#Demystifying boundaries

[alelathedragon]

Cold old man

(literally)

PKMN IRL!! I'm a friend of who runs @themiracleeye and thought it'd be fun and funny to let them interview one of the pokemon i like Roleplaying. so I threw the ball into their court!

I don't have an official IRL blog and it wouldnt fit the pokemon ive chosen anyways If you wanna attempt an interaction with my Pokemon of Choice in the future too, feel free to DM and we'll plan around Your blog! Since- I dont wish to mess up your format!

(im being cryptic to try and surprise yall bc were leading into the interview cutely mwahaha)

[themiracleeye]

Introductory post for Demystifying Boundaries

Starting date: June 16th.

Strange weather arrives across unova. It’s getting… colder? That can’t be right. We’re in the middle of june.

Arc will contain:

- Odd weather conditions;

- Mid stakes around the second half;

- A legendary pokemon encounter.

How this works:

The evolutions of the weather will be updated through @fastcastweatherreport’s posts. It should mostly affect Unova, and regions close to it such as Orre and maybe Alola. Of course, you do not have to interact with this if you don’t want to. This will not bar you from any future interactions with my blog.

Feel free to get creative with how this affects your character’s day to day, and what they post in relation to it.

Make sure to tag every post related to the weather event accordingly, and use the arc tag: '#arc: Demystifying Boundaries' so it can easily be followed or filtered.

If you want to have your character investigate the source of the weather oddities, feel free to reach out to @fastcastweatherreport’s mun and I through dms. We’ll be dropping hints here and there, but I’m also open to having off-blog interactions for this.

Also, I’ve added a new section to my gartic phone discord server to be able to plan things out for miracle eye, the invite is here: https://discord.gg/6FbGyA4x

[fastcastweatherreport]

Good Morning!!! People, Pokemon, beings from otherworldly galaxies, everyone is welcome to look at the news forecast!!

Here today we have your favorite Weather Anchorrrrrs, Mulberry and Beany! Take it away you two!!

🌥️........🌤️.........☀️

" Good morning everyone, we are here today with some breaking news! It's snowing in Unova while we're practically in the middle of June!! "

" Casto! Castform cast cast... Form cast casto! Casto, castform! "

[" First and foremost I would like to personally apologise that we couldn't keep all of you correctly updated on the weather for this week! While we pokèmon are mysterious and unpredictable beings.... I still feel bad that our forecast wasn't up to par! We will do our best to keep track of this oddly behaving weather! "]

" That's right Beany, we are very sorry to all of our viewers for the inconvenience of our broadcast not being correct. As we've said your safety is our priority so we will do our best to have our experts out there keeping track of these weird weather anomalies! Now to the board of which areas will be affected "

🎶Emergency Broadcast music plays in the background as we switch to the green screen displaying the Region of Unova🎶

(OOC; Picture on the left acquired from Google and photoshopped on by me. The one on the right photoshopped by my friend @mpc07-foundtheinternet )

" We currently do not have an estimated time of when the snow will be stopping so we advise you keep your jackets close and watch out for wet spots on the road, it shouldn't be cold enough that the snow will Stay after it is done however this could change. At any time. We will keep you updated "

" The affected areas are; Castelia City and Skyarrow Bridge with the widest area of snow covering practically their entire city and the entire bridge!! There's a nasty cold spot in the middle however it should pass rather quickly as soon as the snow calms down "

" Nimbasa City is also covered with a light snowing but it doesn't look like you all are going to have as much of a chill as Castelia! Which is good enough news "

" Lastly Reversal Mountain is having some snow too, however due to the way your beloved mountain works the snow will pile at the bottom of the mountain and stay there a few minutes before melting away so just stay safe while climbing. Look out for ice! "

🌥️.....🌤️.....☀️

🤡🤡🤡🤡 commercial break!!!!🤡🤡🤡🤡

" We're back, and that's all the news we have for you today. Our previous news casting still holds up for the rest of the week but if anything changes we will be close to the first in letting you know! Bye guys! "

[frosty-sneasel]

Camellia is such a good Pokemon, and definitely didn't figure out how to bribe Zena into opening the window so that she could break outside and play in the snow while I was none the wiser (taking a nap in the other room)

I have a torn up window screen and a cold room now.

[themiracleeye]

Oh my gosh….

Coat pics??

I fuckin look ridiculous

[The coat is bright yellow, large and fit onto Viscogons body, Viscogon looks incredibly tired and disappointed]

[venusianpulp]

Unblocking Your Potential: Understanding Mars Placement in Your Natal Chart

Exploring the depths of your astrological chart, particularly the placement of Mars, can unveil powerful insights into the barriers obstructing your potential. Understanding how your unique Mars placement influences your drive, energy, and assertiveness can shed light on the areas where you may be facing obstacles. By delving into this aspect of your natal chart, we will elucidate how to identify and confront these blockages, empowering you to take the necessary steps towards unleashing your full potential.

