#musings ; reflection

[chipper-smol]

vibes for tonight 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍👍

[inkedberries]

npcs somewhere in the capital, circa 1920

Andrey is an owner of an edgy underground club and architecture is his hobby whereas Peter is an artist the Kains commission frequently and alcohol is his hobby.

[nothatsmi]

On my computer I titled this Neil's sanity.

Don't you hate it when your reflection tries to murder you.

Anyway here's an animation I spent the day doing, it's Millport Neil and his Guilt :)

Also thank you so much for all the replies for the animatic! It means so much!! Tbh I would draw and animate more but each time I do so I gotta catch on the school work and I'm getting behind already.. But yeah today I was like meh what's work anyway.

[timethehobo]

When you look after the dead, the dead will look after you.

[metamorphesque]

I loathe feeling so terribly conflicted — this push and pull between loving something so much that I want the whole world to know about it and give it the adoration it deserves, and the pang of jealousy that arises when others express their affection for it. This oscillation between these two conflicting states, this tug-of-war throws my heart out of sync, and the effect is deeply unsettling.

[shisasan]

Moving to Japan many years ago and being introduced more meticulously to its culture, history, and philosophy sparked a deep and lasting fascination that took root within me. Through extensive reading, research, observation, and reflection, it offered me valuable insights that, for some reason, blended organically with my own Balkan mentality. Japanese thought is like a quiet, endless ocean - vast and mysterious, yet full of deep truths for those curious to explore its depths. It’s not only that we can learn from it - it’s that we are drawn to it. The soul, restless and searching for meaning, finds itself captivated by its quiet elegance, by wisdom that is not shouted but whispered, like a secret offered in the stillness of the night. Herein lies its true beauty: it doesn’t force itself on you, it invites. It calls the spirit to explore the unknown, to face its own shadows, and in doing so, to find peace.

Here are a few philosophical principles that I find deeply compelling, each reflecting a unique idea or value within the expansive spectrum of Japanese aesthetics, ethics, and spirituality:

In the philosophy of "kensho" (見性), the gradual awakening to one's true self, there is a calm defiance against the rush of modern life. How easily we are deceived into thinking self-worth is built overnight, but Japanese thought insists on a far more patient, sometimes demanding journey - a slow, deliberate peeling away of the surface until only the real essence of the self remains. This is not comfort, but truth, and the search for truth is never without a bit of struggle. Yet in this struggle, in this slow awakening, there is beauty - one that cannot be grasped by those who seek only the fleeting joys of instant satisfaction.

Much like "bushidō" (武士道), the way of the warrior, this journey demands honor, integrity, and the kind of inner strength that does not waver, no matter how treacherous the path, a kind of inner strength that stands resolute in all circumstances. Bushidō embodies Gi (rectitude), Yū (courage), Jin (benevolence), Rei (respect), Makoto (honesty), Meiyo (honor), Chūgi (loyalty), and Jisei (self-control). It is not simply enduring hardship - it is about living with powerful intention, where loyalty, integrity, and courage form the foundation of a purposeful life. This spirit of Bushidō isn't about suffering but about a fierce dedication to living with honor and resilience, and within that struggle, one’s character is shaped. There is no arrogance in true confidence, only a hard-won resilience, the kind that grows in the cracks like a delicate flower breaking through stone.

Then comes "shibumi" (渋み) - that quiet, understated elegance that goes almost unnoticed, simplicity hiding a depth of complexity. True self-esteem, true understanding, doesn’t need to shout. It exists in the way a person holds themselves, moves through the world with calm, steady presence that speaks volumes without saying a word. This is confidence born not from pride but from humility, from understanding one’s place in the larger order of things, and finding peace in that awareness.

The beauty of "wabi-sabi" (侘寂) lies in its celebration of imperfection. It rejects the idea of flawless perfection and instead finds beauty in the cracks of imperfection and flaws. There is something both bittersweet and freeing in this acceptance - that we are all, in some way, broken, and it is through those very fractures that we find our true beauty. It’s a perspective that would resonate deeply with Dostoyevsky, who found humanity in the brokenness of his characters.

