#the power of the ancestors

[the-sciences]

Unlocking the Power of Ancestry: Exploring Astrological Family Therapy

[eggsploded]

heiress eternal

[zillychu]

Consider this: ghosts are actually exactly what the Fentons think they are.

They're snapshots of a longing so strong, unfinished business so deep it reaches out beyond life. Lingers just a bit longer. And if it happens to meet a dense cloud of ectoplasm (invisible to the naked eye, but omnipresent even in the mortal realm), it coalesces. The ectoplasm fits into the shape of it. Which, when the desire is strong enough, it's got a rough idea of its self-image. This tends to mean a more humanoid figure, though it's more often warped in some way–a self-reflection, skewed by said desire. The warping varies on the dead soul’s perception of themselves, the intensity of their desire, how much time passed after death, and how much ectoplasm was present.

In short… no matter how “normal" a ghost looks or acts, it really, truly isn't human. It's animated ectoplasm with a single goal: an obsession. Nothing else. They're more akin to plants than animals, following a single drive with no emotion. They react to stimuli, recognize threats (including other ghosts), and can even imitate human speech and mannerisms to obtain fulfillment of their obsession.

Not “evil" by any stretch, but they're entirely driven by instinct. A tree doesn't pause to consider the rocks it breaks with its roots. A cordyceps doesn't torture its host for fun, or kill with malice. It just does. It follows code in its DNA to survive and multiply–And ghosts just follow the code in its ectoplasm to fulfill its obsession. The more powerful a ghost, the better it's able to overcome obstacles preventing this–whether through brute force, or manipulation. This power is always directly proportional to the amount of ectoplasm present at the time of formation, and how much time passed since death.

What then, does this mean for Danny? Danny, who's previously come to the conclusion that he's only half-ghost, which surely explains how he retained his mind? His independent thoughts and emotions?

What does this mean for Phantom, who experienced an entire world’s worth of ectoplasm condensed as a singularity, at the exact time of his death? Whose strength only grows and begins to exceed every limit they previously thought possible?

If a ghost was as strong as him… could it mimic a human perfectly? Down to a molecular level?

Could it, in its desire to fill an obsession… trick its own fake mind into thinking it was still human? Or half-ghost?

[visenyaism]

this is gonna get me put on a list somewhere but if Rhaenyra and Daenerys could have met they would not end that interaction as friends Rhaenyra would be putting Daenerys in the SJW cringe compilation

[aesethewitch]

Spirit Work: The Power of Hanging Out

Elaborate rituals, intense meditations, and huge gestures have their places in spirit work. There's value in putting a massive effort into something for the spirits you venerate or work with. And sometimes, you need to do these big things for a particular outcome or as part of your tradition.

I have a bias against big, elaborate rituals for this purpose, though. In my practice, it's just unnecessary. All of the relationships I have and maintain with spirits are, at their cores, friendships. They're not working relationships, they're not worshiper-worshiped relationships, they're not transactional relationships. My spirits are my friends.

So I approach working with them like friendship. I'll light a candle and set a cup of coffee or tea on their altar in the same way I'd offer a friend a cup of tea when they visit. If I'm working on something, I'm accustomed to body doubling as someone with ADHD, and I like to invite my friends to work alongside me. In the same way, I'll invite my spirit friends to participate or just hang around while I work.

Heck, they hang out while I write these posts sometimes!

Not everything in spirit work has to be intense and serious. Yes, you should be respectful -- in the same way that you should be respectful to your neighbors and your friends. And yeah, not all spirits can or should be treated this way.

But I would like to posit the humble power of Hanging Out.

What I Mean By That

Literally. Hanging out.

Whatever you normally do to "call" your spirit(s), do that. My method is lighting a candle of some sort. Sometimes, I'll choose a scented candle if I'm trying to lure a particular spirit to the area, but an unscented taper candle will do just fine.

And then, you hang out. That's it.

If you're watching YouTube, invite the spirit to watch with you. Ask their opinions on what to watch, if you have an easy way to communicate with them. (One of my spirits loves Ghost Hunting TV Shows. He thinks it's hilarious.)

If you're playing a video game, leave space on the couch for the spirit to settle next to you to watch.

Make dinner, chat about your days. Set aside a little plate for them if you want. Eat together.

The Value in Hanging Out

The idea here is that time is valuable​. Time spent with someone else is valuable on its own, even if that time is spent doing little to nothing "productive."

