#the self aware phenomenon is interacting

[udretlnea]

The Exciting Chronicles of the Shapeshifter and the Gentleman

I / II / III / IV / V (You're here) / VI

A puppeteer/With crimson chains

Controlling minds/By cruel design

A puppeteer/With crimson chains

Under your control/We will fill the void

With this necessary evil

(Who Wears the Crown, Therewolf Media)

Words: 2.9k

Disclaimer: F bomb, action, things get intense

Number One raised a finger at Eldy; a spark lit up at his fingertip. The gentleman was shaking violently; he was filled with rage and disbelief. Eldy just held their hands in a placating way. They were unarmed. Several minutes would pass when Number One let out a harsh breath and clutched his head; he let out a muffled yell.

“Ugh…no! We aren’t ALLOWED to hurt anyone!,” he told himself. He took a deep breath, and exhaled. When he exhaled his voice was much calmer. “My sincerest apolgies. I have obviously put you on a pedestal. That’s on me.”

Some of the tension in the room dissipated. Eldy relaxed. “Um, sorry about the disappointment.”

“Oh it’s fine. That being said, I’m not willing to leave empty-handed.” Number One pointed straight at Eldy’s face.

“What-what are you-”

And then a chain link shot out from One’s index finger and embedded itself just below the center eye. The gentleman levitated above them. “It’s just standard information sifting. It won’t take long.”

15 seconds…

(He saw crowds of people cheering up at them. He was on some sort of stage. Was this a ceremony? Whatever it is, it’s pointless.)

30 seconds…

(He was inside a temple standing in front of a coffin. Everything was frozen over. He placed a hand on the coffin; the gesture was almost somber. Valid, but it’s not what he needs.)

45 seconds…

(He was sitting on the balcony watching the sunset. The sight was beautiful. In this moment he was content. No sacrifices to accept, no boundaries being pushed, and above all nobody treating them like they were above everyone else. It was peaceful.)

55 seconds…

(He pressed an ear against the door, straining to hear what they were saying. Zhongli muttered something about shackling. Ganyu and Xiao spoke up, refuting their god. Ningguang added her own opinion. They were talking animatedly. Unease and suspicion pooled in his gut. He tried to listen more closely-)

And then the door creaked and shut. Mercy yelled something. He broke the connection just in time to register their words.

“We need to leave, now.”

////

Flying out the window, Number One wrapped his arms around Mercy. He shut his eyes and muttered, “This is gonna hurt.”

Except Mercy pushed themself away from Number One, sprouted wings and hugged him in one graceful motion. In just several powerful flaps, they almost stopped the inertia resulting in them rolling awkwardly onto grass. Mercy made sure to tuck in their wings as they did. The landing was hard, yet somehow they didn’t feel anything break. They chalked it up to luck. Still, their body felt sore from that.

Mercy clutched their chest, wings receding back in after completing its purpose. “That…hurt alot. Jeez, I thought rolling would make things less painful!”

Somewhere to their right, Number One grunted. “Exactly. It just reduces the pain. Just give it five seconds and we’ll be fine.”

SLAM. 

CRACK

Unfortunately, five seconds was a luxury they couldn’t afford. As a deep growling filled the air, the pair looked at a figure hunched over at the center of a crater. Draped in a white cloak, neither could get a good look at them. Mercy stared at the individual apprehensively and tried to connect their mind to get a read. The mission was falling apart and they had to escape, so what if they’d just distracted this new variable to buy time?

Mercy took a dive into this person’s memories-

War ravaged the land. Death filled the air yet that did not stop more mountain-sized spears being thrown down. They couldn’t stop now, not when they were so close. If they could win a seat amongst the gods, then they could create a new safe haven that would be without suffering. They just had to win…

-and immediately regretted it. They yelled in shock as images of death and destruction flashed in their mind; it felt like a lifetime, but it all happened in the span of a second. These feelings, these memories…they all belonged to the last person the both of them wanted to run into.

“Number One, we need to go,” they urged. 

Before he could ask why, the cloaked figure spoke first in a deep octave. “I do not know you two managed to infiltrate this place, but rest assured you will be punished.”

Number One made a face that was between a frown and disappointment. “Oh for pete’s sake, not the thirst trap.”

Zhongli, in his Rex Lapis form (horns and tail), rose to his full height. He glared at the two interlopers with bright amber eyes. Baring his fangs, he calmly walked out of the crater intending to enact punishment accordingly. The ground started to tremble somewhat as he flexed his power. The one with the androgynous look took a step back. Yet, the other one in the suit simply stepped forward. 

Number One hummed. “Mercy, stay behind me.”

The shapeshifter sputtered, but didn’t object as the gentleman placed himself between them. Number One manifested a cane from thin air

“Rex Lapis!” Number One tapped the cane confidently in front of him. He grinned. “Everyone’s favorite acolyte~. I can count the amount of naughty things the people have drawn on you with two hands!”

