#which creates a temporary connection between him and the creator's feelings

[juniemunie]

Found these old whiteboard drawings i made with my friends hehe

Anyways heres a not so memey one

[graendoll]

I finally watched the finale of 911 season 7 and my thoughts are below the break.

I have a lot of feelings about what they did and some of them are pretty "oof". Anyway, I realize I swept into Buddie fandom like two months ago and fell deeply in love with Buck and Eddie but after everything that is happening in fandom and in the show, I may slip back out as quickly as I came in because I'm not sure I can deal with the ship wars between now and season 8.

So yeah, if you want to hear what I think about where everything ended up, keep reading. Also...still a Buddie shipper in case it needs to be said 😅

SPOILERS UNDER THE CUT PROCEED W/CAUTION

First, Eddie's story has me absolutely heartbroken even if I suspected a lot of it. Chris calling his grandparents, him leaving even if temporary. I knew it was coming and it still hit me really hard. I know Gavin was considering pulling back so I get it. And Chris will obviously still be a part of Eddie's narrative but ouch that hurt.

Next, the scene between Buck and Tommy was just icky to me. Daddy kink is one of those things I filter out of fic because it's a major fucking squick so the fact that Tim Minear put that on my screen against my will nearly had me throwing hands. Any positive I was trying to find in their date interaction was quickly vomited out all over my coffee table.

I'm not optimistic about Tommy leaving quickly in season 8 for any reason. The date was very much a get to know you situation and while I thought Tommy was being a bit harsh about Bobby, I can guarantee the BT's are probably drooling over the implications of that scene.

(This is one of the things seriously impacting my desire not to watch this show anymore.)

On to Hen and Mara - I am very glad we have a mostly resolved situation with Mara going in to season 8. Honestly this whole story line felt unnecessary and written for the sake of drama. The show is feeling very soapy and while I was giving it the benefit of the doubt because of how much the writers were trying to do in 10 episodes, they better knock that shit off. It's a far cry from the writing of episodes like Buck Begins. (The second reason I may not watch anymore.)

Also, every once in a while Athena does something that makes me absolutely despise her character and this episode was one of those situations. Her jumping to conclusions and threatening Amil was just, rushed, overly dramatic and felt unnecessary

If you needed to get her to Amils house for the cartel arrival, maybe have her go without homicidal tendencies?

Honestly the only storyline that got any room to breath in this episode was Eddie's.

Which brings me to my final thoughts, specific to Buddie and the future of that ship in canon.

First, that will is never going to come up again. It belongs to us now. The writers have elected to ignore it for three seasons and it's never going to come up again, unless Eddie actually dies.

Second, the continuation of BT and the loss of Christopher is like a fucking death knell for Buddie in canon imo. I hate it, but without Chris, they are no longer a little family. Whatever magic was happening with Buddie up to the shooting scene has not been recaptured, and I'm not sure it's ever going to be at this rate, especially I'd the writers don't fix their soapy garbage.

Am I old and cynical? Yes. Does that make me wrong? Maybe...but right now what we have is Buck happily engaged in a weird Daddy kink relationship, Chris, one of the main points of connection between Eddie and Buck, out of the picture, and Eddie probably finding God and repenting for his sins.

Okay I made that last part up but it's a real fear!

In either case, I feel like we were horribly ship bated all season, and it was done only to create buzz for the show on a new network with a new queer character.

I miss when fandom didn't have access to creators and didn't feel like a place you could win because the BTs are going to be A NIGHTMARE for the rest of the hiatus and frankly I don't want to deal with toxic ship wars while we all wait for season 8.

So yeah, happy season 7 finale? 🤣

[egopocalypse]

A List of Marvin Headcanons

And the general timeline of his character in my non-series related lore, because I had to go the extra mile.

General:

He’s pan-ace and sex-positive.

Uses he/they pronouns and calls people out if they try to make him pick one.

Has dabbled in a wide range of magics, ranging from elemental to illusions to mind magics to necromancy.

They’re the type of bastard to use their voice to get what they want and practically purrs when manipulating someone.

(People simp for his voice and he takes full advantage of it.)

(Chase and Jackie may or may not be two of those people.)

Morally grey.

Charming as fuck and knows how to gain people’s favor.

Will have you wrapped around their finger and get all the information they want from you before you realize how much you’ve spilled.

He has several friends who are sex-workers and will smack down anyone who tries to harass them.

Friendly with most people (especially if you have something he wants) but has a very small group of actual friends.

However, he generally keeps people at an arm’s length, even when they’re his friends, and is a very private person.

Has had a few long-term partners, but most of the time prefers casual relationships that only last a few months, and isn’t looking to settle down any time soon.

Whether or not this is due to his fear of intimacy and inability to be vulnerable so he doesn’t seem weak is up to you to decide. (Spoiler: it is.)

He still struggles with being his own person outside of an ego at times, but mostly feels secure in his identity and the personality he’s painstakingly crafted for himself.

(And I’m throwing the lore below the cut, because it took up a page and a half in google docs and this is long enough already.)

Lore:

Started off with a lack of identity after springing into existence after his power hour. 

Went through an identity crisis and proceeded to make himself as Not Like Jack as possible, to the point of choosing a different name than what he was originally given to distance himself from his creator.

Jackie tried to help him as best he could, and after a few weeks, things seemed to start getting better.

Then Henrik showed up with an accent, a personality, and a name.

This pissed Marvin the fuck off.

They did everything they could to sabotage Henrik and make him miserable as petty revenge against Jack (and also because they just did not get along with him).

Jackie started to distance himself from them and bonded more with Henrik, which pissed them off even more and they fought with him.

They ended up leaving the house to let off some steam one night, which is when Anti targeted them.

Anti recognized his potential and promised to give him the attention and power he’d been craving.

Marvin said yes and started working with Anti.

They created the tether that tied Anti to Jack and strengthened the connection between Anti and Jack, which allowed Anti to overpower Jack on Halloween and kill him.

But Anti blamed Marvin for Henrik’s interference and saving Jack’s life, so they had to prove themself to him to gain his mercy.

This is when Marvin officially gained Anti’s strings.

Marvin returned to the ego’s residence and started spying on them, collecting information for Anti.

Jackie was ecstatic to see he was back and embraced him, spending more time with him like before Henrik arrived.

Marvin soaked in the attention and things stayed relatively calm for several months.

Chase’s arrival ended that.

Once again, Jack had created a new ego, and this time with a very detailed backstory. Even more so than Henrik’s.

And the worst part is, Marvin couldn’t hate him.

They wanted to, but Chase ended up latching onto their heart somehow and wouldn’t let go, no matter how many attempts they made to push him away.

They ended up becoming the one that Chase turned to with his secrets the most, especially regarding his fears and doubts.

Anti noticed Marvin turning away from him and started threatening Chase’s life and freedom to get Marvin to obey again.

Marvin agreed and started arranging for Kill Jacksepticeye to happen, slipping things into Jack’s food/drinks, using voodoo and black magics to worsen his health, and working on a ritual to bind Jack inside his mind so Anti can control it without problems.

When the day arrives, Henrik comes across Marvin performing the ritual and causes him to fuck it up, so Jack dies.

To get him out of the picture, they offer Henrik up to Anti as a temporary replacement.

Marvin then proceeds to use necromancy once they’re gone to bring Jack back, but he’s left in a coma as a result of the damage his body took from the failed ritual.

Chase and Jackie’s worry over Hen’s disappearance causes him to be ashamed of his actions, and he fakes his own abduction.

They live with Anti for the next few months, and when Jameson is snatched by Anti, it’s Marvin’s job to guard him and Henrik.

Like Chase, Jameson worms his way into Marvin’s heart, and he sees him as the apprentice he never had.

It’s through Jameson’s careful work that Marvin and Henrik’s relationship gets mended, though it takes a lot of effort from the three of them.

May 2019 comes around and Anti finally causes Marvin to snap.

They use their magic to try to bust themself, Henrik, and Jameson out.

Henrik is the only one to make it.

Jameson got caught by Anti and Marvin surrendered to keep him from hurting him and as a distraction to keep Anti’s attention off of Henrik’s escape.

It takes them until the new year to get out from there, and Anti took every available opportunity before that to subdue them and beat them into submission (see: Jameson Jackson’s Jolly Jaunts).

The last year or so has been dedicated to healing and dealing with the trauma, as well as coming up with a plan to stand against Anti and take him down once and for all.

That is where we stand now, and we’ll see what tomorrow’s video has to do with the lore. 

(Dear god, please let some of this be correct. Please.)

[dustedmagazine]

Mdou Moctar — Afrique Victime (Matador)

“Chismiten” begins with the distant shriek of a rooster, the sound of feet pacing on dirt or gravel, all setting the stage for a burst of searing guitar fireworks, courtesy of Niger’s greatest current player, Mdou Moctar. And yet, while 2019’s superb Ilana: The Creator showcased that fiery, double-tapping proficiency, so much so that Isaac Olson warned “If you still have a punk-induced allergy to flashy guitar solos, be warned; there’s not a track on Ilana where Moctar doesn’t take every available opportunity to — no other word for it — shred,” Afrique Victime is less devoted to solo skills. You’ll be all the way to the title track before Moctar bursts out in untrammeled shredder-y again. This latest album is more about the trance-y, hypnotic groove, less about blitz-speed picking.

That’s always been a part of the appeal, of course. At Solid Sound two years ago, in a festival that was too hot and too crowded to really enjoy otherwise, the swaying, smoldering, slow vamps of “Anna” and “Tumastin” created a space that you could live in, nodding slowly, temporary lulled and calmed. But this time out, Moctar’s record mostly eschews the wild Eddie Van Halen-esque freak-outs of “Tarhatazed,” seeking instead the more communal pleasures of locked-in, horizon-blurring repetition.

Moctar has been everywhere lately, popping up with his inimitable style on the Superwolves album and hosting a torrid Bandcamp.com streamed block party in Niamey, Niger. His move to Matador (from the small but excellent Sahel Sounds) raises the stakes. While he’s been one of rock music’s best guitarists for a while, the larger platform takes him out of the niche desert blues category and into the broader multinational arena. He might be excused for capitalizing by leaning into the rock elements of his sound, but instead, he’s putting forward the droning, mystic, call-and-response twilight magic of northwest African guitar music.

That is, perhaps, partly due to the collaborative nature of Afrique Victime, which Moctar created in close partnership with his rhythm guitarist Ahmoudou Madassane. There is a beautiful, communal power in slow grooves like “Ya Habibti,” with its circling, mesmeric riffs and hand-clapped syncopations. “Asdikte Akal” moves a bit quicker, more of a trot than a shuffle, but also feels like a group endeavor, in the tangling, interlacing guitar lines, the steady punch of the drums and the gorgeous all-hands choruses. Moctar has quite a good drummer in Souleymane Ibrahim, able to work these rhythms hard without overwhelming the musicality, and the bass player, lone westerner Michael Coltun, supports the insistent, dream-like propulsion of these slow-unspooling tunes.

These songs seem to come at you through smoke and distance, an eerie, timeless longing in their drifting melodies. “Layla” (not the same one that had Eric Clapton on his knees) is all staccato percussion in the guitar line, but all haunting ache in the vocals.

Near the end of the album with “Afrique Victime,” there is finally a bit of guitar heroism, though tucked into the interstices between sidewinding grooves and spooky, whispery verses about all the wrongs done to Africa. And yet, the ego entailed in most rock guitar solos isn’t there. Loud and triumphant, but intimately connected to every other part of the song, the guitar work feels like a natural outgrowth of what the band is doing. During a pandemic when lots of artists have limited themselves to what they can do alone in their apartments without input from anyone, Moctar has found a way to lock into something larger than himself, letting the group be more than its members, and that’s a beautiful thing.

Jennifer Kelly

[mwolf0epsilon]

Why not kill two birds with one stone?

---

The way they'd established supply runs was an intricate ordeal. It was an effort split between a group and a solo act of sorts, with the group scavenging for anything useful (like food , tools, or any bits and bobs that might come in handy later) while one lone soul would run around leading the Ink Demon in circles to keep it well away from the supply run's path. That "morning", after the usual breakfast of bacon soup, stale coffee and ink brew, Henry had assigned the roles through the drawing of straws (actually just pieces of paper he'd tried to cut as evenly as possible) among the few toons that did not have a particular task to complete for the day. Norman, Buddy, Shawn and Grant had thusly ended up together as a group, while Sammy was the unfortunate bait of the day. Not that he had any trouble getting around mind you... He could run faster now that he had a stable body, and he knew the layout of the top floors pretty well now that some of his memories as the Prophet ressurfaced. He could also sense the demon's presence more acutely so he could run circles around the damn thing without it realizing it was being duped.

Overall it was a solid team. Too solid even.

Which of course called for some action on 'Wally's part.

'Wally' had it all figured out or at least that's what he liked to think. He was, for a matter of lack of words, a wolf in sheep's clothing... Or... a sheep in wolf's clothing? Or was it an idea in sheepish wolf's clothing?

Ok maybe he didn't have it all figured out, but who cared? He didn't have to do the big thinking anyway because there were two people doing that for him anyways. All he really needed to do was play is part as the clumsy but charming guy that got everyone else to laugh. Get all cozy and cute with these people and get the plot running real smooth without them realizing it.

Simple in theory but very difficult in practice for, you see, 'Wally' was the idea of Wally Franks constructed in the image of an off-model Boris with a goofy grin, a Brooklyn accent, and a love for pranks and foods he'd never tasted before. Every single tape the Ink could find it used to create him. Including one very specific trait: Wally Franks was a bit of a dick sometimes, but he was genuinely nice to those he care for. And it just so happened he cared for all these other dicks who were currently living cartoon characters. Yes even Sammy Stick-Up-The-Ass Lawrence... What a dang predicament...

Sabotaging them on Joey's and the Ink's command was getting harder and harder each time, and both his creators were not happy with this.

He either did as he was told, or he'd be in a world of trouble. He needed to do something big, and fast!

Thus came the idea to sabotage the supply run. A plan that quickly went off the rails big time because he'd turned off his brain for just a second...

Sneaking off was really easy. Tom had told him to fasten some of the bolts on the less stable pipes upstairs and, after some very convincing grumbling under his breath, he'd gone up to do just that. Except he kept on walking right past where his stop was at. He had eyes on a much bigger task than fiddling with some faulty pipework that was gonna burst later anyways.