Think about your friends and the people you enjoy spending time with. It isn't always clubs, parties, exploring, hiking, running, traveling, or whatever else you do. Even if that's how you met or your main activity together, there are always casual moments. Easy breakfasts, simple conversations, sleepovers in your PJs, watching movies.

Quality time is powerful. Choosing to spend your time with someone sends a clear message: "I value your presence."

Not everything has to be an elaborate party. Sometimes, all you want is to sit down and hang out.

Why can't it be the same with spirits? The answer is that it can. In my practice, I rarely do anything that elaborate. I'll put extra effort in for special occasions like holidays, but usually, it's a simple act of lighting a candle, saying hello, and then sitting down with the spirit to just hang out.

Not every relationship requires constant, intense focus. Especially if you're looking to befriend​ your spirits, rather than just work with them, the Power of Hanging Out is a valuable asset to keep in mind.

It doesn't have to be every day, either. I have a sort of open, standing invitation for whichever spirits to hang out whenever they like. They're welcome to chill anytime, unless I ask to be left alone. Because of our relationship, they respect that. (Usually -- the only time they don't is if something urgent has come up or they need something.)

I developed the theory of Hanging Out years ago. Spirit work was where I started, and it's always been Home to me. But it's intense sometimes, and a lot of what I was doing was burning me out very, very fast. So I adapted on the fly, as one does, and it ended up working really well.

Now, Hanging Out is my primary method of doing spirit work. Even with spirits I don't know or in new locations, there's value in projecting an aura of "I'm just here to chill. Feel free to talk to me, or don't. It's cool." Spirits, shockingly, respond to that. I end up with a lot of interesting, casual conversations, light taps on the shoulder to let me know I've been acknowledged by something that doesn't want to talk, and various visual anomalies from shy critters in the shadows.

Think of it like slow blinking at a cat or offering the back of your hand to a dog. Approaching respectfully and calmly in a very casual way attracts things that otherwise wouldn't show themselves. The Power of Hanging Out is alluring to even the shyest spirits.

Again, obviously, this won't work for all spirits. Do what works for what you work with. I've found Hanging Out works best with ancestors, house spirits, land spirits, and assorted ghosties over the years. It's not so good with, say, the Good Neighbors. But hey, maybe your experience will differ.

Extra Benefits of Hanging Out

Aside from the relationship benefits of casually sitting and hanging out, there are even more practical benefits. As a side-effect of adapting spirit work in this way to work for me, my senses for spiritual energy shot through the roof.

I've always been pretty sensitive. I'm that weird kid at the next table over in the restaurant who clocked the spirit of your recently-deceased aunt who left you her necklace which you're wearing under your shirt and which I couldn't have possibly seen. But when I started Hanging Out and just existing in a space with spirits, everything sort of... exploded.

It's like recognizing your family's footsteps coming down the hallway. When I stopped trying to force myself to understand and recognize every scrap of energy, it all washed over me instead. And in the Energy Soup, I started to recognize more signs and signals without effort.

This is, in my opinion, the greatest benefit of Hanging Out, even for people who don't do spirit work at all. There's no meditative aspect to it, really (though you can certainly meditate to enhance it, if that's something you do). It's just sitting and being receptive.

I don't think this method will work for everyone. People who have zero sensitivity to spirits may not see any results. But I think it has value even for those people.

At its core, Hanging Out is a mindfulness exercise. If you can't be with spirits, be with yourself. Put the call out to whoever or whatever you work with, venerate, sense -- or things you'd like to get to know better. See what answers.

​Light a candle.

Say, "If you want to come sit with me and watch TV, feel free. I have popcorn."

Hang Out.

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Also, consider throwing a response at my Divination Theory Survey! This is an ongoing research project that needs all the help it can get. Thanks!

[residentialhomeowner]

a lot of people are using nex as a queer talking point without even mentioning they were choctaw and 2S. without even mentioning that this - harassment, assault, murder, disappearances, lies/indifference/denial about the circumstances of our death - is typical of the violence we face. not once have i seen non-native people address that we, as natives, face this same treatment within queer communities. that queer institutions use our land while declining to offer native-inclusive and -sensitive care. we suffer at the hands of white lgbt+ people just as much as we do at the hands of people outside the community.

nex is not your NB pariah. nex was a 2S, NB, choctaw child. thousands of native people go missing and are killed and no one cares. many are two-spirit. many are LGBTQIA+. many are "queer" in ways only defined and recognised by our closed cultures, that you may never hear of and may never understand.

if you are going to flock to nex, you are not going to take them from us post-mortem. they were choctaw. they were native. their tribal affiliation has already been falsely reported on. if you are talking about nex, you will talk about how unwelcoming and dangerous your communities are for us, too. you will talk about how natives face this violence constantly, everywhere. you will not remove nex from the context of them being choctaw, ever - or you won't say their name at all.

even when we die, you don't care about us. i am telling you to care about us if you want us to stop dying.

