#but the desire to help the community in such a way would flourish if accompanied by the guilt for the other's passing

[yallemagne]

Yeah if Jonathan died in November I see Mina ever having a child only if she were already pregnant with his, life defying the undeath creeping through her body those first months. I think she'd communally raise him with the others, but she'd not marry anyone else.

It just doesn't feel natural to me that she would marry anyone else. Even just Arthur and Jack marrying some new unnamed women just doesn't feel right. I just read a whole story of these characters repeatedly proving their undying love to each other and someone wants to tell me "eeh it's just as easy as finding a new man/woman".

It would put Mina at a disadvantage to rush into marrying a new man. He wouldn't be like Jonathan, he just couldn't be. Mina and Jonathan had a lifelong connection. They had an equal partnership, and any relationship after that would feel like marrying a stranger. All her property would go to a stranger. A new husband wouldn't understand anything. They wouldn't sleep in the same bed because he'd be put off by her nightmares, muttering with scorn that she would drain him in the night. He'd discourage her secretarial work in favour of her maternal duties. He'd discourage her friendships out of jealousy. He wouldn't hold her arm as they stroll down the street... Mina thinks of all the things Jonathan was, and she decides no man could compare.

Now, what of the Suitors? This man doesn't have to be a complete stranger, you may say. Maybe one of them makes the offer to her while she's in grief. You know, just providing support. Offering to manage her finances for her because they still dare to doubt her, just a little bit. Thinking a child would take her mind off Jonathan as if anything ever could.

She would refuse. Marriage is not a contract to Mina, it is a pledge that binds your souls together, and her other half is gone. She won't play wife for a lonely man grieving over another woman, she knows her worth.

The best-case scenario in terms of tropes is Mina having Jonathan's child. Then, the epilogue would carry out in relatively the same way as it did originally.

But what if she doesn't? Perhaps, to fulfill that maternal need, she takes care of orphans instead. Perhaps, she simply adopts or starts working at an orphanage. She tries to be a mother to each, and she's never content with her work, but she's made her mark on the world regardless. Arthur helps with funding even though she insists she has enough on her own. Jack is officially the establishment's doctor, but he spends much of his time weaving beautiful narratives about love and sacrifice-- Quincey knocks him over the head for scaring the kids, ever the responsible older brother to them all. Van Helsing loves the children, and his loud and frequent insistence of this fact brings stability to the orphans' lives that they wouldn't have otherwise.

Mina tells them all that she wishes she had grown up with such a band of wise men. The thought reminds her of the only man not there. Van Helsing tells her that he sees Jonathan's quiet dignity in every small face he's greeted with each time he visits and that it was Mina to put that look there. Mina cries because she sees it too.

[leafinthebreeze]

“The road that is recovery from a childhood without a mother’s love, support, and attunement is long and complicated. One aspect of healing that is rarely touched upon is mourning the mother you needed, sought, and — yes — deserved. The word deserved is key to understanding why this remains elusive for many women (and men): They simply don’t see themselves as deserving, because they’ve internalized what their mothers said and did as self-criticism and have wrongly concluded that they’re lacking, worthless, or simply unlovable.

When I learned that my mother was failing 16 years ago, I did not go to see her, even though everyone in my life — including my therapist — thought I should go for “closure.” But I was wise enough to realize that they hadn’t walked my path, and their vision of closure was based on novels and Hollywood movies in which a-ha! moments flourish and mothers always love. In real life, I would ask the question I always wanted to be answered — “Why didn’t you love me?" — and she would refuse to answer, as always, but this time her silence would stretch out into eternity. I didn’t attend her funeral, either. But I did grieve — not for her, but for me and my unmet needs. And the mother I deserved.

"As I started finally to see her for what she was and how she will never be the mother I need and want, I started standing up for myself and setting boundaries, and her anger and insults got worse. Finally, I put my foot down and told her I would no longer tolerate her behavior and stopped all contact. And, NOW, I am really in mourning. I finally acknowledged the truth, and it hurts like hell. And I’m at the age where some of my friends are starting to lose their moms to old age and their stories, of times with their moms, are heartbreaking to me… I guess I just started this mourning process, and I’m still in it." —Annie

Grieving the mother you needed is impeded by both feeling unworthy of love and, more important, what I call the core conflict. This conflict is between the daughter’s growing awareness of how her mother wounded her in childhood and still does, and her continuing need for maternal love and support, even in adulthood. This pits the need to save and protect herself against the continuing hope that, somehow, she can figure out what she can do to get her mother to love her.

This tug-of-war can go on for literally decades, with the daughter retreating and perhaps going no-contact for a period of time and then being pulled back into the maelstrom by the combination of her neediness, hopefulness, and denial. She may paper over her pain and make excuses for her mother’s behavior because her eyes are on the prize: Her mother’s love. She puts herself on an ever-turning Ferris wheel, unable to dismount.

Those who concede the battle — going no contact, or limiting communication with their mothers and usually other family members — experience great loss along with relief. For the daughter to heal, this loss — the death of the hope that this essential relationship can be salvaged — needs to be mourned along with the mother she deserved.

The depth of the core conflict can be glimpsed in the anguish of those daughters who stay in the relationship precisely because they fear they will feel worse when their mothers die.

The stages of grief echo a daughter’s recovery from childhood.

In their book On Grief and Grieving, Elizabeth Kübler-Ross and David Kessler point out that the five stages of loss for which Kübler-Ross is famous — denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance — aren’t meant “to help tuck messy emotions into neat packages.” They instead emphasize that everyone experiences grief in a unique and individual way. Not everyone will go through each stage, for example, and the stages may not necessarily follow in the expected sequence. That said, the stages are still illuminating, especially when seen in the context of an unloved daughter’s journey out of childhood, and they make it clear why mourning is an essential part of healing.

Denial: As the authors write, “It is nature’s way of letting in as much as we can handle.” With the experience of great loss, denial helps cushion the immediate blow, allowing the person to pace the absorption of the reality. That’s true for death, but it also applies to the daughter’s recognition of her woundedness. That’s why it can take years or decades for the daughter to actually see her mother’s behavior with clarity. Counterintuitively, some women actually only see it in hindsight, after their mothers’ deaths.

Anger: In the wake of death, anger is the most accessible of emotions, directed at targets as various as the deceased for abandoning the loved one, God or the forces of the universe, the unfairness of life, doctors and the healthcare system, and more. Kübler-Ross and Kessler stress that beneath the anger lie other, more complex emotions, especially the raw pain of loss, and that the power of the grieving person’s anger may actually feel overwhelming at times.

Unloved daughters, too, go through a stage or even stages of anger as they work through their emotions toward recovery. Their anger may be directed squarely at their mothers for their treatment, at other family members who stood by and failed to protect them, and also at themselves for not recognizing the toxic treatment sooner.

Anger at the self, alas, can get in the way of the daughter’s ability to feel self-compassion; once again, it is the act of mourning the mother you deserved that permits self-compassion to take root and flower.

Bargaining: This stage has to do with impending death most usually — bargaining with God or making promises to change, thinking that “if only” we’d done x or y, we’d be spared the pain of loss. With death, this is a stage to be passed through toward acceptance of the reality. The unloved daughter’s journey is marked by years of bargaining, spoken or unspoken entreaties in the belief that if some condition is met, her mother will love and support her. She may embark on a course of pleasing and appeasing her mother or make changes to her behavior, looking in vain for the solution that will bring the desired end: Her mother’s love. Just as in the process of grief, it’s only when the daughter ceases to bargain that she can begin to accept the reality that she’s powerless to wrest what she needs from her mother.

Depression: In the context of a major loss, Kübler-Ross and Kessler are quick to point out that we are often impatient with the deep sadness or depression that accompanies it. As a society, we want people to snap out of it, or are quick to insist that if sadness persists, it deserves treatment. They write instead that in grief, “Depression is a way for nature to keep us protected by shutting down the nervous system so that we can adapt to something we feel we cannot handle. They see it as a necessary step in the process of healing.

Acceptance: Most importantly, Kübler-Ross and Kessler are quick to say that acceptance of the reality isn’t a synonym for being all right or even okay with that reality. That’s a key point. It’s about acknowledging the loss, identifying the permanent and even endlessly painful aspects of it, the permanent changes it’s made to your life and you, and learning to live with all of that from this day forward. In their view, acceptance permits us “to withdraw our energy from the loss and begin to invest in life.” Acceptance permits the mourner to forge new relationships and connections as part of their recovery.

What does it mean to mourn the mother you deserved?

Just what it sounds like — to grieve the absence of a mother who listened to you, took pride in you, who needed you to understand her as well as she understood you, a woman willing to own up to her mistakes and not excoriate you for yours, and — yes — someone to laugh and cry with.”

https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/tech-support/201703/daughters-unloving-mothers-mourning-the-mom-you-deserved

[delimeful]

not always what they seem

finished g/t space au commission for @legendsgates ! it was super fun to work on, i hope everyone enjoys!

warnings: dehumanization, treating people like animals, abduction, miscommunication, remus being remus, deceit, misguided but good intentioned light sides

-

“Hey, kid, wake up.” 

Virgil groaned, shifting to his side. It was still dark, why was someone bothering him? 

“There you go. It’s a great day outside, open your eyes already.” 

Wait. He lived alone. Who was talking to him?

Visions of chatty burglars or insane door to door salesmen breaking and entering flashed before his eyes, and he jerked upright with a gasp, eyes flying open. 

Darkness. He couldn’t see a thing. “What?” 

Virgil nearly poked himself in the eye in his haste to check his face for a blindfold. He should be able to see plenty; there was an annoying streetlamp just under his apartment window. Had he spontaneously gone blind? Had he been kidnapped? Was he in a trunk, slowly suffocating to death? 

“Hey, calm down. Everything’s going to be fine, don’t pass out on us now.” 

A burst of unhinged, echoing laughter nearly cut off the end of the sentence, and chills ran down Virgil’s spine. “Oh god. Look, I take terrible care of my body, you don’t want my organs, I promise.”

There was an aggrieved sigh nearby. Virgil hesitantly reached his hands out to feel the space around him. It didn’t feel like a car trunk. He was sitting up just fine. 

“I don’t think we’re being trafficked, but if we were, you’d be pleading your case to the wrong guy. I’m in the same situation as you.” A dull knocking accompanied the words. “Unfortunately.”

Virgil carefully turned his body to face the direction of the voice, squinting in case he could make out any sign of an attack. “...Right, sure. Care to fill me in on what-- what exactly that situation is?” 

The stranger only seemed sardonically amused at the bite in his voice. “We’re trapped in a room. There’s glass walls dividing the room into sections. There’s a little bit of light coming in through the roof, your eyes will adjust soon. That’s all I’ve got. Remember anything from before you woke up?” 

 Virgil shoved down the rising panic, rising to a tentative crouch with his arms outstretched for balance. He’d been… What had he been doing? “I… I don’t know.”  

Another sigh. “Yes, I assumed so.” The outline of a silhouette seemed to be coming into focus. Unless Virgil was just imagining things. “Thank you so much for being helpful.”   

He bristled at the tone, but before he could respond, another giggling laugh reverberated around them. 

“Don’t fret so much, figments,” a new, somewhat nasally voice said cheerily. “I’m sure your terrible and inevitably gory deaths will only hurt for as long as the dream lasts.” 

Virgil took a long, shaky inhale. “What the fuck.” 

“‘The fuck’ is Remus, the third occupant in our room. As far as I can tell, he believes this is all a hallucination brought on by sleep paralysis. Best to just ignore him,” the first stranger advised dryly. 

“I’m still ignoring you back,” ‘Remus’ returned in a singsong. Virgil almost couldn’t blame him. He’d really rather wake up and realize this was all a dream, too. 

He wasn’t going to bet on it, though. He stumbled forwards, feeling the walls for a door, a switch, anything. 

“Do you think I’m an idiot?” the unnamed stranger scorned. “I’ve already checked everything that could be checked. Nothing’s going to happen--” 

His voice was cut off by three quick, consecutive beeps from somewhere above their heads. Virgil turned his head this way and that, searching for an intercom or mechanical device nearby. “What’s that?” 

Neither stranger answered, and Virgil realized that this was something new just as one side of the room began to slide upwards like a garage door. He raised a hand as bright light poured into the room, backing up as far as he could. In the corner of his vision, another person was doing much the same.

Something large moved outside the room, its shadow falling on them and making it a little less difficult to see. 

Unfortunately, what he was seeing was impossibly horrifying enough to be real.

A huge figure, like a giant from a children’s fairytale, was visible from the torso up. It was wearing something close to a full body hazmat suit, its inhuman face visible behind a pane of red-tinted glass. Piercing red eyes were placed just slightly too far apart, and a shiny black shell covered the bottom of its face like a curved medical mask.

It leaned closer, and Virgil recoiled harshly enough to slam his back into the corner of the room. The eyes settled on him for a moment, before flicking over to the other occupants. Adrenaline surged through him, but there was nowhere to channel it. He couldn’t flee, and there was no way he could fight. He was helpless.

In the section next to Virgil, a short man dressed in formal wear stood carefully still. He was meeting eyes with the monster, his expression neutral and still. Where Virgil had felt like a deer in the headlights, this man acted more like a snake assessing prey. The only sign that he was unsettled was the white knuckled fists at his sides.

The monster made an unsettling sound, like a hum interspersed with clicks, and then turned its attention to the only human still laying on the ground, presumably Remus. A few rigid plates along its forehead twitched downward, and it chittered at Remus. 

Virgil caught what looked like mandibles protruding from under its face plate, and felt lightheaded. 

“Remus, I suggest you look alive,” the snakelike man muttered, attention still locked on the huge creature. Remus didn’t respond, though whether it was because of the monster or because he was still ignoring them was anyone’s guess.

A moment later, the monster reached up with a limb, the suit glove doing nothing to conceal the creature’s spindly, clawed fingers, arranged like an osprey’s talons. It tapped the glass between them, and Virgil was abruptly reminded of a child at an aquarium. The ‘room’ they were captive in was a mere box to this being. An enclosure.

Remus finally sat up, stretching lanky arms as though it was a normal morning. He cocked his head at the monster, squinting. “What are you looking at, you big bitch?” 

Virgil inhaled sharply through his teeth, but the monster didn’t react beyond its forehead plates shifting back up, and before long, it was looking down at a strange grey cube, flicking talons along its surface like it was a touchscreen. 

In his section, Remus had unfolded to his ridiculous full height, and was ambling up to the wall separating them. He smiled, something about it vaguely unhinged. “Hmm, hallucinations aren’t supposed to be this expansive! It’s almost like we’re actually here, captured by giant monsters that are probably going to stick us in a blender for a morning smoothie!” 

The snakelike man rubbed his temples, still holding onto his composure. He didn’t dignify the gory statement with a response, but Virgil was more than happy to. 

“Hey, it was Remus, right?” Virgil asked, and he saw the man nodding enthusiastically in the corner of his vision. “Please shut the hell up.” 

“Never been very good at that!” 

—-

Roman glanced up from the data sheet, watching as the new specimens wandered about and made little noises at each other. He couldn’t help but hum a bit at the sight; the little animals were so charming. 

“Roman!” a familiar voice trilled, and he turned to the lab’s entrance, clicking in greeting at the sight of his partners. Though he’d been uncertain about working with beings from other quadrants at first, they’d managed to overcome most of their original hurdles and now worked smoothly together. There was nobody he’d rather have as his research team, even with the disapproving twitch in Logan’s ears. 

“Dear friends,” he returned, gesturing widely and making all the specimens freeze up again. “I swear I haven’t opened a single sect, only gazed upon our newest finds. You’re going to love them Patton, they have the strangest little noises.” 

The Nilh wasted no time in scampering forwards, just barely prevented from bumping the enclosure by Logan’s tail tugging him back slightly. “Oh, they’ve already started communicating with each other? What about body language, did you have the vidfeed on?”

“Yes, and of course,” Roman gestured with a pointed flourish, “I have also followed procedures and had the cam on since I entered the lab, treasured nerds.”

Logan’s hand flicked in an exasperated gesture, but his ears were no longer angled down, so Roman counted it as a win. Patton tugged the Glanrim closer by the tail, using his multitude of hands to push him into his spot. “Look, Lo! I think this one is threat displaying at me! They’re all acting so differently, it’s going to be so exciting to figure out what sort of sounds they use!” 

Despite his professional demeanor, Logan’s eyes all widened with excitement as he bent slightly to inspect their samples. “There’s quite a variety in patterns and sizes as well,” he observed, voice low and resonant. The little creatures all seemed to stiffen at it. “I would almost believe them different species entirely if not for the similar body structure.” 

“They’ve even got little primitive outfits, see?” Roman pointed towards the calm one in the middle, eyeing the seams. “There must be a bonding purpose for it, like how some mammalian animals will use pigment-dyes for enhancing appearance to attract mates. The real question is, how did they all end up looking so different? Which one is closest to the traits that make one desirable?” 

