#Holy Miracles Temple

[buddhismlearning-blog]

聖蹟寺祈福法會 植福迎春

巴沙迪那市佛教寺廟聖蹟寺（Holy Miracles Temple）大年初一至於初五期間舉辦迎春祈福法會，前往禮佛祈福的善信男女絡繹不絕。（聖蹟寺提供） 聖蹟寺祈福法會 植福迎春 世界新聞網 洛杉磯訊 2024-02-12 19:56 ET 巴沙迪那市的佛教寺廟聖蹟寺（Holy Miracles…

[zae-heeyyy]

Seraphic

Summary: You are Arthur's angel. Pairing: Arthur Morgan x female!reader Word count: 2,222 Tags: smut, high honor Arthur Warnings: 18+ MDNI

a/n: Whew 😅 I'm a little nervous to post this one. 🫣 Been sitting on it for a while (no pun intended) I've read and reread it a million times, and I'm ready to share. Also, we're pretending like Arthur's tent actually closes. Anyway thanks for reading!

Seraphic: something angelic or celestial in nature, often suggesting purity, beauty, or holiness.

By 1 a.m., the sounds of camp had reduced to the songs of crickets and the crackle of the fire. While everybody else slept, you waited up for Arthur, reading a book under lantern light in his tent. He arrived eventually, keeping his greeting short and joining you on his cot with slouched shoulders, seemingly exhausted. When he took his hat off, the grimace on his face became all the more apparent. His expression and tense body language told you all you needed to know; whatever happened out there wasn't good.

You handed him a match and a cigarette from his nightstand, and he thanked you with a nod. Using the heel of his boot, he struck the match and lit the cigarette, holding it with his thumb and index fingers. Flickering lantern light and the burning ember tip illuminated his bruised knuckles.

"Should I ask?" You traced a gentle finger over the bruises, and he shook his head.

"Best not," he replied, exhaling a ribbon of smoke.

"Well, I'm glad you're still in one piece," you said, looking him over. His shirt had seen cleaner, less wrinkled days, and sweat plastered his hair to his forehead. "Well, mostly in one piece."

He let out a gust of air, a failed attempt at a laugh, before pinching the bridge of his nose and groaning.

"Headache?" you asked, and he confirmed. The discomfort came with the life he lived. Loud gunfire, the rush of adrenaline, and focusing on his shots all combined to leave him in pain afterward. You exited the tent momentarily and returned with a bowl of warm water, a cloth, and a bottle of miracle tonic.

"Here—for your head." He took the medicine and snuffed his cigarette. Rejoining him, you sat on the cot and dabbed his face with the wet cloth, wiping away dirt and sweat. A soft kiss on his temple prompted him to lean into you, the tension finally dissipating. You wrapped your arms around his big frame and held him close. Obviously, he was your safe space, but oh—were you his. Eyes shut, he rested his head on your bosom.

Arthur found comfort in his typical role as protector and provider. But in these moments, when roles faded, he could feel the weight of the world lifted off his shoulders—a crushing weight he didn't even realize he was carrying. Being with you like this made him wonder if heaven was real because you were godsent.

To Arthur's dismay, you unraveled yourself from him to tie the tent flap closed, sealing the two of you away in the dark. Walking between his legs, you untied his neckerchief and dusted his soiled shirt.

"—Needs a wash. Your blood or someone else's?" you questioned, fingers undoing the top button.

"Not mine," he answered. Peeling the shirt off and tossing it aside, you studied him for a second time tonight. He'd seemed more relaxed than when he arrived, but his brow stayed brooding. Still positioned with his legs on either side of you, you caressed his face, one of your thumbs stroking the hairless scar on his chin.

"What else can I do?"

"You done enough; I'm fine." He gave your hand on his face a reassuring squeeze.

Leaning forward, you kissed him tenderly. His arms wrapped around your waist, drawing you nearer until your foreheads touched. You spoke low against his mouth, a playful grin forming on yours.

"You gotta stop getting yourself into so much trouble, Arthur Morgan."

Your demand was met with a chuckle, and he replied, "I'll do my best, darlin'." You peppered his lips with loving, tender kisses, making him smile against them and squeeze you tighter in a hug. You would do just about anything to see that man smile at you the way he did, all soft and endearing.

Your kisses subsided, but Arthur's affectionate gaze stayed fixed on you. The slight smile on his face had straightened, his expression mirroring the intensity of the one he wore when he first confessed his love for you.

"Got that look on your face," you told him, and he just blinked slowly, awestruck. Though he often swore he was a man of few words, he could fill volumes with his devotion for you. You loved it when he got like that, entranced and overwhelmed with love.

The way he watched you set a fire within you that warmed the most intimate parts of your being. He was surprised when you let yourself fall heavily into him, trying to get as close as possible. Maybe he was going to say something or make a noise, but he didn't have the time before your mouth was on his again, your tongue pushing through his lips to tangle with his. You only pulled away when you needed to breathe.

Instead of pressing your lips to his once more, you dropped to your knees in front of him. Eyes widening, he tried to bring you back up to your feet, shaking his head, once again astounded by you.

"Sweetheart—"

Still on your knees, you patted his cheek and looked up at him with doe eyes. "Shhh, let me take care of you, Arthur." His hand found yours on his face, and he turned to kiss it, nodding placidly. Both of you managed to keep your volume low as you helped him strip down to his union suit. You began working at the buttons of his neckline, doing more ripping than unbuttoning, shoving the fabric down his shoulders.

As more clothing fell away, you trailed sweet kisses down his abdomen. At the same time, his hands roamed wherever they could. The rough pads of his fingers lightly tracing your skin mirrored a faint electric charge. Despite being a brute of an outlaw, he was overly careful with his hands when it came to you; your body was fine china and deserved to be treated as such. Goosebumps formed in a wake left by his touch.

As you kissed down the trail of hair under his belly button, his rapid breathing hitched, and the bulge between his legs strained against the flannel fabric, begging to be unleashed. You tried to find his eyes as you groped him through the underwear, but his head was tipped back, his mouth agape.

"Look at me." You whispered, and he snapped to attention like a soldier following commands. Eyes locked on his, you unclasped the last button, and his length sprung free, the pink head of his cock primed with anticipation. A teasing laugh crept up within you as you trailed soft kisses from the base of his shaft and left one long lingering peck on the tip. The loud, rhythmic thumping of his heart was music to your ears. Not wanting to keep him waiting any longer, you took his entire length in your mouth, bobbing your head up and down, taking him deeper until your nose touched the curly hairs at the base.

Then he couldn't hold it in anymore; a deep, guttural groan escaped him.

Your mouth was the warmest, most intoxicating blanket he'd ever been wrapped in, and he never wanted to leave. He gaped at you, seeing your mouth full of him, his pupils dilated with pure lust. The blunt tip of his cock pressed to the back of your throat, making it constrict around him. His whole body shuddered.

"Look whatchu' do to me, woman," he rattled, tangling his hands in your hair. Despite his eagerness, you withdrew from his aching sex, a string of saliva joining your lips to him. Something reminiscent of a whine exited him when you stepped away, but his open mouth fell shut at the sight of your bloomers slipping down your legs. You kissed him, savoring the salty, bitter taste of his arousal mixed with the tobacco and herbs of his mouth.

"Lay back," you murmured in his ear. Obeying your command once again, he let out a grunt as he felt your weight on top of him. You straddled him, and he held you up, his fingers digging firmly into your sides. Bending at the waist, you kissed longingly, your hips undulating against his. He pulled your nightgown up around your midriff, one of his hands gripping the flesh of your ass while the other one went between your legs. His index finger sank painstakingly into your weeping cunt, then brushed over your clit, making you shiver. He raised himself on his elbows, reaching for the hem of your sleep dress.

"Take this off; let me see you." You raised your arms and let him yank the garment away, leaving you completely exposed on top of him. "Beautiful," he breathed, using the back of his hand to graze your skin. Breathy sighs escaped you as he traced delicate circles around your nipples. His eyes bored into you, absorbing every detail like you were the most captivating thing that ever lived. Hyperfocused on your body, he fondled your breasts before gliding his hands down your torso, ogling, taking all of you in.

Freezing, his stare intensified as you massaged the tip of his cock up and down your glistening slit. Touching his lips to yours, you pushed him into your wet folds. Neither of you could contain the sounds building with you. He split you open, stretching you, making room for him, filling you. You held yourself up with your hands braced on his chest, but you went weak as he bottomed out within you, brushing against that deep, tender spot. You would've fallen if he wasn't there to hold you up, a thought mirroring one he had about you so often.