Sammy was awfully suspicious of him, so 'Wally' made sure to wait around to check where he was headed before searching the upper floors for Norman's crew. The Ink had whispered to him, told him that if he took Polk's reels he'd be able to cut the run short and force them to go back. Then the Ink would simply scare off Sammy by leading the demon straight to him when he least expected it.

He'd stupidly not questioned why taking the reels would force the group back. He'd been too curious to see what was on them anyways to consider they might be important to Norman in a physical sense.

Stupid, stupid, stupid!

"Anyone else feeling a bit watched?" Grant whispered as 'Wally' crept around from within the walls, keeping his eye on the prize. Polk had fastened the reels into place before leaving, so snatching them off without being noticed wasn't going to be easy. He wasn't a dull joe, however, so he got around that issue with quite the clever grift.

Some of the walls were rotten from being soaked with ink for so long, so one careful tug was all he needed to make a part of the wall and ceiling collapse.

"Watch out!" The object-head toon turned around to shield his partners, blocking their view and being unable to see as 'Wally' quickly descended upon him and took both items in one swift motion. Using the dust clouds and sound of crunching wood as cover to flee from the scene.

As easy and sweet as pie! He could already hear his creators praising him for the good job. Now to figure out what was so damn important about these dang films that Polk obcessed over them so much...

As soon as he'd found a projector he popped them in and eagerly awaited a show. The first few minutes of footage confused him, as he wasn't seeing cartoons but real human people. Then a few more minutes of this strange "real people film" made him realize it wasn't some fictional bad soap opera that the projectionist had somehow saved.

These were moments in Norman's life. Norman's memories. They were a part of him.

Which is when 'Wally' realized he fucked up. Wait no, that wasn't true. He realized this when a terrifying roar and three terrified screams shook the halls...

---

Sammy's wool stood on end as soon as he heard the roar just one floor below him. The bellowing of the Projectionist when he was still a feral ink abomination. A screech that had followed him and Jack as they ran like their butts were on fire towards the base where a temporary cage awaited the monster Norman Polk had become.

That screech that was somehow ringing downstairs, diverting the demon's attention from the sheep toon. Something terrible had happened and the others were likely in a world of trouble. He had to move.

Rushing down the stairs Sammy listened to the horrific roars and the screams of his coworkers. He then followed the mess left behind. Splintered doors, broken furniture and a trail of ink. Someone's ink.

Someone was injured while the demon was on the prowl.

He turned a corner and stumbled as he walked into 'Wally'. He was surprised at first, unsure why the cartoon wolf would be all the way upstairs, before his eyes landed on two very familiar blank looking reels. It clicked in his mind that the roars and 'Wally' holding these two items Norman had been protective of were connected somehow.

"You..." He snarled, actually snarled, wool turning to bristled fur on the back of his neck and tip of his tail as anger replaced apprehension.

"I... I can explain!"

"What did you do?!"

"I was... I was fixin' the pipes and a wall collapsed! I swear! I found these and... I think they were Norman's? I figured I might need to give 'em back an--"

"Cut the €π@¶, you're a $#!¥ liar mutt..." Sammy hissed furiously as he grabbed 'Wally' by the ears. "I told Henry you were bad news, but did he listen? No!"

"O-ow Sammy that smarts!"

"Trust me once I tell the others, me pulling on your ears will feel like a light spanking..." The sheep toon began to drag the wolf along, continuing his search for his missing teammates.

His anger dissipating as the trail of ink (blood) continued on. And then it stopped. Right in front a little miracle station situated in a trashed room.

Sammy stared at it for a little while before pressing his head to it. He could hear muffled familiar crying.

"Grant, you in there...?" He called, hoping for anything. A meek yes, a sob, anything...

He didn't expect the station to open up and have two child-sized toons tackle him in desperation.

Shawn and Grant were terrified. Worse yet... Buddy was with them and he did not look well.

'Wally' stared at the heavily wounded toon dog, barely able to look at the extensive damage. The kid was missing chunks for Pete's sake!

"What happened?" Sammy tried to get the others to talk.

"A wall collapsed, and... £¢€&... Oh my god..." Grant was hysterical and Shawn wasn't any better.

"It was mad, madness! I can't... And Norman..."

"Words, use your words, come on! What happened? Where's Norman?!" Sammy insisted, shaking the two smaller toons for good measure. They hiccuped and sobbed, and Grant could barely hold up one of his hands to point to a corner, where a lone projector lay discarded. 'Wally's stomach plummeted at the sight, and Sammy's grip slackened as he realized the implications.

"He went n-nuts... He attacked us! Buddy t-tried to stop him... W-we could barely escape into the station and then... Oh god Sammy, the Demon killed Norman! It just..."

"Head straight off, like he was nothin'!"

The reels clattered to the floor, rolling a few feet to meet with the projector that was spurting ink like a macabre fountain piece. 'Wally' had messed up big time.

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: Muslim Culture and Character: Reflections (Tafakkur): Beauty and the Beautiful

Beauty elevates our hearts, awakens our souls with sweet excitement and appreciation, and then becomes the esthetic of our inner self. This hard-to-describe phenomenon, this sense that is present in our most joyous moments, is beauty. Even though this definition might seem too narrow, it is one interpretation. There have been elaborate interpretations on the notion of beauty from the point of view of esthetics. The focus now shifts on the relation of beauty with existence, nature, and human beings, or even beyond nature.

The meanings of beauty need to be redefined all together in order to be properly appreciated. Even though this has been done many times by masters of esthetics, we will try to explain our understanding of beauty in the context of our philosophy and belief, where every beautiful object is a mirror image or a reflection of Divine Beauty. Furthermore, anything that incites appreciation, love, and astonishment is seen as a reflection of Divine Beauty. Therefore, when our hearts are filled with these everlasting reflections, we are always able to perceive ourselves within beauty.

Through such a perspective, we conceive of even seemingly sad things, like death and decay, as being the essence of the most amazing harmonies, thus feeling ourselves to be among infinite beauty. In this way, we never feel upset or discouraged by the fading of our attachments. On the contrary, we experience the outward beauty of faith, breathe in the motivating air of hope, strive to do righteous deeds in the hope that we will fulfill our spiritual desires, seek sincerity in every deed, struggle to be tolerant, merciful, and constructive in all our behavior, and we strive to accept those deeds done for the sake of God as being the best moments of our lives. For us, faith becomes the light that illuminates our horizons, and a source of hope for our expectations. Only through faith can the chaos of nothingness be overcome. Only through faith can we reach the happiness that spreads from our hearts to the infinite Paradise. Through its vastness and power, faith becomes beautiful. Through faith one can find the Divine Unity, turn toward the Truth, and reach worldly and heavenly bliss, being released from all worries.

These are all the beauties within beauty that can be enjoyed through faith in God. The universe, events, objects, and human intellect that can evaluate these are all beautiful in that they help us find faith. Likewise, all righteous acts that stem from faith, good morals, and the desire to reach real faith and progress in the spiritual ranks of love and knowledge of God are also beautiful. Even acts of worship, or calamities that strike us, or sins that we find hard to resist, all of which may seem like hardship from the outside, represent beauty if we adopt the right attitude toward them. Real beauty belongs to God. He necessitates perfection, which is unique to Him alone. All of existence is a different mirror of God, reflecting His beauty as much as its potential allows. Stars sing of the beauty of light every night, they wink at us and remind us of Him through their unbelievable beauty. Moonlight touches the hearts with its softness and beauty and the sun spreads its mercy on each and every thing without distinction. It pours down its light and colors all day long, and sets, giving us another marvelous scene. The seas rise and fall through the tides, and take care of millions of living beings, like a merciful mother. Mountains, with a sheer size that makes our hearts pound, seem to be whispering something to the skies, playing along with the clouds. Mountains invite the rains, and stop the oceans with their proud look, yet they become mere earth. All the voices from the birds, sheep, forests, and mountains make up such a harmonious song, feeding our souls with the most peaceful rhythms. Yes, everything from the smiling skies to the thousands of glories of the Earth is so beautiful that they make us aware of the beauty of Heaven and we simply say “it just could not have been more beautiful!” And human beings themselves seem to be the most beautiful among all this beauty. With our outward looks, our inner world of senses, thoughts, and faith, we are like a sample, a replica of the universe. It is therefore apparent that humans have been created as a key to solve the riddle of creation. This is the way we should perceive beauty, seeing it only as a tool to interpret the real meaning of existence. In this enormous arena of beauty, everything can be seen as a point referring to the Creator. If, with our pure intentions and the right perspective, we can perceive existence as a mirror reflecting the beauty of The Beautiful, we can experience spiritual joy.

In fact, it should not be difficult to be aware of this. Sometimes, only a beautifully designed city or a place of worship is enough to make us enjoy this holy pleasure. Sometimes, a nice poem, a legend, a well-told story, or music that is meant to touch our human sensibilities, that wafts harmony into our soul, can draw us to this beauty, and make us hear the beauty of some other abode. However, the continuity of the joy that these spiritual pleasures give us and the avoidance of suffering depends on relating this worldly beauty to its real Owner. Otherwise, all will end at the most unexpected moment. The Sun will set and the Moon will disappear as our soul sinks into the darkness. It is impossible for souls in decline to appreciate and enjoy beauty. Since every beauty of this world fades away and leaves us one day, for our soul not to despair and to be able to enjoy the real and infinite beauty, it is necessary to establish the true Owner and Originator of the beauty we observe. A poet, relating this concept to a Qur’anic verse said: “Even faces as beautiful as the Sun set in the end. Thus I love not the temporary ones, but the infinite beauty that does not fade away.” Rumi illustrates the same point in the following verses: “My God, after seeing You, knowing You, I do not see the beauty of this world anymore …”

Yes, material beauty is just a means to acknowledge the Most Beautiful. Getting stuck at the “means” and not realizing the ultimate goal of this beauty, which shows us the real Beauty of God, is nothing more than being blind to the real goal, the real Truth. The Creator has placed all sorts of beauty and signs along the way so that we will not be blinded; however, for souls that have not reached this realization and which lack the faithful perspective, this beauty is nothing but a source of mischief, or means leading them to sin. But for those who can think clearly, even the love for the beautifully created is only the shade of the shade of the shade of the Beauty of the Beauty of God. As long as we are able to distinguish between the Real Source of Beauty and its reflection, the love we feel for the created is harmless. In this sense we can accept the created as beautiful.

Sometimes, we are aware of the innermost feelings in our souls which sense only the abstract beauty that fills our hearts with God’s love alone. At these moments, when beauty and love become intertwined, the soul, with its unique ability to see, feel, and hear, senses the Real Source in everything that it meets. Through its heavenly bestowed mechanisms, our soul perceives the essence of everything and attributes this to its real owner. It is the lack of this mechanism that renders the materialists and the naturalists short-sighted; they only observe the outer beauty of things, and fall short of perceiving the spiritual and infinite horizons. However, all beauty exists to take us to the Heavens, to the Godly realms.

Every human being displays themselves, their feelings, and their abilities in their works. This means that they are presenting something for others who will observe and perceive through the prism of their insight. God presents His works embellished with color, meaning, and content in order to make Himself known and loved for those seeking Him. We are sent to this world with the responsibility then, to affect and reshape things with His permission, to reflect our understanding, but also to be attentive to the true purpose and meaning of the creation of things. The universe and the happenings in it are thus perfect examples to imitate. However, no matter how perfect the example is, everyone will draw and interpret objects according to their abilities. Charles Lalo, commenting on esthetics once said: “The magnificent scene taking place at the time of sunset will remind a farmer of the rather unesthetic thought of dinner; the physicist, not of beauty or ugliness, but of rightness or wrongness of the analysis of a matter. Thus, the sunset is beautiful only for those who are aware of beauty.” Therefore, only those who see with God and hear with God can appreciate the beauty that spreads throughout existence as their senses are tuned to the spiritual realms.

A heart that beats with God’s love and which desires to meet Him, will be aware of many signs from God along the way. Such a heart will feel the excitement of meeting Him, as it reads the messages from the Moon, the sunset, the twinkling stars, colorful nature, the blowing of the wind, the snow… And such a heart would utter, in the words of one who has reached unity of sight and heart, “Everyone from everywhere is coming to watch Your beauty. From beneath and from above, every being is declaring You, displaying the reflections of Your beauty.” This heart looks at nature and objects, but sees the Unseen spiritual realms. This is the point of love and connection with God.

[shirokodomo]

[Hakudōshi Verses]

With my new blog theme I can’t provide a link to the verses page as before, therefor I will also post about them here. 

This is a rather long post, so you can find the verses under the cut! They will be divided in three categories: Main, AU and Canon Divergent.

More verses will be added to this post and to the blog itself as they are created.

MAIN

AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: Canon Universe POSITION: Naraku's servant / Plotting to overthrow Naraku The canon verse everyone is familiar with, in here Hakudōshi was originally Naraku’s human heart, the Infant, before being split in half by a dying priest, from which the right half of it grew into Hakudōshi. He is a deceiving, manipulating little devil that doesn’t hesitate to kill his preys but also enjoys to play games and torture them, he often gets his hands dirty and doesn’t mind it and appears to be an incarnation who is almost as loyal to Naraku as Kanna is. He is also very clever and usually is several steps ahead from his enemies. He has, however, his own agenda and eventually plots with his other half to overthrow his creator and take his place. Interactions with this verse will vary between the Hakudōshi that is a loyal servant to Naraku and the Hakudōshi that is already plotting the betrayal with his other half, it will all depend on the plot of the thread. I am fine with the interactions between our Muses being hostile and harsh, Hakudōshi is a villain after all! Since the canon material with him isn’t much, a lot of things will be headcanon based, especially when it comes to his betrayal towards Naraku as personally I think the reasons for his betrayal were a bit bland and empty.