Perhaps the greatest gift of Japanese philosophy is the concept of "yūgen" (幽玄), that deep, elusive beauty lying just beyond reach, in the shadows and the unseen. Life is not meant to be fully understood, and some things are better left as mysteries. This unknowable depth gives life its meaning, its richness. The surface may seem dark, but beneath lies an entire world for those willing to look deeper, to feel with their soul, rather than just see with their eyes.

Finally, there is "fudōshin" (不動心) - the unshakable mind. To be calm, to be still, in the face of the storm - that is where true strength lies. It lies not in the victory and worldly achievements, triumph or success, but in the calm, steady enduring of life’s storms. This is the magnetic presence that draws others in, not through force or charm, but through the quiet power of someone who has faced the abyss and emerged, not untouched, but unbroken.

In Japanese philosophy, I’ve found a mirror to the human condition - beautiful, tragic, profound, and endlessly deep. It teaches us that self-esteem, like life, is not something to be attained in a moment, but something to be continuously sought, patiently, through humility and acceptance. There is no end to this journey, and in that endlessness lies its greatest beauty.

[longlivethewildernessyet]

Caramel is gorgeous. A classic example of how Sleep Token play with genre, how they weave intense, metaphorically (and plainly) eloquent, emotionally evocative lyrics into lighter music before plunging into heavy tunes. The lyrics are so straightforward yet laden with Vessel's usual artistry.

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Vessel and II's ability to craft a story within a song that is both complete in and of itself whilst contributing to the greater narrative that they're building is admirable to the highest degree. They are masters of their craft through and through.

I just love the way Caramel takes our hand and starts us off dancing and leaves us at a standstill. I'm smiling, I'm crying, I'm shimmying, I'm staring at the wall. I'm having so many emotions. It doesn't surprise me how emotive Sleep Token's music is, we know that already, but it still sweeps me off of my feet every damn time.

[yaekiss]

its monsterfucking hours again. maybe ive just been watching too many minecraft horror mods but i need an eldritch being of mass destruction obsessed with me right now sigh. -🪻

𝑬𝒙𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕 𝟑𝑳𝑫

꩜ Room Content: GN! Researcher! Reader x Yandere! Ivory Wraith, no gendered terms for reader, mild horror(?), lmk if I missed out anything! ꩜ A/N: omg minecraft horror mod videos... is it by any chance The Obsessed? Hmmm honestly any character could have eldritch potential if you try hard enough. Tried out a new way of writing for this one, lmk if it's effective for this fic! ꩜ Spin this wheel and submit a prompt + character for a quick blurb!

Experiment 3LD, helmed by the renowned Dr. ▇▇▇▇▇. The experiment will be conducted over a period of 44 days. See below for the assistant researcher's compiled voice notes:

1VRY.

Day 4, 10.03am - Otherwise known as the Ivory Wraith, we have managed to contain it within a temporary holding cell for the time being. A more advanced enclosure facility is currently being built for it. Although we are still unsure of exactly its abilities work, a strict rule of no mirrors within a set radius has been implemented.

Day 13, 12.45pm - Monitoring the experiment subject proves to be challenging. Its behavior seems to vary wildly from staying abnormally still, akin to a statue carved from pure ivory, to clawing at its neck and stalking to and fro frantically in its cell. The sight is wildly unsettling resulting in all of the other researchers vacating the observation room.

Day 21, 4.38pm - It seems that we have managed to procure a relic related to the experiment subject. It is an ivory necklace, inset with deep blue jewels. The Ivory Wraith seems to have the ability to sense whenever someone is in contact with the relic, where as soon as one of the other researchers touches a part of the necklace, it immediately appears in front of the observation glass, its expression terrible and haunting. Due to this, most of the other researchers have requested to leave the research team, leaving myself as the sole and resulting, assistant researcher.

Day 32, 6.20pm - 1VRY has appeared to have realised that the sole researcher left on behind the observation glass is myself. Strangely enough, its aggressive behavior has lessened, as long as no contact is made with the ivory necklace relic. Now, it usually spends its days hovering around the front of its cell where the glass is, its gaze never parting from my position. Occasionally, trills and whispers are heard from the otherwise quiet surroundings. Its larger, more fully equipped enclosure facility is finally done and attempts to transfer 1VRY will be made in the coming days when the team is fully prepared.