"I got you," he whispered into your ear. It took every ounce of restraint he had not to snap his hips up into you, the warm embrace of your center clearing his mind and driving him mad all the same. Finally, you started to ride, surging and sinking into him. He was a simple, agnostic man, but being with you like this made him believe in all the theocracy of angels, soulmates, and divine intervention. This was his bliss. This was his heaven, and you were his seraph. He'd go through hell every day if it meant coming home to this—to you. Hypnotized in the rhythm of you, a new thought crossed his mind every time you bounced.

Up.

She's so goddamn beautiful.

Down.

So perfect.

Up.

My girl.

Down.

My girl, my girl, my girl, my girl.

Up.

My angel.

Down.

I love her so much.

Up.

So wet.

Down

So warm.

Up.

So danm tight.

Down.

Shit.

And before you could come back up again, he squeezed his eyes shut, halting your hips with all the strength he could muster, fighting the damn-near irresistible urge to cum inside of you. Sweat had built up on his brow, and his stomach rose and fell quickly with each panting breath. You folded to kiss him, your hard nipples grazing against his chest.

"It's okay," you whispered, patting his face and grinding antagonizingly slow against him. You wanted him—needed him— to come undone for you. With that goal in mind, you picked up the pace and rolled your hips relentlessly, moaning your every thought into his ear.

"You feel so good inside of me."

"I need you."

"I love you."

Your climax was building fast, and you reached to give relief to that sensitive bundle of nerves atop your center. Arthur pushed your hand away swiftly, replacing it with his own. Always a giver, he'd do anything to feel useful while you were treating him like royalty.

While one hand worked your clit, his other gripped the meat of your hip, rocking you in time with his upward thrusts. His head tipped and hit the pillow, and you could feel his thighs tensing and shaking beneath you. Lips parted, he stared up at you. You felt him twitch inside you, and his brow finally relaxed.

That did it for you.

You were wordless as your orgasm ripped through you, your head swirling, and your veins on fire. Arthur's guiding hand on your hip didn't stop, and he fucked you through your climax. Hugging your body close and nuzzling his face into your neck, he growled as he painted your inner core with his own release. You stayed like that, glued to each other as you came down from your highs.

"You're too good for me," he finally said. You clasped a hand into his, kissing the long-forgotten bruises on his knuckles.

"Shut up." You responded, and he didn't say another self-deprecating word. It was the least he could do.

You cleaned up and redressed, nestling into the small, one-man cot. Finally settled for the night, you resorted to your regular bedtime positions: your head on his chest, his arms wrapped securely around you, your legs tangled in one another's.

He rose before you in the morning, perching himself on the cot's edge while you slept behind him. He wrote in his journal, his thumb leaving a smudge on the page:

"For a long time, I believed I could not live a bad life and expect good things to happen to me. Yet somehow, this woman of pure goodness entered my life, and it is clear now that I have been a fool."

[mizzskelter]

Dungeons of Lewdity AU

Part 2 [Robin, Whitney, Kylar] >

Part 3 [Eden, Alex, Avery] >>

Sydney the Aasimar Cleric of Virgo:

The union of Sirris and their partner, a devout who unknowingly carried blessed blood, resulted in one of the temple’s most prized yet coveted secrets. As a child of celestials, Sydney can only seem to remember the walled grounds of the temple surrounding him all his life; a constant stream of monks and nuns fretting over him at the thought of outsiders taking what’s theirs. A holy sign. A miracle so he was called, forever bound to their goddess’s love.

Sydney the Fallen Aasimar:

The falling of his beautiful feathers didn’t turn him cruel. Instead he’s lustful, uninhibited, and everything staining his goddess’s vision. He opened his own eyes to the very things the temple warned him of his entire life, but he doesn’t—can’t look away anymore, wanting to see how far this life of debauchery and sin can go. The spear may burn him with every touch now, but he’s certain the unfamiliar shiver running through him from the pain only stokes the purifying fires in the relic even more.

Erin the Changeling Warlock/Fighter:

Erin has to pay 50 gold minimum per spell casted to her patron, Bailey, a cambion who is notorious even within his layer of the hells. The higher level the spell asked from this glorious bastard, the higher the price is raised. She may also replenish a spell slot of any level if she offers an extra 300 gold and pass a CHA check for seduction. In meta this is the equivalent of slipping your DM a note and an under the table handy.

Got bored of making covers for now so I wanted to take a break practicing my rusty character designing.

[gojos-thot-patrol]

M E A N D T H E D E V I L W A L K I N G S I D E B Y S I D E

Sukuna isn't the type of person to say "I love you." He's not the type of person to love. He was a demonic warlord, known for his cruelty and lack of empathy. What part of that screams "lover boy" to you?

baby, you're a haunted house

Society will tell you that playing with ouija boards is a bad idea. this fic begs to differ. a demonic Sukuna smut

close calls

Love is scary, Isn't it Reader? Sukuna thinks it is. but at least he's facing his fears for you. a soft Sukuna smut.

sacrilegious

Feeling holy? Maybe a little less than holy? Do you want to have your guts rearranged by a God in his own temple? yea, me too. a holy Sukuna smut.

unholy

Did you like the idea of the previous fic, but think you'd relate to it better if the reader was of the male variety? well, do I have news for you! A smutty Sukuna drabble

seven minuets in heaven

Maybe you're feeling something a bit more modern reader. Something more relatable? Like a college au where you lose your virginity to a frat boy named Ryomen. A modern day Smut

better off as lovers

Dating is hard and falling in love is harder. Ryomens love isn't up for debate, but if he's truly ready to give up his playboy life style for you is a little more questionable. Part two of Seven Minuets in Heaven. A smutty hurt/comfort fic

new mistakes

I would say being left at the altar was the worst thing that could have ever happened to you, but I think the revenge sex with Ryomen makes it all worth it, don't you agree Reader? A modern day revenge smut.

bad miracle

Gojo has always been an idiot, but he's really done it this time. He's kidnapped the wrong girl, and now, leader of The Syndicate Ryomen Sukuna has to figure out what to do with you.

A Mafia Au smut

heir to the throne

Sukuna never wanted to be a father. Why why hell would he want that? A sticky, stinky, ball of chaos that feels the need to destroy everything. Why would he want that? It's no surprise you hid your pregnancy from him for so long.

A Dadkuna fluffy fic

urban legends

You don't see the point in it; chasing myths on Halloween night, going deeper into the woods than you ever had before. You'd rather be at home than chasing ghosts. But, your best friend insists on finding evidence of the local urban legends, and surely she won't abandon you the moment you find what shes been hunting, right? A TrueFrom!Sukuna smut.

change of plans

Funny how something as small as a grain of rice can cause such a shift so massive in so many lives. Deny all he wants, you're having a baby and now Ryomen has to comes to terms with being a young dad. Part of the Frat Boy AU Some introspective fluff

tiger hybrid! headcanons

We've all wondered what he would be like as a tiger hybrid, right? Right? some Smutty Headcanons

breaking up headcanons

While you would be entirely within your rights to leave Sukuna, what on earth made you think it would be that easy? some more smutty headcanons

feral nights

Ryomen always got what he wanted, it was a simple rule of life. And ever since he caught your scent, you were all that he wanted- your previous bond mark be damned. And you must have wanted him too. Why else would your window be open in the middle of your heat? An omegaverse Smut

[talonabraxas]

"She lights the way.. Hail The Torch Bearer!"