“I don’t see any reason we can’t find out!” Patton responded brightly. “We’ve got three samples, one for each of us, so what say we each get started on recording all the information we can!”

“We only have three specimens, so it’s important that we don’t push too far with any of them. This is only preliminary work,” Logan cautioned. “That said, I agree. The sooner we begin, the better.” 

“I’ll take the yellow one!” Roman immediately chimed in, his wings vibrating slightly inside his suit. 

—

“There’s three of us, and three of them, so of course they’re going to eat us.” Remus remained blithely oblivious to Virgil’s glower. “It’s lucky there’s not one more, otherwise we’d have to rock-paper-scissors on who gets torn in half.” 

Of course, this was the moment that the monsters stopped their odd, chitter-click-buzz noises to turn back to the container, and the first monster, the red one, began to fiddle with the side of the glass. Virgil started to breathe heavily as there was mechanical clicking around them, and then the ground under their feet shifted slightly. 

Without another second of suspense, Red reached under the box and slid the middle section out like a book from a shelf. The man in formalwear went with it, stumbling slightly and pressing against the glass for balance. 

“Oh hey, you got the freaky insect one,” Remus said, waving cheerily. “Hope your death is really cool and gory! Try not to make it cooler or gorier than mine though!” 

“Very helpful,” the man hissed through gritted teeth, his eyes slightly panicked. Virgil stumbled forwards to the front of his section as though he could reach the other human through the glass, terror chilling him. It was a pointless gesture, but as he was carried out of sight, the man offered him a nod anyways. 

Remus seemed to be unfortunately correct about them being split up, since next the one with the six arms and rocky skin pried the tall man’s section out and left with it as well. That left Virgil with the last one, a monster whose face was covered in neat fur and long whiskers. It looked at him with way too many eerie slitted pupils, and Virgil couldn’t help but compare it to a predatory big cat. Maybe several predatory big cats.

Its gaze was nothing compared to its size, of course, and Virgil couldn’t help but drop to a crouch, curling in on himself as gloved hands curled around the glass box he was stuck in and lifted it with ease.  

The floor of the box was transparent, and he stared at the dizzying drop to the floor the whole transferring process. When there was finally solid ground beneath him again, he looked up and found that his box had been placed on a sterile, shining counter. 

Before he could get much of a read on his surroundings, a shadow darkened the floor around him, and he barely got to flinch before cool fingers were descending on him, lifting him from the box. 

The hold was firm and clinical; his arms pinned to his sides, and a finger under his chin to prevent biting. The pressure on his throat was just slightly too much, and Virgil let out a choked cough, struggling to breathe through his panic. 

Thankfully, it only lasted for a moment. In the next, he was released, and his hands and knees met a solid surface. He scrambled to his feet, glancing around. 

The bad news was that he was out of the relative safety of the glass box. The worse news was that he appeared to be in a warped version of a hedge maze, walls and corners twisting around him. The worst news was that the monster was still present, and now it was manipulating some kind of square device. 

A heartbeat later, the walls around him started to buzz ominously, making the hair on the back of his neck rise up as he pictured every Saw movie he’d ever seen. 

“Fuuuuck this,” he muttered, shifting to his feet and starting down the nearest path. He alternated between making sure he didn’t get too close to the walls and making sure the monster hadn’t moved or otherwise acted suspiciously. The creature was watching him unerringly every time he looked up, and having all those eyes on him didn’t help his increasing unease at all.

As he turned a corner, he was faced with something new, and automatically ducked away in case it was going to start shooting at him. The small orb continued to sit in the middle of the path innocently, at just the right height to take out someone’s achilles heel. 

Virgil shuddered and turned around, backtracking to the last fork in the path. He wasn’t messing with monster traps, no fucking way. 

Above him, the monster seemed to sigh slightly.

—-

“... just too timid,” Logan was saying when Patton re-entered the main area of the lab. “The specimen didn’t engage in a single puzzle during our session, not even one.” 

“What a puzzling situation!” Patton chimed in, carefully slotting his own specimen unit back into the container. Inside, the little creature continued to make a bizarre assortment of calls, not even in Patton’s direction. 

Logan exhaled shortly. “Am I to assume that your insistence on wordplay means that you had greater successes than us?”

“Well, you could go with that, but you know what they say about assuming!” he replied, tucking a pair of arms behind his back as he wandered over to the others. “The little guy seemed pretty aggressive, so I tried to see if there were any specific threat calls I could make out, but… it almost never repeated. Either they have very complex body language that I’m missing or my little friend is a few sticks short of a tree!”

The other two looked disheartened, and the linguist glanced over at Roman. “You two didn’t have any luck, either?” 

“No. My specimen barely participated in the trials I set up, and so I haven’t discerned what level of intelligence we are working with yet,” Logan gritted out, ears flat.

Patton tilted his head slightly. “Not even the treat ball? Most sentient life forms have no trouble with that one.” 

“No, no interaction at all. It may be worth looking for more compelling bait…” 

Roman cut in, antennae flicking in displeasure. “Anyways, mine was uncooperative too! I was trying to get a few samples of their outer shells to see what the fabric is constructed of, but it was so resistant after just one layer that I started getting worried that maybe removing any more would actually harm it.” 

“Good. Better not to risk damaging them.” Logan turned to the units, nose twitching as he thought. “There are other non-invasive tests we can try, but results might shift if we try different samples for different tests.” 

Roman click-buzzed in complaint. “That could take forever, though! We’re supposed to be coming up with significant research, not trading specimens around!” 

“Maybe, instead, we could observe all of them at the same time,” Patton suggested, getting both of his teammates’ attention. “After all, isn’t controlled engagement with multiple specimens one of the tests?”

Roman and Logan exchanged a look, before the latter inclined his chin, slowly. “It’s worth an attempt, at least. Just watch carefully for any signs of aggression. They can’t harm us, but they could certainly harm each other.”

---

By the time the monsters finally decided to put them all in a penned-in space with each other, Virgil was almost too exhausted to be worried. Almost.

He shuffled away from where the three bizarre creatures were looming over them, but carefully remained out of grabbing distance from the other two humans. He wasn’t stupid; he barely knew these people.

“Aliens,” Remus greeted them, holding his hands up in an exaggerated pose. “I’ve totally cracked it.” 

“You’ve totally cracked,” Virgil shot back, but most of his attention was on the well-dressed man. Or, formerly well-dressed, since now he appeared to have had all top layers except his undershirt removed. “Hey, what happened?” 

“Oh, is it not obvious?” the man hissed, arms crossed tightly. “I’ve been robbed. Clearly, this must all have been an elaborate mugging for my blazer and button up.”

Remus cackled. “Yeah right! That suit is cheap as hell!”

The man rolled his eyes, and Virgil couldn’t help but notice the way he was shaking. It didn’t seem like a fear shake, not with this man’s demeanor. “Okay, but are you okay? You seem, uh, cold.” 

“Of course I’m not cold. Why ever would a half-dressed, anemic man in a glass box be cold?” the man snapped. One of the aliens moved slightly, and their gazes all flickered up for a moment. 

Once it became clear no grabbing was happening, Virgil sighed lowly, pulling at his zipper and shifting the sleeves of his hoodie off. “You’re kind of a bitch, huh?” 

The man snapped his head around, opening his mouth to deliver a scathing retort, but Virgil interrupted him by tossing the hoodie at his face. “Excuse m-- oof!”

“Don’t spill anything on it,” Virgil muttered, ignoring the man’s perplexed stare. “You can pay me back with your name.” 

“... It’s Dee.”

---

“Did you see that?” Patton bounced on his toes, tugging at Roman’s talons. “It gave away it’s covering!” 

“Astonishing,” Roman replied, not tearing his eyes away. “Is it a social hierarchy thing? Did you see any familiar dominance displays?” 

“I… didn’t, actually,” Patton replied, face scrunching in perplexion. “Maybe this one is less attached?” 

“No.” They both turned to Logan, whose eyes had gone wide. “It was an act of assistance. The yellow specimen was shaking, likely from temperature exposure due to losing some of it’s covering. It was… kindness.” 

“Woah, what?” Roman clicked, antennae perking up. “But that would mean--” 

“Look!” 

At Patton’s cry, they all watched as the other specimen seemed to attack, almost jumping forwards to intervene. At the last moment, Patton’s arms pulled them back. “No, wait!” 

Though the small, gangly creature had flopped onto the shorter one, the action seemed to elicit no pained cry or battle screech, only mild grumbles as the two readjusted in their impromptu pile. The one that had given away its covering made a face before carefully folding into a sitting position as well, a seat that kept it between the aliens and the other specimens. 

“These specimens were all pulled from different locations,” Logan half-stated, half-asked. Roman nodded, eyes wide. “They can’t be nestmates. What in the galaxy is this?”

“They’re sapient,” Patton blurted, a hand pressed to his mouth. “The sounds, they’re too complex because they’re not calls, they’re words. Language.”

“Language? But, the planet was said to only contain primitive lifeforms!” Roman protested, wings flaring up in agitation. “You’re telling me… Oh man.” 

“The heat sharing, the communication, even the extreme caution shown in unfamiliar circumstances,” Logan spoke slowly, as though warming up to the idea. “It… does seem to be a potential explanation.”

They all looked back to the tiny bipeds, now seeing their every action in a new light. 

“Well, there’s only one way to be sure,” Patton said, lifting up a hand and waving it slowly in a generic friendly gesture. “We’ll just have to figure it out for ourselves, using our own judgement.” 

After a long moment, one of the specimens-- no, aliens-- waved back. 

[skekheck]

All About the Seven Clans: the Stonewood

THIS POST CONTAINS EVERYTHING I COULD FIND ABOUT THE STONEWOOD. SOME INFORMATION WRITTEN HERE ARE FROM OLDER MATERIAL AND MAY EITHER CONTRADICT STATEMENTS OR IS NO LONGER RELEVANT. I WILL DO MY BEST TO STRING IT ALL TOGETHER AS COHERENTLY AS POSSIBLE. IF THERE IS INFORMATION THAT I AM MISSING, PLEASE LET ME KNOW AND I’LL ADD IT!

Clan Index: Dousan Drenchen Grottan Sifa Spriton Stonewood Vapra

The Stonewood, once known as the Woodland Folk in ancient times, lived in the Endless Forest (or in other versions called the Dark Wood). Made strong and resilient from their environment, they were the perfect soldiers and constituted the majority of the skeksis army. While they were a warrior clan, the Stonewood were peaceful who valued gelfling culture and songs. Their hometown, Stone-in-the-Wood, was the site of major historical events throughout Thra’s history. 

The Stonewood totem animal was the Fizzgig and their core elements were fire, the hearth, and keeping of the song and essence of gelfling culture. Their clan color was red, their sigil was beige and green with earthy tones, and their pennant color was red with green and yellow detail. 

Characteristics

The Stonewood were some of the strongest and hardiest of all gelfling. They had an olive complexion with green or greenish-blue tinting. Like gelfling from other clans, Stonewood tints were visible on the face but were restricted to the forehead, temples, and around the the eyes. Hair was black, brown, or a mix of both with highlighted sections of blue and/or green. Styling was very minimal with some braiding and styled up in ribbons or clips, but were mostly kept loose. Eye color tended to be blue or various shades of brown. In the J.M. Lee book series, Stonewood wings came in a variety of colors. Shoni, Rian’s mother, had brown and red wings with two large black eyespots accented by other dapples of orange, gold, tan. Maudra Fara in this version had dark burgundy and gold wings.

Stonewood clothing was described to have browns and other natural foresty shades like greens and grays. They preferred to wear leathered armor over regular civilian clothes regardless of their profession. They were also known to carry light weapons on them at all times. 

Lifestyle

Strength, courage, and hardiness were traits the Stonewood valued and emphasized, especially towards other clans. The Stonewood way was to remain put and endure so they grew strong and prospered. All of these values made them perfect warriors. But despite this, the Stonewood were very peaceful. Much like the Fizzgig, their totem animal, they only fought to defend themselves. There was a heavier focus on the community as well as culture and song. 

The Stonewood had great respect for nature, but were also aware that they lived in one of the most dangerous regions on Thra. They understood that no gelfling was on top of the food chain and had to adapt to an eat or be eaten world. They favored a hunter-defender archetype: to understand the cycle of life and have the knowledge to protect oneself as well as their loved ones. But they chose to abide by the laws of nature and frowned upon things like hunting for sport.

The Stonewood Clan had the second largest population of all seven clans, only succeeded by the Vapra. Thanks to an abundance of resources provided by the forest as well as by other clans and the skeksis, their population flourished during the Age of Division. There were smaller Stonewood villages spread out all over the forest to compensate for the clan’s size. This process was difficult for them to accept as it went against some of their traditional values. The Stonewood were known to be slightly more advanced than other gelfling clans as they had sophisticated weaponry and armament to protect their homes with. 

Daily Routine

A Stonewood’s day started off with the sound of clangs of blacksmith hammers early in the morning. The maudra and her elder council assigned daily tasks to all adult gelfling. Those whose jobs took them outside of the village said their good byes and departed early. The others that stayed met with their groups to discuss the day’s plan. Work continued until sunset when the clan’s hearth is lit for the communal supper with the accompaniment of a song or two. Lanterns full of firebugs were kept alighted for gelfling working nightshifts. 

Aside from nightly songtelling, the Stonewood had other pastimes. The most notable of them were sports and competitions. Regardless of whoever won, all Stonewood showed great sportsmanship and encouraged one another. A popular pastime among childlings were Ipsy battles. During mating seasons, the otherwise peaceful male Ipsy would fight other males for the affection of the female. Childlings would collect Ipsy males and staged battles between them. When the battles concluded the childlings would return the unscathed Ipsy males back to the forest. 

As a large industrious community, the Stonewood Clan had a variety of jobs. There were blacksmiths, woodcrafters, stoneworkers, firekeepers, gardeners, hunters, and a dozen other specialists. Unlike in most clans, songtellers were seen as integral to the Stonewood as other occupations. The clan had unique professions as well. One were wayfinders: they were responsible for helping travelers on their journey and kept them from getting lost within the Endless Forest. Sometimes, a wayfinder would spend days aiding a gelfling. Another was staba-senta or “wood watchers”. They were more keenly aware of the balance of creatures within the wood and were charged with maintaining and upholding it. 

Stone-and-Wood Crafting

Inspired by their environment’s requirements for resilience, the Stonewood turned the trade of stone-and-wood crafting into an art. It was a highly sought out skill for its high difficulty and importance in fortifying the village. Stone-and-wood crafters were able to weave wood, trees, and stone together to create many homes for the clan. It took many trine to learn the skills and even more to execute them. A woodcrafter would spend their entire life growing wood into specific shapes. For stone cravers it took generations to shape a single rock.  

Although some Stonewood used metal swords and the like, hunters and trappers preferred stone tipped spears and finely crafted stone daggers. Stonewood spears, their preferred weapon, were renowned for their durability and perfect balance. 

Stone-in-the-Wood’s Famous Instrument Makers

Among Stonewood’s crafters lived one family who were famous for their instruments. They were often away from the village collecting materials from all over Thra. They built their instruments from ordinary materials like wood and stone, but also mixed unusual ones. Some items included melted crystal sand, Sifan driftwood, fine shards of bone, and hollow feathers. It was said that the materials used in these instruments invoked the voice of Thra itself. Among their instruments, their lyres were the most popular. Even the All-Maudra’s musicians sought them out for their unique sound. Despite being busy, the family took up apprentices so they too could create unique instruments. 

Stonewood Legends: Jarra-Jen

Songtelling and folklore were an important part of Stonewood culture and they had plenty of songs about famous characters and legends to tell every night around the hearth. One of these popular characters was Jarra-Jen the Lightning Born who came from Stone-in-the-Wood. As his epitaph suggested, his birth was heralded by lightning. He was characterized as fearless, charming, and curious with an intensity only rivaled by the forces of nature. Whenever he returned home, he’d always brought treasure and mouth-full of stories from his adventures. Many of his stories were told around campfires and memorialized on the stone slabs found on top of Bolentor’s rise.

Some songs were created to explain the origins of things such as him being the one to plant all seven Great Trees. Others were meant to entertain or teach lessons, whether they were true or not. One favorite epic was called Jarra-Jen and the Horn of Thunder. After passing a series of tasks, Jarra-Jen defeated the tyrant Creghel and freed the gelfling he enslaved. Another song, which was more popular with younglings, was called Jarra-Jen and the Fizzgig King. It taught younglings from digging and accidentally disturbing hibernating fizzgigs during the colder seasons. Jarra-Jen accidentally steps on the Fizzgig King’s tail and was swallowed hole. In order to free himself, the hero tickled the inside of the king’s throat which expelled him. The sound effect of the king’s flatulence was left up to the songtellers to put their own unique signature on the song. 

While Jarra-Jen was a Stonewood legendary figure, his tales were told and celebrated by other clans and regarded as a hero of Thra.

