#outside of “formal”prayer rituals

[caduceussky]

Yes, there is prayer and worship in temples. In librations poured for the gods, in altars carefully set up with statues and candles and offerings.

But there is also prayer on her water bottle, in the way it is covered in stickers that subtly (and not-so-subtly) represent and remind her of her gods. Whenever someone asks what the stickers mean, she smiles.

There is prayer in the little devotions they leave behind on their computer, in the code they've been working on for days. They leave dedications and praises after two forward slashes (like arms raised to the sky) — secret to most, but not to them. Not to their gods.

There is prayer on the inside of his jacket, the one he always wears to teach. Stitched above his heart are the names of the gods he calls out to the most. He touches his chest, letting out a breath before addressing his class.

There is prayer in the charms that hang from her rearview mirror. There is prayer in the way they gesture wildly while telling a story. There is prayer in the little symbols he traces on fogged-up glass.

And the gods are always happy to see it.

[devouredbyflame]

I know praying isn’t always about a “request” but out of curiosity, when they do, what do people pray to Loki for? When people do the request kind of praying. When people pray for fertility or things to go well money wise or for health it seems like it’s cause that God is known to have power over that thing in some capacity, like Iðnn for health or Freya for love or fertility, but I don’t actually know what Loki is supposed to be able to affect. I’m fine to just talk to him sometime, I mainly want to contact him out of curiosity, maybe ask some advice at some point if he’s willing to give it. Im just kinda wondering. I know Gods don’t just have power over One Thing a piece, they’re not that limited or one-dimensional, but as far as general associations go, I’ve tried to research but people just say God of chaos or transformation. People mention “working with” him in witch stuff, so I assume there’s like, a specific area of that he’s more helpful with? But I could be wrong. Just wondering, and haven’t been able to find anything yet.

You’re going to find varying ideas with different results each. It really depends on what you look at “praying” as. For any Deity, you can pray to give thanks or gratitude, pray for guidance and support and things to work in your favor. Offerings are also of value that backs the request of your prayer. I wouldn’t look at offerings as a bartering system because that can go sideways with Loki, but rather just a way to emphasize your gratitude and replenish the God in question for Their deed.

Now, I only work with Loki so I pretty much go to Loki for everything but He goes to other Gods and makes requests on my behalf like a representative. If it isn’t within His specific domain, He will find Whomever it is and convince Them for support.

That being said, you can go to Loki about anything you desire. His specialties seem to be in getting people their just desserts, luck, bargain shopping, protection, and manipulating seemingly impossible events to go in yours and His favor. Do be warned that Loki also tends to make sure whatever He does for you, He has a reason to share in it. He usually only functions if it goes in His favor, and not just in yours. So sometimes that may mean your request can go sideways whether you want it to or not. He tends to take things into His own hands and make them complicated so it typically doesn’t go the way you might think it should.

The only time He gets iffy is if it’s about death and dying in which case He isn’t terribly interested in responding to that and will refer you to His daughter Hel sooner than making good on any request. Outside of that, He is known to have many fingers in many pies and will vouch for anything should He believe it worthy of pursuing.

Be as specific as possible and do not mince words with Loki. He is the best lawyer you’re ever going to meet and will manipulate wording to reflect something that is completely different from what you expect.

However, He is impeccably impressive when it comes to giving people gifts. He is well-known for making good on His promises and paying back tenfold whatever you put in. He goes above and beyond and is lovely when it comes to thoughtful gifting.

Praying isn’t as formal as some people seem to want it to be. Loki is incredibly informal and would prefer conversations to be casual and authentic rather than a formalized planned ritualized saying. I wouldn’t be like “hey, fucker, listen here” if you’re just starting to know Him, but be respectful in the very least because He is still a Deity. Don’t dish what you can’t take with Loki. Disrespect tends to be be grounds for more disrespect regardless of your relationship or how well you think you know Him.

That was probably more information than you’d ever ask for. But there it is.

[loemius]

so you want to improve your relationships with the theoi but dont know how...

here’s my advice on small things you can do in your day to day life. most of this is purely advice based on my experience/accumulated research over time and i am not an expert by any means. if there is a relevant primary source quote to support my advice, it will be stated and sourced. now that the disclaimer is out of the way, let’s get into actual tips.

-cleanse before offering. i’m serious about this one. here are two source quotes to back me up on this one [source: labyrs.gr/eng]: “ Never omit to wash your hands before you pour to Zeus and to the other Gods the morning offering of sparkling wine; they will not hear your prayers but spit them back. “ - Hesiod, Works and Days, lines 722-725 “ ...and with hands unwashed I would take shame to pour the glittering wine to Zeus; there is no means for a man to pray to the dark-misted son of Kronos, with blood and muck all splattered upon him.” - Homer's Iliad, 6.266-8 [2] cleansing can be done in a variety of ways -- i prefer to wash my hands or do a khernip if im not fresh out of the shower, but if i’m outside or in public or something and want to offer my food, for example, i’ll use hand sanitizer. if your hands get too chapped, use lotion instead. the gods want you to take care of yourself! -offer the steam or first bites of your food/drink. this is a very traditional offering, and here’s my advice on how i do it as a modern worshipper: if i’m cooking at home, i offer the steam of my food as i plate it with a verbal invocation and invitation to enjoy the food with me because i have appetite issues and live in an apartment, so physically setting aside first bites isn’t really possible for me. if i’m in public, i’ll whisper the invocation or say it mentally and give a minute or so pause to allow the theoi to enjoy first before i eat myself. i do the same kind of process with beverages. if i’m feeling up to it or doing a more formal ritual, i’ll pour the first sip into a separate cup for the theoi or into a specific glass i have dedicated for apollon. -water offerings. i’m not kidding on this one, if you live in an area that has clean, fresh water available, it is something to be grateful for and i strongly suggest you share it with the gods. back in the ancient greeks’ day, wine and beer were very common offerings over water because the water was contaminated and it was safer to drink alcohol. in my opinion, it is a celebration of the small comforts of modernity that often go taken for granted. pick your favorite cup. pour some water in it. put it on your altar and say a little prayer to indicate who it’s for and thank them for their gifts. bam! you did it. -say good morning/good night. this does not have to be a super formal thing. i certainly don’t have the energy to do intense formal ritual every morning, but at the very least, i can tell the theoi good morning and invite them to share my morning beverage with me. i personally have more energy at night, so i like to do goodnight prayers that are more formal. you have to find what works for you and fits your praxis the best, but regular prayers or even just acknowledgement by greeting the theoi helps a lot in my humble opinion. -listen to hymns of your gods. i see a lot of playlists/songs that remind me of x theoi and i’m not trying to shit on that! i have playlists of modern music that i invoke the gods to listen to with me. i do believe the theoi deserve modern comforts, as we live in a modern world and not ancient greece. that being said, i do not listen to modern music during formal ritual. if i listen to  any music at all, it’s a recording of an ancient hymn or lyre music written in the style of ancient greek music. if you’re looking for music, i suggest michael levy on youtube or spotify, who makes lyre music in ancient cultures’ styles (greek, roman, and jewish mostly) or searching on youtube “hymn to [x deity].” for hellenistic deities, there is a lot out there. there’s something so special to me about going through my day listening to an ancient hymn to apollon, and i suggest it for anyone who worships the theoi. having access to music 24/7 is cool! being able to hear what ancient hymns would sound like at the touch of a button is even cooler! i like using that power to praise the theoi. -be resourceful and observant in your day to day life and offer them cool shit you find. it’s about the small things. one of the academic buildings at my university has a big statue of apollo and athena respectively; i go outside and pick flowers to leave as offerings on their statues. so much of the stuff i have on my altar is either gifted to me, found in nature, or made myself. i don’t actually buy much for the theoi; incense, candles, and occasionally ill splurge on a statue if i can afford it or go thrifting for a nice altar piece. i’m a broke college student, i simply cannot afford to go out and buy nice pretty stuff for them. don’t pressure yourself to do that. capitalism is more modern; hellenism is an ancient religion and things for the theoi were natural or made by hand because it’s not like they had machines or anything. tldr: involve the theoi in your day to day life. listen to traditional hymns on spotify on your way to do whatever. tell them good morning and good night. they’re probably thirsty! leave them out a cup of water. share your food with them. thank them for the small blessings in your life. a little goes a long way with the theoi. kharis isn’t necessarily this BIG GRAND GESTURE, it can also be small, feasible gifts and praise over time. you have a life time with the theoi. you don’t buy a friend’s love with grand gestures, you show them you care over time by small intimate gestures like sharing food or saying hello.