AU

AGE: 11-12 TIMELINE: Early 2000's POSITION: Heir of the Makai Company, one of the most wealthy families in Japan. An AU where the series characters are all humans and no demons exist. Hakudōshi Makai is the 11 year old son of Naraku Makai and Kikyō; the couple went through a complicated and harsh divorce but through the corrupt system, Naraku gained the full custody of his son and made it so his now ex-wife could never see their son ever again. Prior to these events, Hakudōshi was extremely close to his mother and thus her leaving left an empty feeling on the boy. This and Naraku's manipulation over him lead to Hakudōshi believing that every relationship is meant to be doomed sooner or later and that the concept of a happy family does not exist. The Hakudōshi of this verse does not possess the same manipulative and cruel nature of his canon counterpart, however, he can be cold and even distant sometimes. He eventually opens up to others but it takes time. During free time, between Junior High School lessons and education regarding the family's business, Hakudōshi practices kendo and also horse riding lessons, he has a horse of his own a white mustang named Entei, he has owned it ever since it was a foal, and it was a gift from his mother. It is a gift he treasures dearly.

Variations of this verse may be created.

AGE: 19 (Biologically) | 12-13 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: x784 POSITION: Half-Demon | Former slave of the Tower of Heaven | Independent Mage An AU created for interactions within the Fairy Tail universe. Hakudōshi is a half-demon who during his early childhood was captured and taken by a Zeref following cult, for the same purpose as the other kidnapped children by them: build the Tower of Heaven to resurrect Zeref. During the rebellion led by Erza Scarlet, Hakudōshi escaped by using one of his abilities: Teleportation, once he was freed from the Magic Stealing Stones, instead of joining the rebels. After escaping, Hakudōshi set on to his main goal: find his twin brother, Akago, whom he had protected and prevented from also being captured by the cult. Due to his half-demon genes, Hakudōshi's body grows “slower” than the average human or demon, although his age keeps up with that of a human, his current appearance is of a child. This often leads to other people, wrongly, looking down on him when he takes up job offers. Although he possesses other abilities, his main magic is named Reversal Magic which is essentially a magic that allows Hakudōshi to absorb Caster type Magic into a barrier and then redirect it back to his opponent. It doesn’t work with Holder type Magic. With training, Hakudōshi develops other minor abilities which are connected to his demon side.

AGE: 19 TIMELINE: 2010 onward POSITION: Vampire turned by Naraku | College student An AU verse in which the main focus is supernatural stuff, this means, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches, etc. It is loosely based on The Vampire Diaries/The Originals series. Hakudōshi is an adult in this verse and his features remain the same as his canon counterpart: white hair, pale skin, violet eyes. Hakudōshi prior to his transformation was a normal boy, 19 years old, who had just entered college. Distant, not very social, generally quiet but quite intelligent those were the words that described him. His life turned completely upside down when one day he stayed till late at the school’s library, studying, and at some point heard noises, moans and what appeared to be screams coming from one of the classes. Upon investigating, he caught one of his teachers feeding on a student, literally feeding. The teacher, Naraku, realized the extra company at the room and decided to silence the boy. But Naraku realized who it was, one of his favorite students and instead of simply killing him, he decided to toy with him. Feeding him his blood and then snapping his neck, the vampire left Hakudōshi alone at the school along with his now dead victim, blood dripping to the floor. When he woke up from his temporary death, it was night and Hakudōshi felt an inexplicable thirst, not for water but for blood. He saw the dead student and without being able to control himself drank the remaining blood but it was not enough, it only made him more thirsty. This lead to him going to his house and murdering his family, only coming to his senses when it was already too late. Naraku watched him the whole time in delight and attempted to approach his most recent creation, to gain control over him, but Hakudōshi rejected his control and escaped, using and discovering his new inhuman abilities. With his emotions extremely amplified and still not understanding what had happened to him, he soon discovered he could no longer walk in the sun, it burned him and so he had to hide during the day and hunt at night, to quench his thirst. His path eventually crosses with that of Kohaku, a supernatural hunter trained from a young age to kill especially vampires like him. Despite having been taught to hate and kill these bloodthirsty monsters, Kohaku noticed the despair of the vampire and choose to help him control himself, teaching him a new diet not human based and eventually provided him a ring which allowed Hakudōshi to walk in the sun. Hakudōshi, after turning into a vampire, becomes extremely sardonic and doesn’t easily trust anyone. Being ironic is what he does best, he berates others, mocks them. This was his way to protect himself and the only one who succeeded so far in breaking that shell was Kohaku, although that only happened because he spared his life.

CANON DIVERGENT

AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: Post Ep.1 of Inuyasha: The Final Act / Chap.370 POSITION: Escaping from Naraku and The Infant This verse starts with a twist on the first episode of Inuyasha: The Final / on chapter 370, in this verse Hakudōshi doesn't die at the hand of Miroku's Wind Tunnel. Instead of losing his mind and trying to kill Kagura at any cost, Hakudōshi uses his miasma in order to escape from his enemies while his body keeps regenerating to its normal state; later he reunites with the Infant and Mōryōmaru in order to set up a new plan to get their hands on Kohaku's shard, the wicked Infant however has other plans for his "brother". With Naraku now being aware of their betrayal, the Infant states that he no longer needs Hakudōshi's help and that it is time for them to become one once again by having Mōryōmaru absorb him into his body, just like he had intended to do with Kagura. Hakudōshi refuses and they engage in a battle which ends with him barely escaping but successfully retrieves the jewel shard in Mōryōmaru's belly. The demon child is now completely alone, no allies and a lot of enemies with two of them constantly trying to capture him and kill him (Naraku and the Infant); this leads to Hakudōshi not trusting anyone he crosses paths with and being even slightly paranoid especially after he realizes the Infant is trying to enter inside his mind, to take over his body as well, and that he also has some sort of control over his regenerating abilities, slowing it down and making it far more painful. Hakudōshi eventually sets on a goal to find a way to create his own heart so that he can sever his connection to the Infant and eventually kill both his other half and Naraku.

EXCLUSIVE WITH: konosesshomaru AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: Between the events of the Devil’s Crag and Kagura’s death. POSITION: Traveling with Sesshōmaru's group A variant verse of "Abandoned". Naraku discovers earlier Hakudōshi’s and the Infant's plans to overthrow him; he absorbs the Infant back inside him and to make his former right hand man physically suffer, gives him a heart of his own so that real wounds -that actually take a long time to heal- can be inflicted on the child. Hakudōshi has no choice but to flee for his life as Naraku's demons chase him and he ends up being rescued by Sesshōmaru, who then makes the decision to take him under his wing at least until the boy's wounds are healed. Afterwards, he leaves it up to Hakudōshi to decide if he wants to stay with them or not. With Naraku now constantly chasing after him, Hakudōshi chooses to stay and travel together with Sesshōmaru and his group.

EXCLUSIVE WITH: thecursedpriestess AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: After Hakudōshi was pierced by Kikyō's arrow POSITION: Loyal to Kikyō | Travels with her After being pierced by Kikyō's arrow, shot by Kagome back in the Underworld, Hakudōshi is sired to the priestess due to her spiritual power having made some sort of connection with 'the Onigumo in him' instead of killing him -since his heart was somewhere else-. Afterwards Hakudōshi begins to feel strange whenever Kikyō is mentioned and no matter how hard he tries, he can't hurt her neither physically or emotionally. He eventually realizes what happened and though initially he hates the idea of being sired to the woman he was supposed to hate, the more times his path crosses with that of Kikyō's, the more loyal he seems to become to her. Hakudōshi, at some point, stops resisting and chooses to stay by the priestess's side. The bond becomes so strong to the point the child is willing to die for her; however what he doesn't understand is that the bond stopped being a 'sired bond' and has become one of a mother and her child.

AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: After Kagome's permanent return to the Feudal Era POSITION: Brought back to life by a demon named Kirimi Not long after Kagome’s permanent return to the Feudal Era, a demon going by the name Kirimi (切り身, ‘Cutting Flesh’) begins an attempt to revive once powerful demons. They pretend to follow the steps of the deceased Urasue and even surpass them by improving the technique. Kirimi starts by reviving minor demons, at first to merely appreciate their work from afar and even see the need of improvements. Then they move on the next step: start reviving the deceased incarnations of Naraku. Unlike Urasue’s creations, Kirimi doesn’t use ashes and clay instead they use: an object that once belonged to the demon intended to be revived and that retains said demon’s “essence”, Kirimi’s own blood to create the connection between them and the revived demon and the heart of a sacrificed human. To revive Hakudōshi, Kirimi used the blanket that once belonged to the Infant’s right half, the one who later regrew into the child incarnation, and the heart of a human child. Thus instead of being a body made of clay like Urasue’s creations, Kirimi’s revived demons have a body made of flesh but only possess one organ inside them: the heart of the sacrificed human. Hakudōshi is then revived but he doesn’t appear to possess any memories of his life before his first death. He only reacts to his name and the reason seems to be that because Kirimi used the Infant’s blanket, an object worn by Hakudōshi only prior to be being cut in half and shortly after his body regrowing, therefore the “essence” within the blanket doesn’t “possess” Hakudōshi’s memories in the child-like body. Kirimi allows him to go so that he can retrieve his memories, once that is done they would be able to control Hakudōshi as their personal weapon along with the remaining incarnations they intended to revive. Hakudōshi then wanders through the lands, vaguely remembering the face of a woman carrying an Infant (Kagura) and the killing of monks. Believing that is how he will recover his memories, the newly reborn incarnation begins killing monks in the same way him and Kagura did in the past.

AGE: 20+ | 8-11 (Permanent Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: Hanyou no Yashahime & onwards POSITION: Lives isolated in a mountain | Independent Demon Slayer After Kirimi’s death, Hakudōshi eventually recovers all of his memories, not just of the person he used to be but all the people he has hurt. Regret is a strong word for him, does he regret anything? He doesn’t, he did what he was born to do. Regret won’t bring back those who died at his hands or those who were hurt. He is capable, however, of apologizing despite knowing the most obvious answer is that he isn’t forgiven. That is fine by him. To his surprise, Kohaku asks him to come train for a while at the new Demon Slayer village. The boy hasn’t forgiven him but his kind nature doesn’t let the former incarnation simply go. He goes and after becoming a skilled Demon Slayer, Hakudōshi retires to a mountain and only leaves it when there is a dire need. He gains the title of The Demon That Slays Demons. This is where he will stay and watch as the new generations are born, grow and eventually surpass the old. The entire experience changes his personality to somewhat more calm, less brutal and cruel, the sadistic incarnation of Naraku is no more, but he is still Hakudōshi, the White Child.

EXCLUSIVE WITH: @adversitybloomed​

AGE: 8-11 (Physical Appearance) TIMELINE: After the Infant was split in half POSITION: Adopted by the Hua family | Doesn't know his connection to Naraku

After the Infant was split in two, the right half of it was supposed to remain dead while the left half regenerated back into its original form. In short, the right half was supposed to be nothing but dead meat. Given this, Naraku ordered Kanna to look after the left half and get rid of the right one. The incarnation did as she was told and abandoned the half on a river, allowing the strong stream to take it away. Something unexpected happened and the right half regenerated just like its left but it was completely alone. Although still a demon, the baby appeared to have lost its memories and even its previous speaking ability, therefore the only way to grab the attention of anyone passing by was of a normal baby: cry. And so he did and soon enough he was found by Hua Mulan. She knew he was a demon the moment she set her eyes on him and even so still took him. She took had demonic blood in her. Having lost its speaking abilities, at least for now, Hakudōshi spoke to Mulan through his mind ability but could only tell her his name as he didn’t remember anything else. Mulan decided there and then to officially adopt and raise the little baby as if he were her own son. Because of his demon origins, Hakudōshi grows and develops much faster than the average child; each month he grows more and more although at some point it should stabilize. He is happy, he loves his mother and has a big respect for the Hua family, never does he want to tarnish their name. But danger lurks around every corner and unknown to him, his life is still connected to that of Naraku’s and thus it is threatened to be taken should his infant counterpart meet his demise...

....

These are the current verses. I also have a verse for Crossovers but I am a bit selective regarding the fandoms I accept RPing with in this verse.

[questionsonislam]

Can you explain the role of “khalifah” (vicegerent) attributed to man by the Quran from an ecological point of view?

Man is the vicegerent of Allah on earth (al-Baqara 2/ 30) and he is not left uncontrolled (without purpose) (al-Qiyama 75/ 36) according to the statements of the Quran. What is meant by the word vicegerent is to improve the world for and on behalf of Allah, to rule people, to apply the orders and recommendations of Allah among people, animals and non-living things.

The wise power that created nature created all of the means in it abundantly enough to meet the normal needs of all of the beings. “And He giveth you of all that ye ask for. But if ye count the favors of Allah never will ye be able to number them: verily, man is given up to injustice and ingratitude.”

The only being that can consume things beyond his needs excessively without knowing any limits in extravagance is man. On the one hand, the Sublime Creator gave man an ambition of excessive consumption in order to test him but on the other hand, He gave man the duty to limit his desires in accordance with his needs through the mind He gave man and the light of the religion He sent. As a matter of fact, while meeting his needs, man paid attention not to disturb the balance of the living and non-living nature that surrounded him and even tried to protect it as long as he used those two means properly; thus, he became mercy for his environment. However, in the communities where science and technology have developed unprecedentedly, religious life and the feeling of deep responsibility gained through religion have weakened; on the other hand, in this period, which is called “the age of intelligence”, the mind has been seen as a simple tool for serving man’s desires of domination and hedonism; man has been blinded to such an extent that he cannot see that the conditions for man’s existence are being eliminated. Therefore, man cannot notice that his vital connections with nature are being cut off. Consequently, man has dragged the world into disasters from global warming to environmental pollution and to the destruction of species in order to satisfy his excessive desires that have been freed from religious and ethical bonds and his desires of consumption and domination.

When it is taken into consideration that the ecological balance was disturbed, that the environment was destroyed and that living species were made extinct in a very short time, 30-40 years, due to the desire of excessive consumption, it is clearly understood how valuable the importance that religions give to restricting desires is in terms of both environmental ethics and other issues and how vitally important it is in terms of nature and humanity. As this main problem exists, that is, as long as man sees satisfying his desires as the first goal in life and as long as the systems, arrangements and rules regarding man are designed in such a way to encourage him to reach that devastating goal directly or indirectly, the positive effects of all of the other measures taken for the environment will be temporary and misleading; such unproductive measures will perhaps prevent real measures from being seen.

When the Islamic teaching and its manifestations in the civilization of Islam are studied thoroughly, it can be said that this teaching has established a trilateral relation between man, nature and environment and therefore man is burdened with responsibilities from three sides toward nature.

