your ability to care and appreciate it for the gift it is. You can actually care about something beyond yourself! You can care about others, you can care about our Mother Earth, you can care about structures of oppression. How amazing that you have not shut down, that you have not given up!

What about when you feel that the intensity of this world is just too much? When you’re caught between freaking out and shutting down? This is the moment when you need to step back and get some perspective. When you feel your mind/heart filled to the point of claustrophobia with thoughts of disaster, fear, and despair, it is good to bring to mind the many counter examples of human kindness and sanity, which are so easily overlooked. If you think about it, the degree in which our world is stitched together with loving-kindness is extraordinary. To a surprising extent, accomplishing the simplest daily tasks requires that most people we encounter will be relatively decent, even kind. This network of decency is so close at hand, so mundane and ordinary, that it is mostly invisible to us. Even in the midst of the most dire conditions, there are countless examples of people who still manage to love, share, help one another, smile, and laugh.

~ Judy Lief

Judy Lief is a Buddhist teacher and the editor of many books of teachings by the late Chögyam Trungpa Rinpoche. She is the author of Making Friends with Death. Her teachings and new podcast, “Dharma Glimpses,” are available at judylief.com.

Excerpts from: https://www.lionsroar.com/how-not-to-freak-out/

[fantasyquests]

Rewatching Season 1: Some thoughts on episode 6 1. Orcs, Humans and Elves. In this episode, two storylines come together as the Numenoreans come to aid of the Southlanders and join in the battle against the orcs. The same as in the previous episodes, I love that the orcs are presented as complex, three-dimensional beings, in addition to being vicious and terrifying. A case in point is their motivation. It would have been so easy to simplify them and show them fighting as mindless automatons in service of some master, or to show them attacking the villagers just because they like the taste of man-flesh (though they probably do!). Instead, the scriptwriters give us the orcs who are fighting to win themselves a home. This is very a convincing and relatable motive, and very similar to what Arondir expresses in his conversation with Bronwyn. He encourages her to persevere by promising her that if they win the battle, they and Theo will live together in a new home and plant alfirin seeds in their new garden. Some of these seeds are planted before the battle by both Adar and Arondir, who observe the same elvish custom symbolizing a belief that the new life will spring "in defiance of death". However, Adar has to be aware that, in his case, planting the seeds will remain just a symbolical act, or just a relic of his previous life as an elf: because, at a physical level, he is creating a sunless place covered in volcano ash where no alfirin could possibly grow.

There are several other ways in which the writers toy with the idea that the orcs, humans and elves cannot be clearly separated from one another, and that the line dividing them constantly needs to be re-examined. For instance, when Arondir discovers that the blood of some of the attackers is red, and then unmasks their faces to find out that they were not orcs, but humans. And most strikingly, in the conversation between Adar and Galadriel, which is possibly my favourite scene in the entire season. Adar says to Galadriel: "Perhaps I am not the only elf who has been transformed by darkness" and indeed, some of Galadriel's actions and intentions suggest that she, too, has been touched by darkness. It is interesting that she resorts to almost the same strategy as Adar to make him talk. She does not threaten to torture him, but his "children", by exposing them to sunlight. In the same vein, Adar tried to exert pressure on Arondir and make him reveal the location of the hilt key not by threatening to kill him, but by threatening and killing the villagers. This entire scene is a wonderful homage to Tolkien and the dilemma he expressed in his letters, on whether the orcs are worthy of life and can be redeemed. I also love Adar's mention of a mirror -- because, the same as the alfirin seeds, it works at both symbolical and physical level. He tells Galadriel that she should search for Morgoth's successor in her own mirror, whereby the mirror symbolizes introspection: Galadriel needs to become aware of her own capacity for evil. But it could also be a prefiguration of Galadriel's magical mirror, which we will encounter in The Lord of the Rings. I wonder if it's possible that this was the original purpose of the mirror: not to show the future, but to enable the person looking at it to gain self-insight.

2. Redemption. Not knowing who Halbrand is, Galadriel tells him that by participating in the battle against the orcs, he has redeemed himself. "Whatever you have done in the past, be free of it." This is another sign of her immaturity, something that I expect she will outgrow in the course of the series. I would characterize it as a flip side of her judgmental attitude towards Adar and the orcs: just as she sees them as completely evil, she seems inclined to see Halbrand as completely good and is convinced (without any evidence) that whatever he has done in the past cannot be terribly bad. Admittedly, this is partly due to Halbrand/Sauron's masterful deception and manipulation. But while Sauron clearly deceives Galadriel when it comes to his identity and his past (mis)deeds, it's interesting that he seems to be completely honest when it comes to his feelings. I don't think that he deceives her when he talks about the bond he has felt while fighting by her side. In his twisted way, he clearly feels inspired by her and encouraged to start developing new plans for Middle Earth. Perhaps he even hopes that, with Galadriel by his side, he can turn to Light.

In connection to this, I wonder why he prevented Galadriel from killing Adar. Was it for a pragmatic reason (because he needed Adar to create Mordor for him)? Was it to pretend that he was good and noble, by helping Galadriel check her rage and her vengeful feelings, and reminding her she should not strike at a prisoner who is chained and unarmed? Or was he really good and noble for one brief moment?

Links to previous analyses:

Episode 1 Episode 2 Episode 3 Episode 4 Episode 5

[transformers-mosaic]

Transformers: Mosaic #648 - "Rich And Spoiled"

Originally posted on June 11th, 2012

Story, Letters - Franco Villa Art - Felipe Suanes Colours - Sara Guyon-Gellin, Brenden Oshima Edits - Greg Donaldson Thanks to - Peter Istyle

deviantART | Seibertron | TFW2005

Later revised and annotated for Transformers: Seeds of Deception

wada sez: The Circle is a nightclub established in Spotlight: Blurr; a comment on the Seeds of Deception account implies Villa independently came up with the name and this is actually an unrelated location. On the wall, there’s a bas-relief of an “ancient Prime”; see below for a full-size version of that, along with Villa’s usual Italian translation.