[nichestartrekkie0-0]

Ok, you know I need you to go into detail about the ‘psychic blindness’ and courtship rituals! And the weddings! (Only if you want to, of course! :3)

yay! Ofc I will! :)) Thank you!!!!

Good morning yall- another long one so be prepared haha :))

Psychic blindness is just like regular blindness in humans! Aenar use psychic powers to see- if someone is psychically blind, they're just plain old regular blind too. There's systems in place for individuals who have this disability, it's also a thing to be deaf (u know, as it is) but also to have both psychic blindness and loss of hearing. I made sign language for the Aenar (they can see simple gestures the same way they see expressions) and I also made a 'tap language' for individuals who are both psychically blind and deaf. Also, to the Aenar, the rest of the world save for the Vulcans are 'psychically blind' but 'visually seeing'. The idea is that others can see things they can't, but the Aenar have their own ways of seeing as well. Both are considered sight. The word in my conlang for sight is 'penak' which comes from 'pak' for sense and 'pen' for mind.

courtship rituals! As I've said, the Aenar never say anything directly. Ever. Which makes it difficult sometimes for outsiders to understand wtf is going on. (Oof RIP Hemmer's wife) There are usually 4 stages to a relationship 1- casual, 2-pre-engagement, 3-engagement, 4-marriage. Notice how it goes from casual to committed almost instantly. It's a big deal to go from 1-2. Usually, Aenar have a few casual relationships, but only 2-3 pre-engagement bonds in their life. (Oh, bonds-- oof I might need a separate post for that) Casual relationships are just that, but in order to move to a pre-engagement bond some things have to take place. Namely, approval from one's parents and explicit approval from one's partner. Precognition also plays a role here, and I have two types of precognition (oh boy, psychic stuff) One predicts danger, and the other predicts compatibility between people. Aenar like to talk about the dangerous one because it makes them sound cool- they never mention the other one. Remember how there's stages? well, if precognition throws you a curveball you can go from 0-2 (Nothing to pre-engagement bond) or even 0-3 (Nothing to engagement bond) almost instantly. Your brain basically speedruns the relationship. The goal of precognition is to approximate things, either danger or personal compatibility. When a psychic finds someone that their brain 'recognizes' and is seemingly a good partner for them (platonic or romantic) boom! Bond! This can lead to many funny/awkward/chaotic things. (Hemmer's parents I headcanon are from rival families, and had some precognition shenanigans) Ummm, as for rituals pre-engagement, there's not a lot... engagement and after has some more

Engagement-marriage. Oof. Good luck if you're not an Aenar. So to start off, to get engaged there's more loopholes and things to do. You start with the intended partner and gift each other A- a gift that represents them and your relationship and B- a bead for their esh'ra'oo. (Great uhh, I need to explain what that is info* below oof) and C- a tradition involving a scarf. All gifts must be accepted, and then there's a formal proposal announcement that takes place in front of both families.

Marriage is as much of a headache as it is here. Both families must be visited to gain both approval and material things for the wedding. (Kind of like something old/new/borrowed/blue thing we have here) The ceremony itself is long af, and ends with a ceremonial jump into the local hot springs! Marriage is called 'taking the leap'! Technically there's both public and private marriage- the public part is the ceremony, the walk back to the couple's new home, and the events after are not. (Usually consummation of marriage and a secret tradition) The tradition can be anything from a prayer to cooking a meal together. Whatever the tradition is- its jealously guarded and passed down from mother to daughter, (unless the woman isn't an Aenar haha) When the two come out the next morning wearing each other's families scarf knots as their own (Each family has a signature knot and style) boom! Marriage is complete! (A trip after marriage isn't a thing, you mention 'honeymoon' to any Aenar they're gonna look at you like you're crazy)

*Esh'ra'oo is a beaded chord (kinda like the Navi song-chord) in which an individual composes a song for the beads they are given and earn. Each bead represents a huge moment in their life, and there's second and third chords for lyrics and notes. Tattoos can or can not follow these beads, each person has a preference. Each person's song is different and when they die the chord is placed/hung in the Ash'ha el Hekekren or the temple of stories- so their family can sing their song when they pray or want to remember them (Religion is...oof I can make another post haha) (Funerals...also oof omg I guess I gotta lot)

Anywho!! Thank you!!! :)))

[definitelynotshouting]

helloooo friend :D !! tis i, bug anon

saw you weren't doing great from previous asks, hope whtever is happening gets better :(

my college searching thing is going a bit (?) better BUT i have major concerns about being discriminated about at the university my parents want me to go to which sucks :/

in other news, i accidentally told a customer "happy valentines gay! :)" and she was like "???? thanks ?" I WAS MORTIFIED DUDE

also! if you don't mind, could you tell me a bit abt your religion/who you worship? the only reason i would ask is bc i saw your prayer thing for jellie and had never heard of that god/goddess before (i believe she's from Egyptian mythology? idk) anyway if you dont feel like sharing, no worries :D

-🐛

HEY BUG ANON!!! :D thank u for the well-wishes, i really appreciate them a ton!! I hope the college searching goes better, it sounds real rough on your end :((( also AKSNAKDNKS HAPPY VALENTINES GAY....... THATS SO FUCKJNG FUNNY HELP MEEEE if someone said that to me while out and about i would be ecstatic truly KSNDWKNDKSNSJSNS

Sure, i can try and give a quick crash course in kemeticism if you're curious!! (As a general disclaimer to any OTHER kemetics who might see this, im gonna attempt to keep this very layman-friendly, so if i skip nuances in favour of simplifying stuff thats why. I'll leave some resources at the end of this post!)