At that, Rex paused. He squinted at Number One. “You. You are not from here.”

“An excellent observation my well-chiseled fellow. Man, they weren’t exaggerating in the fanart. Your abs really do look rock hard~!”

“Flattery will get you nowhere, especially those who have harmed the Emperor of All. Repent now, sinner, and perhaps I will consider your punishment to be light,” growled Rex Lapis.

“Well isn’t that nice? However, I’m afraid I must respectfully decline due to the fact that we do not wish to go through all that bother,” stated Number One politely. He snapped his fingers and made an ‘aah!’ “How could I forget my manners? Allow me to introduce myself, my name's Apophis! Please pay no attention to my companion and focus on me!”

Mercy gaped at the casual admittance. As they processed that (Number One’s name is Apophis?) the shaking grew stronger. They found it more difficult to stand up straight. And nevermind the fact that Numbe-that Apophis was making small talk. Mercy’s eyes darted around; they turned their head around to try to find an opening.

“Your distraction is unnecessary. I have already notified the others about this.”

Apohphis’ grin turned sharper. “So, what? We have three minutes until they arrive?”

“Perhaps even less.”

“...Well then, in that case,” Apophis snapped his fingers. A wave of green energy blasted from it, passing through the three of them.

Suddenly the ground ceased its trembling. Translucent, glowing green lines raced through the surface. Rex Lapis furrowed his eyebrows and concentrated. His command over the earth itself is absolute. Faintly, there was a solid enough connection, but internally he felt something was dampening his authority.

Instantly, his guard was up and he opened his mouth. “What have you done to my authority? Who are you, really?”

The gentleman grinned like a trickster who just found a new thing to play with. “I already told you. The name’s Apophis. Pleasure to be meeting you, quite the pleasure!”

And with that declaration, the dam burst. 

Rex Lapis leapt toward him with blinding speed. He summoned a Geo spear to his hands and pointed it straight at Apophis. If he could strike him down in one fell swoop, then he could get answers out of him; easier said than done. The eyes just finished charging and began blasting devastating beams of energy at him. 

Rex ducked, flying under each of them gracefully letting the projectiles strike the ground harmlessly. He reared his arm back to prepare a precise strike, eyes locked on the gentleman’s chest. Apophis simply wagged a finger and tutted. Rex swung, but he was too slow. Apophis sidestepped to his right causing the former to hit empty air; the Prime Adeptus turned, locked eyes with Apophis, and planted his feet to slow down.

Not one to delay the momentum, Apophis summoned two more floating eyes and fired again. REx stood his ground this time to hold out his hand. A wall of rock rushed out of the ground to shield him in time as they hit. Rex retaliated by launching the wall at Apophis. The gentleman merely blasted it into rubble.

A cloud of dust was kicked up forcing Apophis to shield his eyes or else he’d be blinded. Then he sensed it: he jumped higher than his appearance would suggest as several Geo spears flew through the cloud and impaled the ground. Half a second later Rex jumped through the dust cloud with a spear in hand. Unlike last time, he threw it with such intensity he slightly recoiled. Apophis twisted his body to the side when time seemed to slow down; the spear sailed past him dangerously close to his chest.

Offense welled up inside him “Are you actually trying to kill me? I’d imagine protocol-assuming you have one-would tell you to capture and interrogate me. So unprofessional!”

“That should be the least of your concerns right now!” Rex Lapis growled as he spread his arms. Several geo symbols manifested and from them even more spears. These ones were much bigger than before; they were as big as a boulder. Rex’s amber eyes intensely glowed for a second before the spears fired.

“Honestly, it’s like you’re not even trying,” stated Apophis. He waited until the spears were close enough before he’d move. Like a leaf in the wind, he gracefully ducked and weaved around them to avoid becoming a pincushion. Twirling his can casually, he addressed an irate-looking Rex. “Have you gotten so old that you’ve forgotten how to properly fight?”

A shit-eating grin formed on Apophis’ face. “Or has Rex Lapis gotten so fat and lazy from idly worshiping that walking bush that he can’t even be called the Warrior God?” 

That did it.

Scales formed on Rex’s cheeks, his pupils dilated, and his form began to radiate light as if it were about to combust. His fingers turned into claws that looked as sharp as any blade. If one could assign a picture to the phrase, “royally pissed,” this would be it. Truly, this was a smart decision.

Good. Keep your attention on me and not them. Apophis thought as his grin grew wider.

Suddenly, Rex Lapis disappeared in the blink of an eye. Apophis snapped to attention, honed instincts kicking in; the air around felt it was displaced. And then Rex Lapis reappeared behind him mid-swipe. Things happened too fast to keep up. Apophis barely had any time to raise his cane and block the strike.

