#Which ... should be extremely significant and indicative!

[miraculousagentsofkrypton]

Tai Xiao Long

Let's talk about the STRQ family because I adore them, but they are a bit of a mess. (inspired by deadbeatbirdmom's magnificent post). Today, I want to focus specifically on the individual relationships Ruby and Yang have to each of the adults. Because this family is far too complicated to be as simple as 'both kids' have a similar relationship to the parents'. (And I love that for us)

Tai has had a very difficult life, full of grief and loss. As someone who has suffered from depression myself, I have nothing but the deepest empathy for him. That being said, he was not the perfect father and was very absent from their lives in their early years.

Something to note is that neither girls mention their father almost ever. They're happy to receive a package from him, but are unsurprised by the eccentric, impulsive, and strange nature of it. Sure, Zwei is adorable, and they love him. However, the show makes it immediately clear that this wasn't the most responsible decision their dad could have made. The girls can't take care of the dog in the middle of their school year while being sent on missions. They received absolutely no warning, and clearly weren't keeping Tai that updated on their lives. Or, worse, they were, but that didn't affect things.

This should have been our first warning that something in the STRQ home wasn't as assumed because this parallels a lot of what we do know about Yang and Ruby's early life. Which is that the adults in their life hoist a lot more responsibility onto the shoulders of children than they should. Not out of malice; Zwei is handed over because Tai wouldn't be able to take care of him at the moment himself, and he trusted his daughters.

Yang's feelings for her dad are extremely complicated. She holds clear resentment for him and doesn't even always refer to him as her father, just Tai. She is perfectly aware that he left more on her shoulders than he should. No small child should be responsible for keeping the house running and raising their sibling. Tai did keep a roof over their heads, but I get the feeling Yang did a lot of the housework and cooking and babysitting for Ruby. After losing a mother and then finding out her first mother abandoned her, she desperately needed comfort, but instead was somewhat abandoned emotionally.

Yang is also very empathetic, and as she has grown older, I think she has come to understand all that her dad was going through. He didn't mean to shut down so hard, and he loves his daughters. At some point, he even started to put the effort in to be better and change his relationships with his daughters. Yang loves him, and it's clear their relationship isn't in complete shambles by Volume 4. However, it's still very distant, and Tai doesn't understand her near as well as he thinks. He falls quite a bit for her ability to mask.

Despite his attempts to be better, Yang and Ruby wouldn't both say Yang raised her if Tai was a significant parental figure for most of their lives. This indicates that Tai, even after coming back from his shutdown, accidentally hoisted a lot onto Yang. We also don't know exactly how long that took.

We know absolutely nothing about Ruby's relationship to her dad. But that in and of itself tells us quite a lot. Ruby considers Yang as the person who primarily raised her. She idolizes her mom, but not her dad. She doesn't have any kind of close relationship with him, but does love him. She just... doesn't talk about him, or to him much.

I don't think she resents him quite the same way as Yang, but I think she understood, even as a young child, some of the weight that had been placed on her sister. The unfairness. She was also somewhat abandoned by him emotionally, just as Yang was, and the avoidance might have even been worse because Ruby looks so much like his late wife.

There's a barrier between Tai and his children that they haven't overcome yet. He hasn't entirely learned from his mistakes, and he hasn't learned to see past the masks he is partially responsible for creating, and I think they know that. They will always love him, especially for being the only family member to physically stay present in their lives, but there's a lot to still work through.

Summer

Raven

Qrow

[wonder-worker]

Here’s the thing I need people to understand:

Even if we believe that the (entirely unproven and far too politically convenient) pre-contract story between Edward IV and Eleanor Talbot was true, it doesn’t actually matter. Even if it was hypothetically true, there was still no reason why Edward V – who was already King at that point and was referred to as such – couldn’t have been able to succeed his father regardless.

David Horspool (Richard's own historian) summarizes it better than I could, so I’m just quoting him here:

"[Richard also made] no allowance for any potential solution to the problem that might have re-legitimized Edward V and his siblings. These included securing a retrospective canonical or papal judgement of the invalidity of the pre-contract; an Act of Parliament legitimizing the children of Edward and Elizabeth Woodville’s marriage, as happened to Henry VIII’s variously tainted offspring; or even ignoring the issue and proceeding to the coronation of Edward V, which would legitimize him by making him the Lord’s anointed, and render allegations of his bastardy as newer versions of the old tittle-tattle about his father."

In short, even if Edward IV truly had a pre-contract with Eleanor Talbot, and even if all of his children with Elizabeth Woodville were supposedly illegitimate, it should by no means prevent Edward V from succeeding his father to the throne. If Richard truly wanted to support his nephew, he had a variety of useful and entirely workeable options to choose from. Instead, he officially declared his nieces and nephews (including a literal 3-year-old) illegitimate, kept Edward V and his even younger brother confined in the Tower of London, and declared himself King.

Why didn't Richard take these actions, all of which he would have been well aware of? As Horspool says simply: "that Richard took none of these courses was because he had no interest in doing so."

The ONLY conclusion we can come to based on Richard's actions is summarized most succinctly by A.J Pollard:

"The truth of the matter is that Richard III did not want Edward V to be legitimate because he did not want him to be king."

[evidence-based-activism]

Individual men aren't equally predisposed to committing rape. men are approximately 49% of the population and commit 80% of violent crime. The correlation to testosterone to physical aggression is indisputable -- this correlation between masculinization and aggression exists even in women.

These antisocial behaviors are the subverted, shadow aspect to the more predominant masculine (even in masculine women) urge to provide and protect, which entails necessary and selective objectification and aggression.

“There is no female Mozart because there is no female Jack the Ripper.” is what Camille Paglia said. Genius, she argues, takes obsession, which produces good and bad talents and skills. Women fall in the middle of the IQ spectrum and men on the ends.

Social forces are certainly at play, but I want to stay focused. trauma or other external factors may serve to explain, but not excuse behavior. Feminine crime is more likely to be focused on family -- children, partners, elders, and others in the immediate family.

https://time.com/2921491/hope-solo-women-violence/

Women are at least equally as likely as men to initiate DV. 40% of victims in a DV study in America were men. Women are at least as likely as men to abuse their children and are the perpetrators in at least half of child maltreatment cases. Lesbian couples also have the highest rate of DV -- 44%, compared to 35% of straight women and 26% of gay men.

Anecdotally speaking, I was abused physically and psychologically by my mother, who was abused physically and psychologically by both her parents. I was also SA'd by a man. Both sexes have their share of degenerates who harm others. Whether their personalities or social experiences are masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between likely has an effect on how they express their violence. Everyone who commits a crime against another should be held accountable, I just disagree with the dichotomy that men are assumed to be perps and women are assumed to be victims.

I'm going to respond to this in parts.

"Individual men aren't equally predisposed to committing rape."

No, no one is ever equally predisposed to anything since that would require the confluence of innumerable, mostly unknown, factors. I have never made this claim; I don't of anyone who has ever made this claim.

"Men are approximately 49% of the population and commit 80% of violent crime."

This technically true in the USA [1]. However, it also leaves out the fact that men account for closer to 90% of homicide offenders in the USA and closer to 95% of homicides worldwide [2]. And those statistics don't even consider the fact that many female homicide offenders were acting in self defense. Men also account for closer to 90-95% of all sex offenders [3].

That is to say, a greater proportion of women's offenses are "simple assault" than men's [4]. (Simple assault is generally defined as either a threat of physical harm without any actual harm or minor acts of assault without resulting injury like slapping someone, grabbing their arm, or spitting on them.)

All in all, men commit the vast majority of violent crime and an even larger proportion of serious violent crime.

"The correlation to testosterone to physical aggression is indisputable -- this correlation between masculinization and aggression exists even in women."

No, no it is not, and no it does not.

This meta-analysis [5] found a correlation of 0.08 between testosterone and aggression. To be clear, a correlation score can range from -1 to +1, with -1 indicating a perfect negative correlation, +1 indicating a perfect positive correlation, and 0 indicating no correlation. A correlation of 0.08 is an extremely weak correlation.

Another, more recent, meta-analysis [6] found a 0.05 correlation between aggression and testosterone and no statistically significant causal effect of testosterone on aggression. Changes in testosterone were weakly correlated with aggression (0.16) and this was only in men. Importantly, this result may have been influenced by publication bias (see the study for details). Again, to be clear, they found no evidence of a causal connection between testosterone and aggression.

The lack causal connection is important, as some research as presented in this review [7] and meta-analysis [8], suggests that behavior/external events (like winning a competition) can increase testosterone. This raises an important question: can acting/being aggressive independently raise testosterone? If so, (and it does appear likely) then men who choose to act aggressive may be raising their testosterone levels; when recorded in a correlational format this results in the positive (albeit weak) correlation discussed above.

Here's some other, single study results:

In women, performing (acting out) a performance of power, whether in a traditionally masculine or feminine way, increased their level of testosterone [9]

In men, testosterone increases both pro-social and anti-social "status enhancing" behaviors [10]

Testosterone is associated with both "socially dominant [note: not necessarily aggressive] behavior among high-status persons, but strategic submission to seniority among lower-status persons" in men [11]

Testosterone is associated with greater pro-social behavior in women [12]

In an animal (male gerbil) model, testosterone caused prosocial behavior depending on "current social context" [13]

All in all, the correlation between testosterone and aggression is (1) not indisputable, (2) extremely weak, and (3) doesn't appear to apply to women.

"These antisocial behaviors are the subverted, shadow aspect to the more predominant masculine (even in masculine women) urge to provide and protect, which entails necessary and selective objectification and aggression."

Anon ... no. First of all, you appear to be treating "masculine" behavior as if it is biologically innate - for which there is no evidence - rather than socially determined.

You act as if women have not been "providing" since women existed. As if women haven't been involved in growing and domesticating plants and animals, haven't been taking care of children, haven't been growing and giving birth to all the children in history. Even the traditional "feminine" role emphasizes "providing" and "nurturing" the family.

I have the exact same comments for "protect", but more importantly: protect from what anon? From the weather? Bears? Disease? No. It's men. Men protect women from other men and then expect us to be grateful, as if it isn't men who have created the need for protection.

Beyond all that: even if the "masculine urge to provide and protect" were a real thing (and not something women have always been involved in), it still would not necessitate the "selective objectification and aggression". This argument isn't even logical ... why would "providing" need objectification? If there were no aggression what would be left to protect?

"There is no female Mozart ... "

Absolutely hilarious example to choose, anon. Meet, the female Mozart: Maria Anna “Nannerl” Mozart (his sister) [14].

And here's some other female contemporaries of Mozart [15]. I suggest Google as a resource to find more.

"...because there is no female Jack the Ripper."

While it is true that the number of male serial killers does outnumber female serial killers (and the disparity is even wider for those who kill specifically for sadism), there have, in fact, been some.

"Genius, she argues, takes obsession, which produces good and bad talents and skills. Women fall in the middle of the IQ spectrum and men on the ends."

I find the argument that obsession -> genius to be very concerning, and don't expect there are any sources on that. In particular, serial killer IQs tend to follow the same range as non-serial killers (source in last linked post).

And no, the idea that women fall in the middle of the IQ spectrum is not supported by high quality evidence.

This extensive multi-country review [16] on math performance found that the "variance ratio" (the measure for what you're describing) varies widely between countries and is related to social inequality. This suggests the differences in variance are a result of environmental not innate differences.

This longitudinal study [17] claims to find differences in girl's and boy's IQ scores, but the differences found are within the margin of error of the test. This means that a sex difference is unlikely to exist, and is, at the very least, not reliably measurable. It also suggests that any difference in the variance of IQ scores, is very small. (And see above for possible alternative explanations of this difference.)

"Social forces are certainly at play"

Yes, as indicated above.

"but I want to stay focused."

Focused on what??

"trauma or other external factors may serve to explain, but not excuse behavior."

Agreed (mostly). They may serve as a partial explanation yes, but people can experience trauma or other hardships without engaging in violence.

"Feminine crime is more likely to be focused on family -- children, partners, elders, and others in the immediate family." + [The link]

Correct, most crime by women is aimed at people they know. See above posts (when I spoke about homicide) for further discussion on this.

The link is an anecdotal source on this topic, again, refer to my earlier discussions.

"Women are at least equally as likely as men to initiate DV. 40% of victims in a DV study in America were men. Women are at least as likely as men to abuse their children and are the perpetrators in at least half of child maltreatment cases."

This is completely false. The idea that women perpetrate domestic violence or child abuse at similar rates as men, is a misogynistic myth.

See this post for an explanation. Also, this source [18] discusses the topic of women and domestic violence perpetration; I plan to eventually make a post on this topic, but in the meantime that source is an excellent place to start.

"Lesbian couples also have the highest rate of DV -- 44%, compared to 35% of straight women and 26% of gay men."

This is also a myth. A misogynistic and homophobic myth.

