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dailyanarchistposts · 16 days

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A.2 What does anarchism stand for?

These words by Percy Bysshe Shelley gives an idea of what anarchism stands for in practice and what ideals drive it:

The man Of virtuous soul commands not, nor obeys: Power, like a desolating pestilence, Pollutes whate’er it touches, and obedience, Bane of all genius, virtue, freedom, truth, Makes slaves of men, and, of the human frame, A mechanised automaton.

As Shelley’s lines suggest, anarchists place a high priority on liberty, desiring it both for themselves and others. They also consider individuality — that which makes one a unique person — to be a most important aspect of humanity. They recognise, however, that individuality does not exist in a vacuum but is a social phenomenon. Outside of society, individuality is impossible, since one needs other people in order to develop, expand, and grow.

Moreover, between individual and social development there is a reciprocal effect: individuals grow within and are shaped by a particular society, while at the same time they help shape and change aspects of that society (as well as themselves and other individuals) by their actions and thoughts. A society not based on free individuals, their hopes, dreams and ideas would be hollow and dead. Thus, “the making of a human being… is a collective process, a process in which both community and the individual participate.” [Murray Bookchin, The Modern Crisis, p. 79] Consequently, any political theory which bases itself purely on the social or the individual is false.

In order for individuality to develop to the fullest possible extent, anarchists consider it essential to create a society based on three principles: liberty, equality and solidarity. These principles are shared by all anarchists. Thus we find, the communist-anarchist Peter Kropotkin talking about a revolution inspired by “the beautiful words, Liberty, Equality and Solidarity.” [The Conquest of Bread, p. 128] Individualist-anarchist Benjamin Tucker wrote of a similar vision, arguing that anarchism “insists on Socialism … on true Socialism, Anarchistic Socialism: the prevalance on earth of Liberty, Equality, and Solidarity.” [Instead of a Book, p. 363] All three principles are interdependent.

Liberty is essential for the full flowering of human intelligence, creativity, and dignity. To be dominated by another is to be denied the chance to think and act for oneself, which is the only way to grow and develop one’s individuality. Domination also stifles innovation and personal responsibility, leading to conformity and mediocrity. Thus the society that maximises the growth of individuality will necessarily be based on voluntary association, not coercion and authority. To quote Proudhon, “All associated and all free.” Or, as Luigi Galleani puts it, anarchism is “the autonomy of the individual within the freedom of association” [The End of Anarchism?, p. 35] (See further section A.2.2 — Why do anarchists emphasise liberty?).

If liberty is essential for the fullest development of individuality, then equality is essential for genuine liberty to exist. There can be no real freedom in a class-stratified, hierarchical society riddled with gross inequalities of power, wealth, and privilege. For in such a society only a few — those at the top of the hierarchy — are relatively free, while the rest are semi-slaves. Hence without equality, liberty becomes a mockery — at best the “freedom” to choose one’s master (boss), as under capitalism. Moreover, even the elite under such conditions are not really free, because they must live in a stunted society made ugly and barren by the tyranny and alienation of the majority. And since individuality develops to the fullest only with the widest contact with other free individuals, members of the elite are restricted in the possibilities for their own development by the scarcity of free individuals with whom to interact. (See also section A.2.5 — Why are anarchists in favour of equality?)

Finally, solidarity means mutual aid: working voluntarily and co-operatively with others who share the same goals and interests. But without liberty and equality, society becomes a pyramid of competing classes based on the domination of the lower by the higher strata. In such a society, as we know from our own, it’s “dominate or be dominated,” “dog eat dog,” and “everyone for themselves.” Thus “rugged individualism” is promoted at the expense of community feeling, with those on the bottom resenting those above them and those on the top fearing those below them. Under such conditions, there can be no society-wide solidarity, but only a partial form of solidarity within classes whose interests are opposed, which weakens society as a whole. (See also section A.2.6 — Why is solidarity important to anarchists?)

It should be noted that solidarity does not imply self-sacrifice or self-negation. As Errico Malatesta makes clear:

“we are all egoists, we all seek our own satisfaction. But the anarchist finds his greatest satisfaction in struggling for the good of all, for the achievement of a society in which he [sic] can be a brother among brothers, and among healthy, intelligent, educated, and happy people. But he who is adaptable, who is satisfied to live among slaves and draw profit from the labour of slaves, is not, and cannot be, an anarchist.” [Errico Malatesta: His Life and Ideas, p. 23]

For anarchists, real wealth is other people and the planet on which we live. Or, in the words of Emma Goldman, it “consists in things of utility and beauty, in things which help to create strong, beautiful bodies and surroundings inspiring to live in … [Our] goal is the freest possible expression of all the latent powers of the individual . .. Such free display of human energy being possible only under complete individual and social freedom,” in other words “social equality.” [Red Emma Speaks, pp. 67–8]

Also, honouring individuality does not mean that anarchists are idealists, thinking that people or ideas develop outside of society. Individuality and ideas grow and develop within society, in response to material and intellectual interactions and experiences, which people actively analyse and interpret. Anarchism, therefore, is a materialist theory, recognising that ideas develop and grow from social interaction and individuals’ mental activity (see Michael Bakunin’s God and the State for the classic discussion of materialism versus idealism).

This means that an anarchist society will be the creation of human beings, not some deity or other transcendental principle, since ”[n]othing ever arranges itself, least of all in human relations. It is men [sic] who do the arranging, and they do it according to their attitudes and understanding of things.” [Alexander Berkman, What is Anarchism?, p. 185]

Therefore, anarchism bases itself upon the power of ideas and the ability of people to act and transform their lives based on what they consider to be right. In other words, liberty.

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goosemixtapes · 6 months

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max's october 2023 reads

weird reading month. lots of shortform articles/comics; lots of early modern english literature. also still experimenting with my format for these, so have a listening tab.

fiction

Edmund Spenser's Faerie Queene, books 3-4

the latter two episodes of What Happens Next comic

Epistolary by Sacha Lamb (again, for reasons of Got Sad)

Fresh Meat comic (cw for suicide and psychiatric hospitalization)

Something's Not Right by yves. @yvesdot (review + promo)

Edmund Spenser's Amoretti & Epithalamion (review)

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane by Suzanne Collins (review)

Blankets by Craig Thompson (review)

Shakespeare's Coriolanus (again, + Janet Adelman's lecture "Anger's My Meat")

the first half of Lavinia by Ursula K. Le Guin

nonfiction

The Way We Weren't by Jules Gill-Peterson (↳ on hypervisibility and the history of passing)

Fiona: The Caged Bird Sings by Chris Heath (↳ fiona apple is the only celebrity i actually read about)

Can ChatGPT Do My Job? by yves @yvesdot (↳ on AI, book reviews, copyright, and capitalism)

Picture Limitless Creativity at Your Fingertips by Kevin Kelly (↳ linked in the former--on the potential of AI image generation)

The Ecstasy of Influence: A Plagiarism by Jonathan Lethem (↳ also linked in the former--on plagiarism, and one of the coolest things i've ever read)

Allies Behaving Badly: Gaslighting as epistemic injustice by Rachel McKinnon (↳ on allyship and 'allies' who refuse to believe you)

Debunking "Trans Women Are Not Women" Arguments by Julia Serano (↳ i knew a lot of this, but it's still a really good breakdown and a good link to have on hand)

the first half of Laziness Does Not Exist by Devon Price (the book, but i also recommend the article)

the first fourth of Down Girl by Kate Manne (rapidly becoming one of my favorite reads of the year)

The Spectre of Orientalism in Craig Thompson's Habibi by Nadim Damluji (↳ i haven't even read habibi but this was fantastic anyway)

"Half-Envying," from Reading and Not Reading the Faerie Queene by Catherine Nicholson (↳ delicious supplemental reading for class)

The Gaza Diaries via the Guardian (↳ not sure what to say about this one. very harrowing but very important)

The Landlord, the Tenant, and a House Fire in Milwaukee via ProPublica (↳ cws for child abuse and child death. extremely powerful piece of reporting that quite genuinely ruined my night)

listening

Mike Duncan's History of Rome, episodes 14-19

WordofGodcast, episode 2

Fiona Apple's Extraordinary Machine

Dorian Electra's Fanfare

#max.txt #readings #rook don't click on the what happens next link there's missing persons stuff in there #also everyone clap i bravely avoided putting 'btw i don't uncritically agree with every single one of these' in the body of this post #because that was a compulsion. that was a compulsion.#and my compulsive side was worried about the ai article (the wired.com article is pretty pro ai in ways i'm not sure are always merited)#but like. girl. the faerie queene by edmund spenser is on here. god hopes you don't uncritically agree with all of this

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lethesbeastie · 20 days

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heya Beastie! i always see you in my notifs, could i interest you in an ask game? if not, that's of course fine :)

List 5 things that make you happy, then put this in the askbox for the last 10 people who liked or reblogged something from you! 💖

Howdy! Thank you for sharing the ask game!!