Uhhh okay so kemetic paganism is a neopagan religion based off of ancient egyptian religious practices. There are a lot of different ways folks practice kemeticism-- such as reconstructionism (or recon; aka strict adherence to the rituals of antiquity), revivalism (adapting ancient rituals and practices into the modern era), and eclecticism (for the sake of simplicity, we'll say this is essentially taking several different practices from many other religions and combining them all into one personal practice). I fall somewhere between revivalism and eclecticism, mostly by virtue of also working with Hermes and Loki, though my practice is primarily kemetic in nature.

In short, i worship the ancient egyptian gods-- my patron, or a god whom i am particularly close with and mainly dedicated to, is the cat goddess Bast (also known as Bastet, although thats actually a mistranslation of her name). Bast is known by many epithets, but one translation of her name is "Lady of the Ointments"; its written with the hieroglyphs for a bas-jar (aka a perfume/ointment jar) and a loaf of bread (the "t" sound). She's a solar goddess associated with protection, is an Iryt Ra (Eye of Ra; Goddesses who protect and nurture the sun god Ra), and like many (and i do mean many) other kemetic gods, also holds ties to fertility. In the past she was depicted as a lioness, then later became associated with the domestic housecat, where she picked up additional ties to motherhood; she also began picking up attributes from close association with Het-hert (Hathor), which resulted in further associations with music, dancing, and the arts. She's often depicted holding an aegis (a collar-like necklace with a deity's head on it) and a sistrum (a musical rattle).

She's a very fierce but loving goddess whom i have been worshipping for the last 11 years :] i also work with other kemetic deities-- of my "personal quintet," as i like to joke, i work with Djehuty (Thoth), Sekhmet, and occasionally Sutekh (Set/Seth) and Heru-wer (Horus the Elder). And, ofc, from outside the kemetic pantheon i work with Hermes and Loki, who happens to be my other patron!!

Im very glad that my formal petition to Bast for Jellie has brought those who have seen it some much-needed comfort, and its nice that its also made some people curious about kemeticism!! If youve got any specific questions, feel free to drop me a line off anon or in dms! :] im always happy to chat!!

Some further reading if you're interested:

Per-Bast (a website dedicated to Bast that holds very good information and resources)

Kemetic Starter Guide

Kemetic FAQ

[marabarl-and-marlbara]

howdy! I saw you mentioned left-handed sabbaths in a recent post of yours. if I may ask, when do those occur? and is anything expected to be done during this left-handed sabbath? have a nice day!!! c:

hi anonymous, it follows the 8th-day calendar and falls on orsday when it occurs (a day that follows in the shadow of the seventh-day calendar -- so it has to be separated out);

formal observance is tricky because 1) for the most part it is just me (i seem to be better at recruiting people to scientology and christianity than i am to things i actually believe in), & 2) i:m uncomfortable with telling people what i actually do to observe the sabbath because i don:t trust someone with new interest in the faith to observe it cleanly -- this part mostly has to do with vow renewals and ritualized observance <- i:d expect a person to only observe those after some formal indoctrination to the faith after ~two-or-so years of practicing;

but, for the most part, i treat it like the adventists would their own sabbath (this is personal conjecture, the prior observances are communication) -- i wake up and do my morning prayers, and reword them to mention the day and the blessings therein and that i owe everything to the shell underground; to continue to be taught; to continue to be willing instrument for you o lord, that i may be a fingerprint of your hand up-on this world or ink with which you write or clay with which you carve, etcetera; that my breath may be as your word and the humors inside me no more than your spirit which circulates inside me and gives me motion and purpose; that when my soul is made ash as kiln-fire that i may be perfected material shrine for your oils to laquer and seal and fill; that this left-hand of the lord god may be loved, and cherished, and find grace though buried in sheol below; with love in my heart, amen ~etcetera;

then i try to take it easy, make sure everything is clean, make sure i am clean, try to indulge myself cleanly (ie: nice meals, no outright stressors, allowing myself rest instead of rigidly following routines like jogging @ 4am if i don:t feel like it); avoid impure thoughts, avoid others and outside contaminant except on handhold-sabbaths (when the 7th day and 8th day calendars overlap on their sabbaths; saturdays and orsdays overlapping); if there were more congregation and others to concern for, there:d be more conjecture needed to formalize an observance of it as though it were formal holiday -- but as mentioned: it:s mostly just me! every-one interested is usually interested in 'philosophical left-handedness' instead of actually being left-handed, and the ratio of handedness is 9:1 so it:s niche to begin with; take care, anonymous

[birch-bark-scribbles]

>.> Do tell me more about this "land greeting ritual" if you are comfortable ????

Sure thing 💚

The bones of my land greeting ritual is AODA's Sphere of Protection (SoP). The AODA uses it as a template, not a strictly scripted ritual, and that's how I approach it as well. If you're familiar with the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram it's going to look marginally familiar. AODA started out as a Masonic group with Golden Dawn connections but has since moved on considerably from those roots... that's a topic for another time though.

I'm chosing to not share my specific language that I've crafted and am still refining, but I'll go over the broad strokes. I think that'll explain more than trying to explain the differences between the AODA's SoP and the LRP, or talking about all of the things one can do with the ritual, or anything like that. It's a very adaptable little ritual structure and I'm very fond of it for that reason.

I use no tools or ritual garb or anything like that; very "low church", to borrow a term. I have a couple versions of the ritual depending on how well I'm feeling. If I'm sick or depressed, or trying to do it subtly in public, I can do it sitting, just looking around the room and thinking through my script. (Advantage of a Protestant upbringing; I'm extremely good at silent prayer and visualization.) The full version involves standing in place for 5-7 minutes, or longer if I want to meditate right then. It involves some gesturing, and turning to face the four cardinal directions.

I start facing the east. I remind myself of where I am; a tiny dot on the face of a huge and ancient planet, hanging in an infinitely larger and older heaven, surrounded by the water and heat that make life possible. I hold my hands just out from my sides, palms up or out. The traditional version uses the shape of the cross and four elements, but that's not my jam. So I use the shape of the Awen symbol / | \ and the land / sea/ sky elemental triad instead.

Then I greet each direction in turn, starting with the east and facing each quarter in turn, ending in the north. Some versions greet the four classical elements in this way; for me the four element system is the least important correspondence at play here. For each direction, I trace the symbol for it in the air with my fingers, and greet the Gate of that direction with language that includes the color, plant, creature, and other symbolism I've developed or inherited for that quarter. I also greet by name the salient feature of the landscape literally in that direction from my home (three mountains and a lake!), as part of that greeting. I ask for the blessings of the spirits of the land in that direction and/ or do some energy work, and offer my thanks and respect to the same. This is the heart of the land greeting; I am acknowledging every part of the landscape around me in a systematic manner. I like doing this outside when I can. A few thoughts of note: AODA uses nonstandard symbols for air/east and earth/ north, I do not invoke any deities/ angels/ named spirits or anything like that in my personal version, and I don't generally do the traditional formal invoke and banish unless I'm in a formal setting as it's not really part of my personal paradigm.

Then I greet the three aspects of spirit in a very similar way: Spirit Above, Spirit Below, and once all six directions have been welcomed I invoke the Spirit Within (or Awen). My symbolism in this section parallels the elemental triad from the beginning. Finally, I conclude the ritual with a blessing on myself and the land around me. Traditionally, none of the aspects of Spirit are banished after being formally invoked.