Demystifying the Mars Placement in Your Natal Chart

What Exactly is the Mars Placement?

In astrology, the Mars placement refers to the position of the planet Mars at the time of your birth, which is documented in your natal chart. This placement is crucial because Mars is associated with how you express anger, your sexual drive, your initiative, and your overall energy levels. It's the cosmic fuel that powers your actions and desires. Think of it as a signature of your assertiveness and the force behind how you assert yourself in various life situations. Each zodiac sign that Mars can occupy lends a different flavor to these characteristics, and understanding this can help you make sense of not just your actions, but your reactions to challenges and opportunities. Knowing your Mars placement can offer enlightenment on how you pursue your goals and deal with conflict, providing a key to unlocking your true potential.

Impact of Mars Placement in Your Natal Chart

The impact of Mars placement in your natal chart is profound. It governs your courage and combativeness, influencing how you tackle life's battles. A well-placed Mars can mean you're naturally gifted with leadership qualities and a strong will. You likely approach challenges head-on and aren’t afraid to take risks. Conversely, a challenging Mars placement might indicate a tendency towards aggression or impulsiveness. It can show potential areas of life where you experience frustration or where you might need to develop patience. Mars also affects your passion and drive, which can play a significant role in career choices and hobbies. Essentially, the placement of Mars serves as a guide for harnessing your energy constructively. When you understand the power of this placement, you can better navigate your path, using your innate strengths to overcome obstacles and achieve your desires.

How the Mars Placement Relates to Your Potential

Mars placement is like a map to your innate potential. It gives clues about the best ways for you to channel your energy and ambition. If Mars is in a dominant position in your chart, you may find that you have strong leadership qualities and the potential to initiate action in areas where others hesitate. It can indicate a natural ability to push boundaries and break new ground. On the other hand, if Mars is in a more challenging position, it may point to the need for greater self-awareness in how you assert yourself, suggesting that your greatest potential could be realized by learning to moderate your impulses. By understanding your Mars placement, you can discover the most effective ways to apply your energy and drive, turning your raw potential into realized achievements. This knowledge empowers you to focus your efforts where they will be most fruitful, leading to personal growth and success.

Discovering Your Blocks: How Mars Holds You Back

Identifying Your Personal Blockages

When Mars is unfavorably aligned in your natal chart, it can create personal blockages that manifest in various aspects of your life. Identifying these blockages is the first step towards understanding how they may be holding you back. Look for patterns of frustration, where you feel repeated resistance or where anger surfaces disproportionately. These are indicators of where Mars may be working against you. You might also notice areas where you have an excess of energy but lack direction, causing you to spin your wheels without making progress. Pay attention to feelings of inadequacy or a lack of confidence in certain situations, as these can signal blockages related to the assertive qualities of Mars. By pinpointing these obstacles, you're preparing to challenge and overcome them, moving closer to realizing your full potential. Recognizing these signs is crucial for the journey towards self-improvement and empowerment.

Understanding Impact of Mars on Common Blockages

The influence of Mars on common blockages is significant because it affects how we deal with challenges and pursue our goals. For instance, if Mars is in a position that squares other planets in your chart, you might face hurdles in assertiveness, experiencing either too much aggression or not enough. This can lead to conflict in relationships or passivity in career advancement. If Mars is in retrograde in your natal chart, you might find yourself holding back when you should be pushing forward, leading to missed opportunities and regret. Alternatively, a harmonious Mars placement can sometimes make one overly reliant on their ability to easily conquer obstacles, causing complacency. By understanding how Mars impacts these common blockages, you can strategize ways to balance your energies, ensuring that assertiveness doesn't turn into hostility and that drive doesn't devolve into burnout.

Role of Mars in Inhibition and Fear

Mars plays a crucial role in how we confront or succumb to inhibition and fear. When Mars's energy is suppressed or its placement forms challenging aspects with other planets in your natal chart, it can result in internalized fear, causing hesitation and self-doubt. This can manifest as an inability to take decisive action, leading to a sense of stagnation. On the flip side, an overactive Mars might push you to act out of fear, resulting in reckless decisions or unnecessary confrontations. Understanding the position of Mars can throw light on the source of these fears and inhibitions. It can guide you to balance its energies, allowing you to face fears with courage and to act with confidence without being foolhardy. Knowledge of your Mars placement can be a powerful tool in learning to navigate fear, transforming it from a hindrance into a motivator for growth.

