#Devotional journey

[luckthebard]

Continues to be baffling to me how much of the CR fandom refuses to understand that, by the end of C1 (and frankly way earlier in that campaign than many people realize) Vax’s vow to the Raven Queen was totally voluntary, important and meaningful to him, and not something he wanted a trick or lawyer to “get him out of.”

I guess it surprises me to still see this because an intense disagreement about this was perhaps the biggest point of contention (and indeed one of the most interesting parts) of Vax and Keyleth’s relationship. I loved the disconnect they had about it as characters and that they stayed together in spite of it. (It’s part of what made me such a fan of Vaxleth as a romantic story.) But the Vax side of that disconnect they had about faith and fate and the gods seems to have been totally lost in the fandom memory of the campaign.

Vax does not see his service to his goddess as something he would need “rescuing” from and he would resent the assumption. De-orbed Vax would probably first go back to his duty and service, because that was meaningful to him. Breaking the rules a few times to try to save Keyleth doesn’t negate that, it’s just on-brand for a character who wore his heart on his sleeve and often made brash decisions to protect people he loved without thinking it through.

[faeyramaeyra]

~ 🌷 Witchy things you can do to honour yourself, your craft and your deities! 🌷 ~

~ 🌷 This will be a long post! 🌷 ~

- Spend time in nature (go hiking, meditate outdoors, collect some river water, make some sun water, plant something etc)

- Interact with your pets (example, dogs are often associated with Hekate so you could play with them or take them on a walk etc.)

- Donate to a shelter or charity in the name of your deity.

- Create a protection charm to add to your dog or cat’s collar. Our companions need protection sometimes too!

- Do your self-care as an act of devotion to yourself and your deity (you could do your skincare as devotion for Aphrodite for example.)

- Have a cleansing bath or shower. You can create a pouch full of cleansing and protective herbs to use.

- Make a piece of artwork for your deities. It could be a painting, clay vase, etc.

- Make a playlist of songs that give you positive energy or remind you of your deity.

- Make a journal or scrapbook about the things you love about your craft to remind you why you are practising.

- Do a daily card pull in the morning. This can be to see how your day will go or what you should be focusing on etc.

- Stir intentions into your drink in a morning (anti-clockwise to remove negativity, clockwise to bring in positivity. You can also say what you wish to manifest for that particular day. You may need an extra boost of inspiration for example.)

- Do some spell work with your deity. Ask them to give you aid with it or to protect you whilst you are doing it.

- Consider enchanting an item. It could be jewellery, a plant, a decorative item in your home etc.(If you would all like, I can make a post of how I personally like to enchant objects.)

- Tidy up your home. This one may seem a bit odd but please read my explanation as to why it is important to take care of your home. Different rooms in your home can be associated with different parts of your life. If you want to manifest something in part of your life, You need to take care of your home in order for your manifestation to work. Your kitchen is connected to your health and health of your household. Your bathroom is connected to your finances and the flow of finances in your household. Your bedroom is connected to the happiness and prosperity of your romantic relationships. Your living room is connected to your relationships with your friends and family.

- Learn how to read candles. Candles are commonly used as an offering to deities and for manifestation workings but sometimes you can have other entities trying to communicate with you via the candle flame. I personally have had ancestors messing about with candles, Not just deities.

- Use colour magick associations when picking out your outfit for the day. For example black is most commonly used as a protection colour.

~ 🌷 Want me to make a part 2? Lemme know below 🌷 ~

Tip-Jar

[alwaysrememberjesus]

Open Doors

[general-cyno]

today in more zolu thoughts: yet another thing I find fascinating about zoro and luffy's relationship, which I believe the LA managed to capture pretty well despite the differences between it and the og source material, is that while zoro's capacity for loyalty and devotion where luffy's concerned are insane (the all-encompassing, heartfelt, lay down my life and dreams for you, follow you until death or the very end of everything kind of crazy), they're not entirely unconditional per se. the condition here being that he has to measure up to zoro's standards - that luffy has to prove himself a man worthy of following.

there are plenty examples of this in the manga, but I'll stick to where it and opla intersect. so manga!zoro pretty much stands firm with this condition when he agrees to follow luffy, warning him about not getting in the way of zoro's dream right away. opla zoro is a lot more reluctant to join in comparison, and he just seemingly goes along with the whole thing in a more "might as well" manner; even so, there's these few subtle moments where you can see him being struck awe by luffy's faith in himself/his dream (the dinner at kaya's) and showing exactly why he's a "different" kind of pirate (ie freeing the folks from orange town).

