#modal synthesis

[popbotmusic]

music i am making currently. not as i'm typing this but like its a project i worked on today. ykwim.

[thilkposting]

can anyone help me find a webpage?

It's an introduction to the principles of modal synthesis and it has a bunch of interactive examples in increasing complexity, where you can manipulate parameters of a basic modal synth to illustrate the principles outlined in the text.

the page looks really plain, just a white background with text, a few simple diagrams and the interactive modules. near the end there's a really cool example on making a sort of sci-fi alien sound.

[kairologia]

How to read a natal chart in 13 steps.

This is simplified guide geared towards beginners and people who want to transition to a more traditional approach when assessing a chart. There is no standard method of reading charts, this is simply the method I follow & find most comfortable. It’s a practical, methodical synthesis and just the right amount of intuitive.

Before I begin, I must mention that while assessing planetary conditions I personally verify the following factors — in this order: the sign, house, angularity, direction, whether a planet is direct or retrograde, sect (day vs night), hemisphere (1-6 vs 7-12), phase (morning vs evening, especially notable for venus & mercury), domicile lord (draw a disposition tree if needed), exaltation lord, triplicity lords, bound lord, decan lord, dodecatemoria, aspects to domicile lord if any, aspect to the ascendant if any, apsects to other planets, bonification conditions (i.e aspecting benefics, so supported by aspect), maltreatment conditions (aspected by malefics). This is important to remember because the term “conditions” will come up a lot.

Now onto the actual guide :

1. For starters, you should (assuming you don’t already) learn how to read a whole sign house circle chart. Table charts are nice as a gateway drug, but if you're somewhat serious about learning astrology this is an important transition to make. Once you do, put the chart you’re aiming to assess in front of you, then proceed further.

2. Determine the sect of the chart. This becomes an automatism once you’re used to looking at charts, but if you're not there yet — draw a line on the chart (or visualize said line) going from the degree of the ascendant to the degree of the descendant. If the sun is ABOVE that line — it’s a day chart, so of the day sect. If it’s BELOW that line — it’s a night chart, of the night sect.

3. Take a look at the ascendant. Take note of the rising sign, its modality, & its ruling planet. Does this chart have any 1st house planets? Also, remember to do a quick overview to pinpoint which planets are angular (as in, located in the 1/4/7/10th houses)

4. Track down the ascendant ruler. Check its house placement, condition (see above), and aspects (applying vs separating).

5. Track down the Sect Light. If it’s a day chart, the sect light is the Sun. If it’s a night chart, that would be the Moon. Assess the sect light’s condition (see above), aspects.

6. Check which houses are ruled by the Luminaries (Sun/Moon). The interpretation of the luminaries is intrinsic to the areas of life (Houses) they rule, in addition to their independent significations.

7. Check out the phase of moon at birth. The lunation phase is extremely important as it defines the dynamic between this individual’s luminaries.

8. Take a look at how Mercury is doing in said chart. Condition (see above)? Aspects? Morning or Evening star?

9. Take a look at the Benefic Of Sect & Malefic Out Of Sect (day: Jupiter/Mars, night: Venus/Saturn). Assess their condition (see above), aspects they make, etc. Regarding Venus: verify if she’s Morning or Evening star (if Venus is on the right of the Sun - Morning star, if it's on its left - Evening star). For the Malefic OOC, check if it is bonified by enclosure (i.e : Saturn or Mars are touched by a benefic (Venus/Jupiter) on each sides) — it’s a huge alleviating factor.

10. Then, assess the Benefic Out Of Sect & Malefic Of Sect (day: Venus/Saturn, night: Jupiter/Mars).

11. Then, take a global look seeking anything that may be of note. Stelliums, several retrograde planets, a Cazimi, Out Of Bounds planets, a void moon, etc.

12. Lastly, I go through each house individually. This is where the chart synthesis proper begins. In practice, I like to tell a story beginning from the 1st house & culminating in the 12th, while highlighting the thematics of each house as I go.

13. This is optional, but I like to take a look at annual and monthly profections to see which themes are presently highlighted/emphasized for the individual whose chart I’m looking at.

And we’re done.

Check pinned if you want to book with me!

[veronika-tserber]

Your Natal Signature Sign 🖋️ PT.1

The Signature sign (also called "synthetic") is the synthesis of the most dominant element/s and modality/ies in the chart. Sometimes, the signs are two or even more. If someone has two signature signs, we can analyze their behavior as a combination of the two, but if there are more, the signature is "ambiguous", which means that their personality is multi-dimensional and hard to pin down.

The Signature sign is important because it is like the zodiac sign of the entire chart, and it shows us the qualities of expression that come most naturally to us. However, they are usually the most apparent to people from our closest circle. Often, people choose a career path that corresponds to their signature sign(s).

Here is an easy way to calculate yours - click.

If you have more than one - read about both. If the Signature is AMBIGUOUS, you are quite the enigma 🙈 Keep in mind that sometimes the Signature turns out to be your Sun sign or among your inner planets. In that case, it won't be such a hidden part of you. At other times, the sign is nowhere to be seen among your inner and even outer planets, which makes discovering it that much more interesting.

♈ Aries Signature You feel at your best when you can lead and inspire others. You are a spontaneous, child-like spirit, and you love a good challenge! Ideally, your work allows you to be independent, as you don't like people bossing you around. Your creativity and enthusiasm are amazing, but your fuse burns out quickly if there isn't enough variety, stimulation, and problem-solving to keep you invested.

♉ Taurus Signature You feel at your best when your needs for material stability and security are met. You dislike sudden changes, and you are best suited for projects and environments where you can slowly, but surely make progress over a longer period of time. You are a lover of all things beautiful and harmonious, as well as the sensual pleasures in life. People in your life see you as a stable and "chill" individual that they can always lean on for support.

♊ Gemini Signature You feel at your best when you can communicate and connect with others. You crave intellectual stimulation and variety in your environment, and your loved ones view you as someone talkative, funny, and witty. Ideally, your job allows you to express yourself freely, exchange ideas and information with others, and learn, learn, learn! ♋ Cancer Signature You feel at your best when you can nurture and be nurtured. Similarly to Taurus, you have a strong need for material, as well as emotional security. Your family is essential to you, and they know you as a sensitive, caring, and empathic person. Ideally, your career should make you feel emotionally invested and should allow your nurturing qualities to shine. This might be literal - such as caring for people and animals, or "nurturing" creative projects to fruition. ♌ Leo Signature You feel at your best when you can express yourself in a creative way. You have a youthful, bright personality, and you love to bring joy to people! Ideally, your work would allow you the freedom to shine, create, and be recognized for your talents and individuality. You are a leader who cares deeply about others, and they feel warm and protected under your guardianship. ♍ Virgo Signature You feel at your best when you can put your analytical and problem-solving skills to use. Your loved ones know you as a great "counselor" who is always there to give them practical advice and solutions. The ideal work environment for you is one where you feel like your sense of order, punctuality, and attention to detail are being appreciated. You also do particularly well in healing professions - both as a practitioner and as a teacher. 🌈 Ambiguous Signature

Now that’s quite interesting! Having an Ambiguous signature means that your personality is multi-dimensional and you have the freedom to explore different aspects of yourself. Though it may be challenging for some to understand you fully, your “chameleon-like” nature allows you to be whoever you want to be and not feel limited to one identity or way of expressing yourself. Embrace this unique trait of your being and celebrate your beautiful, colorful personality!

- Foxbörn

Part 2 ->

The Ask Box is open for specific questions, folks! 😊

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ 1

ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʏ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ?

[waitmyturtles]

THAT WAS PERFECT. SPOILERS FOR EP. 4 OF OUR SKYY 2 x BBS X ATOTS.