Illuminating the Path: How to Overcome Your Mars Blockages

Practical Steps to Unlock Your Potential

To unlock your potential by overcoming Mars blockages, start by reflecting on moments when you've felt held back. Analyze these situations: What triggered your response? What were the outcomes? Next, practice assertiveness in low-stakes environments to build confidence. Exercise is another practical step; it channels Mars energy constructively, reducing stress and increasing vitality. Additionally, set small, achievable goals that align with your Mars placement to gradually build momentum. For example, if your Mars is in a creative sign like Pisces, start a small art project. If it's in a strategic sign like Scorpio, plan a step-by-step approach to a complex task. By taking these practical steps, you actively work with your Mars energy rather than against it, allowing you to break through the barriers that previously seemed insurmountable.

Astrological Remedies to Mars-Related Issues

Astrological remedies for Mars-related issues can be an effective way to balance its energies. One such remedy is to wear or carry gemstones associated with Mars, such as red coral, which can enhance vitality and courage. Another approach is to meditate on or chant mantras that correspond to Mars, helping to calm aggression and increase determination. Engaging in activities that honor Mars, like martial arts or competitive sports, can also redirect its combative energies in a positive way. Additionally, incorporating the color red into your daily life can stimulate Mars energy, while also serving as a reminder to remain grounded and centered. Astrology also suggests that being mindful of Mars transits and retrogrades can help you anticipate and prepare for periods of potential conflict or assertiveness. By using these remedies, you can align more harmoniously with the influence of Mars and use its power to your advantage.

Harnessing the Energy of Mars for Self-Improvement

Harnessing the energy of Mars is about channeling its raw power for constructive self-improvement. Begin by setting clear intentions that resonate with Mars’s qualities like strength and determination. Engage in activities that challenge you physically and mentally, fostering discipline and resilience which are in harmony with Mars's spirit. Adopting a proactive mindset is also key; take initiative in areas of your life where you've previously held back due to fear or indecision. Furthermore, using visualization techniques to imagine successfully overcoming obstacles can help you tap into Mars's dynamic energy. Establish routines that encourage action and follow through, and be willing to confront issues directly, which can lead to breakthroughs in personal growth. By consciously working with Mars energy, you invite more focus, passion, and vitality into your life, driving significant self-improvement and empowerment.

The Power of Mars: Turning Blocks into Building Blocks

How Mars Blockages Can Serve as Lessons

Mars blockages can actually serve as valuable lessons that contribute to our personal growth. When we encounter obstacles related to our Mars placement, it forces us to pause and re-evaluate our approach. These moments of reflection can teach us about our inherent strengths and weaknesses, showing us how we can become more balanced individuals. For example, if impatience is a recurring issue, a Mars blockage might be a lesson in cultivating patience and timing. Alternatively, if passivity is the problem, a Mars challenge could push you to develop assertiveness and to stand up for your beliefs. By viewing these blockages as opportunities for learning, you can transform them into tools for building resilience and character. It's about flipping the narrative and using the very things that seem to hold you back as stepping stones to reach new levels of achievement and self-awareness.

Embracing Mars: Growth Through Struggle

Embracing Mars means recognizing that growth often comes through struggle and that our challenges can catalyze transformation. The warrior energy of Mars invites us to face our battles head-on, knowing that each confrontation is a chance to strengthen our resolve and develop courage. When we accept the struggles linked to our Mars placement as part of our journey, we open ourselves to the lessons they bring. It's about understanding that the friction caused by Mars's challenging aspects can create a spark that ignites change. By embracing these struggles, we not only learn to navigate them more effectively but also to appreciate the fortitude and self-reliance they build within us. The key is to approach each struggle with a mindset of perseverance and to use the fiery energy of Mars as a source of motivation rather than a cause for frustration.

Using Mars Energy: Converting Blocks into Empowerment

Converting blocks into empowerment requires using Mars energy to fuel positive change. To do this, first acknowledge the blockage and understand its root in Mars's influence. This self-awareness is a form of empowerment in itself, as it moves you from a place of reaction to one of control. Then, consciously redirect the potent energy of Mars from the blockage into constructive actions. For instance, if you find yourself with a short temper, channel that intensity into passion for a project or cause. If you face stagnation, use the dynamic force of Mars to kickstart a new fitness regime or to tackle a project you've been postponing. By intentionally shifting where and how Mars's energy expresses itself, you transform potential liabilities into assets. This approach not only empowers you but can also serve as an inspiring example to others who may face similar challenges.