When I do this outside I usually bring some kind of gift. If I do it on the deck I do it before watering my container garden; if I do it in the woods or at the overlook, I bring water, or a handful of oats, or nuts, or compost. Sometimes an apple or something else critter-appropriate.

Thanks for asking, I hope it was interesting!

[hmshermitcraft]

Gods are so useless.

What can they really do for mortals? Offer protection? That's nothing more than useless words and always a broken promise. Treasures? Happiness isn't in treasures. Love? That's so wrong on so many levels. You can't just force somebody to love.

That's what Xisuma always thought. He's nothing more than a useless admin, even worse as a friend. He's not really good for anything. So he works. He works until he passes out from exhaustion. It's not like anybody would care. Nobody ever seems to notice him, not that they have to - he's really terrible as a friend. You can't get advice from him, he always makes everything about himself, he's always avoiding eye contact (it's really not malicious! But others always seem to think he's being dishonest.), he always does weird moves. He doesn't talk about his interests, he knows he'll start rambling. He doesn't need anybody to hate him more than they already do.

He doesn't really have much to live for. He can't give up, though. So he prays. He's very sceptical, he doesn't know any of the prayers, he doesn't know much about the rituals. He just needs somebody to talk to. That's all he needs, he doesn't want to be too greedy. He just wants to be able to talk and not bother anyone, even if those gods don't exist. Nobody needs to know. It's almost enough for him. He sometimes wishes for small things. Maybe some tea, for comforting thunderstorms outside, for some chance to sleep. He doesn't want to be too greedy, really. He doesn't notice how he gets those things, and sometimes even more than that. How his favorite tea doesn't seem to run out, how the thunderstorms will go on all night and he can rest comfortably, how his stim toy cube never seems to get lost again. Life is a bit more comfortable. He doesn't seem to notice how Keralis starts to talk to him more, not only for admin reasons, how he always seems ready to talk to Xisuma and how he seems to know what the Voidwalker needs.

- 🐰 anon

It helps a lot to have Keralis at his back. Xisuma's surprised how effortlessly he slides into X's life. At one point there was life without Keralis, then there's life with him. Keralis, running over to chat about one of his builds, to compliment X's latest creation, to ask him to tea. Xisuma finds himself smiling far more often, sometimes even thinking 'I'll tell Keralis about that later.'

He still prays, though whatever formality he had is gone completely. He prays for small things still. Sometimes he's just thankful for the things that happened that day. One night, during a prayer, he references his conflicted feelings about Keralis. How he's unsure if he wants to pursue anything further, or if he should be happy with what he has. How he's afraid of ruining it, and he wishes there was an easy sign to tell him what to do.

Keralis asks him out the next day. Xisuma just about stumbles his way through a yes.

[ramayantika]

Indian classical dance movies/documentaries you can watch (1)

Lasya Kavya:

'Dance is a prayer with my entire being; not a formal austere ritual, but a transforming experience.' - Alarmel Valli

Personally, Alarmel Valli's dance has a special place in my heart. It's not only her dance that binds you to her, but it's also her thoughts and her beautiful creative mind that expresses itself through her movements and expressions. There is poetry in her movements, and somehow her performance is always captivating.

Lasya Kavya is a documentary on Alarmel Valli and her dance journey. Even non dancers who are into other creative pursuits can still connect to her. And if you are someone who isn't really into the arts, this documentary still holds some great insights to bharatanatyam so one can definitely give this documentary a chance.

Maya Ravana: In the Spirit of Ramayana:

Maya Ravana is a dance ballet on Ravana from the Ramayana. This dance drama has been one of the enthralling works of Shobhana Chandrakumar Pillai, who has also starred in many Malayalam films.

As the name suggests, this dance drama showcases Ravana, the Lankan ruler as a charismatic man, who is well versed in magic too. The dance drama unlike other purely classical dance performances has used film songs and dance sequences, yet the narration, the storytelling, colourful costumes, well-written dialogues and obviously Shobhana's choreographies make Maya Ravana in the must-watch list.

Given to dance: India's Odissi Tradition:

'You danced in the temple and I dance on the stage. For you, what is the difference between us?'

'You dance outside, on the stage. To you, dance is art and knowledge. We danced only inside the temple, as service to the God.'

When we talk about the history of Odissi dance, one cannot forget the Maharis, the temple dancers of the Puri Jagganatha temple. This documentary has some rare footage of the Maharis who were very old to dance, yet some some of them obliged to show some of the steps.

Both, Odissi and Bharatanatyam have been temple dance forms originally. Odissi too had lost its respect after the British and it was a hard task to reconstruct odissi again.

This documentary was the one that made me serious about learning Odissi again because I wasn't that interested in it before because I was already doing bharatanatyam and I already had a brief experience with Odissi in childhood.

This one shall provide a lot of insight for Odissi dancers to appreciate the history and the original perfomers of this beautiful form as well as this videos serves a dual purpose of providing historical and cultural knowledge for dancers who learn other forms than Odissi as well as for people who aren't into dance yet want to know about the history and culture of the various forms.

Natyanubhuva: "Dance in India is a celebration of the Body, the Mind and the Spirit. And in its evolution, it is universal and timeless."

The introduction of this documentary is sure to give you goosebumps. As a dancer, I don't think I will ever have words to explain how I feel when I dance, but the intro part does the job.

This documentary is the base for anybody to understand why Indian classical dance exists and how across centuries, this form is still relevant to the Indian society. Very beautifully, it begins with the Dhyana shloka which is learnt by all the dancers learning dance. It then proceeds to explain the relationship of the Art and the Artist.

Then we have how is a dancer's body visualized as a temple and the sacred space that surrounds the body which is adorned with movement and embellished with music.

If I wrote more about this one, I will reveal all the content present in it. This documentary too has some eminent dancers talking and presenting their respective dance forms and there are some very famous pieces of each dance style that shall provide a basic idea and may help you differentiate.

And just in case, if you have wondered what purpose dos these age old dance forms have which show stories of gods, goddesses and demons from epics of ancient eras, this documentary will give you the answer.

Documentary on the Thanjavur Bani of Bharatanatyam by Guru. K.P. Kittappa Pillai:

Fifth generation descendant of Sivanandam who was one of the Tanjore Quartet and the grandson of the legendary Meenakshisunsaram Pillai, Kittappa Pillai has contributed immensely to the Thanjavur Bani of Bharatanatyam. Bani here means a style and bharatanatyam itself has many styles where the basic format is same across all styles but there are slight variations in the number of adavus or in the technique or maybe in the movement.

This documentary unlike Laasya Kavya doesn't tell much about Guru Kittappa Pillai's journey in dance, rather it shall take you directly to the dance tradition. This documentary entails a brief history of the dance form and quickly moves on to various clippings of different Adavus which are the basic steps a dancer learns before moving on to the items.

I personally think that this documentary would be great for someone who hasn't stepped into the world of classical dance ever because they tell you the basic here as well as there are brief explanations of the dance pieces shown here. Overall a good one to appreciate how old the dance form is as well as to appreciate the sincere work of such gurus to keep the art form alive.