I'm not sure where you got those specific numbers, but I believe the origin of the myth started in the one of the CDC's reports on "Victimization by Sexual Identity" [19]. See this post for an explanation on why you shouldn't use this data to try and estimate perpetration. (Short version: it isn't weighted to be representative of the perpetrator population.) For the intimate partner violence portion in particular, it shares the same issues I describe in my post debunking the last two myths (i.e., reliance on the CTS and issues there within.)

More importantly, they don't report on the sex of the perpetrator for domestic violence, so we also have no idea if the lifetime prevalence rate of domestic violence is a result of prior relationships with a man. Data on other forms of victimization support the possibility, with 73% of lesbian victims reporting only male perpetrators of any contact sexual violence and 90% of lesbian victims reporting only male perpetrators of rape. In addition, 52% of lesbian victims report only male perpetrators of stalking.

This BJS report "Violent Victimization by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 2017–2020" [20] shows a similar rate of intimate partner violence for homosexual and heterosexual individuals. Importantly, however, this combines male and female homosexual individuals into one category, so we don't know the specific rate for female homosexuals.

"Anecdotally speaking, I was abused physically and psychologically by my mother, who was abused physically and psychologically by both her parents. I was also SA'd by a man."

This is terrible, and I hope you are safe and able to heal.

"Both sexes have their share of degenerates who harm others."

Sure, I mentioned the female serial killers. Notably, however, if you take a random sample of "degenerates who harm others" the vast majority are men.

"Whether their personalities or social experiences are masculine, feminine, or somewhere in between likely has an effect on how they express their violence."

I do not know what you mean by this. Socialization definitely plays a significant role in why men are so much more violent than women, but "feminine" men can and have been as violent as "masculine" men and "masculine" women have been as non-violent as "feminine" women.

"Everyone who commits a crime against another should be held accountable"

Yes.

"I just disagree with the dichotomy that men are assumed to be perps and women are assumed to be victims."

Anon, you started this ask by acknowledging that men commit 80% of violent crime (and I clarified that men commit 90+% of serious violent crime). This disparity is significant enough that it is perfectly reasonable to treat violent crime as a gendered phenomenon.

There are always exceptions and outliers. The existence of these cases does not invalidate the trend, nor should they deter the generalizations needed for meaningful class analysis.

Now, if you want to advocate against violence in general, draw attention to "male-on-male" violence and work to reduce it, that's also reasonable, and I wish you luck with your endeavor. (In all likelihood, feminist activism will - and already has - reduced male-on-male violence, even when it wasn't a specific target.)

But you still need to acknowledge that violence is primarily the domain of men. You also need to recognize that feminism is a movement by and for women. Our focus will always be male violence against women.

References below the cut:

Alexandra Thompson & Susannah N. Tapp. (2023). Criminal victimization, 2022 (307089; Criminal Victimization). Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/criminal-victimization-2022

Homicide and Gender. (2015). UNODC United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.

McCartan, K. (Ed.). (2014). Responding to Sexual Offending. Palgrave Macmillan UK. https://doi.org/10.1057/9781137358134

Lawrence A. Greenfeld & Tracy L. Snell. (2000). Women Offenders. Bureau of Justice Statistics. https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/women-offenders

Archer, John, et al. “Testosterone and Aggression: A Reanalysis of Book, Starzyk, and Quinsey’s (2001) Study.” Aggression and Violent Behavior, vol. 10, no. 2, Jan. 2005, pp. 241–61. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.avb.2004.01.001.

Geniole, S. N., et al. “Is Testosterone Linked to Human Aggression? A Meta-Analytic Examination of the Relationship between Baseline, Dynamic, and Manipulated Testosterone on Human Aggression.” Hormones and Behavior, vol. 123, July 2020, p. 104644. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2019.104644.

van Anders, Sari M., and Neil V. Watson. “Social Neuroendocrinology.” Human Nature, vol. 17, no. 2, June 2006, pp. 212–37. Springer Link, https://doi.org/10.1007/s12110-006-1018-7.

Geniole, Shawn N., et al. “Effects of Competition Outcome on Testosterone Concentrations in Humans: An Updated Meta-Analysis.” Hormones and Behavior, vol. 92, June 2017, pp. 37–50. ScienceDirect, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.yhbeh.2016.10.002.

Van Anders, Sari M., et al. “Effects of Gendered Behavior on Testosterone in Women and Men.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, vol. 112, no. 45, Nov. 2015, pp. 13805–10. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1509591112.

Dreher, Jean-Claude, et al. “Testosterone Causes Both Prosocial and Antisocial Status-Enhancing Behaviors in Human Males.” Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, vol. 113, no. 41, Oct. 2016, pp. 11633–38. PubMed Central, https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1608085113.

Inoue, Yukako, et al. “Testosterone Promotes Either Dominance or Submissiveness in the Ultimatum Game Depending on Players’ Social Rank.” Scientific Reports, vol. 7, no. 1, July 2017, p. 5335. www.nature.com, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-017-05603-7.

Casto, Kathleen V., and David A. Edwards. “Testosterone and Reconciliation Among Women: After-Competition Testosterone Predicts Prosocial Attitudes Towards Opponents.” Adaptive Human Behavior and Physiology, vol. 2, no. 3, Sept. 2016, pp. 220–33. Springer Link, https://doi.org/10.1007/s40750-015-0037-1.

Kelly, Aubrey M., et al. “Beyond Sex and Aggression: Testosterone Rapidly Matches Behavioural Responses to Social Context and Tries to Predict the Future.” Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences, vol. 289, no. 1976, June 2022, p. 20220453. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2022.0453.

Walker ·, Karla. “Who Was the Female Mozart?” Colorado Public Radio, 18 May 2022, https://www.cpr.org/2022/05/18/who-was-the-female-mozart/.

Hidden Herstory: Mozart and His Female Contemporaries - Women’s Philharmonic Advocacy. 22 July 2022, https://wophil.org/hidden-herstory-mozart-and/.

Kane, Jonathan M., and Janet E. Mertz. “Debunking Myths about Gender and Mathematics Performance.” Notices of the American Mathematical Society, vol. 59, no. 01, Jan. 2012, p. 10. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1090/noti790.

Lynn, Richard, and Satoshi Kanazawa. “A Longitudinal Study of Sex Differences in Intelligence at Ages 7, 11 and 16 Years.” Personality and Individual Differences, vol. 51, no. 3, Aug. 2011, pp. 321–24. DOI.org (Crossref), https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2011.02.028.

Michael S. Kimmel. (2001). Male Victims of Domestic Violence: A Substantive and Methodological Research Review. The Equality Committee of the Department of Education and Science. https://vawnet.org/material/male-victims-domestic-violence-substantive-and-methodological-research-review

Chen, J., Khatiwada, S., Chen, M. S., Smith, S. G., Leemis, R. W., Friar, N., Basile, K. C., and Kresnow, M. (2023). TheNational Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey (NISVS) 2016/2017: Report on Victimization by Sexual Identity.Atlanta, GA: National Center for Injury Prevention and Control, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Truman, Jennifer L., and Rachel E. Morgan. Violent Victimization by Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity, 2017–2020. Bureau of Justice Statistics, June 2022, https://bjs.ojp.gov/library/publications/violent-victimization-sexual-orientation-and-gender-identity-2017-2020.

[rebeltarot]

CAREER ➕ Blessings coming toward you in your career

"I still remember the nights I wished for the things I have now."

[3 piles] ・ [5 decks] ・ [8-10 cards for each pile] ・ [letters, signs, songs]

Hello friends! As we are nearing the end of this quarter I wanted to create a reading all about blessings coming toward you in your career. Please remember that a “blessing” can be anything that protects us, makes us happy, or points us in the right direction. What are your hopes and dreams regarding your career? Do you have any goals you want to achieve in this area this year? Definitely let me know. Regardless of what you are hoping for, I wish you all the best and lots of luck. ♡♡

Painting: Dancers, Pink and Green by Edgar Degas (ca. 1890)

Helpful Links: How to choose your pile ➕ Request a reading

Your reblogs are highly appreciated. Thank you so much for supporting my work!

© rebeltarot 2023-2024 - all rights reserved ・ do not steal, copy, change, or redistribute my content.

PILE 01 ➕

Disclaimer: All Tarot readings on this blog are meant for entertainment purposes only. My Pick-a-card readings are based on my knowledge of the tarot and my intuition. Tarot is a divination tool and should not be considered a replacement for medical or professional guidance. It is not intended to be used as such, and any choices made in response to my readings are your own responsibility. All interpretations are speculative, and whether you believe in it is your choice. Readings are for self-reflection purposes only; take what resonates, and leave the rest. My readings are timeless unless stated otherwise.

CONFIRMATION

Signs and confirmation that this is your pile. This can be anything from your initials, astrological placements, significant messages or signs, places, songs, etc. Please use your discernment.

C, A, R, E, E, I, 3rd House, Mercury, Scorpio

Song: Mother's Daughter (R3HAB Remix) - Miley Cyrus

BLESSINGS COMING TOWARD YOU IN YOUR CAREER

Tarot: 5 of cups, 10 of cups, the sun, the devil rx, 9 of pentacles rx

Oracle: the dragon, the king, emotion, imum coeli, moon in leo

Hello, Pile 01, and welcome to your reading. Please remember that a “blessing” can be anything that protects us, makes us happy, or points us in the right direction. With the 5 of cups, it feels like for the longest time you were struggling in your career. This does not necessarily mean that there was no progress, but it was not emotionally fulfilling for you. This could also talk about a lack-mindset in terms of your career, i.e., not feeling worthy of it or not seeing a future with it. Some of you might feel like an imposter in your current position. Yes, you are wearing the title, but you do not feel like you deserve it. This is where your blessing is happening. It's going to address your hustling mentality and your superficiality in your career. It feels like you might have given more than you were able to, pouring from an empty cup just to feel like you deserve to be where you are. Whatever you were doing, it's unsustainable. I feel like you were once very passionate about your current career but fell out of love with it because you were overworking yourself too much, nearly burning out. What I see coming towards you is something that most would consider extremely lucky, as we have the ladybug in the imagery of this card. 10's in tarot talk about an excess of energy; in this case, it's positive energy. Something significant will happen that will indicate the end of one cycle and ring in a new one of abundance and emotional fulfillment. Your cards are not saying what is going to happen, just how it will affect you, and my god, pile 01, you're going to be so happy with this change. The sun is following the 10 of cups. You will experience a lot of success in your career, which will bring you lots of abundance. There is a sense of alignment and harmony. This most likely refers to your mindset. I feel like you are going to check yourself, and seek out an environment that fulfills you. Implementing the changes that need to be made to end this cycle of adversity and struggle. This is truly a positive spread, especially with the devil reversed ending this. You will step into self-empowerment. There is a sense of breaking free from things (be they people, situations, or mindsets) that held you prisoner. I see you freeing yourself from this hustling mindset and stepping into a deeper understanding of your wants and needs. It feels like you will pay attention to more than your salary in whatever you are doing next. You won't just be swayed by a fancy title and a big paycheck; you are digging deeper; you are looking for and finding something that is truly fulfilling. This does not mean that we are talking about a new job here or a new position. Not necessarily. But rather, I see this as you taking on a new perspective and thus realigning yourself with who you are, including your values and your desires. I see you detaching from superficial aspects of your career and digging deeper into what you need to feel fulfilled. 

The dragon and the king are both confirming what we have already seen with the devil reversed. You are stepping into your power and taking charge instead of letting superficial aspects control you. It never brought you any satisfaction. I see you taking charge, especially in terms of legalities. Maybe you are renegotiating your contract, or you are signing a new one, but either way, it's all happening because you wish it to happen, meaning you are initiating it and taking charge of it. This pile is mostly about emotional fulfillment and not so much about the superficial aspects of your career, because it feels like the majority of this pile is already well-established in their career. This is a change and a blessing happening at the root of things. It's about values, fulfillment, alignment, and resonance. I feel like you were growing a massive tree on shallow roots, and your blessing is that you are accommodating your tree and allowing it to grow sustainable and strong roots. Again, it's not necessarily a career change; this might only apply to a very small percentage of this group. For most, this talks about working with what you have, not uprooting your career, but nurturing the soil and foundation that you hold. As I have said, for most of you, this is a mindset shift followed by minor changes, maybe in terms of working hours, etc. I feel like you might bring new ideas into your career, expanding what you are already doing and incorporating a more creative element into it. Others might share an idea, be it for a project, etc., which will allow you to turn your dreams into reality. Either way, needs that have not been met before are now being met, and whatever you wish for will find solid footing soon. It will manifest in your life. Fulfillment is coming.

Your reblogs are highly appreciated. Thank you so much for supporting my work!

© rebeltarot 2023-2024 - all rights reserved ・ do not steal, copy, change, or redistribute my content.