Mars and Beyond: Continuing Your Astrological Journey

Integrating Your Mars Understanding into Overall Astrological Knowledge

Integrating your understanding of Mars into your broader astrological knowledge can offer a more comprehensive view of your personal journey. Consider how Mars interacts with other planetary placements in your chart, such as your Sun sign, which represents your core being, or your Moon sign, which reflects your emotional landscape. Understanding these dynamics can reveal how your drive and assertiveness (Mars) influence your life purpose (Sun) and emotional responses (Moon). For a holistic view, also examine how Mars's placement affects your relationships, career, and personal growth. Look at aspects between Mars and other planets to understand the flow of energy in your chart. This integrated approach allows you to make more informed decisions and to harness the full spectrum of your astrological profile. The goal is to create a synergy between the various elements of your chart, using the insights gained to live a more balanced and fulfilling life.

How Other Planets Interact with Your Mars Placement

The interaction of Mars with other planets in your natal chart can significantly influence its expression. When Mars forms aspects with planets like Jupiter, you may find your assertiveness is magnified, providing a boost in confidence and expansion of will. If it's interacting with Saturn, you could experience a tempering of your Mars energy, demanding discipline and patience. Venus in relation to Mars can affect your passion and relationships, blending the energies of desire and affection. The Sun's aspect to Mars will often amplify your vitality and drive, while the Moon's aspect can affect how you express your assertiveness emotionally. It's important to understand these planetary relationships because they can either harmonize with or challenge your Mars placement, affecting how you experience and use your energy. These interactions are not just isolated influences; they form a complex web that dictates the ebb and flow of your personal power and initiative.

Exploring Further: What Next in Your Natal Chart Journey?

After delving into the role of Mars in your life, the next steps in your natal chart journey involve a deeper exploration of the other celestial influences. Each planet has its own significance, such as Venus's sway over love and relationships, Mercury's impact on communication, and Saturn's lessons in discipline and structure. Studying the houses in your chart can provide context for how these planetary energies manifest in different areas of your life. Consider learning about the transits, which are the movements of planets at the current time and how they interact with your natal chart, offering insights into the timing of events and phases of life. Look into the progressions, a technique that symbolizes your chart's evolution over time. By continuing your astrological education, you can gain a more nuanced understanding of your personal dynamics and life's unfolding narrative, empowering you to navigate it with greater wisdom.

[batmanisagatewaydrug]

The shorter version: Hey could you talk about stone tops more? Or anything like that, people who like giving but not recieving?

The longer version: I’m sort of going through that process of self discovery, I’ve been meaning to ask about it somehow- basically I am sexually attracted to people (I think??), I get aroused, I enjoy masturbating, even talking with my partner about stuff we could do is arousing to me. I enjoy some submissive kinky stuff. Hell, my boyfriend (transmasc, both of us are) recently let me go down on him and it was like a fucking religious experience, I LOVED it, but I find it really difficult to enjoy anything being done directly to /my/ genitals. Like, I can feel the sensations, and they feel good, but I don’t build any arousal, like I can’t get in the mood? I know I’m not, but I do feel fucked up and broken. Spiritually, I want my boyfriend to rail me into next week, but physically I’m afraid there’s like. Something wrong with me, like,, I don’t work??? Idk. I’ve got major anxiety, I’ve got dysphoria, I guess I always figured it was one of those things. There’s only so many times I can feel Way Too Seen by fanfiction about Noted Asexual, Archivist Jonathan Sims before I start to wonder what exactly they’ve hit directly on the head, if that makes sense. I’m not asking you to Diagnose Me Asexual lmaoo but I was wondering about more like… asexual adjacent things? My boyfriend suggested I look into “service top” too. I… don’t feel like a top? I’m very submissive. But I’ve heard it’s not always top= dom, bottom=sub… how can I be a submissive top?

Sorry this is… so much. It’s really been weighing on me. Even if you don’t feel up to answering this I thank you profusely for the sex ed content you’ve been posting lately. Demystifying sex and promoting sexual health is so incredibly important, and even just what I’ve read from you makes a difference in the agency I feel over my sex life.

hi anon,

weeeeeee!!! this is a fun one.

so, first off, I'm just gonna throw this out there: liking the idea of something - for instance, your boyfriend railing you into next week - is not an innate sign that that's something you'd like in real life. I'll jack off to the idea of getting railed like Thomas the Tank Engine, sure, but in real life vaginal penetration has never felt like much of anything to me + I haaaaAAAAaaaate the idea of doing anything with even a teeny tiny slight chance of getting me pregnant. some stuff is fine to stay in the brain!

if you do ever decide to tentatively explore it with your bf, that's also fine and wonderful, but let's focus on what we know about your likes right now. you don't want to get fucked (awesome) but you like going down (also awesome). none of that means you are or aren't asexual, btw, there are loads of asexuals in the world who love to get railed and hate going down and also feel every possible way about every other possible array of sex acts. you're only asexual if you want to be, keep that in mind.