1. Bringing Nature Inside

I've described this habit of mine to my college peers as "that creature autism TM" where I draw immense and immeasurable joy from having Creatures in my living space. When I was a kid this meant I was the bane of every scurrying thing within a five mile radius of my location, and my childhood crimes against lizards haunt me to this day. Now that I'm old enough to recognize the ecological consequences of trying to keep every lizard I see in my yard, I instead tend to several fishtanks, terrariums, isopod colonies, and plants that I've acquired through the horrors of capitalism and also going feral in the woods.

2. Sharing Stories

There's almost nothing on earth I love as much as storytelling— from poetry to prose, music to television, every kind of media and every kind of narrative, to experience them as both a reader and writer is one of the greatest things in life methinks. Telling stories with friends, such as through dnd, elevates the experience even further by allowing me to make connections with people in a way I really understand.

3. My Friends and Community

Speaking of friends, they're my lighthouse within the storm of these interesting times, and without them I'd've lost sight of the shore long ago. There's legitimately no greater joy than knowing and loving other people and being known and loved in return. The weight of their sorrows is one I choose every day to carry, and the light of their triumphs shines brighter than that of mine alone.

4. The Creative Process

In a time like this, with the focus on the product, I think it's more important than ever for us to relish in the joys of the process. Creating art of any kind, be it a shitty doodle or a half-assed poem, is healthy and enriching, and it's something human beings have been doing almost as long as we've existed. Taking time to dig my hands into the dirt, to work and toil, it's cathartic to it's core. It doesn't matter if the final product is everything we had imagined, the process of making it has taught us more than we realize.

5. Learning

High-school really screws us over when it comes to the joys that exist in learning a skill. I've always been the kind of person who deeply enjoys learning new things, and it's a joy I wish to share with everyone I meet. There's so many beautiful, complicated things for us to explore in the world we live in, and I want to reach every single one that I can. It's an honor to exist and to learn, and it's something I want everyone to have access to.

#beastiebites #asks #ask game #I probably didnt have to type so much but i got really excited cause i dont get asks often akfhskfhsf

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mlmxreader · 9 months

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Hiya! Hope you're doing well because I'm about to hit you with an onslaught of questions from the Get to Know Your Fic Writer (as well as spam the asks with requests 🙂):

1. Do you prefer writing one-shots or multi-chaptered fics?

2. Do you plan each chapter ahead or write as you go?

3. Describe the creative process of writing a chapter/fic

4. Where do you find inspiration for new ideas?

5. Do you title your fics before, during, or after the writing process? How do you come up with titles?

6. Have you noticed any patterns in your fics? Words/expressions that appear a lot, themes, common settings, etc?

7. Are there certain types of writing you won’t do? (style, pov, genre, tropes, etc)

8. What fic do you wish you got more of a response on?

9. Which of your fics would you call your wildest ride?

10. What is your most and least favorite part of writing?

11. Of the characters you write for, which is your favorite? Has that choice been swayed at all by your followers/readers’ reactions to certain ones?

🐍anon

ALRIGHTY!!! I'm down for spamming my inbox ngl, like, if you got the time and you want to, absolutely go ahead!

1. it depends, really! some fics I write solely as a one-shot and they turn into multi-chapter, others I specifically write so that they can become a series!

2. when it comes to multi-chapter fic, I do have a little bit of a plan in mind for them; I don't plan them in GREAT detail, but I will have, like, a list of ideas that I want within the chapters!

3. have a cigarette and a bit of a think. ask @tokillamockingbird427 about something and get an idea (specific only to fics w more than one chapter and/or series fics dhfkskfk). have another cigarette. start writing and realise I don't like the idea. start again. have another cigarette and realise what I wanted.

4. p much everywhere! some fics have been inspired by real emotions and events, others come from a random idea that popped into my head - most descriptions of woodland and rural areas come from when I've been out for a walk. one fic I'm working on atm (which is a COD WW2 fic, for context) was inspired by the Chasseurs Adrennais and what they did. so it can come from everywhere!

5. most of them it's after! sometimes it comes from a particular theme or image within the fic (Rabbits), others come from a line said within it (Blackbird), and then some it comes from just a random thought I have whilst writing (The Good Captain).

6. oh, definitely. I tend to like be very explicit with the cost of war and how horrific warfare itself is; "war is Hell" is very much a big pattern for me lmfao

7. first person POV is one of them, but most of it is written down in my rules.

8. I wish Christmas Truce and Fields of Verdun had gotten more response, same w 1916 and The Attack of the Dead Men

9. it's definitely Love, Hate, Sex, Pain lmfaooooo @tokillamockingbird427 was there for the entire ride and can probably attest to the fact that it's literally just... there's so much going on 💀💀 Crowley and Lt's entire dynamic is chaotic, let alone the Everything Lt Does fjfkskfkskg

10. my most favourite is being able to do stuff like major character death and getting experimental when describing warfare to be as horrific as it is in reality - being able to try and make it as gutwrenching as possible is my favourite.

my least favourite is probably waiting for feedback tbh; I don't like to sit around lmfao

11. I've got favourites per fandom, but that's mostly to do w me tbh fjfkskfkskg like Bane and Bruce Wayne (from the Nolan films) are my favourites for DC bc I loved the Nolan trilogy as a kid and love it even more today (don't tell me you wouldn't be swayed by a communist w big titties saying "we need to bomb the city to get rid of corruption and capitalism". we all would.)

#asks #🐍 anon

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halflingkima · 1 year

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Most Surprising Books of 2022

Finally we’re on the upswing! These weren’t necessarily the best books I read this year, but they were certainly the ones that blew me away the most, which I think also deserves the recognition. There’s really no consistency in these picks except they met my expectations and then pleasantly pushed past them.

Here we go! My ten ranked most surprising books of 2022 (again, read this past year, not necessarily published in the year)

10. Chocolat (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Joanne Harris When the mysterious Viane moves to a quiet French village, she reinvigorates the residents, much to the dismay of the local clergy.

Starting off lightly, this one didn’t exactly blow my expectations out of the water, but I was thoroughly impressed with how well it met them. This is one of my favorite movies and I was unsure how the whimsy would translate in the original text, but it did so well that it deepened my love of the film. The book allows a much deeper dive into characters’ inner lives while keeping the same magic of the film alive.

9. Ella Minnow Pea (⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Mark Dunn The island of Nollop reveres the pangram, but when letters begin to drop off of the pangram monument, leaders decide no one may use the fallen letters, leading to dire consequences.

This book is mostly a gimmick, given that it’s written in letters to residents of an island that must by law begin restricting their use of letters of the alphabet (i.e. as letters become illegal to use, they must communicate more and more creatively). Beyond that, I was incredibly impressed by the plot the book managed to pull off. Being that capital punishment is introduced so it gets quite a bit darker than I expected, and the ending was quite hopeful. Given the constraint of the text I was. impressed. not sure what else to say about it lol

8. The Fiction Class (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Susan Breen Arabella Hicks teaches a fiction writing class while navigating her relationship with her ailing mother.

This was a reread that I first read at far too young, and loved it despite that. In my mind it was an Adult Romance, but it’s actually an adult contemporary. Ultimately I was surprised at how well it held up. The romance was as iffy as I remember, but the writing class insets were even better than i remembered. Additionally, I could now appreciate the focus of the mother/daughter relationship that the whole story sits upon that went over my head before. I’m also now aware of ensemble casts and why I like them and this did fully hit those marks.

7. Sky in the Deep (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Adrienne Young When captured in battle by a rival clan, Eelyn learns her brother is alive and living with the enemy; she must grapple with her definition of family and decide who she fights for.

This was an impulse read that I had next-to-no expectations for because I’d never heard of it before. I figured if it was well done and unique, I would’ve seen reviews or even just mentions. Which meant it was quite easy for it to surpass those expectations. This might’ve been my barbarian main taking over but I really enjoyed the cultural worldbuilding and also like. the violence :). and the romance! and the found family. Lotta trope buttons hit and hit well when I didn’t expect them at all.

6. Ex Libris (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Matt Madden A meta exploration of the graphic novel format and what it can do for its readers.

This weird shaped book was the bane of my existence at work this year because it didn’t fit on the shelf nicely and I finally snapped and checked it out myself. idk if I’ve made it clear but meta narratives are my shit. And this was a great one. It also really uses the format to its fullest while also exemplifying what it can do and why its an important art & story form. It’s a simple story but it did give me a stab of existential fear. Loved it!

5. Glitterland (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Alexis Hall A pretentious, bipolar writer meets a boy who glitters and can’t seem to stay away.

This one I had middling expectations for because it’s by my current favorite author, but it’s one of his indie published backlist. And I found it just as good if not better than his traditionally published stuff (so far). It has the unique, often maudlin, magic of an (good) indie gay romance with the magic of Hall’s unique writing style. I do think it even made me cry.

4. All My Broken Pieces (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Hollis Shiloh During re-certification for his job at the police precinct, Tim, a disabled wolf shifter, is paired with Levi, a human who helps Tim discover and define what he actually wants in life.