PILE 02 ➕

Disclaimer: All Tarot readings on this blog are meant for entertainment purposes only. My Pick-a-card readings are based on my knowledge of the tarot and my intuition. Tarot is a divination tool and should not be considered a replacement for medical or professional guidance. It is not intended to be used as such, and any choices made in response to my readings are your own responsibility. All interpretations are speculative, and whether you believe in it is your choice. Readings are for self-reflection purposes only; take what resonates, and leave the rest. My readings are timeless unless stated otherwise.

CONFIRMATION

Signs and confirmation that this is your pile. This can be anything from your initials, astrological placements, significant messages or signs, places, songs, etc. Please use your discernment.

O, blank, G, A, K, E, 6th House, Mercury, Gemini

Song: All for us - Labrinth

BLESSINGS COMING TOWARD YOU IN YOUR CAREER

Tarot: the emperor, ace of cups, 2 of wands, king of cups rx

Oracle: trust, healing, midheaven, solar eclipse

Hello, Pile 02, and welcome to your reading. Please remember that a “blessing” can be anything that protects us, makes us happy, or points us in the right direction. It feels like you are feeling overwhelmed, my dear pile 02. When it comes to your career, it seems like you are feeling quite anxious and detached. You might even be withdrawing from it in one way or another. I heard "quiet quitting" while writing this. Whatever the current situation at your work is, it's far from ideal. It feels like you are holding back anger too. This is a very specific thing I see, but I feel like some of you might have felt betrayed. You are not showing it, but you are also not ignoring whatever has happened and led to your feeling of turmoil. You are actively taking away your effort to balance the scales quietly. Again, this might apply to just a handful of you, but the King of Cups, as our bottom deck, is looking upset and vindictive. The good news is that you are taking charge, my dear pile 02. Your blessing is that you take authority over this situation and maneuver whatever has happened that led to you withdrawing from your career into a success story for yourself. It feels like you are taking the cup you are holding, and instead of withholding it from everyone, including yourself, you are pouring your energy and your efforts into yourself. You are "upgrading" yourself, is what I heard. Interesting; this pile is very vocal. So maybe you are speaking up for yourself. Whatever it is, it's been a long time coming, and it relates to something you have held on to for quite some time. Your blessing is that you create stability. A new beginning is awaiting. It can relate to a brand new position, a job at a new company, or even your own business. Whatever the case may be, I see you in a leading position. And you are comfortable there. Maybe the King of Cups, in reverse, talked about suppressing your leadership talent and making you uncomfortable and upset. Either way, this new position of leadership will give you a whole new beginning, especially emotionally. I am hearing "clean slate." This is such a vocal pile! Someone might be giving you their scepter; for some, it might not be a voluntary handoff, but either way, it will be fulfilling for you. I see you climbing the ladder. Whatever your goals are in your career, you are getting closer to them. Plans are being made. For some, it might even relate to a position overseas. For sure, big decisions are made relating to the future. Both for you and for your career. 

Trust is your next card. With the King of Cups reversed, this is slow-moving energy. It's not something that happens overnight. Especially since for some of you, the handover is not made willingly (i.e., the person leaving said position does not want to do so). Your guides are asking you to trust the process. Trust that what you are going through is meant to happen and that what is promised to you will happen. You are currently in the healing stages, but your career journey (your negative experience right now) is soon coming to a pinnacle. You are going to reach your goals faster than you might have anticipated. A solar eclipse might be significant. This could be an indicator of timing. Either way, this new beginning, this rebirth of yours, is your blessing, and it will come with a handful of opportunities. I see you regaining your passion and your inspiration, and you will feel at home in this position of leadership that is soon to come. 

Your reblogs are highly appreciated. Thank you so much for supporting my work!

© rebeltarot 2023-2024 - all rights reserved ・ do not steal, copy, change, or redistribute my content.

PILE 03 ➕

Disclaimer: All Tarot readings on this blog are meant for entertainment purposes only. My Pick-a-card readings are based on my knowledge of the tarot and my intuition. Tarot is a divination tool and should not be considered a replacement for medical or professional guidance. It is not intended to be used as such, and any choices made in response to my readings are your own responsibility. All interpretations are speculative, and whether you believe in it is your choice. Readings are for self-reflection purposes only; take what resonates, and leave the rest. My readings are timeless unless stated otherwise.

CONFIRMATION

Signs and confirmation that this is your pile. This can be anything from your initials, astrological placements, significant messages or signs, places, songs, etc. Please use your discernment.

O, B, G, A, 8th house, Uranus, Virgo

Song: Only You - Eddie Benjamin, Alessia Cara

BLESSINGS COMING TOWARD YOU IN YOUR CAREER

Tarot: 6 of wands, wheel of fortune rx, the star, King of swords rx, judgment

Oracle: the wasp, energy, jupiter, lunar eclipse

Hello, Pile 03, and welcome to your reading. Please remember that a “blessing” can be anything that protects us, makes us happy, or points us in the right direction. Wow, this is a pile with a bunch of major arcana. Whatever is happening for you, it sure is significant. Your situation is not easy, and it seems complicated. Interestingly, your tarot cards are telling a story and leading into your blessing. You are someone who is established, successful, highly regarded at work, and known for the great results you bring. Your peers do not doubt your skill set. However, it feels like whenever you hit a goal or whenever you experience a win, the wheel is turning sharply for you. Every hit of luck is met with a hit of misfortune. It does not have to be major, though it feels this way to you. It's something you might already be anticipating. However, your prospects are bright, my dear pile 3. How about a mindset shift? Instead of the bad following the good, how about the good following the bad? It's so interesting, your pile. Your blessing is your faith and your hope. This might sound anticlimactic, but it's the most powerful blessing one can get. Luck is unpredictable and unreliable. But hope and faith in yourself and your abilities? Confidence? That's something that can get you places. It's something that leads to intrinsic motivation and actions being taken. Your hope means pouring into yourself, tending the garden of your soul, and allowing things to sprout and bloom for you. Again, bright prospects for you. You will be blessed with an idea and inspiration. This vision will fertilize your soil, and it will allow you to make your wildest dreams come true. Your pile is so interesting because we have a good card followed by a challenging card, and so on, but eventually, we are ending your spread with a positive one. It's reminding me of a seesaw, and I swear it's giving me whiplash. You might feel this way. Having a bad thing leads to a good thing, and vice versa. But again, your ability to keep your head held high and your ability to still believe is a true blessing in and of itself. I feel like you are lying to yourself with the king of swords in reverse. You might feel like you are crumbling under all this pressure and under all these changes that seem to follow you around, but you are not. You are growing in your power, your ability, and your adaptability because that is the skill set that you need. That's the skillset that will bring you far and eventually to a lot of abundance. Your blessing, ultimately, is a rebirth of the self with the judgment card. You will receive an idea, an epiphany. This will lead to you finding your purpose and a renewal of your career. This seems to be such a common theme across all piles, but to me, in your pile, this sounds like growth. It sounds like a level-up. In your pile, especially, we can see the impact that it will have on your life with those three major Arcana cards. It's the birth of something. This is my entrepreneurial pile. I feel like most people in this pile either run their own business or want to do so at some point. Either way, you are birthing something, and it will lead to you having people against you. It's not an easy journey, but it is very well worth it.

The wasp is confirming the king of swords, Rx, in its message. Someone will not be happy about your wins. Do you know what is so funny in your pile, though? The wasp card is followed by the energy card, which has oranges depicted on it. And you know what repels wasps? You are right about citrus fruits, which oranges are. Your energy, the essence of who you are, is so strong and so powerful that those people just cannot touch you even if they try. Your ability to believe and to push through adversity makes you unstoppable. Whatever path you are choosing to walk, it's less traveled, one that is hard, and that takes a lot of power and will. Not everyone can achieve what you set out to achieve, leading to people envying you. But again, these people are an annoyance at worst; they are unable to touch you or your bag. And abundance is waiting for you, for sure. All your hard work and all the adversities you are facing are eventually there to help you grow and lead you toward success. Yes, it might feel like whiplash sometimes with all those huge wins being met with huge obstacles, but what is waiting for you is unmatched my dear pile three. Eventually, you will get whatever you desire, and then some. For that to happen, you have to go through a transformation, and we all know that growing pains hurt. But you will come out on the other side as a winner. Remember that you are always protected.

Your reblogs are highly appreciated. Thank you so much for supporting my work!

© rebeltarot 2023-2024 - all rights reserved ・ do not steal, copy, change, or redistribute my content.

[the-virgoperspective]

Part 1

The Moon in composite is one half of the most important luminaries and one of the most vital sources of energy in a relationship. It complements the Sun and represents the medium through which the Sun’s energy expresses itself. The composite Moon indicates how well the relationship acts as a medium of emotional expression for the two. The house position of the composite Moon shows the area in which you feel, or ought to feel, that you have the most in common.

I will be using the writings of Robert Hand from his novel “Planets in Composite: Analyzing Human Relations” to describe the meaning and significance of the Moon in each composite house. Please always keep in mind that this is only one vital step to reading an entire composite chart and should not be seriously considered without viewing everything as a whole. This is just one piece. Enjoy!

1H Composite Moon

Composite Moon in the first house makes clear that in this relationship your feelings and emotions are very prominently involved. It is not a cool or distant relationship in which the two of you treat each other as distant objects. You will be in there with all your feelings working.

Obviously, this placement is favorable to any relationship in which you want to relate on a close, intimate level. However, it can create some problems that must be dealt with if you want to derive the greatest benefits from this configuration.

As the planet of emotions, the Moon emphasizes the subjective side of any matter. A prominently placed Moon can, at its best, indicate a very sensitive relationship in which the two of you know intuitively what is going on inside each other. You have a deep emotional understanding of how you get along. But the Moon can also create such a strong emotionalism that you are unable to stand back and look at yourselves clearly in terms of your relationship. In other words, your subjectivity overwhelms your ability to see each other objectively. Be careful to avoid such extreme emotional involvement.

The Moon also rules the past and the contribution each of you makes from your individual experience, so these factors will be very important to you. A first-house Moon is usually a strong indication of an important personal relationship. It should give the two of you a strong sense of emotional compatibility. You will feel that you belong together and that you have much in common, which will indeed be true.

2H Composite Moon

Composite Moon in the second house indicates that this relationship will bring out the needs you both have for emotional and material security. In fact, you may have come together because of those needs.

You will have a strong sense of shared values, which will help to reinforce you as a couple against the undependable and changeable outside world. Because of this shared feeling, your relationship will grow strong even when there are considerable difficulties between you. You will be reluctant to give up the emotional security granted by the Moon in this position, even when things get tense. But the need for security could keep you together even when that is not the best solution for either of you.

One minor problem that this placement can bring about is that your need for emotional security can lead to a compulsive gathering of physical objects. You may try to satisfy your need for emotional security through owning things together. In this case your relationship will come to be symbolized by great quantities of material possessions. Beyond a certain point, possessions can become a millstone around your neck that limits your freedom of movement. Particularly if this is a marital relationship, you might be trapped into staying together because of what you own rather than because the relationship is working well. Like everything else, possessions must be kept in their place.

Nevertheless, the security that this relationship can offer should be one of its strongest points and should help keep you together when the going gets tough.

3H Composite Moon

Moon in the third house implies that this relationship is based largely on feelings. The third house is the house of the mind in its day-to-day functioning, and in a relationship it indicates the normal attitudes and opinions that you share. When you are together, you think about yourselves more subjectively and are more influenced by your emotions. You communicate with each other primarily through feelings rather than through intellect, so communication between you is likely to be mostly nonverbal.

Because you have a strong sense of shared opinions and viewpoints, you may not really need to communicate so much on an intellectual, verbal level. But at the same time, because communication within the relationship is so subjective and emotional, it may be difficult to discuss things rationally and objectively when you have to.

You may talk quite a bit about your collective feelings, which obviously is good in a personal relationship if you keep your sense of perspective and don’t overdo it. Do not let this tendency degenerate into making mountains out of molehills.

In a marriage or love relationship you are likely to be involved to an unusual extent with relatives, who may in some way contribute to the emotional stability of the partnership.

4H Composite Moon

The fourth house is in some ways the most natural position for composite Moon, for there is a strong analogy between this house and Cancer, the Moon’s sign.

With this placement it is extremely important that the two of you share a common background or experience, for it is likely to be a strong force binding you together. You may feel that you are alone together in a crazy world, protected only by your shared attitudes and origins. However, it is not so important that your backgrounds be truly similar as that they have given you similar basic attitudes to the world.

Even more than in a relationship with a second-house Mon, you are together to give each other emotional security. And here again the security is very likely to take the form of sharing real estate or a house. This is an excellent position for a marriage partners or roommates because of the strong sense of sharing it can induce.

However, it is necessary to warn you that your desire for emotional security and the related tendency to seek material security should not become the sole factors binding you together. Also your need for a secure relationship must not lead you to repress the legitimate gripes you may have with each other. Let your partner know how you feel; your relationship is probably strong enough to stand the strain.