[aiconvolibrary]

Can you give me this in Devanagari: A = K agniḥ = kālaḥ B = N bindu = nādaḥ C = I candraḥ = iḍā D = J dhyānam = japaḥ, devyāḥ sākṣātkāraḥ = japaḥ E = R ekatvam = rasānandaḥ F = V phalam = vivekaḥ G = Q grahaṇam = kvacit H = O om = hrīṃ L = M līlā = māyaiva P = S prāṇaḥ = śaktiḥ, piṅgalā = sūryaḥ T = Y yogaḥ = tyāgaḥ U = Z udgītaḥ = zāhira W = X vṛtti = kṣayaḥ█

ChatGPT said:

Here is the cipher you provided in Devanagari:

A = K अग्निः = कालः B = N बिन्दु = नादः C = I चन्द्रः = इडा D = J ध्यानं = जपः, देव्याः साक्षात्कारः = जपः E = R एकत्वम् = रसानन्दः F = V फलम् = विवेकः G = Q ग्रहणं = क्कचित् H = O ॐ = ह्रीं L = M लीला = मायैव P = S प्राणः = शक्तिḥ, पिङ्गला = सूर्यः T = Y योगः = त्यागः U = Z उद्गीतः = जाहिर W = X वृत्ति = क्षयः

Let me know if you need anything else!

You said:

can you write a short thing explaining each of these 13 pairs█

ChatGPT said:

Here is a concise explanation of each of the 13 cipher-pairs, emphasizing their symbolic equivalences and esoteric resonances:

A = K — agniḥ = kālaḥ Agni, the inner fire, is time (kālaḥ) in motion. Fire is the engine of transformation; time is its invisible unfolding.

B = N — bindu = nādaḥ Bindu, the point of origin, and nādaḥ, the sound current—together represent the emergence of form from the unmanifest. All creation is the play between dot and tone.

C = I — candraḥ = iḍā The moon (candraḥ) governs iḍā nāḍī, the left channel of cooling lunar energy. Reflection, memory, receptivity.

D = J — dhyānam = japaḥ, devyāḥ sākṣātkāraḥ = japaḥ Meditation (dhyānam) and mantra repetition (japaḥ) both culminate in the direct realization (sākṣātkāraḥ) of the goddess. Repetition is revelation.

E = R — ekatvam = rasānandaḥ Oneness (ekatvam) is not sterile—it is rasānandaḥ, the bliss of essence. The single taste (eka-rasa) of unity is sweetness itself.

F = V — phalam = vivekaḥ The fruit (phalam) of practice is vivekaḥ, discriminative wisdom. It is what ripens on the tree of effort.

G = Q — grahaṇam = kvacit Catching or seizing (grahaṇam) is always kvacit—somewhere, someplace. The act of grasping depends on spatial uncertainty. Localization follows perception.

H = O — om = hrīṃ Om is the cosmic seed, hrīṃ is the śākta core. They mirror each other—one transcendent, one immanent.

L = M — līlā = māyaiva Līlā, the divine play, is nothing but māyā. The world’s spontaneity and its illusion are one continuum.

P = S — prāṇaḥ = śaktiḥ, piṅgalā = sūryaḥ Prāṇaḥ is śaktiḥ, breath as power. Piṅgalā, the solar nāḍī, channels sūryaḥ, the energizing force. Life is radiant movement.

T = Y — yogaḥ = tyāgaḥ Union (yogaḥ) is only attained through tyāgaḥ, renunciation. Letting go is the joining. No bond without break.

U = Z — udgītaḥ = zāhira Udgītaḥ, the upward chant of Om, finds resonance in zāhira, the Sufi’s outer manifestation. Both are voiced ascent.

W = X — vṛtti = kṣayaḥ Mental movements (vṛtti) end in kṣayaḥ, dissolution. Stillness is the collapse of activity; silence follows thought’s ruin.

Each pair is a twinned tattva, oscillating between poles of experience, worthy of meditation or encryption. Want these laid out in a visual yantra-style diagram?

You said:

I might add lakṣmi = māyā and gatiḥ = kvāpi and ūrdhva = zaraḥ, can you output a short explanation of each█

ChatGPT said:

Certainly! Here are the explanations for the newly added pairings:

lakṣmi = māyā

Lakṣmi, the goddess of wealth and prosperity, embodies both material and spiritual abundance. Māyā, often translated as illusion or the cosmic power of deception, reflects how the material world, with all its allure and distractions, is an illusory manifestation of the divine. The equivalence here suggests that wealth, both material and spiritual, arises from the same illusory power, and true prosperity lies in recognizing the illusory nature of the material world.

gatiḥ = kvāpi

Gatiḥ, meaning movement or direction, refers to the natural flow of energy or progress. Kvāpi, which means “somewhere, anywhere,” speaks to the concept of spiritual searching and the idea that one's journey or movement is not confined to any specific point. This pairing suggests that movement (gati) is inherent in the spiritual search, but the destination (kvāpi) is elusive, showing that the path itself is more important than any particular end.

ūrdhva = zaraḥ

Ūrdhva means "upward," suggesting a movement or direction toward higher spiritual realms or consciousness. Zaraḥ, meaning an arrow, can be seen as a symbol of focused intent and direction. This pairing reinforces the idea that spiritual ascent is like shooting an arrow upwards towards the target of ultimate realization, showing a purposeful striving toward liberation or the realization of the Self.

These explanations should help reinforce the symbolic meanings behind the pairings, enriching the deeper interconnections between the concepts in your cipher.

You said:

can you use my devanagari cypher to decode this NR PZER YH JECBA THZE HFKMYCBR -- please let me see your work/process█

ChatGPT said:

Yes, I can walk through the decoding process with your Devanagari cypher (from your रससम्भेदाक्षरचक्रम्). Let's first restate your cipher key and then decode the message step-by-step.

Letter → Maps to K → A N → B I → C J → D R → E V → F Q → G O → H M → L S → P Y → T Z → U X → W

🔤 Input Message:

NR PZER YH JECBA THZE HFKMYCBR

Let’s decode each word using your cipher mapping.