Day 40, 10.13pm - Preparations by the researcher team, consisting solely of myself, and the moving team are almost complete. 1VRY's behavior has reverted back to before, where it is erratic and volatile, prone to lashing out at the observational glass whenever my presence is requested elsewhere, resulting in scratches engraved into the glass. The whispers have also grown in frequency, although no one else has reported hearing anything. Additionally, the same behavior is observed when someone else other than myself is also in the observation room. This has made it difficult to efficiently prepare for its transfer but with consistent effort, we estimate that it could be done in about 4 days' time.

Day 42, 11.04pm - The moving team has just packed up and moved the ivory necklace relic to the new enclosure facility. This however, contradicts the earlier observations of how 1VRY reacts aggressively to the relic being touched by people other than myself. As of right now, it is still continuing its previous docile behavior of simply staring through the glass. Stranger yet, it seems to shift into something more unnatural between bleary blinks. Something smiling too wide with too many teeth, its usual blue eyes a vivid red, along with a swath of tentacles behind its form. However, unnatural does not necessary equate to threatening, perhaps this could be a sort of tempting and alluring another individual. Or it could just be a mirage ability it has? Note to self: Stop staying too late in the observational room...

Day 43, 11.49pm - Terrible miscommunication has occurred between myself and the moving team. It turns out that the ivory necklace was not moved by them. And yet, no one else has come into contact with the relic. 1VRY's transfer must be done immediately with how the certain preparations only allow us a limited timeframe of working with it. There is no choice but for me to search for the relic so that the transfer can go through in the next few hours. Despite the ongoing panic beyond the glass, 1VRY has taken on a sort of behavior that suggests attraction towards something in the observational room. There is no available time for myself to properly document its new state as of the current situation, and it does not help that the lights overhead have been flickering. [Faint static can be heard before the voice note ends.]

Day 44, 12.11am - [The voice note is interspersed with bouts of static, making it hard to decipher at some parts.] I... I don't understand. Why is the ivory necklace in my ▇ab coat pocket? I haven't touched the relic since the contact tests c▇nduct▇d on it on Day 22. This makes no s▇nse. [Sounds of shuffling, presumably the researcher moving.] 1VRY...?

Day 44, 12.29am - [Alarms blare overhead. The static grows worse.] Thi▇ is terrible. The lights in th▇ holdin▇ cell have g▇ne out, altho▇gh it remains o▇ in here. There shou▇ be a flashl▇ght here somewhere. [Sounds of shuffling, then a click, presumably the flashlight turning on.] F▇ck f▇ck f▇ck f▇ck. Where is it? [A chilling laugh is heard, followed by a low trill before the voice note cuts out abruptly.]

Day 44, 12.44am - [The voice note is eerily quiet, no alarms or commotion in the background. The voice speaking is new.] Presented as gift, there is no thief. Drown with me. Forever.

Additional information:

Dr. ▇▇▇▇▇ has put out an order for this experimental failure to be kept under wraps. Not a single soul outside of the organisation can learn of this. Although, there have been rumors swirling of a mysterious file on their desk. [3LD - "Assistant Researcher"]

Thanks for reading! Consider supporting me on kofi if you enjoyed this or check out my other works hehe ♡

If you'd like to request a full fic of your own, do consider checking out my event post!

[mythologypaintings]

Erato, Muse of Lyrical Poetry

Artist: Charles Meynier (French, 1768–1832)

Date: 1800

Medium: Oil on canvas

Collection: The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, Ohio, United States

Description

In Greek mythology, Erato is one of the Greek Muses, the inspirational goddesses of literature, science, and the arts. The name would mean "desired" or "lovely", if derived from the same root as Eros, as Apollonius of Rhodes playfully suggested in the invocation to Erato that begins Book III of his Argonautica.

[marzipanandminutiae]

Not going to lie, friends, I love a bit of Twisted Fucked Up Gothic Romance but I'm team "no no, he's not twisted or fucked up in the fun way; give Ellen a stake and a mallet and let her do what she richly deserves at this point" re: Nosferatu

obviously you do you! they're fake people and it doesn't matter or say anything about you as a person! if you want to go all Dark Consuming Passion there, that's up to you and does not affect me! that's just where I'm at with it

[xxdreamscapes]

I resent the TikTok-ification of everything cause wdym a hobby is supposed to make you unique and more interesting??!