This is the most surprising list, not a list of quality, and thus this beat out Glitterland. This is not what I would call a good book. Mainly, it’s a self-published indie that needed a heavy editing hand; the plot was meandering and circuitous, the world building was shallow, and it was far too long and long-winded. Despite all that, I found the premise interesting, I was invested in the romance, and the heat level was just about perfect for my taste. But above all, the representation of disability and like, the mental comorbidities that result – severe depression, anxiety, loneliness, exhaustion – really spoke to me, I guess. I found it heartwarming when others finally began to reach out to the MC, to empathize and help him better his life by just providing information and options, and Tim doing the work (mainly emotional) to allow himself to heal in so many areas. Basically, the book was far more intensive than I expected, and I became far more invested in the main character than I had planned.

3. Follow Me to Ground (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Sue Rainsford Ada, a more-than-human, un-aging healer of sorts, uncovers secrets about herself and her father when she tries to strike out on her own.

This was the first book I read of the year and it absolutely blew me away. I had heard of it and picked it up simply bc I needed an audiobook for a drive. The full cast was an exceptional experience and really layered on the southern gothic that I don’t think I would’ve interpreted myself, which I think was a huge part of my enjoyment. I also didn’t know it was a sort of light horror, and the creep factor was perfectly to my taste. I was so shocked by this that when I finished it, I rewound and started listening again lol.

2. The Subtweet (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Vivek Shraya Two trans desi musicians befriend, idolize, and ruin each other.

This was my first Vivek Shraya (mainly because I’m a little afraid of the emotional pain in her other works) and it left me slack jawed. I think I’d describe it as a modern story in the tradition of a greek tragedy. It focuses very narrowly on the experience of brown trans women indie musicians in canada but does not feel narrow in the slightest. It’s a heartbreaking tragedy of female friendship that feels inevitable in the culture in which it’s set. I was also impressed with how deftly social media was handled in the work – there’s no thread inserts, no breaking of narrative walls, all we get is the characters interpretations of certain “posts,” and it drives the narrative while avoiding the reader feeling like they’re doom scrolling. Very artfully done.

1. The Wonder Spot (⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️) by Melissa Bank A sort of non-linear memoir, Sophie recounts moments in her life that shaped and taught her.

This was by far the most surprising read of the year. It was a general women’s fiction sitting on my bookshelf since I was in elementary school. I had no clue what it was about and the internet provided very few answers. When I picked it up, I found a poignant story that I wish I’d read in college or nearer to graduating. I think this book flawlessly executes what that millennial ennui genre tries too hard at – or at least, executes what I want when I dare to pick up millennial ennui stories. I’ve taken to calling this gen x ennui because it’s a realist narrative, but also has that hint of hope that I need from my escapism. Fully expected to unhaul this book and it is now in a place of pride on my keeper shelf.

#maddy's reads

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irisesindigo · 2 years

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dreamwastaken handwriting analysis

girl help im doing a handwriting analysis on minecraft youtuber dreamwastaken while sleep deprived

GENERAL DISCLAIMERS: 1) Graphology is considered a pseudoscience, therefore, don't take this analysis too seriously, it's all just for fun ^-^ The traits described =/= how the writer actually is as a person 2) I am the farthest thing from a professional, I'm still learning a lot and gaining experience

one last note before i Actually start: as we know, dream has adhd, and there could be traits in his handwriting bc of this, but idk much about how neurodivergence affects a persons handwriting so like. just keep that in mind lol (i rly hope i worded this right im sleep deprived have mercy on me)

okok now its time for the actual analysis ^-^ here are the samples im using:

general

style - mix of print and cursive -> indicates creativity

size - medium, person doesnt mind taking up space, ambivert

baseline - slightly upward -> optimism

slants - simple up and down pattern most of the time -> doesnt share too much but also isnt too suppressed emotionally

zones - lower zones, specifically the g and y loops, are pretty large, which is supposed to indicate a. large sex drive cOUGHH (im just saying what it says help me) or like drive for power and stuff ;; middle zones are small in comparison to the rest, but consistent in size, indicating that social life isnt the biggest part of this persons life, but hes not bad at socializing or anything lol ;; upper zone (other than the capital letters) is also pretty big in comparison to the middle zone, indicates how much a person thinks about things in general

margin - moving forward -> excited for the future :D (we can ignore the numbers; they look like theyre moving to the left but thats only cause theyre getting bigger)

capitals - they are BIG in comparison to his lowercase letters, which is a sign of vanity/leadership; also theyre disconnected from the word -> a person who thinks before they act

letter specifics

e loops are closed -> not very open in sharing stuff

i dots are right above the line -> detail oriented person

t bars are, in general, right in the middle of the line -> pretty confident person

v's and w's are more rounded on the bottom -> friendliness

random things

i can tell he was writing a bit fast in some places (the word "animal", for example) lol aLSO theres a space between "peri" and "winkle" in the word periwinkle, and spaces mean that the person stopped to think before they went on writing. so maybe he forgot how to spell periwinkle and had to check or smth hsauifhwe

signature ft. ur reminder that dnf is real, he said it himself <3

your signature is supposed to represent how you present yourself to the world vs how you actually are (your normal handwriting). since dream is pretty much an entertainer, content creator, yk what i mean, its not rly surprising that his signature looks nothing like his normal handwriting

k last section before the conclusion:

✨ the bane of my existence ✨

aka Interesting traits i dONT KNOW THE MEANINGS OF (in my defense im a beginner at this and there arent tons of free online resources </3 so i have to suffer </33 if leah eckardt ever makes a video on dreams handwriting ill link it here so that we can all enjoy an Actually Good Analysis)

his m's and n's dont have initial strokes

his r's are pretty much right angles; or at least very straight

the initial stroke on his capital F is Very Interesting

HIS K. WHAT IS UP WITH HIS K.

conclusion

this is a pretty confident, friendly and creative person, who's optimistic and excited for the future :]

#i almost gave up on the conclusion ohmygaud #i didnt rly know how to conclude it help me #anyway i am so SO sleepy rn i might like change the conclusion tomorrow and make it better #anw. im going to maintag now and im scared #dreamwastaken #mcyt #*screams*#anywayyyy im def going to be doing more analyses at some point in the future #and ill make it so ppl can send in their handwriting for me to analyze #hsaufihewh ok im done #thursdays graphology arc #thursdays handwriting analyses #gn ig sparkles emoji

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srbachchan · 3 years

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DAY 4767

Jalsa, Mumbai Mar 19/20, 2021 Fri/Sat 12:04 AM

Birthday EF - Jasmine Jaywant .. MILAN, Gujarat .. Saturday, March 20 .. and our wishes go out to you both for the birthday .. be safe be in precaution and be happy .. may all your wishes come true .. love from the Ef family .. ❤️❤️🌹🙏

In a remarkable adventure of modern technology , the FIAF Award ceremony is conducted in the virtual realm and connected almost the entire World Cinema for the the grace and legendary participation of the icons to personally decorate me with this prestigious recognition ..

Thank you Mr Martin Scorsese, Mr Christopher Nolan for joining in through this marvel from Los Angeles , the UK and the other related dignitaries from Lausanne and Brussels in commemoration .. it has been a most honourable moment for me and one that shall remain with the family and indeed the Film fraternity of India in posterity ..

The nobility of the cause is of course much larger than the award and I am privileged that we have been able to make an impact through the good services of the Film Heritage Foundation headed by Shivendra Singh who has tirelessly and with immense determination pursued this very vital exercise ..

The element and the sense of ‘documentation’ has been a bane as far as our films are concerned .. and the effort being made by the Foundation of preserving our creativity is most laudable and immediate and necessary ..

There is no record or facility in the Country of preserving our films .. now over a hundred years of its existence .. and some of our most valuable and immensely legendary works have been lost or been destroyed through time and garbaged ..

Yes there are two institutions that have been done remarkable work but neglect has caused for much of the stored works to be in a pathetic condition ..

The technical expertise being deployed by the Heritage Foundation through the arduous efforts of Mr Shivendra Singh, in re living those iconic films and bringing them back to almost normalcy has been most laudable ..

We work hard to establish a Moving Images Museum in the city and I do hope that with Government support this very necessary construct shall fructify .. in the Film capital of the country - Mumbai !!

https://www.cinestaan.com/articles/2021/mar/19/29169/amitabh-bachchan-honoured-with-fiaf-award-for-2021-by-martin-scorsese-christopher-nolan

I do hope that this link shall be able to be opened and seen .. it is the ceremony conducted virtually .. with Mr Martin Scorsese and Mr Christopher Nolan , giants of cinema and such an honour for them to take time out to be present during the ceremony and to bestow the Award to me ..

The shades are not an attempt at creating a ‘style statement’, but the eye surgery has declared that bright lights need to be avoided .. hence the tinted glass ..

My love and wishes .. be safe and be protected as ever ..