"Hekate" Talon Abraxas

Hymn to Hekate Ave Hekate! Ave Hemerasia, She Who Soothes! Ave Dadophoros, The Torch-Bearer! Ave Phosphoros, The Light Bringer! Oh lovely Goddess, many-named Guardian of Deities and all realms, seen and unseen, whose powers are fair. Mistress of the Elements. Goddess of the fire, the earth, the water, and the air! Ave Propylaia, almighty Gatekeeper of the Heavens, the Earth, and the sea. Goddess of Miracles, Charity, and Mercy. Ave Angelos, Messenger of all Deities. Ave Kleidouchos, Keeper of the Keys! Ave Propolos, Guide of Guides! Shape the course of my life with Divine Wisdom, joy, and the Holy Knowledge of Sacred Medicine. And make it laden with good things, drive sickness and evil spirits far away from me. And when my soul rages about worldly things, deliver me purified by your soul-stirring powers. Give me your aid I pray, and reveal to me the pathways of Divine Guidance. Reveal to me the Secrets of Destiny. I gaze upon your holy light, protect me from all evil. Oh Soteira, protect me from all people and spirits that think of me as an enemy. When I am weary bring me to your holy temple of healing and peace with your sacred winds. Make my anguish cease. Fill my body, mind, and soul with love, joy, and peace. Almighty Hekate, Guide of Guides! Bless me to be strong, joyful and wise. Eternal Gatekeeper! Keeper of the Keys of Eternity! Great Goddess Hekate, come uplift me. Ave Hekate of the Theshold! Sweet Pharmakeia who can make the old young again. Apotropaia who is always comes to defend. Ave Hekate, Goddess of Necromancy. Ave Hekate, I bow to Thee. Om Hekateya Namaha. Om Propylaiaya Namaha. Om Enodiaya Namaha.

[magnetothemagnificent]

Holiness and miracles lie in the contradictions.

The bush that burns but is not consumed.

The hail that burns but does not melt.

Those who pass but do not die.

The seen thunder and the heard lightning.

The cows that eat but do not grow.

The jug that spills but never empties.

The Temple courtyard that never crowds.

Why then do we not treat gender deviance and contradictions with the same reverence we do any other miracle?

[yellow-yarrow]

did you know that the Insulandian Phasmid quotes from the bible? I got curious if looking at the context of the bible quote would add anything to the interpretation of this scene, and maybe there are some parallels. Meeting the phasmid is like a revelation, just like how in that part of the bible god talks to Isaiah. (I can't belive im reading the bible out of all things for a video game lmao. god damn it.) yeah yeah maybe it's not supposed to mean anything other than the phasmid loves this world but it can be fun to look into it. maybe it is that deep

think of this as more of a web weaving post

You - I exist too. Insulindian Phasmid - Tell me what it's like for you. You - It's *wunderbar*. Insulindian Phasmid - Yes, holy is the lord of hosts. And all the Earth is filled with his glory.

Isaiah 6 BSB

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted; and the train of His robea filled the temple.

Encyclopedia - (..)An Innocence is a continuous, compressed event, a sacred human being. It is an honour and a glory to live when one is in office. You - Is one in office now? Encyclopedia - No. We are alone.

Insulindian Phasmid - You are a violent and irrepressible miracle. The vacuum of cosmos and the stars burning in it are afraid of you. Given enough time you would wipe us all out and replace us with nothing -- just by accident. (...) You - Have I always thought this way? Insulindian Phasmid - No -- you're only thinking it *now*. This is a revelation.

Above Him stood seraphim, each having six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling out to one another: “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Hosts; all the earth is full of His glory.” At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook, and the temple was filled with smoke.

In Hebrew, the word saraph means "burning"

Insulindian Phasmid - Tell me what it's like for you. You - Fire, burning.

Insulindian Phasmid - You were right. Little bubbles form on the mouthparts of the creature -- on its segmented lower lip. It looks to be foaming, slowly. The foam is white, then yellowish... Perception (Smell) - The faintest smell, like you've never felt before. Like burnt roses.

Insulindian Phasmid - The foam slowly turns a darker shade, like burnt caramel -- as the insect moves its mouthparts, masticating. The little bubbles begin to burst, one by one... Perception (Smell) - Letting out that same smell, like summer burning.

Then I said: “Woe is me, for I am ruined, because I am a man of unclean lips dwelling among a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of Hosts.” (..)

The Deserter - "I've seen the *real world*. In '06. The flags unfolding. Young people marching, being kind to each other. They dreamt of a million years in the stars. This here..." He looks down at the ashes. "Is pale in waiting."

The Deserter - "Straight to Yekokataa for this old revisionist." He gives you a little nod. "At last -- atonement for my sins: revisionism, reactionary ideation, desertion..."

The Deserter - "The material base for an uprising has eroded." He nods and blinks his black eyes. "The working class has betrayed mankind and themselves..."

(? maybe? idk.)

Then one of the seraphim flew to me, and in his hand was a glowing coal that he had taken with tongs from the altar. And with it he touched my mouth and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your iniquity is removed and your sin is atoned for.”

maybe this one is a stretch (like the others too lol)

You - Lick your finger. Interfacing - It tastes like... sugar. Very faint. The arthropod towers above you, tufts of reeds pointing from limb and head alike. Perception (Taste) - Odourless, mostly comprised of water.

Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying: “Whom shall I send? Who will go for Us?” And I said: “Here am I. Send me!” And He replied: “Go and tell this people, ‘Be ever hearing, but never understanding; be ever seeing, but never perceiving.’ Make the hearts of this people calloused; deafen their ears and close their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn and be healed.” Then I asked: “How long, O Lord?” And He replied: “Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left unoccupied and the land is desolate and ravaged, until the LORD has driven men far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will be burned again. As the terebinth and oak leave stumps when felled, so the holy seed will be a stump in the land.”

Insulindian Phasmid - Everything your eyes touch goes back there -- behind the nerve mirror. What if you blink? Are we still here? (Please don't blink). What if you misplace us all one day -- or just forget? You - Have I always thought this way? Insulindian Phasmid - No -- you're only thinking it *now*. This is a revelation. You - This is the Gloaming I've been waiting for. Ever since I woke up in the hotel room.

Man with Sunglasses - "About *what?* You don't look like a cop..." He inspects you. "You know what you look like?" You - "Like a prophet?" Man with Sunglasses - "Not the prophet shit again..." He looks away.

Evrart Claire - "It says..." He looks in the folder. "Oh yes... very interesting. It says you're more like a mad prophet than a cop. Always rambling about the end of the world... I'm sure these stories are exaggerated."

Cop of the apocalypse (early version from the game files):

or perhaps

Rhetoric - You -- against the atom, the charm and the spin. Where the whole world failed -- matter failed to bend to human will; human will failed to get out of bed and tie its laces -- you alone, single-handedly, will rebuild the dreams of the working class. You are The Last Communist.

well regardless, the quote is another instance of christian symbolism in elysium

[asrascissorhandz]

Quick little Elijah Volkov biblical Parallels study for you:

Before I get into it... yus I know he would be peter in the Bible.. and I'll get into that too... but I shall also get into elijah from the bible since that is his name and I think it says a lot.

Also disclaimer. I am a freak of nature and MUST over analyze things... so this is very far fetched ... it's just me having fun and linking things together.. don't take all I say as a seriously theory type thing.

🫀

Elijah Name meaning: Yahweh is my god

Volkov: wolf

Elijah in the bible:

He brought about many Miracles.. some which are worth noting are: bringing a boy to life and bringing fire down on the alter.

Elijah was proficised to come before the "great and terrible day". He was sent also to show people the evil of their ways and encouraged them to return to the Lord.

Parallel to Elijah volkov..

Now I believe this is what elijah believed... either what he was told when younger (this name was given to him) or what he eventually started believing by himself...

This feels like something that would help fuel / motivate Elijah's actions..

This obviously applies to the chnt situation that is rather similar to biblical events: preaching about sydneys holiness, *making* others *see* and *love* sydney, the Pyre and the fire, The Day, sydney and his not exactly aliveness, etc etc

Peter in the Bible:

Follower of Jesus. Most prominent apostle.

He is known for denying Jesus three times after Jesus was arrested and for leading the early Church after Jesus' death. Church burnt down.

Peter was first known as Simon. Name was changed by Jesus.

Simon: to hear, listening

Parallel to Elijah Volkov:

This is very yummy information of which to me mostly signifies to what could happen later on in the podcast or what could have already happened before the podcast was set..

Also !! 12 apostles ?? 12 as in the hours on the clock?? As in THE most prominent apostle?? Could he be number 12?? The END of the BEGINNING, the BEGINNING the EMD?? Camp HERE and THERE???

also three times?? Hmmmm...

And then obviously the church.. and the fire.. but then the betrayal ? Hmm

So much I must chew on...

Wolves:

In the bible- false prophets, wolf in sheep's clothing.

"a ravenous wolf; In the morning he consumes the foe, And in the evening he divides the soil"

 the ravenous wolf to refer to the Temple's altar which devoured biblical sacrifice

divine punishment against transgressors.

General symbolism- bravery, loyalty, protection, and wisdom

Parallel to Elijah Volkov:

This simply explains him so very well... need I say more?

🫀

I love this freak...