What can I say. I don't really know what to say. I'm going to blather because otherwise I'm gonna start really crying in this Starbucks.

I have so much Aof on my mind right now, especially with wrapping up not just this Our Skyy 2 series, but Bad Buddy, ATOTS, and finishing off He's Coming To Me last night (which I haven't intentionally processed yet, because I want to do a little rewatching before I get any passing words down).

Another thing I wanted to consider before starting on the episode is that while I've been so hugely focused on Pat and Pran, that I was also saying goodbye to my very first Aof couple in Phupha and Tian. I watched ATOTS WELL before even ever thinking about doing a Thai BL watchlist. I literally only watched ATOTS to get to know Earth and Mix before the premiere of Moonlight Chicken, close to the time that I joined Tumblr last summer. And I was fucking HOOKED after that.

I mean, before I get into my thoughts on this episode, I think what I'm feeling is similar to how I felt when I finished Bad Buddy. I just feel really fulfilled as an Asian that an Asian director is exploring all of these monumental themes in such an in-depth, loving, empathic, and creative way, vis à vis the lens of queer Asian characters in Asia dealing with issues very familiar to my own culture, and my watching how these characters, vis à vis the writing and direction of Aof himself, navigate those worlds.

What I'm realizing about this episode are a number of themes -- again, themes, as I wrote this morning to dear @wen-kexing-apologist, that I see Aof returning to time and time again. (I'm feeling really surprisingly emotional still, so this post is going to ramble a bit, the writing is not calming things down as it usually does.)

I think what's getting me really emotional here is that this episode was about transcendence -- HUGE transcendence on the part of Phupha, but on all the other guys, too. But in regards to how the transcendence STARTED, and from whom and to whom it started: it all happened when Pat and Pran arrived in Pha Pun Dao, and experienced Tian and Phupha, and vice versa. All of them experienced each other, and all of them changed because of it. Because they had found queer community amongst each other, they were able to share their experiences with new people, compare stories and emotions, and grow the better because of it.

Something I didn't realize last week was (or maybe I did, and I can't remember writing about it, because I'm a jumble): Pat and Pran moved again, Hegel-ian style, as I wrote in my massive BBS thesis. They went from Bangkok to Pha Pun Dao, a nicely big trip. Pat and Pran move, independently and together, always searching for their synthesis, which they can't QUITE find, because their families are in the way.

But they came REAL close to a public synthesis in this episode, and we know that they were essentially on another out honeymoon in Pha Pun Dao last week and this week, knowing that they were in the company of another queer couple, as @wen-kexing-apologist so sharply noted last night.

And then -- vis à vis Phupha's permission, a new modality of finding openness and honesty -- they came as close to a public synthesis, together, in the play as they could possibly find. While still closeted to almost everyone around them. They were still able to provide cover for fucking Dissaya. But they were as out as they could be between BBS episodes 11 and 12.

And that's just Pat and Pran's transcendence journey. With each Pat and Pran having separate conversations with Tian and Phupha in Pha Pun Dao, they could TRANSCEND THEMSELVES, their biases about their relationship with each other, and reflect on what holds people back in their own relationship. Indirectly, Pat and Pran were learning about what was holding Phupha back in being open and honest with Tian, and reflecting back to Chief on how THEY related to that (as communicative and reflecting youngsters), and Phupha could see THEIR processing, and learn from that. Pat and Pran could process because THEY found queer community, as much as Phupha and Tian did.

So: back to Aof and his themes. The theme of community building. How building a community and strength in numbers can help you grow.

It was so meaningful to hear Phupha comment that no one understood Phupha and Tian better than Pat and Pran. BECAUSE YOU NEED COMMUNITY TO GROW TOGETHER, AND THAT IS WHAT AOF IS SAYING FOR EQUITY FOR THE ASIAN QUEER COMMUNITY: FIND EACH OTHER AND BE TOGETHER, STRONGER. There are so many forces working against that community in each country of the continent, in their own ways.

And what happens when that happens, when people find community? You get strength and growth. You get a story like Phupha, who UTTERLY TRANSCENDED HIMSELF IN THIS EPISODE, MY GAWD. And Phupha did a Bad Buddy, he did a Hegelian thesis transition. HE MOVED. HE CROSSED HIS BORDERS and WENT TO THE CITY. As Pat and Pran, in episode 11, had to go to the eco-village -- Phupha needed to go to the city to close this newly awakened circle in him to confirm his relationship with Tian, and to find his sturdiness and commitment in living his life to take care of his partner.

Phupha found his courage through Pat, seeing how utterly OPEN and sappy Pat was to Pran. Phupha found that HE COULD STILL BE HIMSELF through Pran, hearing and seeing Pran's own reticence, Pran's own inclination to hold himself back. Phupha saw himself and Tian in Pat and Pran, and saw how a different paradigm could play out, simply with different mindsets.

I'm feeling really, just.... I am feeling really deeply grateful that we got to close out all of this on Phupha's story. Especially discussed among the friends (@lurkingshan, @shortpplfedup, @bengiyo, @wen-kexing-apologist, @ginnymoonbeam, and @kyr-kun-chan) -- could the ATOTS story have held up WITHOUT Pat and Pran?

Maybe? But, but, but. That wasn't Aof's point -- AT ALL.

Aof's point was to hammer home the equity of community. How you can be a BETTER PERSON when OTHER PEOPLE are helping you reflect, with THEIR PERSPECTIVES, on your life and your struggles.

There's a part of me that thinks here that there's a parable regarding the importance of having the freedom TO BE OUT. Each of the four guys -- Tian, Phupha, Pat, and Pran -- have their own ways of dealing with outness, and what it means to them. Each of them has their own group of people that would be affected by their outness.

And, fucking Christ, how beautiful. What we got to see in this episode is the internal reckoning of each character -- BUT ESPECIALLY PHUPHA, BECAUSE HE'S THE ELDEST AND WAS LIKELY EXPERIENCING THE MOST DIFFICULTY IN ADAPTING BECAUSE OF HIS PAST EXPERIENCES that we know nothing about (Uncle Jim, Uncle Jim).

We see Pran's reckoning at the moment of the play -- that he's gonna fool Dissaya. We see Pat not giving a toss for Ming. We see Tian WANTING Phupha in with his parents.

Each of the guys are in a different place and a different moment with their micro-circles. They needed to talk about their own stories with each other, and to hear each other tell their own stories, to build this story together of community.

They needed to each, vis à vis all of each other, that each one of them, individually, do need to compromise -- but not to GIVE UP THEIR LIVES for each other, or for anyone else in their lives.

None of these guys needed to give up their lives to compromise to each other's demands or characteristics. Pat and Pran do not need to use their lives to repay the fucking foibles of their parents. They're gonna play their parents until their parents are ready, which I love and think that that's very realistic and empathic from the lens of Asian filial piety. (I LOVE @grapejuicegay's analysis -- and I like it, and am going with, the read that Pran needs to get separation from Dissaya through Singapore. Boy, do I ever fucking relate to that.)

Phupha doesn't need to use his life of reticence and secrecy to repay... what -- the world's bias against the queer community? Thailand's bias against public servants being out and open?

And Tian's is helping him through that. But Phupha couldn't have done this ONLY with Tian, because Tian has his own needs and his own issues, his own stubbornness, that Phupha and Tian need to contend with as a couple.

Phupha needed the big push, he needed the push of the community that Pat and Pran provided, and the objective REFLECTION that Pat and Pran provided vis à vis the play, to TRANSCEND himself and get to a place of openness and comfort.

And he found that, in the arms of Tian, but also in the acceptance of Tian's parents and Tian's community in Tul.