[solohux]

The Arkanian legend of Vice General Valentine is one that Hux knows well. During a period of intense civil war that split the planet in two halves, the Vice General held secret ceremonies for lovers on opposite sides of the war who wanted to marry, to bond. He was eventually found, of course, and his treachery led to his death but the centuries old tale is honoured once a year on Valentine’s Day, a day that celebrates love in all of its forms.

When the calendar notification flashes up on his datapad, Hux scrunches his nose up in disgust. It makes him want to throw his datapad across his chambers but instead, he huffs with revulsion and sits up straighter in his bed. Ridiculous; of all the things to commend, he can hardly believe that his people would choose to honour someone who was a traitor to his own allegiance. Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a commercial trap that is set for half-witted fools who believe that they’re in the throes of infatuation, and it makes Hux sick to his stomach.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, lover.”

Hux frowns, but accepts the kiss from Kylo anyway. The Knight gives him a gentle peck on the lips before moving to kiss both of his cheeks, forehead and nose before handing a cup of Hux’s morning caf to him.

“How do you know about Valentine’s Day?” Hux asks, happily taking the beverage.

“It’s a Chandrillan tradition,” Kylo says, sitting down on the bed. He sets his hand upon Hux’s leg and rubs it absentmindedly; Hux silently admits how much these small actions of affection mean to him. “A Lieutenant of the Chandrillan army went against the orders of his superior officer to forbid her to marry someone she loved. Something about him having familial links to an enemy. But he married him anyway, and the two performed covert marriage ceremonies for people in the same situation. They eventually became The Lords Valentine. People from Chandrilla honour them once a year on Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s not the story,” Hux scoffs. “And it’s a tale from an Arkanis legend, not from Chandrilla.”

“I know my history, Hux.”

“As do I, Ren. Valentine’s Day is an annual celebration of love on Arkanis.“

“On Chandrilla too.”

The likelihood of a military man with the same name becoming involved in secret marriage ceremonies on two completely different planet seems far too impossible for Hux’s logical mind to comprehend but he sees the softness in Kylo’s eyes and decides not to challenge it any further. And then, he sees something else.

The room is covered in red roses; petals are scattered everywhere and on every surface whilst long-stemmed roses stand proudly in perfect arrangements in vases. There must be hundreds of them, all seemingly glittering in the low light of their bed chambers. The sight of them surrounding him is one of the most beautiful things that Hux has ever seen.

“Ren,” Hux sighs with a smile. “What’s this?”

“Like I said, Happy Valentine’s Day, lover,” Kylo says as a large bunch of roses float elegantly into his open hand. He holds them out to Hux, who takes them and inhales their fresh aroma.

“I didn’t get you anything,” Hux says dejectedly. “I’ve never…I’ve never had to before.”

“You’ve already given me everything I need, Hux,” Kylo says, leaning in closely until his lips are almost upon Hux’s. “You’re my air. You’re my heart. You’re my galaxy. What else could I ever need?”

Perhaps Valentine’s Day isn’t so ridiculous after all, now that he has someone to share his love with.

[aroaceleovaldez]

do you have any 75% god ocs?? like, children of demigods who have a godly parent

i imagine that it wouldn't be a common thing at all but mixing all of this ancestries it's really fun i love doing it, even if they end up kinda op,, sometimes that's the fun of it yknow

I would prefer to not refer to them by any percentages, because that feels extremely uncomfortable, but yes I have oc legacies who are also direct descendants of deities. I talked about Anton in a previous ask (legacy of Mars, child of Ceres), and I have a legacy of Summanus kid in the works who is also a direct descendant of a wind god, but I haven't decided who exactly yet and I only have one doodle of them because they are a Literal Baby and that one doodle is them as a toddler being tiny and babey.

So let's talk about some rogues I've been working on!

These are my waterfowl lesbians. They are born out of me learning that in some myths, the Graeae can turn into swans and I thought it'd be fun to make an Enyo & Nemesis duo who can both turn into waterfowl, plus I also wanted to make an Enyo & Lua combo kid who can just telekentically throw weapons around, because that's cool. Also just playing around with Enyo kids having fire eyes/demigods with nonhuman traits, because Yes Please. It's just fun. Knives ended up with an Odile/Black Swan theme, just cause I thought it'd be neat and I wanted her to look cool. Anser has some swan Valkyrie theming kinda sprinkled in there just for flavor, ergo the Thor legacy (also just fun for her being super loud + a personal hc of mine about Norse rogues being more common) even though she's a goose, not a swan.