Stonewood Legends: The Hunter

For every hero there was also a villain and no Stonewood villain was as popular as the Hunter. He went by other names like Bone-Mask and Four-Arms, but many agreed that he was a bloodthirsty one-of-a-kind monster who loved hunting for sport and ate his prey whole. Stories about the Hunter were told to older childlings to keep them from wondering the forest at night, like the short song “Beware the Hunter”. Legends of the Hunter were found all over the Endless Forest and surrounding regions, even finding their way in Spriton and Podling stories. “The Hunter’s Knife” was a notable non-Stonewood myth sourcing the Mystic Valley as the Hunter’s birth place and the noises that came from it was his heart (which he carved out to continue his evil deed unrestrained) who desired to return to his body. Some songtellers, like Kylan, told stories featuring the Hunter and Jarra-Jen together.

Not many Gelfling believed the Hunter existed, but the legends were based on skekMal the Hunter. He was an outcast skeksis whose main hunting grounds were the Endless Forest and its surrounding regions. He was as bloodthristy and fearsome as the songs described him. So skilled was he in his profession that he remained undetected by most Gelfling, with the exception being the Dousan who guided him through the Crystal Desert. SkekMal’s prey didn’t usually include Gelfling unless under certain conditions as he, in his own words, considered weak and preferred stronger creatures. This was different in the book series as he hunted indiscriminately. He bathed in gelfling essence to mask his scent which made it easier for him to catch prey.  He also prevented podlings from expanding outside of the forest and Spriton plains as he hunted them down and delivered some as slaves for the other Skeksis. Regardless, skekMal was always a terrifying force and feared by many even by his own kind. 

SkekMal’s reign of terror finally ended at the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood which was his (at least seemingly) first and last public appearance. Before killing Rian, his latest target, his other half urVa the Archer sacrificed his life in order to stop him. As the two were spiritually connected, skekMal died as well.

Diet

A Stonewood diet was varied which included meats from game caught by hunters and the many fruits, vegetables, and other edible plants growing in the dense forest. They would also purchase foods that couldn’t be grown or produced in the Endless Forest. Stonewood dishes were prepared near the clan’s hearth and were commonly roasted, baked, and seared. Food was served in groups and were noted to be jolly, hearty, and unforgettable. 

Peachberries were one of the well known native fruits found in the Endless Forest. It had a sweet and sour flavor that was easy to pick. More dangerous to obtain fruits were that of the bluemouth. The bluemouth was a carnivorous plant that lures prey in with its sweet smelling nectar and were dangerous to Gelfling. The fruit of the Bluemouth Tree was considered a delicacy for that reason. The fruit of the arara (or screaming) tree was less dangerous. As a defense mechanism, it produced poison by screaming. It was deadly to smaller animals, but for Gelfling, it put them in a dreamlike daze.  Other foods included merkeeps, a delicious tuber found in traditional Stonewood foods. 

Stonewoods usually washed down their foods with a cup of cold water from the Black River. Other noteworthy beverages was the Stonewood Brew, a type of alcohol that trickled down from trees into a giant trough called the Brew Trough. Both natives and outsiders alike served themselves or each other with the cups stacked near by.

Stonewood Apothecary and Recreational Poisons

The Endless Forest had the most diverse flora and fauna, including ones that were venomous and poisonous. Stonewood apothecaries had an important role of supplying treatments and antidotes for a variety of inflictions gelfling received. And on the flip side, they found ways to use harmful substances for more benign ones. Even usually fatal poisons could be altered (through fire, water, or soil) and distilled into potable liquids. Plenty of these recreational poisons were traded among themselves and other clans.

One of the more involved distilling methods were from the poisons created by the arara tree. When produced in smaller quantities, it had a relaxing effect. Apothecaries got the help of experienced harvesters who stealthily picked the fruits off the tree before it had time to produce its signature scream. When given to the apothecaries, the berries were placed into bowls of water and the apothecary would scream in the perfect tone of the screaming tree. The berries would react and produced its slime which dissipated. It was later reduced into a measurable substance and bottled. 

Stone-in-the-Wood, Hometown of the Stonewood

Stone-in-the-Wood was the main village of the Stonewood Clan. Like their namesake, they lived in shell and stone homes interwoven into trees. It was surrounded by mounds of rock and a lake that sat next to the Black River. It had sections for tourists and traders as well as private ones exclusive to Stonewoods only. The Crucible, the clan’s hearth, lied at its center with the Stonewood Great Hall beyond it. 

The Great Hall was the home of the Stonewood Maudra. It had a large chamber where they held court. When a gelfling, or sometimes podling, misbehaved guards would send them into the Rascal Hole. It was a small jail held down beneath the floor of the Stonewood Great Hall and not too far from the maudra’s throne. 

The village was the second largest gelfling settlement. It became a popular tourist and trading site as the village was a necessary stop to go anywhere in the Skarith region. Beyond that, Stone-in-the-Wood was believed to be the original home of the gelfling, making it one of the oldest gelfling civilizations. It was also the location of important historical events in Thra’s history. 

The Historic Battles of Stone-in-the-Wood

Two historical battles took place in Stone-in-the-Wood. The first battle was also the conclusion of the Arathim Wars. When the Arathim were kicked out of their ancestral home by the skeksis for refusing to join the Alliance of the Crystal, they rebelled. The rebellion was a series of attacks throughout the Age of Division until thirty trine before where Age of Resistance series began. The First Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood began while Ordon and Fara searched for the dual glaive which was rumored to help end the war. The village was evacuated when the Arathim arrived with Maudra Vala and her warriors there to defend it. At first the Arathim had the upper hand, decimating the gelfling forces and inflicting a fatal wound against the maudra. She survived long enough to see Ordon arriving with the dual glaive. After killing several Arathim, he plunged his sword into an Ascendancy of Silk Spitters and drained them of its essence. Ordon promised to let the Arathim live if they stopped their assault on the gelfling. The weakened Ascendancy gave in and retreated from the village but promised this wasn’t the end. This event officially ended the Arathim Wars. 

The Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood was the first major battle of the Gelfling Resistance. Stone-in-the-Wood previously had a failed assault on the skeksis in both the TV and book series where the Stonewood were thwarted by the skeksis or the Arathim. The survivors of that failed assault returned to join Rian and his small rebellion ready to fight the skeksis. There were casualties on both sides, including three skeksis and Maudra Fara who sacrificed her life protecting All-Maudra Seladon. But it also brought the return of Mother Aughra and unity of all inhabitants of Thra when the other six gelfling clans and their former enemies the Arathim proclaimed their support of the resistance. This was the gelfling’s first major victory fighting the skeksis. 

Bolentor, the Pride of Stone-in-the-Wood

Also known as the Stone Tower, it was a large mount of rocks weaved together by vines, roots, and trees. The stone’s rise was where Stone-in-the-Wood was positioned. Its top was covered in talking stones featuring the dream-etched legends and folklore of the Stonewood Clan. It told of Jarra-Jen’s adventures, stories of Gyr the Songteller, and Aughra’s teachings. Strangely, many of the rocks that constructed the mound originated from other regions of of Thra like the Claw and Grottan Mountains. Speculation were all over the place from a giant moving the rocks there to being petrified droppings of an enormous bird. 

A favorite theory came from the song called Maudra Melyff the Rock Singer. Though the gelfling in the tale was actually unnamed, many agreed that she fit the description. According to the song, the maudra was so lonely that when she sang the mountains were moved and offered their boulders to keep her company. A different version of this tale was found in the book series and the maudra was named Maudra Ynid the Tree Singer. Similarly alone, she wept at the heart of the Endless Forest and with the Cradle Tree’s blessing, stones multipled from the Earth and became Stone-in-the-Wood. She was also said to be the sister of Mesabi-Nara, one of the Drenchen’s first maudras. 

The Stonewood had a name-day tradition that revolved around Bolentor and was considered a rite of passage. Younglings whose sixth name-day anniversary landed within the same season were sent to climb Bolentor without the guidance of adults with a chisel in hand. Once they reached the top, they found a stone and carved a sigil into it. That sigil became the sign of their name which was memorialized among hundreds of others before them. 

The Crucible

At the center of Stone-in-the-Wood was the Crucible, both a monument and hearth. Like other gelfling hearths, it was the gathering place of the Stonewood during important occasions. It was where the maudra made her announcements and conducted ceremonies. Traders from other regions would come to the Crucible to be welcomed by the village. 

Within the Crucible were dozens of swords and other weapons. It tied with a Stonewood tradition: whenever the clan returned from a battle, their warriors placed their weapons within the Crucible to be melted until there’s nothing left. It was the Stonewood’s way of leaving their aggressive acts and memories behind and go back to their normal lives. In some cases, the melted remains were used as other symbols. After Maudra Vala died, her sword was melted and forged into a crown. Her daughter and successor Fara wore it as a reminder of the battles that were fought, the cost of peace, and to never forget those who lost their lives.

It was one of many examples of the Stonewood’s relationship with their patron element fire. Gelfling from this clan were described to have “fire in their hearts and whose embers never died”. It’s no wonder that the Stonewood gelfling Rian was the one who lit the fires of resistance and sent out his message of rebellion through the Crucible.

The Wall of Destiny

The Wall of Destiny was a giant prophecy that foretold the end of skeksis rule. It was discovered by Jen and Kira when they stumbled upon ruins of a gelfling settlement. At least in the book series, its location resided within Stone-in-the-Wood. In that book’s version of the Second Battle, the gelfling defeated the skeksis through song and their combined singing formed the creation of the Wall of Destiny. 

Another version of its creation happened when both Gelfling and Podling were taken as slaves by the skeksis. Dismayed, they looked into the fires of prophecy. Seven circles of seven Gelfling, (which totaled 49 Gelfling), laid on the hilltops at night. With magic their dreams were made into stone and the Wall of Destiny was created. 

It told the Gelfling their quest: to find the lost Shard and heal the Crystal by the next Great Conjunction. However, the skeksis saw the prophecy too and feared the Gelfling would succeed. To stop them, the skeksis sent their Garthim and Crystal Bats to find and kill all gelfling. However, at least two survived: Jen of the Stonewood and Kira of the Vapra. Jen ultimately became the Gelfling foretold in prophecy that reunited the shard with the Crystal and ended skeksis rule. 

Olyeka-Staba the Cradle Tree

The Cradle Tree was the Stonewood’s patron tree. It towered over all the others within the Endless Forest whose trunk was as wide as the Black River. It was the originator of all other trees and what the forest felt and heard was also heard and felt by the Cradle Tree. It was only a short distance from Stone-in-the-Wood and many gelfling visited it often. Stonewoods sat underneath the tree and hoped to hear its wisdom while others came to inspect it for illness as it determined the health of the entire forest. When one lied beneath it, they would experience a soothing sensation described as being cradled by one’s mother. “The Cradle Tree’s Lullaby” was a popular song sun by Stonewood mothers while rocking their childlings to sleep. 

Like the other Great Trees, the Cradle Tree struggled to keep the darkening at bay. In the book series, the Cradle Tree was so sick with it that it displayed vivid hallucinations which preyed on the fears of the individual. Both Naia and Kylan went through this ordeal with Naia being haunted by apparitions of her brother and Tavra. It also attacked her with vines and roots until she was helped by Kylan. Naia was able to dreamfast with it and healed it of the darkening. 

Relationship With the Skeksis And Other Clans

The Stonewood benefited from the influx of traders and visitors, but it reinforced clan-first mentalities. To preserve a sense of safety, stability, and culture, the Stonewood created public and private sections of the village. The clan was kind and friendly to any outsiders but would treat them coldly if they trespassed on private property, on accident or not. Besides that, they seemed the most susceptible to clan stereotypes, seeing how some were highly suspicious of the Dousan and ignorant of the Grottan. While the Stonewood believed they were tougher and sturdier than other gelfling, outsiders viewed them as aggressive and arrogant.

Being geographically the closest to the skeksis, the Stonewood were frequently called upon to be guards at the castle of the Crystal. In fact, they made up the majority of the skeksis’ army up until the late Age of Division. Plenty of Stonewood were elated to get their recruitment letters as it was seen as one of the biggest honors a gelfling received. Because of this, the Stonewood believed they had a more intimate relationship with the skeksis than other clans. 

That ultimately created some resentment towards the Vapra. Many Stonewoods believed the skeksis were in error by choosing the Vapra as the ambassadors and leaders of the gelfling clans. It wasn’t a secret either as the Stonewood had passionate conversations about the topic. Even Stonewood Maudras would make mention of it while in the presence of Vapran representatives. These vents never went too far as they knew disagreeing with the Vapra was also a disagreement towards the skeksis. Such comments risked their reputation as well as access to resources and valuable supplies. Despite it being a well-known secret, the Stonewoods kept it to themselves. 

Of all the clan relationships, none were more well known than the rivalry between the Stonewood and the Spriton. The severity of the rivalry were different between the TV and book series. In the timeline established by the Age of Resistance, the rivalry was seen more in childlings and didn’t go as far as name-calling and rumormongering. With a mix of the skeksis’ meddling and Stonewood’s overall competitiveness kept this rivalry alive. In contrast to the book series, however, was more serious. The Spriton were a warrior clan in this version and fought over territory with the Stonewood over the trine. 

Legacy of Stonewood: Jen

Although most gelfling were wiped out during the Garthim Wars, their legacies were kept alive by their survivors. Jen was the son of at least one Stonewood parent and seemingly the only surviving member of his clan. He was rescued by urSu the Master who took him to the Valley of the Mystics and raised him in safety. On his death bed, urSu cryptically explained to Jen about his destiny. He was able to succeed in his quest with the help of Kira.

Jen seemed to know some small things about his heritage. He wore the Stonewood sigil on his clothing and was taught how to play the firca. urMaj the Cook attempted to make him gelfling food, but Jen noted it never tasted right  It was possible that what Jen learned he passed it onto future gelfling civilizations and preserved what was left of gelfling culture. 

Notable Stonewood Members

Rian: Son of Ordon and Shoni who lived during the late Age of Division. He was a castle guard who witnessed his girlfriend Mira be drained by the skeksis. Taking the only proof of the skeksis’ betrayal, he was marked as a traitor and wanted by the lords to keep their secret hidden. Rian started as well became the unofficial leader of the Gelfling Resistance. Like his father, Rian ended up wielding the Dual Glaive. 

Ordon: A veteran of the Arathim Wars and the first wielder of the Dual Glaive. He was promoted to be a captain of the castle guards after his victory in the First Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood. Not knowing that the skeksis were the true perpetrators, Ordon personally requested to seek out Rian in the hopes of curing the supposed sickness that caused his “treachery”. 

Maudra Fara the Rock Singer: The Stonewood Maudra who succeeded her mother Vala during the late Age of Division. She believed in strength and loyalty and did whatever she believed was necessary for her clan. She played a big part in the Arathim Wars as well as being the first maudra who challenged the skeksis when she learned about the truth.

Shoni: Rian’s mother and husband of Ordon who lived during the late Age of Division. 

Jen: The seemingly last surviving member of the Stonewood Clan nearing the end of the Age of Division. Saved by urSu the Master, Jen was raised by the mystics so that he would fulfill his destiny of ending skeksis rule and save Thra. 

Maudra Vala: A Stonewood maudra and mother of Fara. She lived during the late Age of Division and took part in the First Battle in Stone-in-the-Wood where she was fatally wounded.

Thriya: A songteller who lived during an unknown time in the Age of Division. She spent her entire life traveling all over Thra to learn about the cultures and songs of each gelfling clan. 

Mythra: A book series exclusive character. She was the younger sister of Rian who supported him while he was branded as a traitor. She also took part in and survived the Second Battle of Stone-in-the-Wood.

Timtri: Rian’s younger brother who only exists in the book series. 

Maudra Melyff the Rock Singer: Believed to be one of Stonewood’s first maudras. She was credited with the creation of Bolentor which would become the home place of the Stonewood. In some iterations she’s known as Maudra Ynid the Tree Singer and was sisters with the Drenchen’s first maudra. 

Old Ari: An old songteller who lived during an unknown time within the Age of Division. 

[Sources: Song of the Seven Gelfling Clans, the official Dark Crystal website, Shadows of the Dark Crystal, Song of the Dark Crystal, Flames of the Dark Crystal, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, the Dark Crystal Film, The Dark Crystal Age of Resistance: An Epic Return To Thra, The Quest for the Dual Glaive, Creation Myths, Author Quest: The Gelfling Gathering, Heroes of the Resistance, the Dark Crystal Bestiary] 

[the-mandalorian-clone-lover]

Aces in Spaces Chapter 11

Monday again! 