I think it is really ripping my heart apart that the close of ATOTS was told with the story of Bad Buddy. I actually don't see it ending any other way. And we didn't get a close of Bad Buddy, per se. We're getting the close of Pat and Pran and OhmNanon, for sure, but we know the boys will find ways to move forward in our beloved world of fiction, wherever they go.

We do know that Phupha has committed, openly, in family and community, to love and care for Tian, Tian with the borrowed heart and the thousandth star on his finger -- and that's exactly an ending for ATOTS that I could have asked for.

I have more to process... but mom needs a break and a cocktail tonight. I could not have asked for anything more than this -- I am so fulfilled.

[tawakkull]

ISLAM 101: Spirituality in Islam: Part 238

Ma’rifa (Knowledge of God)

Ma’rifa is a special knowledge that is acquired through reflection, sincere endeavor, using one’s conscience and inquiring into one’s inner world. It is different from (scientific) knowledge (‘ilm). (Scientific) knowledge is acquisition reached through study, investigation, analysis, and synthesis, while ma’rifais the substance of knowledge attained through reflection, intuition, and inner perception. The opposite of (scientific) knowledge is ignorance, while the opposite of ma’rifa is denial.

Knowledge means comprehending or encompassing something thoroughly, while ma’rifa means familiarity with or recognition of something-that something may be the Divine Being- in some of its aspects. For this reason, the One of Unity is called the All-Knowing (‘Alim), but He has never been called the One having familiarity with something (‘Arif). In addition, the exacting scholars of truth view ma’rifa, which also means information, talent, and skill, as the culture acquired by conscience or one’s conscious nature. It has other meanings such as the ability to feel something with the spiritual faculty that humanity has been endowed with, the image of something known in the mind, and the knowledge kept in the memory which gains strength through repetition. From another perspective, it is consciousness, perception, and sufficient information which helps distinguish one thing from another. Ma’rifacan be summed up as having concise knowledge about something or someone through their acts or works and attributes-knowledge which can be developed and detailed.

In order that one can be among those who have knowledge of God and who are regarded by God as being one of such people, one should know God and the ways that lead to Him, recognizing the obstacles on the way, and knowing how to overcome these obstacles. One should also have enough will-power to apply what one knows. One who has true knowledge of God is a perfect human being who knows the Unique One, Who is the Eternally-Besought-of-All, with His Acts, Names and Attributes, and is a person in whose everyday life this knowledge shows itself. He or she is also one who always keeps the heart purified and pursues sincerity and purity of intention, who can remain free of negative moral qualities as far as possible, overcoming whatever dark emerges from the spirit and threatens to darken one’s horizon, and thereby demonstrating loyalty to the All-Protector. Such a one can bear everything that befalls on God’s way to obtain His approval, and invites others to the way of the Prophets, which shows itself through God’s confirmation in every step, and whose lights he or she always feels with pleasure.

There is another approach to the meaning of ma’rifa, namely the ability to perceive something as exactly what it is in itself, in its quiddity, distinct from any and all things not directly connected with it. According to this approach, knowledge of God is knowing the Divine Being with His Essential and Positive Attributes beyond all conceptions of modality. This is different from comprehending, perceiving and establishing other things, and is based on perception and the feeling of conscience. This feeling and perception should not be confused with modern intuitionism. The Divine Being is beyond all concepts and cannot be comprehended, perceived or scientifically known, although a certain knowledge or familiarity can be acquired of Him through His acts, Names and Attributes.

The acknowledgment that The inability to perceive Him is the true perception, excellently expresses the inability of anything limited to perceive Him and the imperceptibility of the One Who is Infinite. The same meaning is exquisitely expressed in the saying, We are unable to know You, O Known One, as knowing You truly requires.

It is only God Whose existence is absolute, and the greatest truth is acknowledging His Existence and Oneness. The first step in acquiring knowledge of Him is the attainment of belief, being a Muslim, and excellence-worshipping Him as if seeing Him. In realizing such a blessed aim, one should continue one’s traveling to the True Source of all gifts and blessings without turning to anything else as a source. One should be able to feel a new joy of reunion in every gift and blessing with which one is favored, and as the final point, gain familiarity with the mysteries of His Names and Attributes, and, if possible, of His Being.

This consideration is expressed as follows in Lutfiya Wahbi:

Try your hardest and be one who has ma’rifa of Him, One favored with knowledge of Him! For the All-Loving One declared, “so that I may be known;”[1] Knowing God is the ultimate cause for the creation of the two worlds; And knowing God is the adornment of humanity. Those devoid of knowledge of Him are low in rank. Knowing Him is a spiritual kingdom, And Knowing Him is a Divine gift and blessing. ………………………………………………………… When you, O moving spirit, receive this gift and blessing; The two worlds will be yours.

The following words, which are narrated in books concerning Sufism as a hadith qudsi-a saying, the meaning of which is from God and the wording of which was inspired in the Messenger-are the gist or kernel of all explanations concerning knowledge of God:

O humankind! One who knows his self also knows Me; one who knows Me seeks Me, and one who seeks Me certainly finds Me. One who finds Me attains all his aspirations and expectations, and prefers none over Me. O humankind! Be humble that you can have knowledge of Me; accustom yourself to hunger so that you can see Me; be sincere in your devotion to Me so that you can reach Me. O humankind! I am the Lord; one who knows his self also knows Me; one who renounces his self finds Me. In order to know Me, renounce your own self. A heart which has not flourished and been perfected is blind.

Knowledge of God sometimes becomes a source of wonder and astonishment for an initiate, as has been said, “One who knows the Truth becomes dumbfounded and tonguetied.” But it sometimes becomes a means of expression for the traveler to the Truth, as has been said, “One who knows the Truth finds his voice.” The voice finds its overflowing expression in one’s excitement and speech and echoes in one’s ears. Although opposites, both the saying of Muhammad Parisa,[2] “There is none who knows the Divine Being other than Himself,” and the saying, “I know none else save God,” are true.

There is none other than Him who has a true, substantial existence, and there are no true acts other than those performed by Him. Other beings have a relative existence when compared with Him, and other acts are also relative. Whatever takes place in the cycle of causality is of a relative nature. For this reason, knowledge of God is when an initiate melts away in the light of the Truth and gains a second, true existence. This may be viewed as self-annihilation in God and subsistence with Him. I think the author of al-Minhaj stresses this fact in these verses:

If you can see with the lights of certainty, Then do not see one who knows and the One Known differently. Fuduli[3] expresses this depth of knowledge of God as follows: One who knows God is not one who knows the wisdom of the world with what is in it, One who knows God is he who does not know what the world is with what is in it.