Lotsaluv Asra

[art-that-fucks-you-up-tournament]

Behold, a bracket!

Text form below the cut because trying to copy all the 256 into the alt text sounded.... horrifying. Warning for 128 matchups, seriously, this list is long, and so I've avoided adding the artists until the polls.

a note: the pinned post has started misbehaving, so only open polls will be directly linked. closed polls instead have the results page linked in the set header, all the polls are linked from there

Set 1

The Lament for Icarus (Miao He) vs The Lament for Icarus (Herbert Draper)

The angel came to me in a fever hallucination, perched upon my bed as I returned from the bathroom. vs Sweet Brown Snail

Figures vs A Philosopher Lecturing on the Orrery

Happy Shoppers vs Hubble Deep Field

Lovers Painting vs Bath Curtain

Dr. Helen Taussig vs Une Martyre

Orangoutang étranglant un sauvage de Bornéo (Orangutan strangling a Borneo savage) vs Can’t Help Myself

Rape vs Technicolor Hiroshima

Set 2

A Walk at Dusk vs Based on “Autoportrait with the Model” by Maria-Rayevska Ivanova

Diary Page vs Les Jours Gigantesques (The Titanic Days)

Dead of Night vs You Won't

Christina's World vs Bobby

Untitled (I’m Turning Into A Specter Before Your Very Eyes And I’m Going To Haunt You) vs Two Sisters (On the Terrace)

Sharecropper vs Lustmord

The Parca and the Angel of Death vs Untitled (Zdzisław Beksiński)

Stress vs The Fallen Angel

Set 3

Device to Root Out Evil vs Travelling Light

Diana vs Fifty Days at Iliam: The Fire that Consumes All before It

The Plains, from Memory vs Exotic Bodies

Doubting Thomas vs Self-Portrait in the Bathroom Mirror

Empty Nest vs Somebody Fell From Aloft

Anguish vs If I Died

Cat in Obsolete Bath vs You're Not Boring Anymore

Salvator Mundi (Savior of the World) vs Untitled (billboard of an empty unmade bed)

Set 4

There Will Be No Miracles Here vs Symphony of the Sixth Blast Furnace

Fox Hunt vs Tarpaulin

Khajuraho Group of Monuments vs Ranakpur Jain Temple

ปราสาทสัจธรรม (The Sanctuary of Truth) vs Grande Panorama de Lisboa

Heroic Head of Pierre de Wissant, One of the Burghers of Calais vs The Weather

The Daughters of Edward Darley Boit vs If this is art

Statue of Vincent and Theo van Gogh vs Jeanne d’Arc écoutant les voix (Joan of Arc listening to the Voices)

Fountain vs Judith Slaying Holofernes

Set 5

Cueva de las Manos (Cave of Hands) vs Cave of El Castillo

Chauvet Cave Bear vs Uffington White Horse

Laocoön and His Sons vs Winged Victory of Samothrace

Crouching Aphrodite vs Statue of Taweret

Guardian Figure vs Kūya-Shonin (Saint Kuya)

Ancient Greek doll vs Arena #7 (Bears)

Enbu (炎舞) (Dancing in the Flames) vs Yearning Shadows

Belfast to Byzantium vs Freedom

Set 6

The Kama Sutra of Vatsyayan vs Portraits

The Blood Mirror vs Nighthawks

Electric Fan (Feel it Motherfuckers): Only Unclaimed Item from the Stephen Earabino Estate vs "Untitled" (Portrait of Ross in L.A.)

Lady Agnew of Lochnaw vs Forgotten Dreams

Saint Bride vs Pixeles (a group of 9 works)

War Pieta vs The Sunset

The Handmaidens of Sivawara Preparing the Sacred Bull at Tanjore for a Festival vs Ajax and Cassandra

Nāve (Death) vs Abstraction

Set 7

Yes vs Meeting on the Turret Stair

Hacked to Death II vs Stańczyk

Closeness Lines Over Time vs Voice of Fire

The Maple Trees at Mama, the Tekona Shrine and Tsugihashi Bridge vs Portrait of Sir Thomas More

Survival Series: In a Dream You Saw a Way vs Takiyasha the Witch and the Skeleton Spectre

Death blowing bubbles vs The Kitchen Table Series

Painting 1946 vs In the Grip of Winter

Untitled (Black and Gray) vs NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt

Set 8

Blue Plate Special vs Red Cedar

Palace of Fine Arts vs Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba

Le Château des Pyrénées (The Castle of the Pyrenees) vs Susanna and the Elders, Restored - X-Ray

Moby Dick vs Viva la Vida, Watermelons

Venus Envy Chapter One (Of the First Holy Communion Moments Before the End) vs how to look at art

St. Sebastian vs Untitled #12

Carroña vs The invincible one

Untitled (Two Dogs) vs The Dog

SECOND HALF

Set 9

David (Donatello) vs David (Michelangelo)

The Other Side vs The Temptation of St. Jerome

Seated Woman with Bent Knees vs Starry Night

Headdress - Shadae vs Untitled for the Image Flow's Queer Conscience exhibit

Woman with Dead Child (Frau mit totem Kind) vs Les Amants (The Lovers)

Siroče na majčinom grobu (Orphan on Mother's Grave) vs You Make My World a Better Place to Find

Fighting Against SARS Memorial Architectural Scene (弘揚抗疫精神建築景觀) vs Fallingwater

Resting vs The Hull

Set 10

Olive Trees vs Worship

Glow vs Wheatfield with Crows

Study after Velázquez's Portrait of Pope Innocent X vs Untitled (He Plays Very Badly)

D.I.Y. by John Wiswell vs The Tragedy

Judith and the Head of Holofernes vs Beethovenfries (Beethoven Frieze)

The Memory of Me (How Could I Forget) vs oh god i had a really big epiphany about love and personhood but i’m too drunk for words

I am happy because everyone loves me vs 瀕危形態 (Endangered Forms)

Three Scaffolders vs Ivan the Terrible and His Son Ivan

Set 11

San Giorgio Maggiore at Dusk vs Water-Lilies, Reflection of a Weeping Willow

The Grief of the Pasha vs Monolith in Vigeland Sculpture Park

Passion vs Space Diner

Hamlet and Ophelia vs Two Earthlings

Ellen Terry as Lady Macbeth vs Seer Bonnets

Photograph from "SNAP OSAKA" Collection vs Clytemnestra after the Murder

“Untitled” (Perfect Lovers) vs The Lovers (TIE)

Kedai Ubat Jenun vs Orange Store Front

Set 12

The Apotheosis of War vs Portrait of the Dancer Aleksandr Sakharov

Julie Manet vs Mouth

The Icebergs vs Kaleidoscope Cats III

Maman vs Caza Nocturna (Night Hunt)

The Book of Kells Folio 188r: Luke carpet page vs Ardagh Chalice

Yusuf and Zulaikha vs Dome of the Rock mosaics

Rowan Leaves and Hole vs Untitled (prisonhannibal)

Le Désespéré (The Desperate Man) vs The Dedication

Set 13

Deimos vs Dog and Bridge

The Mocking of Christ vs Prudence

The Broken Column vs Siberian Ice Maiden shoulder tattoo

Transi de René de Chalon (Cadaver Tomb of René of Chalon) vs Head of Christ

The Day vs Spirit of Haida Gwaii

Eleanor Boathouse at Park 571 vs Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban জাতীয় সংসদ ভবন (National Parliament House)

Juventud de Baco (Bacchus Youth) vs Barges on the Seine

Oath of the Horattii closeup vs Visit hos Excentrisk Dam (Visit to an eccentric lady)

Set 14

Christ Crucified (With Donor) vs St. Francis

Thunder Raining Poison vs Piazza d'Italia

The Grove vs Among the Waves

Pintura Mural de Alarcón vs Sagrada Família stained-glass windows

Noonday Heat vs La Dame à la licorne (The Lady and The Unicorn)

Matroser i Gröna Lund (Sailors in Gröna Lund) vs Gielda Plakatu

Reply of the Zaporozhian Cossacks vs The Garden of Earthly Delights

Kuoleman puutarha (The Garden of Death) vs Haavoittunut enkeli (The Wounded Angel)

Set 15

i've wasted a lifetime pretending to be me vs da oracle

minus #37 vs Panel from Fun Home

Excerpt from illustrated edition of The Rime of the Ancient Mariner vs La Mort de Marat (The Death of Marat)

The Veil vs Düsseldorf 4 (Museum Kunst Palast)

Capriccio vs Zodiac calendar for La Plume

The official imperial portrait of empress dowager Cixi vs José y Maria

Blooming Lilacs vs Lágrimas De Sangre (Tears of Blood)

An Interlude vs Boy Staring at an Apparition

Set 16

Mermer Waiskeder: Stories of the Moving Tide vs The Gran Hotel Ciudad de México Art Nouveau interior

Unfinished Painting vs To Arms!