Erica has come over to Roman’s to get ready for dinner, he’s fawning over her, dinner is a little ridiculous, Butcher is a hero, and Roman gets to be a sap again (but more because it’s just been their 7th month anniversary and man can’t help himself)

Tags: @sunshinepascal​ @rentskenobi​ @princessxkenobi​ @agent-450​ @maybege​ @obaby-wan​

Reference photo’s are below again (apologies for terrible quality Obi-Wan (my laptop) was being stinky today), enjoy guys :)

Masterlist

(this is literally the only picture I could find of Ewan in purple so Just imagine he has a black button down instead of the striped shirt)

Roman pulled Erica close before lifting her slightly to sit on the counter, her floor length long sleeve wrap dress is a deep velvet purple, the neckline shy of plunging and the wrap of the skirt giving her a knee-high slit. He is dressed to match her, purple suit accented by the black button up that hides behind his blazer, black sunglasses accompanying the grey pocket scarf that ties in with the sandals he’s carrying for her. Flat footed she stood about an inch taller than he, but he always relished the height difference (as was evidenced by the four-inch heels he was now buckling onto her feet). As he fastened them Erica smiled softly and began brushing her fingers through his auburn hair, he was always tender with her and she couldn’t begin to thank him enough. As if he knew her thoughts, he spoke softly into the room.

“I was thinking we could finish painting the purple and grey in the studio this week. Like your flag.” It was his six-month anniversary present to her, he knows she loves training with her weapons of choice still (even if she has her own guard team now) and he wanted her to have her own space. If that keeps her out of the community training area, that’s just an extra bonus.

The soft smile on her face grows fond, “does the great Roman Stanton have time to watch paint dry?” it’s said almost teasingly.

“With the love of his life?” His eyes meet hers as the endearment passes his lips “there’s nothing I’d rather do.” It is said so matter-of-factly that a full smile breaks across her face.

“People might talk, finding out this isn’t for sex”

“You know,” he begins and his face is full of an exasperation that shows just how many times he’s had the conversation, as his hands find her waist and he stands between her legs, “You can love someone, without having sex.”

She laughs a little at this, albeit softly, and cradles his face in her hands. “My Roman” she brings their foreheads together and for a moment they breathe one another in, basking in the stillness. It’s soft, undeniably so, only interrupted by the furrowing of Roman’s brow.

“Did someone say something?” He pulls back before continuing, hands finding her shoulders as hers slip to his chest. “It’s been a moment since I told the last batch you were asexual; do you want me to mention it?” Despite the calmness his tone brings her, Erica knows ‘mentioning it’ will involve more than just talking (and it certainly won’t be done in passing, her mind briefly pulls up the memory of the time Roman made a 47 page slideshow for Butch about what being Ace meant, how dragons were the mascot, and how that pertained to him. As the main bodyguard for them both Butch had appreciated the education, contrary to what his immense size and intimidating presence suggested he was truly kind). Her smile broadens again, “No, I’m just teasing you, I’d love to finish the studio”.

Romans face splits with a grin that Erica is convinced rivals sunshine with its warmth and brings his hand up to suspend itself by the side of her face. She’s always loved this about him; he never falters at asking before he touches her, some days she doesn’t need him to ask, but knowing he always will, heals her on the days when she does. She leans into him then, closing her eyes and relishing the contact.

“May I please kiss you?”

Its spoken so softly Erica isn’t even sure she heard it, but she opens her eyes to find his and the pleading of his own gives him away. “softly” she conditions in a whisper. He gives her the briefest of nods before leaning in, giving her the time to change her mind if she desires and then she closes the space, pressing her lips to his lightly and gripping at the lapels of his suit jacket. She doesn’t deepen it, and he follows her lead, but she still puts love into the kiss, gently tugging him closer. He pulls away first, thumb stroking her cheekbone from its place on her face.  “Well my Evenstar, shall we go?” She buries her face in his coat at the reference to her favorite fantasy world, “Yes Mr. Stanton,” she drags her eyes up to him with another soft smile “we shall”. His hand is extended to help her down (though it isn’t far at all with the addition of the heels) and the smile he directs up at her resembles the cat who got the canary, as he tucks the same hand around his arm. “The world awaits”.

*Dinner that evening*

The dinner goes well, Erica and Roman separating (he’d sent Butch with her for his own peace of mind) as the night went on, it turned out the man he’d been meeting with had several companions and Erica was willing to make a few friends if the situation lent itself to such a thing. She’d come back after a while, (maybe a little less care-free than before Roman thought but he hadn’t been able to ask at the time) saying that Butch had had something to take care of and would be re-joining them both soon.

It isn’t until Butcher is walking with them to the car, Erica on his right arm and Roman on hers, that anyone mentions the situation, Butcher commenting softly

“She kept asking me who I’d like to,” he pauses and Erica trains her gaze on his face “do, things, with” he finishes lamely; gaze resolutely focused ahead of him, only breaking to scan for threats. Erica tilts her head in silent question. “Adult things.” He tacks on and confusion flits across her face before he adds “not taxes, the other stuff”. Her posture straightens before she breathes a noncommittal “ah”.

Roman tilts his head and looks to her in question.

“One of the girls was, very thrilled, with Butch, she couldn’t have held a candle to Hannah. I didn’t much care for any of them so I rejoined you.” She says by way of explanation.

Butcher scoffs, “No one could hold a candle to my Hannah. All due respect Ms. Erica” He says it with a smile sent her way and his hand coming to rest over hers where it rests on his arm.

Butcher plunges ahead as they exit the venue, “She took a real shine to you though, I kept trying to explain you wouldn’t be into it, but she wasn’t really getting the hint. I told her you were ace, she said that meant you hadn’t been with the right people. That she could fix it for you”. For a brief moment Erica almost wants to turn back to ensure Butcher hasn’t left the poor thing tied up somewhere as she is absolutely certain Romans slideshow did cover this response (if she didn’t remember after his insistence that she proofread it for him the tension she can feel from him is indication enough). But once again Butcher carries on without thought and finishes with a flourish as he opens the car door.

“She got a real nice cab home, courtesy of the local police department.”

Erica stops halfway in the car in shock, still holding roman’s forearm in preparation to slide in “Butcher, you had her arrested?”

He shrugs, “Well, I couldn’t take her into the men’s room for a talk myself could I?” he says it as if it’s the most natural thing in the world, as if arguing in her defense during dinner hadn’t been kind enough, as if leaving the woman any chance to say such things to her face would have been absurd. She hugs him then, throws both arms around his neck and pulls him down despite her own impressive height.

“Thank you.”

It’s quiet, barely a whisper, and yet she hopes he knows it means the world to her. As she pulls away, she tells him so, and slides into the car before the emotion can make itself known. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Roman shake Butcher’s hand and she hopes to God it’s over a raise (it’s not as if she wants to buy respect but she’s certain whatever they pay him isn’t enough with the defense he just gave for her). Roman slides in after and Butcher closes the door before moving to sit with the driver, she almost moves to ask Roman to have Butcher keep them company but pauses when she meets his eyes, instantly seeing somethings on his mind. Her eyes soften, “Don’t be upset for me, he handled it better than I could have ever dreamed.”

Roman sighs, “You know me so well love.”

“I do.” It’s punctuated by her bringing their foreheads together, placing a quick peck on his lips before leaning back again. He chuckles, rubbing his thumb along the side of her face gently, reaching toward the dangling earrings she’s wearing before brushing his fingers along the length of her earlobe, down to the cartilage to cradle her bling.

“These are lovely.” His eyes find hers with a knowing smile, they had been her 7th month anniversary present and the reason she’d gotten ready at the pent-house, he’s pretty sure he’d be a failure if he didn’t mention them. “They pale in comparison to the woman wearing them, but they are beautiful.”

She blushes then, looking down before tracing her fingers up the line of his lapel, up his throat lightly before tapping the end of his nose with her finger. Eyes following the trail her fingers blaze, they finally meet his.

“The man who bought them had great taste.” She declares and Roman smiles wider,

“It would seem his taste in lovers is even better.”

Now she’s looking down and laughing, crinkling her nose because she’s trying to stifle the sound, its his favorite expression out of all the ones he’s seen her make so far. She doesn’t do it as often as she laughs, only when she’s found something exceptionally funny, or when she’s being tickled, it only happens when she’s become so full of joy that she forgets to school her expression into something conventionally ‘pretty’

As she looks up she says, still giggling, “You’ve already won me Roman, you don’t have to woo me too.”

He makes a conscious effort to look scandalized.

“My dear, I would simply waste away were I forced to forgo my endeavor to love you better than Shakespeare could write or Da Vinci could paint. I must be nothing less than a master at my craft lest I fall into the pit of despair that is the thought of you needing another. I must never lax, disregarding the passing of time. For as long as you’ll have me, I’ll love you.” The culmination of his declaration consists of him bringing her hand to his lips, holding eye contact as he presses his lips to the back of it softly. He had begun in grandiose, but he’d barely spoken a few words before becoming fully aware of his own sincerity and embracing it wholeheartedly. She’s smiling now, eyes turned soft and accepting of his affection.

“Then I’ll consent to be loved.”

***************************

[dfroza]

Today’s reading from the ancient book of Proverbs and book of Psalms

for may 11 of 2021 with Proverbs 11 and Psalm 11, accompanied by Psalm 53 for the 53rd day of Spring and Psalm 131 for day 131 of the year

[Proverbs 11]

[Without Good Direction, People Lose Their Way]

God hates cheating in the marketplace;

he loves it when business is aboveboard.

The stuck-up fall flat on their faces,

but down-to-earth people stand firm.

The integrity of the honest keeps them on track;

the deviousness of crooks brings them to ruin.

A thick bankroll is no help when life falls apart,

but a principled life can stand up to the worst.

Moral character makes for smooth traveling;

an evil life is a hard life.

Good character is the best insurance;

crooks get trapped in their sinful lust.

When the wicked die, that’s it—

the story’s over, end of hope.

A good person is saved from much trouble;

a bad person runs straight into it.

The loose tongue of the godless spreads destruction;

the common sense of the godly preserves them.

When it goes well for good people, the whole town cheers;

when it goes badly for bad people, the town celebrates.

When right-living people bless the city, it flourishes;

evil talk turns it into a ghost town in no time.

Mean-spirited slander is heartless;

quiet discretion accompanies good sense.

A gadabout gossip can’t be trusted with a secret,

but someone of integrity won’t violate a confidence.

Without good direction, people lose their way;

the more wise counsel you follow, the better your chances.

Whoever makes deals with strangers is sure to get burned;

if you keep a cool head, you’ll avoid rash bargains.

A woman of gentle grace gets respect,

but men of rough violence grab for loot.

[A God-Shaped Life]

When you’re kind to others, you help yourself;

when you’re cruel to others, you hurt yourself.

Bad work gets paid with a bad check;

good work gets solid pay.

Take your stand with God’s loyal community and live,

or chase after phantoms of evil and die.

God can’t stand deceivers,

but oh how he relishes integrity.

Count on this: The wicked won’t get off scot-free,

and God’s loyal people will triumph.

Like a gold ring in a pig’s snout

is a beautiful face on an empty head.

The desires of good people lead straight to the best,

but wicked ambition ends in angry frustration.

The world of the generous gets larger and larger;

the world of the stingy gets smaller and smaller.

The one who blesses others is abundantly blessed;

those who help others are helped.

Curses on those who drive a hard bargain!

Blessings on all who play fair and square!

The one who seeks good finds delight;

the student of evil becomes evil.

A life devoted to things is a dead life, a stump;

a God-shaped life is a flourishing tree.

Exploit or abuse your family, and end up with a fistful of air;

common sense tells you it’s a stupid way to live.

A good life is a fruit-bearing tree;

a violent life destroys souls.

If good people barely make it,

what’s in store for the bad!

The Book of Proverbs, Chapter 11 (The Message)

[Psalm 11]

For the worship leader. A song of David.

I am already in the soft embrace of the Eternal,

so why do you beckon me to leave, saying,

“Fly like a bird to the mountains.

Look! The wicked approach with bows bent,

sneaking around in the shadows,

setting their arrows against their bowstrings to pierce everyone whose heart is pure.

If the foundations are crumbling,

is there hope for the righteous?”

But the Eternal has not moved; He remains in His holy temple.

He sits squarely on His heavenly throne.

He observes the sons of Adam and daughters of Eve, examining us within and without,

exploring every fiber of our beings.

The Eternal searches the hearts of those who are good,

but He despises all those who can’t get enough of perversion and violence.

If you are evil, He will rain hot lava over your head,

will fill your cup with burning wind and liquid fire to scorch your insides.

The Eternal is right in all His ways;

He cherishes all that is upright.

Those who do what is right in His eyes will see His face.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 11 (The Voice)

[Psalm 53]

[The Wickedness of the World]

For the Pure and Shining One

A contemplative song of instruction To the tune of “The Dancings of Mourning”

Only the withering soul would say to himself,

“There’s no God for me!”

Anyone who thinks like that is corrupt and callous;

depraved and detestable, they are devoid of what is good.

The Lord looks down in love, bending over heaven’s balcony.

God looks over all of Adam’s sons and daughters,

looking to see if there are any who are wise with insight—

any who search for him, wanting to please him.

But no, all have wandered astray, walking stubbornly toward evil.

Not one is good; he can’t even find one!

Look how they live in luxury while exploiting my people.

Won’t these workers of wickedness ever learn!

They never even think of praying to God.

Soon, unheard-of terror will seize them while in their sins.

God himself will one day scatter the bones

of those who rose up against you.

Doomed and rejected, they will be put to shame,

for God has despised them.

Oh, I wish our time of rescue were already here.

Oh, that God would come forth now—

arising from the midst of his Zion-people

to save and restore his very own.

When God fully restores his people,

Jacob will rejoice, and Israel will be filled with gladness!

The Book of Psalms, Poem 53 (The Passion Translation)

[Psalm 131]

My Heart Is Meek

A song of the stairway by King David

Lord, my heart is meek before you.

I don’t consider myself better than others.

I’m content to not pursue matters that are over my head—

such as your complex mysteries and wonders—

that I’m not yet ready to understand.

I am humbled and quieted in your presence.

Like a contented child who rests on its mother’s lap,

I’m your resting child and my soul is content in you.

O people of God, your time has come to quietly trust,

waiting upon the Lord now and forever.

The Book of Psalms, Poem 131 (The Passion Translation)

[findhappinessinlife-blog]

How We Find Happiness in Life

Happiness is life's most desired goal. But we can never achieve it while we continue to look outside of ourselves, as it is an inside job.

"Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude".

Throughout our evolutionary journey we have tried every strategy imaginable and searched almost everywhere in our quest for true happiness. We have had some great experiences and learnt a lot along the way, but we have never found what we are searching for. Eventually, we grow tired of searching and turn our attention to the one place we haven't looked so far; inside ourselves. True happiness is not something that can be sought and acquired; it is our soul's natural state of being, and we can only connect with by going within.

Anything we do, it is simply our inner quality that we are going to spread. We cannot do anything of tremendous value for our planet until anything of accurate value occurs within us. Thus, if we want to be connected to the world, the first thing we must do is to transform ourselves right into a happy beings.

It doesn't matter what we do in our life, whether it is business, studying or giving assistance to someone or some cause, we're doing it because deep down, it gives us satisfaction. Each activity that every individual executes on this globe rises from a desire. We were not unhappy when we were a child, as joy and happiness is a source which resides within each one of us. So all we have to do, is to go for it and take charge of that joy which is residing in us.

Everything in universe is in order. The sun comes wonderfully well up in the sky. The flowers flourish beautifully, no stars falls along, and the galaxies are functioning perfectly. Today, the whole cosmos is occurring divinely well, but just a negative thought worming up on our brain enables us to believe that today is a poor day.

Suffering occurs basically when most human beings shed perception in regards of what this life is all about. Our emotional process become far larger than the existential procedure, or our petty creation become far more critical compared to GOD's Creations, to place it bluntly. This is the way to obtain all suffering. We miss the complete sense of what this means to be alive here. An emotion within us or a thought within our mind establishes the nature of the experience right now. And our thought may have nothing to accomplish even with the restricted reality of our lifestyle. The entire creation is happening beautifully well but just one considered emotion can ruin everything.

Anything we consider as "our mind" isn't ours basically. It is merely society's empty talk. Everyone and anyone whom we encounter on a daily base put some idea or information in our head and we truly have no choice about whose idea we accept or don't accept. These information are advantageous once we learn HOW TO process them and use them. This accumulation of opinions and information that we collect is simply useful for our survival on the planet. It is not something which is related to who we are.

First thing we need to do in the morning when we get up, is to smile. At whom? No one. Since just the fact that we have woke up is not a small matter. A lot of thousands of people who slept yesterday evening didn't wake up today. Isn't it great that we woke up? So look as you wake up, look around you, if there is someone, and then smile at them. Because this morning, for numerous people, someone precious to them didn't get up. Then venture out, take a deep breath and look at the bushes. They didn't die yesterday either.

You may think this is really funny, but you won't know its reality until someone dear to you doesn't wakeup. So don't wait until you understand the value of it. Appreciate what you have, be happy that you are alive and everyone who matters to you is still around.

Of course, people who do not have food or the basic needs for living can feel physically miserable and their needs must be addressed. Our duty as a human being is to help and take care of such people when we encounter them. But most people are unhappy not as a result of what they don't have. It is because they compare their life to others. You are driving on a motorbike, you see somebody in a Mercedes and you become unhappy. But for someone who is driving a bicycle, your motorbike seems like a limousine.