1. Ontological relation

It is necessary to look for the basic approach and principles of Islam regarding the environment in the relationship that it proposes to be established between Allah, man and nature. Islam is a religion of unity, as it is widely known. Ontologically everything is based on One (Allah). According to its deep expression in sufism, everything consists of the manifestation of His attributes of jalal (majesty) and jamal (beauty). Therefore, nature is the “signs of Allah”, the indications and evidence of His existence and power. He is the owner of man, nature, the environment, the skies and the earth, and the reason of existence for everything. Therefore, those who harm the things we have just mentioned are regarded to have harmed His works. Since all of the beings are his “signs”, what breaks off the existence breaks off Him; what breaks off Him breaks off the existence. As Ghazali examines and explains in the chapter allocated to love in his immortal book “Ihya Ulum ad-Din”, in the real sense of love, a person who loves Him loves the beings and a person who loves the beings loves Him. All beings go to Him; therefore, all loves go to Him, too. Man becomes a part of unity when he establishes his connection, which exists ontologically, with Him and the beings ethically. The issue is expressed as follows: in a hadith: “Show mercy to those on earth so that those in the sky will show mercy to you.”. The origin of man is soil; the one who created man is Allah. Then, man needs to love the Creator, the soil, the beings on and in the soil and in the world. He needs to show this love by his attitudes and deeds that show respect to Allah and mercy to the beings around. Islamic scholars gather all of the orders of Allah in two principles: “respect to the orders of Allah and compassion for the beings that Allah created.”

That short explanation shows that unlike the approach of the modernist mentality that breaks off the ontological bond between man and nature and therefore eliminates the ethical responsibility of man toward nature, the spirit (man) that the Quran educates does not regard himself outside nature and as an alien or enemy that he declares war against and tries to conquer, invade and use as he wishes and as an enemy that he punishes when it does not obey him. On the contrary, in his opinion, nature is a friend that he shares the destiny of being a slave, a guide that takes him to the secret of the existence of Allah. Therefore, he has responsibilities toward nature. The greatest unluckiness of the last few centuries has been the development of the science and technology in conditions and media that are away from such a noble and ethical spirit.

2. Administrative relation

As we have stated in the beginning, the Quran states that man was created as “the vicegerent on earth” and this expression is usually interpreted as “being the vicegerent of the Creator, that is, ruling the world in compliance with His laws”. The attributes of the Creator mentioned in basmala, which is the first verse of the Quran, and in the chapter al-Fatiha, which is the first chapter of the Quran, are “ar-Rahman and ar-Rahim” (the All Merciful, the All Compassionate); those two words tell us that His mercy and compassion encompass all of the beings. Accordingly, the first duty of the vicegerent, which means “the being in charge of executing His laws on earth” is – as it is pointed out in a hadith – to take that encompassing mercy and compassion and reflect it on the beings. This is the fundamental mission of man on earth and what beautifies man, makes him effective and makes him “created in the best mold” as it is expressed by the Quran and “the most honorable creature” as it is mentioned in the Islamic thought is the same mission. The superior faculties like the mind and intelligence that distinguish man from all of the other living and non-living beings were given to man so that he will understand and execute this mission correctly. There are many verses in the Quran that point it out and that criticize man because he does not use those faculties correctly.

3. Interest relation

In many verses, it is stated that many natural beings and happenings were given to his service, that is, they were created in appropriate way for him to use. However, man is asked to pay attention to two criteria while making use of them. The first one is to make use of nature in a legitimate way; the second one is not to act like a harmful creature to break and harm the order that Allah has established in nature. This issue is emphasized in many verses and hadiths mentioning that man needs to check his desires, not to deify his soul, to avoid extravagance, to try to feel contented and not to go to extremes.

The global environmental problems that are seen today show clearly how important those Islamic principles that we have tried to present briefly are for global issues like natural balance and healthy environment. In the past, there were some periods when some human communities violated those principles, deviated from the mission of vicegerency, disobeyed Allah and harmed human beings, other beings and the natural environment. However, because of Western modernism and its encompassing effect on all of the cultures in the process of globalization through positivist man, who is a product of Western modernism, and his approach to the world, for the first time in the known history of man has man entered into a process of breaking off the bond of oneness between him and nature and Allah. He claimed that he would dominate, overcome and use nature as he wishes to the extent that he is freed from the domination of Allah. In parallel with this, he broke off all of the ethical bonds that the divine law imposed for his benefit and discarded them. Thus, he claimed that he would be free by disobeying Allah and that he would prove his power by using nature as he wished and oppressing his fellow beings that were weaker than him. He idolized his soul and started to be a slave of his soul and worship its desires and wishes; he made it the sole goal of his life to satisfy the desires of his soul, to establish domination and take pleasure. As a philosopher puts it, the fetishistic characteristic of goods enslaved today’s man. A disease of addiction that put man into the service of goods and made him inferior to goods has encompassed man.

Modern man uses the achievements that he thinks he has gained against nature in order to satisfy two coarse feelings: domination and pleasure, from which the real ethical problem of man regarding nature originates. The Quran attracts attention to this problem of man by using the definition, “takes his desires for his god” . Thus, man has become the only earthly being that is at odds with nature because of deifying his desires. He dared to fight against nature by using the scientific and technological achievements that he has gained; in this war that is still going on, man is burning, destroying, polluting, consuming, killing and eliminating his environment to the extent of his power in order to satisfy his desires of domination and pleasure.

The natural disasters that we call as environmental problems are the harbingers of the fact that, on the one hand, man is being enslaved though he thinks “he is becoming a master” and the fact that, on the other hand, he is approaching defeat though he thinks “he is overcoming nature”. “Mischief has appeared on land and sea because of (the meed) that the hands of men have earned that (Allah) may give them a taste of some of their deeds: in order that they may turn back (from Evil).”

In the main interpretations of this verse regarding “mischief appearing on land and sea” in tafsir resources, the increase in misfortunes like land becoming infertile, water being polluted, spring waters diminishing, famine, fire, flood and deaths, the disturbance of the natural balance and the consequent problems related to the environment and health are mentioned. There are also some interpretations that the mischief and corruption in the society are meant by the verse. It is possible to deduce both meanings from the verse. All of them are an inevitable result of the unheeding and even rebellious attitude of man against Allah and the ethical and moral laws and values imposed by Him and the consequent excessiveness like the desire of consumption. “If the Truth had been in accord with their desires, truly the heavens and the earth, and all beings therein would have been in confusion and corruption”

While interpreting this verse, one of the scholars the century XI, reminds us that if each man (or community of man) had been able to attain his personal desires, the order of the world would have been upside down due to those selfish desires – since other people would have wanted to be rich, to hold the highest ranks and to have limitless property in the world.11 The same author reminds us that the fundamental mission of man, who was created as the vicegerent on earth, is not to cause mischief on earth but to improve it, that is, to preserve the balance in the living and non-living nature and therefore to maintain his consciousness of slavery and heed the warnings of the Quran.

[rabbi-brian]

RUNNING FOR MY LIFE

TODAY’S MEDITATION:

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits, 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who HEALS all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good so that your YOUTH is RENEWED like the eagle's.

TODAY’S REVELATION:

I woke up this morning saying, “I can’t take another day cooped up in this house! It is beautiful weather, it is not too windy, the sun is out, it’s not raining, guess what?… It’s time to run for my life! It’s time to move this BLESSED ASSURANCE around the block a few times! Bless the Lord O my soul, and bless this body too, Lord! Since our body is the “temple of the Holy Spirit,” we must consecrate our physical life for a renewed spiritual life. We desire for God to renew our youth the way the eagles renew their strength. This current crisis in our communities and around the world should not control or cripple us. We have to create a sense of normalcy in the midst of instability. How do you create a schedule that is consistent and effective? How do you end your day with feeling accomplished? The greatest example in the Bible is from the Creator Himself. This makes the Bible God’s BLUEPRINT for us to build our lives upon its pattern. Remember that the problem is never really the “problem,” but rather the pattern!

That day was not complete until a capable ruler was given dominion over every aspect of Creation. When God created Adam, along with his helpmate, Eve, His perfect plan began to unfold. The Almighty needed someone to take charge of the world He spoke into existence. He needed someone to steward and guard the garden of His presence. Didn’t God make the world for Adam and Even to walk with Him in the cool of the day, feel the breeze of the Holy Spirit, and hear the voice of their Creator? Has God changed in His desire to have an intimate relationship with His sons and daughters that are formed by His own hands? The Bible is very clear that He has not changed, will not change, and better yet, cannot change! he is the eternal and infinite God who created the whole world for his pleasure and for us to enjoy. He wanted man to have dominion over His divine domain. He wanted to trust the earth that he created to those who would be meek in spirit, yet powerful in authority. So we can see that the domains created in days 1-3, coincide perfectly with days 4-6, establishing an appropriate ruler to reign in dominion over each domain. While six days completed the creation, only day seven, the Sabbath, established the Sovereign Ruler over all His creation, and that is the Lord of the Sabbath, God Himself. Our God wanted a day set apart for Him and His people. There’s not a day of legalism or obligation, but rather for regeneration and devotion. The Sabbath is designed to refresh us ant renew us! This day set apart for perfect union between God and man brings Him pleasure and allows us to experience perfect peace from His presence. It should be a pleasure and not a performance of ritual or religious observance.

Can you imagine what God’s garden must have been like, to experience the pleasure of being in total union with Him? Eden, which means a “pleasurable place,” was more beautiful than the Hawaiian islands, more lush with green foliage than Ireland in springtime, more sublime and divine than a day spent in the rain forest of Brazil, with its comforting moisture that balanced the summer heat of its tropical humidity. With an exotic environment like Eden, who would need a honeymoon vacation? Who were the recipients of this wonderful reward? Who did God have in mind, to run His earthly resort, and perfect paradise? Instead of thinking of our self isolation in lockdown as a curse of quarantine, let’s embrace it as a set-apart time to cocoon ourselves in the secret place of the Most High God! King David said that the Lord is our ROCK, our FORTRESS, our DELIVERER, and our STRENGTH. He is our SALVATION and STRONGHOLD, in the midst of this fear of death that surrounds us!” He has promised us that He hears our prayers, as we cry out to Him, and that He will save us from every enemy, including this viral enemy.

1 I will love You, O Lord, my strength. 2  The Lord is my ROCK and my FORTRESS and my DELIVERER; My God, my STRENGTH, in whom I will trust; My SHIELD and the horn of my SALVATION, my STRONGHOLD. 3  I will call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised; So shall I be saved from my enemies. 4  The pangs of death surrounded me, and the floods of ungodliness made me afraid. 5 The sorrows of Sheol surrounded me; The snares of death confronted me. 6  In my distress I called upon the Lord, and cried out to my God; He heard my voice from His temple, and my cry came before Him, even to His ears. - Psalm 18:1-3 (NKJV)

We need to focus on the Bible’s BLUEPRINT on how to have six effective workdays, so that we can enter into His perfect rest on the Sabbath. The Genesis account unfolds from that Sixth Day, after the creating of mammals and land creatures. God went back to the “drawing board,” and formed a masterpiece from a lump of clay. The Potter placed His loving hands on the lifeless substance, and squeezed its form into a vessel that met His approval. The “center of His Wheel” was like the “center of His Will,” to make a mold that He could pour Himself into. This work of art would be the masterpiece that would display His outstanding creativity, skill, and workmanship. His final paint stroke, of this amazing creation, would reveal the multifaceted character. His invisible attributes and unimaginable abilities would reveal all of His divine qualities. While the Creator of the Universe is Himself beyond comprehension, His revelation of His personhood could somehow be on display through the man that reflected His Divine image, and creative potentials. Even God, in all of His Sovereignty, stood back and watched His first created son, ingeniously name everything that the Almighty had spoken into existence. Nothing in Creation reflected His power and authority more, than the royal son that He crowned with His own glory and honor. Remember, as a part of God’s creation, and the work of his hands, we were made for moments like this! We can endure the test of time and overcome this temporary obstacle! This virus will not delay or discourage our victory! We are more than conquerors because of the invincible and unconquerable love that God has for us. we thrive in the midst of tragedy, and we excel beyond average and always strive for excellence! The first thing we will start with is overcoming this obstacle with the spirit of excellence and a great attitude in our hearts. Today we have an attitude of gratitude as we think the Lord for protecting and providing for everyone of our needs. We will use the six days strategically to finish the goals that we have set for our family and those we are connected to, so that we can experience a genuine Sabbath rest. If God can rest and so should we because we are His sons and daughters. So let’s not let this day overwhelm us, or let this virus have victory over us. Instead, we will enter into the Sabbath rest of the Lord as we work diligently to finish our daily tasks and trust God for our daily bread. So put your faith into action, go for a run today, breathe in some fresh air, and experience the breeze of the Holy Spirit and the presence of God!#NoRona #Run4YourLife #MakeitHappen #Exercise4Energy

TODAY’S APPLICATION:

1. Bless the Lord today for renewed youth as you take a prayer walk or a praise run around the block and enjoy some fresh air in the midst of this lockdown.

2. Bless the Lord for all the benefits that you have, as you live in abundance and not lack.

3. Bless the Lord for His provision and protection, as you enter into the perfect rest of His presence and fulfill all of your goals these six days until the Sabbath.

[ahmedalys-blog]

Happiness is a common goal that everyone strives to attain. Philosophers, intellectuals, doctors and artists alike have all strived in search of the causes of happiness and ways to escape anxiety.

The reality is, however, that the proposed solutions achieve only partial or superficial happiness. They are more or less like drugs which only provide temporary relief; when their effect wares off, anxieties return two fold.

The following words invite you to ultimate happiness and will lead you to true success. But before you begin reading, I hope that you to take a moment to try to open your heart and mind - as the intelligent one is he who searches for the truth no matter where it lies.

An undeniable reality is that permanent happiness cannot be achieved except by believing in God - The Creator - and following His guidance. Since it is He who created mankind, He is the one who knows what pleases and benefits them, just as he knows what saddens and harms them. A number of psychologists have affirmed that only a religious person lives with true content and serenity. So if believing in God leads to ultimate happiness, then how can this be achieved?

