#prayers and rituals

[sampannamayapvt]

करवा चौथ हिन्दुओं का एक प्रमुख त्योहार है। यह भारत के जम्मू, हिमाचल प्रदेश, पंजाब, उत्तर प्रदेश, हरियाणा, मध्य प्रदेश और राजस्थान में मनाया जाने वाला पर्व है। यह कार्तिक मास की कृष्ण पक्ष की चतुर्थी को मनाया जाता है। यह पर्व सौभाग्यवती (सुहागिन) स्त्रियाँ मनाती हैं। यह व्रत सवेरे सूर्योदय से पहले लगभग 10 बजे से आरंभ होकर रात में चंद्रमा दर्शन के उपरांत संपूर्ण होता है।

#संपन्नमाया अगरबत्ती आपको #करवा चौथ की बधाई और शुभकामनाएं देता है!

#Karwachauth #Karwa #Kartikamaasa #Bhakti #sampannamaya #sampannamayapvt #india #sampannamayaprivetlimited #bhakti #agarbatti #dhoop #dhoopbatti #incensesticks #fragrance #hindugod #bhagwan #iskcon #shriramchandramission #shiva #dhoopsticks #eksachhiprarthana #dharma #premium #premiumdhoopbatti #msme #makeinindia #teemsampannamaya

[pentacles-n-ping]

I've decided to add a prayer book to my personal journal (the pink/purple job entitled Ensoñaciones y Metas) for my Santa Muerte practice. Like my relationship with God, I know my Madrina does not require me to adhere to set prayers and fixed language. Neither restrict my ability to communicate with them. However, I do believe that having prewritten prayers that I can either memorize or refer to do have some added benefits.

1) It makes sure I cover all the important points. Whether I'm praying at the start of my day for protection and prosperity, closing the day with gratitude and release, or in the moment needing immediate aid of some kind, it can be easy to forget key phrases that I should say out of respect. I don't for one moment believe that my Mother of All Mothers would leave me unprotected because I left out thanking her for the wonderful night's sleep and delicious breakfast I had. But, showing my respect through acknowledgment of these things, including her omnipotence certainly helps showcase my deference and faith.

2) I do believe the ritual of formalized prayer focuses and further amplifies my intentions when petitioning Santa Muerte, God, or whoever I'm working with. Repeating a prayer, whether it's for a novena or a specific request (healing, financial resources, quashing a beef, favorable outcomes, etc.), is another way I demonstrate my faith. I choose to repeat these words because these words work.

3) Having written prayers to refer to can help me better describe what relief I'm seeking. It can also help me uncover why something is affecting me, as not all of my prayers are about the material. I may recite words I've read over a thousand times, but this time a word in particular squeezes my heart.

4) Then there is the matter that if something has happened to me, I might have an opportunity for someone to pray for me using that book should I be unable to do so for myself. Grim perhaps, but it's a comfort to know I might get to hear these familiar words in dire circumstances.

Having returned to Tumblr, I'm relearning what an amazing resource it is to discover other practitioners, witches, artists, and creatives. My rough sketch of my Madrina for the prayer book's cover needs some work, but going exploring on here might help inspire me further. She will be done in the style of her Siete Potencias form. I'll follow this post up with the finish product sometime this week I hope.

[1972renusingh]

संकष्टी चतुर्थी का पर्व अश्विना मास की कृष्ण पक्ष की चतुर्थी तिथि को मनाया जाएगा ।

इस दिन विघ्नहर्ता भगवान गणेश की विशेष पूजा अर्चना की जाती है । इस दिन चांद को देखकर अर्ध्य दिया जाता है ।

इस दिन हस्त नक्षत्र रहेगा और चंद्रमा कन्या राशि में विराजमान रहेगा।

संकष्टी चतुर्थी हिन्दू धर्म का एक प्रसिद्ध त्यौहार है। हिन्दू मान्यताओं के अनुसार, भगवान गणेश को अन्य सभी देवी-देवतों में प्रथम पूजनीय माना गया है। इन्हें बुद्धि, बल और विवेक का देवता का दर्जा प्राप्त है। भगवान गणेश अपने भक्तों की सभी परेशानियों और विघ्नों को हर लेते हैं इसीलिए इन्हें विघ्नहर्ता और संकटमोचन भी कहा जाता है।

क्या है संकष्टी चतुर्थी?