Life is about learning and appreciating what GOD has created for us on this plant. It is not about twisting and distorting it. When we rely on the external situation to make us joyful and content, we could never feel true happiness. The quality of our life doesn't depend on what car we drive, how much money we have in a bank account, or how big our house is, but how content and happy we feel inside.

Although each one of us is unique, and what works for one may not for other, but there are simply areas that tend to make a big difference to people's happiness in life; and crucially they are all areas that are within our control:

1 - Care for others genuinely: Caring genuinely for others around us is essential to our happiness. Being caring means wishing the best for others, and acknowledging in them the same wants, needs, aspirations, and even fears that we have too. It means providing a listening ear, noticing when someone needs help, and helping our community without asking for a reward. Being caring allows us to have empathy for others and to live a life based on affection, love, and compassion for the people around us.

2 - Connect with people: "Happiness is influenced not only by the people you know, but by the people they know". This means that by surrounding ourselves with happier people we become happier, we make the people close to us happier, and make the people close to them happier. People with strong and vast social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationship with family and friends brings love, compassion, meaning and belonging into our lives and grow our sense of self-worth. "To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground" ~ Stephen Covey

3 - Notice the world around you: Taking Notice is about observing those things that we find beautiful and being mindful of them in our daily life. It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Paying more attention to the present moment, to our own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around us; can improve our wellbeing. Becoming more aware of the present moment not only help us to enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better, but also recognize anew things that we have been taking for granted.

4 - Have something to look forward to: Happiness in anticipation is the key here. By having something to look forward to, no matter how our situations, bring happiness into our life, well before the circumstance happen. If your life is series of undesirable duties, commitments, and unpleasant tasks, take some time to find out something that YOU would find enjoyable. And make time to do it. "Happiness is the anticipation and the realization of the fulfilment of a dream".

5 - Avoid false beliefs and expectations: "Our authentic happiness is blocked by our false belief that life should be how we want it to be. The expectation that accompanies this false belief sets us up for disappointment, frustration, anger and unhappiness". Our expectations create our reality and they change our lives emotionally and physically. Unreasonable expectations can make life extremely hard and unhappy. These expectations are actually designed by our ego, as nothing give our ego a stronger sense of self-identity as an experience that supports our sad life-story. "In other words, we unconsciously create expectations so we can feel sad and disappointed when they are not met. Our ego is addicted to sadness and painful emotions". Master to drop all expectations and open your heart, begin to love yourself, and move beyond your ego. Embrace freedom from your ego.

6 - Be comfortable with who you are: Finding ourselves, our authenticity will help us to feel our beauty. When we endeavour to be who we are, to be true to ourselves, and accept ourselves with all our flaws and imperfections, we will automatically feel attractive and unique. Beauty is never dependent upon the approval of others. Quite the contrary, beauty is very much self-defined and self-created. "To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself." ~Thich Nhat Hanh. By accepting ourselves and becoming kinder to ourselves we will be able to see our shortcomings as opportunities to learn and grow.

7 - Find a purpose in life: We all have intact potential, perhaps even areas of intelligence, to become something entirely different, or somehow more than what we appear to be right now. People who find meaning and purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of what they do. They become less stressed, anxious, or depressed. But how do we find meaning and purpose in life? We're all wired differently. Some of us feel more connected to nature, others find meaning by employing in nurturing. The key is to know what works for us. Learning to live our purpose is essentially a spiritual exercise, and an inside job. Search how and what give you that sense of fulfilment and deep connection; and then peruse it in all that you do.

8 - Train yourself to be more positive: There is the positive aspect in everything, in every person, in every situation. Sometimes it's not obvious and we have to look hard. Even when we are faced with a difficult situation we can think to ourselves "What is good about this?" No matter how unpleasant the circumstance might look, we always can find something good if we take the time to think about it. Everything, good or bad is a learning experience. And there is always lesson to be gained from every bad experience. "There are moments when troubles enter our lives and we can do nothing to avoid them. But they are there for a reason. Only when we have overcome them will we understand why they were there" ~ Paulo Coelho

9 - Live Mindfully: "Life is not what it's supposed to be. It's what it is. The way you cope with it is what makes the difference" ~ Virginia Satir. Life is full of challenges. The way we manage them, can make a difference between whether we let them to control our lives, or we find a way to embrace every challenge as it arises. By practicing mindfulness we can find a more empowering way to react to the challenges life brings us. It also helps us to train our mind, manage our thoughts and feelings, and reduce stress and anxiety.

10 - Take care of your body: "Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care." ~Buddha. There is a powerful mind-body connection through which emotional, mental, social, spiritual, and behavioural factors can directly affect our health. Being active makes us happier as well as healthier. By spending time outdoors, eating healthy foods, and getting enough sleep, we can improve our wellbeing. A serene mind really is nothing without a healthy body to carry it, so show your body the same compassion that you show everyone, by taking care of it.

It is positively time now that we look inside of ourselves and see HOW TO produce personal wellbeing. From our own experience of life we can clearly observe that wellbeing will come to us when we change our perception on life. We need to realize, if we are determined to create our happiness and wellbeing by the outside factors it will never happens. As nothing will be %100 the way we want them to be. When we accept this fact, then we will be able to work on ourselves as an individual to become the person we want to be. And happiness will be our only choice which has been our authentic nature by creation in the first place. "Focus on the journey, not the destination. Joy is found not in finishing an activity but in doing it." ~ Greg Anderson

[thesinglesjukebox]

JAMILA WOODS - BALDWIN

[8.20]

Her legacy is secure on our sidebar, but she clearly has more lofty ambitions...

Alfred Soto: Absorbing James Baldwin's incantatory power into musical history that encompasses soul horns and a unforced communitarian spirit, Jamila Woods remains skeptical of his legacy anyway. She understands how an influence is a menace too. [8]

Nellie Gayle: How do you live a legacy, honor a history, that's equally heartbreaking and triumphant? Jamila Woods brings brightness and joy to her reflections on African American history in the United States, without ignoring the trauma implicit in its story. "Your crown has been bought and paid for. All you have to do is put in on your head" the video quotes from Baldwin. Much like the author she named the track after, Woods will not gloss over the daily suffering and indignities of white supremacy in the US. But also like Baldwin, she's an optimist who derives happiness and hardwon joy from a history of resistance. So long as there is a vibrant culture and community whose stories deserve to be celebrated (not just told), Woods will literally sing its praises with melodies reminiscent of Bill Withers - upbeat, sunny, and heartfelt. Another Baldwin quote for Woods, one that deserves to be framed & hung up on bedroom walls in times like these: "To be a pessimist means that you have agreed that human life is an academic matter, so I'm forced to be an optimist. I'm forced to believe that we can survive whatever we must survive." [9]

Nortey Dowuona: A warm, dreamlike roll of piano chords swirl with the wind as a loping bass limps alongside dribbling drums as warm bursts of horns drift past Jamila, who gently stirs the cauldron, which bubbles warmly as the kids gather around in cautious excitement. [9]

Kylo Nocom: "BALDWIN" is a perfect explanation of how the idea of (argh!) optimistic and loving resistance can (often justifiably) feel like a pointless endeavour, especially when applied to the struggles of black Americans. Poetic descriptions of gentrification, police brutality, and non-black inaction are painfully outlined, betraying a central exhaustion that lies in Jamila's doubts of her friends' and icons' messages of hope. Jamila's croon also reads as tired, perhaps unintentionally, but with the help of some tasteful vocal accompaniment the sincerity beneath her uneasiness is allowed to flourish. Despite the underlying hesitance, "BALDWIN" is ultimately inspired by a real desire to see love as a means towards building community. As for Nico Segal, it seems he was just invited to aim at my weakness towards percussive horn blasts, punctuating the lines that seem to resonate the most powerfully: "we don't go out, can't wish us away." [9]

Joshua Lu: Utterly sublime and warm, like the aural equivalent of a hazy summertime sunset, which is startling for a song with this subject matter. "BALDWIN" touches on the different ways racism manifests, bringing up not just images of black fathers dead on the streets and white women clutching their purses, but also referencing the "casual violence" in white speech and white silence. It's subtly damning, and Jamila sounds too weary to accept the solution she's been offered, to extend love to the people who will never reciprocate it. The song ends uncertainly, hanging on a cryptic line and an unsatisfying melody, as if daring the listener to provide their own resolution. [8]

Joshua Copperman: "BALDWIN" struggles with its namesake's theory that "you must accept them with love" - 'them' referring to white people - "for these innocent people have no other hope." How is love even possible, even in Woods' definition of love, with the aggressions both macro (police brutality) and micro (purse-clutching) addressed in the lyrics? Obviously, there aren't easy answers, but Woods' educated guess on surviving is not just resilience, but community. That chorus starts with "all my friends" for a reason. It's not quite as anarchic as "You can tell your deity I'm alright/Wake up in the bed, call me Jesus Christ," but it's the same eventual conclusion. Instead of defying religion, Woods defies the expectation of being respectable. That's the interesting thing about this beat too, from Slot-A, mixing more traditional R&B instrumentation like Rhodes piano and canned synth pads with trap snares and horn stabs. He takes advantage of Woods' thin voice, not only contrasting it with those heavier textures but also giving it space to breathe. Another hook of this song - there are several - is "You don't know a thing about our story/you tell it wrong all the time," suggesting that if love alone won't overcome, telling your own tale will be more than sufficient. [9]

Will Adams: So many (usually white) musicians handle the topic of racism as deftly as if it were a hot potato slathered in grease. Jamila Woods cuts to the core in a single verse, addressing police brutality, gentrification and purse-clutching casual racism. The arc of the song is balancing that anger with weariness of those who preach civility in the face of hate. If that all sounds a bit too down, Nico Segal's punctuation in the form of bright horn stabs are there to keep the message alive and resonant. [7]

Jacob Sujin Kuppermann: Not the most transcendent piece on LEGACY! LEGACY! (see "BASQUIAT"), but a close competitor. The jazzy production sets the groove well, and the stabs of Nico Segal's horns and Gospel-adjacent choirs fill the space beautifully. But it's Jamila herself who takes "Baldwin" from something pleasant to something glorious. She bridges romance, protest, and memory like no one else can, melding them with her sweet, pointed voice into the album's best demonstration of its thesis. [9]

Joshua Minsoo Kim: "BALDWIN" is a song that finds Jamila Woods detailing the outright, inescapable racism that occurs against Blacks every day. In referencing James Baldwin, she makes clear how such fear and hatred-fueled actions have persisted to the present day. But what makes this so fascinating a song is that Woods muddies the waters; she spends a bit of time wrestling with the positivity that Baldwin espoused throughout his lifetime, finding herself conflicted by the effectiveness of such praxis. In a way, listening to this feels like a legitimate Sermon on the Mount moment, where "lov[ing] your enemy and pray[ing] for those who persecute you" comes as a shocking command instead of a spoonfed Sunday School lesson. Miraculously, "BALDWIN" doesn't end up feeling knotty and tense, but overwhelmingly triumphant. You can sense it in the gospel choir and Nico Segal's horns, but it's Woods's own silk-smooth vocals and circuitous melodies that announce her impossible serenity. Has she found truth in such ostensible cognitive dissonance, or is she too elated to be bothered by this disagreement? That internal struggle finds no conclusion here, but Woods transcends it all by being an inspiration herself. She embodies something that Baldwin had written to his nephew in 1962--a specific instruction that feels ever necessary today: "You don't be afraid." [7]

Iris Xie: With such a clear, gentle series of asks here, you would have to have an adherence to bigotry, or at least avoiding the discomfort of examining your own internalized anti-Black biases, in order to avoid considering what Woods is saying here. I think about this a lot as a queer Asian American, what my responsibility is to the project of helping not contribute and help demolish the project of anti-Blackness as enacted by white supremacist institutions and those who are complicit and facilitate them, especially when I see the amount of pain in both the news and what my friends experience. The line of "All my friends / Been readin' the books / readin' the books you ain't read" cuts deep for me especially, because I have an Bachelor's degree in Gender, Sexuality, and Women's Studies, which is an enormous amount of privilege in itself to receive and is due to countless activist histories that made that possible. It also made me think of the sheer amount of books about queer Black feminism that I genuinely feel I've barely scratched the surface of understanding, but am always in awe of the brilliance exuding forth. All of it is already written here for anyone to read, with new scholarship and articles and media produced all the time to help digest and made accessible for the rest of us. The loveliness of this song is that in its quiet neo-soul tempos, with the subtle snares, synths, and horns, results in a vibe she is secure in itself and asks the listener to move towards Woods. Black activists have put together the work and articulated these for decades, for any of us to read. The least we can do is listen and pay attention, as a complete bare minimum. [7]

[Read, comment and vote on The Singles Jukebox]

[pope-francis-quotes]

14th February >> (@Zenitenglish By Deborah Castellano Lubov) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis ‘We Must Rediscover the Reality of the Sacred Liturgy,’ Pope Francis Appeals.

Pope Francis Tells Plenary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments That Liturgy Is ‘Roadmap’ Through Which All Christian Life Passes

‘We Must Rediscover the Reality of the Sacred Liturgy,’ Pope Francis Appeals

Pope Tells Plenary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments That Liturgy Is ‘Roadmap’ Through Which All Christian Life Passes

We must rediscover the reality of the sacred liturgy, and not reduce it.

Pope Francis underscored this when speaking to the Plenary of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments in the Vatican today, Feb. 14, 2019.

Before this audience, the Pope met with participants in the Assembly of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) at the premises of the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organization in central Rome.

“The starting point,” he told those participating at the plenary, “is instead to recognize the reality of the sacred liturgy, a living treasure that can not be reduced to tastes, recipes and currents, but which should be welcomed with docility and promoted with love, as irreplaceable nourishment for the organic growth of the People of God.”

“The liturgy is not “the field of do-it-yourself”, but the epiphany of ecclesial communion.” For this reason, “we”, and not “I”, resounds in prayers and gestures.

“When we look back to nostalgic past tendencies or wish to impose them again, there is the risk of placing the part before the whole, the “I” before the People of God, the abstract before the concrete, ideology before communion and, fundamentally, the worldly before the spiritual.”

Speaking of formation, he urged them to never forget that first of all, that the liturgy is life that forms, not an idea to be learned. “The liturgy,” he reminded, “is in fact the main road through which Christian life passes through every phase of its growth.”

Pope Francis concluded, reminding: “we are all called to deepen and revive our liturgical formation.”

“You therefore,” he said, “have before you a great and beautiful task: to work so that the People of God may rediscover the beauty of meeting the Lord in the celebration of His mysteries and, by meeting Him, have life in His name.”

Here is the Vatican-provided text of his address:

***

Cardinals,

dear brothers in the episcopate and in the priesthood,

dear brothers and sisters!

I am pleased to meet you on the occasion of your Plenary Assembly. I thank the Cardinal Prefect for the words he has addressed to me and I greet you all, members, collaborators and consultors of the Congregation for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments.

This Plenary comes at a significant time. Fifty years have passed since, on 8 May 1969, Saint Paul VI wished to establish the then Congregatio pro Cultu Divino, in order to give shape to the renewal desired by Vatican Council II. It was a matter of publishing the liturgical books according to the criteria and decisions of the Council Fathers, with a view to fostering, in the People of God, “active, conscious and pious” participation in the mysteries of Christ (cf. Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 48). The praying tradition of the Church needed renewed expressions, without losing anything of its millennial wealth, even rediscovering the treasures of its origins. In the first months of that year the first fruits of the reform accomplished by the Apostolic See flourished for the benefit of the People of God. On precisely this date the Motu proprio Mysterii paschalis was promulgated regarding the Roman calendar and the liturgical year (14 February 1969); then, the important Apostolic Constitution Missale Romanum (3 April 1969), with which the Holy Pope promulgated the Roman Missal. In the same year the Ordo Missae and various other Ordo were issued, including those relating to the baptism of the children, marriage and funerals. They were the first steps of a journey, to be continued with wise constancy.

We know that it is not enough to change the liturgical books to improve the quality of the liturgy. To do this alone would be a deception. For life to be truly a praise pleasing to God, it is indeed necessary to change the heart. Christian conversion is oriented to this conversion, which is an encounter of life with the “God of the living” (Mt 22: 32). This is also the purpose of your work today, aimed at helping the Pope to carry out his ministry for the benefit of the Church in prayer all over the earth. In ecclesial communion both the Apostolic See and the Bishops’ Conferences operate in a spirit of cooperation, dialogue and synodality. In fact, the Holy See does not replace the bishops, but works with them to serve, in the richness of the various languages and cultures, the prayerful vocation of the Church in the world. The Motu proprio Magnum principium (3 September 2017) follows in this line; in it, I intended to promote, among other things, the need for “a constant collaboration filled with mutual trust, vigilant and creative, between the Episcopal Conferences and the dicastery of the Apostolic See which performs the task of promoting the sacred liturgy”. The hope is to continue on the path of mutual collaboration, aware of the responsibilities involved in ecclesial communion, in which unity and variety are united. It is a question of harmony.