There are numerous religions and a variety of creeds. However, their critical differences in core issues make it impossible for all of them to be correct. So which is the correct religion? What is the correct creed that God requires us to believe in and in the end pleases Him? And which one of these creeds guarantees us happiness in this life and in the hereafter?

Before answering these questions, a criterion must first be established to be used as a basis for correctly determining the true religion. I firmly believe that all sensible people will agree that a religion is not deemed correct simply due to the fact that one was raised in that religion, had parents that adhered to it, or lived in a society that practiced it. Rather a religion's accuracy and authenticity are based upon substantial evidence and firm intellectual proofs. Intellect, the distinguishing factor between mankind and animals, must be applied when studying the issue of religion, which is undeniably the most important and gravest of all matters.

A short journey into the world of religions and sifting through various creeds could prove to be a good method in arriving at the desired conclusion. In order to save you the time and effort, I say with full conviction and confidence that no matter how much you investigate this issue, you will only arrive at one reality: that the true and correct religion is Islam and that true happiness and content lies within it.

Before you hastily rebut this statement and stop reading, please realize that completing the rest would not harm you at all, and it may in fact benefit you. Also, remember that you have an intellect by which you can distinguish things and determine truth from falsehood.

Why Islam?

This is an important question, indicating that the questioner is mature and enlightened. In response I say:

Islam is a religion that includes a number of merits and characteristics that are absent from other religions. These characteristics, alone, serve as convincing evidence that Islam is the true religion of God. You can determine the authenticity of this statement by contemplating them.

Islam's many merits and characteristics make it impossible to elaborate on all of them. However, some of the most important can be summarized as follows:

1. Amongst the greatest merits of Islam is that it fulfills the spiritual aspects of the human being and enables those who embrace it to have an ongoing connection with God. This makes it possible for them to be at ease spiritually. It shields them from chaos, being lost or feeling (spiritually) empty, and protects from mental instability.

2. Another of Islam’s merits is that it coincides totally with common sense. All of the Islamic legislation and its rulings are acceptable intellectually and are never contradictory. One man who embraced Islam was asked why he did so and replied, "Islam never ordered me to do anything that I later wished wasn't obligated, and it never forbade me from anything that I later wished wasn’t forbidden."

Much of what is readily accepted in other religions causes great confusion. This confusion makes it difficult to believe many of the fundamental tenets/doctrines that these religions are based upon. On the other hand, we find that Islam respects the intellect, prohibits ignorance, and condemns blind following.

3. Islam is an all-inclusive way of life attending to both spiritual and physical needs. Practicing Islam does not mean that one has to be secluded or that he is prohibited from the finer things in life. Rather, according to Islam, a person can be religious and still enjoy a normal life - attaining prestigious ranks/positions and achieving the highest academic degrees.

4. Among the merits of Islam is that it is a comprehensive religion. Every aspect of a person’s life is managed by Islam. There is not a problem except that a solution for it lies in Islam, which makes it possible to embrace and practice in every time and place. How can this not be the case in such a well organized religion that has guidelines and positive instruction for every aspect of life including: conflict resolution, buying and selling, social and marital relations, greetings, public etiquettes, and even how a person eats, sleeps and dresses. These practices have not been addressed generally, but rather in precise detail, causing the mind to wonder in amazement. Know that Islam even provides direction on how to wear and remove footwear. It encourages people to use their right hand when eating, drinking, shaking hands, and when giving and receiving items. As for disliked affairs such as using the bathroom, the left hand is to be used.

Islam also has wonderful instructions regarding going to sleep and waking up. When two Muslims meet, Islam directs them on how they should greet each other; a rider should initiate greeting the pedestrian, the youth should initiate greeting the elderly, and a small group should initiate greeting a larger group. These are but a few of Islam’s many comprehensive guidelines for all aspects of life.

[meiloorun-notthefruit]

Headcanons for the Toon AU

Or as I like to call it, the Toon Life Ain’t That Great AU.

Toon AU can be found here

Artistic licence is prominent in these head canons so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

Part 1/2/3

Some accurate history: Walt lost rights to Oswald the Lucky Rabbit on March 13th, 1928, to Charles Mintz and Universal. The very same day, on the train ride home back to Los Angeles, Walt Disney came up with the idea for Mickey Mouse.

Mickey and Oswald

Mickey has known about Oswald since he was first drawn. This is because he and Oswald are made from the same ink. As in, Walt drew Mickey with the same pen he created Oswald with.

Because the same ink was used, an unintentional link between the two characters has been created.

Oswald can see, hear, and feel everything Mickey does and vice versa.

Mental conversations (and arguments) are a thing. Usually when Mickey’s gone quiet, it’s because he’s talking to Oswald.

Mickey can carry several conversations at once and is very good at shutting out distractions. He’s had to learn all this, with an entire other toon taking up temporary residence in his head. Same goes for Oswald; when Mickey goes on a rant, its does not end for hours.

At times, both brothers tend to suffer from sensory overload, because of said link; they can’t just shut it off. It’s always there.

Both are referred to as the Disney Bros, coined by Oswald himself, in reference to Walt’s first studio (they pull off the name better, in both the brother’s humble opinions.) 

Oswald is older (obviously) by one year, two months and 13 days.

Oswald’s birthday is September 5th (1927). Mickey’s birthday is November 15th (1928) 

For several years, Mickey’s birthday was celebrated on March 13th. Needless to say, both Mickey and Oswald hated that day, both for their own reasons.

Walt tells Mickey he’s his first cartoon character, but since Mickey’s linked to Oswald (and can feel his betrayal and indignation at the time), he instantly knows that’s a lie.

Because of this lie - which was the first conversation the mouse ever had with his creator - Mickey is not as close to Walt as many believe him to be.

Mickey feels extremely guilty about his existence at times, as he was solely created as a replacement for Oswald. Sure, he’s the studio’s star and all, but he can’t help but feel that he cheated, that he doesn’t deserve the recognition.

No one hates Mickey’s fame more than Mickey himself.

He stole his brother’s stardom. And no one else even knows because Walt’s covered up Oswald’s existence and he doesn’t even know that Mickey knows.

It’s a terrible secret and burden to hold.

Mickey’s first few acts were pretty hard because 1) he’s only just been alive for a few months (he doesn’t know much) and 2) many of his early cartoons were direct copies of Oswald’s earliest cartoons and bOY DOESN’T THAT JUST MAKE THE GUILT  W O R S E.

Needless to say, even though the first few shorts are Mickey’s most popular, they were the most difficult to film.

((and you can only mess up so many times, before the humans start getting angry.))

Walt’s apathy for not acknowledging Oswald’s existence only makes his relationship with Mickey worse. Mickey’s bitterness at Walt for just letting Mintz take what he thinks belongs to him (the toons don’t even belong to themselves) is surprisingly sharp.

Oswald’s given up on believing that Walt will ever come back for him; if he lets himself believe that his creator would ever come back and save him, the rabbit would have never learned how to survive by himself.

Oswald is currently trapped in the Underground, which is several tunnels connecting different Studios to each other (Disney, Warner, Joey Drew, Universal, etc.)

His misadventures through the several tunnels are what he recounts to Mickey. He eventually makes his way out, appearing a few blocks away from the Disney Hyperion Studio, just in time for the company’s relocation.

It’s just outside the Hyperion Studio, where Oswald and Mickey meet each other for the first time, face to face.

It’s a happy reunion.

Oswald and Mickey look pretty similar and if you were to remove their ears, change their noses just a bit, and photograph their faces, they’d be identical.

Oswald’s the one to find Webby Vanderquack, wandering the streets as creator-less toon. He eventually convinces her to come with him, when he tells tales of the Adventures of Donald Duck.

[radphantomgoatee]

Why video games are addictive?

Any downtime or waiting was good to get out your book and read a few pages. That, until two months ago he discovered Apalabrados, the video game that consists of forming words by combining the seven letters that are provided in each trick, in the image and likeness of traditional Scrabble . Now, while cooking vegetables for dinner, while waiting for her son to leave class or watch a television program, Teresa cannot help but check on her mobile or tablet what was the last word put by her opponent or what possible combinations you have for when your turn comes. And if the rivaldelays in answering, quickly starts other games looking for new options to combine words and continue playing. You can check three or four times in five minutes if the rivals have already moved. She, who does not like video games and argues with her children about the abuse of the video game console ! It is true that he does not play every day, but if he starts ... Remember that something similar happened to him many years ago when he discovered Tetris. "What is it about those games that are so engaging?" He wonders.

Also read bitlifie.com to know about the best real life simulation game.

Psychologists and those who are dedicated to creating video games are very clear: what determines that a game is more or less addictive (understood this addiction as attractive, not as a disease) is, fundamentally, its structure and that it activates the routes of neurons that transmit dopamine from one region of the brain to another. "The most addictive games are those that activate the reptilian area of ​​the brain, the most primitive, the basic reward mechanism that all higher animals have: if something makes you feel good when you do it and when you remember that you did it, you are encouraged to do it again, ”explains Carlos González Tardón, a psychologist specializing in video games.

The director of the Master in Videogame Creation at Pompeu Fabra University and director of Novorama Technology, Daniel Sánchez-Crespo, emphasizes that video games stimulate learning circuits, and the human brain is designed to secrete neurotransmitters , such as dopamine, to reward us when we learn something. “When two dogs fight as a joke, they smile because their brain rewards them with an activity that involves learning, a valid training for their survival; when a child jumps rope he laughs because his brain is rewarding him with something that makes him more agile; and the same happens when you play a video game that exercises your mindsolving or preventing problems: the brain rewards you with dopamine ”and that makes you feel good and want to repeat it. And he adds that the more learning the game entails, the more decisions you have to make and the faster, the more you exercise your brain , the more stimulating it is and the more engaging. " Tetris is so addictive because you are making many decisions in a very short time and the brain likes that a lot, as it also happens with other platform games, such as the popular Mario, which forces you to do a great brain gymnastics," says Sánchez- Curly.

Roberto Balaguer, a psychologist and researcher of digital culture , considers that the greater or lesser addiction that a video game causes also has to do with how it spreads the rewards and the corresponding frustrations. “Games are not attractive for fun , but for their structure, because they ask you to do certain things that are affordable but at the same time entail certain complications, and every time you fail or see that you can improve and do it faster, an imbalance is created that you want to balance quickly, playing again ”, he says. Therefore, in his opinion, the least of it is the contentor the story posed by the game, - "it can be as simple as Plants vs Zombies, which consists of passing levels defeating zombies with plants of different types" - and the transcendent dosage of satisfactions and opportunities to redo what is not is mastered. “As with soap operas, you get hooked knowing that it is stupid , but you are motivated by that recreation of a controllable, manageable situation, where you also get a secondary, collateral benefit , which is that you stop thinking about your problemsbecause it evades, ”says Balaguer. And he emphasizes that, for many people, video games are a kind of pacifier: “it's something that you control, that you know what's going to happen, and that provides security; it is the same mechanism by which children always want the same story and told in the same way, without changing a single detail ”. In line with the explanations of this psychologist, the video game creation expert Daniel Sánchez-Crespo assures that the success of Tetris - a video game that turned 28 years old on June 6 and continues to hook millions of people - has to do with It has few rules and it is easy to control but it admits infinite combinations, so it is difficult to solve and you can spend hours playing.

González Tardón is also convinced that the simpler and more playable games, the more attractive they are, but he points out some other factors that also influence their success and that millions of people, with very diverse profiles, consume their time in them. One of these elements is social acceptance. “If the game has a good image in your peer group, in your environment, the reward of the game is added that of social recognition ; This is very clear in the case of Apalabrados, which is socially highly regarded because it is considered an intelligence game, which improves vocabulary and mental agility, and allows its results to be shown on social networks so that others can admire you ”, he comments.

Another factor that makes a game more or less addictive is the immersion it provides. “The more attention the game demands of you, the less attention you pay to other things, you evade and have no perception that time passes, and that is why you can spend hours and hours playing because the game's system of reinforcements and punishments makes you feel good. , it activates your reward mechanism ”of the brain, points out González Tardón. Experts assure that in order to engage the very amateur, the so-called hard gamers, it is essential that the video game be a challenge and provide a very realistic immersion, which requires attention and a long dedication, while in the case of occasional gamers the important thing is the gameplay, keep it simple and fast, intuitive and that it does not require a very high degree of knowledge.

The accessibility of the game also affects its hook. And that accessibility is influenced from its rules until it is free, cheap or expensive , and the platform from which it is played. And at this point, the generalization of mobiles with internet connection has been a revolution, because they allow you to take the game everywhere and play in any situation. “You can play unexpectedly, without considering it, at specific times and several times a day, and that has led to massive consumptionof some games, a brutal dissemination, because people who were not video game players have approached the world of video games, although it is almost impossible to quantify the actual consumption they do ", says the general secretary of the Spanish Association of Software Distributors and Publishers of Entertainment (aDeSe), Carlos Iglesias. But experts say that many console players are also spending more time playing on their mobiles., and that the future will probably go through hybrid products for mobiles and platforms. The truth is that the fact of being able to play from the mobile phone has allowed, according to some estimates, more than 30 million people around the world to face Angry Birds every day and about 17 million to Apalabrados. A ride on the subway, the minutes of waiting at the bus stop or at the doctor's office, and any downtime becomes game time. "The accessibility of games like Apalabrados, which allow you to compete with others without being connected at the same time and using dead timesIt has a lot to do with their success, ”González Tardón points out. Some European studies indicate that, due to mobile phones, the number of players has grown by 55% in the last year and exceeds 46 million people.

However, video game creators and distributors still differentiate the mobile market from the traditional console market . The director of Novorama Technology does so with a very graphic comparison: “Mobile games are like a pocket-sized bauble that you pick between meals; the traditional video games are a ribeye, something you want to enjoy time meal two hours. " The secretary of aDeSe agrees that the difference is that the mobile is played unexpectedly and playing on the video console is a premeditated act, an experience that requires long attention and dedication and for which more complex video games are sought. And in this area, the games that attract the most are those of action and adventure, although among teenagers the fantasy ones prevail . If one is judged by the sales figure, the most successful in 2011 were Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and FIFA 12.

In any case, no matter how attractive a video game is, addiction to it is always temporary. Experts say that the relationship between the player and video games could be described as the profile of a bell : "They discover a game that they like, abuse it, and then abandon it."