The gentleman hit the ground on his back, harshly sliding until he came to a stop nearby Mercy. Apophis coughed. “Geez. That’s…yeah, part of my plan, ahah.”

Mercy helped him up. “Number…One?” They sounded unsure, but of course they were. A literal fight between a god and an outworlder was happening. Moreover, he just revealed a personal detail moments before. Despite that, it seemed that they swallowed their emotions to keep a level head. “What can we do?”

“...I need to buy time for you to escape.” he replied while dusting himself off. He raised a finger just as Mercy opened their mouth. “And don’t try to convince me otherwise. I truly appreciate the thought, but remember that we only trained you for infiltration.”

“But I absorbed some of your knowledge when I became you! Remember, back at-at the mirror? Can’t I at least help?” 

“You can help me by giving me peace of mind-”

Apophis was cut off when a shadow suddenly swallowed them. They both looked up to see a meteor hurtling toward them. The gentleman cursed and pointed a finger gun at it. His bangs floated, revealing his stunning eyes once more. He concentrated hard which, judging from how his eyebrows furrowed, was more than usual. Finally he uttered a single word. 

“Bang.”

Cracks immediately formed on the surface. A second later they multiplied until a cobweb-like pattern surrounded it. With a resounding CRACK the meteor shattered into a billion harmless pieces of rock. Apophis slumped forward, only catching himself by leaning onto Mercy. He wheezed as if he had the air taken out of him.

“Mercy. I’m afraid to say that you’d only get in the way,” Apophis said honestly. He turned to look at them. 

The shapeshifter was about to argue when they saw something coming toward them both at high speed. Their eyes widened. “Apophis, look out!”

He turned around just in time to see Rex Lapis speeding towards him with a raised arm.

(READ LEFT TO RIGHT)

Mercy stared at the hole, then at Apophis. The gentleman didn’t let down his guard nor stop glaring. In fact, he summoned more of those eyes until there was a whole wall separating them from the temple. All of them began charging energy. The air started to feel energized.

Apophis tapped his cane thrice. Mercy felt a familiar tug and looked back; a rift had opened behind them.

“Get in,” ordered Apophis with a voice like a leader. It was harsh and offered no room for discussion. 

Any part of them that would’ve argued was immediately silenced. Thinking it wise to listen, Mercy turned and ran toward the portal. If I can’t help him fight, the least I can do is get help! 

They dove through the portal and on onto the other side. Sparing no second glances, they ran in the direction of the Kingdom of Delusion. If they remembered correctly, Prince and Noraa should be out and about. Whereabout was another question. Mercy had to be fast if they wanted the odds to be in Apophis’ favor.

They dropped onto all fours. Imagining an animal fast enough to run fast enough was simple. They pushed forward, transforming into a cheetah. Their new lithe form made them more agile. Racing across the path back took less than a minute and they ran past Noraa’s abode.

Where are you two? They thought as they peered through the window. The living room was empty; the kitchen as well. Damn it! Are they further in?

Cheetah!Mercy sprinted to the town square. Sounds of construction and blocks being placed were getting louder as they grew closer. They grew excited. When they turned the corner, they found someone wielding a familiar looking staff; he had his back to them. Cheetah!Mercy impulsively pounced on him to get his attention.

There was a yelp as Mercy transformed back. Before Noraa could even process what happened, they spoke first. “Apo-Number One’s in trouble!”

“What?” Noraa’s confused expression said it all. “Where? How? Tell me everything right now!”

And so they did. Mercy started from the beginning and went up to the present. Noraa listened closely, his face morphing from a stoicness to a concerned frown, then horror. He shook his head. “I’ll go find Prince. Go back to my office, and call the others. We can’t leave him alone.”

///

Apophis glared at the hole in the wall waiting for Rex Lapis to rush out. He had every eye locked at it, waiting for any sign of his opponent. His grip on his cane tightened and he could hear his heartbeat thrum in his ears. Seconds passed agonizingly slow. Apophis hated this, he hated waiting.

Screw it. If there’s nothing left for me here, I may as well just leave. He thought. A brief snap of his fingers and the eyes went away just like that. Apophis swiftly turned toward the rift; it was still open, but the air wasn’t even pushing him.

It started to pick up actually. Apophis felt the pressure change so abruptly that his ears popped. Distantly, there was a whistling noise in the air. His eyes widened in alarm. “Wait where-”

Apophis activated his shield a second too late as the arrow of pure Anemo struck him in the shoulder. He was forced off his feet and went along with its trajectory. The world was a dizzying combination of colors as he flew away from the temple grounds. Then, he crashed into a wall. A second later he registered the pain before landing on his face and blacking out.

I’ve got him. 

Be careful, put him on the stretcher.

Done. I’m heading out. You two! Begin manual reset of this world! I don’t want a single one of them remembering a thing about him and Mercy!