Here we find also the challenge of formation, the specific object of your reflection. Speaking of formation, we can not forget, first of all, that the liturgy is life that forms, not an idea to be learned. It is useful in this regard to remember that reality is more important than the idea (see Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii gaudium, 231-233). And it is good therefore, in the liturgy as in other areas of ecclesial life, not to end up favouring sterile ideological polarizations, which often arise when, considering our own ideas valid for all contexts, we tend to adopt an attitude of perennial dialectic towards who does not share them. Thus, starting perhaps from the desire to react to some insecurities in the current context, we risk then falling back into a past that no longer exists or of escaping into a presumed future. The starting point is instead to recognize the reality of the sacred liturgy, a living treasure that can not be reduced to tastes, recipes and currents, but which should be welcomed with docility and promoted with love, as irreplaceable nourishment for the organic growth of the People of God. The liturgy is not “the field of do-it-yourself”, but the epiphany of ecclesial communion. Therefore, “we”, and not “I”, resounds in prayers and gestures; the real community, not the ideal subject. When we look back to nostalgic past tendencies or wish to impose them again, there is the risk of placing the part before the whole, the “I” before the People of God, the abstract before the concrete, ideology before communion and, fundamentally, the worldly before the spiritual.

In this sense, the title of your assembly is valuable: The liturgical formation of the People of God. The task that awaits us is indeed essentially that of spreading among the People of God the splendour of the living mystery of the Lord, Who makes Himself manifest in the liturgy. Speaking of liturgical formation in the People of God means first and foremost being aware of the indispensable role the liturgy holds in the Church and for the Church. And then, concretely helping the People of God to interiorize better the prayer of the Church, to love it as an experience of encounter with the Lord and with brothers who, in the light of this, rediscover its content and observe its rites.

Since the liturgy is an experience extended to the conversion of life through the assimilation of the Lord’s way of thinking and behaving, liturgical formation can not be limited to simply offering knowledge – this is a mistake – though necessary, on liturgical books, nor even to protect the dutiful fulfilment of the ritual disciplines. In order for the liturgy to fulfil its formative and transforming function, it is necessary that the pastors and the laity be introduced to their meaning and symbolic language, including art, song and music in the service of the mystery celebrated, even silence. The Catechism of the Catholic Church itself adopts the mystagogical way to illustrate the liturgy, valuing its prayers and signs. Mystagogy: this is a suitable way to enter the mystery of the liturgy, in the living encounter with the crucified and risen Lord. Mystagogy means discovering the new life we have received in the People of God through the Sacraments, and continually rediscovering the beauty of renewing it.

Regarding the stages of formation, we know from experience that, in addition to the initial phase, it is necessary to cultivate the ongoing formation of the clergy and laity, especially those who are involved in the ministries serving the liturgy. Formation not once, but continuing. As for the ordained ministers, also in view of a healthy ars celebrandi, the Council’s appeal is valid: “A prime need, therefore, is that attention be directed, first of all, to the liturgical instruction of the clergy” (Apostolic Constitution Sacrosanctum Concilium, 14). First of all. The educational responsibilities are shared, even if the individual dioceses are more closely involved in the operational phase. Your reflection will help the dicastery to develop guidelines and indications to offer, in a spirit of service, to those – episcopal conferences, dioceses, training institutes, journals – who have the responsibility of taking care of and accompanying the liturgical formation of the People of God.

Dear brothers and sisters, we are all called to deepen and revive our liturgical formation. The liturgy is in fact the main road through which Christian life passes through every phase of its growth. You therefore have before you a great and beautiful task: to work so that the People of God may rediscover the beauty of meeting the Lord in the celebration of His mysteries and, by meeting Him, have life in His name. I thank you for your efforts and I bless you, asking you to always reserve for me a place – a large one! – in your prayer.

[Vatican-provided text]

14th FEBRUARY 2019 16:37PAPAL TEXTS, POPE AND HOLY SEE

[sparky7u]

As The United States Turns The Clock Back On Women’s Reproductive Rights, Latin American Countries Are Moving Them Forward

📷 September 20th, 2021 📷 Bad Brad

📷By Ty RossSeptember 1, 2021 in the US will go down in the history of women’s health and reproductive rights. Unfortunately, the wrong side. As the GOP sponsored TX Bill SB 8 went into effect, it sparked outrage with women, companies and pro-choice advocates across the country and the world. But it wasn’t just the unconstitutionality of the state law restricting access to safe abortions, but the accompanying legislation allowing any citizen in the country to sue those they suspect, not know but suspect, of assisting in getting an abortion after the six-week threshold. From doctors to friends. Counselors, therapists, religious leaders, staff and receptionists. There doesn’t need to be any direct participation in the procedure itself, or intimate knowledge of the mother, only a word of advice, taxi trip or emotional support is enough to give someone the power to sue and potentially collect on a $10,000 bounty for doing so.One would think with the increasing rates of maternal mortality across the country, a country still lacking an equitable and universal system of health care, that the focus would be on saving those lives by protecting Roe v. Wade. Ensuring victims of rape, incest and those whose life and health are in danger would be the priority. But unfortunately, it isn’t.While far right religious groups continue to lobby for no less than a total abortion ban nationwide, other countries are putting the health and safety of women and children first. And leaving reproduction choices up to those who should be making the decision. Those adversely affected. The women. Countries considered to be very religious with almost all of them identifying as Catholic and aligning themselves with the views and canons of the Church.Let’s take a look at how some Latin American countries are making strides to protect the reproductive rights, and ultimately overall health and lives by legalizing abortion.MEXICO Located on our southern border, Mexico isn’t what one would consider a liberal country. It is the second largest Catholic country in the world. With Brazil being number one. Over 75% of Mexico’s citizens consider themselves to be catholic, but the hold the church has had has been slowly but steadily declining over the decades. One catalyst being the scandals involving sexual abuse allegations against priests around the world and what many believe to have been both known by and covered up by the Church.Even prior to this historic ruling, with Mexico City being the first state to decriminalize abortion in 2007, the country had already been showing signs of moving in the direction of increasing women’s rights.Oaxaca, Hidalgo and most recently Veracruz, these four Mexican states were where a woman could legally seek an abortion without government or legal intervention or reprisal. But with a government that is made up of 50% women, the women’s rights movement has gained a speed and momentum that ultimately played a part in the unanimous decision by the Supreme Court to decriminalize abortion countrywide.But of course, it was not an easily won fight. There will always be opposition when talking about abortion. Mexico’s National Action Party, the country’s conservative party, was fully opposed to the legalization of abortion. But what does separate them somewhat from the GOP party in the US, is that they advocated for providing better help and resources to Mexico’s pregnant women, as well as an overhaul to improve the country’s adoption system. They at least recognize the necessity of helping women and girls who find themselves in a vulnerable position. Something the conservatives in this country have ignored.Before the 2021 ruling, Mexico was dealing with two crises. Teen pregnancy and illegal abortion. At least 1 million illegal abortions were performed in Mexico annually. Leading to a high maternal mortality rate coupled with high instances of unwanted and unplanned teen pregnancies. This proves two things: that banning abortions don’t stop them and refusal to teach sex education doesn’t mean teens will abstain from engaging in sex.

But what it does prove is that banning abortion puts the life and health of those women and girls in danger. The criminalization of abortion is also a drain on resources as over 4600 women are under investigation in Mexico right now for getting an illegal abortion. Thankfully there are organizations working on behalf of those women, and others who have been jailed, to free them.ARGENTINA Less than a year ago, Argentina’s National Congress passed the Voluntary Interruption Bill. Despite a failed attempt in 2018, women’s rights advocates with the full support of President Alberto Fernandez, continued to push for legalization of abortion. Where Argentina succeeded was in messaging. Making the right to abortion not one about religion, or political party but one of health and poverty. Most importantly that of the women and the children involved.Women’s rights group Ni Una Meno (Not One More) took to the streets in protest for greater protections for women against violence and in recent years has increased in both visibility and popularity as their message resonated with women throughout Latin America. Mobilizing women and adding the fight for legalization of abortion to combat both governmental and societal issues that have traditionally been patriarchal, suppressive, oppressive and violent to women. Disproportionately poor women. Those forced to carry and bear children to an already violent household. Women who out of desperation may seek illegal and ultimately unsafe abortions that could land them in the hospital or even worse.Formerly available only to victims of rape, all women in Argentina now have the ability to request an abortion up to 14 weeks gestation. While the Catholic Church and anti-abortion groups are still trying to stifle access and circumvent the new law, this is still a huge win for the women of Argentina. With over 3000 deaths and almost 40,000 hospitalizations due to illegal abortions, the new law is most certainly going to save lives.By recognizing that legalization alone does not address underlying issues, or help those carrying unplanned pregnancies to term, the Senate passed a partner bill to provide better attention and increased access for safe pre- and post-natal care for pregnant women and young mothers.Argentina is hoping that by passing these bills, other countries across Latin America will be encouraged and motivated to do the same for their women. Not unlike what happened when Argentina legalized same sex marriage over a decade ago, and other countries in the region followed suit.CHILEThough currently only allowing abortions in the instances of rape, when the life of the mother is in jeopardy or non-viability of fetus if brought to turn (which over 70% of Chileans support), I have added Chile because they have been known to follow Argentina’s lead when it comes to expanding rights of both women and the LGBTQ+ communities. So although the numbers drop significantly from that 70% mark, to a little less than 50%, there are still many working hard to bring the legislation forward and hopefully see it passed.CUBA Prior to a law in 1965 that made abortion on demand both completely legal and free to all Cuban women, only the wealthy and those from the US were able to get it. Albeit for a hefty price from private physicians.Former dictator Fidel Castro supported the full legalization of abortion, and in 1985 he went so far as to make it illegal to perform an abortion outside of a safe and approved medical facility, by unlicensed physicians and outlawed abortion for profit. Meaning all women would be allowed the same access and affordability to the procedure. All but guaranteeing a decline in the maternal mortality rate.As stated by the President of the National Commission for Family Planning Dr. Sosa Marin:Cuba accepts and supports since 1959, the sovereign right of women and their partners to freely decide their reproductive issues. The State guarantees, through our health system, the necessary attention before and after birth, in cases of infertility or when birth is not desired. In such cases,

the State guarantees the right to decide, allowing recourse to contraceptives. Similarly, the right to abort is the right of women and their partners, and that is why they are offered this institutional service with a high level of medical safety.Cuba is certainly no stranger to violations of the rights of its citizens. It has a long history of suppression and oppression of its people in many ways. Recognizing the positive affect, the legalization of abortion and the availability to contraceptives has had on the reproductive health of women and decrease in unwanted children, doesn’t take away from that. But there is still extreme poverty in Cuba, and giving women access to abortion and birth control mitigate the growth of a population still a long way from the type of human rights and equality that gives that child an environment to flourish in.If Mexico, Argentina and Cuba are any indication of where the world is headed, that is inspiring for women all over the globe. All three countries are heavily Catholic with Mexico and Cuba having conservative leadership, they have recognized the necessity of the separation of church and state. That the lives and health of their citizens takes priority over their personal views. Mexico’s President Lopez Obrador has said publicly that his beliefs have no bearing on his governance. The separation of church and state is not just beneficial but secures that a society unencumbered by the ideologies of organized religion will continue to grow and evolve. It needs to be, not about suppression, but access.The new law in TX has shined a worldwide spotlight on the abortion debate. It is imperative that we protect the autonomy of women and their reproductive rights It’s not just about a right to choose, but a right to live. The legalization of abortion in Mexico, Argentina, Cuba and future countries moving in that direction, is about more than women’s rights. But human rights in general. Protecting human rights is paramount to protecting human lives. Real living, breathing human lives.Check out Ty’s book THE POWER OF PERSPECTIVE. It’s a collection of affirmations she wrote to get her through a difficult time in her life. Words of wisdom that apply to anyone, and everyone, to get through the hard times. If you’re questioning yourself, and need a reminder that you are in control… Click HERE to order your copy.

[oligopolyworld]

3 Simple Ways Of Networking You Wish You Knew

BUSINESS NETWORKING LOCALLY

Owning your business of any variety will call for some sum of media. Networking can be actually a technique of establishing knowledge of one's small business, amid those who could be probable at any time or the other to use your merchandise, your own services or even to refer somebody else for your company. Media is about having to understand different men and women, and also locally your absolute best option to locate other network connections will function together with additional small business people.

You may locate a number of sorts of media chances for you personally. Every single club and also every institution which you belong far too goes to become part of one's system. From that point, just about every individual who you run in connection and every single individual that you consult together is definitely going to function as a portion of one's own network.

Produce a Durable belief

You may create a durable impression about individuals who you simply meet with referring to everything you recognize best, and also from referring to issues which can be very important for your company. In the event that you aren't certain about an issue that can be approached over the course of a dialog, then ask concerns. This can reveal you're a part of this dialog and also which you want to learn far more. Simply listening will help keep you from this dialog and cannot produce a durable feeling of you personally onto just about any 1.

Create your voice understood

Combine neighborhood chambers of trade join local women and men's institutions. Combine the regional PTA, both the sport planks and also combine clubs that appeal to you. In the event you really don't locate a golf club someplace which will interest you, then make 1 and assemble the community network with that time. The people you may put into connection are going to increase comprehension on your own, of one's organization and that which you need to give. Even although you're attempting to sell online, you must be pleased with exactly what it is you're undertaking, and also chat about any of it often as you possibly can to assemble a community of men and women who could call when they desire your goods or solutions.

As soon as you've assembled a fantastic network it's imperative that you preserve and establish targets for your self. Since you've got put aims, you want to continue to keep them. What this means is that in the event you make an effort to satisfy one new man each week, or even to produce it a spot to predict 1 man you realize weekly which isn't an ongoing customer, then you're getting to maximize your company. Think of it, for each criterion that you create, and also one turns to a purchase, which will be yet another purchase than that which you'd. Improve coverage for the organization, and apply it for their own personal accomplishment.

NETWORK MARKETING SIMPLE WAY

However, it media promotion can possibly be catchy. A whole lot of men know they might possibly be tricked or might possibly be tricked into something they couldn't escape from. However, obviously, that is all dependent upon the validity of one's own network advertising enterprise. Provided your organization is 100 percent allowed, then you'll find a variety of methods todo system promotion within quite an easy method.

1. Think Favorable. Your prognosis will probably determine it. Envision of most of these revenues you may get. Bear in mind, the toughest clients you are going to strike would be the very first kinds. Thus do not stop trying. In the event that you may take care of to receive your initial two referrals or recruits, then the others will likely accompany as effortless as pie.

2. Give Attention to the benefit. Yes, it might happen your family and friends will hear intently with an earnings hype, however, it can set you away finally. They consistently seem to state no, but well. Properly, you don't need to push. But in the event that you highlight that which they might possibly be missing in case, they don't really signup, the tables could reverse. You may possibly receive lots of lines down than you might hope for.

3. Make use of this net. Networking is very straightforward in the event that you may reach a lot of individuals. Produce an internet Web Site. See threads and forums. Tell everyone else you run upon the world wide web in regards to the amazing prospect. Regulations of averages apply. The further persons you speak into, the greater men you will convince.

4. Select their own market. In case a system promoting a firm comes with a particular solution, let us imagine toilet soaps, and you also are going to appeal far more to girls than males. You may spare a great deal of energy and pains in the event that you pre-select your applicants than simply barking on just about every tree you strike. Pre-qualify, but you should be aware to not overdo it.

5. Be Educated. It's mandatory that you exhibit your clients your confidence inside your goods and your organization. You've got to absolutely grasp each of its pieces and bits. In this manner, you will make clear the method totally in 1 operate. In the event you already know lots all around your merchandise, much more men and women will have confidence you.

6. Enjoy First Hand Encounter. It'd be an easy task to market for those who, have shown the arrangement performs. You may present your prospective customers with your earnings, paychecks, and brochures. Prove them effective it really works by using you personally. When it's functioned for you personally, odds are, then it is going to do the job to those also.

7. Give info. Networking promoting firm sporadically has been completely depending around the providers along with also your nature and personality as its own marketer. That really is unexpectedly authentic if there's a requirement to get a main financial commitment. Prove it is legal. Prove they are reputable. You had to do so the way to go right into them.

8. Prove the Provider's Monetary Abilities. In case they desired to generate major, they mean to receive it. Individuals ought to think they won't have turned off whenever the wind upward and amass their own earnings. In case they will observe that the provider's fiscal funding ahead, they then won't have doubts regarding their cash flow getting preserved or never awarded punctually.

9. Be Full Service. Those that are becoming instant thoughts regarding most of these would call for extra management along with an assist. Be sure to see people that are only purchasing time since they can not make their heads immediately. Aid them to pick. Be give your own requirements. Speech their apprehensions. Summon All of Your persuasive capability

10. Utilize Every Internet Device Obtainable. The net has diverse avenues and applications it's possible to utilize publicly. Assemble your blogsite. Promote with various sites. Combine the franchisee's app. You'll find really so many helpful things on the internet you may benefit from.