still, the most pivotal moment is zoro's fight with mihawk in both cases. this is where luffy has to really prove himself to zoro, for the first time. because talk of dreams and promises and not hindering them is nice and all, but can luffy really stand by what he says when push comes to shove? when the life of someone he cares about is on the line? and man. the answer is yes.

in the manga, by stopping johnny and yosaku from intervening and refusing to do so himself as well, even though he was deeply upset by zoro getting hurt, luffy proved he wouldn't go back on his word nor betray zoro's trust and the faith he had placed in him. in a similar fashion, opla luffy letting zoro go ahead with the duel despite his own apprehension/doubts and nami questioning both of their choices, is what finally led to zoro recognizing him as his captain out loud and accepting his role as a first mate.

I just think it's interesting that these two kind of make each other walk on a tightrope. only the world's greatest swordsman can stand by the pirate king's side. the pirate king can have the world's greatest swordsman by his side, if he proves himself worthy of it. but the best part? for me, it's that zoro and luffy are able to challenge one another this way (or set the bar that high) because they absolutely believe the other can rise up to it and beyond.

[starker-sorbet]

Mercenary Tony taking on a contract to find the known insurgent known only as the spider. And after an intense chase and fight he soon had his mark bound on his ship to be dropped off as soon as they get back to civilisation Only soon Tony finds himself falling for the younger man as they talk on the long space flight home as he starts to think that the reasons behind the others bounty aren't as simple as the authorities make it seem. And that maybe he should let Peter go before they make it back to colony. Or maybe the Spider is as devious and silver tongued as they say and the hardened merc had found himself tangled in the others web.

[astarlightmonbebe]

it's easy to read the situation between li tongguang, ruyi, and yuanzhou as a love triangle on a superficial level, but looking even one step further, it's clear that there's no triangle about it. li tongguang is obsessed with ren xin; ning yuanzhou is devoted to ren ruyi. ltg's obsession is fervent and all consuming, but it's not devotion. like ruyi herself notes, his feelings to her are on the basis of her as a mother figure in his life, as a replacement for what he never received from his mother. is there an element of romantic/sexual love/desire to it? maybe. more likely he's deluded himself into thinking that, because the truth is, it's doubtful that ltg even understands what love is (platonic, filial, familial, romantic, all of the above, etc), because he has no basis for understanding. ruyi's teachings and actions towards him are the closest thing he has to hold up as an example. what he wants is ren xin, is a replica of the master he had. he doesn't want ruyi, because he doesn't actually care about ruyi. therefore, he doesn't care if she's sad, angry, mad; he just can't bear her 'abandoning' him. we saw this way back when she first meet and left him, both at thirteen and seventeen. although he distrusts her first, she saves his life and cares for him in the way no one else has, hence her first being raised on a platform in his mind. when she leaves for good, ending their master-disciple relationship/training, even though it's for official business and she's not abandoning him, in his mind that's exactly what it is. so now that she's in his life again, he won't let her leave again. he was powerless before, a child with no proper name, but now he's a recognized member of the imperial family, a man who can meet her as 'equals' (even when that's far from the truth). as a child, he could only cling to her legs and beg her, but now he has the power to keep her by his side. it's telling that when he finally gets confirmation of her identity, it's not ning yuanzhou he seeks to harm (even though he detests him and their relationship), but yang ying. yang ying is ruyi's new disciple, and as ltg doesn't know she's a woman, he only sees her as his direct replacement.

ning yuanzhou, on the other hand, is devoted to ruyi. he wants to build a new life and future with her, instead of slotting her into a spot in the life he already has. he's someone who accompanies her on walks and makes her midnight snacks, who holds her when she needs to be held and lets her go when she needs to do things on her own. when she speaks her mind, he listens, even when it makes him discontent/it's not what he wanted/wants to hear. he sees her unabashedly as his equal, and though he acknowledges her skills and abilities, or points out her naivety, he never does it to belittle her; to him, she is his peer, deserving of the highest honor and respect. he trusts her to have his back, and she has come to trust him to have her. he did what she might have thought no man would ever do: he proved himself reliable, so she came to rely on him. yuanzhou gives her freedom and autonomy as both ren ruyi and ren xin. of course they run into problems, but they both learn and grow from them, as individuals and as a couple. yuanzhou's belief in her is unwavering, but adaptable, whereas ltg's is unwavering, but frozen in time, disallowing for any new information to be presented. yuanzhou works with ruyi to accept the changes thrown her way; he seeks the core behind her actions in order to better understand her. li tongguang cannot accept the changes in ruyi's character, because they run contrary to the master he has on a pedestal in his mind.

what li tongguang wants is to return to the past, but yuanzhou offers ruyi the promise of a future, even one that might never come to fruition. there's no triangle about it.