»»——⍟——««

Hi! It took me almost a year to find these gems out of which I have added only a few of them in the first part. I will be making more of these parts. I belong from a generation where majority of youngsters barely have any idea about classical dance and music. Being a classical dancer, I would like to spread word so that more people can appreciate the form and somehow this artform sustains.

Dancers, musicians and the audience together shall only sustain this artform that has been passed down from centuries with the help of gurus and patrons. It saddens me at times when I hear my peers ask what's the point of learning and performing all this when it is not as popularized as modern and western dance forms on television and media.

These documemtaries contain rare footage and lots of knowledge and information about the significance of dance, it's place in society and how it has helped develop such a beautiful and diverse culture.

I hope, many of you take some interest in these parts and I will be glad if you share some of the things you took from these videos or just any general discussion about them.

[heretic-child]

“While there are many sub-groups among Alevis, the community tends to close ranks when it comes to the Sunni world, employing an “us” versus “them” approach and emphasizing its position as a marginalized religious/ethnic minority.

Following severe persecution and massacres by the Ottomans which lasted into the 18th century, Alevis went underground pretending to be Sunnis to conceal their faith and survive in a hostile environment. Isolated from both the Sunni Ottomans and the Shi’a Safavids, the Alevis developed traditions, practices, and doctrines that by the early 17th century marked them as a closed, autonomous religious community, opposed to all forms of external religion.

Unlike Sunnism and mainline Shi’ism, Alevism does not possess a tradition of authoritative religious scholarship and official carriers of formal learning. Rather, it is more “a flowing together of various related movements, doctrines, ideas, rituals and traditions in a flexible synthesis, its strength lying in shared local traditions and esoteric interpretations of Islamic belief and practice.”

Some other differences distinguishing Alevis from Sunnis: the use of wine for religious ceremonial functions; non-observance of the five daily prayers and prostrations (they only bow twice in the presence of their spiritual leader), Ramadan, and the Haj (they consider the pilgrimage to Mecca an external pretense, the real pilgrimage being internal in one’s heart); and non-attendance of mosques.

To prevent penetration by hostile outsiders, the Alevis insisted on strict endogamy, which eventually made them into a quasi-ethnic group. Alevi taboos limited interaction with the dominant Sunni political-religious centre. Excommunication was the ultimate punishment threatening those who married outsiders, cooperated with outsiders economically, or ate with outsiders. It was also forbidden to use the state (Sunni) courts.”

[asgard-segun-elcadejos]

The Ritual

[ The Prayer | The Sowing | The Ritual | The Reaping ]

( Recommended soundtrack  || AO3 )

x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x

It had taken some time.

While the Skjaldmö dutifully scouted Asgard searching for the seven bodies they knew were there, Hilda unwillingly stayed at Valhalla Palace, recovering. She had offered blood twice, with little time between each, and as she planned to do it a third time soon, strength needed to be gathered.

Hilda was curled in front of the fireplace in her chambers, gloomily clutching Siegfried’s broken helmet, when she heard a sharp tap-tap-tap on her window. Initially, it was ignored, but with every passing second, it became more insistent, and inevitably, more annoying. The Princess of Asgard finally turned to the window to see a rather large bird perched outside. She would have continued to ignore it, if only its eyes had not been glowing eerily.

The helmet rolled out of her hands as she stood, wrapping a heavy fur cloak around herself before opening the window.

“Five out of eight warriors recovered. You are all hard at work, work, work!”

Goosebumps went all over Hilda’s body. “Indeed, Master Raven. We are still searching for Fenrir and Siegfried. Thor has already been found; carefully moving him to the shrine is our priority at this time.”

“Oh, ‘Master Raven’? So formal. Or maybe you do not know, know, know?”

“I would not dare assume if you are ‘Mind’, or ‘Thought’ (1), Master Raven. It is my honor, either way, to receive your visit.”

She bowed. The Raven flapped his wings and let out a caw, which sounded suspiciously like a chuckle.

“Good, because I brought company!” it said, playfully hopping from one side of the window to the other. “Six other warriors esteemed Göndul did not get a chance to reveal to you, you, you.”

Hilda’s eyes narrowed, thinking hard. What other warriors? Sure, there were other God Robes besides the ones she had awoken, those without the power to bring forth Odin’s God Robe, but they had remained static regardless of the conflict. Why would the previous Princess, her mother Göndul, withhold this information from her successor? Unless only the ruling Princess of Asgard was meant to know about them…

And then it hit her. Only six, because the seventh (or rather, the first) had already awoken.

“The Shadow Warriors? Is the All-Father summoning these fourteen in this era?”

“‘For a purpose far greater than Midgard can yet imagine’, he did say. Be sure to welcome them, young valkyrie and show them the way, way, way!”

At this, it jumped off the ledge and vanished against the dark sky. Just a moment later, someone knocked on her door to announce the arrival of a young woman. Not long after, a few more followed.

x+x+x+x+x+x+x+x

Hilda gently ran her fingers through his curls.

When the Saints returned from Atlantis, Andromeda informed her Sorrento had survived, and more or less explained how. The Princess’ heart broke all over again, if it was even possible at that point, knowing Siegfried’s valiant sacrifice had not taken the Marina General with him. However, it seemed that by freeing himself from the God Warrior’s grip, Siren Sorrento inadvertently interrupted Siegfried’s ascension and his corpse plummeted back to Earth like a meteorite.

A Raven showed up at the Palace again, wondering if anyone had spoken to the people of Western Asgard. As was their way, it did not say why it was important, and finding it suspicious, Hilda promptly deployed a group of Skjaldmö. The people from this area indeed recounted seeing a shooting star crash against the mountain's side not long ago.

After a few hours, the shield-maidens returned with Siegfried’s heavily injured corpse. Besides his already damaged heart, the rest of his organs didn’t appear to have been crushed, which was a relief. The skin, however, was noticeably burned. She could only thank the God Robe for protecting him as much as it did. Now lightly dressed, his body floated in one of the many thermal pools inside the volcano shrine.

This was a sacred place, its location known to very few. The inside had several levels; a stone altar carved with runes and elaborate designs in the first one connected, via more intricate, deeper carvings to the water source, which flowed gently into pools in the lower levels. These were not particularly large or deep, but enough for one person to lay on their back and be comfortably covered by the water without risk of drowning. The other seven bodies were doing exactly that in pools of their own, slowly defrosting in the naturally heated waters. These were said to have healing properties, and for Siegfried’s sake, Hilda hoped they were strong ones.

Steps and paths had been manually carved into the black lava rocks to allow walking between levels and across pools, though as per the ancient writings, one was to interact with the altar only. What the original purpose of this place had been, it was unclear, but after careful review, it seemed the best option for what was to be done.

The Princess let her gaze wander for a bit. Even Fenrir’s wolf companion had been brought along, though more out of respect than actual need, and carefully located next to Fenrir’s pool. She couldn’t help looking into the next one, where Freyja tenderly held Hagen’s hand. Hilda averted her eyes immediately, unable to contemplate the horrible trauma she had inflicted upon her sister.

The newcomers announced by the Raven were also there. A few were confused, some were upset, and one was utterly devastated. The moment she laid eyes on one of the pools, her legs gave out. Half-stumbling, she reached in to touch the cheek of a twin (Bud’s, to be precise) while tears poured out in scandalous amounts.