Sufis have made other descriptions concerning knowledge of God. According to these descriptions, knowledge of God is knowing the truth of the Divine Names and Attributes, grasping the phenomenon of the manifestations in existence and the discovery of the existential mystery, deeply perceiving the truth of existence with its originality and shadows, and understanding and representing in life the truth of religion according to the Will of the Desired One, Who is the final goal of those who set out to reach Him. Each of these descriptions requires a voluminous work to explain and is therefore beyond the scope of this study. We will only cite here some verses from Diyaiya (“The Book of Light”) which point to some dimensions of the subject matter:

The third chapter is about knowledge of God, O valiant young one; To describe it the wheel of speech is unable to work. ………………………………………………………………………………. There is no scribe nor a pen to write about it; One cannot get his tongue around it to express it. ……………………………………………………………………………… The mirror of reason is veiled from understanding it; The ability of perception has nothing to say in it; Only the bird of imagination can fly toward it; There is no example that we can coin to explain it. …………………………………………………………………………….. Here the gift comes only from God; This is a light-diffusing, sacred rank. ……………………………………………………………………………. The whole of creation is immersed in this realm, Which is more spacious than all the worlds. ……………………………………………………………………………. There is no true existent save He Who is the One, Perceiving this is the real vision; Do not interpret this vision in another way, or else, It will mean unbelief and heresy, O one with body of light. It is not the eyes in the head which have this vision; The All-Loving One is all-free from vision by these eyes. The innermost faculty-secret-discerns this truth, When you find this faculty in you, you can understand it. Human scientific knowledge and perception have nothing to say; The merit is in wonder and helplessness in this field. Perception of one’s helplessness is perception of the Truth; Listen to what Abu Bakr, the truthful one, says concerning it.[4]

The rank of knowledge of God (ma’rifa) is a rank of wonder, utter astonishment, and awe. It is possible to see this in almost all the reflections of the scholars of Sufism on knowledge of God. Some of them see it in direct proportion to the excess of the feeling of awe and have concluded that the deeper one is in knowledge of God, the deeper one’s feeling of awe is. Others regard knowledge of God as being the base of serenity and peacefulness and emphasize that inner peace and self-possession increase in proportion to the depth of knowledge of God. Still others consider knowledge of God as the heart’s attainment of friendship with God and the initiate’s following a way to nearness to God. The approach of Shibli[5] opens new windows on the knowledge of God. According to him, it means that an initiate has an essential relation with none save God, making no complaints when burning with His love, is a sincere, obedient and faithful servant of God who avoids any claims of superiority, and one who worries about his or her end. A person with true knowledge of God and who has a strong connection with the sources of this knowledge, one who has taken refuge in the guidance of the spirit and meaning of the Prophethood, and who has built sound relations with the truths that lie beyond human horizons, cannot feel any essential interest in transitory things nor does lower him or herself to feel attachment to other than the Lord. The Qur’an alludes to this highest point in (35:28), Only the knowledgeable among His servants have true reverence for God, reminding the traveler of the relation between knowledge and awe or reverence of God. The greatest of those who have knowledge of God, upon him be peace and blessings, said concerning the same point: I am greater than you in knowledge of God, and more intense in fearing Him.[6]

In the books on Sufism, in which the intellect guided by Revelation is operative, and which contain numerous gems of wisdom concerning the “garment of piety” of those who have true knowledge of God, with Whom their hearts are deeply connected, we can find many gems concerning knowledge of God. The following are only a few of them:

In the view of one favored with knowledge of God, the world with its material aspect becomes so small that it seems no greater than a cup. The souls that have gained profundity in knowledge of God expand to the extent that it is as if they have no limits. Those who taste the pleasure of knowledge of God, which is regarded as the sweetest of all honey, pursue no other wealth than nearness to the Truth. The richness of the honeycomb of knowledge of God in the heart is one of the most essential sources of love and zeal. An initiate burns with the zeal of reunion in proportion to how much this source overflows its banks, which he or she sees as the price of the favors received. The following points which differentiate those who have a sound knowledge of God from others are important. The former have no selfish expectations from whatever good they do, never think of competition for either material or spiritual ranks nor feel jealous of anybody. They do not see themselves as being greater than anyone else, nor do they moan because of missed opportunities, anymore than they feel arrogant because of their accomplishments. Even if they were granted the kingdom of the Prophet Solomon, they would only seek God’s company, regarding it as futile to turn to other things. They feel no relation with beings other than the Almighty with respect to their worldly existence and corporeal self, and know that one moment of God’s friendship is worth the entire world. They consider being with God among people as a victory that has been granted to their will-power, and see the Divine Will reflected in the face of their determination, recognizing the help of the Lord in the result of their endeavor, alongside many other instances of wisdom and God’s extraordinary gifts. They observe the manifestations of the Divine Oneness in the multiplicity of the creation, and thereby they grasp how a drop is transformed into an ocean, and a particle into the sun. They witness in their conscience how nothingness or non-existence is a fertile land, to be planted with existence and live drowned in ecstasies and intoxication.

Self-possession, steadfastness, seriousness, profundity, and resolution are the clearest and most important signs of perfect knowledge of God. Those who have this degree of knowledge live under the shower of the manifestations of God’s friendship and company. No sign of any flaws can be seen in their inner or outer world, nor is any laxity witnessed in their behaviors. They never show impertinence or conceit, even when favored with the most abundant gifts. On the contrary, they always act in a self-possessed manner, trying to lead a self-disciplined, spiritual life.

Obviously, everyone cannot have the same degree of knowledge of God. Some travel on the horizon of perceiving the Attributes essential to the Divine Being and the favors that accompany His acts. They observe and avail themselves of His proofs that are found within themselves and in the outer world, with the result that their love of truth and their relation with the Greatest of Truths are witnessed in their manners. They travel between the Divine acts, Names and Attributes and are thrilled with the different melodies of belief, knowledge of God, love, attraction and the feeling of being attracted by God to Himself. They feel in their conscience the reflections of the Divine acts or operations in the universe and pursue more and more the pleasure entailed in observing ever new colors and aspects. This is a way bequeathed by the Prophets and it is a way that can be followed by everyone. One who travels along this way of objective truth travels toward the Truth under the arches of His compliments.

On this path there are others who feel all the dimensions in existence ending in one dimension, who feel that everything is annihilated in God. It is as if they have reached a point where the lights and manifestations of the Divine Being and Attributes come together and annihilate their very being in the Divine Being, attaining a new existence with the Self-Subsistence of Him Who is the All-Knowing and the Ever-Existent.

While those belonging to the former group travel in the realm of the Divine Attributes and Qualities, others have already directed themselves to the Source of these Attributes and Qualities. Therefore, their observations and sensations are not aimed at either the Attributes exclusively in such a way as to veil the Being in their minds or spirits, nor at the Being exclusively in such a way as to suggest the denial of the Attributes. For this reason, such an approach has been regarded as the way of the perfected and most advanced, and the main path that is followed by those who travel to the greatest nearness to God.

The Book, the Sunna, reason, and the Divine system in creation and human primordial nature bear witness to the truth of this way along which God’s works of art show themselves brightly. Initiates who have firmly established their feet on this path witness at every step that God witnesses His Existence and Oneness, and they cannot help but utter, God bears witness that surely there is no deity but He (3:18). They hear in their conscience the confirmations of angels and those possessed of knowledge as a reflection of God’s witnessing, and continue to utter: and the angels and those possessed of knowledge (also bear witness to the same truth) (3: 18). Then, they see that all means and causes that are not essential to His Being having vanished, and they are able to be at perfect rest and to find perfect peace.

There are others who have such abundant knowledge of God that proofs of God are no longer needed in their world; all the things that witness Him are humbled in the face of their being in the Presence of the True Witness; all the means tremble with the shame of making distant whatever is near, and all the heralds are silent and busy with correcting the words that they have uttered. At this point, where everything is seen by the conscious nature as witnessing Him beyond all concepts of modality, the eyes are dazzled by the brightest manifestations of the Face, and all other identities save His are lost. Those who have reached this point see that the True Source of existence and knowledge surrounds everything from all sides, tasting the pleasure of perceiving every being’s perception of Him according to their level, and feeling that everything is annihilated in Him. They sense the way in which the manifestations of the Divine Names are combined with those of the Being, Attributes and Acts. The conscience is saved from any feeling of dependence on causality and reaches the horizon of Surely we belong to God (as His creatures and servants), and surely to Him we are bound to return (2:156). But this never means, as some have assumed, “absolute annihilation” or “union with God.”

Our Lord! Grant us from Your Presence a special mercy and arrange for us in our affairs what is right and for our good! And may Your peace and blessings be upon our master Muhammad, by whom the mysteries came to light and the lights shone brightly upon his pure Companions.