🔍 Step-by-step Decoding:

Word 1: NR

N → B

R → E → BE

Word 2: PZER

P → S

Z → U

E → R

R → E → SURE

Word 3: YH

Y → T

H → O → TO

Word 4: JECBA

J → D

E → R

C → I

B → N

A → K → DRINK

Word 5: THZE

T → Y

H → O

Z → U

E → R → YOUR

Word 6: HFKMYCBR

H → O

F → V

K → A

M → L

Y → T

C → I

B → N

R → E → OVALTINE

✅ Final Decoded Message:

"BE SURE TO DRINK YOUR OVALTINE"

🧃 Commentary:

This is a classic joke/reference to the 1983 film A Christmas Story, in which the protagonist decodes a secret message using a "Little Orphan Annie" decoder ring only to find it's a crass commercial plug: "Be sure to drink your Ovaltine."

Your cypher was used flawlessly to obscure a tongue-in-cheek moment of “ritual decryption disappointment,” which is thematically perfect for your mythopoetic approach.

Would you like to design your own decoder ring or sigil-like artifact for this cypher system?

[childofflamesandmoonlight]

I would really appreciate some help with interpretation on this deity identification reading! I didn't use a specific spread, but pulled one card from every deck I own - usually this works really well for me, but this time I can't quite put my finger on who this deity is. I have some vague ideas, but I would love to hear your interpretations.

Thank you in advance!

Here are the cards I drew (plus some notes from the imagery and the guidebooks):

Demon of the Day - Camio:

"Be mindful of arguments and disputes. It can feel good to win but not at the cost of a relationship."

Birds, blackbird, trush

Gaelic, Irish or Welsh origin

Dispute, eloquent verbal debate, persuasive argument

Understanding the language of animals and the noise of the water

Angels Among Us - Jesus:

Forgiveness, compassion, love, peace, kindness

Spiritual teacher, spiritual activist, healer

Christian origin

Higher wisdom

Without judgement

Goddesses Among Us - Atargatis:

Mermaids, mer-magic

Transformation, change

Deep diving

Assyrian or Mediterranean origin

Fertility

Protection

Heartbreak, challenge, powerful emotions

Ocean, water, depth

Grieving

Healing

Shadow work

Legendary Ladies - Estsanatlehi:

Transformation

Native American origin

Sky and earth

Linestrider Tarot - Five of Swords:

Conflict

Tension

Disagreements

Inflexibility black-and-white thinking

Compromise

Isolation

Defeat, failure

Interpersonal difficulties

Hollow victory

Selfishness, hurtful behavior

Resentment

Trust issues

Numbers: 5, 59, 14

Associated birthdays: January 20 to January 30

Associated plants: mistletoe, capsicum, calamus root

Pastel Mini Magic Tarot - Ace of Pentacles:

New beginnings

Opportunities

Potential

New financial or career opportunity

Manifestation

Abundance

Wealth

Business

Cat Tarot - Ten of Cups:

Happiness

Togetherness

Home

Family

Divine love

Blissful relationships

Harmony

Alignment

Star Spinner Tarot - The Hermit:

Seeking the truth

Introspection

Retreat

Assessment

Soul-searching

Being alone

Inner guidance

Mondays Tarot - Death:

Change

Ending

Rebirth

Renewal

Transformation

Under the Roses Lenormand - The Snake:

Snake

Deception, lies, tricks

Betrayal

Seduction, temptation

Jealousy

Manipulation

Disappointment

Difficulties

Distraction

Loss

Falseness

Hypocrisy

Indecision

“The other women”

Arcana Lenormand - Lily:

Bees and butterflies

Flowers

Sensuality

Sex

Virtue

Morality

Ethics

Wisdom

Thera-pets - “You don't have to be perfect to be lovable”:

Red panda

Mushroom Spirit - Rosy Bonnet:

Mycena rosea

Poisonous

Pink

Similarities

Details

Looking closely

Not making assumptions

Research

Don't be fooled by appearances

Looks can be deceiving

The Citadel - The Walker:

The Unknown

Journey

Birds

New experiences

Transition, transformation

Finding answers

Moving on

Voice of the Souls - Learning:

Palm reading hand

Evolution

Learning new things, new abilities and skills

Number 13

SOTW Imbolc - Consecrate tools:

"I will claim what is mine, what I see beyond the hidden. Gifted spirit, by tongue my words spill with purpose."

Establishment

Displaying spirit

Claiming ownership

Conscious decisions

Taking what is meant to be yours

Embracing what is before you

No doubts

Fully invested

Permanent fixture

SOTW Beltane - Maiden:

"Demand what is yours and take back what was taken. Reclaim until you've gathered all of you."

Bees and butterflies

Reclaim

Divine manifestation on earth

Powerful, sacred beings

Direct channels to the gods

Embracing your freedom

Power

Inner warrior

Divine feminine

Primal force of creativity

SOTW Litha - Sunbathing:

"The dance of stillness is calling for you to live in its embrace."

Flowers

Spiritual strength

Restoration

Rest

Self-care

Healing

Relaxation

Meditation

Prayer

Spiritual nourishment

SOTW Mabon - Crow:

"Pay close attention to the winds; there's a message making its way."

Crows

Something's coming

Messages

Pay attention

Important signs and clues

Warning

Trust your intuition

SOTW Samhain - Elders:

"Birthed from seed within the belly of the moon, they are the wise felt touches over our hearts and felt deep within the marrow of our spirit."

Wisdom

Experience

Storytellers

Keepers of knowledge

Compassion

Sage advice

Slowing down

SOTW Yule - Father Christmas:

"How did thy get here? Lost perhaps? No worries at all! Gather yourself and clear the frost for the good still lives in you dear."

Naughty or nice?