I have plenty of other multi-legacy demigods as well, just not ones who are direct descendants specifically, because a.) I always find it fun to think of how powers and themes would mesh, and b.) I actually have a very specific headcanon that multi-legacies are super common in the First and Second cohorts, due to the whole their-families-are-more-likely-to-live-in-New-Rome thing.

I've actually been bouncing around an idea recently of Roman demigods who are children of lares, because there is mythological precedent for that and technically they are house gods. It's just the mortal parent is probably a New Rome citizen and that's sure to get awkward quick some way or another. There's no way a lar parent can not end up awkward, which is hilarious. I also have a fun OC whose concept is based on the idea of two mortals who moved to New Rome with their demigod partners but one way or another ended up single again and then married each other and had a completely mortal kid who just. Grew up in New Rome and joined the legion anyways. I'm just a big fan of getting really funky with riordanverse ocs.

[landoffreaksandfrogs]

so Beta Latula in this would be like a Dragon Queen right?

Her Radical Adjudicator was the last empress of alternia, executed hundreds of sweeps before the beginning of SGRUB.

she was the first, and last, empress to ever be put on trial.

[art-from-within]

An au where dadfrey takes the omen twins with him to the badlands...

The long march happens but Hoarah Loux is not alone. He has been commanded to wage war, die and grow strong, but he is not alone. The twins are there, out of the shunning grounds, and their horns are REAL.(looking at the crucible knights) He must find a way to balance warrior life and being a present father

Morgott grows to not be such a self loathing and depressive tree hugger, Mohg gets into none of that formless mother stealing his step bro and building his cult dynasty bs.

[nyaskitten]

So considering what we know about Chima and the Wyldness and all that blah blah blah, I wonder if after the Merge, a group of Serpentine, maybe a few hundred, would've ventured to the Wyldness to try reconnect with their ancient roots (given the hypothesized idea of the FSM bringing the Serpentine from Chima/the Wyldness.)

I can imagine maybe they find the ancient remains of Serpentine lands, maybe there exists modern day Serpentine in the Wyldness who evolved differently from the ones we know due to conditions, and thus work in different ways from OUR Serpentine.

Maybe the reason Ninjago Serpentine are divided as Tribes has something to do with the Ancient Ways once spoken of centuries ago by their ancient ancestors, back when the Tribes were different animal species, not Serpentine species.

[piratewinzer]

saw Hozier live and I think I understand religion now. I wasn’t aware that things could make you feel this way.

[weepingnightmarenaruto]

One of the most disrespectful things Kishimoto ever did was kill Neji and then have the main villain of the whole fucking show have the byakugan.

[lawleitleerskov]

Remember even in the darkest times you are never alone

The spirits, your ancestors, and the Orishas themselves walk beside you

With them by your side nothing can block your path for long

Ashe

[stalwart-spirit]

Legacy To honor those who came before.

[randomnameless]

Adrestia :

I will defeat the false goddess. I will save this world from those creatures and give humanity its freedom back!

Should the one leading the people of the world be someone with humanity or a creature that can merely masquerade as a human at will?

The children of the goddess have been defeated at last. The shape of the world will be forever changed. Humanity is free now. The world is ours once again.

You are a child of the goddess. You must not be allowed power over the people!

Brigid :

The Demon's hair exhibits new color. It is like something from one of Brigid's old stories. "One will be chosen by the spirits and granted their protection. And with that protection, great power."

In Brigid, we have legends. Stories containing people who have a spirit living inside of them. Those spirit people have much strength. They are maybe able to fly in the air or race across the ocean. Hair that shines and eyes that glow... They have qualities that are not unlike what you are looking like, Professor. Do not have doubt, Professor. The powers you have are like the powers of the legends.

Silly Petra, hopefully in Tru Piss and Supreme Bullshit, she's fully Adrestianised and understands her foolish savage folklore were only lies and deceit spread by those vile creatures masquerading as humans to keep control over Fodlan, but savage and ignorant as her people are, they prefered to buy those lies instead of "defeating" them all to free the world for humanity.

And people say Imperialism BaD, go figure!

But if Petra remains uncivilised and ditches Adrestia's warm embrace, she allows those creatures to rule over humanity again, propagating her foolish and ridiculous tales :(