[1] Here there is a reference to the Qur’anic verse, I have not created the jinn and humanity but to worship Me (51:56). To worship Me has usually been interpreted as “so that I may be known and worshipped.” (Trans.) [2] Muhammad Parisa (d., 822/1419) was a great scholar and saint from Bukhara. He passed away in Madina. Among his books al-Fusul al-Sitta (Six Chapters) is famous. (Trans.) [3] Mehmed Fuduli (1490-1556). The greatest poet of the Turkish literature. He lived in Iraq. His Diwan, (“Collection of Poems”), Layla wu Majnun (“Layla and Majnun”), and Hadiqat al-Su’ada (“The Garden of the Holy Ones”) are some of his other well-known books. (Trans.) [4] The writer refers to Abu Bakr’s saying: “The inability to perceive Him is the true perception.” (Trans.) [5] Abu Bakr al-Shibli, of Khorasan by origin but born in Baghdad or Samarra, son of a court official and himself promoted in the imperial service, as Governor of Demavend. However, giving up governorship, he joined the circle of Junayd al-Baghdadi, and became one of the leading figures in Islamic Sufism. He died in 846 at the age of 87. (Trans.) [6] Al-Sahawi, al-Maqasid al-Hasana, 21.

[thejoyofviolentmovement]

Raised in the East Village, acclaimed and highly sought-after trumpeter Dave Guy was surrounded by hip-hop and the hustle that seemed to define the city in the 90s. During those formative days, he and his playing style were influenced by the likes of Donald Byrd and Hugh Masekela, but also by A Tribe Called Quest and De La Soul.  His time at LaGuardia Performing Arts High School furthered this path. Guy remembers sharing playing time with  Big Crown Records co-founder Leon Michels and highly sought-after drummer Homer Steinweiss. “Being in the All-City Jazz Big Band, I would see them rehearsing all the time,” the New York-born and-based musician recalls. “They were already doing things with The Dap-Kings back then—which was crazy.” His voice as a player began to take shape and continued to be refined through his studies at The Manhattan School of Music and The New School — and then playing withSharon Jones & The Dap Kings, Charles Bradley and Menahan Street Band, The Sugarman 3 and more. He has played on albums from the likes of Amy Winehouse, Mark Ronson, Pharrell Williams, Lee Fields, the legendary Al Green — er, correction, the Rev. Al Green — and a lengthy list of others. And adding to a growing profile, Guy currently plays with The Roots live and on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon. Guy finally steps out into the much-deserved spotlight with his full-length debut, Ruby. Slated for a September 20, 2024 release through Big Crown Records, the 12-song album sees the highly sought-after NYC scene mainstay exploring New York jazz and pushing the boundaries of the style by incorporating elements of hip-hop and soul in a way that’s both unique and modern.  As fate would have it, a classic case of “when one door shuts, another opens” was really what got the ball rolling on the album. “I never wanted to force my own project,” Guy explains. “There was always a lot going on between things—the timing was never right.” But when The Tonight Show went on hiatus during last year’s Writers’ Strike, there was an unexpected free moment.  Within days, Guy started recording sessions with Steinweiss and Nick Movshon (bass). What initially started out as a just an opportunity to create music, quickly took shape and direction when they ended up laying down something that felt wildly special and authentic. The result is an album that captures different moods and serves as an invitation to the world as Dave Guys sees it and feels it.  Last month, the acclaimed and highly sought-after musician shared the album’s first single “7th Heaven,” a composition anchored around a bed of twinkling and dancing keys, a strutting Movshown bass line, swaggering boom bap drums from Steinweiss and ethereal backing coos from Clairo/Claire Cottrill serving as a funky and anthemic bed for Guy’s regal and soulful horn melody. The result is a composition that’s swaggering yet cinematic, while capturing the energy and vibe of a day — or night — in and around New York.  “It has a groove and is more in line with what the guys and I are known for with Menahan Street Band, but it is also in-your-face and catchy,” Guy says. “It’s a bit of an ode to Tijuana Brass too, a Herb Alpert-esque track with a tight horn line and has that energy that pops.” Ruby‘s latest single “I’ll Follow You” is a gorgeously serene bit of counterbalance anchored around a driving rhythm section and juxtaposed by Guy’s soulful and meditative horn melody with a subtle call and response. Sonically, “I’ll Follow You” — to my ears, at least — is a bit of a synthesis of Kind of Blue-era modal compositions with J. Dilla and Stones Throw Records-like beat tapes. It feels thoughtful and warmly familiar yet new — and much like its predecessors evokes the energy and feel of Guy’s hometown.

[informatikerin-freyja]

What’s your thesis?

Still working on a precise topic, but I'm getting really into the world of reactive synthesis, where you strive to develop decidable modal logics capable of expressing various behaviour properties of systems, and then develop automata-theory based algorithms for automatically synthesizing systems that comply with those behavioural constraints. Applications include things like automatically generating controllers to play simple games.

[cherrylng]

Great Guitarists 100 - Roger McGuinn, Tony Iommi, David Gilmour, Frank Zappa, Jerry Garcia, and Ron Asheton [CROSSBEAT (November 2009)]

Roger McGuinn The Byrds' rock arrangement of Dylan's "Mr Tambourine Man" became a big hit in 1965, setting off a folk-rock craze. The striking 'jingle jangle' sound of his Rickenbacker electric 12-string guitar became synonymous with folk-rock, and was adopted in the 1980s by Peter Buck of R.E.M. and Johnny Marr of The Smiths, and is still followed to this day. McGuinn, who came from the folk world, picked up the electric 12-string after seeing George Harrison play it in the film "A Hard Day's Night", but his originality lies in the fact that he adopted the fingering of the banjo's fretting technique to create a unique arpeggio technique. He also played solos inspired by Coltrane's modal jazz and Ravi Shankar's sitar technique on hits such as "Eight Miles High" in 1966. -Tadashi Igarashi

Representative albums "Mr. Tambourine Man" (1965, photo) The Byrds "(Untitled)" (1970)

Tony Iommi The Rolling Stones' TV special "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus" (1968) shows a young Iommi as a member of Jethro Tull's band. At this point, he was a mediocre player according to the Blues' standards. However, on Black Sabbath's first album, "Black Sabbath", recorded at the end of 1969, he developed a style of ultra-heavy repetition of single-note phrases. The groundwork for this was probably the technique exhibited by R&B-rooted psychedelic bands such as Iron Butterfly and Vanilla Fudge in their longer songs. The band's thoroughly Satanic band image, which was thoroughly developed by releasing the album on Friday the 13th, had a strong impact on the scene, combined with heavy but ear-catching riffs. The drop tuning introduced later, in which the band dropped three and a half notes from the regular tuning, had a decisive influence on later grunge and doom metal. -Masatoshi Arano

Representative albums "Black Sabbath" (photo from 1970), Black Sabbath "Master of Reality" (1971)

David Gilmour David Gilmour was a member of Pink Floyd, one of the UK's leading progressive bands, from the late 60s to the 70s, when synthesisers and other instruments were not yet as advanced as they are today, and was a renowned guitarist who created a fantastic and majestic sound world with his effective guitar sound. He is not known for his tricky fast playing, but his lyrical, elegant, and melodic melodies are his speciality. His tape echoed the sound of the time, and the spacey sound created by his excellent slide guitar (pedal steel) had a great influence on later psychedelic, space rock and acoustic bands. Although not well known, he is also an outstanding blues guitarist, and can be heard on Paul Rodgers' solo works, and his talent as a composer should also be more highly regarded. -Yoshihiro Hoshina

Representative albums "Meddle" (1971, photo) Pink Floyd "The Dark Side of the Moon" (1973)