संकष्टी चतुर्थी का मतलब होता है संकट को हरने वाली चतुर्थी। संकष्टी संस्कृत भाषा से लिया गया एक शब्द है, जिसका अर्थ होता है ‘कठिन समय से मुक्ति पाना’।

इस दिन व्यक्ति अपने दुःखों से छुटकारा पाने के लिए गणपति की अराधना करता है। पुराणों के अनुसार चतुर्थी के दिन गौरी पुत्र गणेश की पूजा करना बहुत फलदायी होता है। इस दिन लोग सूर्योदय के समय से लेकर चन्द्रमा उदय होने के समय तक उपवास रखते हैं। संकष्टी चतुर्थी को पूरे विधि-विधान से गणपति की पूजा-पाठ की जाती है।

कब होती है संकष्टी चतुर्थी?

पूर्णिमा के बाद आने वाली चतुर्थी को संकष्टी चतुर्थी कहते हैं, वहीं अमावस्या के बाद आने वाली चतुर्थी को विनायक चतुर्थी कहते हैं। संकष्टी चतुर्थी को भगवान गणेश की आराधना करने के लिए विशेष दिन माना गया है। शास्त्रों के अनुसार माघ माह में पड़ने वाली पूर्णिमा के बाद की चतुर्थी बहुत शुभ होती है। यह दिन भारत के उत्तरी और दक्षिणी राज्यों में ज्यादा धूम-धाम से मनाया जाता है।

गजाननं भूत गणादि सेवितं, कपित्थ जम्बू फल चारू भक्षणम्।

उमासुतं शोक विनाशकारकम्, नमामि विघ्नेश्वर पाद पंकजम्।।

#संपन्नमाया अगरबत्ती की तरफ से आप सभी को संकष्टी चतुर्थी की हार्दिक शुभकामनाएं!

#sankashtachatirti #Ganesh #Chaturthisampannamaya #sampannamayapvt #india #sampannamayaprivetlimited #bhakti #agarbatti #dhoop #dhoopbatti #incensesticks #fragrance #hindugod #bhagwan #iskcon #teemsampannamaya #shiva #dhoopsticks #eksachhiprarthana #dharma #premium #premiumdhoopbatti #msme #makeinindia

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

i wanted to try drawing him visually softer and now im near tears because I Can't Hug Him

[waitingawhile]

super loose sketch but. I have so many writing ideas about dsmp characters and religion from c!wilbur’s perspective. (I hc him as an athiest or agnostic who’s closest peers are people of faith and he tries so hard to understand but cannot connect with religion, fears he can’t understand this piece of them, like an outsider to faith and that peace in their features when they talk about it. c!tommy with lady prime, c!quackity with something akin to Catholicism that he can’t remember the origins of, c!techno a pagan/pantheist acting with several deities, c!phil a pagan). inspired by this and this and @ghosts-and-blue-sweaters . Something something mirroring the behaviors of his closest friend that bring him comfort to see if anything will work at this point. Taking it seriously at first and then getting embarrassed with himself when he doesn’t hear a voice back. Getting frustrated and pretending to himself that he never tried and it was silly. going to limbo. idk.

[mayasaura]

Call me a hopeless goth, but I kind of like the Ninth House's funerary practices and I wish we knew more about them. At least, I like what they could be: what I imagine they once were, before their culture was shattered.

The Ninth as we see it is a civilization in its death throes. It's a utilitarian horror show, hollowed out by tragedy and stripped of all dignity and sentiment, but we have good reason to think it wasn't always like that. They have a history of fine textile production and poetry, and occassionally forming hero cults to celebrate cultural icons. There used to be families who raised their children communally. Before the sea of tiny coffins, the Ninth may have known how to live, and even how to mourn.

There are glimmers of what their death culture might have been like in Harrow's prayer beads: made from the bones of her ancestors, a tangible link to her history and community. And in Gideon searching for her mother in the leek fields, imagining that a woman she never met is still present in her life.

In a living culture with a functioning community, the use of human bone as a crafting material could make mundane objects into momentos, ways to keep loved ones close after their passing. The skeleton servitors could be seen as a way individuals continued to care and provide for the community, even after death.