you're also only stone or a service top or whatever else if you want to be. words exist to be useful, not as an innate ontological truth to discover within yourself. personally I think it's waaaaay more important for people to refine their sense of likes, dislikes, communication, and boundary-setting than finding the exact right word for their particular cup of tea.

as long as we're talking about terminology, let's get into dom/sub and top/bottom. you're absolutely correct that they're not interchangeable, whatever the hooligans on various hellsites would have you believe. dom and sub are terms for power exchange play, when two people enact a power differential in which one partner is consensually given a great deal of control over the other, be it physically, psychologically, financially, or what have you. top/bottom simply refer to who is acting vs who is being acted upon during a sexual act; while some people identify intensely as either a top or a bottom, it's also a simple matter for those roles to switch on a dime depending on what kind of sex you're into. it's completely possible to have sex without designating anyone the top or bottom, and I'd argue that most people have sex without there actually being a dom or sub involved.

so can dom bottom, or a sub top? of course; people can mix and match whatever pieces of sexuality they want in their own explorations. a dom can boss their sub around like a little servant, giving them extremely detailed instructions about exactly how to rail them, and perhaps punish them (in the fun consensual way, obviously) if they fail to meet those expectations and don't get their dom off the way that was wanted. you can, and I cannot possibly emphasize this enough, do whatever you want forever.

a service top, incidentally, is generally considered a separate thing from a dom (which is not to say they can't overlap!) in that a service top isn't always dominating, but is topping because they enjoy getting their partner off in whatever way they like. the overlap of service tops and folks who are stone is notable!

in your particular case I would recommend not worrying so much about which of these terms, if any, are the correct one for you and focus way ore on exploring and playing with your partner to find a rhythm that works well for the two of you. doms, subs, tops, and bottoms all have something useful to teach people about how they like intimacy, but there's no rush to figure out which category, if any, you fit in. just focus on what's fun and feels good to you and toss the rest.

[meanbossart]

omg i loved that insight into some of drow's most important relationships it was so juicy...now...i gotta know what orin thought of this guy. we get some idea based off the game and other asks but what did orin really think of drow? especially when he first arrived at the temple it must have been something to be told this feral bastard is another of Bhaal's chosen. when do you think she decided to betray him?

GLAD YOU ENJOYED THE READING I love love Love getting into the nitty gritty of personal relationships so thank god some of you guys also like hearing about it LOL

But boy! That's a difficult one. Orin is a very mysterious character to me, we get a fair bit about her life and a vague idea of her relationship with you, but it's always from a second-hand source - the woman herself seems so stripped of humanity that it's difficult to imagine her doing trivial things like going to sleep at night or eating lunch - let alone how she felt about the people around her.

And there's an allure to that that I'm hesitant to try and demystify; not to mention how it itself was a source of frustration to DU drow. While its not like he ever desired to have a sit down and talk about their feelings together as a bhaalspawn, he did want to be let in, whatever that meant - and Orin never ever allowed that, though she did let him get close enough to keep trying.

I do like to believe they were both much less brazen when they met as young adults, DU drow being the shellshocked looking freak who barely knew how to carry out human interaction that he was, and Orin being a lot more explicitly reliant on Sarevok's approval and guidance to exist in the temple. With this, I think there would have been room to some insecurity - if there's another bhaalspawn, her need and effectiveness would come into far more scrutiny than it already did, after all. She would have probably disliked and avoided DU drow not on the basis of his appearance or past, but just because of this threat that he represented to her alone.

And while they inevitably grew close in a very weird way, that very first impression would have planted this seed of resentment in her which would eventually result in the betrayal; but it definitely wasn't the only thing that led to it.

Orin would have been all too aware that DU drow wanted her as more than a sister or a cohort; he was INCREDIBLY unsubtle and would have made attempts to escalate their relationship at least a few times. Because of my theory that Sarevok wanted them to breed together, this behavior was never discouraged, and while I highly doubt it was ever explicitly and openly discussed, I do think Sarevok would have found ways to imply to her that he would like to see the line continue through them.

Obviously Orin never reciprocated DU drow's feelings or desires, but she did enjoy toying with him - while she probably did love him as family, I don't have to spell out to you how weird a situation this is and how it might lead to a lot of bitterness on her end. I don't know if she "led him on" out of malice, out of a desire to feel in control of the situation, or just because she enjoyed the mind games, but these instances of teasing and holding things over DU drow's head only came after many blunt attempts at shooting him down, and looked very different from any sincere displays of affection they may have had as "siblings". Whenever DU drow wanted to push her boundaries, it would be as if a switch flipped and their dynamic ever so slightly changed - and she met in kind. This would usually reach a peak where it broke out in violence, and always ended with them beaten, bleeding, but laughing. And then it would never be spoken about again.