A fourth-house Moon is most favorable in a relationship in which you set up housekeeping together. For this reason it is a good position in the chart of a marriage.

5H Composite Moon

Composite Moon in the fifth house suggests that your relationship exists because it makes you both feel good, especially emotionally. Traditionally, the fifth is the house of amusement, love, and children. One could also call this the position of recreational relationships, in which self-expression is a principal aim. Obviously this is a good house position for any kind of personal relationship, especially a love affair. You will enjoy each other’s company immensely, and together you will seek out parties, the theater, nightclubs, and all kinds of good times. These experiences will be important in your feeling of what you share with each other.

The major deficiency of this position is that you may find it difficult to settle down to anything serious. This can be especially difficult in a marriage or long-term love relationship, for you can’t always have fun and games; at some point you have to work at the serious business of building a relationship together.

If this is a marriage, children are likely to assume an important role in your life together. With this position of the Moon, you will probably want to have children, and you will have them.

For the pleasantness in a relationship, this is one of the better Moon placements. It ensures that you will be able to express yourselves emotionally with each other easily and fully.

6H Composite Moon

The sixth house is a rather somber and serious placement for composite Moon. It suggests that you have a sense of having come together for a specific and necessary task or purpose that may not be completely pleasant. One of you may feel subordinated to the other in some way. Therefore, this is a difficult placement for any relationship that requires you to give and take equally, as most relationships do. One person may feel like a doormat for the other; he or she is likely to get tired of that position and revolt against the other.

The only way to make this position work is for the two of you to exchange services equally, thus preventing it from becoming a one-way affair. This may be more difficult than it sounds if one of you is determined to be a martyr, especially since a martyr usually demands some kind of repayment that is very difficult for the other to make.

A related danger is that one of you is giving more to the relationship emotionally than the other, you could become quite resentful about it.

Whatever the costs. You both must strive to be more nearly equal in giving and receiving. Otherwise, this relationship will become quite unpleasant.

Find part 2 here!

ᡣ𐭩 ombré divider by @cafekitsune ᡣ𐭩

[talonabraxas]

Sowilo or Sowelu

The Sowelu Runa (Sol, Sigel, Sig, Saugil), the 16th glyph of the runic wheel, starts today, which will accompany us until February 26th.

Period of Manifestation

February 12 - February 26

Sowelu (Sol, Sigel, Sig, Saugil) represents the Sun, the power of the Sun, the life force of the Sun, understood as the imposing energy source of Light and Life. The Sowelu Runa is therefore synonymous with Energy, Life Force, and Honesty.

It is also called the Runa of Blooming, which urges us to fully use our talents, even if they appear inconcilable. But Sowelu is even a monito against presumption and depletion of energy reserves. In contrast to the defensive force of Algiz, the Sowelu solar force is of an aggressive matrix. Attempts to misuse this energy will culminate in darkness and despair.

Another characteristic of the Sowelu Runa is that it encompasses the greatest power that each of us has, that is the power of choice.

Divination

If the Runa del Sun emerges in the course of divination, a significant vitality or an unbridled spirit of enterprise is highlighted that pervades the consultant.

This rune has no reverse, so when it appears, you have to interpret it in the same way.

Sowilu is a very positive rune.

Associated with the Sun, inexhaustible source of light and energy, the Runa Sowelu announces that she is going through a great time in her life and that she has the strength to bring to an end all her projects, whatever they may be.

You can then take advantage of great mental clarity, and that allows you to channel your efforts well, provided you let yourself be guided by caution: a gift you should never lack! Sowelu, on top of that, has the power to eliminate the negative aspects that might be associated with another Runa that was launched.

The most important advice of this magical rune, however, is that you need to become aware of who you are, discover the source of your inner energy, the one that will always, until the end of your days, be there to light the way in the dark areas of irrational fears, helping to win them.

Also Sowelu tells us that it's an ideal time to find solutions and make decisions that have been postponed until now.

Sowelu therefore, predicts complete success in any project to undertake, ensures good health and significant vital energies to be channeled towards achieving one's objectives. Beware, however, the hidden monument of which previously mentioned: Sun, in fact, appears like a lightning that can strike suddenly, sweeping everything away in an instant, and the ideology that in the past used the power of this rune to dominate others has suffered inevitable destruction and ruin. Sol is not reversible as said before, but it can still indicate in an unfavorable context, that he has abused his own energy or misused it resulting in a loss of clarity in seeing the reality of things.

Regarding love, Sol tells us that it will be a period dominated by romantic feelings. It will be the star of romantic climaxes and it will draw the attention of many people...

Why not let go and seize the opportunity? It's possible that one of these adventures will last.

As far as work is concerned, Sol tells us that this is in general a positive period, so even at work you can take advantage of interesting meetings and interviews that can over time become extremely beneficial for your career.

While in Health, Sol tells us that we will experience a moment of great activity, both in the personal and professional sphere. It will be good, then, to alternate work with moments of relaxation, in which you can regenerate your energy and recover the strength to continue enjoying this positive period!

Correspondence

Syllabus : S Deity: Sun Tree: Ginepro Herb : Mistletoe Crystal : Ruby Color : White / Silver Animal : Eagle Tarot: XIX Major arcano - The Sun Astrology: Sun in Leo / Moon in fifth house I Ching: 64th Exagram, Wei Chi - Before Fulfillment. Fountain Thordis Elena Salatin Pagan calendar paths of light Runica the magic of the runes

Original Post by L'Antro celtico

[scuderiabutch]

Please, read

I found out there's a subreddit called r/conversiondykes and it's basically hell on earth, there's a petition to ban it (I'm gonna leave it below and quote some part about it)

This subreddit exists under the guise of a "kink," but the ideas and content presented within it are inseparable from perpetuating a cycle of homophobic oppression. It's not "just a kink" when it involves the degradation and hyper-fetishization of the identity of a marginalized minority. Reddit is a public site, and this subreddit is extremely easy to find and is growing every day - the existence of such a place is unacceptable. The existence of an entire subreddit dedicated solely to promoting lesbophobic ideas in a sexualized context is putting our community at risk. It plays into the fetishization of the oppression of a very small and vulnerable group, and much of the content posted here relies on the dehumanization and degradation of our IDENTITY – something that is intrinsic to us and makes us who we are as people. This has a significant impact on how others perceive and view our sexuality. This isn't a fetish about sexualizing certain activities or situations, universal to all people – it is the dangerous sexualization of lesbophobic ideas, which is especially harmful in a world where homophobia is still deeply entrenched. A kink is only a kink when it involves consenting parties and affects only them. The dehumanization and degradation of the sexuality of a marginalized minority is neither safe nor consensual. It's also worth noting that much of the content posted here is simply blatant and open homophobia – no longer even disguised).

There are dozens of such fake-sounding posts on this sub that seem to draw sick "inspirations" from various queer women's experiences; the way they are described and the level of obvious ignorance or really pathetic fetishization of the narrative clearly indicates that the authors of these "confessions" are largely horny men. The manner of writing also indicates that the author is a guy - anyone who has had any contact with nsfw online spaces where no verification is needed knows how extensive and frequent the phenomenon of men masquerading as women in order to fulfill their fantasies is. Dozens of men even create accounts on regular SFW lesbians subs just to harras women and write about their fantasies in DMs.

It's something that happens on Tumblr as well, if you think of it, straight men interacting with lesbian posts, sending unsolicited NSFW pics or messages, many femmes told me that we should start doing something for that as well, but in the meantime, signing this petition is important, please reblog it!

[thanakite]

I see A LOT of fanfictions right now that seem to choose to pretend that either Caitlyn's injuries from the final battle aren't that severe (less common but still see it fairly often) or COMPLETELY ignore that Vi was ALSO severely injured in the final battle

So to clarify BOTH are injured

Can't tell you how many times I'm reading a fic where Vi or Caitlyn is trying to find the other after the battle and they do and bring them to help and I'm like on the edge of my seat being like "They're going to pass out soon, someone needs to look at their injuries too, come on someone care about their injuries" and then... Nothing happens? Like it's so weird

Caitlyn is more obviously injured so I see it less often with her, but yeah where she was stabbed wasn't great and she removed the knife herself which is like re-stabbing yourself, plus of course the loss of her eye which is fairly significant

Meanwhile, Vi has definitely dislocated at least one of her arms, was choked out by an extremely powerful monster, had that monster claw her, was in an airship that crashed and likely got injured from that too, along with all the blows she takes during the fight as a whole, both seen and unseen

And none of this is even getting into like emotional trauma of it all and everything, just physical wounds

Neither of them are in a great place injury wise at the end of the final battle and that's fairly obvious within what we are given so it's fairly jarring when people just ignore it completely without any indication they are doing so ahead of time

I also feel like it says something (though I'm not completely positive what) that it happens more to Vi than to Caitlyn

Anyway, you can do what you want because it is fanfiction but to be clear they are BOTH badly injured and if they aren't for whatever reason in your story you should probably address that at minimum early in your story instead of leaving people to be like "Wow all these people are ignoring another injured person just because they're helping another injured person and they're probably going to pass out soon, will they even notice" only for them to reach the end of your fic and find that their injuries weren't ever addressed at all

[scarletskiesinthepaths]

Levi, Emotional Expression, and Social Interaction

I've seen different posts on Levi lately across different platforms that claim he is a cruel or mean person, which are fundamental misunderstandings of his character. I sort of see the problem as people mistaking Levi's emotional expressions (or lack thereof) as indicative of malicious intent or rude behavior. As such, I wanted to discuss how Levi's history and trauma have shaped how he expresses himself and relates to others. Once one has an understanding of that, it becomes evident that Levi's expressions should not be used to judge his intentions or feelings.

I wrote another post on how Levi fully meets the criteria for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on my main blog, and that diagnosis is important for understanding Levi as a character, as he's someone who's been largely affected by his trauma. To further expand on that post, we're going to discuss both Levi's affect and his ways of socially interacting with others, using concepts such as social modeling and self-monitoring.

What is Emotional Affect?

Affect, in psychology, refers to a patient's expression of emotion. Expression of emotion encompasses facial expressions, gestures, body language, tone of voice, etc. Mood, on the other hand, refers to the internal state of a patient's emotions sustained over a period of time. Affect helps us interpret a person's mood; however, there are such situations where affect can be considered inappropriate—that is, the person's affect is not entirely congruent (i.e., consistent) with the person's present mood and/or situation. A classic example of inappropriate affect would be laughing at a funeral, as that is incongruent with the context of the situation. Another example—a patient who is smiling and laughing after being involuntarily committed is considered to have an inappropriately euphoric affect.

Affect can be described across multiple dimensions, but the two most typically used are the quality of affect and the range of affect. Quality of affect is typically categorized as either euthymic (normal), dysthymic (depression, anxiety, guilt), or euphoric (an abnormally elevated sense of well-being, such as in mania). The range of affect can be labeled as labile, broad, restricted, blunted, or flat. Broad is considered the normal range of affect.

For the purposes of conciseness, we're going to focus on blunted and flat affects, as those are the range of affects that are best suited to describing Levi. Flat affect is when there is no variation in the patient's emotional expressions, regardless of their mood and situation. Blunted affect is similar, but it is a bit less severe—it means minimal variation. Practically, what do these mean?

Levi's Affect

When Kenny first finds Levi as a child, Levi is in a severe state of neglect; he is dying of starvation, he is wearing rags, his hair is unkempt, and he is sitting in the same room as his mother's decaying corpse. A typical child in this developmental range would be in extreme distress: crying, expressing fear, pleading for help, etc. However, Levi shows no such displays of emotions; he does not cry, he does not move, and he barely speaks. In fact, there is absolutely zero emotional expression, and there is no indicator he is upset about his situation (even as it is clear he must be). This is flat affect. Even in the short montage we see after Kenny has taken Levi under his "care", Levi never once shows variation in his emotional expression—no anger, no laugher, nothing.

Once Levi is an adult during the present timeline in the series, Levi exceedingly rarely displays his emotions. He often speaks in monotone, minimally varying the tone or volume of his voice—never yelling as well, even when angry. His smiles are so rare that it's a notable moment when he does smile (such as when Historia punched him at end of the "Royal Government" arc), and he never cries even after significant personal losses (except his one tear at the end of the series). His affect as an adult ranges from flat to blunted. This is significant too because we do know that his mood does vary, as it's clear from his verbal and body language the toll that different events take on him, and he does also display a sense of humor across the series. Again, though, his emotional expression does little to reflect how he's feeling.

What Causes Flat Affect?

To give a quick list of the most common causes:

Schizophrenia and other psychotic-spectrum disorders

Brain damage, such as from organic brain pathology or a traumatic brain injury

Neurodevelopmental disorders, such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD)

Severe psychological trauma, typically resulting in post-traumatic stress disorder

Major Depressive Disorder (MDD)

I will say outright that there is no evidence Levi suffers from schizophrenia, and thus, that is unlikely to be the cause of his flat/blunted affect, especially given the onset of Levi's flat affect and the exceeding rarity of childhood-onset schizophrenia. Similar reasoning applies to brain damage, so both of those can be excluded from the differential.