Poor thing, Hilda thought. There will be time to grieve later, child, and if we are successful, to celebrate as well.

She finally parted from Siegfried’s body and stood where everyone could see her. At her nod, the four Skjaldmö left to guard the entrance, while three young acolytes propped up six of the seven Odin Sapphires in small stone platforms, and invited the newcomers to come closer. They were all given a sharp, obsidian blade.

“Asgardians, you were selected by the All-Father for a purpose far greater than Midgard can yet imagine. However, this is a choice, not a mandate. Should you answer his call, you will don a Shadow Robe to serve our land, your life always at risk. Should you refuse, you may leave without consequences.”

The six individuals exchanged looks, but it was the one with light blue hair who stepped forward first. “I accept his calling, Princess. My name is Baldur.”

“I’m Bjarna, and I accept too,” said the youngest of them, a girl hardly sixteen. The rest echoed their intentions with a nod.

“Thank you, brave Asgardians. As you know, you were paired with a specific God Warrior and these are their Odin Sapphires. Please, prick one of your thumbs and let a few blood drops fall on the one before you. With this gesture, you swear an oath to protect said God Warrior, and take their place, should they fall in battle.”

Hilda used her open hand to show them the corpses floating in the pools. They all ended up taking the obsidian blades, no sign of reconsidering, ready for the next step.

The tall redhead in the group raised an eyebrow. “Wait. Does that mean that guy already swore his? Before dying, I mean?”

He was pointing at the twins. Freyja took her place next to her sister before speaking. “That is correct.”

“Which one?” blurted out the young woman who had cried over Bud. “Which twin swore to protect the other? Please, I must know-!”

Freyja answered only after Hilda nodded. “Bud swore to become the Alcor Zeta Shadow and protect his younger brother, Mizar Zeta Syd.”

She wordlessly moved her lips as she repeated Freyja’s words, then took the blade, pricked her thumb and let a few drops fall on the Odin Sapphire. “This is my oath to protect the Alioth Epsilon God Warrior.”

The rest followed suit, not as quickly, but without wavering. The moment the last drop hit its Sapphire, a pleasant, ominous feeling rippled across the shrine. One of the newcomers stared at his hands in panic.

“Wh-what is happening? My body feels odd!”

“That would be your cosmos reacting to the oath, young man. If you have never felt your cosmos before, you are in for a ride,” Freyja replied with a smile.

Hilda slowly walked to a stone altar in the upper level, then suddenly slashed her wrist with an obsidian blade of her own, smiling as well.

“And we are just getting started.”

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(1) In Norse mythology, Huginn (Old Norse: "thought") and Muninn (Old Norse "memory" or "mind") are a pair of ravens that fly all over the world, Midgard, and bring information to the god Odin.

[chloesunit4]

Jewish:

Clothing has historically been used to represent religious affiliation, social rank, emotional condition, and even the Jews' relationship with the outside world in Judaism. The ancient rabbis stated that one of the reasons the Jews were deserving of being saved from slavery was their distinguishing attire in Egypt.

Jewish males customarily wear prayer shawls and cover their heads with kippot during synagogue services, practises that some liberal Jewish women have adopted as well. While most Jews dress similarly to non-Jews outside of synagogue, many Orthodox Jews are distinguished by specific clothing worn for ritual, tradition, or modesty. Orthodox (and some non-Orthodox) men wear kippot over their heads, with some wearing black caps or a shtreimel, a sort of fur hat. Many Orthodox men wear black suits, and many Hasidic men wear outfits evocative of the way Polish nobles wore in the 18th century, when Hasidic Judaism was founded. Many Orthodox males also wear a tzitzit, a four-pointed garment with fringes on the corners, underneath their shirt – the fringes may spill out from the shirt or be hidden.

Many Orthodox women avoid wearing trousers in favour of dresses and skirts. Furthermore, Orthodox women often dress modestly and cover a large portion of their bodies, but this varies greatly from community to community. Women are discouraged from wearing bright, eye-catching colours in some ultra-Orthodox communities. When they marry, most Orthodox women cover their hair with a cap, wig, or scarf.

What the Torah Has to Say About Clothes There is little in the Torah concerning clothes, either descriptively or prescriptively. It forbids merging wool and linen in a garment (such garments are known as shatnez) without reason, while also outlawing "mixing" various crops and types of livestock (Leviticus 19:19). It prevents men from donning women's clothing and vice versa (Deuteronomy 22:5), without elaborating on either. It also instructs Jews to sew fringes on the corners of four-pointed garments (Numbers 15:37-41), both to identify the Jew and to remind the Jew to keep the mitzvot. On the other hand, the Torah goes into great detail on the clothes of the priests, notably the High Priest, for their duties in the wilderness Tabernacle (Exodus 28), which was eventually adopted for the Temple in Jerusalem. While the High Priest's attire was complex, colourful, and full of symbolism, he was only to wear white linen on Yom Kippur, the one day a year when he would enter the most sacred area of the temple (Leviticus 16:4), as a demonstration of humility. White clothes became a symbol of purity, whereas black became a symbol of grief. Nowadays, the shredding of a clothing denotes grief.

Ancient and Mediaeval Jewish Costume When the Jews were sovereign in their territory in ancient times, the clothing of the rich, such as prosperous landowners, showed their position. The nobles and higher classes wore more formal attire. The styles of neighbouring peoples also had an impact. However, when the Jews were banished (70 C.E.) and under foreign domination, the impoverished of many Jews became visible in their clothing. In certain circumstances, Jews consciously acquired distinctive clothes over time in order to distinguish themselves from the dominant culture. In others, they were legally forced to wear a certain way, such as unique caps and insignia in mediaeval Spain and 13th-century Poland.

Eastern European Jews adopted early modern Polish noble styles such as the black robe (caftan) and the fur cap (shtreimel), which are now worn by diverse groups of ultra-Orthodox Jews. It is unclear when males began to cover their heads with a hat or yarmulke (skullcap). According to the Talmud, covering one's head is a symbol of submission to divine power in numerous circumstances. Some ascribe it to the Jews' wish to distinguish themselves from Christians, for whom removing the hat was a gesture of respect. It had grown popular enough by the 16th century to be codified as conventional behaviour among the most devout, who still cover their heads all day or at least during prayer and study. The exposed head was deemed immodest, if not worse, for women from ancient times. Married ladies hid their heads to avoid attracting the attention of other men. A somewhat late version on this is the sheitel (wig) worn by exceedingly pious married ladies. These practises are now only observed in very traditional communities. Over the centuries, rabbinic authorities frequently spoke out against extravagant or garish dress designs and in favour of keeping clothing, particularly for women, "modest." On the other hand, it has long been a habit for Jews to wear distinctive clothing for Shabbat and festivals, adding to the uniqueness of these occasions.

Referencing:

my jewish learning. (2020). Jewish Clothing. [Online]. my jewish learning. Last Updated: 15 September. Available at: https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/jewish-clothing/ [Accessed 19 September 2023].

[thewitchfarhan]

Why I Don't Say Pray or Worship In My Practice

So, as a Pagan/Witch who was raised Catholic - I have a lot of Religious Trauma. I'm working on and through this (both on my own and with a therapist) but it's not a wound that is easily healed.