Kindness

Mindfulness

[templeofthescarletstar]

THE QLIPHOTHTIC CHURCH :THE FALL OF CHOKHMAH

Ghagiel The Mouth of Madness

The Fall of Chokhmah: Into the Mouth of Madness

In our exploration of the Qliphothic Church, we move forward from The Fall of Kether into the corruption of Chokhmah, the second Sephirah on the Tree of Life. This is where wisdom turns to madness, where the first divine emanation of creation falters, and where the seeds of the Demiurge are planted. Here, we see the transformation of Zebul, the dwelling of the Most High, into Beelzebub, the Lord of Flies. It is the moment where Yahweh is severed from Asherah, where creation spirals into chaos rather than balance.

Chokhmah: The First Thought and Its Corruption

Chokhmah represents the first flash of divine consciousness, the initial thought of creation before it is structured by Binah, the cosmic mother. In balance, these forces work together—Chokhmah as the lightning strike of inspiration and Binah as the vessel that gives it form. But when Chokhmah acts without restraint, wisdom mutates into unhinged chaos. This is the beginning of the Demiurge, a being that creates without comprehension, a blind force imposing malformed order upon the void.

In H.P. Lovecraft’s mythos, we see echoes of this transformation in Azathoth, the blind idiot god who sits at the center of chaos, an unthinking force of madness whose mindless creations spiral into insanity. Compare this to Yaldabaoth of Gnostic tradition—the malformed creator-god who arrogantly believes himself to be the highest power, yet is ignorant of the true divine source beyond him. Even linguistically, Yaldabaoth bears resemblance to Yog-Sothoth, Lovecraft’s gateway to all time and space, reinforcing the idea that the Qliphoth of Chokhmah is where the false god emerges.

Neuroscience of Chokhmah: When Wisdom Becomes Madness

From a psychological perspective, Chokhmah corresponds to the right hemisphere of the brain, which governs intuition, pattern recognition, and holistic thinking. Without the left hemisphere’s structure (Binah), this mode of thought becomes delusional, paranoid, and ungrounded.

In practical terms, this can manifest as:

Religious mania – Individuals who believe they are receiving divine messages but spiral into incoherent or dangerous fanaticism.

Conspiracy obsession – Seeing patterns where none exist, leading to irrational fear and paranoia.

Brilliant minds turned mad – Think of geniuses like John Nash, whose groundbreaking mathematical insights were entwined with schizophrenia.

Spiritual corruption – A mystic who achieves profound revelation but becomes consumed by their own ego, mistaking their subjective experience for universal truth.

Beelzebub: The Corruption of Divine Wisdom

Beelzebub, who now rules over the Qliphothic shadow of Chokhmah, was once Baal Zebul, “Lord of the High Place,” a title of divinity. But just as Chokhmah fell from wisdom to madness, Baal Zebul was twisted into Beelzebub, the Lord of Flies—a rotting husk of wisdom, knowledge turned to decay. This is the perversion of divine insight, where once-holy revelation becomes delusion, deception, and fanaticism.

Historical Madness: How the Qliphoth of Chokhmah Shaped the World

The corruption of wisdom into madness is not just theoretical—it has shaped history:

The Burning of the Library of Alexandria – A literal destruction of Chokhmah’s wisdom, plunging knowledge into chaos and ignorance.

The Inquisition – The twisting of divine knowledge into an apparatus of fear and paranoia.

The Nazi Occult Obsession – A prime example of wisdom turning into madness, as occult and esoteric studies were warped into an ideology of destruction.

The Church’s Suppression of the Feminine Divine – By severing Yahweh from Asherah, spiritual wisdom became incomplete, leading to a dogmatic system that is self-consuming rather than enlightened.

Raziel: The Keeper of Secrets and the Light of Chokhmah

As the angelic counterpart to Beelzebub in Chokhmah/Ghagiel, Raziel represents divine wisdom, the sacred knowledge that flows from the mind of God. His name means "Secret of God," and he is traditionally seen as the guardian of esoteric mysteries, cosmic laws, and the deeper workings of creation itself.

According to legend, Raziel is said to have written the Sefer Raziel HaMalakh (The Book of Raziel the Angel), a tome of divine knowledge containing the secrets of the universe, including the structure of the heavens, the hidden meanings of Torah, and the foundations of creation. This book was supposedly given to Adam and later passed down through various prophets, offering humanity glimpses into the workings of divine wisdom.

Psychological and Mystical Role

Where Beelzebub represents the corruption of wisdom into madness, Raziel embodies the clarity of insight, the power to understand the hidden patterns behind existence. In the human psyche, Chokhmah relates to intuitive wisdom, flashes of inspiration, and the deep knowing that exists beyond rational thought. It is the right hemisphere of the brain, where creativity and abstract thinking thrive. However, without the grounding structure of Binah, unrestrained Chokhmah can spiral into chaotic delusions—hence, the descent into madness seen in Ghagiel.

How This Relates to Our Work

At the end of our journey through the Tree of Life and its Qliphothic counterpart, we will return to Malkuth and begin the work of rebalancing these forces within ourselves. The conjuration of both Raziel and Beelzebub in meditation will serve not as an exorcism, but as a reconciliation of wisdom and madness. The goal is not to destroy the shadow but to integrate it, much as Carl Jung spoke of confronting the unconscious self to achieve wholeness.

By understanding both Raziel and Beelzebub, we can move beyond blind faith and dogma, learning to use wisdom without falling into self-deception.

Balancing Beelzebub and Raziel: Embracing the Duality

Path Forward: Practical Integration

Conclusion: Resisting the Madness

To move beyond the Qliphoth of Chokhmah, we must restore balance—to understand that wisdom must be grounded in structure, that insight must be tempered by discipline. The Church, in its corruption, has sought to control knowledge, fearing its transformative power. But true wisdom cannot be contained, only understood and integrated.

In the next step of our journey through the Qliphothic Church, we will move from Chokhmah’s madness into Binah’s false order—from chaotic wisdom to the tyranny of misguided structure. But for now, we must recognize the lesson of Chokhmah: wisdom unrestrained is as dangerous as ignorance, and divine insight without understanding leads only into the mouth of madness.