I do believe Levi meets the criteria for MDD in adulthood; however, that would be more so a comorbidity of his existing PTSD. Levi looked to be around 4-6 years of age at the start of Kenny's flashbacks, and MDD in that age group is quite uncommon, even when accounting for childhood-onset and adolescent-onset depression.

This leaves us with both severe psychological trauma and ASD as the two most likely causes of Levi's flat affect as a child and through adulthood. ASD can be a valid interpretation of Levi's significantly reduced affect display during childhood, as well as his consistent social difficulties throughout all of canon. Based on criteria laid out by the latest edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR), Levi can be seen as having ASD (which I'll likely make a future post on). However, the presence of severe psychological trauma confounds this diagnosis. Despite this confounding diagnosis, it is still possible he has both PTSD and ASD.

Regardless, the most likely explanation for Levi's range of affect remains severe psychological trauma. In a child that young, something had to have gone extremely wrong in his early upbringing for his significantly reduced affect display. An entire separate post can be written on this topic, but Levi demonstrates clear signs of an insecure attachment style by the time he's discovered by Kenny; this indicates that Kuchel, despite having loved Levi, was simply unable to properly care for him, and this resulted in deep and ingrained psychological trauma that affected Levi's ability to socially relate and interact with others for the rest of his life. I intend on going into more detail in a separate post, but Levi's attachment style is likely insecure-avoidant or insecure-disorganized.

Observational Learning and Social Modeling

Albert Bandura's social learning theory posits that children learn through a combination of traditional behaviorist processes (classical and operant conditioning), cognitive processes, in addition to observation and modeling. In reference to Levi, observational learning is the most salient aspect of this theory.

In simple terms, observational learning refers to the way children observe the people around them. Individuals observed are referred to as models. Models can include, but are not limited to, parents/caregivers, TV characters, school teachers, and friends within a peer group. Basically, children pay attention to these models and encode their behavior into their memory. At a later time, this behavior is then imitated. This is referred to as "social modeling".

Who were Levi's models? Kuchel, Kuchel's patrons at the brothel she worked at, Kenny, and others who lived in or frequented the Underground City.

Given Kuchel's circumstances and the danger of human trafficking in the Underground, it is likely she taught Levi to avoid interacting with anyone in order to ensure his safety. Kuchel's patrons, in all likelihood, abused her and Levi was most assuredly witness to this abuse or the effects of it in some way. Then, Kenny—Levi's most significant parental figure—was a prominent serial killer who displayed and actively taught Levi violence.

All of this points to Levi never having had the opportunity to learn proper social interaction. In fact, he was actively taught inappropriate and unhealthy ways to socially interact. Not only was Levi's emotional development stunted and severely impacted as shown through his lack of affect, but his ability to socially interact and relate to others was inhibited due to both his insecure attachment and the absence of appropriate social models. How does this manifest in Levi?

Self-Monitoring

Self-monitoring is the degree to which people monitor and adjust their self-presentations when interacting with others and across different social contexts. Whether someone is a high or low self monitor can be affected by their natural personality, their experiences growing up, and/or their neuropsychobiology.

High self monitors tend to be actively aware of the social image they are projecting, and they will be adept at responding to social cues. They will also vary the image they project dependent upon who they are interacting with and what the social circumstances are. They have greater concern over situational appropriateness, and they are often perceived as more friendly and pleasant by others.

In contrast, low self monitors tend to exhibit emotional expressiveness and social responses more congruent with their internal states regardless of social context. That is, they do not adjust their beliefs, attitudes, and dispositions to be more socially acceptable. As such, they are often perceived as rude, socially awkward, and/or unaware of others' social needs.

Levi is a low self monitor. Regardless of who he is interacting with or what the situation is, he consistently maintains the same attitudes and beliefs; he is always honest and says what he's feeling. He never adjusts his social tone, even when it would make him more appeasing to others. Throughout the series, he's often referred to as rude, socially awkward, a lunatic, etc. for his inability to self-monitor. This is a likely a result of the aforementioned psychological trauma, his lack of appropriate social models, his innate introverted nature, and his potential ASD.

Summary

My goal with this post was to explain how Levi's trauma and experiences growing up have formed the way he expresses himself and interacts with others. Levi never sets out to be seen as rude, unkind, or cruel. In fact, I'd say he is by far the kindest and most compassionate character in all of Attack on Titan. However, because of his social disposition, he is consistently misperceived by both characters in the series, as well as readers/viewers. Levi, through a combination of his innate nature and the environment in which he grew up, simply lacks the social skills and affinity for social interaction to properly explain himself and come across as more palatable to others.

Note: I am a doctor of psychology student, so much of this information has been informed by my schooling.

[vindelllas]

victoria's astrological secrets 🫧

🫧 with the recent announcement of the victoria’s secret show and angels resurrecting in december, i decided to examine the placements of the women deemed “most beautiful” and dissect what astrological placements are potential indicators and detractors of this belief. the following graphs i have made used data collected from the available birth information of all 41 victoria’s secret angels. any information regarding house placements should be treated lightly, as a vast amount of the angels do not have verified birth information. the same is applicable for karakas and nakshatras, i calculated both assuming angels with unverified birth charts were born at noon their time!

🪐 atmakarakas of the angels:

🪐 with my recent post on shani’s prevalence in western femininity and beauty, i am sure it comes to no surprise that he was by the far the most prevalent atmakaraka of the angels. as a brief refresher, the atmakaraka is the graha that one relates to the most. it is our innermost self, that is why surya is said to be the natural atmakaraka. shani himself lords over one’s bones, hair, and teeth, all of which—when heightened or emphasized astrologically—bestow its native with abundant beauty. despite shani’s traditional connotations of sorrow and pain, it is also associated with the sense of touch. thus, resulting in its natives’ preferences for fields that require manipulation and emphasis of the physical life form. through sculpting one’s body with the likes of fitness, diet, and self care, these models are able to fulfill the physicality of their shani atmakaraka. additionally, shani is said to bestow hazy, gilded eyes, thin and tall figure, whitened teeth, and an overall ether body (which is overall many of the dominant physical traits of models in the industry). when shani excels here, natives are blessed with the loyalty, frugality, self-control, patience, steadfastness, perseverance, and industriousness required to succeed in the industry of modeling. it is important to note these same qualities are often heightened in the darker contexts of the shani-dominated modeling industry, such as dis*rdered eating patterns and exploitative management. this placement is beautiful for heightening one’s worldly desires of democracy, achievement, and experience, but also results in lessons of the harsh realities of this world, facing loneliness at the zenith of achievement, extreme bouts of fear/doubt, and disappointment. i encourage any natives of this placement to especially look at the house this atmakaraka rules to find what will bring you fulfillment and growth on an individual level (primarily examining its mooltrikona, the area in which grahas feel most at home).

🪐 note that only two of the angels had a shukra atmakaraka, which desires transactional relationships and luxury. this is likely due to this placement being more common in the arts, as it has an innate gift from telling and conveying the stories of art. whereas, shani is gifted in the realm of wearing the art of shukra (serving as his grounding canvas). shani being the servant of the asuras aids him in feeling the most comfortable in shukra’s demanding presence; allowing him to thrive. in a similar way shani atmakarakas thrive when being in the eyes of shukra (the constructive teacher). they take heed to his teachings and internalize them for quick reciprocation and emulation.

🎀 amatyakarakas of the angels:

🎀 this reasoning for the lack of shukra serving as an atmakaraka is why i believe it best serves as the most prevalent amatyakaraka. while the results are less statistically significant than those for atmakaraka, shukra is still the most common graha for this placement. think of the amatyakaraka as the second house almost, ruling your career, profession, behavior, karma, and deeds—not necessarily ruling your internal self but how you externalize your atmakaraka. shukra bestows materialistic prosperity, comfortability, wealth acquired through women’s merchandise, and luxuriousness to the fruits of shani. this is why this karaka placement brings forth professionalism in the fields of any inventive, artistic discipline such as fashion without serving as the primary lifestyle of the native. in this way, the natives’ atmakaraka can reduce shukra’s issues with clouded self-perception, heightened sensuality, exaggerated behavior and ideologies, and intense over-romanticism. the restrictive nature of having a shani atmakaraka refines this amorousness and excessive behavioral patterns and, in turn, shukra balances his frugality and conservatism with a healthy pleasure from enjoyment of the touch/physicality he so rules.

🌙 grahas in the first bhava:

🌙 the first house is the realm of one's lagna. this house is considered to be most representative of your existence and true self. the lack of the two most intellect-based grahas, brihaspati and buddha, can give us an insight into the existences of vs angels alike. these grahas' lack of presence is indicating a certain removal from scholarly pursuits and a calling towards the physicalities of the flesh, as seen in rahu and chandra, at an early age. think of the stories of models like adriana lima or candice swanepoel who wanted to serve their communities initially through catholic abstinence and dentistry or dairy and meat farming respectively. instead of continuing to obtain the education and discipline required to succeed in these fields, the models decided to devote themselves to their fashionable craft instead at very young ages. having chandra and rahu in the first bhava can bring self-centricism, sharpening of communicative/professional intellect, and business inclinations. thus, allowing the angels to accumulate success and individuality in the worldly fields of modeling through expertly commodifying themselves.

🌙 grahas in the second bhava:

🌙 in a sudden role reversal, we see no models with verified birth times had chandra in their second house. the second house is all about growth and development. chandra or shukra lying in this house is often indicative of requiring materialistic pleasures to ensure emotional satiation. this is why individuals with these placements can truly struggle with financial and emotional fluctuations. contrarily, surya, ketu, and buddha were the most common grahas in the second in the bhava. these grahas lead to excelling in the matters of the second bhava (wealth and possessions) but issues with detachment and grief surrounding one's family. unfortunately, we see this placement manifesting in many of the angels having to leave their families at a young age to model in other countries for months to even a year at a time. this additionally requires a certain dis-attachment from the home (chandra) and comfortability (shukra) to gain worldly knowledge (buddha), authority/grounding (surya), and self wisdom (ketu) in the industry.

🌚 grahas conjunct luminaries (surya and/or chandra):

🌚 buddha was overwhelmingly the most prevalent graha to be conjunct the angels' luminaries. approximately 59% of the angels had this placement, meaning 24 of the 41 models. buddha, being the graha of communication, results in a penchant for inquiries, analyses, and wit in conjunction to the undertones of their luminary grahas. essentially natives of the placement excel at marketing themselves: identifying their target audience, knowing their unique selling points (such as creating their signature, inventive catwalks and collaborating with trainers to give onlookers an insight into their workout regime via the "train like an angel" series), clarity, consistency, constancy, and intellectual savvy. buddha's sensual undertones attract customers and a worldwide fanbase of feminine emulation and masculine adoration.

🌚 primary placement (surya, chandra, and lagna) rashis of the angels:

🌚 the cancer rashi was most common in the primary placements of the angels. chandra, the overlord of cancer, aids cancer natives in utilizing their fertile imagination and emotional disposition. due to this, these natives are drawn to artistic expression and emotional retention, exacerbating the canvas-like jobs of the angels in their modeling efforts for the brands' bikini-clad, glamorously unachievable campaigns. while seemingly sentimental, cancers' personalities are said to be extremely changeable, ranging from extreme warmth to secrecy which is often mistaken for hardened coldness. this emotional chameleon-like behavior allows the angels to physically transmute the emotions of their photographer and designer to the consumer/onlooker. however, their need for safety and security allows these natives to sometimes go throughout their entire lives in search for family and the comforts of home (as evidenced by the lack of shukra and chandra placements in their second bhava).

🌚 the second most common rashi is aquarius. who is symbolized by the angel carrying water over humanity and pouring it over the earth. in a similar fashion, aquari nurture their environment by quenching the thirsts of the collective--instilling passion within the masses and motivating them to bring change to one another. this is why this rashi is symbolized by "the star" tarot card. similar to the water-bearing aquarius figure, the star card features a feminine being pouring water into a body of water and into the earth, providing nourishment and restoring hope for the future. she has one foot in the water, symbolizing intuition, and one on land, symbolizing stability. this echoes the same duality in aquarius, which is the only zodiac sign represented by two astrological elements: water for her emotional side and air for her intellectual side. the stars symbolize the card’s overarching message of guidance, hope and inspiration. aquarius pertains to setting oneself apart from others, as illustrated by the large, yellow star on the card. aquarius natives have a strong connection to their own intuition and will listen to that internal voice above all others. which ultimately guides these natives to setting their own trends in fashion: think of the infamous and constant quests for a vs angel body even today. the bird on the card symbolizes the sacred ibis of thought who roosts in the tree of the mind, representing the boundless intellect of aquarius. whether it is improving humanity, inventing the next fashion trend or just bolstering our sense of hope and inspiration, aquarius excels.