In this, there are quite a few words that happen to overlap in both orthodox religion and paganism that make me uncomfortable to use in my own practice - so I wanted to share some of my "substitutes" with you all!

1. Pray/Prayer -> Petition, Invoke, Call

In my practice, I do not say that I 'pray' to The Gods. Instead, I will say I 'invoke The Gods' - or that I 'petition The Gods' - or that I will sometimes 'call to The Gods'.

2. Pray/Prayer -> Ceremony, Ritual, Spell, Offering

While intrinsically, prayer and ritual are two separate acts, when relating back to my upbringing the only kind of "rituals" that were done at home were prayer. So, in this way I replace the word "prayer" and instead call my actions what they actually are. I will say I am "performing a Ceremony" - "performing a Ritual" - "casting a Spell" - or "giving an Offering".

3. Worship -> Work With, Honor, & Devotee

I know there is some debate in the Witchcraft & Pagan communities (both together and individually) around the term "Work With" as opposed to "Worship'" I'm not interested in engaging in a debate so I'll just say this:

Worship, to me, has the personal connotation of a one sided relationship with divinity. For me the word is void of Kharis. So instead - to reflect the reciprocal relationship between myself and the divine - I instead say that I "work with x" instead of saying that I "worship x".

Differences Between Work With, Revere, and Honor:

In my practice these three words denote different relationships and different levels of "worship".

1. Work With To "Work With" an entity means that I have a somewhat formal relationship with them. It means that I contact them on a regular enough basis that I feel confident saying I'm familiar with them.

2. Honor If I say that I am "Honoring" an entity, then that means I am holding a ceremony or ritual that focuses on (or requires the presence of) said entity. The way this is different from "Working With" is that this is a rare, one-off, or purely ceremonial engagement. Typically this applies to entities that may be involved in certain Holy Days - or invoked for the purpose of a particular spell working.

3. Devotee If I say that I am a Devotee of a particular entity, that means that I not only work with this entity but also have a deeper personal relationship with them as well.

Some examples:

- I currently Work With Apollo𓏢, Hestia🔥, and Hermes🪽 - I am working on building a formal relationship with them and becoming familiar with them.

- In the past, as part of my Hindu practice, I would Honor Ganesha🐘during Ganesha Puja/Ganesh Chaturthi - but outside of that Holy Day I would very rarely invoke or work with Ganesha🐘.

- I currently consider myself a Devotee (in training) of Apollo𓏢 and Hestia🔥. I would consider Apollo my central personal God and would consider both Hestia🔥 and Apollo𓏢 to be my household gods (and am working towards adding Hermes🪽 to that list). In the past I was a Devotee to Shakti in the form of Maa Durga🔱 - and back in my teen years I was a Devotee of the Roman Goddess Diana🌕.

Feel free to use any of these substitutions if you struggle with the same kind of religious avoidance/trauma - and I wish you all the best.

~ Errosthe - Be Well

[cyclopeanpubco]

Vignette 1: Icepine

Icepine, a small and fortified hamlet, nestled between the snow-laden heights of rocky cliffs and a clear waterfall fed pool and large stream. The village is principally peopled with silver dragonborn, who keep their gate shut tightly against the dangers of winter wolves, hungry bears, and rampaging bands of orcs that descend from the surrounding mountains.

Ruined Tavern - The sign for this public house depicts the building on which it is placed, however with the added touch of a rockfall that has reduced the structure to ruins. The silver dragonborn are well suited to the cold climates of the region and as such the buildings of Icepine are not overly warm, though the Ruined Tavern always keeps a fire going around which the non-dragonborn of the area can generally be found crowded when at the tavern. The rafters of the inn are hung with dozens and dozens of worked copper and silver lanterns, each possessing a unique pattern of holes punched in it, giving the interior of the building a dazzling appearance.

Town Crypts - The settlement was originally established as a camp for a copper mine, though the substance of the vein has proved to be more modest than originally hoped by the founders. While a small amount of copper mining continues, much of the network of tunnels has been taken over as the town crypt. The dead are laid to rest inside tunnels and then cairns are built over top of them, with mementos of the person’s life marking the grave, such as a weapon, tool, or keepsake.

White Temple - The dragonborn of Icepine worship a local deity who takes the form of a massive dragon composed purely of glittering, blue, glossy ice. The town has no cleric, but the townsfolk take turns leading the community in prayers for wisdom, protection, and strength. Occasionally the druid that dwells just outside of town enters Icepine to lead the community in more formal and elaborate rituals.

Yeti Hunter - A few years back, a monied hobgoblin dressed as a gentleperson adventurer arrived in town looking to settle in Icepine for a length of time as their base of operations to hunt the surrounding cliffs and mountains for the elusive yeti. They’ve generally spent a lot more time preparing than actually hunting, but on several occasions they’ve disappeared from town, with no one witnessing the exit, only to return days or weeks later, always artfully dodging any questions about their absence.

Cuprum Forge - Another of the rare non-dragonborn occupants of Icepin includes an elven couple that operate an artisan armorsmith. As a team, they utilize the copper pulled from the mine to fashion elaborately decorated suits of armor with highly detailed etchings. Some depict landscapes or scenes of great battles, while others are abstract and full of ornate patterns. The process enchants the copper so it is stronger than steel and they are frequently patronized by the Knights of the Shining Scale.

Frostbound Keep - Home of the Knights of the Shining Scale, an elder silver dragon presides over this complex. The knights are constituted in a large company of kobold adventurers and mercenaries that are contracted to clear monster dens and make safe the roads in the surrounding region. Rather than kicking down doors and charging in headfirst, they carefully spy on targets before crafting traps that unsuspecting enemies are baited into after which the kobolds descend on their weakened targets with weapons.

Druid’s Lodge - One of the dragonborn chooses to lair in the woods just outside of town. They gather herbs, berries, and other alchemical reagents from the surrounding woods to barter with the residents of Icepine; in particular the oversized bright blue flowers, tinged in purple. On rare occasions the townsfolk suspect they see the druid flying overhead in the form of a pure white wyvern.

Necromancer’s Ruins - An ancient ruined wizard’s tower from another era, the adventurer’s that vanquished the dark summoner destabilized the tower sending massive blocks of stone down upon the necromancer and their undead minions. Still sealed among the frost and rocks lay these unholy creatures, waiting to be freed from their prison.