Hobbies should be something you enjoy. They can be casual or can be full-blown passions. They should bring things like joy and whimsy. You should be able to enjoy them alone if no one else is around. You don’t have to post about how you’re rollerskating 24/7, a lot of things don’t need to be posted or capitalized on. It makes me think that you don’t love yourselves enough to enjoy things on your own. Someone always has to be watching. Ya’ll are wasting your lives away performing for the validation of people who couldn’t give less of a shit and it is SAD

Hobbies don’t need to be attractive or become this productivity contest bitch !

Stand tf up. Enjoy things for what they are, not for the attention or capital they’ll bring

[ramblingsfromthytruly]

kinda happy that i'm not as chronically online as i used to be. i've been focusing on my studies, hobbies, etc and it makes me feel so much better. ofc i still have a long way to go but a phrase that is constantly running in my mind is one day or day one... like if i wanna be a certain kind of person and become better i should actually DO stuff that makes me better instead of thinking about that one day where i will magically get everything i want. that doesn't happen, i have to work for it. believing in myself is the first half which i have accomplished, the other half is working hard (with balance ofc). i doomscroll much less, and if i do i gain awareness of it very quickly and it doesn't surpass an hour. i don't turn on my laptop first thing after waking, i only turn it on when i i actually have some work or i want to listen to music. sometimes i relapse. but the point is that i've never tried more harder than i am rn and i am proud of myself for it. i am feeling seeing my progress. i intend to constantly heal and succeed and make mistakes and learn from them and never ever stop trying.

if i can do it you can too <3

[mindfulhavens]

The pen is mightier than the sword in that we reach for the pen first so that our swords may be drawn with greater certainty.

[spiralsinshadows]

Nikola Sojka

[vindicated-truth]

As someone who loves both characters individually and together, I keep wondering if Dongsik's and Joowon's relationship is healthy.

(Please feel free to chime in with your own views, let's figure this out together lol)

Are they enablers of each other?

Yes, in a way, especially when they had no choice to, if they want to solve the cases they're working on together. They did it, however, with the promise / threat that they will each be punished for their own wrongdoing in the end.

Do they owe each other anything?

Yes, but at the same time they kind of neutralize each other in the end. Dongsik owes Joowon for catching Han Kihwan, but at the same time Joowon is also the one who arrests him. At the same time, Joowon owes Dongsik for having his own father be the murderer of Dongsik's sister, yet he brought justice to Dongsik in the end, and even followed through with Dongsik making him vow to live the rest of his life as a cop.

(To be honest, I don't think you can give a worse punishment to someone with a very rigid and absolute moral compass than to not get out of a very corrupt and broken system.)

Do they have an equal footing with each other in their hierarchical society?

Not at the beginning, but they do in the end.

Do they have a rose-colored glasses view of each other?

This is debatable, when from the very beginning they've already seen the absolute worst of each other. They can only go up from there, so to speak, since they've never really forgotten each of the other's flaws even as their relationship progressed into something less combative and more of grudging awe.

They do have a somewhat idealized view of each other in the end, but that's mostly because of experience, what they went through together: they know exactly what the other did for them, and can't help but feel grateful for it.

Do they complement each other?

I've written multiple posts about it lol, so it goes without saying that in many, many ways, their weaknesses are complemented extremely well by the other's strengths.

Do they ruin each other?

See, this is the thing: I think they've ruined each other for other people.

Their relationship evolved from a unique mix of their own complementary traits and their special circumstances, neither of which I believe can be replicated by and with anyone else.

No one else would have a deeper understanding of Dongsik's lunacy than Joowon, who witnessed first hand what drove him to it—and by whom.

No one else would have a deeper understanding of Joowon's stubbornness than Dongsik, who witnessed first hand the lengths Joowon would go to complete his goals—and why.

It's a very unique circumstance that only the two of them will share and intimately know about each other, for better or for worse, by virtue of the fact that they are each driven to be who they are now, ironically, by Han Kihwan.

By virtue of being Lee Yuyeon's murderer, and by virtue of being Han Joowon's father.

That's the power Han Kihwan had and will always have over them. They are who they are in part because of what he did to them, separately and together.

That's what makes him the true monster of the story, the "final boss" of the series of monsters that both Dongsik and Joowon had to deal with, not because he was the "best" or "most powerful" of the villains—he was actually the weakest, stupidest, and most cowardly of them all—but he had the most impact to each of their lives, in the absolute worst way.