Memorial to a Marriage vs The Island

Dropping a Han Dynasty Urn vs A Few Small Nips

Saturn Devouring His Son vs Guernica

Fairy Princesses vs Lamentation over the Dead Christ

Mummy with An Inserted Panel Portrait of a Youth vs Little Girl Looking Downstairs at Christmas Party

Agnus vs The Cup Of His Murders Is Flowing Over And In His Coat Shall Be Many Curses

[cafejulii]

How Albert, William, and Louis Reflect The Holy Trinity in Christianity

(a 3 part analysis series that I had made year ago on another social media platform but would like to post here because why not)

P2: William

On to our main character, William, who represents Christ — a martyr who died by the hand of his own people for the salvation of humanity while simultaneously preaching messages of justice and equality for all. Though the other reflections I have made regarding Albert as God the Father and Louis as the Holy Spirit are indirect parallels; William had canonically been intended to serve as a direct parallel to Christ.

Starting from the very beginning William, alike Jesus, was born into poverty. Within both of their present societies, the idea of such a largely influential figure, not to mention, a figure promising salvation, being born without inherent status seemed impossible to fathom, as their mission would be directly hindered by a lack of finance, connections, and the overall discrimination they would face simply from being impoverished. However, this was done intentionally, for in both their cases, their humble beginnings allowed them to truly empathize with the struggles of the common man and show that salvation could be brought upon any person, regardless of societal status.

A direct parallel between William and Christ in Yuumori is made in Chapter 1, where William was seen preaching to the children in the orphanage about his mission to reform British society directly behind a cross, which is representative of not only Christ himself but his mission and eventual passion; a foreshadowing made to William's eventual sacrifice.

This particular scene also serves as reference to when Jesus spoke to the elders at the temple in Matthew 21:23, proclaiming the mission that the God had planned for the redemption of humanity at the ripe age of twelve, the very same age in which William was during this particular scene.

Both William and Christ always acted on the principal that all human life was of value regardless of status and were always charitable to those in need. In his lifetime, Jesus was known for dining with tax collectors, women of the night, the sick, and the poor; all people who during his time period were considered the lowest of the low.

William did the same with members of the lower class, as he associated with them regularly, despite protests from other members of the nobility.

Also, just as how Jesus preformed miracles to alter the course of people's lives for the better, William ran his criminal consultant business. Both Jesus and William insisted on no material cost for their services, only that the person would become a disciple of theirs; offering their life towards the mission they have in store.

During his ministry, Jesus was never shy on expressing his distaste for the Pharisees (the predominate religious sect that opposed Jesus because they wanted to maintain their own power), even flipping a table when they turned the temple into a marketplace...."Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the door of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces. You yourselves will not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites!"

The hatred that William harbors towards the nobles is similar to Jesus's hatred of the Pharisees, as both groups hinder the progression and redemption of society solely because of their need for power. (The shutting of the Kingdom of Heaven in men's faces).

Not only this but like the Pharisees, the nobility of England are massive hypocrites, as they treat the lower class almost as savages who have no purpose in the world, objectively incorrect rhetoric, as it is the working class who upholds the foundations of England. The rich are savages, for they do nothing but bask in their own wealth while actively bringing about discord among the majority of the population. Due to this, William rebels against the nobility by bestowing punishment upon them, fueled by the rage he holds for their sins.

{ looking back on this analysis, I also potentially realize that the nobility is also representative of the demons that Christ had cast out during certain portions of his ministry, as William directly calls them "devils" in the moments before he kills them}

It is also important to note that Jesus was actually considered a criminal by the Pharisees, as they were concerned with the sheer amount of support he was gaining from the people of Israel who genuinely believed he was the Messiah. Since he preached that he was the Son of God despite regularly associating with the sinful, he was accused of blasphemy, even being compared to the Devil himself. The combination of these two things then led to him being framed for rebellion, as insisting on being "King of the Judeans", was a capital crime- which resulted in him being charged with counts of both treason and blasphemy, despite being innocent of any real crime and in fact, even making the world a better place. Such claims eventually led to his execution, and even though he could have possibly gotten out of this situation, his death was a necessary act, as it was the only way to the restoration of Original Holiness to humanity.

Like Jesus, William was also dubbed as a criminal, however, unlike Jesus; William did actually commit crimes. Still, the overwhelming support he gained from the common people at the beginning of the story is representative of the followers that Jesus gained during his ministry. However, by committing these crimes, William was eventually charged with both treason and conspiracy, even being called a Devil by London society [and himself], even though he committed such atrocities for the chance that someday there will be a world in which all people have equality of opportunity.

Similarly, to the mission of Christ, the only way that his plan would be fulfilled is if the common folk and the nobility targeted their anger at one singular person, ultimately unifying them but resulting in his own death.

On to the final problem, Albert states that "he [William] is starting to look like the guy who carried a cross while climbing the hill of Golgotha bearing all our sins and ultimately dying alone" which is a direct reference to Christ who died on the hill of Golgotha, bearing the sins of humanity on his back represented by a cross.

Then, as William fell of the Tower Bridge, He fell not only willingly, as Christ died willingly, but also in a position where both of his arms were stretched out on either side and his legs were more or less together in reference to the position that Jesus was forced in when he died on the cross.

Finally, both Jesus and William came back from "dead" to their Apostles (Jesus after 3 days and William after three years) after being in a state of Hell. Though William was not in a literal Hell, the agony that his mental state caused him at the time could definitely be considered a form of hell.

There is also this official art [left] in which William is depicted with a crown of thorns atop of his head.This is a direct reference to Christ who had a wreath of thorns placed upon his head by the Roman soldiers who mocked his title as "The King of the Jews" before he climbed Golgotha for his execution.

{Also at the time I had written this, the remains had not been released, and this may be a bit of a stretch as well, however, I believe that the flower crown Albert is placing on William's head similarly serves as a reference to Jesus as well. Only, the only difference is that it is not a crown of thorns yet a crown of flowers, perhaps meant to represent a halo}

disclaimer: I am an ex-christian, however, I had been raised in the faith and just happened to keep a large interest in scripture despite the fact I have departed from the church. Do correct me if there is any misinformation.

[unclewaynemunson]

Eddie hated Christmas. He hated it ever since that time in primary school when they had to put on a nativity play and everyone but him seemed to care about that stupid Jesus story; he didn’t even know what it was about until his teacher pulled him aside to explain it to him (which only happened after Brad made fun of him for it). He hated it ever since that time they had to craft some stupid paper mache Santa, when he jumped on a table to yell at all his classmates that Santa wasn’t even real (after which his teacher scolded him and made him stand in the corner for the remainder of the day). He hated it ever since that time their classroom got a Christmas tree and his teacher demanded that he’d participate in decorating it, while refusing to let him bring a menorah from home instead.

He didn’t understand why he was forced to participate in this thing that wasn’t even his. He didn’t understand why his teachers never allowed him share the stories that his uncle always told him during the darkest days of the year: stories about the bravery of the Maccabees, the holiness of the Temple far away in Jerusalem, and the miracle of the candles. His uncle usually never talked much, but whenever they had a holiday to celebrate, he’d share the most wonderful and captivating stories in his slow, solemn voice. (Eddie had believed that his uncle was a rabbi until an embarrassingly late age).

When the first Christmas after he started dating Steve came around, he dreaded it. It was obvious to him that Steve was the kind of guy who’d care a great deal about Christmas. He’d probably want to do it all properly: hang a ridiculous amount of lights, have a big dinner, put presents under a neatly decorated tree... Eddie wanted to be on board with that, for Steve, but by G’d, he hated Christmas.

Little did Eddie know that Steve hated Christmas, too. Steve hated it ever since that Christmas dinner in some hotel in Paris, or Dubai, or maybe it was Buenos Aires, when his parents had systemically refused to talk to each other and the tension in the room was nearly sharp enough to cut the turkey without any knife. He hated it even more ever since his parents gave up on doing holidays altogether and Christmas became nothing but a check and a greeting card for him.