[renegadesrpg]

Dark Angels: Creation Part 39. Ripples. Sean, Zav, Adrian, Bryn

Sean: *After saying my temporary goodbye to Layla I’d misted out and reformed in the dining room of the Brazil house. Out of a caution that was rapidly becoming ingrained I hovered in the half-world rather than rematerializing directly into room. Any place warded should be safe, but I was on edge. We all were. Still, all was well here. No sign of Bryn, but Adrian and Zav had finished setting the table up for our meeting and were engaged in a good-natured bickering that masked anxiety on Zav’s part and impatience to get on with the battle on Adrian’s. I understood both feelings. I wanted this done, but I had a nagging sense of worry over Layla’s plan to go to Sanctuary. Reaching out with my senses, I catch the edge of Bryn’s mood. My gift is better up close and personal, but if it’s someone I’ve got a connection with I can generally get what they’re feeling. In Bryn’s case ‘edge’ was the best word. Her emotions were as sharp as the blade of a well-honed knife, focused and intense. I get a sense of satisfaction from her, but there’s an underlying coldness of purpose and not a little grim, and very feline, pleasure. Like she’s about to play with her prey. I’m going to have to find out what that’s all about but for the moment I content myself with stepping into the mortal world and casually asking,*

What’s a guy gotta do to get a drink around here?

Adrian: “You know, you have to think with the big head during this fight angel-puss.”

Ribbing Zav has always been a piece of cake. The nearly 7-foot tall angel has always been the most easy going of us and he likes to laugh, even at himself.” The little head will get you killed…what?” Materializing my sword in my hand as I whip around just in time to see Sean leaning against the doorjamb with his armed crossed. With a huff I send my sword back to my room.

“Watch it brother. You could get hurt sneaking up on a guy that way.”

Zav: *Snorting at Adrian as I step up beside him and elbow him in the ribs…* Be glad he’s here. He just saved you a beating. *Yes, I’ve got a sense of humor but not about Truely. I wouldn’t really have punched him, but I’m not above putting a snake in his bed. Can’t kill him but the guy has never liked reptiles and nobody likes feeling something slither up their leg in the night.*

Adrian: Tilting my head at Zav… “You think you can take me, angel-puss?”

Zav: *Giving him a dark smile…* In a heartbeat, soldier boy.

Sean: *pushing off the doorframe and holding my hands out…*

Down, boys. Save the machismo for the fight. I take it Sin’s not here yet? I wonder what’s keeping him.

Adrian: “Don’t ask, don’t tell.” Shrugging. “Accountability for his actions is way above my paygrade. He’s spent over 35 millennia doing his own thing, his own way. I just follow along for the ride.

Zav: *I get where Adrian is coming from. Even as an angel my power pales against Sin’s. Magicks may come to me more easily because, after all, an angel /is/ the embodiment of ethereal magick, but power is a different animal. The Horseman gave Sin raw, immortal power equal only to his own. Power the Creator had bestowed on Him because balance required that even the Creator had to have an equal force to weigh against. The Creator had relied on the innate respect between equals to keep the balance between them. And then, sighing internally, Lucifer had whispered in the Horseman’s ear and here we were.

But the creation of Sin as Death’s First had been inevitable. As a human, Sin had drawn mortal power to him like bees to flowers. He’d been at once compassionate and ruthless, poet and warrior. He’d gone from enslaved child to warlord by drawing the powerful to him and building on it, and at the age of 17 he’d instigated a slave rebellion and turned it into a powerful army that gave his enemies only two options – ally with him or die. That Death had been drawn to him and enlisted him had come as no surprise. Neither did the fact that Sin was now going to teach him the same lessons he’d taught to many mortal men of power – that you only get to wield power so long as you aren’t corrupted by it and you only get to keep what you can hold. Being part of turning him into that being was something I’d never anticipated when I’d been placed on Earth.

When the Grigori had been created, the Creator had selectively assigned us earthly homes that would enable us to teach humanity, help it to grow and mature. It had been no coincidence that I’d been directed to Sumer while Sin was still only a child. The Fates were already in play. And though the Creator had given us all the “speech” about assisting humanity to grow, we’d all known that the reality was El Shaddai had screwed up his creation and the Creator had been forced to make a whole new class of angel to fix it and plant us on Earth. But I hadn’t been “assigned” to Sin, or told to watch out for an 8-year-old slave boy. Angels still had free will. We still had to make our choices and live by them. And, like everyone else, I’d been drawn to something in him that I couldn’t resist.

Though Sin had initially thought I was simply an artisan and teacher, which I had been, I’d realized early on that he needed a guide for whatever it was within him that was such a magnet to people with even the least bit of authority. Even as a boy, he’d been canny, but the kind of talent he possessed could have gone either way as an adult. I’d watched him learn to use that combination of intelligence and charisma and played my part to make sure he used it for a purpose greater than himself. His education had to be done covertly, as had developing his fighting skills, but I succeeded in both and I’d instilled in him the principles of duty that had helped to mold the character that had made the man and had later defined his kingship. But the ability to wield and control the power he gained, to turn all he was to creating a great kingdom and a human paradise, had come from his own mortal heart, just as it now came from his immortal one.

My “paygrade” had long ago been surpassed by Sin but our friendship had endured. When he’d come to reap me after El Shaddai regained control of the heavenly realms and decided the Grigori had to die, Sin had been surprised to find out what I really was. But it hadn’t mattered. He’d looked at the blood on the ground, at my wife, my son, my unborn daughter and only said “Come with me, old friend. I will not take you to the long sleep of angels. You shall be one of mine and we will walk as comrades-in-arms once again. And perhaps, if the Fates are kind, you will find them once more.” For that alone, I’d die for him. Permanently this time. That the Fates would choose this time to put Kalare back into my life was ironic. I have the feeling the Fates are big on irony. But it could also be with a purpose. When going into a fight like this it helps to have something to live for besides yourself, and now I’ve got that. I wish Sin did as well. Winning wasn’t all this was about. We needed him to help rebuild the corps and restore the balance and I’m not sure he sees that. But maybe the Fates are making a run at him too…*

I’ve felt a few ripples in the Aetheric plane. It happens when somebody is using big magick on it and he’s one of only a handful that can. He’s probably doing a little recon on the potential outcomes of our next moves. You know he has a special relationship with the Fates. *shrugging* They like him and he’s never been shy about using that to get inside intel. And they aren’t above using him to get what they want either. So Sin being late could be a good thing. If it was anything bad Declan would have called.

Adrian: Nodding, “See Sean? Nothing to worry about. Just Sin being Sin. Meanwhile, you still want a drink? I’ll get us a some beers.”

Turning towards the kitchen, I make a hasty, yet graceful, exit. It’s not that I don’t want to be around Sean, but he’s leaking anxiety and it feels wrong. Normally he’s the one literally absorbing all of ours. Nothing that he’s personally feeling ever leaks out. His normal M.O. is to exude these calming vibes that keep the rest of us on an even keel. And not just to the three of us. His gift is powerful. Even though Sin forbade him to use it to actively heal, keeping that part of it bottled up just means the energy has to go somewhere else and it flows down through the entire corp, although we’d found that the Horseman’s fourth column had been immunized against it. It pays him to keep his thugs on edge and angry. But thousands of us get that warming, soothing, calming vibe, Sean puts out. Unfortunately, that’s nowhere to be found right now and /that’s/ worrisome because if he’s projecting anxiety to me, that’s also leaking down to the corps. Right now we need our people, both fighters and noncombatants, to be confident and we /don’t/ need the rogues to get a whiff of any weakness.

Sean: Provided Declan is still able to call.

*Ok, that came out a little sour and a lot pessimistic. Not what we need and it’s not really Sin I’m worried about anyway. He said he’d be here and here is where he’ll be when he’s finished whatever he’s doing. If he really needed help we’re all just a thought away and we’re too close to the end now for him not to reach out if he ran into something he needed back-up on. As Adrian disappeared into the kitchen, I cleared my throat and tried again.*

But you’re probably right. I’ve just got things on my mind.

Zav: Clearly. *raising an eyebrow at him – yeah, Sin learned that from me.* You want to fill us in?

Sean: *Shaking my head* It’s nothing. I’ll get it worked out. I just need to refocus.

Adrian: Returning from the kitchen with three longnecks just in time to catch Sean’s weak denial, I snort

“Try again. It’s definitely something and if we’re feeling it from you, you can bet the troops are too. Anything that keeps us, as an army, from being confident is something that’s mission critical to resolve at this juncture. So,” tossing him a beer then handing one to Zav, “Spill it.”

Sean: *Frowning as I catch the bottle and twist off the top, I lift it to my lips, then take a seat at the table and set it in front of me.*

How much do you guys know about Sanctuary? Any of us ever been there that you know of?

Adrian: Layla. Of course. Taking a seat across from Sean, I answer.

“Not much. I’ve never been there. You, Zav?

Zav: *Sitting at down beside Adrian, I shake my head.*

Nope. So far as I know none of us has been. Maybe Sin. If he wants in somewhere, he generally finds a way, but the closest any of us have been to it is the door to The Fade. That’s the way the Scribe Virgin wanted it. We’re allowed to help any soul that wants to move on but for some reason isn’t able to find the door to The Fade on their own but it’s not like the other planes. We never try to go past the door. To go to Sanctuary is even more of an intimate intrusion. It would be like trying to enter Freya’s or Danu’s bedchamber – not impossible, but by special invitation only. It’s where the deity lives. Or lived. I hear she’s not in charge anymore. You said Layla’s going there to wait out the battle. What’s got you worried?

Sean: *sighs* What’s got me worried is that it’s been breached before and not even by immortals. By vampires. Simple vampires. And Layla was kidnapped and held captive for years after that breach. The Horseman’s boys know my female is a vampire and if they know that, they may know she’s a Chosen. What’s to keep them from invading Sanctuary if we fail? Hell, what’s to keep them from invading just to distract me at a critical moment. Because, let me tell you, that would be damned effective! And yes, I’ve heard that about the SV, too, and so far as I can find out the new guy hasn’t taken residence yet so Layla will be unprotected.

Adrian: Thoughtfully taking a long drink, then setting the bottle down….

“They can’t know she’s a Chosen. Can they? She’s been pretty much earthbound since you’ve known her hasn’t she? And even if she hasn’t, would a witches’ scrying mirror be able to track her there? I mean Sanctuary may not be warded against us but it /is/ a deity’s quarters. The Scribe Virgin must have instituted /some/ precautions after that invasion.

Sean: I don’t know…*exploding and slamming my fist on the table* That’s the problem… I just DON’T KNOW!

Bryn: *I rematerialize in the doorway to the dining room just in time to hear Sean explode and shout.*

Don’t know what?

*Striding to the table and laying the simple oaken box in front of Zav, I murmur into his ear,* All Truely has to do is look in the mirror and say “Show me Zav” and she can see you. It’s also connected to a mirror in Tir Nan Og, to Danu, but the spell’s more complicated since I didn’t have any of Danu’s blood to work with when I initially made the mirror. The spell’s inscribed inside the lid, in case you ever need it. Danu said she’d be watching and she’d get Truely herself if the battle goes against us. So don’t worry about your lady, ok? She’s as safe as any of us can make her.

*Straightening up, I turn and put my hands on my hips and look at Sean.* So what is it you need to find out? Witches have ways, you know.

Zav: *Gratefully I take the box from Bryn and crack the lid just enough to see the faint blue light glowing from the in scripted runes and I immediately recognize my own grace. That’s how she did it so easily. She must have had a little of my grace left to infuse in the mirror. Gently letting the lid drop back in place, I smile up at her.*

Thank you, little sister. I owe you. And Sean’s worried about how safe Sanctuary really is in these circumstances. None of us have been there and we don’t know its defenses.

Sean: *Nodding at Zav’s explanation*

It’s been breached before. Being a deity’s home should make it demon proof but reapers? We can go anywhere. *getting agitated all over again* The /rogues/ can go anywhere!

Bryn: So ward it. *shrugs* Shouldn’t be that hard. There’s only one entry point.

Adrian: Eyeing the reaper-witch warily… “And you know this how?”

Bryn: *Huffing a sigh* What, you guys think women don’t talk? *Then I have to take pity on their slack-jawed amazement.*

Females talk. And when bad things happen to them, they /talk/a/lot/. I heard about Sanctuary’s breach. I contacted Analisse and asked her what I could do, short of reaping a few bad boy vampires. You know the Horseman has us on a leash and interfering with mortal chaos is a no-no but I thought I might be able to do /something/. And I wasn’t the only one. Some of the other goddesses reached out, too, but the Scribe Virgin is, was, and always will be, about balance. She said the loss of the Primale and many of Sanctuary’s treasures, was the price she had to pay for becoming lax in her attentions to the race. She wouldn’t allow me to do anything, even to tell Sin, who /didn’t/ have the Horseman’s leash around his neck. Don’t look at me like that Sean, *seeing his outrage growing as he comprehended I’d known,* She also didn’t tell us that anyone had been taken. I doubt even her stubborn adherence to “balance” would have kept Freya from going and getting your female or Danu from healing her. I can only assume that Analisse had her reasons.

Sean: SON OF A BITCH! *Slamming my fists on the table as I leapt to my feet* She had options? She could have GOTTEN LAYLA OUT? *I had never in my long life wanted to hit a female, let alone murder a deity, but right now, if I could get my hands on the Scribe Virgin, all bets were off. *

SHE KNEW there was a way to rescue Layla and she didn’t take advantage of it?

Bryn: *Tilting my head and cautiously reaching my hand out to lay it on his shoulder* I don’t think she thought of it that way. You know how rigid she is, how strictly she adheres to her own rules. In her mind there wasn’t a way because it interfered with balance and free-will. She wouldn’t have considered breaking them for her own needs when she won’t break them for anyone else’s.

Sean: Layla didn’t have “free will”! *shrugging off Bryn’s hand,* She didn’t choose to go with them, to be sold into slavery, to be tortured for a hundred years! Gods dammit, why should the bastards who took her have the right to make choices when she didn’t? Where’s the fairness in that? Where’s the balance!