Amitabh Bachchan

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airashisakura · 3 years

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Late submission for @fantasysasusaku SasuSaku Fantasy Week Day 6 - Soulmate/ Prophecy/ Reincarnation

Title: Embodiment of his Fate

Pairing: Haruno Sakura & Uchiha Sasuke

A/N: A mythology from my country had inspired me to write this piece. This was supposed to be posted during the event, but it got unusually long and took a lot of time than I expected. Also this first AU written by me.

FFN AO3

****

Part I

Sasuke — the lone wanderer — didn’t expect again to see the embodiment of his fate in green and pink. Even the gods were sometimes astonished, and Sasuke, the god of catastrophe, felt his world shaking when a pair of tired yet cheerful eyes smiled at him.

“Sakura?” he asked, every syllable carrying disbelief. He bit his tongue as the forbidden name left his mouth, because the Sakura he knew and loved had died long ago.

The owner of shining jade eyes and rosy coloured hair nodded at him. “I’ve been waiting for you, Sasuke.”

Her words echoed more than the thunderstorms he created. He had heard those words before rolling out from a certain pinkette's mouth. He recognised the ‌same words and her loving tone, but only in memories of a time long ago.

Was she the Sakura he knew? Was it an illusion borne out of his longing? Or was she a reincarnation?

****

Sasuke had always been alone — without any roots and attachments. He didn’t know his family or when and where he was born. He grew up in the darkness of the Ryuchi caves, his only companions being snakes. They were neither his friends nor his enemies, but he polished his basic instincts by observing and mimicking them.

Over time, Sasuke became an invincible warrior — one who rivaled Naruto. Over time, he earned the dignity of a God alongside Naruto.

Sasuke’s sole purpose was to destroy the imperfections and illusions, paving the way for beneficial change. His kind of destruction wasn’t arbitrary but constructive. He was thus seen both as good and evil and regarded as one who combines contradictory elements.

Naruto, unlike Sasuke, had a peaceful demeanor — being praised as God of Preservation — and nourished the world and its being. They worked in sync and ran the cycle of life — destroying the life which was futile and restoring a better life from the ashes.

Their ideologies were different, but they created a perfect balance. Naruto thrived on building bonds and made judgments with compassion, always forgiving and guiding misled souls. Sasuke, on the other hand, was more extreme — he always took an eye for an eye and a hand for a hand, but he wasn’t cruel. He wasn’t forgiving like Naruto either, and he claimed that his sense of judgement was always clearer. Sasuke despised Naruto’s philosophy. In his perspective, being enslaved to mere emotions would bring no good to the world.

Sasuke was pure consciousness, completely without pretension, never repetitive, always spontaneous, forever inventive, ceaselessly creative, and passionate about his actions.

One day, when Naruto and Sasuke were settling their arguments with a battle, Kakashi, a wise and mischievous messenger between Gods of Heaven and Kings of Earth, noticed how passionately Sasuke wielded his sword. The more Kakashi saw of Sasuke, the more he was in awe of him. His cunning mind bore a wish. He wanted to see how passionately this man could build bonds.

Kakashi knew Sasuke would be enraged if he approached him. Instead, he plotted a conspiracy. He went to The Creator himself — the one who created the world and appointed the protector and the destroyer. Hagoromo himself was amused by Kakashi’s proposal, but he watched Sasuke and saw the stillness surrounding him — the pain that Sasuke was unable to see himself. Hagoromo took pity and advised Kakashi to go to The Land of Fire.

Konohagakure, the capital of the Land of Fire, was prosperous and mighty, ruled by Queen Tsunade. The queen was strong willed and stubborn and feared no catastrophe. She had always been the one who harshly criticized Sasuke’s way of living and his actions.

Kakashi was a shrewd diplomat and knew he could never succeed in convincing the Queen to do what Hagoromo suggested, so he tricked her. He told her that The Creator himself wanted her beautiful kingdom to prosper more and had decided to present a gift to her. Tsunade was thrilled to know that, and the wise lady was unable to see behind Kakashi’s conspiracy.

A holy fire always burned at the heart of The Land of Fire. This fire was regarded pious because it had been burning since the beginning of civilization. The strongest of rains and harshest of winds were never able to extinguish the holy fire. The high raging flames were Tsunade’s pride and she believed no one, even The Gods themselves could demolish her Kingdom.

As promised, a beautiful adolescent girl emerged from that fire. As the girl descended from the altar, the mere touch of her soles made the earth more fertile, and her smile brought serenity.

People called her The New Goddess, and she was named Sakura. Her beauty was ethereal and her voice sweeter than honey. The shade of her eyes rivaled emerald and her hair was as graceful as cherry blossoms. Her laugh jingled with air as melodious as an angel's song. She possessed a heart brimming with compassion and love that melted even the coldest of hearts.

Tsunade, a fierce and strong tempered woman, developed a motherly instinct towards her. Sakura churned out love from the depths of the heart of the warrior queen. Tsunade found peace in Sakura’s presence and loved doing mundane things with her. Tsunade treated Sakura like her own daughter and doted on her.

As years passed by, Sakura bloomed, and she mastered everything Tsunade had taught her. Tsunade was elated and boasted that she would make her a warrior and queen like herself.

Tsunade didn’t trust many people around Sakura. She considered Sakura a precious entity and kept her hidden from the eyes of the unknown and evil. However, Kakashi was neither unknown nor evil, and thus he met Sakura routinely and helped her with her growing loneliness.

“What does freedom feel like?” she had asked Kakashi one day while her eyes drifted out from her windows, trying to see the boundaries of the Konoha.

Kakashi knew what she was talking about, but he remained silent, finding the best possible way to introduce her to the character for whom he had conspired everything.

“I want to see what’s outside those big gates.”

Sakura looked towards Kakashi, expecting an answer, and added, her voice fading, “And know more people.”

Tsunade had told her that she was destined to be the queen of this land, and so she couldn’t befriend anybody she wanted.

Kakashi silently mocked the situation. A goddess boon for a kingdom, bane for herself.

“Do you want to meet someone who can show you the real essence of freedom?”

Sakura nodded, her green eyes sparkling with eagerness.

Kakashi’s eyes crinkled at her innocence — how prophecy was working in the background, without her knowledge.

“There’s one problem though.” Kakashi rubbed his chin, squinting his eyes.

Sakura gave him a questioning look, and Kakashi said in a hushed, secretive voice, “He doesn’t like meeting anybody.”

“Huh? But why?” Sakura demanded, her voice two octaves higher than Kakashi’s.

Kakashi laughed at her innocence again.

“Oh! Tell me, where can I meet him? And would mother allow me?” she asked hopefully, fidgeting with the laces of her gown.

Kakashi’s relaxed face became serious. However, he knew how to outsmart the legendary Queen herself.

“Well, you have to go to Shikkotsu Forest.”

Sakura looked bewildered, as she had never heard of the place before.

“You don’t know where it is, do you?” Kakashi asked, and Sakura shook her head with a frown.

“Don’t worry. I’ll escort you there.” Kakashi smiled softly to her, but before Sakura could run down to tell Tsunade about her adventure, Kakashi interrupted. “However, don’t tell The Queen that you are going to meet someone. You know right? The Queen doesn’t like that.”

Sakura nodded again, saddened by the fact that she had to lie, but the thrill of the impending adventure washed away her guilt.

Kakashi then convinced Tsunade to follow his plan by pointing out that Katsuyu, the slug from Shikkotsu forest, had always served the Queen and for Sakura to succeed her throne in the future, she must know Katsuyu and Shikkotsu woods. Tsunade was convinced and, although unwillingly, gave her permission.

Dressed in the attire of a warrior and saddled upon a horse, she waved goodbye to her mother and the kingdom. The horse kicked the ground and started running at full speed, and Sakura wondered why she hadn’t thought of exploring outside the high walls of the palace before. She had always thought Konoha was a paradise, but as she crossed mile after mile, she realised the world outside Konoha was much more chaotic and beautiful.

Sometimes they slowed down, and the horses lazily strolled while she and Kakashi chatted. Kakashi would tell her about the magical slug Katsuyu and how she would be going to live in the wilderness. She also learned a little more about the man she was going to meet.

He is the embodiment of stillness and energy both, she had remembered Kakashi saying. His face carried a calm and stoic expression while inside he was chaotic and frightful. He remained still and unmoving when he reflected on his purpose, and yet he moved with a lightning speed when he executed his actions.

His stillness and energy both intrigued Sakura more. She had never felt so lively before, and as she reached closer to Shikkotsu forest, she couldn’t wait more to taste how it felt — how freedom looked like.

Almost a year passed, and Sakura had accepted Shikkotsu woods as her new home. Her silky hair grew longer and unruly, and she tied it up in a messy knot. The dresses she had brought with herself were old and torn, and she learned how to sew them. She spent hours after hours collecting food and grew more petite. What didn’t change was her radiant beauty and the mesmerizing smile that never left her lips.