If their dead are routinely exhumed to be added to the chore rota, it would make sense for the exhumation, cleaning, and raising of those bones to traditionally be a cultural ritual like a graduation or funeral. Most of those skeletons would have had living friends and family working alongside them, when the Ninth still had generations. The skeleton sweeping the chapel used to be someone's uncle. People in these cultures do mourn death. We've seen them with the corpses of people they knew, and they're not completely desensitized; just very weird. There's a throw-away line once about Harrow having a pet peeve about personalising the skeletons, which means it must be fairly common to do that. What was to stop previous generations of the Ninth from getting scolded for putting funny hats on Cousin Balbus's bones? Nothing, that's what. Balbus liked hats, anyway, so I don't see how it was disrespectful.

I'm sure Wake didn't get a ceremony when she was raised as a servitor; the main beneficiary would have been Gideon, and god fucking knows no one ever went out of their way to make her feel like part of the community. I'm betting no one does raising ceremonies for anyone, anymore. The Ninth is as good as dead, and no one ever taught the youngest generation how to mourn. But for ten thousand years, the Ninth successfully lived in very close proximity to mundane natural death. It's fun to imagine what that looked like.

[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.

[broomsick]

Invocation to the Gods for a pride month celebration!

Join us, Gods and Goddesses!

Come from your radiant halls and join!

See how we are gathered in your honor,

And in friendship and love!

We celebrate you and we celebrate ourselves

In the season of plenty that is granted by the Wanes!

Join us, Óðinn, Allfather of many faces,

Who is both a man and a woman, and neither at once!

Join us, Loki, silver-tongued Sly One,

Who can never be bound by constructs of gender!

Join us, Freyja, fierce Lady of the Slain,

Who ignites love and urges all to be true to themselves!

Join us, Yngvi-Freyr, generous King of Kings,

Who nurtures peace and quiets conflict!

Join us, Thórr, strong-spirited Son of Earth,

Who protects outcasts and slays persecutors!

Join us, Baldr, luminous Son of Óðinn,

Who quells sorrow with light and comfort!

Join us, Týr, Fosterer of Wolves,

Who brings justice and gives strength to all!

Join us, Gods of Ásgarðr and of Vanaheimr!

Join us, spirits of the Earth and of Jötunheimr!

Celebrate with us the strength of those who fight

And of those who bend to no hate!

In your names, for our friends and chosen families,

We make no apology and embody our true selves on this day!

Art

[sovaghoul]

⚠️DISCLAIMER⚠️

This post is meant all in good fun and is not intended to offend anyone's religious or spiritual sensibilities. I'd hope any Ghost fan would realize that, but you never know. I tagged this with "Scooby-Doo Satanism" for that reason. That said, if you DO want to do this in earnest, feel free. Also CW/TW for Catholicism.

So I thought to myself, "Self, Ghost sells Grucifix rosaries. There's also the "Dark Lord’s Prayer" in Ritual. And the "Holy Mother" bridge in Griftwood is kind of like a Hail Mary."

So I researched and embellished upon traditional rosary prayers and came up with this. Based upon the Meliora rosary because that's the one I have.

All prayer/lyrics credit to our Tender Father.

Begin by holding the Grucifix and reciting (or singing, if you prefer) The Depth of Satan's Eyes (Prayer A):

Into the eyes of fire

Into the gaze ablaze

Into the burning light

Of Satan's rays

Into the source of wisdom

Beyond the Bible lies

Into the endless depth

Of Satan's eyes

Next, on the first large bead, recite The Dark Lord’s Prayer (Prayer B):

Our father, who art in Hell

Unhallowed, be Thy name

Cursed be the sons and daughters

Of Thine nemesis who are to blame

Thy kingdom

Come

nemA

On each of the following large beads, recite The Holy Mother (Prayer C, 3x total):

Holy Mother

You washeth the sin from my feet

Holy Mother

You shine like the sun and the moon

And the stars in the sky

The world rests heavy on your shoulders

Holy Mother

You shine like the sun and the moon

And the stars in the sky

In the space before the next large bead, recite Year Zero (Prayer D):

He will tremble the nations

Kingdoms to fall one by one

Victim to fall for temptations

A daughter to fall for a son

The ancient Serpent Deceiver

To masses standing in awe

He will ascend to the heavens

Above the stars of god

Hell Satan, Archangelo

Hell Satan, welcome Year Zero!