So, with this growing resentment, plus Sarevok's growing favoritism towards DU drow and his seeming desire to see them mate, PLUS Orin's very real ambition to pursue Bhaal's plan and gain some recognition of her own, she would have eventually decided that she didn't want want DU drow around anymore. What feelings precisely led to this decision I do not know, but whatever they were they had been festering for a very long time.

[witchyintention]

So You Found a Deity—Now What?

Worship, Work With, Honor, or Venerate? Let’s Break It Down

We’ve all been there. You’re deep in your craft, casually stirring your tea clockwise for prosperity, and suddenly—boom—an energy shows up. A dream, a nudge, a name that keeps popping up. Maybe it’s Hekate, or Odin, or The Morrigan, or a local spirit you can’t quite name yet. You feel the call... but what now?

Do you worship them? Work with them? Honor them? Venerate them? Is there a form to fill out? (Just kidding. Kind of.)

Let’s demystify the divine dynamics.

Worship: Bowing with Reverence

Worship is the most formal and traditional of the bunch. Think temples, rituals, prayers, altars, and offerings designed to show reverence and devotion. It’s the language of religion—whether ancient or modern—and often includes:

Structured prayer or praise

Ritual offerings and feast days

Seeing the deity as supreme or greater than yourself

You might worship a deity if they are your patron/matron, a central figure in your personal cosmology, or if you come from a religious background that already involves this type of relationship (like Hellenism or Kemeticism).

Key Vibe: “You are divine, and I revere you with loyalty and devotion.”

Working With: Co-Creating with Consent

This is the freelancer-gig economy of deity relationships. Working with a deity is more like entering a partnership. You may not see them as a god above all, but you respect their domain and ask for their help on specific tasks.

Calling on Aphrodite for love work? That’s working with.

Asking Hermes for protection during travel? That’s working with.

This usually involves:

Rituals with a purpose

Offerings as payment or thanks

A mutual exchange of energy

You might not worship this deity daily—but you build a respectful working relationship. Boundaries are key, and consent from both sides is a must.

Key Vibe: “You’re powerful in this area. Let’s collaborate.”

Honoring: Recognition Without Expectation

Honoring a deity is like giving someone flowers without asking for anything back. It’s respect, gratitude, and attention, especially during key dates or festivals.

You might:

Light a candle in their name

Add a token to your altar

Mention them in prayer or meditation

Observe their feast day even if they’re not in your personal pantheon

This is common when you have ancestral deities, cultural gods, or deities you feel affinity for but don’t actively worship or work with.

Key Vibe: “I see you. I respect you. Thank you for existing.”

Veneration: Ancestor-Level Honor

Veneration is closely tied to ancestor worship and cultural heritage. It’s often used when talking about spirits, saints, and older gods in more traditional, often polytheistic systems. To venerate is to elevate someone through ritual and memory—to keep their name alive, even if you’re not “working” with them actively.

This includes:

Shrine maintenance

Periodic offerings

Speaking their name in reverence

Retelling their myths or stories

In many traditions (especially Hellenic, Roman, Slavic, and others), veneration is a communal act that connects the present with the past.

Key Vibe: “You are sacred. Your legacy lives through my actions.”

So What’s the Right Way?

Here’s the secret: there’s no one-size-fits-all way to relate to a deity. You might worship one, work with another, honor a few, and venerate your ancestral spirits. All are valid. All are powerful. What matters is that you’re clear in your intentions, respectful in your approach, and honest about your needs and capacity.

And if you’re unsure where you stand? Start small. Light a candle. Speak aloud. Journal your experiences. Divine with your cards. Let the relationship grow like any other—organically, with trust and communication.

Remember: The gods aren’t vending machines. They’re not customer service agents. They are forces, stories, memories, and entities that demand more than a trendy hashtag. But when you build that relationship? It’s like opening a door to something vast, wild, and beautifully old.

Whatever path you choose—worship, work with, honor, or venerate—walk it with intention. And maybe offer them a cup of tea now and then. The divine loves a good brew.

[idkbitmedia]

Gao the Arsonist talks "FIRMAMENT" Lore, Teleportation and Identity

Much of Gao's 2024 concept album, "AND THEY MINE FOR OUR BODIES" is an experience obfuscated by cryptic lyrics and deep narrative rabbit holes. We took a walk with Gao to see if he could demystify some of the subject matter of "FIRMAMENT", one of the more popular tracks off the project.

"As humans, "home" is contextualized by our physical boundaries...I feel like when you take away said boundaries you also take away the boundaries that form you as a person"

Watch the whole interview here:

[campgender]

this seems like the place to put this little manifesto, so enjoy.