Frank Zappa Frank Zappa is an amazing man with a diverse background, doing all sorts of things from doo-wop to classical music, but if you want to get a taste of his guitar playing, which is a relentless chain of emotions and sparks, I'd first recommend "Shut Up and Play Guitar!", which shows his guitarist side like a fool. Then there's the delicious "One Size Fits All", where the guitar flutters amidst an exquisite and intoxicating synthesis of sounds, and it's clear that this is a man who thinks about the whole forest with his guitar. His sublime musical philosophy has also influenced many people, including John Frusciante. His large band is known for the many talented people who played in it, and among the guitarists he trained are Lowell George (Little Feat), Steve Vai, his son Dweezil Zappa, Mike Keneally White and many others. -Eisuke Sato

Representative albums "One Size Fits All" (1974, photo), Frank Zappa "Shut Up 'n Play Yer Guitar" (1981)

Jerry Garcia Leader of the original jam band, the Grateful Dead, formed in San Francisco in 1965, the Dead were a psychedelic rock act that specialised in long improvisations that expressed a sense of tripping. Deadheads were intoxicated by Garcia's long solos on songs such as 'Dark Star', in which his sparkling-toned guitar weaves in and out of his signature triplets. A banjo player with a passion for bluegrass and folk music before the Dead formed, Garcia's experience with other stringed instruments - he tried his hand at pedal steel in the early '70s when the Dead became more country-rock oriented - and his love of the instrument, from Chuck Berry to Django Reinhardt (Legend has it that he bought up all the Django records available in San Francisco), and his interest in a wide range of music was concentrated in his guitar playing. He died in 1995 at the age of 53. -Igarashi Tadashi

Representative albums "Live Dead" (1969, photo) Grateful Dead "Hundred Year Hall" (1995)

Ron Asheton Ron Asheton, who played in Iggy Pop's Stooges, is a guitarist who should be recognised for his influence on later generations. From the Sex Pistols and the Damned to Sonic Youth, this is the source of the rock underground. From their formation in 1967 to their break-up in 1974, they left behind only three albums. He turned to bass on their third album, "Raw Power", in 1973, so he only made two albums as a guitarist. However, these two albums are strong. Iggy Pop and the Stooges' debut album, "The Stooges", in 1969, created the prototype for punk guitar, with simple riffs repeated on songs such as "I Wanna Be Your Dog" and "No Fun". The band's second album, Fun House, was released in 1970. The band reunited in 2003, but he died suddenly in January 2009. He did not live long after all. -Hiroshi Hirose

Representative albums "The Stooges" (1969, photo) Iggy Pop & the Stooges "Fun House" (1970)

Pictures: Stevie Ray Vaughan (left) and Duane Allman (right)

Top 10 guitarists by genre: blues rock In the 1960s, British youth developed blues-based guitar playing as the main expression of rock. Clapton was a prime example of this, but he was also followed by (4/ Peter Green) and (5/ Mick Taylor) in the Bluesbreakers, who went on to work with Fleetwood Mac and the Rolling Stones respectively. The first guitar hero in the USA was (6/ Mike Bloomfield), who was in The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and famously played with Dylan. The 'million-dollar guitarist' who signed a contract with (6/ Mike Bloomfield) for the highest amount of money at the time (1968) was Texas-born (7/ Johnny Winter). (8/ Roy Buchanan), active since the 50s and a master teacher of Robbie Robertson and others, became widely known after a 1971 TV documentary on 'The World's Best Unknown Guitarists'. (9/ Rory Gallagher) was also the first Irish rocker to work internationally. (2/ Duane Allman) of the Allman Brothers Band was a master of the slide guitar and made a major contribution to the band's success and to Clapton's Derek & The Dominos 'Layla'. The young slide guitar prodigy (3/ Derek Trucks) is the mainstay of the current Allmans and the second coming of (2/ Duane Allman), who is also active in his own band. He was the driving force behind the unexpected blues revival of the 80s, when (1/ Stevie Ray Vaughan) appeared on the scene, blowing people's minds with his powerful playing. Most of the guitarists who emerged from the 1990s onwards were influenced by him. The 'Hendrix of Pedal Steel' (10/ Robert Randolph) is one such example. -Tadashi Igarashi

Stevie Ray Vaughan

Duane Allman

Derek Trucks

Peter Green

Mick Taylor

Mike Bloomfield

Johnny Winter

Roy Buchanan

Rory Gallagher

Robert Randolph

Translator's Note: There was a typo error on Tony Iommi's name as can be seen on the magazine page itself.

[elevenfifths]

thinking about the intro to No Bad Parts by richard c. schwartz where he launched into his investigation of inner family systems (ifs) and how he initially was freaking out bc he thought his work was uncovering an unprecedented theme of broken inner personalities and selves and he initially hypothesized that DID was more frequent than previously perceived. however, as he looked deeper into it, there was an absence of the hallmark dissociation and amnesia as one altar took the wheel, per say. what his research later revealed was the foundation of his work around theorizing the establishments of differing parts of the psyche that are born of trauma and seek to protect the Self in the form of proactive/reactive/exiled identities that step in when there is/or there’s a threat of harm.

but IFS is distinctly different than OSDD/DID

and not to pathologize behaviors but it makes me wonder if the tiktokification of psychology (or general pop psych) is making the same mistake schwartz did. I keep seeing blogs with ‘plural’ in the bio and i’ve read/heard deep reactions from the DID community around the [perhaps] overuse of the language used to describe the DID experience being co-opted and kind of wrongly simplified by folks that do not show hallmark indicators of having DID.

i don’t think inner parts work is any more perfect than any other modal of therapy but how many people might deidentify as plural if they had another perspective to view Self through this lens?

especially with the colloquial understanding of various ‘headspaces’ that arise through kink or situational experiences or emotional regression or what have you. i also wonder if those modified perspectives might lend themselves to a fuller understanding of self and offer a path towards integration of parts and synthesis of Self? and maybe less watering down of the very real challenges folx and friends with OSDD/DID face in their vies for legitimacy and understanding??

[synths-and-sensibility]

Me: "Okay, but basic modal synthesis sounds relatively simple to implement. I could get a simple implementation of the Karplus-Strong algorithm going with the materials I have..."

Also me: "Girl! Finish the projects you have before starting a new one!"

[popbotmusic]

hello to the two people that follow me, today i put out a fully featured max for live device that does modal synthesis. All the sounds in the attached promo video were made using the device. If you use ableton, like making noises, and have 20 bucks (usd), then i suggest you head over to my website and check it out :3 https://popbot.work/contraptions/modalSynth.html

[bluetapes]

Part 1 of a series interrogating the track titles for Kaijupop, the debut album of my Soft-Bodied Humans project.

The album is available on LP and digital from @gangofducks at https://gangofducks.bandcamp.com/album/kaijupop

Track 1: Mothra

--

Mothra (モスラ Mosura) is a giant divine moth kaiju who first appeared in the 1961 film Mothra.

Despite having wrought destruction worthy of any Toho kaiju, Mothra is a kind and benevolent creature, causing destruction only when acting as protector to her worshipers on Infant Island or to her egg. Mothra is accompanied by two tiny priestesses or fairies called the Shobijin (Japanese for "small beauties") who also speak for her.

It has been proposed that Mothra is a type of Japanese silk moth which evolved as a byproduct of climate change on Infant Island due to increasingly abnormal weather patterns on Earth.

--

On Kaijupop, opening track Mothra is a haunting instrumental that involves a creaking, growling sound collage swaying against a repetitive modal keyboard riff.

Blue Tapes legend @cadutenori0 contributes additional noises and the speech synthesis heard on the track.