She remembered her mother’s command clearly:

Learn healing magic from Katsuyu. When you become The Queen, it will benefit the people of the Kingdom.

Sakura never strayed from her routine with Katsuyu, gaining knowledge about the secrets of magical power that the slug possessed.

After that, she spent most of her time sitting on the wooden branches of a tree, looking towards the entrance of the forest. Sometimes she swung her legs in impatience, sometimes disappointment took over, and sometimes she mulled over her decision to leave the kingdom. She had waited for almost two years now and sadness took over her face when she realised the day wasn’t far when her mother would send an army to escort her back.

Although a goddess who could do wonders waited for a man and her destiny.

When Kakashi had informed him that a certain intruder had invaded Shikkostu woods, Sasuke had scoffed when he found a frail lady roaming through the forest.

“What possible harm could she cause?” he’d said.

Kakashi chuckled under his breath.

Unless cold-blooded God knew, she had the capability to destroy his ultimate defense of indifference.

Sasuke became curious and went to Shikkotsu forest to know what a princess was doing there. When he arrived, he found no trace of her and thought she had left. He was about to leave, when he heard a rustling sound behind him. He turned, sighing that the intruder hadn’t left. Before he could say anything, the same fragile lady had already released an arrow from the bow.

He hadn’t expected much, but even less had he expected to meet her in the middle of Shikkotsu forest with blood dripping out from his chest where her arrow had pierced him. A pair of perplexed green eyes pierced his onyx while he struggled to stand straight but failed and stumbled to the ground.

Sakura didn’t realise she had shot the man she had been waiting for instead of some intruder until she took a minute to tally the features that Kakashi had supplied her with. Chiseled jawline, one visible onyx eye and another hidden under his raven locks, a face that was sharp as blade, and an expression hard as rock. The visible anger in his eye and the scowl that marred his face was undeniably attractive.

Sakura rushed towards him, bracing him in her arms. She could feel his ragged breathing tickling on her shoulders as he mumbled, “Sakura?”

Her eyes widened, but before she could brace herself for the next blow, she spoke out, “I’ve been waiting for you, Sasuke.”

She was bewildered, and he was unconscious. She stayed still, contemplating the situation. They were meeting for the first time. They’d never known each other, and they didn't know each other’s name, yet how smoothly their names rolled out of each other tongues.

When Sasuke gained consciousness, he saw a mop of messy pink hair. Although he felt his blood boiling because never in his whole life had he been knocked unconscious, but the presence of the woman whose back he could see pacified him. He didn’t know how, but it did. His throat was dry and his lips felt chapped, and he coughed, notifying his intruder that he was awake.

Sakura turned towards her intruder, getting off from her place where she was crushing and mixing some herbs with a mortar and pestle. She offered him water and apologised for earlier. Sasuke’s sour expression told her that her apology wasn’t accepted. She sighed, berating herself for the mistake. She had shot the man she had been waiting for.

How was she supposed to fix this?

Her fingers trembled as she layered herbs on his wound. She could feel his heart beating, and it felt oddly familiar — like she was well versed with the rhythm.

“How do you know my name?” She broke the silence.

Sasuke gave her a confused look, and then it dawned upon him that he had never met her before. He was speechless, somewhat unable to explain and somewhat lost in her eyes. What was happening to him? Whenever he looked into those deep green abysses, he felt he was losing, and for the first time ever, it felt good.

One day while Sakura was nursing him, she shared with him the prophecy she’d been told, ignoring his gruff and uninterested look. Sasuke walked away from her, stating he had been alone since birth and intended to be that way. He tried to sneak out, but Sakura demanded that he should stay until he was healed. He didn’t want to comply because he never had to anyone, but somehow the concern in her face made him. It felt good — someone worried for him — someone taking care of him.

He later regretted his decision when Sakura became too comfortable with him.

He was on his side trying to get some sleep when Sakura asked him out of nowhere, “What does freedom feel like?”

He glared at her, irritated she had interrupted his sweet sleep.

Next when she was coaxing him to eat something, and Sasuke sat there looking outside at the falling rain without responding to her tantrums, Sakura huffed in anger, “Why don’t you at least talk?”

He couldn’t explain what he had felt when he saw her sleeping face under the moonlight. It felt like anesthesia — lulling his senses — sending him to a deeper state of peacefulness. All the years of fighting, slaying and punishing wrong-doers started to feel futile. He snuck out of the forest that night because he knew he would be destroyed if he stayed with her any longer.

Prophecy was working in the background, and something unexpected happened. He found himself again at Shikkotsu forest with, finding way back to Sakura.

“Welcome back.”

When he found Sakura smiling back at him — smiling for him — he felt he had made the right decision to return

He was fishing for lunch while Sakura sat beside him, gazing at the floating clouds. She asked, breaking the silence, “Does freedom feel like this? Being you and doing all you want.”

He turned towards her, and noticed a wistful smile playing on her lips and offered, “I will show you, if you come with me.”

Every god and demigod was astonished. They have never seen Sasuke, the lone wanderer, indulging in life, bonds, or attachments. Kakashi sipped wine while watching Sasuke fall passionately in love.

The news spread like fire, and it didn’t take much time to reach Tsunade’s ears. She was infuriated and commanded her army to drag Sakura back. Before Sakura could explain the unexplainable bond that had developed between them, Tsunade lashed out at her. She criticized both Sakura’s decision and the man who she had given her heart. Sakura was put under watch, locked up in a room as punishment for her actions.

Perhaps punishing her for the fate that she carried from the day when she was born.

The decision was hers — to be caged and become The Queen or to flee and embrace freedom.

She chose the latter. Chose the path that the prophecy had led her to. Chose the stranger who had tugged the strings of her heart.

In the darkness of night as the horse galloped, Sakura looked back for the last time, and the kingdom disappeared on the horizon with a new life waiting for her.

She had everything, yet she had felt empty. When she abandoned everything, she felt complete.

When Sakura stepped into their new abode, she found piles of snow and chilly winds blowing around. She had spent part of her life under warm sunshine and the royal ceiling. For a princess, it was difficult to adjust, but alongside all adversities, there was unadulterated love — love that had lifted the weight of expectations of royal duties from her shoulders. She felt like home, the feeling Konoha couldn’t give her.

Now she spent her days carelessly. Some days she would rest her head on his shoulder and look at the horizon as far as her eyes would allow. Some days they would travel, disguising themselves as commoners. And at those moments, she took liberty of her newfound freedom — forgetting she was a goddess — and mingled with people of unknown places.

And Sasuke let her be random and spontaneous — like him.

Perhaps this was the freedom she yearned for and had searched all over these years. Sasuke didn’t teach her how to live. Instead, his presence influenced her. She would sit silently and watch with awe when he stayed still and meditated or practiced with his sword.

The one who never knew the meaning of home had made a home at the top of The Three Wolves Mountain. Sasuke, who hadn’t known feelings, started feeling multitudes of emotions. Love and companionship were the words he had despised, but now he could understand why his counterpart, Naruto, bragged about them. Sakura made his existence meaningful, showing him beauty in the things he had often dismissed.

Her presence never became a chain for him, and she never overstepped her boundaries or meddled with Sasuke’s work. He still had a clear view of judgement, with a pinch of compassion that he had learned from her. He hadn’t shed his furious demeanor, but he reconsidered his motives before acting.

Sasuke as the world knew him had untamed passion, which led him to be extreme in behaviour. Sometimes he was an ascetic — abstaining from worldly pleasure. At others he was a hedonist — indulging every bit in marital bliss.

Living with Sakura brought him balance.

****

Part II

“Don’t you understand? You’re the future Queen. You can’t fall in love with someone who has nothing and is a lunatic murderer.”

Tsunade’s blood had been boiling with anger when she learned about the prophecy that had been crafted right under her nose. She had believed that her daughter was innocent, and it was just a filthy trick that Kakashi was playing on her until she had heard Sakura pleading.

“Please let me go.”

Honey-colored eyes filled with anger and hurt glanced towards Sakura.

Sakura spoke again, albeit afraid of Tsunade. After that, Tsunade didn't lock Sakura away. She wanted to test Sakura’s resolve — test her loyalty and love towards her and Konoha.

The next morning she was greeted with the news that the princess had eloped.

If she wanted to, she could have hunted her down, but Tsunade clearly remembered Sakura’s final words from their last conversation.

“I want to live with Sasuke… I don’t want to live here anymore.”

Although she allowed Sakura to become part of Sasuke’s life, she never accepted them, and she could never forget the sting of Sakura’s words. She hated Sasuke more for taking Sakura away from her.

After some years had passed, Tsunade decided to hold a festival in the honor of the good harvest that had sprouted from the Land of Fire. She invited every god and demigod, every lord across the nation, even the commoners and beggars. She wanted to share the happiness that she had lost after she had last seen her daughter. She couldn’t lie to herself that she still loved Sakura dearly, although she had disowned her from her heart and cared less about her whereabouts.