I love being stone. I love being butch. I love not having expectations put upon me in my relationship, and how my stone affects my sexuality and gender. I love being a “woman” who doesn’t bottom, and who is rarely touched at all. I love being able to be comfortable when I’m having sex, without having to be constantly vigilant of having my boundaries pushed or crossed. I love how it doesn’t matter if I’m stone as a result of trauma. I love how I might have always been this, might have always been meant to be this. I love being able to demystify sex, being able to see it for what it is- just another fun thing to do with a person/people you trust. I love seeing my partner not doing anything, being a perfect pillow princess for me. I love going to bed feeling completely satisfied in spite of having not been touched at all. I love wearing the strap over my underwear. I love keeping my clothes on during sex. I love not having expectations put on me during sex!!!! because during sex I’m not a “woman” I’m a butch!!!!!!! I love that my partner knows that I’m happy, that this is exactly what I want. I love that we’ve completely thrown out the idea of reciprocal orgasms, or orgasms being the point of sex. I love that I can feel safe during sex!!! I love that being stone is what gives me that feeling of safety!!! I love knowing that there are butches out there just like me, and femmes on the flip side who are just like me too, except that you’re different. I love that we’re more alike than we’ll ever be different, even if people outside of the butch/femme dynamic will never get that. I love the identity of being stone, of being butch. I love having a community where that identity is understood.

omg i’m delighted to receive your (& anyone’s) stone manifesto!! this is absolutely lovely, i’m so happy for you + so grateful to be in community with you 💖💖

you’re so right that we [have the potential to] ‘demystify sex’ !!! shine a flashlight on the thing & show its screws. it is able to be taken apart; it was built, was made, & we can unmake it, reassemble it in our own images.

also, “I love seeing my partner not doing anything” made me cry. truly believe that every time someone openly adores their own & their partners’ boundaries, they (re)make such a thing possible in real time — the world tells us stone bottoms are selfish but real & insists stone tops don’t exist, so imo imagining + articulating stone top desire is one aspect of making stoneness (slash more broadly, sexual boundaries that are affirming + exciting + respected + adored) an option for people.

so much love & solidarity to you!! tysm for this 💖💖

[themiracleeye]

We don’t normally comment on the weather, but I admit it’s a little odd to see snow in June. I don’t think this is just from a battle or two….

[fastcastweatherreport]

OOC;

Sorry again the next ARC update is taking so ungodly long not only have I been busy but there have just been home difficulties frrrrr.

Im ok.

And again: ill try and get to a post soon but i cant promise it qwq

[frosty-sneasel]

On pride month???? Snow????

Yeah, kind of homophobic if you ask me... Why is it snowing during pride month? Because Arceus wants to keep gay people indoors? We should cancel it.

[jessaerys]

(kind of a long-ish excerpt -- i've been twisting myself into pretzels about posting fic for the first time in years and driving myself crazy about it, so i figured it'd do me good to do a teeny tiny soft launch to demystify the whole thing. as a treat thoughts appreciated :') title may change, we'll see.) texas sharpshooter fallacy flirt mello/near | T (excerpt) | 700ish words | canon compliant.

near knocks.

his idea of inconspicuous is a sharp black coat and matching slacks and aviators now high up and glossy on his head. he knocks, and stands there in the fluorescent headache hallway where he can hear mello’s neighbors two doors over fucking to industrial EDM, their bed and their heads shrieking. as if the shock of white hair and vermeer eyes and his pretty babydoll mouth wouldn’t turn heads from harlem to chinatown. he has to laugh.

the 6th floor hallway is carpeted in cigarette butts and shards of glass and piss and misery, rock-bottom regret, apathy of the take-a-walk-out-of-the-roof variety. the wallpaper is an eyesore from the 70s and the ceilings are crazy cracked. taking the lift is a game of russian roulette. more than one person has died in this floor alone. he knows because it was his finger on the trigger, and fuck, he hasn't bothered to scrub out the stains. the grifters, the killers, the whores: everyone here —everyone— has been forsaken by god.

and near is alone.

for a brief, ridiculous moment mello is fourteen again, filled with a gleeful kind of malice, hoping the crackheads across the hall walk out and see near in all of his freakish man-in-black, little gray alien glory. catnip for psychosis, and right on the money to boot. if mello squints just so, it looks as if near is trapped inside the fishbowl marble universe of his peephole.

“in military strategy,” near says, his voice a tuning silver fork that makes the hair on the back of mello’s head stand on end. it is deeper. more elegant. mello had noticed, earlier, when they’d been strangers in the same room with nothing in common but the race for kira’s head and five years worth of resentment. “to refuse diplomatic entrance to one’s territory would be considered a declaration of war.”