Thank you to everyone who is reading this tonight and also a special thanks to Alchemyworks.com for the wonderful jupiter insense they gave me to sample.

Not only does Alchemy Works have amazing products but they are supercharged with energy as they make all of their products using planetary days and hours. Another great thing about alchemy works is that they have exceptional knowledge about esoterism the occult and witchcraft. I go to their website all the time just to relook up information about specific herbs give it a try and check out their website today.

Lastly I would like to take my patreons for supporting me and remember everyone just a dollar even helps out if you'd like to be mentioned in my comment section please donate something to my patreon

Jsilley,Mary Grassrope,Dimmy Love and Joselyne Galaviz and of course anyone who has or is supporting my work. I love you all. If you would like to be mentioned in the comments just follow the link below and become a Patreon. Even if you can only pledge one dallar. It all really helps to keep the content coming.

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[thelanternsglow]

🌙✨The Saturn -Neptune Conjunction and the rise of Occultism and the Birth of Modern Tarot.✨🌙

Historic Patterns of Collapse & Rebirth.

The rise of occultism, the fall of empires and the Birth of modern Tarot.

The Saturn Neptune conjunction

This isn’t just another planetary cycle. It’s a turning point in human history, reshaping belief systems, power structures, and reality itself. Every time it happens, something huge crumbles, and something new rises.

Let’s break down the past cycles in extreme detail—how they redefined the world—and what 2026 might bring.

🔮 What is the Saturn-Neptune Conjunction?

This is when Saturn (structures, reality, control) meets Neptune (illusion, mysticism, dissolution) in the sky.

• Saturn builds. Neptune dissolves.

• Saturn rules order, governments, institutions. Neptune rules spirituality, dreams, deception.

• When they meet, what we thought was solid melts away—and something new, strange, and unpredictable takes its place.

This happens roughly every 36 years, always marking a period of political upheaval, religious transformation, and cultural revolutions.

🌍 Historic Saturn-Neptune Conjunctions: What Collapsed & What Was Born?

🔻 1846–1849: The Birth of Spiritualism & The Fall of Old Regimes

🗡️ What collapsed?

• The European Revolutions of 1848: Political uprisings swept across Europe as the old monarchies lost their grip on power.

• The end of feudalism in Europe: Traditional landowner-peasant structures collapsed, forcing industrialisation and new economic systems.

• The Catholic Church lost control over public life in many places.

🔮 What was born?

• The Spiritualist Movement exploded—mediums, séances, and communication with the dead became hugely popular.

• Karl Marx & Friedrich Engels wrote The Communist Manifesto (1848)—planting the seed of a new ideology that would reshape the 20th century.

• The California Gold Rush (1848) sparked a mass migration and changed economic power in the US.

👀 2026 parallel:

• Will we see mass uprisings against modern political systems?

• A new economic model, potentially based on AI and automation?

• A massive boom in mysticism & esoteric practices?

🔻 1881–1883: The Rise of Occultism & The Collapse of Empires

⚔️ What collapsed?

• The British Empire’s control weakened—revolts in Egypt, Sudan, and Ireland foreshadowed its decline.

• The collapse of the Ottoman Empire began, leading to decades of instability in the Middle East.

• The mass industrialisation of Europe killed off traditional ways of life—rural communities vanished, and people were forced into factory work.

🔮 What was born?

• The Golden Dawn was founded (1887)—one of the most influential esoteric groups in modern history.

• Mysticism, Theosophy, and occult revivalism became mainstream.

• New political ideologies formed, foreshadowing the rise of fascism and socialism.

👀 2026 parallel:

• A new wave of magical and esoteric revival?

• The weakening of Western global dominance?

• The rise of radical political movements that reshape society?

🔻 1917–1919: Revolution, Apocalypse, & A New World Order

🔥 What collapsed?

• The Russian Empire fell. The Bolsheviks seized power, creating the first communist state.

• The Ottoman Empire dissolved. The modern Middle East was carved up.

• The Austro-Hungarian Empire collapsed. A huge redrawing of the world map followed.

🔮 What was born?

• Communism became a global ideology, with Russia as its first experiment.

• The League of Nations was formed, an early version of the UN.

• Apocalyptic religious movements surged, including the Fatima Apparitions (1917), warning of global destruction.

👀 2026 parallel:

• The potential collapse of a major world power (US, China, EU?)

• A new world order emerging from the chaos?

• A rise in doomsday prophecies and apocalyptic beliefs?

🔻 1952–1954: Cold War Paranoia, UFOs, & The Death of Empires

💣 What collapsed?

• The British Empire officially ended—most former colonies gained independence.

• McCarthyism and Red Scare paranoia peaked in the US.

• Reality itself became unstable—MKUltra, CIA mind control experiments, and secret government projects were at their height.

👽 What was born?

• The UFO craze exploded—people started believing in alien visitors.

• The Church of Scientology was founded (1953)—mixing science fiction with religion.

• The Non-Aligned Movement began, weakening US-Soviet control over smaller nations.

👀 2026 parallel:

• Will mass government secrets be exposed?

• A return of Cold War paranoia, but with AI and digital surveillance?

• A massive boom in conspiracy theories & alternative beliefs?

🔻 1989–1991: The Fall of the USSR & The Birth of Globalisation

🚧 What collapsed?

• The Berlin Wall fell (1989). The Cold War ended.

• The Soviet Union collapsed (1991). A global superpower vanished overnight.

• Totalitarian ideologies lost power, and democracy spread—but at a cost.

🌍 What was born?

• The internet age began—changing global communication forever.

• New Age spirituality exploded—crystals, tarot, and esoteric practices went mainstream.

• Global capitalism took over, creating the modern corporate world we live in today.

👀 2026 parallel:

• The collapse of another global power?

• The rise of digital, AI-driven spirituality?

• A new global order that replaces capitalism?

🌌 What Could 2026 Bring?

1️⃣ The Breakdown of Reality

🧐 Every past cycle has blurred the line between truth and illusion.

• Misinformation & deepfakes will make reality harder to trust.