🌚 primary placement (surya, chandra, and lagna) rashi lords of the angels:

🌚 shani was the most occuring lord of the angels' primary rashis despite cancer's general abundance. think of when shiva came under the influence of shani, he experienced the loss of sati, the first incarnation of his wife. "daksha, the son of brahma, prayed to the mother goddess that she be born as shani's daughter. she agreed on the condition that he would never displease her. he agreed and she was born as sati. when sati matured she fell in love with lord shiva and married him against her father's wishes. daksha disliked this alliance as he felt that the ascetic shiva was not good enough for his daughter. daksha expected shiva to pay obeisance to him but shiva refused to do so, as he was the supreme god and most revered of all. according to vedic tradition, if shiva were to venerate daksha who was lower in stature to the great shiva, the former would be cursed forever. daksha's ego did not allow him to recognize the true shiva. shiva refuses to pay respect to his father-in-law and thereby created an ongoing feud which caused a lot of sorrow to his wife sati.

"daksha decided to avenge this humiliation by organizing a yagya in kankhal near haridwar. he invited all the gods in heaven and prominent men on earth, with the exception of shiva and sati. when sati heard that her father was holding a ceremony, she wanted to go despite not being invited. shiva cautioned her that only misery would result of her going uninvited but she was adamant.

"sati demanded an explanation from daksha as to why she and shiva were not invited. daksha said that shiva, a person who dressed in rags who adorned himself with ashes, skulls and snakes and frequenter of graveyards, had no place in this elite gathering. unable to bear the insult, sati proclaimed that she is giving up her life and in front of an astounded audience she stepped into the sacrificial fire of the yagya.

"when shiva learnt of this, he was inconsolable and in his grief destroyed the yagya and all saksha's army. saksha's head was also cut. then shiva held aloft sati's limp body and began the dance of destruction or tandava nritya. this is the dance that heralds the destruction of the universe.

"guests approached vishnu who was also present at the ceremony. he realized that it was too late to reason with shiva. he let loose his chakra (or disc-like weapon) and cut up sati's body into pieces. the various parts of her body got scattered all over india. wherever a part of sati's body, fell people built a shrine to the goddess shakti. vishnu consoled shiva and requested him to give back life to the dead. shiva did so but insisted that daksha had to be punished for his pride. he cut off a goat's head and attached it to daksha's lifeless body before making him alive. the ceremony was then completed and to this day daksha is depicted with a goat's head

"shani was said to have create all this mayhem in order to punish daksha for his pride and created inconsolable sorrow for shiva. shiva went to mount kailash and lived a life of a recluse and ascetic until parvati (the next incarnation of sati) came into the life and brought him out of the sorrow."

🌚 shani being the destroyer and stripper of maya, it may appear to be an odd placement for such a physically-focused profession. shani basically serves as the personification of spiritual accountability. he was dutiful even when sacrificing his love sati, serving as the emblem of the importance of the sacrificiality of pleasure and needs for greater gain. in a more minute, physical practice, the angels continued to give up what brought them physical comfort: consumption and familial need for the gain of world recognition and beauty. thus, bringing similar acts of concern or judgement from the public (similar to that of shani) due to the past extremism of their efforts to remain in the show and keep their angel status.

☄️ nakshatras (surya, chandra, and lagna) of the angels:

☄️ chitra was the most occurring nakshatra of the angels. think of this nakshatra as the embodiment of succubic understandings. in it, lies the power of evoking female spirits for spiritual purposes. the goddess of its temple is known as bhoom devi. bhoom devi is the personification of all earth/flesh. bhoom devi is the consort of the varaha, an avatar of vishnu. in the satya yuga, "the demon hiranyaksha kidnapped her and hid her in the primordial waters, and vishnu appeared as varaha to rescue her. varaha slew the demon and retrieved the earth from the depths of the ocean, lifting it on his tusks. he restored bhoom devi to her rightful place in the universe, and proceeded to marry her. mangala and narakasura were the sons of varaha and bhoom devi.

"narakasura was the first born of bhoom devi. there are two stories about narakasura's birth: in the first one, he was the first son of bhoomi and varaha. he was born when bhoomi requested varaha for a son. narakasura later performed a penance to receive a boon that only his mother would be able to kill him. in the second story, narakasura's father was hiranyaksha and was born when hiranyaksha's horns touched bhoomi. narakasura is believed to have been the founder of the legendary bhauma dynasty among the boro people.

"sita, the wife of rama, emerged from the earth, and thus bhoomi is her spiritual mother. the story goes that there was once a drought in mithila, the hometown of sita. janaka, the future father of sita, was ploughing the ground. under his plough, he found a baby girl (this girl being sita). raiin showered upon the earth and janaka and his wife, sunaina, decided to adopt sita. as she was born from the earth, she was also known as bhoomija."

☄️ chitra natives mirror the properties of bhoom devi, often struggling with the seemingly never ending attractions between them and draining masculine life forces. while this nakshatra bestows its natives with bursting beauty and abundance, this masculine attention usually begins to sour and darken with time (similar to the trials and tribulations of bhoom devi). while i have spoke about this phenomenon before, i will note that masculine individuals' preference for serving as varaha to that of bhoom devi is directly correlated to the mass masculine adoration we have seen towards the angels in the media. with recent exposures of the toxic happenings behind the scenes of the brand, it is only more evident that chitra natives have been prone to struggling with exploitative behavior. in an attempt to reverse the narrative and make profit from this immense adoration and attraction, we see chitra natives enjoy leaning in to the succubi narrative as they begin to embrace their spiritual awakenings. think of the angels who have recently begun to explore occultism and religion more intensely, such as gisele and adriana. despite their previous strugglings with exploitation, their role in the bhoom devi-varanha dynamic and call to occultism has aided them in their journeys towards healing from the darker undertones of the industry.

☄️ given uttara ashadha's prevalence in the music and fashion industry as a whole, it comes to no surprise that it ranked #2 out of all of the angels' nakshatras. surya is said to uproot poverty, wantonness, malignity and adversity, and procure all those things which are good for current and future generations. thus, its natives are inclined to prosperity in the face of adversity. surya, the cosmic creator’s natural inspiration, is the teacher and ruler of our innate human senses of judgement and discrimination between truth and falsehood and between freedom and responsibility. it is the senses of love and friendship juxtaposed with our rational sense of justice and reason; our passion for progress with our sense of purpose; and direction and destination for life’s values. thus, bestowing great creative wisdom and the brilliant, generous divinities of nature. it separates the good from the great people in this world; removes the sloth, negativity and adversity on this earth; and inspires its natives with enthusiasm for the achievement of dynamic peace and balanced prosperity. forbidding fearsome and ferociousness in one's body, mind and soul and positively transforming the word of divine love and wisdom. in uttara ashadha, he creates fires under the asterism of the final vimshottari nakshatra in his rulership, whosoever should wish that should be offered him: then indeed forthwith; for whatever is offered with the touch of shani (that lies in sagittarius-capricorn), that indeed is given to him. meaning natives of this nakshatra are able to lift their struggles with the aforementioned topics to surya himself to have their wants transmuted into dominance of the earthly realm. these natives greatest longings for spirituality and initial abstinence from bodily superficiality are ultimately what causes them to appear so beautiful and become so successful. in applying the ketuvian principle of abandoning what one initially wants for seeking what the universe knows is right, these natives are granted what it is they so longed for as they sacrificed their initial wants for the promises of surya's delayed gratification.

☄️ it is likely surprising to some that there were no angels (as we currently know of) who possess the bharani nakshatra abundantly. bharani dwells at the very heart of aries. its exaltation place of its nakshatra lord (shukra) lies in the twelfth bhava from it, while debilitation place of its nakshatra lord is in the sixth bhava. since the energy of its nakshatra lord exalts in the twelfth house from itself, it is the nakshatra, which is connected to death, sacrifice, surrender, letting go with the flow, forgiveness and creativity. yet, as its energy debilitates in sixth bhava from itself, bharani natives sometimes have issues with self-restraint, discipline and escapism. which is ultimately why yamaraj becomes its presiding deity, to help these natives integrate surrender and detachment with healthy self-discipline and hard work, which is the domain of yamaraj. think of bharani natives' figures as being the primary subject of arts throughout centuries. yet due to the intense internal reaction it causes amongst others and their immense ability to fixate all attention, it is something that has been hastily and forcefully covered, and correlated with the principle of punishment (the realm of yamaraj).

☄️ remember when krishna states yamaraj punishes sinners, as relayed to vidura (an incarnation of yama) by maitreya during their conversation about the origin and creation of the multiverse: "the brahmanas, the cows and the defenceless creatures are krishna's own body. those whose faculty of judgement has been impaired by their own sin look upon those as distinct from me. they are just like furious serpents, and they are angrily torn apart by the bills of the vulture-like messengers of yamaraja, the superintendent of sinful persons." instead of one's beauty bringing immense adoration to the point of exploitation and celebritization, their beauty brings a religious-like quality reminiscent to the beauty-based punishments of zeus. instead of entertaining the "furious serpents" of the collective for gain, bharanis spiritually castrate them with their meer being.

consider chanting 108 times a unique mantra to surya (on the days it lies in its corresponding nakshatra) and focus on (or worship) the different body part of the body associated with this nakshatra. do exercise extreme caution when doing so and be sure to actively research the pros and cons to this practice and the correct pronunciation and behavior associated with each mantra

while reciting the mantra, visualise the healing rays of surya filling the part of your physical body associated with the nakshatra

doing so will allow you to embrace the energetic properties of the placement!

chitra mantra: om arkaya namah (ankles)

uttara ashadha mantra: om tvashtre saptaturamgamaya namah (navel area)

bharani: om kathoradhamne namah (throat)

☄️ nakshatra vimshottari rulers of the angels:

☄️ surya was the most prominent vimshottari ruler and yet again we see shukra being the least prominent of the angels. solar beauty is foundational for all the beauty around us, it rules the carbon that encompasses our surroundings, creates human life, materializes clothes and homes, etc., as surya is the ultimate life force. surya is the illuminator, the creator, the increaser, and master of truth. his rays are supramental activities of revelation, inspiration, intuition, luminous discernment, and they constitute the action of the transcendental principle of perfect knowledge and whole truth. however, these rays also descend into the human mentality and form at its summit the world of luminous intelligence. in a similar fashion, these natives transcend the human mentality and produce innately unique beauty that has never been seen in the industry before. the rays of surya, as they labor to and fro from our mental existence, create three successive worlds of mentality--one superimposed on the other— the sensational, aesthetic and emotional mind,;the pure intellect; and the divine intelligence. the fullness and perfection of these triple worlds of mind exists only in the pure mental plane of being, where they shine above the three heavens, as their three luminosities. but their light descends upon the physical consciousness and affects the corresponding formations in its earthly realms of light.

☄️ surya enlightens the mind and the thoughts in which contain the illuminations of the truth. he is vipra, the illumined. it is he who delivers the individual human mind from the circumscribed consciousness of self and environment and enlarges the limited movement which is imposed on it by its preoccupation with its own individuality. therefore, surya has clear discernment of things in their totality, such as their parts and their relationships to the spiritual plane, and is clear in perception. this is why it is said men as soon as they begin to receive something of this solar illumination, they strive to yoke their whole mentality and embody a conscious existence of the divine surya within them. thus, all of their obscure mental state and all their erring thoughts are manifested in this light so that it may turn the obscurity of the mind into clearness and convert the errors of thought into those truths which they distortedly represent. this yoking becomes the masculine yoga: "they yoke the mind, and they yoke their thoughts, the enlightened, of the enlightened, the large, the clear-perceptioned.” this is ultimately why surya, the lord of knowledge, aligns all creation into their rightful place in "the sacrifice": “knower of phenomena sole he arranges the sacrificial energies.” yet again we see this prominence of sacrificial attitudes surrounding these natives, beckoning their masculine adorers to yoke the impurity in their physicality and heighten their consciousness to experience being near these natives' glorious presence. yes, shukra is undoubtedly beautiful and luxurious in nature, but what is beauty without adoration? what is self care without transmutation into the likes of awakening sexuality/creativity (shukra) into mass attainments and heights (surya)? do let this post serve as good reminder that all grahas, not just shukra, have immense beauty. the physicality of shani, authoritation of surya, emotion reflectivity and conveyance of chandra, sensuality of buddha, mahamaya and business intellectualism of rahu, spiritual refinement of ketu all lead to the overarching beauty witnessed in both the angels and our overall surroundings.

*all of these placements were found using astrotheme/.com and/or astro-charts/.com. it is important to note that some chandra (moon) placements may be off by up to 6 degrees and lagnas (ascendants/rising signs) as well, due to the fact that many websites do not have 100% accurate birth times for the given celebrities.

xoxo, angel 💋

[nephriteknight]

So I've been thinking a lot about Serena Blackwood, and in particular the fact that the name "Sereno Blackwood" is a common alias, referring to the book The Serenity of the Black Wood. It's interesting that she's using this alias in such a professional capacity, and it made me wonder if she might have been a character we already know of before she changed her name.