[basicsofislam]

ISLAM 101: The Basic Concepts of Islam: Part 2

The Concept of Righteousness (Birr)

Islam always warns against superficial concepts and rituals, against lifeless formalities and non-effective beliefs. In one representative verse God explains the full meaning of righteousness as follows: It is not righteousness that you turn your faces (in prayer) towards East or West; but it is righteousness to believe in God and the Last day, and the Angels and the Book, and the Messengers; to spend of your wealth – in spite of your love for it – for your kin, for orphans, for the needy, for the wayfarer, for those who ask, and for the ransom of slaves; to be steadfast in prayer and practice regular charity; to fulfill the contracts which you have made; and to be firm and patient, in pain and adversity and throughout all periods of panic. Such are the people of truth, the God – minded (Quran, 2:177). In this verse there is a beautiful and clear description of the righteous man. He should obey all the salutary regulations, and should make his sincere motive the love of God and the love of his fellow man for the sake of God. Here we have four elements:

(I) our Faith should be true and sincere,

(II) we must be prepared to show it in deeds of charity and kindness to our fellow man,

(III) we must be good citizens by supporting charitable institutions and social organisations, and

(IV) we must be steadfast and unshakable in all circumstances. It is clear, that therefore, that righteousness is not merely a matter of void utterances. It must be founded on strong faith and constant practice. It must cover the persons thinking and action and extend to his inside and outside life, to his individual and common affairs. When the Islamic principle of righteousness is established, it provides the individual with peace in all circumstances, the society with security on all levels, the nation with solidarity, and the international community with hope and harmony. How peaceful and enjoyable life can be when people implement the Islamic Concept of Righteousness! What can be more reassuring than faith in the Beneficent Creator and investing in such good worthy causes? What can be more humane than relieving the deep anxieties of the subjugated, alleviating the sufferings of the exploited, and responding to the needs of the helpless? What is more methodical and honest than the fulfilment of commitments, the preservation of clear conscience, and the maintenance of integrity? And what is more spiritually joyful than doing all this regularly, as a matter of course, and for the love of God?

The Concept of Piety (Taqwa)

What has been said about faith and righteousness is generally true of piety. Again, it is not a matter of convenient claims and oral confessions. It is much more serious. As always, the Quran is our best source, and when it speaks of the pious it describes them as those who believe in the Unseen (which is taught by God), are steadfast in prayer, and spend of what We have provided for them; and who believe in the Revelation sent to you (Muhammad), and sent before your time, and (in their hearts) have the assurance of the Hereafter. They are on true guidance from their Lord, and it is these who will prosper (Quran, 2:3-5). The pious are those who spend (freely in the way God) whether in prosperity or in adversity; who restrain anger and pardon (all men; - for God loves those who do good; and those who – having done something to be ashamed of, or wronged their own souls – earnestly bring God into mind, and ask for forgiveness for their sins, - and who can forgive sins except God? – and are never obstinate in persisting knowingly in (the wrong) they have done. For such the reward is forgiveness from their Lord, and Gardens with rivers flowing underneath, - an eternal dwelling. How excellent a recompense for those who work (and strive)! (Quran, 3:134-136). In these verses we find that piety requires a proper use of the mind by grasping truth of God and life, a proper use of wealth by spending in the way of God under all circumstances and a proper use of the spiritual as well as the physical abilities of man by observing the prayer. It also demands a high degree of self – control over ones anger and emotions, a moral capacity for forgiveness and patience, and conscious urge to make the sinner return to God in regret and repentance. To be pious is to be a man of true and fine convictions, of determination and character, of will and courage and, above all, to be a man of God. Piety, righteousness and meaningful Faith are interrelated and all pour into one channel. They lead to Islam and build up the true Muslim.

The Concept of Prophethood

The Merciful and loving God has sent many prophets at different times of history. Every known nation has had one prophet or more. All the prophets of God were men of good character and high honor. They were prepared and chosen by God to deliver His Message to mankind. Their honesty and truthfulness, their intelligence and integrity are beyond doubt. They were infallible in that they did not commit sins or violate the Law of God. But as mortals, they might have made unintentional mistakes in some human affairs and decisions. Their private judgment were not necessarily always right.  The sending of these prophets from God is a clear manifestation of strong link between Heaven and Earth, between God and man. It means that man is reformable and in him there is much good. The purpose of prophethood is to confirm what man already knows or can know, and to teach him what he does not or cannot know by his own means. It is also to help man to find the Straight Path of God, and to do the right and shun the wrong. Prophethood is an eloquent expression of Gods love for His creations and His will to guide them to the right way of belief and behaviour. It is an emphasis of His justice to man, because He shows him true guidance first, and then holds him responsible for his deeds. He gives warnings through His prophets, and if man fails to see the dangers of his wrong deeds, his behaviour becomes punishable. This is in complete accord with Gods love and justice, and the worth and capability of man of being responsible to his Lord.  The Source of prophethood and the Sponsor of all the prophets are One and the Same: it is God. Their aim is to serve God, to acquaint man with God and His Divine teachings, to establish truth and goodness, to help man to realize the true purpose of his existence and help him to conduct his life in a purposeful way. It is on this basis that the Muslims make no discrimination among the prophets and accept their teachings as consistent and complementary. And this is the reason why the Muslims believe in all the Divine Books and accept all the prophets of God as already mentioned.

[cocogreys]

Quest player lost in the storm

If you prove successful in your own eyes by completing this task, then you shall be among The Rainkeeper's sacred order of priests - The Gale Weavers. I am pleased to know that you are willing to go so far as to test your faith - but do so not to me, or to anyone other than yourself and The Rainkeeper, else you shall find only a hollow shadow of the answers you seek, and a great void of disappointment. You say, 'I am willing to test my faith.'Īnnous Pineshadow says 'Excellent, child. Perhaps, if, I might guide you on a path that may lead to the discovery of such answers.'' One truly does not discover one's self until they are faces with the reality of such tests of faith. but such is a question that cannot be merely asked and simply answered in words. You must and you must truly wish to uphold the ways of the Rainkeeper and do so to truly understand.''Īnnous Pineshadow says 'I would not dare challenge that, my friend, but is your faith strong enough to withstand the greatest of consequences - even the sacrifice of your own life in remaining true to that faith? Aaaah. but there is truly so much that in the time that's left for me here could not give proper justice for in my explanations - nor do I believe that you would truly understand them by simply listening. Many of these can be as simple as the performance of a duty, as a druid would protect their forest, while some may be as complex and consuming as a several day ceremony to usher in the changing seasons. You say, 'What sacred ways do you speak of?'Īnnous Pineshadow says 'There are hundreds of different rites, ceremonies, prayers, and rituals that are performed in one's devotion to The Rainkeeper. We also did not wish to have our culture be entirely cut off and those who remained outside of the forest's confines were there to continue the faith and of The Rainkeeper.' Only the druids and rangers of Karana remained in the Jaggedpine - it was important to preserve only the bare minimum and we understood the need. When his majesty, Antonious III sealed the Jaggedpine, I was among those who were asked to remain behind in Qeynos. I adore the nature that Karana sustains, but I had always felt myself more suited for the path of preservation and servitude of the faith. When I had come of age, I ventured to Qeynos to learn the ways of the priest, finding myself lost in the ways of the druid. This is the place of my birth and my home. It is very much a relief to know that the forest has been sparred the taint of the venomous world that has become Norrath.'Īnnous Pineshadow gives a gentle chuckle as he conjures his most fond of memories, 'Sixty years - give or take. It has been a time since I last set foot within the Jaggedpine, and although not surprised, I am amazed and awestruck at the untouched purity of these sacred grounds. I am Annous Pineshadow, high priest of The Rainkeeper and ambassador of Qeynos. This quest starts in Jaggedpine Forest, and is given by Annous Pineshadow, a white robed human near one of the camp fires, once you've attained Ally faction with the Jaggedpine Folk.Īnnous Pineshadow closes his eyes and gives a deep bow of his head in formal greetings, 'Good day to you, Orolmy.