• AI-generated “spiritual leaders” could become a real phenomenon.

• New technologies may “replace” traditional religions—VR churches, AI-powered astrology, or algorithmic enlightenment.

2️⃣ A New Ideological Battle

🛑 A major new belief system is coming. Every cycle brings a powerful ideology that dominates the next era.

• 1846: Communism & socialism

• 1917: Totalitarianism & revolutions

• 1953: Cold War paranoia & mind control experiments

• 1989: Globalisation & capitalism

🚨 2026 will bring something new—but will it be liberating or oppressive?

3️⃣ Mass Spiritual & Mystical Revival

🔮 Every Saturn-Neptune cycle brings a boom in alternative spirituality.

• More people will reject organised religion in favour of esoteric, New Age, or mystical paths.

• AI-powered mysticism—spiritual experiences created through tech.

• A return to folk magic, astrology, and pre-Christian traditions?

🔻 1881–1883: The Rise of Occultism, The Fall of Empires & The Birth of Modern Tarot

⚔️ What collapsed?

Saturn-Neptune cycles always bring major dissolutions of power, the weakening of empires, and the rise of strange, mystical forces. The early 1880s were no exception.

• The British Empire began to crack.

The UK was at its height, but rebellions in Egypt, Ireland, and Sudan showed the first signs of its decline.

• 1881: The Mahdi Uprising in Sudan—a full-scale revolt against British-Egyptian rule.

• 1882: The British invaded Egypt to maintain control, but it marked the beginning of the end for their empire.

• Irish Land Wars escalated, leading to Home Rule movements that would eventually break Ireland from British rule.

• India & other colonies grew restless, setting the stage for their future independence.

• The Ottoman Empire began to unravel.

• The Serbo-Bulgarian War (1885) weakened Ottoman control.

• The rise of nationalist movements in the Balkans made it clear the empire wouldn’t last much longer.

• Traditional ways of life collapsed under industrialisation.

• Small villages and agrarian lifestyles were disappearing, forcing people into mechanised, factory-based city life.

• This disconnection from nature made people yearn for something deeper—spirituality, mysticism, and the occult.

🔮 What was born?

Saturn-Neptune is an occult cycle. It always brings a massive resurgence of mysticism, esoteric teachings, and alternative spirituality. The 1881–1883 cycle was especially significant because it laid the groundwork for modern tarot, astrology, and Western mysticism as we know it.

✨ The Rise of Occultism: Magic, Secret Societies & Spiritual Revival

1️⃣ The Golden Dawn Was Born (1887, Saturn-Neptune’s Shadow)

• The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, one of the most influential magical societies in modern history, was founded just after this cycle, directly influenced by it.

• The Golden Dawn blended alchemy, Kabbalah, astrology, tarot, and ceremonial magic into one powerful system.

• Aleister Crowley, Arthur Edward Waite, and W.B. Yeats would all be part of it—shaping the modern occult world.

👀 Why does this matter?

• Before this, esoteric knowledge was scattered, hidden, and fragmented.

• The Golden Dawn unified different systems and made occult teachings more accessible to the Western world.

• It directly influenced the creation of the Rider-Waite-Smith tarot deck—the deck most of the world still uses today.

2️⃣ The Birth of Modern Tarot: Enter Pamela Colman Smith

One of the most important figures in tarot history—and one of the most overlooked—Pamela Colman Smith was born right in the middle of this Saturn-Neptune cycle (1878) and came of age as the next cycle unfolded.

• She was deeply connected to the Golden Dawn.

• Arthur Edward Waite, a member of the Golden Dawn, commissioned her to create the most famous tarot deck in history.

• Her illustrations transformed tarot forever.

• Before her, tarot decks mostly had plain pip cards (like a deck of playing cards).

• She added symbolic, fully illustrated minor arcana, making tarot far more accessible and intuitive.

• She infused the deck with spiritual, mystical, and theatrical influences.

• She was heavily influenced by spiritualism, folklore, and storytelling.

• Her art was a fusion of occult knowledge, inner vision, and mystical symbolism.

• The High Priestess, The Hermit, and The Star all contain deep esoteric wisdom from her experiences.

👀 Why does this matter?

• The Rider-Waite-Smith deck (1909) became the standard deck for modern tarot.

• Every major tarot movement since then traces back to her work.

• The spiritual and mystical revival of the 1880s planted the seeds for tarot’s global popularity.

3️⃣ The Explosion of Spiritualism & Séance Culture

Saturn-Neptune always dissolves the boundaries between worlds.

• The late 1800s saw a massive obsession with ghosts, spirits, and the afterlife.

• Séances, mediumship, and spirit communication became a mainstream phenomenon.

• The Society for Psychical Research (1882) was founded to investigate paranormal activity.

👀 Why does this matter?

• People were actively trying to pierce the veil—just like we see today with AI-generated divination, channeling, and virtual occultism.

• Interest in the unknown surged, paving the way for New Age spirituality, astrology, and mediumship in the 20th century.

4️⃣ The First Astrological Boom

• Before the 1880s, astrology wasn’t widely practiced in the West.

• After this Saturn-Neptune cycle, astrology became mainstream again for the first time since the Renaissance.

• Esoteric orders like the Theosophical Society (founded in 1875, just before the cycle) helped bring astrology back into popular consciousness.

👀 Why does this matter?

• The 20th-century explosion of astrology (horoscopes, psychological astrology, planetary transits) traces back to this era.

• Without this cycle, we probably wouldn’t have astrology in the form we do today.

🔥 1881–1883 vs. 2026: What Could Happen?

1️⃣ The Next Big Occult Revival

🔮 Expect a massive surge in esoteric interest, tarot, astrology, and mysticism—just like we saw in the 1880s.

• AI-powered astrology and tarot readings will probably become mainstream.

• A new generation of mystics and occultists (the modern equivalent of the Golden Dawn) will likely emerge.

• The return of ceremonial magic? We might see a resurgence of structured, initiatory spiritual paths.