And isn't that the true evil? What is truly angering of all? That the least of them all had the most damage done to the best of people.

Would it be healthier for them to end up with other people, someone new and different?

Objectively—yes.

My worry for Joowon is that he might always feel like he owes Dongsik, just because he intimately knows what his own family did to Dongsik's family.

And my worry for Dongsik is that he might always feel like he owes Joowon too, precisely because he intimately knows everything Joowon had to give up in order to bring justice to him.

There's a chance that their relationship might evolve the same way as, for example, Nam Sangbae's relationship with Dongsik, who had stuck with him with some misplaced sense of responsibility—even as his love and care for Dongsik had been sincere—because it was colored by guilt.

For Joowon's and Dongsik's relationship in particular, it wouldn't necessarily be out of guilt—they've already punished each other, so to speak, in ways they deem fitting—but out of gratitude.

I can't be sure if that's a healthy foundation of a relationship, to be with each other because you're grateful to them. Perhaps that's also why I find it more believable to accept the actual ending of the story as the right one, if only because they need that time apart to re-discover who they are without the shadow of Han Kihwan looming over them—in different ways—so that if and when they choose to come back to each other, it'll be after a re-affirmation of their own sense of selves, this time free from everything that had previously shackled them.

Is it better for other people to be with them?

This is just the reverse of the question above, and honestly? My objective answer is no.

It is with complete and utter love for the both of them that I say they may have ruined each other for other people.

For Joowon in particular, his new theoretical significant other might want and need a partner who would have more attention and time for them as a family, instead of one who is completely and utterly devoted to his duty as a cop.

For Dongsik in particular, his new theoretical significant other might want and need a partner who has more concrete goals and ambitions in life, and not someone who is just starting to figure out his own identity and his life after finally being free from all the shadows that dogged his steps for decades.

Because the thing is, I'm not entirely sure that their new significant others would deserve them, just because I'm also not entirely sure neither Dongsik nor Joowon would be completely happy—even as they might have sincerely loved their new theoretical partners in return—with someone who wouldn't have completely understood who they are and what they've gone through, and what they're still going through.

For better or for worse, I don't think there's anyone else who can completely understand and accept them, the best and the worst of who they are—other than each other.

In conclusion: Is it healthy?

In time, it can be. Let them come back to each other at their own pace, in their own time.

I think they do know, deep in their hearts, that—for better or for worse—there will be no other.

And I think that can also be their motivation too, to do their best to make up for their mistakes, to live their best life and be the best of who they can be, and find their own ways to heal and move forward, because they have someone waiting for them.

Someone to come home to.

[musingmelsuinesmelancholy]

Musings on titles and definitions

I've been listening to Radical Elphame and BiblioSophia. The interview they did recently with Marshal and Austin and the interview Biblia Sophia did with Shani Oates (my god that was fascinating) got me thinking about how we define and title the things we practice.

Why do we specify traditional witchcraft? Is there a difference between witchcraft and trad craft? What exactly is folk witchcraft?

I know we have all heard that tw is used to distinguish from Wicca; but I don't honestly think that's accurate. I know Cochrane disliked Wicca and did consider what he was doing diametrically opposed to Wicca. I do think the two are different, but are really different enough to define trad craft as non-wiccan witchcraft? I don't think so, we use similar tools, laying a compass is similar to casting a circle (having done both I have noticed differences), Sabbatic Craft works with Divine Male/Female pairings. No, I would think that its more accurate to describe tradcraft as non-new age witchcraft. When I see people complaining about wiccans, I find that often, not always, what they're actually complaining about is New Age! Both trad craft and wicca used similar ideas/material in their inceptions, it just seems like it was interpreted differently. They certainly are two different approaches to the craft but in the same way I do not think it would be helpful to describe a Baptist as a non-Catholic Christian, even though that is true, I don't think it's helpful to describe tw as non-wiccan witchcraft. Most trad witches would probably describe witchcraft as the art of trafficking with spirits, becoming like them and the practice of malefica. So why not just call ourselves witches? Imo it is because, generally speaking, the popular idea of witchcraft is more along the lines of energy manipulation, manifestation, angel numbers 'intentions' and tends to conjure up images of crystal healing, eclecticism etc and/or tends to be use as term to describe magic in general with no specific definition. (Not that there is anything wrong with that it doesn't matter what other people do, so as long as it isn't racist or appropriative). There is certainly still some conflation with wicca and witchcraft, but I don't think it's as bad as it was and therefore do not see the need to specifically set us apart from wiccans.