That’s the price Sakura would pay, she thought, because everyone was welcomed, except Sasuke and Sakura.

While Sakura and Sasuke were enjoying their routine of sitting together in silence, Sakura noticed a lot of traffic — the finest of chariots, all the lords, gods and goddesses going somewhere dressed immaculately.

Sasuke noticed she was distracted by the commotion. He knew exactly what was happening and where all of them were going, but he said nothing.

Sakura couldn’t hold back her curiosity and she asked, “What is this? Where is everyone going?”

“It doesn’t matter. We don’t need to go where they are going,” Sasuke replied, ignoring her.

Sakura knew the roads the others traveled led towards her old home. She became more restless, and she asked Sasuke again, “It seems like everyone is going to Konoha. Is something happening there?”

“Don’t bother yourself. We are fine here,” Sasuke replied curtly.

Seeing Sakura disappointed, he finally let out his biggest insecurity, “Are you unhappy here?”

“No, I’m happy here,” Sakura smiled, giving up on her curiosity.

The next day when she saw the same, she didn’t pester Sasuke again. Instead she stopped one of the chariots and asked them, “Where are you all going?”

They replied, “Don’t you know? There’s a big festival in Konoha, and your mother has invited all of us. Are you not coming?”

She felt totally lost when she came to know that she and her husband had not been invited. She felt disgraced and humiliated. She thought it wasn’t fair to her and Sasuke.

She was deeply bothered by this and decided, “I am going to my mother. Why did she do this?”

Sasuke said, “It doesn’t matter to me. Why are you getting worked up? We are fine here. Why should we go to the festival?”

Sakura was so insulted that she wasn’t invited that she didn’t want to listen to anything. Although she knew she had fled from the Kingdom without her mother's permission, she was sure Tsunade still loved her like she loved Tsunade.

She argued, “No, I have to go. There must be some kind of mistake. Maybe the invitation was lost. How can she not invite you and me? I am her daughter.”

Sasuke reasoned, “You left her for me. I don’t see anything unusual in not inviting you.”

Sakura stomped out of their abode infuriated, “My mother isn’t like that. I am sure she wouldn’t do this.”

Sasuke knew there was no point in arguing so he sent his most faithful snake Aoda as escort and pleaded with her not to provoke any incident.

When Sakura reached the huge gates of Konoha, she didn’t find any resistance, but the old familiar people were cold and inhospitable. She ordered Aoda to stay outside, and she walked towards the palace. She was trying to respond to the odd vibes that people were giving her by smiling at everyone while she made her way to her mother. The place and the people seemed to be changed, or was she changed? Perhaps Sasuke was right, but she was too stubborn to accept that. She ignored all the cold glares and mocking tones and went into the palace, still believing that there was some kind of a mistake.

“Mother,” Sakura greeted and bowed when she found Tsunade.

“Mother?” Tsunade spat back. Tsunade was furious. She never thought Sakura would have the audacity to show her face again and to call her mother.

“My daughter died the day when she turned her back on the Kingdom.”

Sakura was on the verge of crying out, because Tsunade made it clear that Sasuke’s words were the truth. She wanted to leave, but she didn’t. She wanted to know why Tsunade had always despised Sasuke. Why he himself, being a God, was not acknowledged by The Queen.

She asked Tsunade, holding back her tears, “How can you not invite Sasuke?”

Tsunade abused Sasuke in every possible way, and she added, “I will never have him step into my Kingdom.”

She could swallow her own pride and could take more insults, but she couldn’t stand more to her mother dishonoring Sasuke. Soon they were in the midst of a heated argument, and every passing moment made it clearer to Sakura that her mother was entirely incapable of appreciating the many excellent qualities that her husband possessed. She was consumed by rage against her mother and loathed her mentality.

The realization then came to her that this abuse was being heaped on Sasuke more only because he had wed her. She was the cause of dishonor to her husband. She was so crestfallen that her love had brought more hatred for Sasuke. Sasuke gave her love, yet she had brought him disgrace.

She was shaking with raw anger, tears welling out of her green eyes. She wanted others to acknowledge Sasuke like she did — pure and gentle behind his facade. She thought with her life she could show that to the world.

She didn’t want to be there, but neither did she want to go back to The Three Wolves Mountain. She walked towards the fire from where she was born. She didn’t want to live a life where her love bore hatred to Sasuke. Calling up a prayer, that in future birth, to be born in a house where Sasuke was respected, Sakura invoked divine powers and burned herself.

If she had to die and take birth again to restore his honor, she would die million times.

When Aoda came back and told him about what had happened in Konoha, Sasuke sat still for a certain period. He felt all the happiness, all the colors that Sakura brought with her fading — he felt his sanity leaving. How could he let Sakura go? How dare she do such a thing?

Sakura had given him love and a home — things that were unknown to him. How dare she leave for such an insignificant reason? She was his pride and honor, and he didn’t need any appreciation from others. How could she have misunderstood that? He didn’t need the pride which took her away from him. Thus he shed his sanity that was straining him to wreak havoc — he became fire. For the first time, he became disillusioned and decided to take revenge on the innocents.

Burning with incomparable rage, he used the mighty powers of his eyes and burned the whole kingdom using Amaterasu. They had provoked her to burn herself, hence he watched everyone and everything that had snatched his wife from him burn.

When the flames inside him and of Amaterasu had subsided, he realised how ungodly he had acted. He let his emotions rule over his actions, but hadn’t he given in to his emotions since he had met Sakura? Maybe he had always despised emotions, because he was afraid he would get drowned in them and could never manage to reach the shore again.

His work was to destroy the elements that couldn't be fixed. He was broken and his emotions were far from repairable. After the throes of romance, death and grief, he decided to destroy the emotions that had been born in him because of Sakura.

He had loved Sakura more than any and would never love after her.

He had allowed himself the luxury once and when it was over, he came out of it and went into an indifferent state again. He went into meditation for many years, deeply upset over the death of his wife, ignoring all his duties.

****

Every destruction acted as a progenitor. Within the barren and burned hectares of the Land of Fire, a small village was born after many years. The village was always covered in spring blossoms, and the people were merry, carefree, and had a profound belief in Gods and their power. They revered Sasuke most, considering him the progenitor of beginning that had given a chance to sow over barren land and produce bountifully. They were hard workers, but humble enough to believe in the grace of Gods.

Sasuke, unaware of the fact, still meditated, grieving for his wife. Still unaware that his beloved had already taken birth again...

Sakura was reborn as a human — the daughter of Kizashi, the leader of Haruno tribe and his wife, Mebuki. This time, Sakura, as she had wished, was born to a family where Sasuke was worshiped ardently.

Sakura, unaware of her past, the prophecy, and the tragedy grew into a beautiful woman. Many lords asked her for marriage, but she always denied them. She always had an innate feeling that someone already had taken her heart, but she didn’t know who.

When Kakashi came to know that the goddess had lost the memories of her previous birth, he appeared in front of her parents. Regretting the path he had taken last time, he confronted her parents about her previous birth, the prophecy, and the fate that linked Sasuke and their daughter.

Kizashi and Mebuki were overwhelmed with joy after knowing this. However, Sakura was skeptical about it and questioned Kakashi.

“Go to Shikkotsu Forest. The answers to all your questions lie there,” Kakashi advised.

Sakura, with her parents’ permission, went to Shikkotsu forest, and as she spent days under the canopy where she had found her freedom once, she learned from Katsuyu to whom her heart belonged.

The moment when she remembered all about her past, she grew restless. At once she left for The Three Wolves Mountain — Sasuke’s home — their home. When she reached there, she found Sasuke lost in meditation.

Years passed, but she waited for Sasuke to open his eyes and to look at her and realize that she was there — as promised.

But Sasuke was deeply lost.

Although a human this time, Sakura was still stubborn.

She sat there in spite of the bitter chilly winds that rattled her bones. She didn’t move an inch to gather food even though her stomach hurt from hunger. She didn’t blink her eyes in spite of how much they threatened to close because of exhaustion.

Perhaps love was invincible — the strongest force that again moved the coldest heart.

Sasuke opened his eyes after many uncountable years. Something that he couldn’t pinpoint had stirred him out of his deep state. He rose in fury. How could anyone dare do that? Wasn’t tricking him once enough?

He swore he would see the death of the person who had disturbed him. He walked outside to see a lady whose head and shoulders were covered with snow, shivering.

His brows knitted in irritation because no one had stepped in The Three Wolves Mountain except Sakura.

The lady straightened herself, feeling his presence. Sasuke wasn’t ready to listen to any of her justifications.

Because no had stepped in their abode except Sakura, and no one would.

****

Although he was elated to see her again, what Sakura has done was unforgivable. Sasuke was bewildered. All these years of abandoning his emotions fell away when he felt a surge of love and hatred, fear and longing, hurt and comfort coursed through him.

“I’m sorry, but I didn’t want to live with regrets and guilt earlier,” Sakura confessed to him, filling up the details of the past.