Eddie was baffled when Steve, on a dark evening in early December, told him how much he was struggling with the idea of turning the holiday around to make a new tradition with Eddie. Eddie laughed, full of relief, and told him he shouldn’t worry about it. They both delighted in the discovery that the other also hated Christmas, and Steve was genuinely excited to learn all about Chanukkah instead. Eddie invited him over to the trailer every evening, where they’d light the candles together and eat sufganiyot, and Wayne would tell them all the stories that were so familiar for Eddie and so new to Steve. And even though Steve didn’t share in their history, this tradition became theirs, more than Christmas could ever have.

[sheydgarden]

Shamir Worm, 2021.

the shamir worm is one of Jewish folklore's "miracles of creation," made at twilight on the sixth day (along with things like the rainbow and Moses' staff): a tiny creature that could cut stone - either by its piercing gaze or with its mouth - it was used by King Solomon to build the first temple, due to the fact that no iron tools or other potential instruments of bloodshed could be used to build a holy monument to peace. some say it was also used to engrave the tablets with the 10 commandments, and to engrave the names of the 12 tribes of Israel on the stones in the priestly breastplate. the mystical shamir is a symbol of creative destruction and a reminder that powerful things can come in tiny forms.

prints available here

[aphroditestempleimagines]

Mortal - Chapter 2

A Geto Suguru x fem!Reader fanfiction

Words: 1871

Warnings: abusive household

Summary: Mimico and Nanako get into a horrible car accident after a drunk night with their friends. Geto is called to the hospital where he discovers you, a human plagued by a cursed spirit, who saved his two precious daughters' lives from the fire.

Chapter info: After the burns you suffered when saving Mimiko and Nanako from the crash, your father, disgusted by your skin, brings you to a temple where a miracle healer is known to work. Little do you know the monk you are meant to meet is none other than Suguru himself.

"They're going to open a new cat cafe in Shibuya!", Nanako excitedly shoved her phone to Mimiko. They sat together in their futons, the floor around them filled with various curiosities Geto had brought to keep them entertained during recovery.

"It looks so cuuuute!", Mimiko squeeled.

"Nanako...", Suguru sighed as he put some of the various books and board games back in their place, "I don't see what's so exciting about a place with so many of those monkeys"

"But it will have so many kittens as well!", Nanako turned the screen of the phone towards him.

Suguru smiled at the small basket of kittens that lay among pink pillows in the middle of the brand-new cafe. Nanako slid her finger on the screen and changed the picture with one of the countless cat-paths that ran along the walls of the establishment. "Focus on getting well and we'll go", he ruffled the girls' hair with his large hands.

"We are already better, we could go now", Mimiko pouted.

"Your cursed energy is still pretty drained from healing", said Suguru, "If the worst happens you won't be able to defend yourselves". He gave a warm smile to the girls' frowns. "It's only one more day", he promised before getting up, "Now, I’m going to work. Behave"

The day passed slowly. Time after time a human would show up in the large audience chamber and plead for salvation. It was not unusual for these people to have curses latched on them, in which case Suguru fully exploited his technique to gather more power for himself. Neither it was entirely uncommon for him to crush one of these vermins like a bug for his own entertainment, after they had no curses nor money to offer him.

"Filthy monkeys", he murmured in disgust when a mother and daughter left earshot, "Do we have anyone else?"

"Just one more pair is waiting"

"Fine", Suguru let out an exhausted breath,Bring them in"

His eyes widened as they fell upon your slumped form, walking shyly next to a man. Your hands were still covered in bandages, your face had a few scars. You kept your eyes low and disinterested as you walked towards him. He wondered whether you'd recognize him if you lifted them up. No. It did not matter. Your body was plagued with a number of parasitic curses, more than the day he saw you in the hospital. You had come to the temple for one reason only, just like all the rest of your weak kind.

"Greetings your Holiness ", Suguru had forgotten about the man who escorted you. The man had a strange aura about him; he was leaking cursed energy constantly, much like all humans, yet it gathered around you to create more curses to plague your body. "I would like you to help fix my daughter", the man said.

"Fix?", Suguru repeated the word.

"Look", you winced as the man grabbed your arms to show Suguru. He pulled away the tidy bandages to expose your blistered skin. "She went and got herself like this", the man complained, "She was already ugly as it was, now no one will want her"

Suguru clenched his fists as he forced a smile on his face. "Of course I can do that", he said getting on his feet. He walked towards the man and placed his arm between him and you. "Come let's talk some details in private", he guided him away into another room.

"Thank you", said the father, "She's already such a disappointment honestly. She's becoming an old maid, she should be married by now but you know how women are now. They want careers and money and forget their place"

Suguru could feel a twitch creeping up to his eye. He had to stay calm. "Of course. I understand", he placed his hand on the man's shoulder. It would be easy to kill him. His fingers trembled in excitement at the thought. His eyes dared the man to utter more of his depraved opinions even though the man never noticed them. "Please wait here for a bit", Suguru pulled his hand away.

His gaze turned into stone as soon as he turned to walk back to the hearing room. He wanted to kill this man more than anything else but he wanted to make sure what your reaction would be. He did not want you panicking and causing commotion around his newfound home. He did not want to have to silence you too.

He slid the door closed behind him. Your head lowered, your gaze was focused on the little soda embroideries on your socks.

"I never expected a woman who ran straight into a fire to remain so silent", he let his critisism be known with a stern voice.

Your eyes seemed surprised as they met his scolding gaze. "It's you..."

Suguru walked towards you. He gestured to your wounded hands and you gave them to him to examine. His touch was soft and careful as it unwrapped the bandage to check the blisters underneath. He raised his gaze to the scars on your face. "Do you mind?", his hand hovered over your skin. You nodded in approval. He pulled your hair away from your cheek. He took out a small handkerchief and wetted it on his tongue before bringing it to your face. His hand held yours so you would not pull away when you tried to avoid it. The cloth scrubbed your make-up off the slight purple taint of a bruise.

"These are uh....these are older", you said.

"I can see that", his voice brimmed with disgust and rage.

He lowered his hand to stand over your shoulder and summoned the lot of your curses in his command. They turned into dust, forming little black and gold marbles in his palm.

"How does that feel?", he asked.

"Huh?", even with just saying that you felt the tremendous amount of weight that was removed from your body, "Oh. Wow! What did you do?"

"That is my secret", Geto smiled.

You stopped to observed him. "Why did you do that?", you asked.

Suguru frowned in confusion. "I'm sorry?"

"Why did you help me?", you said, "I thought...I had a feeling you didn't like me"

She was right. She had seen right through the fake joyous expression he put on to please those around him. His smile faded away. He did not know what to respond as he was not himself sure of why he had helped.

"Look at it as repayment", his fake smile returned, "For saving my daughters".

Yes. That's what it was. Just repaying a debt to a lowly human. He was the sorcerer, he had to honor his debts, even to a monkey like you.

"Now let me take a look at your arms-"

His arm wrapped around your waist to guide you to a table at the other side, but as he touched you your body winced in pain. Suguru's smile fell once more. He took heavy breaths. If your face was marked then your body had to be too.

"Please. Lift your shirt", he kept his lgaze on the ground as he gritted his teeth.

You took a few moments to answer reluctantly "I don't want to".

"Are there more bruises?", Suguru fisted his hands. You shook your head. "So, there are", Suguru surmised.

"It's okay", you told him, "I'm used to it"

Those simple words flipped Suguru off like turning a switch. He saw the twins locked up in a cell, the whole town pointing their fingers toward them as they sent people to torture them. He saw Haibara, his body splayed on a table, never to cheer anyone again. He saw Riko, her wholesome smile beaming on her face before a bullet split her skull.

"Mr monk?", your voice pulled him out of his thoughts. Your eyes were examining him in confusion.

"It's Geto. Suguru Geto", he muttered as he massaged the bridge of his nose.

"Oh. Then Geto-san. Tha-"

"How much do you hate your father?", Suguru asked with a murderous gaze, "Do you loathe him? Would you like to be free of him?"

Your brows furrowed. "I don't think I like your tone", you challenged his gaze.

Suguru was surprised to see the fire behind your eyes. Where had it gone, he wondered, when your father stood next to you. "Apologies", Suguru smiled, "I see what you could have thought. I only meant to offer you a room here at the temple so you'd be able to escape the house"

"O-oh", you stammered, "I don't think he'd let me leave". You had tried to get away from the house before. Gathered money to rent a place outside Tokyo for a while. Until your father found it and took it for himself, saying that a good daughter takes care of her parents.