[opera-ghosts]

OTD in Music History: Important composer, organist, pianist, and pedagogue Gabriel Urbain Faure (1845 – 1924) dies in Paris. Faure was hailed in his lifetime as one of the foremost French composers of his generation, and his musical style influenced many important 20th-century composers -- a number of whom actually studied with him at the Paris Conservatory. Among his best-known works are his "Pavane" (1887), "Requiem" (1890), and "Sicilienne" (1893), as well as the long and masterful series of "melodies" (or French art songs) that he composed throughout his career. A modern assessment of Faure in "Baker's Biographical Dictionary of Musicians" (2001) notes that "Faure's stature as a composer has been undiminished by the passage of time . . . He developed a musical idiom all his own . . . by subtle application of old modes, he evoked the aura of eternally fresh art; by using unresolved mild discords and special coloristic effects, he anticipated procedures of Impressionism; . . . [and] the precisely articulated melodic line of his songs is in the finest tradition of French vocal music . . ." Music critic Robert Orledge offers another assessment: "Faure's genius was fundamentally one of synthesis: he reconciled such opposing elements as modality and tonality, anguish and serenity, seduction and force, within a single cohesive and non-eclectic style . . . The quality of constant renewal even within an apparently limited range is a remarkable facet of his genius, and the spare, elliptical style of his [very late] String Quartet (1924) suggests that his intensely self-disciplined style was still developing [even] at the time of his death [at the age of nearly 80]." PICTURED: A first edition of the tenor version of Faure's "20 Melodies for Singer and Piano," published in Paris in 1879. Faure has signed and inscribed this copy to an admirer.

[veronika-tserber]

Your Natal Signature Sign 🖋️ PT.2

<- Part 1

The Signature sign (also called "synthetic") is the synthesis of the most dominant element/s and modality/ies in the chart. Sometimes, the signs are two or even more. If someone has two signature signs, we can analyze their behavior as a combination of the two, but if there are more, the signature is "Ambiguous", which means that their personality has many dimensions, and it's not possible to pin it down.

The Signature sign is important because it is like the zodiac sign of the entire chart, and it shows us the qualities of expression that come most naturally to us. However, they are usually the most apparent to people from our closest circle. Often, people choose a career path that corresponds to their signature sign(s).

Here is an easy way to calculate yours - click.

If you have more than one - read about both. If the Signature is AMBIGUOUS, you are quite the enigma 🙈 Keep in mind that sometimes the Signature turns out to be your Sun sign or among your inner planets. In that case, it won't be such a hidden part of you. At other times, the sign is nowhere to be seen among your inner and even outer planets, which makes discovering it that much more interesting.

♎ Libra Signature You feel at your best when your needs for beauty and harmony are met. Close personal relationships are highly important to you, and your loved ones know you as a kind-hearted, graceful individual with a strong sense of justice. Ideally, your career allows you to express these qualities, and to feel personally connected/close to the people you work with.

♏ Scorpio Signature You feel at your best when your needs for depth and intimacy are met. The people around you know you as a loyal, passionate individual with a strong will who is always on the front line in critical situations. You love to uncover hidden information by using your impeccable intuition and investigative abilities. Similarly to Virgo, you love to purify things, especially on the psychological and energetic levels. It would be deeply satisfying to you if your career allows you to cause positive transformation in the lives of others.

♐ Sagittarius Signature You feel at your best when you can be spontaneous, adventurous, and carefree! You love to learn new things through direct experiences, which is why traveling is your favorite way to expand your horizons. The people around you can always count on you to offer them wisdom and lift their spirits. Ideally, your work allows you to express all of these qualities, and have a lot of freedom, as you surely wouldn't do well in a routine or corporate environment. ♑ Capricorn Signature You feel at your best when your needs/standards for stability, structure, and quality are met. Your loved ones can count on your grounding, dependable presence - you exude the stillness and confidence of a mountain even in the most chaotic situations. You like to work patiently and consistently towards practical goals that allow you to grow your position in society. Ideally, you would be the CEO of a company, as you feel most comfortable in leadership positions. ♒ Aquarius Signature

You feel at your best when you can express yourself and your ideas freely. You genuinely care about the state of the world, and you like to ponder topics such as spirituality, technology, astrology, science, and anything progressive. You are friendly, and always a bit distant in your relationships, but this distance allows you to remain respectful and rational during conflicts and emotionally charged situations. In your career, you need the freedom to experiment and make your own decisions, as well as to switch between solitude and collaboration with like-minded individuals.

♓ Pisces Signature You feel at your best when you can "go with the flow". Your loved ones crave your quiet, soothing presence, and compassionate advice. You're an old soul and ideally, your career should allow you to share your healing/psychic abilities or your unique artistic expression with others. You love solitude, and working with too many people would be draining for you, as you absorb energy like a sponge. Just like with all water signs, feeling like you have a positive impact on others is deeply fulfilling to you.

🌈 Ambiguous Signature

Now that’s quite interesting! Having an Ambiguous signature means that your personality is multi-dimensional and you have the freedom to explore different aspects of yourself. Though it may be challenging for some to understand you fully, your “chameleon-like” nature allows you to be whoever you want to be and not feel limited to one identity or way of expressing yourself. Embrace this unique trait of your being and celebrate your beautiful, colorful personality!

- Foxbörn

The Ask Box is open for specific questions, folks! 😊

ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʟɪꜱᴛ 1

ᴄʜᴀʀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢꜱ

ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ʙᴜʏ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏꜰꜰᴇᴇ?

[waitmyturtles]

Turtles Catches Up With Old GMMTV: The Bad Buddy Rewatch Edition, Part 0.5 -- The BBS Meta Series Preamble

[What’s going on here? After joining Tumblr and discovering Thai BLs through KinnPorsche in 2022, I began watching GMMTV’s new offerings -- and realized that I had a lot of history to catch up on, to appreciate the more recent works that I was delving into. From tropes to BL frameworks, what we’re watching now hails from somewhere, and I’m learning about Thai BL's history through what I’m calling the Old GMMTV Challenge (OGMMTVC). Starting with recommendations from @absolutebl on their post regarding how GMMTV is correcting for its mistakes with its shows today, I’ve made an expansive list to get me through a condensed history of essential/classic/significant Thai BLs produced by GMMTV and many other BL studios. My watchlist, pasted below, lists what I’ve watched and what’s upcoming, along with the reviews I’ve written so far. Today, I'm preambling a series of posts that I'll be publishing throughout November and December about my OGMMTVC rewatch of Bad Buddy and Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x A Tale of Thousand Stars.]

After nearly a month of rewatching Bad Buddy and Our Skyy 2 x Bad Buddy x A Tale of Thousand Stars -- TWICE, holy shit! -- I'm finally putting pen to paper on a four-part series of BBS meta that I've been looking forward to writing nearly all year.

Before I start the series, I'd like to offer a not-so-quick preamble of how I got here. Before the birth of this Old GMMTV Challenge project, I was flitting and floating, enjoying a dalliance with Thai BLs here and there, while still mostly watching Japanese BLs, my entrée into overall Asian BL content. I started with KinnPorsche in the late summer of 2022, picked up The Eclipse after that on the recommendation of a dear mutual (@the-nihongo-adventure, I hope you're well!), and then picked up A Tale of Thousand Stars in order to prepare for my first live GMMTV fandom experience on Tumblr in early January with Moonlight Chicken.

That was the exact order by which I came to Bad Buddy, which I watched for the first time in January and February of this year, after MLC ended. I was so blown away. I thought I was a drama girlie before Bad Buddy, but it was like Bad Buddy had made me see facets of drama-making that I had never known or appreciated before. The act structure of episode 10 alone just sat me the hell down, let alone the brilliance of the overall story arc vis à vis Pat, Pran, the themes and motifs of intergenerational trauma and filial piety that I related to, down to my bones and bloodstream, and the millions of layers on this show that we could spend a lifetime parsing.