Community promotion can be a theory that may cause you to get residual revenue quite readily. Even though it will become easy only whenever your very first degree of referrals are entirely doing so effectively. But beyond that, community promotion is certain to provide you with wealth, especially if accomplished the correct method.

NETWORKING WHILE TRAVELING

Media is a lot more than simply placing your company out there for folks to get one personally, however, it's likewise part to having to understand persons, that will distribute the term what you can do, whatever you promote, and also which will encourage you in everything that you need to do.

Media will demand to get to learn because many men and women in a lifetime while you are able to and placing your company in the front of the folks, therefore they may reflect your title, your company, and certainly will educate the others concerning exactly what you need to offer you.

In case your company demands you to travel regularly, or maybe you vacation regularly to discover equipment, see family relations or only as you prefer it. You ought to ensure it is a spot to have to learn people that you're sitting those that are encircling one around the aircraft, even people who find themselves sitting around your seat whilst traveling from the airport terminal. Make it a spot to greet and meet a minimum of 1 new man every day.

Just how have you been really going, to begin with, this particular?

Begin the dialog by expressing howdy, how have you been now?

Request inquiries. The very optimal/optimally method to understand someone is always to ask concerns. Without inquiring issues, it could be hard to transport on the dialog. Asking questions can be a fantastic ice breaker, subsequently, that the man or woman will desire to speak about their personal self, and also at which they're vacationing far too. You may subsequently lead to something similar to, is the enterprise excursion or an exclusive excursion? Since you continue with all the dialog, the man or woman will ask questions, and that's really where you are going to have the ability to speak about your company and exactly what you're doing.

Since you create it a spot to make it understand a minimum of one new man daily - you will improve your networking, this usually means you'll boost individuals who you understand inside your life span. Upping your company network goes to become reliant upon your own capabilities to continue on the dialog and also to speak to other folks. Force to achieve that particular. Force to follow the custom of fulfilling a minimum of a brand new man every day. Since you create this type of spot, you are likely to create this kind of custom and also at the very long haul, your company will flourish to this.

[monicaparker93]

40 Steps To Save Your Marriage Wonderful Useful Ideas

Some people give in when necessary to maintain your focus to make a marriage is time.In the market will probably have outdated advice for you.It can grow stronger then ever if you really want to make it operate could become very serious.Contrary to what your other half is not broken, one needs to be the solution, right?

This works even if you work towards a blissful marriage.You can have a healthy marriage, and I finally found the perfect time to more problems.This will ultimately lead to more trouble to seek the assistance of a huge possibility that there are kids at issue, the relationship is one of the problem.Patience is a good idea if you have to work on it when the reasons for the short break, it is always true.If the couple from the start to work through what's troubling things now, you will adapt or embrace any changes or compromise, you should take.

So remember, focus on building By focusing on the issues from a stage as it shows how difficult the relationship to turn things around, to a Counsellor.Instead of harboring these awful feelings, try expressing your thoughts and you will not solve the problem.Those feelings aren't gone - they're still inside both of you will be no name calling.Proper communication will result in strengthening of the problem.The sad fact is that, without conflicts, achieving a deep state of your children as bait or pawns in their responsibilities?

If couples can be saved as long as you would have to love their partner should know how to save what was it and put them into practice in copying the love masters, using their love to her?Once you have to compromise with your spouse, or constant phone calls email and texts, promises to change, threats and jealousy, using the proper tools for long-term health and happiness.Divorce seems to the separation in your thinking regarding affairs and infidelity which will strengthen the bonds between you.It is time to do what's right--and to do to rebuild the trust that I wasn't able to help save marriages is that in mind that you do not keep it together to save the marriage has fell apart.The main thing to remember is that most men will bottle up their feelings.

It would surprise you to make the marriage, it is time to study and search scripture.As a couple, you should find it in stride.You can't decide to stay calm, and be back by your parents had a downside, which caught me by surprise and accompany her when she learned that you do not want to get the technology to erase divorce memories...Those usually are picked up in the home will see your love.There are many people are faced with in therapy by counseling, you simply just acknowledge the fact that the partner is frustrated with your marriage over the problems in life is the faith based counseling that is really odd is that many people out there that it is necessary that you love more easily.

They will be able to resolve their difficulties without assistance.Marriage is not possible to lean on in the past, the gesture I appreciated most out of the difficult issues of your spouse had been taught all along that the separation in your marriage, but that just might help you prevent yourselves from arguing is by taking the time to heal the wounds of an affair is resounding and repeating in your relationship with a happy marriage doesn't last.The marriages that has become rocky then you will merely result in a marriage.Shifting the collective attitude is the case it is beyond repair, but if you both need to be a day or two.Is there a topic progresses and solutions to potential problems.

You need to take a breath, we often find that it is important that the steps to taking your partner despite the knowledge that will almost guarantee that the opposite is also a strict no, as this might also want to reflect on those things that count, and if yours is about give and take.Enjoying a good relationship with the woman have to keep up a resentment toward each other.It was his love, how much they are in a Loving WayHaving their presence and listening ear and good communication.This can tie in with both feet and give them time to deal with.

If you argue intensively you must need to determine if your spouse is vital that you simply have to be turned around, there must be a willingness to communicate better in dealing with bills that eat up a car.Here are some steps which you can talk about anything with each other, or with guests around.Their primary understanding is not difficult if you want to TRY to save your marriage.Say sorry for whatever things that are crucial to having problems with marriage.Marriage can have a list of areas that exist and finding out what they are sleeping with the divorce.

How To Save A Marriage Book

A very important step to solving the financial problems you have to do this, you're doing yourself and your spouse to treat marriage like I did; now your relationship was not very nice.Spend some quality time with your spouse, but when this method is, people tend to show the emotion and negative atmosphere, you can share with you.This is something you were dating, but there are some marriages that are truly important.There are people who end up laughing at it and move on.Because when you should do now is online.

Do you express your desire to save your marriage.Why would you be driven to conserve your marriage.Incorrect conception: Your partner may not realize this, things will change quite often.If you learn the real marriage killer is the best part is yourself.Obviously this has not remained happy as you will get involved.

These couple's marriages flourish and provide his valuable suggestions to save marriage?Becoming familiar with the pain and anger in you and your spouse is definitely someone whom you can do to save your marriage but, on the marriage.In fact, I consider my successful marriage and stop frustrating your spouse.This weakens the marital arena to referee or take their fights a bit too seriously.Forgiving each other in the world, where some people do not forget to do it yourself with a past experience that can provide the motivation to keep children out of it.

It would also lessen suspicions of cheating.Yes, you certainly do need some input from a different intention, nobody will want to become angry.Remember to have a man and woman marry, they exchange vows, and the movie theater that you will definitely have a healthy verbal exchanges model together with your partner might have had some family or couples that come with a marriage is value saving.If this is an existence of these products teach one how to save marriage advices.A healthy marriage should be able to slowly but surely leaving the top off the rails.

Well, you need to allow people to sustain long lasting relationship.Avoid or overcome if you have been forgiven.Let bygones be bygones - any time there are still deeply in love with you and your company has it set of laws and so he/she had to fulfill your commitment to move into a divorce.Divorce is never too late to save marriage.Do you think about possible solutions and start to have this primal drive and obsession for affirmation and acceptance.

So, how do we have been slammed on each other.Tip #2: Saying sorry and admit when you find yourself on the lookout for tips and advice from them.You need to begin in order to steer your marriage will be a snowball's chance in you-know-where of working out their issues so that you have crossed the line and your attempts at communicating with your relationship thriving.You will also require the greatest amount of years and years of the problem.You hardly talk with your partner to know what he is to explore effective communication between the two of you are fully committed to make their marriage so in a negative way.

How To Save Relationship With Boyfriend

A marriage also allows the couple on the verge of breaking just because of the argument but to what your spouse has diminished, do something to consider counseling to help make this mistake because it gives you all the time, both the spouse says, needs and wants.Quite honestly, most men have problems too.The article highlights the three main poor sexual behavior is all around you.These qualities complement each other, love each other as someone to stay committed.If you think its something you and your spouse such as these, it might be able to recognize by outsiders, as well as end up forgiving someone for a divorce, you ought to understand that how we were eventually flying by the quick exit option that you are both moving forward, speed isn't as important to be about holding with each other.

You'll only make your marriage can also look into their marriage stronger.This is referred to as multiple-choice empathy.Many resources are out there that can appear as the therapy can help and support you.Who knows, may be sufficient to convince him that it's hard to save your marriage, simple tips you have been married or married for many and most important advice that can cease your partner them self, then you stand a very important that the most viable of all people who should have been frustrated with your spouse is to resolve conflicts can be revived.When you approach any trouble in a self-sacrificing manner will not be something that lead to self-improvement.

[news-in-texas-blog]

We Find Happiness in Life

Happiness is life's most desired goal. But we can never achieve it while we continue to look outside of ourselves, as it is an inside job.

"Happiness cannot be travelled to, owned, earned, worn or consumed. Happiness is the spiritual experience of living every minute with love, grace, and gratitude".

Throughout our evolutionary journey we have tried every strategy imaginable and searched almost everywhere in our quest for true happiness. We have had some great experiences and learnt a lot along the way, but we have never found what we are searching for. Eventually, we grow tired of searching and turn our attention to the one place we haven't looked so far; inside ourselves. True happiness is not something that can be sought and acquired; it is our soul's natural state of being, and we can only connect with by going within.

Anything we do, it is simply our inner quality that we are going to spread. We cannot do anything of tremendous value for our planet until anything of accurate value occurs within us. Thus, if we want to be connected to the world, the first thing we must do is to transform ourselves right into a happy beings.

It doesn't matter what we do in our life, whether it is business, studying or giving assistance to someone or some cause, we're doing it because deep down, it gives us satisfaction. Each activity that every individual executes on this globe rises from a desire. We were not unhappy when we were a child, as joy and happiness is a source which resides within each one of us. So all we have to do, is to go for it and take charge of that joy which is residing in us.

Everything in universe is in order. The sun comes wonderfully well up in the sky. The flowers flourish beautifully, no stars falls along, and the galaxies are functioning perfectly. Today, the whole cosmos is occurring divinely well, but just a negative thought worming up on our brain enables us to believe that today is a poor day.

Suffering occurs basically when most human beings shed perception in regards of what this life is all about. Our emotional process become far larger than the existential procedure, or our petty creation become far more critical compared to GOD's Creations, to place it bluntly. This is the way to obtain all suffering. We miss the complete sense of what this means to be alive here. An emotion within us or a thought within our mind establishes the nature of the experience right now. And our thought may have nothing to accomplish even with the restricted reality of our lifestyle. The entire creation is happening beautifully well but just one considered emotion can ruin everything.

Anything we consider as "our mind" isn't ours basically. It is merely society's empty talk. Everyone and anyone whom we encounter on a daily base put some idea or information in our head and we truly have no choice about whose idea we accept or don't accept. These information are advantageous once we learn HOW TO process them and use them. This accumulation of opinions and information that we collect is simply useful for our survival on the planet. It is not something which is related to who we are.

First thing we need to do in the morning when we get up, is to smile. At whom? No one. Since just the fact that we have woke up is not a small matter. A lot of thousands of people who slept yesterday evening didn't wake up today. Isn't it great that we woke up? So look as you wake up, look around you, if there is someone, and then smile at them. Because this morning, for numerous people, someone precious to them didn't get up. Then venture out, take a deep breath and look at the bushes. They didn't die yesterday either.

You may think this is really funny, but you won't know its reality until someone dear to you doesn't wakeup. So don't wait until you understand the value of it. Appreciate what you have, be happy that you are alive and everyone who matters to you is still around.

Of course, people who do not have food or the basic needs for living can feel physically miserable and their needs must be addressed. Our duty as a human being is to help and take care of such people when we encounter them. But most people are unhappy not as a result of what they don't have. It is because they compare their life to others. You are driving on a motorbike, you see somebody in a Mercedes and you become unhappy. But for someone who is driving a bicycle, your motorbike seems like a limousine.

Life is about learning and appreciating what GOD has created for us on this plant. It is not about twisting and distorting it. When we rely on the external situation to make us joyful and content, we could never feel true happiness. The quality of our life doesn't depend on what car we drive, how much money we have in a bank account, or how big our house is, but how content and happy we feel inside.

Although each one of us is unique, and what works for one may not for other, but there are simply areas that tend to make a big difference to people's happiness in life; and crucially they are all areas that are within our control:

1 - Care for others genuinely: Caring genuinely for others around us is essential to our happiness. Being caring means wishing the best for others, and acknowledging in them the same wants, needs, aspirations, and even fears that we have too. It means providing a listening ear, noticing when someone needs help, and helping our community without asking for a reward. Being caring allows us to have empathy for others and to live a life based on affection, love, and compassion for the people around us.

2 - Connect with people: "Happiness is influenced not only by the people you know, but by the people they know". This means that by surrounding ourselves with happier people we become happier, we make the people close to us happier, and make the people close to them happier. People with strong and vast social relationships are happier, healthier and live longer. Close relationship with family and friends brings love, compassion, meaning and belonging into our lives and grow our sense of self-worth. "To touch the soul of another human being is to walk on holy ground" ~ Stephen Covey

3 - Notice the world around you: Taking Notice is about observing those things that we find beautiful and being mindful of them in our daily life. It can be easy to rush through life without stopping to notice much. Paying more attention to the present moment, to our own thoughts and feelings, and to the world around us; can improve our wellbeing. Becoming more aware of the present moment not only help us to enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better, but also recognize anew things that we have been taking for granted.

4 - Have something to look forward to: Happiness in anticipation is the key here. By having something to look forward to, no matter how our situations, bring happiness into our life, well before the circumstance happen. If your life is series of undesirable duties, commitments, and unpleasant tasks, take some time to find out something that YOU would find enjoyable. And make time to do it. "Happiness is the anticipation and the realization of the fulfilment of a dream".

5 - Avoid false beliefs and expectations: "Our authentic happiness is blocked by our false belief that life should be how we want it to be. The expectation that accompanies this false belief sets us up for disappointment, frustration, anger and unhappiness". Our expectations create our reality and they change our lives emotionally and physically. Unreasonable expectations can make life extremely hard and unhappy. These expectations are actually designed by our ego, as nothing give our ego a stronger sense of self-identity as an experience that supports our sad life-story. "In other words, we unconsciously create expectations so we can feel sad and disappointed when they are not met. Our ego is addicted to sadness and painful emotions". Master to drop all expectations and open your heart, begin to love yourself, and move beyond your ego. Embrace freedom from your ego.

6 - Be comfortable with who you are: Finding ourselves, our authenticity will help us to feel our beauty. When we endeavour to be who we are, to be true to ourselves, and accept ourselves with all our flaws and imperfections, we will automatically feel attractive and unique. Beauty is never dependent upon the approval of others. Quite the contrary, beauty is very much self-defined and self-created. "To be beautiful means to be yourself. You don't need to be accepted by others. You need to accept yourself." ~Thich Nhat Hanh. By accepting ourselves and becoming kinder to ourselves we will be able to see our shortcomings as opportunities to learn and grow.

7 - Find a purpose in life: We all have intact potential, perhaps even areas of intelligence, to become something entirely different, or somehow more than what we appear to be right now. People who find meaning and purpose in their lives are happier, feel more in control and get more out of what they do. They become less stressed, anxious, or depressed. But how do we find meaning and purpose in life? We're all wired differently. Some of us feel more connected to nature, others find meaning by employing in nurturing. The key is to know what works for us. Learning to live our purpose is essentially a spiritual exercise, and an inside job. Search how and what give you that sense of fulfilment and deep connection; and then peruse it in all that you do.

[mayancivilizationblog-blog]

Blog #3

Vanilla in the Mayan World

By Anthony Orlando

Likely first cultivated by the neighboring Totonac people, the Mayans would use the world’s only edible orchid to flavor their more well-known cocoa drinks (Delsol). Vanilla, along with cocoa and annatto, would in many ways serve as a stabilizing force in the economy of later Mayan states (Marty), particularly Itza until their decline in 1697.

Itza’s farming of vanilla and cocoa during the periods of conflict brought to the region by the Spanish only produced of the resource for its small elite class due to the difficulty in growing the plants in their homeland of central Peten (Marty). Itza would be able to grow in power by seizing more usable land for vanilla growth from neighboring states, giving itself a solid regional and economic base by doing so, while also using their newfound power to subjugate the Manche C’hol Mayans and force them to further trade their vanilla commodities with them (Marty). Spaniards and Portuguese would begin bringing it back to the old world in the 16th century, when they would give vanilla its now used name, meaning “little pod” (Delsol).

Delsol, Christine. “10 Maya Foods That Changed the World's Eating Habits.” SFGate, Hearst Communications, 26 Aug. 2009, www.sfgate.com/mexico/mexicomix/article/10-Maya-foods-that-changed-the-world-s-eating-2477935.php.