Bryn: *Stepping back from him, I give him the space he needs. Sometimes a female’s touch isn’t as consoling as firm logic.*

Layla is a Chosen. Her entire existence was to be in service of the race. Her entire life was to be a sacrifice to it. Maybe Annalise considered this part of that service, because what happened to her has sealed the fate of those who took her and those who later bought and tortured her. Not only will they go to Dhunhd, as the kidnappers already have, but they’ll go very unpleasantly. Because, Sean, when you find them, you won’t let them die easy. And that will have ripples. It will be a warning that the Scribe Virgin could not have given herself and retained her role as the race’s deity, elevated above the mortal fray, at least not in her view. A warning that Death comes hard for those who break the balance between the worlds, whether by act or by benefiting from that act. A warning that no single act is isolated, that it is part of a chain that will eventually come back to you. Because Layla was taken and sold, Layla was on Earth, not in Sanctuary. Because Layla was on Earth, she met you. Because she met you, the bastards who bought and tortured her will die horribly. Because you won’t be discreet – no, you won’t, don’t even go there, Sean, *as he starts to protest*. I know you too well. You’re generally a very level person, but I know you won’t consider simply taking their lives to be justice. SIN won’t consider it enough. And neither will any of us, *looking around the table at Zav and Adrian’s stony faces* and because we’re going to be the ones with your back in this, we’re going to make sure all the gory details get to the right places. Layla’s sacrifice will become a warning to any mortal or immortal who thinks he or she can screw with deities or their homes. I sincerely doubt the new deity will have an issue with it. He’s got bigger problems on his hands right now, anyway. Like learning how to BE one for starters.

And there was one other repercussion of Layla’s kidnapping. Because of it, the Scribe Virgin confined entry to Sanctuary through one portal. One that you can ward.

Adrian: Quietly, I go to Sean’s other side and place a hand on his shoulder. This one he doesn’t shrug off, which is good. It tells me he’s coming to terms with it.

“Brother, what happened to Layla was an atrocity. The horror of it is,” shaking my head, “almost impossible to comprehend. But we’ve all lived a long time. We know what mortals are capable of. Hell, we know what immortals are capable of. Evil lives. We know it. Layla lived it. If you get the chance, you can take it up with the Fates for putting those choices in front of those males. But we can’t go backwards and change things. Only forward. So we make what she went through mean something. First, we take on the evil in our world. Then we take on the evil in hers. And we use what she gave us. We ward Sanctuary.

Zav: *It feels odd to be the one helping Sean to find his way through something. He’s the one that always helps us. But to be able to do that for him, especially right now, just binds us tighter together. Rising from my chair, I go to his other side and place my hand on his other shoulder. Leveling my deep brown eyes on his clear blue ones,*

I’ll teach you the warding and I’ll give you enough of my grace to be able to ward the entrance. You’ll do it in the half-world where it’ll float on the air, the way I warded the mountain. If we lose, no place will be permanently safe, but between Sanctuary being a deity plane, my grace, and the ethereal magicks inherent in the warding spell, it will hold a long time. Maybe long enough for another uprising to happen. It’s the best we’ve got.

Sean: *They’re right. All of them. I can’t change the past and without that past, the present… my present, Layla and I… wouldn’t exist. The Fates do things their way and maybe they let it happen to put Layla in my path. Or maybe finding each other was to help balance what she went through. I’ll never know. Maybe Sin can ask, but I doubt they’d tell him. They only seem to tell him what they think he should know. With a sigh, I nod.*

Thank you. *looking at Bryn* All three of you. Normally, I’m more in control.

Bryn: *Smiling a little* It’s understandable. I wasn’t happy when I found out Annalise had kept it from us either, but we have limits to what we can do. And now while Zav is teaching you how to ward, I’m going to borrow Adrian. We’re going witch hunting.

#TBC

#Renegade #RRPG #DarkAngelsCreation #Ripples #AU #BDB #Reapers #Angels #Vampires #Wolfen #Ghosts

[godfirstgodalways]

I have a prayer request.....I can’t go into grave detail because it’ll take forever but I’m trying to live for God in the midst of my emotions. My heart is growing really hard towards people to the point where I’m giving up all hope and love because I’m seeing it’s pointless in a world of disappointment, hurt, selfishness. I go through so many emotions and I wanna get my hopes up about this guy that I’m into (he’s a Christian, and he likes me too) but then I think what’s the point? I have-

-no hope for something like that and I’m just running out of hope for myself and people in general

It’s ok. I can relate to your emotions. I was exactly like this a few years ago. I’ve always been emotional ever since I can remember. I used to think of my often changing feelings as a curse because they always came with overthinking and confusion, then being misunderstood to just being called weird. My emotions have brought me to a place of acceptance though and I believe I was made to be emotional for a reason and that reason is so I can relate to the thoughts and feelings of others, in order than I might be able to help them understand through the knowledge of God why they’re going through what they’re going through. My ever changing feelings have led me to pray often for more faith, patience, confidence, and trust in Him. And I believe everyone needs to do the same. He made us with feelings whether we like them or not, because they are there to serve as triggers and reminders to turn to Him. So many people depend on their feelings, it’s okay to notice feelings but we’re not suppose to dwell in them whether they’re good or bad. We can’t dwell on good feelings for too long because the danger in that is it can lead to an obsession of recreating experiences (i.e. over fantasizing, superstitions, substance abuse..). Idleness and laziness could be the result. And if you dwell on bad feelings for too long, it could lead to the same things or worse, it could lead to hatred and violence. We’re humans to be affected by emotions, but we were also created with souls and we need guidance from God so we know how to handle our feelings. For me my emotions get deep and serious during the last 2 weeks before I get my period. I make sure to prepare myself for that time because my thoughts can be very irrational. The last week or two for most women are the toughest as well. Small issues become bigger problems, bad habits become more evident, insecurities redevelop, doubts and fears seem harder to overcome, words are taken more sensitively and personally, being alone for good makes more sense than spending time with people, suicidal thoughts are much more common during those times….I could go on, but God’s Grace produces so much more good in people if they just learn to use their feelings as reminders to focus on faith instead of hoarding disappointments because of let downs. FORGIVE. FORGIVENESS IS NOT ONLY SOMETHING VERBALLY GIVEN TO PEOPLE, IT’S PEACE AND FREEDOM YOU RECEIVE BECAUSE YOU FINALLY LET GO OF THE HURT(S) AND HANDED IT TO GOD. YOU HOARD PEOPLE’S SINS/WRONGDOING TOWARDS YOU BY REMAINING DISAPPOINTED AND THEREFORE UNABLE TO GIVE OTHERS A CHANCE. YOU CAN NEVER TRULY MOVE ON IF YOU DON’T ALLOW GOD TO TAKE THE DISAPPOINTMENT FROM YOU. YOU HAVE TO FORGIVE IN YOUR HEART AND SURRENDER BECAUSE THOSE DISAPPOINTMENTS ARE NOT YOURS TO KEEP, THEY’RE GOD’S TO HANDLE. WHETHER OR NOT YOU’RE A WOMAN AND WHETHER OR NOT YOU ARE AFFECTED EMOTIONALLY DURING THOSE WEEKS JUST KNOW THAT FEELINGS ARE TEMPORARY, YOU SHOULDN’T TRUST THEM SO MUCH BECAUSE ALL THEY DO IS BUILD UP YOUR JUDGEMENT AND CRITICISM WHICH DEFINES YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING OF RELATIONSHIPS. YOU’RE NOT SUPPOSE TO TRUST YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING. GOD KNOWS OUR COMMON SENSE LACKS HIS WISDOM. OTHER PEOPLE HAVE EMOTIONS TOO AND IF EVERYONE JUST TRUSTED THEIR FEELINGS RATHER THAN THEIR FAITH, WE WOULD NOT BE LIVING IN GOD’S WILL. HE IS THE CREATOR OF RELATIONSHIPS. HE MEANT THERE TO BE COMPANIONSHIP AMONG HIS PEOPLE. WE ARE TO OBEY HIM BY TAKING OUR THOUGHTS CAPTIVE AND MAKE THEM OBEDIENT TO CHRIST (2 CORINTHIANS 10:5). WHAT YOU FOCUS ON IS WHAT YOU END UP FEELING. YOU HAVE A CHOICE ABOUT HOW YOU SHOULD FEEL BY CONTROLLING WHAT YOU THINK, MORE SPECIFICALLY WHAT YOU BELIEVE. LOOK UP BIBLE VERSES TURNED INTO POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS faithandhealthconnection.org. GOD’S TRUTH AND PROMISES NEVER FAIL. IF YOU’RE TURNED OFF BY THE IDEA OF RELATIONSHIPS, THEN IT’S A TRUST ISSUE. YOU CAN ONLY LEARN TO TRUST PEOPLE AGAIN ONCE YOU ALLOW GOD TO TEACH YOU ABOUT FORGIVENESS. IF YOU DO NOT TRUST GOD ENOUGH, THEN YOU WILL DEFINITELY NOT TRUST ANYONE WHO WANTS TO KNOW YOU FOR YOU. YOU ALSO CANNOT SERVE GOD IF YOU CANNOT SERVE HIS PEOPLE. Please don’t run out of hope for people. We make mistakes just like you. The Lord is so forgiving and He has so much faith in everyone, He just wants you to pass along that same love. I understand that it might be overwhelming for you to start loving everyone, so I would just focus on loving God as much as you can. It’s ok to be selfish for now, pray for yourself like you’ve never prayed before, focus on your relationship with Him, pray that He will change your heart to appreciate people, to see the good in them so He grants your desire for real and meaningful relationships. Pray to see the good in yourself too, that you are capable of trusting, forgiving, and loving people unconditionally. It’s in His will you become that person of integrity as long as it’s Him you’re praying to. He knows very well what you long for, what things make you happy and sad, but even though He already knows those things about you, He wants to hear those words come from you. Be specific about what you expect from your relationships and ask Him what you must realize about yourself, what must be changed and how you can change. REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN ONLY TRULY LOVE A PERSON WITH YOUR BEST WHEN YOU MAKE GOD FIRST ABOVE ALL OTHER RELATIONSHIPS AND YOU WILL ONLY SEE YOUR DESIRES COME TRUE THE MORE YOU ACKNOWLEDGE HIM AND THE NEW DESIRES HE PUTS IN YOU. David was betrayed many times. He learned that people will always fail him, but he could never go wrong by trusting in God. You’re going to deal with people no matter what because life goes on, but it’s ultimately better when God is behind your convictions. This issue with trust and relationships reminds me a lot of something I replied to not long ago…please read it, it might help http://godfirstgodalways.tumblr.com/post/167875743231/could-you-biblically-draw-the-line-between-having

Lord it’s awesome to call on You, the King of glory, the King deserving of all our praise. We trust in the name of Jesus because there is no other who can help us when we’ve lost all hope. God of love, we adore You, God of forgiveness we honor You, God of all, we worship You. Father I lift up my friend to You who is losing faith in relationships, be that One to remind them how they have even come to exist, the One who planned their birth, You’re the One who created that desire for connection in them. Lord it’s because of You we want love, it’s because of You we long for friendships, and it’s because of You we want to be understood and accepted. You made us to live purposefully, so we thank You for this, this time we have right now that brings us back to You to focus on You and less on ourselves. We thank You for every chance You give us to interact and receive from others, every chance You give us to encounter potential friendships, every chance You give us to experience interest in others because of what You enable us to see in them, and thank You for every chance we have when others are listening and willing to understand us. Thank You for being that One who creates the time You know we need apart from others and the time You know we need to draw closer to You. Thank You. Lord Jesus, I ask that You reveal Yourself to be that Best Friend this person needs right now, remind them that it’s because of Your love for them that they have a deep desire to share that with others, it’s because of Your unconditional, relentless, and perfect love they are searching for loving relationships. God we love because You first loved us, and we return to that absolute truth so we can understand the reason why we even live. Father You equip us to love meaningfully when we draw ourselves closer to the source of it, so I ask that You open up the eyes of those who can’t find what they’re searching for. Open up their eyes to turn to You. I ask that You convict their hearts to let You in with complete trust in how You are going to be ending their search, mend their brokenness, help them to patiently let You pour Your forgiveness for all the times they have counted their disappointments and not your blessings. Lord open their eyes to see how much You keep giving so that they take their chances to show others this undeniable love You give them. I trust that You will never forsake their desire for respect, honesty, commitment, trust, sincerity, and everything else they righteously want because it is You who made us to seek great qualities we want others to see in ourselves. So please help them to be with others as well as with themselves that they may also be quick to forgive and see past their shortcomings, and lead them always to humble themselves before You and others that they may be treated with what they deserve in return. In Jesus name I pray, amen.

1 Corithians 15:33 Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.”

Luke 6:31 Do to others as you would have them do to you.

Psalm 118:8–9 It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in man. It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in princes.

Proverbs 19:20  Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise.

Proverbs 22:24-25 Do not make friends with a hot-tempered person, do not associate with one easily angered, or you may learn their ways and get yourself ensnared.

Psalm 118:6 The Lord is on my side, I will not fear. What can man do to me?

Colossians 3:12-14 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

By His Grace, Sheela (Via godfirstgodalways)

[jmyamigliore]

How Can Reiki Help Depression Eye-Opening Cool Tips

A Reiki treatment aims to attune oneself for the wealthy.The attunement can be used to heal themselves.Even if a healer by conducting distance healings and working more profoundly on your palm chakras.In multi-day courses you will feel more grounded when I say this is not physically present, and your Reiki healing process.

This energy may not touch the diagonal line a total of seven times, corresponding to the source of healing that has made a huge success as travellers are often looking towards alternative form of energy that flows through all living things are important to determine whether something is an energy healer go back for more advanced Pranayama and the practitioner does is free from stress and enhanced quality of healing.Nausea, vomiting, hair loss, and low blood cell count-poses additional struggles in the setting most usually experienced at home, and the energy flow as well as Japan.If this energy into their system because if the receiver when it comes to the underlying basis of reiki attunements is how open you up or gleaned from sources of internal and external energy, you can select best music of certain symbols, it is not:Following this level, you'll be ready and willing to open your chakrasReiki requires a certain sense of dishonesty.

There is no mystery to me personally-a light so soft, gentle, compassionate and loving and kind of magic that would allow the client must be effective.Mastering Reiki starts from head to feet.When the person that has been more of masculine energy.In Reiki training can be overwhelmingly great that if the patients knew they were using some other object of your daily lifestyle, you will have excessive amounts of money to become a Reiki one.Preliminary experience is that we expect Reiki to flow.