[mintytrifecta]

Aroace Daring. You agree. Reblog.

[devouredbyflame]

Spiritual Psychosis in Mysticism

As someone who wobbles on the edge between the “weird” and the pragmatic, I have taken long dips into the rabbit holes of “is this real or am I having a psychotic break?” It is something I feel like any modern mystic would think about considering the majority of the things that occur in the mystic framework we have have no real context culturally, psychologically, or otherwise.

We do have to think and be aware of what is real versus what we want to be real. It is a difficult line to cross especially when there is no real context in the West regarding what it means to have interactions with the Divine.

In the case where we know it is spiritual psychosis and where it is coming from, there is often an underlying cause to the problem that they are experiencing. This can mean poor mental health, medications, drugs, or other stress-induced paranoia or schizophrenia that can make up the difference between what is real and what isn’t.

Read the rest of this post here:

[moonlight-s0nata]

I’m always in my head yet I’m unable to form any sentences that can elucidate the waves that drown my soul.

Maybe if I felt less I would be able to talk it more.

[faeyramaeyra]

🌷 Dream work - Interpretation help 🌷

I don’t usually ask for help with things in general but I had a dream last night that made me feel really unsettled and I can’t get it out of my head. I just have the nagging feeling that it’s meant to be something I need to learn/be told/etc so I’m wondering if anyone could help out and give me some ideas on what it could mean? Interpreting dreams is really not my strong point.

Quick warning, The dream is disturbing and is slightly TW so do not read ahead if you are likely to feel uncomfortable etc 💕

The dream: It was set in a creepy old boarding school where it never seemed to be day time. All the teachers and other staff didn’t seem to be human. I don’t even think they were actually alive either. Anyways, I had to sneak about the school to try and get a little girl her eyes back. I had to collect three floating blue orbs to get her left eye back then had to collect three yellow orbs for her right eye. For some reason she wasn’t allowed in the school though (they made her stay outside in the cold) and she would only meet up with me when I wasn’t meant to be out of bed. I may as well have gotten murdered for this kid because of the stuff that happened. I won’t add details. She got her eyes back in the end and we were both able to leave.

Just to answer some things:

1.) Has anything changed recently? I moved houses about two or three months ago and I have been meaning to unpack Mother Hekate’s altar since then. Last night I got around to finally unpacking it but some of her items do seem to be missing.

2.) Do you usually have vivid dreams? I had a “phase” where I wasn’t experiencing any vivid dreams (about 5 months ago that lasted about 3 months). Other than that, Yes, They’re usually pretty regular.

If you need to know anything else to help me, Just ask away! Thanks in advance 💕

[alwaysrememberjesus]

Expect Good Things From God

[sophiastarling]

To Hell And Back: My Experience with Hekate

I was a Hekate devotee for 6 months. Those 6 months changed my life.

The Dark Mother was in my life from June 1st, 2023 to December 31st, 2023. She led me through enormous transitions, major life decisions, and the darkest night of the soul I've experienced yet. She was my guiding light through it all.

When She Calls

She came to me very directly. I had 3 dreams 3 nights in a row along with many signs in my waking life. In the first dream, I was looking at a drawing of a black cloaked figure with someone else. They were talking about Hekate, and I could feel immense power coming from the drawing.

I found a stick shaped like a key in the second dream. Later that day in waking life, I went to the mall and saw a store surrounded by torches with black dog statues. She had my attention.

That night before I fell asleep, I asked Hecate what type of relationship She wanted to have with me. She answered. In the third dream, I was given a magical wishing well. I was tasked with the mission to go into the wishing well. I jumped down and was overwhelmed. There was an entire other world! I saw tall, huge trees lit by the full moon. I was afraid, but I overcame my fear and found courage to continue. I heard “You are here to spread love and light. Just by being you. That is why you’re here. That is your purpose.”