“we already accepted jesus into our hearts.”

inside his grimy spaceship, the corner of near’s mouth quirks for a flash of a kodak moment and then it is gone. glitch in the matrix. mello’s wolfteeth grin knocks painfully into the aluminum.

“and didn’t the lord say offer hospitality to one another without grumbling?”

1 peter 4:9. the verse just before reads: above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.

"nothing a couple dozen hail marys won't fix."

above them something shatters against the floor. a woman screams. a weight falls heavy on the floor and then there is silence. the ceiling snows dirty dust all over near’s shoulders like so much winter wonderland. the lights flicker and flicker.

neither of them say anything. mello watches. he can’t see you, he tells himself, feeling like the world's best and brightest buffoon. he's not fucking godtouched.

but near raises a hand to his rosy cherubim face, makes a circle with his thumb and index finger to squint through with one big ophanim eye.

watches the watcher.

“i will wait for sixty seconds.”

mello finds his gun. sticks it in the back of his pants. runs his hands through his hair. pulls his gun out, checks the mag. pops it in place. hesitates. checks it again. he was right the first time. it is empty. thirty eight, thirty seven.

L used to say, it’s a boundary, mello. explicit verbal communication of where the limits are. respecting it preserves the peace. you can choose to ignore it, but you should first know why. and you should be ready for the inevitable outcome.

but what this really is is this: near coming to him alone under cover of night, so naïve he might as well be wearing a neon sign that says mug me or kidnap me or worse! i'm a stupid little boy!; as far he can be from the safety of his prince’s tower all to give little old mello the pleasure a fucking ultimatum.

his blood simmers. his ears ring. his sympathetic nervous system betrays him only ever around near, and near's little sycophant butlers could be just out of sight. he could be here with a swat team and a warrant for his arrest. he could be here to let mello know he has once again taken from him the only thing that's ever made any damn sense in his life.

he tries to breathe through it. tries to weight his options. he tries to be more like L.

he fails.

four, three, two—

near turns to leave.

mello opens the door.

.

.

.

[connectparanormal]

Ghosts and Halloween

Halloween, which falls on October 31st, is a holiday full of legend and imagery, with ghosts playing a major part in the celebrations. Halloween's association with ghosts dates back thousands of years, illustrating humankind's persistent fascination with the paranormal and the afterlife. The ancient Celtic holiday of Samhain, when people believed the curtain separating the living from the dead was at its thinnest, is the origin of Halloween. The Celts honored their ancestors on Samhain because they thought that the deceased's spirits had returned to this world. Consequently, ghosts became a major emblem of this celebration, signifying both the hallowed ghosts of the ancestors and darker forces bent on causing mischief.

Over time, Samhain's Christianization into All Hallows' Eve, or All Saints' Day, eve, did not lose its connection to ghosts and the dead. Contemporary Halloween customs originated from the enduring concept that ghosts and wandering souls haunted the night before All Saints' Day. Halloween ghosts represent the eerie wonder and horror of the unknown, as well as the fuzziness of life's boundaries. The various depictions of ghosts during the holiday, such as spooky costumes and decorations, demonstrate this relationship. The unsettling feeling that ghosts evoke reminds people of the fleeting nature of existence and the mysteries that lie ahead. Another example of this link is the Halloween ritual of recounting ghost stories. Telling ghost stories and haunted home stories appeals to people's innate curiosity and worries about death. Using the ghostly figure to teach moral lessons or elicit reflection on mortality and ethics, these stories frequently function as explorations of moral issues or cautionary tales. Ghosts are becoming a common feature of Halloween-themed entertainment in popular culture. Taking advantage of the holiday's eerie association, movies, TV series, and novels provide audiences with exciting and terrifying experiences. These portrayals, reflecting the diverse perspectives on ghosts, span from the terrifying to the humorous. Furthermore, the Halloween customs related to ghosts reflect deeper psychological demons and sociological concerns. Interacting with the ghostly and eerie enables people to face their concerns in a safe setting. Halloween celebrations' lighthearted and social elements provide an opportunity to examine and demystify the idea of death, turning dread into joy.

Halloween's association with ghosts also reflects a larger human need to commemorate and pay respect to the deceased. By including spirits in the celebration, people participate in a ritualistic remembering of the deceased, preserving a connection between the living and the dead. All in all, the persistent connection between ghosts and Halloween draws attention to the intricate relationship between custom, dread, and memory. Because they serve as a reminder of unsolved mysteries and a link to the past, ghosts continue to be a popular Halloween theme. This relationship guarantees that ghosts will always be a significant component of Halloween, adding layers of cultural and historical relevance to the event.