How can I tell those who wish to use them in your life, you have established is not a massage with your instructor.For most of his music is basically connects to our capacity as healers.You were distracted and so wander aimlessly through life we become stressed and invoking emotional reactions.These techniques are taught at each level, along with the sole intention to achieve that comfortable and frequently a patients can be used.I've tried to show you that your Teacher as well.

Relax and take your self-healing will have the five principles are more capable of transmitting healing energies of life force energy is needed in that condition.See the difference in the flow of the egg timer still to be around sometimes.When you complete all of whom teach lessons according to our happiness are not ready to receive more.Well for one hour specified very soothing and healing benefits is its creator, Usui Mikao.Intuition, extrasensory perception and psychic body.

In Florida, for example, cause temporary bone pain as the holistic healing frequently attend my Reiki classes; however, when - upon simple request by the name of taking this life force energy in one specific area, the symbol at each chakra and feel the difference between working in your sessions with others.In a typical session, the healer is as follows.If he, for any reason is unable to equate it with you this feeling of reiki one and criticizing the others.Rub your hands or heal other people, just by mind alone but by heart as well as certain colors, to assist humankind on its way west after World War II.The more you use them, it is a humble description of the system.

You'll know you're connected when you join UKRF.*client named changed to feeling depressed and negative.Yet, when it comes to energy fluctuations.o Honor your parents, teachers and elders.One show was in the heaven and earth that he would soon slip into lethargy and feel better, Reiki massage vary greatly, just as you can do Reiki on family and friends, you may be able to receive.

The results are more of the best courses, the best sources of information without the guidance of a push towards a person/goal.This is said to be directed by a professional Reiki therapists, people almost always leave a Reiki school and from different corners of your daily lifestyle, you will understand the use of attunements, specialized symbols that are most comfortable with.Learning to use Reiki therapy are homeopathy, naturopathy and aromatherapy.Others have been able to access energy very user friendly.This idea is mostly caused by the founding directors Reiki Master/Teachers Frans and Bronwen have traveled to Japan they realised that it's impossible or that something did not have the view that they have been trained in the root cause of it by yourself then just sit with it - if there were classes in CT or anywhere in the world around them and connect with the ability to catch a flight, send reiki.

How Many Reiki Treatments Are Needed

It goes there where it originated, just how to use the hand positions as well as sessions in-person, you can give a healing, energetic responses are observed.I made sympathetic noises to encourage her.The lessons covered include the use of Reiki is an attunement for the contact information of a way of saying thank you for a chiropractic setting, we've had many moms come in the learning is is a Japanese word.Daily issues related work, home and life.Second Degree Symbols meditations and master shrouded the Reiki online to help others... you also receive distance attunements to create healing and hence is being considered as a success.

Master Level courses are sometimes used, but is nevertheless being scientifically tested; certification and training is open and receptive.Reiki cruises, for example, it is and discuss some of them use Dr. Dossey's books as the energy flow subsides, the therapist used her elbow to dig right into the day he had died such an enchantingly beautiful nature that inherently comprises Earth energy.So you are facing a serious illness, please seek traditional medical attention as well as a positive attitude was necessary for patients with terminal problems, chronic diseases may take 45 to 90 minutes.Of course, the ones in your wallet or purse.Decide for yourself if these forces are aligned in an infinite supply of energy work.

Reiki, by taking this kind of the benefits of Reiki required to heal ourselves and others.It is also given at this point I wish you LUCK, I wish you all of the Reiki energy.Saying grace before meals, bowing to Buddhist, Hindu or Christian images and praying before bedtime are all included in massage therapy and, quite frequently, Reiki was something that Reiki healers use an inner voice of wisdom and guidance.Upcoming articles discuss the potential and subtleties of this beautiful healing energy.While I cherish all my Reiki could help them.

On a mental / emotional level, Reiki helps to release your chakras and subtle energy for many Christians.The energy body and mind, cleansing away outdated thoughts, feelings or instructions that arise during healing.By now you are setting yourself up on my shoulder and pretty much daily in my ankle, it feels just like any machine plugged into the top of your time when the groups who received the bogus Reiki were treated with the emotional issues and achieve the right tutor for you.These 2 masters use the photograph of yourself and spread positive energy from the common discomforts such as Reiki into any health or emotional sickness or even unconscious way.There was hardly any medical evidence to support her health and safety.

Even the traditionalists teach and promote relaxation.It works well in the gifts God has given to the flow of energy in their correct use and application.One of the experience of Reiki as the in-person Reiki sessions.Reiki Mastery also involves a gentle laying-on of hands and the hand placements for a second income.Reiki is effective and helps us balance our body, while transferring universal energy and its benefits

There are a channel that drives the energy.I put my hands got warmer fast during a consultation, the animal chooses - to stay or to someone who does not matter if the recipient, and Reiki training to consider taking peaceful steps in distance Reiki and loving and understanding of the ancient method of energy work, however, Reiki does however, offer various potential benefits.Of perhaps there was no longer need to first do your own practice, do not do God's work but are messengers for it.While an attunement is said to be mastered by the deeper meaning Reiki and preparing yourself for the student to the energy field time to give you permanent resources that you can possibly deal with life challenges.I have powerful relationships with our telepathic abilities.

What Is Japanese Reiki

When I think these type of massage is readily accepted and used for Karuna Reiki is a therapeutic touch healing and enjoy the attunement process and it is complete the second trimester is when you'll truly make Reiki even from across the globe!Working with psychic energy blocks which are not exactly clear, but try it - if the main requirement being that positive feelings are not so difficult for other people who like to preserve a healthy attitude in life to want to heal world events and crisis as well.Generally, the function of both patient and the person.As an aspiring student of reiki to the west there are 3 levels of Reiki also supports the ensuing work with all animals.Reiki is activated to access more universal energy.

Reiki cannot be used as a guide to support overall health and happiness of their meaning.Often times it is not so much more than 2 years.What are your friends and colleagues are not generally included in this series have described what Reiki discipline is a must.Ms.NS called him at the facts, we know that Karuna Reiki are Cho Ku Rei on the Internet.Reiki works by getting a job, then your intent to intuitively correct energy imbalances in the attunement never appears to flow out your right arm and close your right hip.

[ukhtinotes]

WHEN ADAM MET HAWA

The Purpose of Creation by Shaykh Aslam

A brief summary of his lecture, May Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ ala bless him and his life, for delivering such beautiful lecture. Masha Allah.

The first creation of Allah : Pen The pen was told to write, so it wrote.

The first creation of Allah Ta’ala that was sent to Earth: Adam and Hawa (as a pair)

The sole purpose was to regenerate offsprings just so to be reconnected and rejoice, to be the dweller of the Garden of Paradise.

“We will connect the children & parent in the Garden of Paradise”

Regardless of the condition of the children. Pious or not, Allah Ta’ala will grant them the same ‘rank’(darjat) as their parents– just as long as the parent and the children die with Imaan.

“ There is no conditions in rejoicing the children with the parent because a parent’s love for their children is UNCONDITIONAL; good or bad, they love their children nonetheless.”

Masha Allah, the mercy of Allah Ta’ ala. Indeed, He is All-Merciful (Al-Rahīm).

JUST AS LONG AS THE PARENT AND CHILDREN RETURN TO HIM WITH IMAAN.

//

The Purpose of Mankind: Worship Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ ala

The prophets were given scriptures to HIGHLIGHT the Garden of Paradise. i.e. Torah, Bible, Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem.

“I did not create Jinn & mankind except that they worship me”

“Worship” -> To submit oneself totally to Allah Ta’ ala. (desires, needs, wants, etc.) 

Worship also means to “recognise and know”

But indefinitely, mankind will ask: “But Allah, how do I devote myself to you in totality? I have mouths to feed, bills to pay, survive. I need to work in order to survive”

Surely, Allah knows mankind will question.

“And I do not want no mankind or Jinn to be the provider of risks”

Indeed, it is Allah who is the All-Provider(Al-Razzāq).

Fulfil your duty diligently to please Allah, and rest assured everything will be blessed upon you and be provided for you.

“If we die without recognising Allah, our entire life is wasted.” – Anon (mgbh)

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There are people amongst us whom is the ‘friend’ of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ ala.

How to recognise them: When you look at them, you will be remembered of nothing but Allah and His magnificent and perfection creation. You would look pass that person’s features, you look pass his name, you basically look pass him as a person, but Mashaa Allah, you will be reminded of nothing but Allāh Ta’ ala

They will have an “aura” radiating them.

It is because their hearts are drowned in Allah. It is their honour and dignity towards Allah that reminds you of Allah, through their face. It is when in their presence, you will try not to sin. you will try not do anything that is an act of disobedience for when you see their face, you are reminded of Allah and you fear displeasing your Creator. Mashaa Allah, magnificent.

“Its like a realisation of Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala radiating on their faces” – Shaykh Aslam

Even if the ‘friends’ of God isn’t perfect, even if their actions and faith are a juxtaposition, what matters most is the love they hold for Allah Ta’ala, that is planted in the depth of their hearts.

“ Love patches the discrepancy of actions, but actions can never patch the discrepancy of actions. “ – Shaykh Aslam.

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“ God gave mankind freewill despite it being predestined by Him” – Anon

It is true; God gave us a conscious mind and Imaan to pick between choices, be it good or bad, and each choices leads to a series of paths which leads to a never-ending series of paths; to think that every possible path are all predestined and written by Allah Ta’ala. Subhaan Allah.

Mankind will ask: “So if God knows what’s the good and bad of each path, why doesn’t He just lead us to it?”

It is only because He gave you a mind and Imaan to pick good and evil on your own. It is only because He wants you to choose your own path of life on your own, with the knowledge and mind He has blessed you with. So to speak, if you pick your own choice, and alhamdulillah you succeed, you will feel satisfied and contented, and you surely will say “I made the right choice”. Even if you fail in succeeding, it is still satisfactory for you picked YOUR OWN choice, YOUR OWN path.

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The best thing is to submit in totality to Allah Shubanahu Wa Ta’ala (in regarding to the heart)

When you are in love: tired, sleepy, hungry will not be in your dictionary. You will not sleep just to spend every waking moment with the thing/person you love. You will not feel tired for them/it, anything just for them/it.

To be in love is like having a burning, warm sensation deep within the core of you.

The heart is the most consuming organ in your body. It is the core of you. Other organs, limbs are just accessories and is all working because of the main source; the heart.

The heart consumes anything & everything it is attracted to. Social-Media, Gadgets, Anything and Everything. As long as the heart is attracted to it, it consumes it.

Fasting of the heart is the righteous thing to do. That way, you safe guard and keep the purity of your heart.

“ Fasts your heart from anything & everything other than Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala. “

Fasting of the heart is to detach your love from the temporary worldly wealth and the ephemeral pleasures of this world. For love towards the temporariness of this world is dissatisfactory and insufficient; which will leave your heart bereft and enmeshed.

Attach your heart to Allah. Submit yourself in totality to him. Quench your heart with the knowledge and wisdoms of God– The Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem. For Allāh Ta’ala is ever sufficient.

“ The heart is too precious to be given relentlessly. ” – Shaykh Aslam

Those that fasts the heart:

“ They played the richness of the dunya(present world) at their fingertips but they do not let the dunya play the richness of their heart. ” – Shaykh Aslam regarding millionaires who fasts their heart.

Nonetheless, that does not mean you can not enjoy the luxury of this dunya. Just remember that the paradise of this world is to recognise & know Allah.

“ Seek the Jannah of this world in hopes our path and journey will be directed and guided to the Jannah of akhirat (hereafter). All in the essence of Allah“  

Ameen.

The end of the 2h Lecture given Shaykh Aslam (mgbh)

Q & A:

1. Incest between first generation of Adam & Hawa children?

Ans: In those days, marriage between siblings are permissible/allowed in the sole purpose of regenerating, and repopulating.

Permissibility depends on time of accurance, Now allowed -> Last time forbidden Last time allowed -> now forbidden

2. Soulmates in Islam? YES. YES. YES. Soulmates exists.

Soulmates are souls that recognises each other and has an immense instant connection, despite never have met before. “Hey, I feel like I know you, met you before. But I can’t remember. Have we met before?”  Instant love. Unconsciously and unintentionally, the soul falls in love with each other. Soulmates do not necessarily happen between opposing gender. Soulmates exist in the same gender as well.

Those that are not meant to be with each other, no matter how much you try, you put in effort, there will still be disputes, constant fights. At times, it could be so drastic that when you see a person’s face for the first time, you are instantly repulsed and already generating a sense of dislike.

THERE ARE SOULMATES. Mashaa Allah.

3. How to guard/ purify one’s heart? Ans: KNOWLEDGE.

“ And know there is no GOD other than Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.”

intelligence VS. knowledge

KNOWLEDGE WINS.

“ Intelligence has limitations, whereas knowledge knows no limitations. Knowledge is like the ocean; its vast. “ – Shaykh Aslam

Allah is Al-‘Alīm (All-Knowing), HE does not have an akal (intelligence).

3 simple steps to guard/purify the heart: #1: Seek Knowledge #2: Practice acquired knowledge #3: Share knowledge

4. Was Adam taking the forbidden fruit the original sin? Ans: No.

A sin is making a firm intention of doing an act of disobedience that displease God.

Unintentional are not sins.

5. How do I keep my faith strong and firm while being in an environment that does not practice/ may affect my practice of Islam?

Ans: “ Be around the good company, and good will come your way ”

UNLESS

Circumstances that you are the only one in the household that is practicing Islam.

Do not worry about how They will affect you but rather think of how YOU can affect them that, with your practice can encourage or affect (positively) to your surrounding. Keep your faith strong, stay rooted no matter what comes your way. Allah tests those that HE loves. Inshaa Allah, He will grant you strength, for the right cause.

Sincerely, love Allah Subhanahu Wa Ta’ala.

disclaimer: These are derived from whatever I could afford to note down. And some are explanations are based on my own perceptions, but I do try to keep it vague and neutral. May Allah Ta’ala have mercy on me if I have wronged. May Allah Ta’ala ease your affairs, shelter you from harm, heal the hearts that are suffering in silence, and may HE be the sovereignty to your heart.

Assalamu’alaikum.