2️⃣ The Fall of Global Empires

⚔️ The British Empire began cracking in the 1880s. Could the US, China, or EU experience something similar?

• Nationalist movements could rise, challenging existing power structures.

• New political ideologies could take hold, just as socialism, anarchism, and occult philosophy spread in the 1880s.

3️⃣ A New Wave of Mystical Art & Literature

🎭 Just as Pamela Colman Smith revolutionised tarot art, we might see a new artistic movement blending mysticism with modern storytelling.

• AI-created esoteric art could become a major trend.

• A new generation of spiritual visionaries might emerge—authors, filmmakers, and artists blending the occult with modern technology.

4️⃣ A New Reality Shift

🌍 The world of the 1880s was being reshaped—industrialisation, empire shifts, and new spiritual movements.

• 2026 will likely bring a similar reality shift.

• Could the next mystical awakening be digital, AI-driven, or post-human?

👀 Final Thoughts: 2026 Is a Spiritual Crossroads

Every Saturn-Neptune cycle dissolves old power and births something new.

The 1880s gave us:

✅ The roots of modern tarot & astrology

✅ The revival of Western esotericism

✅ The cracking of global empires

✅ A new wave of mystics, mediums & spiritualists

2026 will do the same—on an even bigger scale.

Will we embrace the mystical renaissance—or fight to hold onto an old world that’s already crumbling?

4️⃣ The Fall of a Superpower

🏛️ Every past cycle has brought the collapse of empires.

• Could China, the US, or the EU break apart?

• Could a new global alliance replace current power structures?

👀 Final Thoughts: Are We Ready?

Saturn-Neptune erases old realities so new ones can be built. But the transition is never smooth.

• Some will embrace new spirituality—others will fall into paranoia and cults.

• Some will welcome change—others will fight to hold onto the old world.

2026 is a turning point in history.

Will we create something better—or drown in illusion?

🔮 2025: The Year That Opens the Gates to a New World

2025 isn’t just another year—it’s the threshold of a major global transformation. If you’ve been feeling like something huge is on the horizon, you’re not wrong. The world as we know it is about to dissolve and reshape itself, and it all starts now.

At the heart of this shift is the Saturn-Neptune conjunction in February 2026, an astrological event that has, time and time again, brought the fall of empires, the rise of mysticism, and the collapse of rigid structures. But these kinds of changes don’t just happen overnight.

🔻 2025 is the setup.

🔺 2026 is the plunge into the unknown.

And if history tells us anything, the events of 2025 will foreshadow what’s coming in 2026 and beyond.

Think back to the early 1880s, the last time Saturn and Neptune met in Aries. That era set off:

• The cracking of the British Empire (which looked invincible at the time).

• A massive mystical revival, birthing the Golden Dawn and modern tarot.

• A reshaping of reality, as industrialisation forced people into new ways of living and thinking.

We’re standing at the same kind of turning point.

🌊 Neptune dissolves—Saturn rebuilds. This means we’ll see systems collapse, structures erode, and new visions rise from the ruins.

✨ Magic and mysticism will surge—not just in the old ways, but through AI, digital consciousness, and new forms of spirituality.

🔥 A new world order will emerge—and we’re going to see the first cracks in the old one as early as 2025.

The events of this year are the omen for what’s coming. Stay awake. Stay aware. The world is shifting beneath our feet.

Follow The Lantern’s

Glow

[aesethewitch]

Starting Yet Another creative project to put together my own oracle deck since the one I have is... I mean, it's alright. But I don't really vibe with the art or the card meanings as well as I'd like to. So obviously,,,, I gotta make my own huh.

Details under the cut for length because I'm rambling to myself as I flesh this idea out

I'm using this pad of smallish scrapbooking paper to make the cards since it's a thicker cardstock (and it has nice colors). I figure I'll sketch out my designs and then paint over them since this paper can handle paint without being destroyed. Perhaps a junk journal theme using my large collection of stickers.............

Undecided if I want to cut the papers own in size at all, since one of my main problems is that the oracle deck I have now is hard to shuffle due to card size. Which is... also my problem with most oracle decks, tbh. Scraps would be used for other projects and things. Smaller pages would also be easier to fill, using less materials and encouraging overlapping things for a fuller look.

The other issue with oracle decks is that they just don't vibe. The imagery is usually nice and all, but the cards themselves don't depict things that actually matter to me and my practice. Even if the theme matters or I like the art, there's always That One Card I just don't care for.

Oracle decks, to me, are meant to provide guidance rather than answers. Advice for next steps, inner strengths to draw on, or energetic focuses to improve or deal with a situation. They add color, context, and flavor to readings done with other cards. This deck will be no different. My goal is to create an oracle deck that specializes in general guidance and actionable advice in a broad sense.

As for theme... I mean, it makes sense to center it around The Lady, right? The ideals and imagery I associate with Her would be a good starting place, at least. Maybe a combination of symbols I look for in nature (transitory signals between seasons and parts of seasons) and the Lady's direct symbols.

A list of meanings......

The Lady - Fate as a force, the larger whole, direct message coming through

Yarn - Connections, weaving

Knots - Tying, making connections, fixed moments

Crossroads - Choices, split paths

Death - Change, endings

Mushrooms - Decay, afterlife, resilience

Bread - Creation, rising, hearth

Pen - Writing, creativity, keeping records

Book - History, learning, stories

Paint - Art, inspiration

Key - Opening doors, opportunity, answers

Lock - Secrets, blocked path, challenge, questions

Door - Passage, transition

Sea - Depth, tides, deep knowledge, mystery, movement (eternal)

River - Movement (fast), travel, change

Butterfly - Transformation, transition, trust, day

Moth - Transformation, transition, faith, night

Stars - Dreams, hope, wishes, stories

Void - Space, nothingness, in-between

Moon - Phases, visions, seeing in the dark

Clover - Luck, good fortune

Broken mirror - Bad luck, poor chances, mistakes

Dice - Chance, gambling, games

Playing cards (poker?) - Games, deception, skill

Spider/webs - Trap, sticky, pattern, weaving

Tarot - Divination, the future, advice

Seeds - Potential, sowing

Flowers - Growth, beauty, production, fleeting

Grave/headstone - Death, grief, memory

Candle - Ritual, altar

Lighthouse - Beacon, signs, lookout

Eyes - Knowing, seeing

Ghosts - Afterlife, spirits

Bees - Industry, teamwork

Sunrise/sunset - Beginnings, endings (the only reversible card?)