Repeat The Dark Lord’s Prayer (B) on the next large bead.

On the space after the bead, recite Per Aspera Ad Inferi (Prayer E):

Oh Satan, devour us all

Hear our desperate call

Per aspera ad inferi (x4)

Continue along the strand widdershins (counter-clockwise), and repeat The Holy Mother (C) on the next 9 large beads (9x total).

Repeat Year Zero (D), Dark Lord’s Prayer (B) and Per Aspera Ad Inferi (E) before, on, and after each single large bead, respectively, as before (3x total).

Repeat Prayers B-E in the same manner until returning to the Bite of Passage (the Y junction leading back to the Grucifix).

Four final prayers, Stand By Him (F), Majesty (G), Con Clavi Con Dio (H), and Satan Prayer (I), end the rosary, again holding the Grucifix:

A moon shone bright above Her trial

As flames ate through Her body defiled

The Witch Hammer struck Her down

On our Sabbath, She's unbound

'Tis the night of the Witch

'Tis the night of the Witch tonight

And the Vengeance is Hers

For as long as She stands by Him

⛧

Old One, Master

All beauty lies within You

Your Infernal Majesty!

⛧

Sathanas, we are One

Out of three, Trinity

Siamo con clavi

Siamo con Dio

Siamo con il nostro Dio scuro

⛧

Believe in one god do we

Satan almighty

The uncreator of heaven and soil

And the unvisable and the visable

And in his Son

Begotten of Father

By whom all things will be unmade

Who for man and his damnation

Incarnated

Rise up from hell

From sitteth on the left hand of his Father

From thense he shall come to judge

Out of one substance

With Satan

Whose kingdom shall haveth no end

nemA

[ome-magical-ramblings]

Setting Light into the past, for spells, ancestors and beyond.

Setting light is a common practice in a lot of tradition, spiritual lamps are used EVERYWHERE...so it isn't very restrictive to one tradition but as a concept that you can tweak your petitions and your intentions when you set it, I hope that people try it and report back :D

A candle burn straight down, but the light it gives off goes all the way and around. It goes forward, backward, and all around...That's how we are as human when we are "time" burns one way, but the light it gives off is all around. That's how time is, that's how our spiritual families are, that's how a lot of magical work should be, by reaching into the past. Even if I say this in a million way, don't do a candle spell to change the future, change the future by setting that light into the past.

The spiritual dead people who are connected with you by blood, by soul, and by actions are many and as many as the grains of sand in the world. To think of that it's only a backward motion is to only look at them as dead people not as people in different stages in their "life", the difference between them is the difference between an old person and a baby. Not much except time have passed. Really what you think of as ancestral predecessors are only what you see, hear, touch from your own "genetics" but if that was the only way we live, we wouldn't have spiritual heroes like the prophets, saints, righteous people, immortals, wanderer, hermits and so on. The world as we know it is only the tip of the iceberg for the whole "world" as it is. To assume that it only extend to your family is to assume that your family is only related to you by blood and nothing more. Your Ancestors from the start till today are all here and listening carefully to each letter you read, and each word you speak for they carry their weight for them as your words are the "scale" by which they can elevate and evaluate you, it's not a one-way street or two-way street, the streets and paths are endless as the street and paths in sand tracks, YES there are easily more identifiable ones but that's not important, what's important is that you go to each path and "Call" with a sincere heart and offer a sincere word, that's what really carries the Word not if this path is more identifiable than that path. Light, and it was there. To close off, instead of praying to someone to improve, pray to their ancestors, send your prayers of light to their "spiritual family", let it go beyond in time to the past. That's the important thing, there's a million way to skin a cat and reach Rome and this is my way of opening up a different approach to the petition and workings you do, REACH into the past and work with that. The past is just as malleable as the future, and the present is the only thing we "have" and can work with to influence all other points. Remember, Your future and past are two columns by which you enter the mysteries of the holy temple of God and Time. Let the Light go into the past and see it illuminate you right now. His light is like a niche in which there is a lamp, the lamp is in a crystal, the crystal is like a shining star, lit from ˹the oil of˺ a blessed olive tree, ˹located˺ neither to the east nor the west, whose oil would almost glow, even without being touched by fire. Light upon light!