My first thought was that she might be Eva Dewulf, which is... possible? They don't look much alike, but Serena does specialize in Forge so that could theoretically be explained. Also, Eva wrote a book, Eva's Treasury, on the Forge skill Anbary & Lapidary, so they have some interests in common.

Notably, Serena lacks Eva's title-giving pale hair, but that's nothing dye couldn't fix. She also lacks the snake, which is a shame.

Obviously there's some issues with this, mainly that Eva died a century and a half before Serena became librarian. I don't think it's hard to argue that Eva might have survived and even become immortal; in The Crossing To Noon, Garcia Sauri implies that the story of her drowning might be untrue, and that she might have sailed to Noon with Franklin Bancroft. Although in The Lady Afterwards (and maybe elsewhere, but this was the first I heard of it) we learn that those who drink from the water of Port Noon are forgotten by the world, and can never "make a name" for themselves. Given that even the seaweed in Brancrug is named after her, I doubt that's what she did.

(If she did become an Obliviate, though, it would make sense for her to use an alias that comes from a story about their origin. That said, there's no indication I'm aware of that Serena is an Obliviate or even a Long at all, including in TLA where she is an NPC and that information might be relevant. She certainly hasn't drank the water of Port Noon -- though she does recognize it as special on sight -- given that the 12th librarian has no issue remembering her in House of Light.)

She might have survived in some other way, though. Father Theo believed that she was trying to avoid a family curse, which might have been the unfixable "flaw" in a person she alludes to in Eva's Treasury (though that could just as easily refer to her father and brother's madness without believing it to be a curse). If she was cursed, and she was comparing that curse to a jewel, perhaps she might have turned to Forge to fix that flaw? I'm not super convinced by either potential curse, though (and it seems like neither was Theo); one of them just sounds like more classism/xenophobia towards Hafren, and Red William's story is extremely uncertain. Although I do wonder if his curse/prophecy was actually that there would be no seventh baron (rather than baroness), not "no seventh of [Hendrik's] line". We know of two men who should have been the seventh male baron: Eva's brother Eales, who went mad (in a violent way, unlike his father), was imprisoned and then escaped, and Eva's son Sebastian, who died in the Seven-Years War. Maybe she feared a similar fate would befall her grandson?

I'm not sure if there are ways to extend ones life by 150 years without becoming Long in Secret Histories, and it seems unlikely (though not impossible) that Serena is Long. It's still certainly possible that Serena is somehow Eva, and I feel like it makes thematic sense (the librarian who first greets us in the game -- with her key, her bust, and her address in House of Light -- being Eva, the baroness with so much historical significance and mystery; it also ties into themes about what is lost to the sea returning, which could include Serena's key and Eva herself), but certainly not enough evidence to make a solid case. Who else could it be, then? Thirza Blake comes to mind, but they are nothing alike, and I'm struggling right now to think of other historical women whose whearabouts are unknown. Which brings me to my personal favorite theory, though I'll readily admit there's little evidence:

An expert on transformation using the feminine version of an occult alias? Maybe Serena's trans! Not only is that excellent, it also opens up some more possibilities for who she could have been before taking up the alias. I might come back and talk about those options in more detail, but this post is already long so I'll leave it at that.

(I'd love to hear any other takes on Serena's identity or Eva's fate! I have no idea if this has been discussed before, I'm relatively new here -- hopefully I wasn't just rehashing old points!)

[marygusmans]

HeroFX, an online trading platform established in 2021, offers a variety of trading instruments, including forex, indices, shares, futures, crypto, metals, and energies. However, several significant concerns arise due to HeroFX's lack of regulation and legal compliance. The platform is not licensed by any reputable financial authority, which compromises trader security and credibility.

Regulatory Concerns

HeroFX operates without major regulatory oversight, posing significant risks for traders. The absence of licenses from recognized financial authorities means there is no guarantee of fund safety or fair trading practices. This lack of regulation should be a major red flag for any potential user.

User Feedback

A considerable number of negative reviews highlight issues such as difficulties in withdrawing funds, security breaches, and allegations of fraudulent activities. These complaints underscore the potential risks of trading with HeroFX. Problems with fund withdrawals and poor customer support are common themes in user feedback.

Minimum Deposit and Trading Conditions

HeroFX advertises a low minimum deposit of $20 and high leverage of up to 1:500. However, users report unexpected fees and unclear terms. The platform's reliance on cryptocurrency payments raises additional concerns about transaction transparency and security.

Platform Reliability

While HeroFX offers the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform, which is popular among traders, technical issues and platform downtimes have been reported. The broker’s lack of regulation further undermines the reliability and security of these trading platforms.

Conclusion

HeroFX’s lack of regulatory oversight, numerous user complaints, and unclear trading conditions make it a high-risk choice for traders. For a detailed analysis and to understand the full scope of potential issues with HeroFX, visit ForexJudge's comprehensive HeroFX review.

In summary, traders are advised to exercise extreme caution with HeroFX and consider regulated alternatives for a safer trading experience. For more in-depth information, read the full review on ForexJudge.

[evidence-based-activism]

Is male circumcision as harmful as female circumcision? I have had multiple discussions about this, but someone said that certain types of FGM are equally or less invasive than MGM

Hi! No, no it is not.

Male circumcision

So, the big question about male circumcisions is if it's ethical or not. A while ago, I would have said, no definitely not, since it's a violation of bodily autonomy. However, someone has since pointed out to me that we do a lot of things to infants (and children) that are technically violations of bodily autonomy.

We consider this morally acceptable because we are providing some intervention that they (the children) are not capable of either requesting or refusing on the basis of it's benefits outweighing the harms. The best example of this, in my opinion, is vaccines. We give children a lot of vaccines because we know that they have (and do) substantially lower the chance of the child getting sick and/or dying from a preventable disease. In this case, the minor violation of bodily autonomy (vaccination of a child) is permitted because waiting until they are able to give their consent would introduce a substantially larger risk of harm.

How does this relate to male circumcision? Given this framework, we could accept male circumcision if (1) there are benefits to the procedure, (2) the benefits outweigh any risk of harm, (3) waiting until the child is able to consent to the procedure is not feasible (i.e., some significant portion of the benefits would be lost).

There is some mixed evidence for these three claims. Evidence in favor includes:

There are a number of reviews [1-3] by the same team that provide support for all three points. In particular this review [3] directly reviews the evidence of "arguments opposing male circumcision", debunking each one in detail. However, the fact that they are all by the same team is less encouraging. The evidence here is substantial, but there's a potential for bias.

That being said, the American Academy of Pediatric [4] also concludes that the "health benefits of newborn male circumcision outweigh the risks".

This Cochrane Review (essentially the highest quality evidence) [5] found male circumcision substantially reduces acquisition risk of HIV by heterosexual men and that incidence of adverse events is very low.

And this review and meta-analysis [6] found the same reduction for HPV.

Evidence against:

This review [7] suggests the benefits of male circumcision may not apply in North American countries

This article [8] claims the same for developed countries in general

This commentary [9] claims the same, suggesting that "from the perspective of the individual boy, there is no medical justification for performing a circumcision prior to an age that he can ... choose to give or withhold informed consent himself"

That being said these papers have also been challenged by advocates for male circumcision [10] and even opponents [9, 11] recognize that the rates of complications are very low, and the rates of serious complications even lower. In addition to that, complication rate was greater for older children [11], which provides support for the third point I highlighted above (i.e., waiting until they are older may introduce more harms than benefits).

And all of that being said, if the procedure is done, it should absolutely be done with some form of pain relief. Thankfully, it appears that the vast majority are performed in this fashion [11].

In the end, there is strong evidence supporting male circumcision for infants in developing countries. There are research gaps concerning if these benefits apply to developed countries (i.e., little work has examined this population specifically), which indicates a need for such research. That being said, with the extremely low complication rate and moderate evidence of benefits, there also isn't a strong argument against the procedure.

---

Female Genital Mutilation

Comparing this to female genital mutilation (FGM) will highlight just how egregious such equivalencies are.

First, a brief detour into biology. Men and women have various embryological precursors that develop into either male or female sex organs. These are called biological homologues, and they are roughly (although not perfectly) comparable. For example, an embryo has the gonad which, during sex differentiation, develops into the ovary in women and the testicle in men [12].

This framework allows us to make some rough comparisons between male circumcision and FGM. For example, it's likely that the "less invasive" form of FGM you were referred to is type 1A [13]. In this type, only the clitoral hood is removed. Both the clitoral hood and the foreskin develop from the prepuce, as they are homologous structures. Notably, even here, male circumcision and FGM type 1A would still only be homologous if (1) FGM type 1A has a similarly low risk profile as male circumcision and (2) male circumcision actually provides no benefits to the infant.

For the first point, we have little to no data on the complication rate of type 1A FGM, specifically because it is essentially never performed in isolation [14]. This is – almost entirely – a theoretical form of FGM. Despite this, even if it were more common it doesn't necessarily follow that the procedures would have a similar adverse effect profile. In fact, one of the most common arguments against male circumcision involves the numerous nerve endings in the glans (head of the) penis, generally in reference to how the foreskin "protects" the penis head or "preserves sensitization" (neither of which are proven assertions). But while the glans penis and glans clitoris have a similar number of nerve endings in absolute terms, the clitoral head is much smaller and therefore much more densely innervated [15]. As a result, it would be much more likely for the removal of the clitoral hood to result in irritation than the removal of the foreskin.

And for the second point, I've discussed the mixed literature on the topic in developed countries. However, most FGM is performed in developing countries (although certainly not exclusively so) [14], and in this context there is strong evidence of a health benefit to male circumcision and absolutely no health benefit to FGM.

To complete the comparisons between FGM and male circumcision in terms of homologous structures [12, 13]:

Type 1B involves the removal of the clitoris with the prepuce (clitoridectomy). This, anatomically speaking, would be similar to removal of (minimally) the penis head.*

Type 2 involves partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia minora, with or without excision of the labia majora. This would be roughly comparable to the removal of the penis head, mutilation/cutting/removal of penile raphe (underside of the penis) with or without mutilation/cutting/removal of the scrotum.*

Type 3 is infibulation, or the narrowing of the vaginal orifice with creation of a covering seal by cutting and apposition the labia minora and/or the labia majora, with or without excision of the clitoris. There is no direct comparison for men, as they do not have a vaginal orifice or any similar structure.

Type 4 is all other mutilation/anything that cannot be categorized as above.

*Note: these comparisons aren't perfect due to differences in how the homologous structures are arranged. For example, removal of the penis head would also impact the urethra, whereas removal of the clitoris would not. That being said, these comparisons are far more accurate than between FGM types 1B - 4 and male circumcision.

To further drive home the differences, FGM results in substantial, severe health complications (unlike male circumcision) and has absolutely no known health benefits (possibly unlike male circumcision). These articles [16-21] go into great detail on this; the complications range from: infection, incontinence, infertility, severe and sometimes chronic pain, pregnancy complications, PTSD and post-traumatic symptoms, other psychiatric disorders, greater risk of STDs, and death.

There is no evidence of any benefits.

---

Conclusion

Hopefully, it's clear that male circumcision and female genital mutilation are in no way comparable.

The opponents of male circumcision often suggest that any violation of the bodily autonomy of infants is morally wrong, but this fails to consider the nuanced situation inherent to infant-hood and early childhood. They are physically and mentally unable of consenting to or refusing any medical procedure, which is why we have a – generally recognized – moral caveat to this principle that allows caregivers to act in the best interests of the child, particularly when waiting for the child to grow older before allowing any intervention would increase the risk of harm. (Childhood vaccinations and, really, any other medical procedure done on children, are other examples of this.)

It's possible that future research may indicate that male circumcision is not associated with benefits in developed countries. (This would remove male circumcision from the category of procedures described above.) Even then, however, it would not be comparable to FGM due to the vastly different complication rates.

I hope this helps you!

References under the cut:

Morris, B. J., & Krieger, J. N. (2013). Does male circumcision affect sexual function, sensitivity, or satisfaction?—a systematic review. The journal of sexual medicine, 10(11), 2644-2657.

Morris, B. J., Kennedy, S. E., Wodak, A. D., Mindel, A., Golovsky, D., Schrieber, L., ... & Ziegler, J. B. (2017). Early infant male circumcision: systematic review, risk-benefit analysis, and progress in policy. World journal of clinical pediatrics, 6(1), 89.

Morris, B. J., Moreton, S., & Krieger, J. N. (2019). Critical evaluation of arguments opposing male circumcision: A systematic review. Journal of Evidence‐based Medicine, 12(4), 263-290.

Task Force on Circumcision, Blank, S., Brady, M., Buerk, E., Carlo, W., Diekema, D., ... & Wegner, S. (2012). Male circumcision. Pediatrics, 130(3), e756-e785.