"I shall handle that", Geto smiled, "I'll just say I need some time to...heal...you as he put it. I guess it is not a question of if you want to anymore..."

He buried his hands in his sleeves and gave a slight bow before turning away to the door. It was not long before he reached the man in question. Suguru forced a pleasant expression in his face. He thought about killing the man right then and there but he surmised that would shock you enough to run away. And he could not have that. He needed you there, close to him, so he could protect you like he could not protect all the others. But still, he could not leave that bastard walk out unscathed.

"Sir", Suguru smiled as he returned to your father. He threw his hand over the man's shoulder. "I'm afraid this will take a little while", the curses he had gathered from you were released to plague the man s body, "She'll be safe with us at the temple. You can come visit in a few days"

The man's breath turned laboured by the curses' weight as he was guided outside. "A...alright...as long...as long as you bring results I guess"

Geto smiled at him until he disappeared under the stairs of the courtyard. He hastily pulled out his disinfectant and sprayed it around his body and even all around the room.

"All done!", he said as soon as he returned to the room.

"Your eyes widened. "Seriously?", you exhaled in disbelief.

"Of course. Come now, i'll see you to your room"

He guided you by the hand to a guest apartment he kept. He ordered one of his servants to fetch you some things from your house that you wanted and provided you with everything else. He bid you goodnight before returning to his room.

He leaned back on the wall. He looked at his hand, your warmth still lingering between his fingers. What on Earth was the matter with him? Why did he help you more than it benefitted his goals? You were a monkey. He should not care whether you lived in peace or despair. Yet there was something about you that reminded him of his days in school. Something of Satoru. Something of Shoko.

Something of Amenai.

[maidenofsophia]

The Magdalene

Who is She?

This is a question I've been asking since I was a little girl. Despite going to a Christian primary school, I have few memories of being taught about her, other than her being a penitent prostitute and the first witness to the resurrection.

When I was ten I watched an animation movie called the Miracle Maker starring Ralph Phiens as Yeshua and Miranda Richardson as the Magdalene. In that movie she's portrayed as being a mentally ill woman tortured by hallucinations, is healed by Yeshua and becomes one of his closest disciples. I should also add the two are VERY touchy feely with each other in that movie, it's a beautifully chaste semi-romantic bond.

In 2003, when I was getting into Wicca, I met someone in a Pagan chat room who called himself a Gnostic Christian Witch. He said that the Magdalene was his goddess, that she was the Holy Mother Spirit (Sophia) incarnate in her Daughter form, just as the Father was with the Son; Yeshua. This....blew my mind. And led me down a rabbit hole of a bunch of Gnostic and heretical texts.

Then the Da Vinci Code came out and this whole belief about Magdalene being Jesus' wife came into the mainstream. But while everyone seemed to be obsessing over their romantic and sexual life and what children they might have had, none of this really phased me because it the first Gnostic Witch I met already held this belief - but he stressed that it came secondary to who Magdalene was as a spiritual leader in her own right.

Since then I have heard so many different versions of who the Magdalene "really" was that it's hard to list them all but I'll give it a go:

- She was originally from Egypt and trained as a priestess of Isis. Yeshua met her on his travels as he was studying before coming into his role as a teacher himself and they formed a strong bond, she anointed him in the name of God the Mother and he in turn helped to heal her chakras (seven demons), something which he had learned after having travelled to the East. It was at Yeshua and Magdalene's own wedding where he turned water into wine, they had a daughter called Sarah who Magdalene escaped to France with following Yeshua's death.

- Another Gnostic path I came across believed she had no human birth but was Sophia come down in human form, just as the Logos came down as Yeshua. While the Logos returned to the heavens, Sophia remained incarnate as the Magdalene with the promise to keep returning in woman form upon her death until the Second Coming.

- Another believed her to have been a priestess of Asharah, whose temple was sacked and she was subjected to horrific abuse, SA and being cast out and nearly stoned to death until being saved by Yeshua.

- the Ecclesia Pistis Sophia have an oral tradition which was written down into a book by Tau Malachi which said she was born into a wealthy Jewish family, had great spiritual gifts but was forced to suppress them, was forced into marriage by her wicked father and then was attacked and assaulted. These "Sophians" believe that she accepted the spirit of Lilith into herself in order to survive and upon meeting Yeshua he healed her and she became the 'fulness' of the divine feminine with Eve and Lilith becoming one in her. She became Yeshua's "Holy Bride" and they had a son called Michael, rather than a daughter. The same story of her travelling to France occurs.

- Kaia Ra, author of the Sophia Code, claims to have channeled the spirit of the Magdalene who revealed her upbringing to her. That she was the daughter of wealthy parents who, as opposed to her origins in the Ecclesia Pistis Sophia, decided to nurture their daughter's spiritual gifts, that she was given lessons at her home but also travelled with her father to various places and connected with many faces of the divine feminine. She meets a fellow priestess, Mother Mary, who becomes like a second mother to her. She meets Yeshua and joins him on his mission of revealing gnosis but she is not beneath him in any way, it is very much a co-equal journey they go on but in the patriarchal society he is the one who is elevated. She and Mother Mary travel to France after Yeshua's death.

There are probably more that I've forgotten and sadly most of the websites I used to come across in the 00's are now lost.

But all of these stories have shaped my relationship with the Magdalene in some way. Parts I've agreed with, others that don't sit right with me. I don't know if we'll ever know the full truth. Even the ancient texts can only tell us so much, being written decades if not over a hundred years after the Magdalene lived and not even in the language those who knew them would have spoken.

The "canonised" gospels tell us that the Magdalene was the first to see Yeshua after his death. For me that at least speaks of his importance to her. His wife? His best friend? His co-preacher and partner in ministry? Personally I don't think it matters, it speaks of the same thing. Love. He loved her. Whether that love was romantic or platonic or something else, it was love and respect and the deepest trust.

They also tell us that she supported him and the men by her means, implying she was very wealthy, and yet she is not mentioned in relation to any man, neither as daughter or wife of mother. She is simply the Magdalene, ie from Magdala, a fishing village. The name also means Tower, which gives an image of strength and earnest faith.

Luke and Mark both say that Yeshua healed Magdalene of seven demons. I find it interesting how this event takes place off page, as opposed to a lot of other miracles we see Yeshua perform. For me this implies it was a rather intimate healing session between the two of them rather than one the public or disciples witnessed. But this could have been either some sort of exorcism as depicted in the Miracle Maker, or a healing of her mental and spiritual health with something similar to chakra healing as was believed by my Gnostic friend.

Interestingly the gospels do not say that she was the woman who anointed Yeshua's feet and head, this seems to have been either Mary of Bethany or the unnamed 'sinful' woman and it doesn't really make sense why the writers would name Magdalene specifically later but not state it to be her here. But given there is contradictions on where this happened as well as who did it, I don't think it's a stretch for anyone to still believe the Magdalene did anoint him herself at some point.

And then you get to the Gnostic gospels and the apocryphal texts and these just elevate the Magdalene even further when she was clearly already an important figure before. The Gospel of Philip connects her to Sophia and says that Yeshua would kiss her often and the disciples were jealous that he "loved her more than them". The Gospel of Thomas has Yeshua refusing to heed Peter's request to send Mary away as "females are not worthy". In The Dialogue of the Savior, it is said that she "spoke this utterance as a woman who understood everything." In the Pistis Sophia, the Magdalene is constantly questioning and offering up her own visions to Yeshua who heaps tons of praise on her for her insight and says "You are more blessed than all women on earth, because you will be the fullness of fullness and the completion of completion." And again he becomes protective when Peter's sexism makes her afraid. And all of this culminates in her own Gospel, which very little remains but is so fascinating. In this text, it is the Magdalene who stands up and takes on Yeshua's role while the men weep in fear and loss of what to do. Peter voices that they all knew Yeshua loved her most among women and pleas for her to share her visions. Sadly most of what she shares with them is lost but what remains seems to be a vision of how the soul rose above the seven demons that struck her to its Higher Self. Peter and Andrew reject what she shares but Levi defends her.

What does all of this lead to for me in the end?