[sampannamayapvt]

#संपन्नमाया

सर्वोत्तम गुणवत्ता और शुद्ध #अगरबत्ती, कुमकुम, हल्दी, चंदन पेस्ट/चंदन, विभूति, और अन्य #पूजा सामग्रियों के लिए www.sampannamaya.com पर जाएं।

#sampannamaya #sampannamayapvt #india #sampannamayaprivetlimited #bhakti #agarbatti #dhoop #dhoopbatti #incensesticks #fragrance #hindugod #bhagwan #iskcon #shriramchandramission #shiva #dhoopsticks #eksachhiprarthana #dharma #premium #premiumdhoopbatti #msme #makeinindia

[magumsilvarum]

Spirits and their common uses and misconceptions

So today I wanted to talk about a few spirits which, not much is so far known of through literary writing, but more so through celestial knowledge. (each spirit will have its own section)

The Pythoness - many Christian and Judea religions view the pythoness spirit as a demon like spirit that is meant to steer one away from Gods path and imbue one with negative thoughts such as death and sickness through the mind, yet I've personally found and many civilizations prior and after that the story is not as such. In yogic practices there is a certain breathe and practice of the kundalini. Kundalini is the term for "a spiritual energy or life force located at the base of the spine", conceptualized as a coiled-up serpent. The practice of Kundalini yoga is supposed to arouse the sleeping Kundalini Shakti from its coiled base through the 6 chakras, and penetrate the 7th chakra, or crown. This allows for an open pathway as a connection to God, elevated spirits and the spirits of the afterlife, our ancestral spirits, within celestial planes. In buddhism giant serpents were seen as protectors of the dharma, the truth that liberates us, standing strong against any attack. Many psychics, seers, mediums, witches and tarot card readers tend to have a spirit who knows one of two things about divination, prophecy and esoteric knowledge, but the pythoness spirit is looked at more like the all seeing eye or the eye of ra and horus. In greek mythology Leto the great she-wolf was cursed to never give birth upon the land as Hera set her out to be cursed by her daughter and for Gaia to not allow her to give birth to her two children. Through Zeus' interference Leto was able to give birth to both Artemis and Apollo. Later Apollo went to go slay a Snake that had threatened Leto and therefore gained the ability to turn into a snake himself. He declared the island previously known as Pythos to be Delphi and as the God of prophecy later became a hub for those seeking answers from great oracles once a year, known as Pythias. These women were great prophets and witches alike that danced with fire and tamed snakes to dance along with them protecting the island from attacks and monsterous threats as to pay respect to Apollo. These were women and men of wild nature who allows there instincts to guide them through the understanding of the great divine. One with nature they became medicine workers, prophets, seers, musicians, dancers, pyromancers, snake charmers, witches and mages and dream weavers.

These great spirits are revered as a highly elevated court in spiritualist practices, sometimes just perceived as the spirits of tarot decks or oracular objects they are forgotten as being far too complex to be seen as just that. Through the force of light they bring great aid to those they are on spiritual journey's with, they rid of hexes, curses and spiritual illnesses. They guide through prophetic dreams, clairvoyancy, clairsentience, clairaudience and mediumship. They are capable of conjuring powerful spirits and the spirits of the dead (necromancy), as well as a straight line communication to God, gods and goddesses. They move through the celestial tides of the universe and bring forth great health, wealth, abundance, freedom and spiritual knowledge to those they favor. They are quite benevolent spirits who help bring in death or the spirit of change for the better and to rid old stubborn ways of the past. They are great teachers of dark and light magic. They aid in learning and music as well. Helping those with charisma and the ability to enchant and/or charm enemies and others alike. They have such affinity towards chocolates, gold, silver, wine, fire, candles, light, mirrors, divination tools, water, flowers and floral scents, perfumes, snakes and music. There number is 7 and their flower is the rose, particularly the white rose, but other colors are fine as well. They also enjoy sunflowers, as they venerated Apollo, and the Anise star. Their colors are Red, burgundy, gold, emerald green, white, silver, purple, and brown. Yet each is different and might prefer a royal blue for all we know each spirit is different to another so getting to know ones spiritual court is quite important. Stones like diamond, ruby, jade, emerald, citrine, labradorite and amethyst can be given to such spirit as well as Selenite and Amber each representing Artemis and Apollo. These spirits can sometimes be confused with a better known spirit Santa Martha la Dominadora. You may even have both within your spiritual court, but they two hold many similarities.