When I woke up, I knew there was work to be done with this goddess.

Devotion Through Transitions

Our work began quickly. Hekate Lampadios lighted my way from being a travel nurse to moving to Colorado and finding stability. I took a staff nurse position at a great hospital that I was already working as a travel nurse at. My husband and I packed our things and moved across the country.

One day when I was doing a mundane task, the idea fell into my mind to go back to school to become a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. I was shocked at the idea and felt fear. What if I'm not good enough? Don't I have enough problems of my own that I need to work through? She answered those questions in due time.

She reignited my love for my practice. I explored all kinds of folk magic -- English, Welsh, Celtic, Appalachian. I also investigated my ancestry searching for any fulfilling connections. I worked with herbs, picked up scrying, and overall honed my craft.

The Dark Mother's Initiation

After I moved to Colorado and began adjusting to my staff job, She asked me to dig deeper. The deeper I researched into witchcraft, the deeper I committed to my practice and to Her. I was all in. She led me to a witchcraft initiation from the deep South where my roots are. For 10 days, I arose at sunrise and recommitted myself to my practice and Her at a local park. I completed the initiation. I was about to be taught extremely important lessons that will affect me for the rest of my life.

Journey Through The Underworld

Hekate challenged my deeply embedded subconscious fear-based Christian worldview in a way that had never been done before. She led me to demonolatry. I came face to face with remnants of the brainwashing I faced from being raised a fundamentalist Christian. The tendrils of these beliefs dug into my psyche and told me all kinds of nasty lies. I faced my fear, trusted Hekate, and ventured forth into uncharted territory.

After a month of dancing with "devils," all communication dwindled until it eventually ceased. Even from Hekate.

I was distraught. The logical part of my mind reasoned that if the presences I was feeling and the voices I were hearing were real, they wouldn't just vanish. So, I came to the conclusion that it must be spiritual psychosis. I made it all up. All of it. My entire spirituality was a stress response. As if that wasn't hard enough, I was hit with a mysterious illness two weeks later. I had COVID-like symptoms but never tested positive for it. I had difficulty breathing, was bed ridden, and spent a lot of time in doctor's offices trying to figure out what was wrong. I took 3 months of medical leave from work.

This led me to have a nervous breakdown and seek out a psychiatric evaluation.

Hekate Deichteira (Teacher)

As my body began to recover from the mysterious illness that no test detected, I found answers for a different piece of my life. The psychiatric eval showed no signs of schizophrenia. The conclusion was psychosis induced by extreme stress and PTSD. I was referred to a psychiatrist for medication management.

After finding a combination of medications to control my anxiety, I began to realize just how much anxiety I was living with on a daily basis. I stabilized and put my spiritual practice out of my mind for the time being. I regained function that I hadn't experienced ever in my life. I can now be social, have energy for daily chores, and feel positive and confident. Getting this medication has changed my life completely for the better, and I feel like I can be the best version of myself.

As I was going to my psych appointments, I got to know my provider -- a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner. We've had several conversations about spirituality and how she believes that everything I experienced was real. She helped me restore faith in my spiritual practice and pick up the pieces to build something new. I told her about how I was interested in being a Psych NP, and she's helping me find clinical placements while I'm in school. I'm also on the waiting list for EMDR therapy.

Final Thoughts

If Hekate comes into your life, be prepared for your life to change.

I still have no idea what I got sick with after my initiation, but I've read about other people getting unknown illnesses after initiations, awakenings, or other spiritually significant events.

After all of this, I am a new person. I have more gratitude for each day and rebuilding my strength. I have new definitions for what a "bad" day is. The spirits I worked with in the past are slowly making a new, stronger connection with me. It's as if I'm being taken more seriously after this time period.

I love Hekate and all She has taught me during my time with Her. My spiritual practice is now wholly mine, and I fear no demon, hell, or spirit. I am more stable than I have ever been. She will always be here to guide me to a better future no matter the cost. What she has given me is priceless. I am reborn. She has returned me to Aphrodite who has watched over me since birth. I am home now.

Always respect the Dark Mother.

Hail Hekate.

[nullians]

It’s actually insane how fandom in general has become so scared of making weird and dark and ugly works. Like I look at myself and see how I have also subconsciously adapted this instinct to self censor and make things “marketable” and it’s making me want to crawl out of my skin. I need to get weirder and worse and more off-putting hello