He realised the diamond mark on her forehead was gone. She was still beautiful and the smile he had longed to see was still graceful. Undoubtedly, she was Sakura, his wife. She was no longer a goddess though. She had sacrificed her divine powers for him.

He was scared to lose her again. He didn’t want to believe in the prophecy that had once taken Sakura away from her, but he listened peacefully to everything.

“This time will be different. Trust me, I'm not leaving you anywhere,” Sakura smiled, and assured Sasuke.

Who was Sasuke to defy her plea? Their love was weaved in the form of prophecy which defied cycles of lifes and deaths. No matter how far they go, they are bound to be together at the end.

#fantasysasusaku #SasuSaku #sasusaku fic #sakura haruno #naruto shippuden #day 6 #soulmate #prophecy #reincarnation #SasuSaku Fantasy AU

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emilyprentissslut · 2 years

Note

For the astrology ask game:

Sun, moon, mercury, venus, pluto, uranus, gemini, taurus, sagittarius, 1H, 2H, 3H, & 9H

😎😎

sun- 5 things i like abt myself…. hmm. i like that im creative, i like that im very involved in pop culture lol. i really like my ass, i have a nice ass. and more recently, my tits be looking good. lastly i like that im gay, can’t imagine being straight

moon- i used to for a long time. suppressing my feelings used to destroy me. now i go on drives and blast music, that’s my therapy now.

mercury- i’m an extremely talkative person. you have to physically shut me up.

venus- i don’t think i have a type tbh, just don’t disrespect human rights and we won’t have a problem

pluto- i don’t think anything supernatural has ever happened to me

uranus- i could go on a long, long rant abt what could change in society. for american society, cops are the bane of our society. defund and reform. even then, this country is sickingly systematically racist. also capitalism is gross and doesn’t work lol. i will stop here before i get too controversial

gemini- my sister and i don’t have a good relationship. i’m really not interested in repairing that rn

taurus- my fav food is canes, with extra canes sauce <3

sagittarius- italy, i want to travel to italy so bad. also def europe in general. i hate usa <3

1h- i would consider my style “crystal lesbian”, with undertones of “chapstick lesbian”. i’m either in mom jeans with air forces or converse, or sweatpants and a bra. no in between.

2h- any object i like too much…… my squishmallow, jen barkley jr. i really cannot sleep without her lol

3h- i can talk your ear off abt movies <33

9h- i know spanish nearly fluently, and i can understand some italian, but i wanna learn more italian

i over shared lol

#monique speaks

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theothervonkarmagirl · 3 years

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High School AU!

I was thinking about this today. As always, if anyone wants to explore this just hmu!

Headcanons for both muses under the cut!

Maria

Classic Mean Girl trope. Hangs around with beautiful but cold-hearted girls that walk the mile in gym. Is second-in-command in their group.

She has to over-compensate because she can’t go to parties as often as they do and has to sneak around MVK to do anything.

Puts on makeup (that she shoplifts) and rolls her skirt up once she comes to school.

One time Miles, a middle schooler, came to her school on a class visit and saw her looking like that and she had to bribe him into silence.

Star debater and gets straight A’s so that MVK lets her come home. She wants to join the drama club but her dad won’t let her.

Flirting is a hobby. She’s never had a serious boyfriend.

She is taking a creative writing class and absolutely loves it. She’s won an award for one of her pieces.

French is her other favorite subject because she is absolutely in love with her French teacher, who is so understanding and sooooo hot! Unfortunately, he plans to capitalize on that.

Clara

The daughter of Maria, a prosecutor, and Leo, a botanist. Younger sister of Forrest, a popular brolita model/amateur fashion designer.

(Alternatively, they’re still royals but like, figurehead royals that don’t have real power and just live like rich people)

She was bullied in elementary school so she’s kind of scared of people. She started tutoring as a way to remedy it.

A smart cookie. Taking all AP classes.

Excels at science courses but gym and speech classes are the bane of her existence.

She can’t decide if she wants to be a vet or a conservationist.

Volunteers at an animal shelter on the weekends and is very passionate about it.

Cannot have a crush on a normal boy for the life of her. It worries her family.

#aaah. idk. this would be nice!#;je suis...#;clara

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rebelsofshield · 4 years

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Star Wars: The Clone Wars: Stories of Light and Dark- Review

One incredible story is not enough to make this mostly uninspired Clone Wars themed anthology worth picking up.

(Review contains minor spoilers)

It’s been a big year for The Clone Wars. Twelve years after the cult favorite animated series started, it finally came to a conclusion earlier this spring on Disney+. Lucasfilm Publishing smartly capitalized off the hype for this long awaited finale with an anthology comic series released through IDW Publishing and a young reader collection of short fiction, Star Wars: The Clone Wars Stories of Light and Dark.

On paper, the idea of a collection of short stories centered on the heroes and villains of The Clone Wars sounds incredible. I personally love short stories and From A Certain Point of View was maybe the most creative Star Wars book of the last decade. (I can’t wait for its sequel this November.) The talent assembled for this project is similarly impressive. You have veteran Star Wars writers like Jason Fry, Zoraida Cordova, and Rebecca Roanhorse alongside standout science fiction and fantasy writers such as Yoon Ha Lee and young adult stars like Sarah Beth Durst and Preeti Chhibber .

It’s disappointing then that Star Wars: The Clone Wars Stories of Light and Dark feels like a mostly phoned in endeavor. The editorial decision to make each story a retelling of an existing episode of the television series does a lot to hamper creativity to begin with. Rather than finding new tales to tell with these iconic and beloved characters, the writing talent assembled is forced to recant existing narratives and hopefully inject some life into them in the process.

The level of creativity in tackling this limiting editorial decision varies from writer to writer. Lou Anders, Tom Angleberger, and Rebecca Roanhorse opt to tell their stories in the voice of their characters through smart uses of first person point of view. Anders manages to inject his take on “Dooku Captured” and “The Gungan General” with the indignant haughtiness that made the series’ take on the Count Dooku so fun. Angleberger and Roanhorse have their characters (Bane and Maul respectively) recount their stories to another character and it’s fun just seeing the inner monologues of these different villains.

Others opt for more direct rewriting of their assigned episodes. These by and large make up the more boring or frustrating reads. While Jason Fry manages to turn “Ambush” into a discussion of Yoda’s relationship to the Force in wartime and Greg van Eekhout peppers in new bits of dialogue into the already jampacked “The Lawless,” most of these revisitings are unimpressive. The most frustrating proves to be Yoon Ha Lee’s take on season four’s incredible Umbara arc. Lee is a talented writer of military focused science fiction so his taking on this story makes perfect sense, but “The Shadow of Umbara” can’t help but feel phoned in. It feels less like an adaptation but instead a heavily truncated transcription of four episodes of content. The complex character dynamics are stripped down. The emotions are lost. The horrors of war are nonpresent. It’s beyond disappointing.

The most inspired take of the collection comes from Sarah Beth Durst who reorients the point of view of season five’s “Young Jedi” arc to Katooni. Katooni was already a standout character in this story and getting to step into this fledgling Jedi’s thoughts and really get to understand her fears, hopes, and insecurities adds a nice flair to the narrative. There’s also just a certain joy in seeing the next generation of Jedi in awe of Ahsoka. Very relatable.

It’s a bizarre product and it leaves you wondering who exactly this collection was targeted to. The stories feels so disparate and also dependent on the continuity of the series to make sense for a new reader and fans of the show are unlikely to get much out of this book due to the familiarity of the source material.

And then there is “Bug.” The final story in this collection is somehow a must read despite it all. E. Anne Convery spins an original Star Wars fairy tale out of the traumatic aftermath of “Massacre.” Centered on a nameless young girl forced to work for her abusive innkeep parents on a backwater planet, “Bug” feels instantly compelling in its deft weaving of familiar fantasy tropes with Star Wars back droppings. When a strange old woman arrives fleeing the war, our protagonist’s world begins to expand and strange magic seems to spill from every corner. Convery writers her Dathomiran visitor with the right amount of wonder and fear and she feels right at home alongside any number of fairy tale witches and sorceresses. “Bug” proves to be an incredibly enjoyable genre play but also a blast of a story in its own right. It feels like the kind of bedtime tale you could read to an adventurous child at night and it hints to a larger world just outside its doorstep.

It’s a shame then that I have trouble recommending paying for a $17.99 book just for one stellar short story. If the entire collection had showcased the same level of freedom and creativity as its final piece this may have been something really special. But unfortunately, what we are left with is a mostly forgettable collection with one diamond in the rough. I guess I have to wait until FACPOV in November after all.