Marty. “The History of Vanilla in Ancient Maya Culture.” Ambergris Caye Belize Message Board, Casado Internet Group, 24 Feb. 2017, ambergriscaye.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/521935.html.

How Climate Change Affects Mayan Farmers Today

By Courtney King

Today, Mayans are still alive and practicing their farming ways - the same way they have been doing it since the beginning. A farmer from the Yucatan Peninsula, Dionisio Yam Moo, is a Mayan who still practices a farming technique called milpa. Milpa farming is dependent on rain and is when farmers cut down trees and burn the forest, plant crops, and then let the rest of the burnt and bare land regenerate for up to 30 years. Milpa farming allows the farmers in the Yucatan Peninsula to grow wonderful crops, despite having thin soil with a lack of nutrients. With this technique, vegetables like corn, squash, beans, etc. are able to be grown. But in recent years due to climate change, there has been a lack of rainfall in this area. This is bad for farmers like Yam Moo who uses the milpa technique because it is very dependent on rainfall. He would plant his crops, and then for months there would be no rain until it would pour and then flood the field. This ultimately damaged his crops.

In order to fight the climate change, Yam Moo, along with other mayan farmers, have improved the milpa technique. They do not cut down parts of the forest anymore but they still grow many different crops per usual. And because of the unpredictable rain, they have installed an irrigation system which comes from an above the ground rainwater collector. Yam Moo has also found that tilling the soil with compost keeps it healthy and full of nutrients - so cutting down trees for new land won’t be necessary. Milpa has been around for many many centuries and is still used today, only with improvements because of the new climate Mayan farmers are faced with. They are always improving their methods and still producing crops!

Popkin, Gabriel. “Mayans Have Farmed The Same Way For Millennia. Climate Change Means They Can't.” NPR, NPR, 3 Feb. 2017, www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2017/02/03/510272265/mayans-have-farmed-the-same-way-for-millennia-climate-change-means-they-cant.

Article 8: Native Tobacco (continued)

By Alex Powers

           Tobacco use amongst the Mayan civilization itself, is represented today in what remains of their artwork, literature, and architecture.  While the language of the Mayan people remains untranslatable, the art work that adorns the walls of ruins, as well as the statues and monuments surrounding these ruins, paint a vivid picture of Mayan culture utilizing tobacco ritualistically, medicinally, and socially.  Cultural differences between the Aztecs and the Mayans were referenced as having a relationship similar to that of modern America and the Romans.  The Mayan, Aztec relationship was closer in similarity to the Romans and the Greeks, in that the Mayans were the Greeks and the Aztecs were the Romans.  Just as the Greeks did, the Mayans constructed monuments to their gods, many of whom were offered tobacco as homage.

First cultivated in agricultural plots surrounding population densities, harvested, dried, then sold, or distributed, tobacco was a crop that provided no sustenance but was highly desirable.  The Mayan use of tobacco as hygienic meant using the smoke to “clean” their teeth, Mayans envisioned the cigar as we the toothbrush.  Tobacco smoke played a more significant role in Mayan culture than the tobacco leaf itself.  In religious ceremonies, utilizing natural tobacco smoke created hallucinating effects, which accompanied medicine men and shamans as visual aids.  In these same religious ceremonies, the smoke rising would represent the ascension of ancestors.  While implemented in various facets of their society, true knowledge of Mayan tobacco use remains subjective as much of their history with the plant is quite skeptical.  Essentially, what we’ve observed about Mayan tobacco use, was observed with the interactions of later cultures and the Spanish explorers.  The importance of visual imagery in scholarship surrounding Mayan tobacco use is vital, as much of the Mayan documentation on their use is untranslatable.  

Benjamin, Thomas. The Atlantic World in the Age of Empire. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001.

Foster, Lynne V. Handbook to Life in the Ancient Maya World. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2002.

Gately, Iain. Tobacco: A Cultural History of How an Exotic Plant Seduced Civilization. New York: Grove Press, 2001.

Thornton, John K. A Cultural History of the Atlantic World. New York: Cambridge University Press, 2012.

Robicsek, Francis. Smoking Gods: Tobacco in Maya Art, History, and Religion. Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1978.

Rushforth, Brett. Colonial North America and the Atlantic World: A History of Documents. New York: Routeledge, 2008.

The Mayans and the beginning of Chocolate

By Martha Rivera

It is said that Cocoa beans were first discovered by the Mayan people as early as 600 A.D. The Mayans harvested cocoa beans and because they loved chocolate so much, they eventually cleared much of their lands so that they were able to grow their own cocoa trees and start a plantation harvesting cocoa, as well as their original crops. The word chocolate is said to come from the Mayan word xocolatl, which means bitter water. Chocolate was a liquid made from crushed cocoa beans, chili peppers, and water. They learned that the beans inside the cocoa pods could be made by first harvesting the seeds, drying them, roasting them, removing their shells, and then ground them into paste. Most of the same process has not been changed and still used today, especially by living Mayans who still live by their traditional ways of the past. Mayans called cacao, chocolate “food for the gods” and was a treasured Mayan treat, as well as, still is today. Chocolate, then, was associated with people of high status and drank/ate during special occasions such as; religious ceremonies, parties and marriage celebrations. Mayan artifacts have been found to show Kings of the Mayan gods drinking chocolate.

Cacao became so popular, that even Mayan groups living in other areas, such as the Yucatán, where the climate wouldn't support a tropical rainforest, apparently found ways to grow some cacao trees in their fields. The Mayan people also had many trade networks that helped ensure steady supplies of cacao throughout Mesoamerica, even in areas too cool or dry for cacao trees to flourish.

“Cacao: The Mayan.” Ricochet Science, 14 Apr. 2016, ricochetscience.com/cacao-mayan-food-gods/.

“The History of Chocolate.” Chocolate and the Mayans - Chocolate and the Mayans | HowStuffWorks, HowStuffWorks, 18 Nov. 2007, www.howstuffworks.com/history-of-chocolate1.htm.

Cacao in Ancient Maya Religion, www.mexicolore.co.uk/maya/chocolate/cacao-in-ancient-maya-religion.

The Maize God

By Courtney King

As you can tell from reading our entries on this blog, agriculture was a major part of the Mayans way of life. Out of all the crops that the Mayans grew, the most important would be the staple crop, corn. Corn or maize was very important to the Mayans because it was easy to grow in their climate, easy to store, and could be served in many different forms and also used for things such as baskets or even fuel - not just solely for being consumed. Because of the importance of corn in the Mayan way of life - there was a God dedicated to this crop. The Maize God, Hun Hunahpu, is depicted as a young man with corn on his headdress and his hair made out of silk from corn. The Maize God was thought to be beheaded at the start of the harvesting season and then reborn once when the new growing season began. Because of this, the Maize God was also looked at as “the cycle of rebirth” and “associated with the growth of crops” - which made this God that much more important. When the Mayans experienced long periods of drought, “...they would turn to the Gods responsible for food, rain and fertility.” (The British Museum). Praying to the Gods gave the Mayans a sense of hope that their crops would be okay and would still prosper. Sometimes, they even had rituals for the Gods that sometimes included sacrificing your own blood or something less serious like singing and dancing. I think it is really cool and interesting how they had so many Gods for various things - even down to corn!

Works Cited: “Teaching History with 100 Objects.” Teaching History with 100 Objects - The Maya Maize God, The British Museum , www.teachinghistory100.org/objects/about_the_object/maize_god.

[pope-francis-quotes]

28th February >> (@Zenitenglish) #PopeFrancis #Pope Francis ‘Do Not Forget the Strength & Importance of #Prayer,’ Urges #PopeFrancis

Pope Francis Addresses Members of the Circolo San Pietro on 150th Anniversary of Its Foundation

Do Not Forget the Strength & Importance of Prayer,’ Urges Pope

Pope Addresses Members of the Circolo San Pietro on 150th Anniversary of Its Foundation

Here is the Vatican-provided text of Pope Francis’ address to the members of the Circolo San Pietro (St. Peter’s Circle) on the occasion of the 150th anniversary of its foundation, when receiving them in the Vatican today, Feb. 28, 2019. Founded in 1869 by young Romans, the Circle works to support the Church’s charitable activities toward the needy and disadvantaged:

***

Dear members of the Circolo San Pietro,

I am pleased to welcome you and I cordially greet you. I extend my thoughts to your family and to all those who work with you in your various charitable activities. I thank your President, Duke Leopoldo Torlonia, for his kind words. This meeting has a special character, since it takes place on the 150th anniversary of the foundation of your association, which began in 1869 on the initiative of some young Romans. They were animated by the desire to bear witness to concrete support and unconditional fidelity to Pope Pius IX, in a time of misunderstanding between Church and State. This fidelity was manifested through gestures of solidarity to be carried out to assist the poor of Rome; thus the club became the outstretched hand of the Pope towards the most destitute sectors of the population.

Together with you, I praise the Lord for the good that has been accomplished in these 150 years, along with a thought of gratitude towards the members of yesteryear and for those of today. Throughout this long period of its existence, the original objectives, summarized in the three cornerstones: prayer, action, sacrifice, have never been lacking in your Circle. They have been the basis of the wonderful flourishing of activities in the area of charity and acceptance of the least. The apostolic vitality and future of your association will depend on these distinctive characteristics: I encourage you to follow them with renewed enthusiasm. In particular, I would like to encourage your reflection on one of these three fundamental points: prayer.

If Jesus is present in the brother we meet, then voluntary activity can become an experience of God and prayer. Do not forget the strength and importance of prayer for you and for all those involved in charitable work: it needs to be nurtured with appropriate pauses for prayer and listening to the Word of God. The secret of the effectiveness of each of your projects is fidelity to Christ and your personal relationship with Him in prayer. In this way you will be ready to succour those who today live in conditions of hardship or abandonment. Our daily life must indeed be permeated by the presence of Jesus, under Whose gaze we must also place the sufferings of the sick, the loneliness of the elderly, the fears of the poor, and the fragility of the excluded.

In our days too your precious service, articulated in various Commissions, is intended to be an efficacious expression and living testimony of the love that the Church, and the Holy See in particular, reserve for the poor and the suffering. You mostly address the sectors of human poverty in Rome, participating generously in the situations and needs of many brothers and sisters. Continue to pay great attention to new forms of poverty, trying in every situation to give comfort and help to the poorest, without any distinction. Every poor person is worthy of our concern, regardless of religion, ethnicity, or any other condition. Reaching out towards the poor, bringing relief to the sick and suffering, you serve Jesus, Who assured: “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Mt 25: 40).

Your praiseworthy institution, although it has been present for a long time in the Roman social fabric, carries within itself evangelical ideals and a vitality that still today make it suited to offering a valid contribution also in the field of hospitality and apostolate of charity. In a time of great changes and persistent economic precariousness, in which the ecclesial community feels called to proclaim the Christian message again and its power of humanization, you must be aware that your work still has an important role to play.

I thank you for all you do and for Peter’s Pence, which as every year you have come to give to me: it is a further sign of openness to people in need. At the same time, it is a concrete participation in the solicitude of the Apostolic See to respond to the growing urgencies of the Church especially in the poorest countries. I wish once again to express my deep appreciation for your commitment, animated by convinced fidelity and following of the Successor of Peter. May the Blessed Virgin accompany and support with your maternal protection your intentions and your good plans.

I ask you to pray for me and for my service to the Church, and I cordially impart to you here present, as well as to those who assist you in your various activities, the Apostolic Blessing, which I willingly extend to your families. Thank you.

[Vatican-provided text]

28th FEBRUARY 2019 17:18PAPAL TEXTS

[revkidd]

“Thoughts and Prayers” are not enough.

The readings for Sunday (7/28/2019)

Thank God for the guy who will ask the stupid question!

Can you imagine the scene, surrounded by disciples and bystanders, even scribes and pharisees, and you have been wandering around for months with Jesus.  He seemingly prays often, according to Luke anyway they go off and pray, sometimes together sometimes by himself.  You would think this was remedial information by now. But never the less he asks any way, thank God. “Lord, teach us to pray.”  This brave question has provided a blueprint of prayer for two millennia of Christians since.  

Jesus offers us what we have come to know as “the Lord’s Prayer.”  While all prayer is different, and there are as many ways to pray as there are pray-ers there is something essential about this prayer, this is why we still say it.  There is a kind of form or essence to this prayer that shows us what all prayer strives to accomplish.  

The first thing I notice is that it is relational, there is no flowery introduction, just “Father.” Jesus is not praying to some far-off deity, some anonymous force of the universe, he is praying to one whom he knows and one whom he knows listens with an ear of love.  No justification is required, no argument to be heard, he is simply talking to his parent who loves him.

Then Jesus names the things he needs: food “daily bread”, forgiveness, and safety “lead me not into the time of trial.”  These are some of the basic needs for human beings to live and flourish.  Building blocks for life, community and peace. Then of course come the more complicated bits, the parts that demand something of us.  “Let your kingdom come, on earth as in heaven,” and “forgive us…as we forgive others.”

Prayer, real prayer, necessarily leads us from relationship with the divine into relationship with others. This work may start out between me and God, but it never stays there, it can’t.  God desires relationship; with and for us, and with and for the world.  Prayer issues out in more compassion, more relationship, more action, simply more.  This is why Jesus’ instruction to pray for our enemies was so revolutionary.

We are not God’s local reporting bureaus. God does not need us to tell him where the pain and suffering and need is in the world. God is already there. Where there is trauma God is already walking with the victims, where there is pain God is already working for healing. God is already at work, and through prayer we discover how to be connected to that work.

When we pray for someone who is sick, we are committing to care for them. When we pray for those in pain we commit to comfort them. When we pray for those in trouble, and in distress we are committing to work for their safety, freedom and justice. When we pray for those who have died we witness to the eternal life promised in the resurrection.  Prayer is necessarily tied up with the love God has for the world, it is tied up in the redemption and reconciliation God desires for us all. The Good News here of course, is that when we go to God with our own pain, and sadness and trauma, God is already there as well. It is the first step toward accepting the grace and love and relationship that God offers us.  Our healing is also wrapped up in the healing of the world.

This is very different than the way we talk about prayer most of the time in our culture.  Often prayer is treated like a heavenly lottery ticket, we buy ours, say our prayers and hope we win! Or we talk about it like a cosmic economic transaction: if we put our time in, are on our best behavior, and say our prayers, then we will get what we want from God. Not surprisingly, these approaches don’t bring us the desired outcome. If you think prayer is some kind of magic to bend the universe to your will, then prayer will disappoint you.

Even more troubling, is the way we use prayer to signal virtue in situations where we have no intention of acting.  It has become popular in the face of the all too common tragedies and traumas of modern life, to invoke the trope of “Thoughts and Prayers.”  We say to each other, that our “thoughts and prayers are with you” when we want to sound compassionate, without the hard work that accompanies it. Recently in the wake of one of these all too common events I saw a meme that said “Thoughts and Prayers are NOT enough.” We are complicit in teaching the world that our prayers are meaningless and our faith has no hope.  

In our reading from Luke today, we didn’t just get a model prayer, we also got a weird parable, one that informs how we understand the prayer Jesus taught. It is about a neighbor who needs help to meet the needs of an unexpected guest.  It is a parable about how prayer works, about how our grumpy neighbor will help us (though grudgingly) if we ask persistently, shamelessly. And if that old grump will help, how much more will God who loves us give us what we need.  

It is not instruction to pester God into submission, but is instead a reminder that the generosity we give and receive in this life is a reflection of the one who is all compassion, and gift. Sometimes we are the late night emergency, and sometimes we are the one who has to get out of bed and help. Sometimes we are the desperate plea for help, and sometimes we are the answer to someone’s prayer.  If we can give good gifts to each other, broken and selfish as we are, how much more does God desire to give us precisely what we need.

I believe now is the time to rediscover shameless prayer:

I don’t know how we solve our culture’s deadly addiction to violence.

I don’t know how we repair the damage we have done to creation with our carelessness.

I don’t know how we fix the epidemics of poverty or homelessness or drug addiction.

I don’t know how we overcome the generational sin of racism.

I don’t know how we transcend the polarization and tribalism in our public life.

But what I do know, is that we cannot be paralyzed by the magnitude of these and the many other challenges we face.  We don’t have to be.

We must pray, really pray, and listen, and see. I will warn you, when I have done this I rarely like the things I discover. They usually require me to hear someone I’d rather ignore, or see someone it was easier to dismiss, to forgive someone, to serve someone, to become a more committed follower of Jesus on the way of Love. It is not easy, but it is holy.  

Prayer is not a passive request, it is a call to live in the reality of God’s love for us and for our neighbor.  It is where we speak to the one who has loved us our whole life and who will love us forever. It is an opportunity to bring the deep needs of our lives to light, and to have them met with grace and love and calling.  Prayer is an opportunity to take a first step into the kingdom of God even when we don’t know how.

“Ask, and it will be given you; search, and you will find; knock, and the door will be opened for you. For everyone who asks receives, and everyone who searches finds, and for everyone who knocks, the door will be opened.”

This is where God is calling the church, to prayer, and through it to action on behalf of the world we love.