However, I do think wiccans and trad crafters approach the craft differently. (generally speaking!) I feel that the trad craft approach is more about connecting to rediscovering or reinvigorating the culture/traditions of a certain place. This often leads to a dual-faith observance, as our idea of witchcraft came to be in the context of Christianity. When I was wiccan, it felt more about re-inventing and reclaiming witchcraft and participating in a religion which, at the time, I felt made up for the lack of feminine/nature-based spirituality. We have different founders of course, Cecil Williamson, Robert Cochrane, Gardner, Valiente (though I think she was involved in both currents). The two trads evolved differently. Shani Oates said in her BiblioSophia interview "It [Wicca] is something that has no cosmology, and no end times. So, it doesn't have an eschatology, it just exists in its own creation, in its own bubble. Whereas The Clan of Tubal Cain and Robert Cochranes development of that very much has a cosmology and an eschatology, so it's a full rounded thing." I disagree about Wicca not having cosmology, the god/dess and belief in rebirth/Summerland's would be cosmology, no? I'm sure different traditions have their own too, which the public may not be privy to. The rest resonates very well with me and why I am drawn to trad craft specifically. Before I continue, I want to say in this I am comparing and contrasting my own experiences in wicca and tradcraft. I was wiccan for a while. I am not attempting to diss the religion as a whole, there's much about it that I appreciate! I can only speak on MY OWN experiences and in no way am trying to speak for or on wicca as a whole. I absolutely felt that wicca 'existed in it's own creation' during my time as one. It did not engage with culture or folklore. It had no connection, as far as I am aware, to a cosmology or eschatology that had evolved over time/within a certain culture or religion. (this is not a problem per se and I am generalizing). Trad craft gave me a way to connect to existing cosmologies which had connections to the land, the cultures and the histories I was drawn to. (local ones + my ancestors). I felt that I had more "scaffolding". What I was searching for, when got into spirituality, wasn't a re-creation or re-invention of a pagan/witch faith but rather connection to land, culture and its people. I didn't want to re-invent these things, I wanted to appreciate with and engage with them as they are. That isn't to say that a wiccan can't blend their religion with local or ancestral lore/culture or incorporate an outside cosmology into it.

This brings me to folk witchcraft. I'm seeing this word used more and I have a lot of feelings. I would think that a folk witch is one who is practicing the witchcraft of the area they live in or is one who has been brought into a living folk tradition. Can you call yourself a folk witch, if you're one such as myself? Raised in a white homogenous consumerist culture. No language passed down, no folk tales, very few folk customs retained. I seek out the lore and traditions of my state and of the cultures of my ancestors. I use folk spells. but who are my folk? folk magic is community based. I can't call myself a Canadian, French or Scottish folk witch, even if all the magic I did came from those cultures. I don't live in any of those places. I cannot claim those cultures. I suppose, as the lore of my state is a part of what I do, I could call myself an INSERT STATE NAME folk witch. But, again, who are my folk? The old French-Canadian culture that was once here is all but gone. Not that we don't have a distinct culture of our own anymore! We certainly do.

I like how Marshal described trad craft as "loric" as opposed to folkloric. The lore/history of Europe and America do inform my understanding of witchcraft, but folklore is regional! One cannot say their craft is based on European or American folklore. Who's folklore? Which countries? Which states? "loreic" is specific enough to imply that the lore of witchcraft shapes what one does while not claiming that one is part of a folk trad they have no connection to.

Certainly, one's craft being a melting pot of ancestral and local lore(s) while having to navigate practicing on stolen, colonized land, is very American in spirit.

Edit: Forgot to mention this! Honestly the biggest difference between trad craft and wicca is the "astral sabbath" I never encountered mention of a "sabbath" (I don't like the word tbh due to its antisemitic origins. I propose the use of Conclave instead?) as a nonphysical, spiritual event within Wicca. If you've spent any time in the trad craft sphere, you'll know it's a main focus of what we do. Idk if wiccans place emphasis on spirit initiation either. I didn't learn of the term until I got into traditional witchcraft.