Score: C

#Star Wars #Star Wars books #review #reviews #The Clone Wars #Star Wars: The Clone Wars #Clone Wars #Lou Anders #Preeti Chhibber #zoraida cordov #Jason Fry #Rebecca Roanhorse #Greg van Eekhout #Anne Ursu #Yoon Ha Lee #Tom Angleberger #Sarah Beth Durst #E. Anne Convery #Zoraida Cordova

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thegospelaradia · 4 years

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Crystal Matrix Basics

Hello my witches, baby witches, aspiring spell casters, students of the occult, and seasoned shamans alike! I'm coming at you today with a brand new entry in my special series on intermediate to advanced sorcery. I'll try to keep updating this blog on at least a weekly basis - if not more often. But, I'm only an interdimensional multifaceted galaxian xenine quantum manipulation nexus in a human body, after all!

Crystal matrices are a component of a much larger school of magic, and one that I always enjoy teaching: the art of WARDING!

To ward means to guard or protect. We do this in the most basic sense a lot of different ways. Someone making the sign of the cross, spitting upon seeing a bad omen, casting a circle of salt, amulets, talismans, gris gris bags, a chicken's foot, eleke beads, a pocket full of iron nails - these behaviors all have one thing in common: they're wards.

My Catholic mother rarely makes the sign outside of church, but when she does? It's a whole production. Spitting to her left and right as she crosses herself, raising her eyes to the sky, and muttering what I imagine is the Hail Mary. There's a rarity to it, because of the severity to it. My mom is in the habit of crossing fingers and knocking wood, and there's always a crucifix around her neck. That, combined with her morning and evening prayers, is typically enough to keep her feeling "warded" all day.

All cultures have their own warding rituals, and it's very likely there is a specific tradition (I find "superstition" racist and colonial) from your own family's culture. If there is? Use it. The magic of your ancestral lineage is always going to be more powerful than a spell you find online.

I've gotten a bit off track, but it's important to realize that all people, from all cultures, and from all walks of life perform some manner of warding magic.

Now, the working we'll be learning today is a bit more complex than the sign of the cross, but as a witch I believe we have more complicated needs when it comes to magickal protection.

Whenever we create sacred space in a traditional manner or cast a Wiccan circle, it's important to remember that these practices are fundamentally seperate from warding spells. A magic circle is a space in which to raise and contain energy in a cone of power. They are NOT circles of protection. No matter how deeply you are embraced by the magick, there is very little chance that a circle of salt is going to "protect" you. That's why we have banishing spells after our rituals.

Why is it important to have this in mind? In my practice, demons and spirits are what we make of them. All demonolators know that just as one might work with the Greek and/or Roman gods - for example - demons can also be part of your pantheon. Not even a very accomplished Magus could cast a warding spell to keep out Diana or Bacchus, and the same goes for demons. At best, a magical circle keeps out all the negative "vibes" that we're increasingly bombarded with.

I have a labyrinth of selenite as a permanent part of my altar - they're great at absorbing EMF and negative energy, and I keep them front and center for just that reason. But, back to demo

Demons are the gods that Christianity tried to eliminate. There's really not much to be afraid of where they are concerned. Working with demons is something best attempted by shadow magi (those who have integrated their shadow selves) but again - I'm not teaching wards that stop demons, angels, or gods. Do you really think Belial or Leviathan can be bothered to pay you personally a visit?

A fear of demons is a Christian concept. The word originally (the Greek Daimon) was a sort of guardian spirit everyone is born with. The Devil isn't the source of all evil (that's capitalism) and demons aren't in shadows waiting to ruin your life. Few things are.

Now, let's get to the magick!

With those disclaimers and background out of the way - let's talk crystal matrix warding!

For this enchantment, you will need:

Palo Santo, Agua Florida, Holy Water, Black Salt, Yerba Santa, or any other purification medicine. (Remember: white sage is over farmed and culturally specific.)

A magic broom / a bundle of tree leaves, esp. from the druid sacred trees.

Copal, sandalwood, cedar, francincense, myrrh, or your preferred incense.

4 quartz points*

A small table

Incense holder

Wand

Athame

Optional: an equal number stones of various types.

Optional: an orgone pyramid, a large piece of vanondanite, a meteor, or a large free-standing piece of selenite/himalayan pink salt

*as these are the only requisite stones, and will be doing the brunt of the work in the spell, choose 4 crystals that are at least 1.5 to 2 inches and well shaped for the task (jamming into the corners of your room).

Personally, I'm not a huge fan of spells that come with long lists like wedding registries. Brujería on a budget is my favorite kind of magic. That said, you should always have purification medicine (I can't ever remember NOT having a bottle of Agua Florida), at least one sacred incense (Nag Champa is a great substitute), and some kind of ritual tool (don't have a wand made of elk horn, emerald, and gold? Enchant a kitchen knife or paint brush. Consecrate a Sailor Moon wand replica. Go outside a stick, hold it up, and shout "this is my magic stick!". You really don't need to drop a lot of cash on this.

Oh, and a magic broom.

Seriously.

Your broom needs to be functional but sole-use. Using the same broom to sweep the kitchen and then your sacred space? It almost cancels out. A magic broom must have a single purpose - to sweep away negative energy.

Your magic broom doesn't have to be fancy. You need not buy a hundred dollar bundle of twigs from Etsy (you can though, if you want). In a pinch, buy a hand broom (not that comfortable) or a regulation size broom from a home goods store.

TBH? I just finished my masters degree so I've had to get very creative with my spell ingredients. Rather than go make an Ikea trip to find a nice witch broom, I gathered a few thin branches from a cedar tree. I've also - when they were blooming - used stems of my yerba santa and basil plants. These work best with holy water, but consecrating is a breeze. Find what you have on hand and use that - don't blow all your money on magic.

OK, now down to the actual spell! Let's go through it step by step.

First, cleanse and purify the room you want to ward. Using either a standard broom or a bundle of herbs dipped in holy water, sweep or swish from the center out - widdershins.

Light your incense in the center of the room. Sit in front of the censer and enter into a state of contemplation. Slow your thoughts. Follow your breath.

If you work with deities, divinities, demons, orishas, etc. - invoke their power.

With a clear mind, close your eyes and begin to meditate on safety - set your intention: "harmful forces: be this your bane. Go ye back from whence you came." Your intention is to block negative energy - not spirits. Most supernatural beings are indifferent to you.

Walking clockwise around your room, place into each corner a quartz point. Whisper into the stone your wish - that no negative energy will enter.

Once you've placed all four crystals, take your athame in hand. If you have a compass, locate the NE or E crystal. Check that the crystal is secure (I shoved mine in the wall cracks) and then touch it with the tip of your athame/tool.

Here you'll need to utilize your visualization skills. Using your athame/tool, draw a line of energy (gold, white, or blue are good choices to envision) from the first crystal to the next.

Repeat this process until you return to the first crystal. You will have a line of magical light running along the wall and around the bottom of your entire room.

Starting at the first crystal, raise a line of magick up to the ceiling. Repeat the previous process.

When you are done, (you should be going up, across, down, back up, across) you will be in a cube (or irregular polygon) of magical energy. Focus on the crystals as you move.

Sit for a moment in front of the censer and strengthen the visualization - you are sitting in an irregular polygon of energy.

With your wand, walk around clockwise from the first crystal. This is where your creative energy comes in - draw (like a light drawing) magickal and protective symbols as if on a wall that sits like skin atop the physical wall. Invent your own mantra to chant. "Ommmmmmm" works in a pinch.

Your room is now a cube or polygon of energy, covered on all sides with magical graffiti. These symbols will protect you. The crystals have become sentient guardians. Imagine, if you can, a spider web of runes and protective symbols stretching across it.

This is optional, and a bit labour intensive, but the next step would be to create a "generator" to "power" your warding. On a small table, lay out a cloth and place in the center a crystal pyramid, an orgone pyramid, or any other large power stone. Around it, either in an ordered or organic manner, place various small crystals.

Once you are confident with your "core," enter into as deep a meditative state as possible. Channel energy from above and below, push it into your core matrix, and then envision beams of the same magical energy from the central matrix to the other, larger one. In your mind's eye, see the energy swirling clockwise from the generator outwards. Your matrix is now powered by a crystal core.

For the next few days, meditate on your matrix and the core (if you built one) to reinforce the permanence of the ward.

It's easy to find crystal matrix cloths online - especially on Etsy. I use a Cube of Metatron crystal matrix cloth - because it's pretty. You can use anything, honestly. The energy and intent are what's important.

And that's pretty much it! Keep your matrix in mind as often as possible. Maintenance is importance so this spell isn't a one time deal. In addition to reinforcing the wards, it also will give you a good indication as to when the system needs to be recharged - from the core outward.

I know, I know; this is a lot. I just hope you haven't gotten too confused by what should have been "crystals in each corner and some more in the middle of the room."

Complicated and long as it may be, this spell has given me a peace I didn't know I could have. As someone with PTSD, feeling secure and safe anywhere is massive. And it isn't just me: everyone who comes into my space remarks on how safe and warm they feel in the matrix. As I said - forget demons and "evil" spirits. Once you're protected from the rampant negative energy radiating from your surroundings, you'll thank me.

And then there's my favorite protection charm - my Black Magic woman.

But that will have to wait until next time, my witches!

-Magus Aradia

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