It leads me to see the Magdalene as any other goddess. As many have contracting legends and myths and origins, the same is true of Her. And to me she is a goddess, she is Zoe Sophia - the Divine Daughter - in a human form, an ascended master and high priestess. She is not the first or only instance of this, but she is the one I most connect with. Whatever the "true story" of who she was is irrelevant, at this point it's all these various beautiful legends that inspire the mind and spark the soul's ascension.

Many people focus on the Magdalene for her faith and devotion. Many focus on her "sacred marriage" to Jesus and see her as a figure of romantic and faithful love, as well as motherhood, as well as what intimate and potentially sexual spiritual experiences they may have had together.

For me, the Magdalene is a balance of dark and light. While many I see position her as just "Christ with a feminine face", or another form of Mother Mary as a loyal follower and caretaker, for me she has an energy and personality that is so unique to herself and separate from them. Though of course they are a huge part of her life and her story, I don't have either Yeshua or Mother Mary in my personal pantheon, and I don't believe it's necessary to in order to connect to the Magdalene. She was very much a powerful spiritual woman before she met either of them.

For me the Magdalene is passion, she is fire, she is strength and wisdom and courage. She is in no way passive, she is a constantly active eternal flame. She was not just a student receiving knowledge but also inspiring Yeshua and others around her, a seeker and dreamer, a spiritual shield maiden. I don't believe Jesus cast any demons out of her with a wave of his hand, I believe he taught her how to heal them herself. Because we all need help from time to time. I do believe she may have had traumatic experiences that impacted her mental health, this is something I very much connect with and feel her with me when I am at my lowest. She has met those demons and conquered them. And anyone who calls upon Her to protect them from demons, she will descend like a mother bear. The Magdalene is loyal but not submissive. Patient and caring but not meek and mild.

I do believe she loved Yeshua and was devoted to him, whether as a friend or lover it makes no difference, it was a powerful love. But while she called him Teacher out of respect, he revered her as a priestess just as much and they were fully equal. I do not believe as the Sophian Gnostics do that she subjugated herself before him. She was not his Holy Bride or Consort. Her relationship with Yeshua was her great love but not her only one. I believe she and Mother Mary loved each other as mother and daughter. I believe she had close and powerful friendships with female disciples such as Mary of Bethany and Salome. I also believe she had a daughter, Sarah, who may have been Yeshua's or not, but either way she would raise her as a single mother (with her community of friends). The Magdalene also loved God. In that, she is a goddess of divine love but in all its wonderful and various forms.

I felt compelled to write all this out for my own benefit as I've come to embracing the Magdalene back in path and my pantheon. Having tried my hardest to search around, most of those who claim to be Magdalene Priestesses all have their own beliefs about her and charge a fortune just to interact with someone looking for Her. In the end I felt called to save my time and money by trusting my own intuition and experience with her. I love having her back on my altar, only this time it's Cernunnos who sits opposite as the divine masculine. I respect Yeshua but he is not part of my faith and the Magdalene has told me that's okay.

Hail, Lady Magdalene. Blessed art thou.

[posletsvet]

A bunch of JJK season 2 headcanons:

(because I had nothing else to occupy my mind with while on a train trip)

Nanami has a few stomach problems, so he's very mindful about his diet. He eats bread on his cheat days. He also has mild lactose intolerance.

If there's anybody in the series with a 'my body is a holy temple' attitude, it has to be Gojo. He never smokes and rarely drinks because of that. Others used to make fun of him for 'being a princess with such delicate tastes', but he certainly did use it to his advantage by being insufferably annoying after parties/celebrations. He ended up not being invited.

Shoko smokes to wind down, so she sticks to some pleasant flavours. Her favourite ones are cherry and coffee, and she gets annoyed with tobacco shop workers for confusing the latter with chocolate.

During school Shoko carries around a handful of sugarless candy or gum to chew on in order to resist a tobacco craving. Gojo makes a habit of stealing a couple or more from her.

Geto smokes to numb his senses, so he usually goes for nasty foul things, nothing fancy at all. He also buys cheap cigarettes because he doesn't like the prospect of spending too much money on it. Once Shoko tried to snatch a cigarette from him, but ended up putting it out without finishing.

Geto actually hates the smell of cigarette smoke, so he has a separate set of clothes for this purpose. Gojo doesn't like it either, and he whines about it every single time Geto goes for a smoke because that means he can't hang out with him without smelling it.

Adults in Geto's life are usually fond of him, especially his past teachers, and his reputation of a model student is important to him. This is partly because his previous classmates tended to treat him as an outcast due to the rumors around him.

Haibara comes from a rural area and still has a great share of childlike wonder towards everything around him. He's more than excited to live in the capital city.

Haibara has a bunch of older siblings as well as a younger sister. By some miracle, he manages to get along with everyone. You guessed it: he is the miracle.

Utahime's hair tie is actually Shoko's gift.

Utahime's hairstyle was something that inspired Shoko to grow out her hair. She started by growing out her bangs. Before that, she had worn a bob haircut for as long as she could remember. Her mom insisted on it -- she thought longer hairstyle wouldn't suit her as her hair was rather thin. Turned out it wasn't true.

Shoko was raised by a single mom.

Nanami pierced his right ear, then backlashed by becoming too self-conscious about it and grew out his hair to hide the piercing.

Gojo is effortlessly good at everything he puts his mind to. When he started seriously studying chemistry in order to further improve his Limitless, he turned to Shoko for help, but then turned out to be a frustratingly quick learner. She would idly throw things at him for it.

Geto is a morning person to the marrow of his bone. His habit of getting up early stems from his childhood when he used to do so in order to get a few spare hours just for himself. He took to mindlessly cleaning up his room back then as well -- as a means to relax by organizing his life at least a little bit and feel in control of it.

Geto also cooks pretty well and is used to looking after himself. He's not that much of a foodie, though, and at some point of his life struggled with an eating disorder. He relapses during the Premature Death arc.

As someone who was born with a silver spoon in his mouth, Gojo doesn't know what household chores even are. After he takes Megumi and Tsumiki under his care, for quite some time it doesn't even occur to him that doing all the housework by themself isn't a normal childhood activity for an eight-year-old.

Gojo tries to give Geto a sweet tooth by being obnoxious about Geto having his drinks sugar-free and trying to sneak sugar in his beverages. It results in Geto gradually taking to drinking his tea/coffee with just one piece of sugar. Gojo thinks it's a win.

Gojo forgets to buy presents every single time. Untill he brings Geto and Shoko ridiculously expensive gifts that one time when they came to the decision they're not buying anything for each other this once due to low budget.

Gojo is an albino and has very sensitive skin. (That's why he was wearing a hoodie in Okinawa!!) Moreover, if it wasn't for the Six Eyes, he would have poor eyesight.

Geto's skin tans very quickly in the summer and he gets freckles easily. He ends up burrowing Satoru's sunscreen a lot.

Haibara is the only dog person of the group.

Shoko was involved in the jujutsu world from pretty early on since her technique is so rare and so valuable practically -- therefore her laid-back and nonchalant attitude.

Gojo has a severe case of being touch starved. He's constantly leaning in somebody's personal space and initiates touch a lot. Usually Geto doesn't mind it, but on bad days it rather unnerves him as he sometimes just needs his privacy.

Utahime used to chew on her lips when deep in thought or feeling nervous, and that made wearing lipstick a problem. She broke that habit after graduation as she started to gain confidence.

Geto and Utahime have the best handwriting among the group. Geto's is more graceful, swift with prolonged fine lines, and Utahime's is smaller, neat and round and with a lot of curves. Nanami's letters are refined and tidy, but somewhat formal as if it's typed rather than written. Shoko has pleasant handwriting as well, but she usually writes really fast and doesn't care whether it's nice to look at or not. She's got messy notes only she herself can navigate through. Haibara's writing is almost childish, big and legible and somehow brings to mind the image of a smile. Gojo's writing is like chicken scratch honestly. He couldn't care less and finds it funny when it's impossible to read.

Haibara more often than not forgets his lunch money. Nanami and Geto are usually the ones who share with him when it happens. Afterwards Gojo always demands that Geto share with him as well.

Last but not least: Gojo has migraines from time to time. He claims that laying his head in Geto's lap is the only thing that helps him.

[kanadabiscuits]

I think Brennan was giving Trist a chance to perform a miracle to save the encampment and her mortal family when he asked where she wanted to go to best perform a miracle. It's breaking my heart that her emotions blurred her vision and she simply headed to the fight. I wanted her to say the temple of Ioun where she found her holy book. I wanted her to do what would heal her heart a little and protect those below. My heart hurts for her.