Prayer to the Pythoness

O Blessed Pythoness, I invoke your humble yet wild nature into my life, I give you thanks for the visions told and untold and for the sight to see my path clearly. May your connection to God and all living things be great and full of love and respect. May your tides of wisdom bring peace to the land and bestow upon me and my loved ones a blessed hand. Lady of the fire, imbue me with your holy flames may they burn away all evil done unto me by others or by my own hand. May your light charm those who seek no good into doing acts of kindness and greatness and may your soothing voice bring sweetness and riches to the land and seas. You the one who tamed the dragon and serpent to your gracious hand. Tame my enemies and bring good fortune to those in need. Help the world against devastation and may your great cobra bring forth the promise land. Lady of the land and sea, conjure your celestial winds to protect me and bring good news from the heavenly lands. Through the eye of the one who can see I plea to you humbly and in need. As it is. So mote it be. Amen

Say this prayer with Psalm 91 3x and Psalm 4 3x under the flame of a white(or yellow) light end with a Glory be. It will help receive divine messages through divination or prophetic dreams and help transmute negative energy and protect against evil eye.

Oracion a La Pitonisa

O Bendita Pitonisa, Yo invoco tu humilde y salvaje espiritu de naturaleza entre mi vida, te doy las gracias por los visiones contado y no contado y por la vista para ver mi camino claramente. Que tu conexión a Dios y a todas criaturas vivas sea lleno de gran amor y respeto. Que las olas de sabiduria traen paz a toda la tierra y otogar a mi y mis seres queridos tu mano bendicida. Mujer de los fuegos, envuelvame con tus llamas benditas que me liberan de cualquier maldad sea enviado por enemigos o que han nacido de mi propia mano. Que tu luz encandile a los que no buscan el bien y les transformas hacer actos de carino y grandeza y que tu voz encantadora trae dulcisimiento y riquezas a la tierra y los mares. Tu que haz vencido el serpiente y el dragon con tu mano graciosa. Ayuda al mundo contra la devastación y que tu tierra prometida sea traido por tu gran cobra. Mujer de la tierra y mar, protejame con los vientos celestiales y que traen buena noticias del cielo. A través del ojo del que puede ver te suplico humildemente y de necesidad. Como es. Asi sera. AMEN

[1972renusingh]

We produce incense sticks, dhoopbatti, agarbatti, pooja samigri and many more.

#sampannamaya #sampannamayapvt #india #agarbatti #dhoop #dhoopbatti #incensesticks #fragrance #hindugod #bhagwan #iskcon #dhoopsticks #eksachhiprarthana #dharma #premium #premiumdhoopbatti #msme

[notthesomefather]

Hallowing/banishing prayer

Perform this cleansing rite with a candle, preferably beeswax or a basic unscented white candle. Light the candle and say:

Sacred flame, in Freyja’s name, cleanse and bless this space. Banish from it all baleful wights and wills, and make it whole and holy. In Freyja’s name, oh sacred flame, so let it be. Hail Vanadis!

Pass the candle in front of and around your body. Bring the light to all corners and chase out the shadows. Set the candle back on the altar or shrine after making one clockwise round about the room.

[[written by Laine Mardollsdottir]]

[pinehutch]

The Silt Verses my absolute beloved: I'm relistening and was so excited to get back to Chapter 17, and the way that most of the episode just sweeps over you with an unexpected degree of kindness. Important to be reminded that kindness — or something like it — is possible, even in this brutal world.

[buffetlicious]

Qing Ming Festival (清明节), also known as Remembrance of Ancestors Day or Tomb-Sweeping Day takes place on the 15th day after the Spring Equinox. This means it usually takes place on April 4th or April 5th in the western calendar. As done annually, my family visited the temple to pray to my father and ancestors with offerings of vegetarian food and joss papers.