My first piece about Bad Buddy, published in February, is the post on Tumblr that I am the most proud of writing, my first post (as a relatively new Tumblr-ite) that I took days and drafts to work on. In that post, I worked out what I saw as the major theme of intergenerational trauma dominating the story landscape of Bad Buddy, framed in what I interpreted as a reflection of David Hegel's thesis-antithesis-synthesis modality of change in philosophy and art, as most poignantly reflected in Herman Hesse's Siddhartha.

In other words, y'all: I became a BBS girlie, lol.

And, partly in conversation with @miscellar, and partly by way of the just TREMENDOUS, TREMENDOUS amount of meta on Bad Buddy on Tumblr (whew, the MASTERS, @telomeke, @grapejuicegay, @dribs-and-drabbles, @airenyah, @dudeyuri, @dimplesandfierceeyes, oh my gosh, so many many more, I can't list them all!), I came to learn that Bad Buddy was a home to so many other themes, motifs, and references that honestly, my mind was blown.

For me, personally, it was ABL Sensei's original post on the newer landscape of GMMTV BLs answering to Thailand's seminal BLs, as well as @miscellar's post on BL tropes referenced and reshaped in Bad Buddy, that served as the original inspiration for the creation of the Old GMMTV Challenge project.

I needed to watch older Thai BLs to understand the landscape of how this genre was born and how it's changed and developed over time, to truly and deeply understand the impact that Bad Buddy had on me personally and artistically, and how it stands in the echelon of the Thai BL genre today, particularly by way of the influence of BBS's director, the brilliant Aof Noppharnach. I needed to know about the food that fed Bad Buddy to make Bad Buddy what it was as its own seminal drama.

So, after 32 shows and movies watched on the OGMMTVC list, I get to this moment -- my turn, my time, to pound out some BBS meta, knowing what I know now about the history of the Thai BL genre up to 2021-2022.

My four-part series of BBS meta will focus on the following:

Part 1: A look at how previous GMMTV BLs spoke to Bad Buddy in their own development, and to Bad Buddy itself. I'll take a look at the BL tropes that Bad Buddy references and reshapes. I'll touch upon Theory of Love, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Still 2gether, and many more older shows. I'll also take a look at themes in BBS that I didn't touch upon in my first BBS thesis from February 2023.

Part 2: In conjunction with my Big Meta series on themes of pain in Asian dramas, I want to take a look at the themes of pain, trust, and separation (sometimes voluntary, sometimes forced) in some Asian dramas, including Bad Buddy, Still 2gether, A Tale of Thousand Stars, Until We Meet Again, and I Promised You The Moon.

Part 3: I have had the extremely GREAT luck to engage in lengthy discussion about Bad Buddy with a number of Asian Tumblr bloggers, to discuss how we related to BBS as Asians, and what themes we could analyze from our culturally attuned and lived-in perspectives. In this meta, I'll take a look at Asian cultural touchpoints including inherited and intergenerational trauma; competition amongst one's peers; the nature of secret-keeping and what's "acceptable" to explicitly talk about in Asian family systems; and much more. (I may need to split this post into two, we'll see!)

Part 4: I'll offer some thoughts, based off of the Pain, Trust, and Separation Big Meta and the BBS Asian Cultural Touchpoints meta, on Pran leaving for Singapore, and how Thai vs. international audiences may interpret his decision to leave Thailand for two years.

I'm late to the BBS meta game, but there's no time like the present to catch the hell up. I'm happy to celebrate Bad Buddy's two-year anniversary this way, and I'm really excited that the OGMMTVC allows me to do so.

Part 1 drops later this week. Meet me at Wai's bar for a chit-chat -- and thank you for reading along!

(Tagging @dribs-and-drabbles by request! If you'd like to be tagged, please let me know! <3 )

[Here's the complete OGMMTVC watchlist as it stands today. For a more accurate look at what I've watched, please mosey over to this link!

1) The Love of Siam (2007) (movie) (review here) 2) My Bromance (2014) (movie) (review here) 3) Love Sick and Love Sick 2 (2014 and 2015) (review here) 4) Gay OK Bangkok Season 1 (2016) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 5) Make It Right (2016) (review here) 6) SOTUS (2016-2017) (review here) 7) Gay OK Bangkok Season 2 (2017) (a non-BL queer series directed by Jojo Tichakorn and written by Aof Noppharnach) (review here) 8) Make It Right 2 (2017) (review here) 9) Together With Me (2017) (review here) 10) SOTUS S/Our Skyy x SOTUS (2017-2018) (review here) 11) Love By Chance (2018) (review here) 12) Kiss Me Again: PeteKao cuts (2018) (no review) 13) He’s Coming To Me (2019) (review here) 14) Dark Blue Kiss (2019) and Our Skyy x Kiss Me Again (2018) (review here) 15) TharnType (2019-2020) (review here) 16) Senior Secret Love: Puppy Honey (OffGun BL cuts) (2016 and 2017) (no review) 17) Theory of Love (2019) (review here) 18) 3 Will Be Free (2019) (a non-BL and an important harbinger of things to come in 2019 and beyond re: Jojo Tichakorn pushing queer content in non-BLs) (review here) 19) Dew the Movie (2019) (review here) 20) Until We Meet Again (2019-2020) (review here) (and notes on my UWMA rewatch here) 21) 2gether (2020) and Still 2gether (2020) (review here) 22) I Told Sunset About You (2020) (review here) 23) YYY (2020, out of chronological order) (review here) 24) Manner of Death (2020-2021) (not a true BL, but a MaxTul queer/gay romance set within a genre-based show that likely influenced Not Me and KinnPorsche) (review here) 25) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) (review here) 26) A Tale of Thousand Stars (2021) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For The Sake Of Rewatching Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (re-review here) 27) Lovely Writer (2021) (review here) 28) Last Twilight in Phuket (2021) (the mini-special before IPYTM) (review here) 29) I Promised You the Moon (2021) (review here) 30) Not Me (2021-2022) (review here)

31) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) (thesis here) 32) 55:15 Never Too Late (2021-2022) (not a BL, but a GMMTV drama that features a macro BL storyline about shipper culture and the BL industry) (review here) 33) Bad Buddy (2021-2022) and Our Skyy 2 x BBS x ATOTS (2023) OGMMTVC Rewatch (watching) 34) Secret Crush On You (2022) [watching for Cheewin’s trajectory of studying queer joy from Make It Right (high school), to SCOY (college), to Bed Friend (working adults)] 35) KinnPorsche (2022) (tag here) 36) KinnPorsche (2022) OGMMTVC Fastest Rewatch Known To Humankind For the Sake of Re-Analyzing the KP Cultural Zeitgeist 37) The Eclipse (2022) (tag here) 38) The Eclipse OGMMTVC Rewatch For the Sake of Re-Analyzing an Politics-Focused Show After Not Me 39) GAP (2022-2023) (Thailand’s first GL) 40) My School President (2022-2023) and Our Skyy 2 x My School President (2023) 41) Moonlight Chicken (2023) (tag here) 42) Bed Friend (2023) (tag here) (Cheewin’s latest show, depicting a queer joy journey among working adults) 43) Be My Favorite (2023) (tag here) (I’m including this for BMF’s sophisticated commentary on Krist’s career past as a BL icon) 44) Wedding Plan (2023) (Recommended as an important trajectory in the course of MAME’s work and influence from TharnType) 45) Only Friends (2023) (tag here)]