Siegfried, N., Muller, M., Deeks, J. J., & Volmink, J. (2009). Male circumcision for prevention of heterosexual acquisition of HIV in men. Cochrane database of systematic reviews, (2).

Shapiro, S. B., Laurie, C., El-Zein, M., & Franco, E. L. (2023). Association between male circumcision and human papillomavirus infection in males and females: a systematic review, meta-analysis, and meta-regression. Clinical Microbiology and Infection, 29(8), 968-978.

Bossio, J. A., Pukall, C. F., & Steele, S. (2014). A review of the current state of the male circumcision literature. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 11(12), 2847-2864.

Frisch, M., & Earp, B. D. (2018). Circumcision of male infants and children as a public health measure in developed countries: a critical assessment of recent evidence. Global public health, 13(5), 626-641.

Deacon, M., & Muir, G. (2023). What is the medical evidence on non-therapeutic child circumcision?. International journal of impotence research, 35(3), 256-263.

Moreton, S., Cox, G., Sheldon, M., Bailis, S. A., Klausner, J. D., & Morris, B. J. (2023). Comments by opponents on the British Medical Association’s guidance on non-therapeutic male circumcision of children seem one-sided and may undermine public health. World Journal of Clinical Pediatrics, 12(5), 244.

Shabanzadeh, D. M., Clausen, S., Maigaard, K., & Fode, M. (2021). Male circumcision complications–a systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression. Urology, 152, 25-34.

26: The Reproductive System . (n.d.). In Anatomy and Physiology (Boundless) . LibreTexts. https://med.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Anatomy_and_Physiology/Anatomy_and_Physiology_(Boundless)/26%3A_The_Reproductive_System

Abdulcadir, J., Catania, L., Hindin, M. J., Say, L., Petignat, P., & Abdulcadir, O. (2016). Female genital mutilation: a visual reference and learning tool for health care professionals. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 128(5), 958-963.

WHO, U. O. (2008). Eliminating female genital mutilation: An interagency statement. World Health Organization.

Shih, C., Cold, C. J., & Yang, C. C. (2013). Cutaneous corpuscular receptors of the human glans clitoris: descriptive characteristics and comparison with the glans penis. The Journal of Sexual Medicine, 10(7), 1783-1789.

Utz-Billing, I., & Kentenich, H. (2008). Female genital mutilation: an injury, physical and mental harm. Journal of Psychosomatic Obstetrics & Gynecology, 29(4), 225-229.

Klein, E., Helzner, E., Shayowitz, M., Kohlhoff, S., & Smith-Norowitz, T. A. (2018). Female genital mutilation: health consequences and complications—a short literature review. Obstetrics and gynecology international, 2018(1), 7365715.

Iavazzo, C., Sardi, T. A., & Gkegkes, I. D. (2013). Female genital mutilation and infections: a systematic review of the clinical evidence. Archives of gynecology and obstetrics, 287, 1137-1149.

Berg, R. C., & Underland, V. (2018). Immediate Health Consequences of Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C).

Sarayloo, K., Roudsari, R. L., & Elhadi, A. (2019). Health consequences of the female genital mutilation: a systematic review. Galen medical journal, 8, e1336.

Reisel, D., & Creighton, S. M. (2015). Long term health consequences of Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). Maturitas, 80(1), 48-51.

[cessautomation]

Certainly! Here's the article with bullet emojis and a visually appealing style:

HeroFX: A Critical Review

HeroFX, an online trading platform established in 2021, claims to offer various trading instruments such as forex, indices, shares, futures, crypto, metals, and energies. Despite these offerings, significant concerns arise due to HeroFX's lack of regulation and legal compliance. The platform is not licensed by any reputable financial authority, which compromises trader security and credibility.

🔹 Regulatory Concerns

HeroFX operates without any major regulatory oversight, posing significant risks for traders. The absence of licenses from recognized financial authorities means there is no guarantee of fund safety or fair trading practices. This lack of regulation should be a major red flag for any potential user.

🔹 User Feedback

A considerable number of negative reviews highlight issues such as difficulties in withdrawing funds, security breaches, and allegations of fraudulent activities. These complaints underscore the potential risks of trading with HeroFX. Problems with fund withdrawals and poor customer support are common themes in user feedback.

🔹 Minimum Deposit and Trading Conditions

HeroFX advertises a low minimum deposit of $20 and high leverage of up to 1:500. However, users report unexpected fees and unclear terms. The platform's reliance on cryptocurrency payments raises additional concerns about transaction transparency and security.

🔹 Platform Reliability

While HeroFX offers the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform, which is popular among traders, technical issues and platform downtimes have been reported. The broker’s lack of regulation further undermines the reliability and security of these trading platforms.

🔹 Conclusion

HeroFX’s lack of regulatory oversight, numerous user complaints, and unclear trading conditions make it a high-risk choice for traders. For a detailed analysis and to understand the full scope of potential issues with HeroFX, visit ForexJudge's comprehensive HeroFX review.

In summary, traders are advised to exercise extreme caution with HeroFX and consider regulated alternatives for a safer trading experience. For more in-depth information, read the full review on ForexJudge.

This format provides a clear, structured, and visually engaging presentation of the article.

Visit for more information:

[forexjudge]

HeroFX Review HeroFX, an online trading platform established in 2021, claims to offer various trading instruments such as forex, indices, shares, futures, crypto, metals, and energies. Despite these offerings, significant concerns arise due to HeroFX's lack of regulation and legal compliance. The platform is not licensed by any reputable financial authority, which compromises trader security and credibility.

Regulatory Concerns HeroFX operates without any major regulatory oversight, posing significant risks for traders. The absence of licenses from recognized financial authorities means there is no guarantee of fund safety or fair trading practices. This lack of regulation should be a major red flag for any potential user.

User Feedback A considerable number of negative reviews highlight issues such as difficulties in withdrawing funds, security breaches, and allegations of fraudulent activities. These complaints underscore the potential risks of trading with HeroFX. Problems with fund withdrawals and poor customer support are common themes in user feedback.

Minimum Deposit and Trading Conditions HeroFX advertises a low minimum deposit of $20 and high leverage of up to 1:500. However, users report unexpected fees and unclear terms. The platform's reliance on cryptocurrency payments raises additional concerns about transaction transparency and security.

Platform Reliability While HeroFX offers the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) platform, which is popular among traders, technical issues and platform downtimes have been reported. The broker’s lack of regulation further undermines the reliability and security of these trading platforms.

Conclusion HeroFX’s lack of regulatory oversight, numerous user complaints, and unclear trading conditions make it a high-risk choice for traders. For a detailed analysis and to understand the full scope of potential issues with HeroFX, visit ForexJudge's comprehensive HeroFX review.

In summary, traders are advised to exercise extreme caution with HeroFX and consider regulated alternatives for a safer trading experience. For more in-depth information, read the full review on ForexJudge.

[the-virgoperspective]

Part 1

Mercury is the planet of communication and of the mind; it is one of the most important planets in a composite chart. The placement of Mercury in the composite houses can indicate how effectively and in what manner you and another person communicates as one. A harmonious aspect and house placement for Mercury in the composite chart can be very beneficial to any bond. It’s important to check both the house placement and the aspects to this planet to see how communication manifests within any bond you may be looking at.

I will be using the writings of Robert Hand from his novel “Planets in Composite: Analyzing Human Relations” to describe the meaning and significance of the Moon in each composite house. Please always keep in mind that this is only one vital step to reading an entire composite chart and should not be seriously considered without viewing everything as a whole. This is just one piece. Enjoy!

1H Composite Mercury

Mercury in the first house of the composite chart indicates that in this relationship communication and community of ideas should play an important part. Not that the relationship will be just an intellectual one, but communication and intellect will be important factors. Therefore this is an excellent placement for all relationships involving business or commerce in any form. However, it does no harm in a personal relationship, which often suffers from a lack of real communication. That should not be a problem for you. The first-house Mercury is usually a sign that your minds are compatible, and you are capable of thinking almost as one person.

Of course, this placement is also excellent for any relationship that involves writing or working on a cooperative intellectual venture. It will be important to keep alive the intellectual interests you share. Together you will be interested in the world around you and constantly wanting to explore and examine new aspects of its variety.

2H Composite Mercury

Composite Mercury in the second house has two different meanings. Either the two of you value things of the mind, or you put a lot of mental effort into what you possess or otherwise value.

If the first of these is true in your case, it means that as a couple you value books, musical instruments, radios, television, audio equipment, or other materials with which you can entertain or stimulate your minds. Or on a more abstract level, the two of you may value ideas and intellectual principles.

If the second possibility is more correct, you both will spend a good deal of time managing the property that you own in common, and you will put a lot of effort into it. In an individual’s birth chart, a second-house Mercury signifies cleverness and intelligence in the handling of money. That should also be the case in a composite chart.

Since it is likely that the two of you do value things of the mind or have rather strong opinions about what you do value, or is very important that you come to some kind of agreement about these matters early in the relationship. Otherwise, disputes over such matters are likely to crop up later on.

3H Composite Mercury

Composite Mercury in the third house can be extremely valuable in a relationship, because it assures easy and complete communication between you. Many otherwise sound associations are weakened because two people cannot say the simple things that keep a relationship going smoothly. This should not be a problem for the two of you. In fact, you have a strong need to communicate with each other, and it is likely that you first came together because of some intellectual affinity.

Not only do the two of you have a strong need to exchange ideas and opinions, but you also like to be with others and exchange ideas with them. You have a great liking for all kinds of mental and intellectual interaction with your environment. You do not like to stay off by yourselves but prefer to get out and talk and have a good time.

The only thing you should be wary of is letting the cheerful and often superficial banter of Mercury replace the deeper, more significant communication that any successful relationship requires. Mercury works so easily on a light level that you may be reluctant to delve any deeper. If you can avoid intellectual and emotional superficiality, you should have an excellent mental and intellectual rapport with each other.

4H Composite Mercury

Mercury in the fourth house of a composite chart indicates that the two of you are able to communicate about your deepest feelings and the most deeply buried attributes of your relationship, matters that normally would be unconscious. This is because the fourth house rules the deepest, most internal aspects of things. You can share your thoughts about how your relationship is working and what is at the heart of it. You should have an unusual intellectual awareness of each other’s feelings.

The fourth house also rules one’s home-in this case the home you set up together, if that is appropriate to your relationship. Since Mercury rules thought and communication, this placement means that you are likely to make your home as intellectually stimulating as possible. You will surround yourself with fine books or whatever else interests you, such as materials for hobbies or crafts. You are also fond of having people get together in your home for good stimulating conversation.

As is usual when Mercury is in a position that concerns feelings, the only real danger here is that you may over-intellectualize the deeper inner aspects of yourselves. Your inner feelings may come to exist purely as ideas rather than as part of your daily experience. Try not to analyze yourselves or your relationship too much.

If this warning is heeded, a fourth-house Mercury can be very helpful, precisely because it does help to improve communication about your feelings and inner selves, which in most relationships are difficult to discuss.

5H Composite Mercury

Mercury in the fifth house of the composite chart indicates that as a couple you are attracted to intellectual modes of recreation and self-expression. You enjoy talking to each other, not just to communicate what must be said, but also because you really enjoy talking. You both enjoy conversation with others and activities such as going to the theater and concerts or just being together and reading good books.

The fifth house is also the house of children and their education. If you have children, you will pay close attention to their education, making sure that they have all the right opportunities and are surrounded by the proper influences. Just be sure that you do not educate them intellectually to the point of neglecting their emotional growth. They must learn to be complete individuals.

The fifth-house Mercury indicated that your attraction for each other is based at least partly on your intellectual affinity. This position doesn’t indicate whether your thinking is similar at all levels, but at least you should enjoy intellectual compatibility. Since one requirement of a successful personal relationship is that you communicate easily, you have an excellent start.

6H Composite Mercury

Composite Mercury in the sixth house indicates that the two of you expend a great deal of mental energy on the problems of tasks that you have to accomplish together. You will analyze, consider, and explore all the various ways to deal with the matters that are important to you both, which may be either material concerns or emotional ones.

If this is a business relationship centered around accomplishing some particular task or series of tasks, you will go about them systematically, rationally, and carefully.

If your relationship is an emotional, personal one, such as friendship or a love affair, you will do what you have to in a systematic and careful manner. Here, however, the issue will be making your relationship work better so that the two of you will get more out of it. Be careful that this habit of dealing with problems in a reasonable way doesn’t turn into an over-concern with your problems. It could get to the point where your whole viewpoint is overwhelmed with analyzing your relationship.

Planets in the sixth house tend to emphasize duties and responsibilities at the expense of the pleasure and fulfillment that should come out of any personal relationship. Obviously a balance must be struck, particularly with Mercury, because Mercury’s location in a chart very strongly affects the overall attitudes of the relationship.

Find part 2 here!

☿ animated divider by @adornedwithlight ☿