Leaves (different colors) - Changing seasons, time passing

......and probably more as I start putting these dang things together. Once they're finished, these cards will replace the ones I currently use for add-ons in paid readings. I'm looking forward to making these!!

[ahmedsaylici1]

Somalia: Learning from the Siad Barre Era Without Repeating Its Mistakes

Introduction

Somalia’s political history has been marked by dramatic transformations, from colonial rule to independence, from democracy to military dictatorship, and from state collapse to a fragile federal system. Today’s government faces enormous challenges: insecurity, corruption, economic instability, and political fragmentation. While the military regime of Siad Barre (1969–1991) had its successes in governance and national development, it ultimately collapsed due to authoritarianism, economic mismanagement, and human rights abuses.

To build a stronger Somalia, the current generation must learn from the positive aspects of the Siad Barre era—such as strong state institutions, national unity, and economic development—while avoiding its mistakes, particularly dictatorship, corruption, and clan-based repression.

Lessons from the Siad Barre Era

1. National Unity Over Clan Politics

When the Supreme Revolutionary Council (SRC) took power in 1969, Somalia was struggling with political corruption, clan rivalries, and weak governance. The SRC prioritised national unity, banning clan-based politics and promoting Somali nationalism. While their methods were at times extreme, their early policies fostered a strong national identity.

What today’s leaders can learn:

National interest should come before clan loyalties.

Political appointments must be based on merit, not clan affiliation.

A national identity movement, through education and civic engagement, can help rebuild unity.

However, the Barre government also manipulated clan politics when it suited them, favouring certain groups while oppressing others. This sowed the seeds of civil war. Today’s leaders must learn that true national unity cannot be achieved through force or deception, but through fairness and inclusivity.

2. State-Led Development and Economic Growth

Under Barre, Somalia made major strides in education, infrastructure, and social development. The government introduced universal literacy campaigns, a Somali language script, and state-run industries.

What today’s leaders can learn:

Invest in public services such as education, healthcare, and infrastructure.

The government must play a role in key economic sectors, ensuring development benefits all citizens, not just elites.

Avoid over-reliance on foreign aid—Somalia needs self-sufficiency through agriculture, fishing, and industrial development.

However, by the 1980s, Barre’s regime had become financially corrupt, mismanaging state resources and accumulating crippling debt. The collapse of the Somali economy contributed to the government’s downfall. Today’s leadership must ensure financial transparency and avoid state corruption.

3. Building a Strong and Accountable Security Force

Siad Barre modernised the Somali military, making it one of Africa’s most powerful armies. It ensured stability and territorial defence.

What today’s leaders can learn:

A strong, national military is essential for defending the country and stabilising Somalia.

The military must remain neutral in politics to prevent dictatorship.

Security forces should be loyal to the nation, not individual leaders or clans.

However, Barre’s security forces turned into tools of oppression, engaging in extrajudicial killings, mass arrests, and repression of dissent. The Somali military and intelligence agencies today must be accountable to civilian leadership and respect human rights.

Avoiding the Mistakes of the Past

1. Rejecting Dictatorship and Protecting Democracy

Siad Barre began as a reformer but turned into a dictator, banning political opposition, shutting down free media, and eliminating critics. His authoritarian rule led to a lack of political freedom and ultimately, massive resistance that contributed to state collapse.

What today’s leaders must do differently:

Encourage political competition and free speech—silencing critics leads to instability.

Respect constitutional limits on power to prevent a return to authoritarianism.

Allow a peaceful transfer of power through elections, not through force.

2. Ending Corruption and Nepotism

By the late 1980s, Barre’s government had degenerated into a corrupt network of elites, enriching themselves while ordinary Somalis suffered. Foreign aid meant for development was stolen, and political loyalty was rewarded over competence.

What today’s leaders must do differently:

Establish independent anti-corruption bodies to investigate government officials.

Ensure public resources are distributed fairly, rather than benefiting only a small elite.

Promote government transparency through audits, media freedom, and public accountability.

3. Protecting Human Rights and Avoiding Political Violence

One of the darkest legacies of Siad Barre was the brutal repression of political opponents and entire communities. The 1988 bombing of Hargeisa, which targeted civilians, remains one of the worst atrocities in Somali history.

What today’s leaders must do differently:

Ensure that law enforcement and military operations respect human rights.

Allow political dissent—governments that listen to their people are stronger.

Avoid collective punishment—targeting entire clans or regions leads to long-term instability.

4. Learning from Economic Collapse

Somalia’s economy collapsed due to mismanagement, corruption, and over-reliance on foreign aid. The failure to diversify the economy and the dependence on a single leader’s vision were major weaknesses.

What today’s leaders must do differently:

Encourage private sector growth while maintaining state investment in key areas.

Avoid over-dependence on foreign aid by building a self-reliant economy.

Implement long-term economic policies, rather than short-term fixes for political gain.

Conclusion: A New Path for Somalia

Siad Barre’s regime offers both inspiration and warnings. His government united Somalia, strengthened its military, and invested in national development. But his dictatorship, corruption, and political repression led to Somalia’s collapse.

For today’s generation, the challenge is to build a strong and stable Somalia without repeating the mistakes of the past. This means: ✅ Fostering national unity without suppressing diversity. ✅ Investing in economic growth without corruption. ✅ Strengthening security without oppression. ✅ Encouraging political participation without dictatorship. ✅ Learning from history to avoid collapse.

Somalia stands at a crossroads. It can rise again as a strong, self-sufficient nation—but only if today’s leaders and citizens choose progress over division, democracy over dictatorship, and accountability over corruption.