Yes sir!/Gotcha!

…Try to relax Mercy. He’ll be okay-

///

Apophis was standing in a white void. In front of him was a man in front of a workbench; he wore clothing meant for an artist which included an apron. Apophis was staring at the man’s back.

…

Have you realized your mistake?

___

When I said pick your battles wisely, that didn’t mean pick a fight with Rex freaking Lapis.

____________!

I know. I just wanted to tell you that plan could’ve gone better. Anyways, that’s all I needed to tell you. You can go back or stay here for a while until you’re ready.

________,

…Everything’s fine on my end. Oh, by the way before I forget. I need to give you this.

_______?

SOmething I’ve been cooking. I want to know what you and the others think. I believe it’s a step in the right direction with what you're trying to do. And also, the timeline has moved up. We need to start with the plan to stop the anomaly soon.

…_________

Don’t mention it. I just wanted to help.

…

The sleep that came right after was restful.

////////

A/N:

First things first: this chapter got too long for one’s own tastes that it had to be separated into two, hence the additional chapter.

So I tried my hardest to go out of my comfort zone with this one. To push the usual limit of around ~2.3k compared to previous ones felt nice-no, ambitious. However, I do feel quite tired from all of that so I’ll most likely stick to having each chapter be around 2.3k. Right now my mindset is “quantity comes before before quality”; I’ll slowly surpass my limits and before I realize it my fics will become better than they are today.

Regarding the action sequence, please let me know what y’all think. Should I improve; how? Is it alright? Seriously. I want benchmarks for my growth.

Also, Number One namedrops; more on that next chapter.

Taglist: @idkfitememate

[yandereunsolved]

Yandere self aware Maegor—burn the book and escape to another country (requested)

Yandere Maegor became aware of your presence early on in his childhood. It was some time after his eighth name day. He had just stabbed to death a palfrey. The poor thing only lightly kicked him while spooked. Just then he heard a sort of gasp and turned his gaze to the sky. It felt like he was looking through a watery veil. He could see your face, your surroundings, and your fingers gripping onto what looked like a book of some sort. 

A stable boy came running towards him after hearing the pained screeches of the animal. In that moment the connection was broken as the watery veil disappeared and he was left staring upward with a new feeling sprouting within his soul. It was red hot and made his chest ache. He wanted you back to soothe the pain, but the damn stableboy took you away from him. 

The boy broke your connection.

So he slashed the stableboy's face in half and let him writhe in agony on the grassy field. That was Maegor's first taste of you. His first taste of exploring the darkest recesses of his desire, all thanks to you. He couldn't get enough, and he needed more. It is his right. 

Yandere Maegor was betrothed to Lady Ceryse Hightower and thought it was the perfect time to try to reconnect with you. Throughout the years, he has seen glimpses and even heard your name being spoken by someone else. That should have been him! This was his time to make you need him in every way, just as he needs you.

For many nights he treated himself to his newlywed spouse's body. He would have her covered in sweat and exhausted, and still he would go. He knew it pleased you to some extent. He always refused to look into his wife's eyes during this time because his head was trained upwards, staring at you. 

He always saw you during those times. That's why he was so insistent to constantly drag his wife to bed. It was like some gateway that was always open when he was inside of her.

Still, that bitch remained bare. Full of his seed, and she still couldn't produce any heirs. Worthless woman. He would scoff any time she tried to initiate. What gives her the right? She hasn't earned it.

Yandere Maegor was never one to stuff his head into books and frolick around like a pansy. That was the detestable lifestyle his half-brother Aenys lived. Still, his scarred hands found their way to dusty old scrolls that even the maesters forgot of. He learned of a strange phenomenon some Targaryens experienced. They had deemed it to be 'naejot ūndegon aōla' (to see yourself).

A certain awareness that very few had every scrapped the surface of. Dreamers were more likely to have such a revelation? ability? He couldn't find much information on it, considering the chance to study this anomaly was a rarity. 

He asked Aenys and he knew nothing. Typical.

Yandere Maegor dedicated his extra time to trying to reach out to you. He knew sex was one way to reach you. He really didn't want to touch a woman every time he wanted to interact with you. The both of you would never get any alone time. Not to mention the fact that it is quite hard to hear someone over long drawn-out moans. 

So he would meditate. He would lock himself in an isolated place for days just for a chance to see your visage once again.

He had minimal luck.

Yandere Maegor seemed to only marry women with cursed wombs. Bedding anyone was a way for him to see you, but bedding his wives had a ninety-percent success rate for being able to see you. Still, he needed an heir and was left without one. 

Was this a sign? He took it as one.

No one could change his mind on it.

You had been specially made for his seed. If you were unable to bare children due to your anatomy, he could—would find a way. You were meant for him. It was no wonder that no one else could satisfy him as you could.

You made him crazed without a touch. A feat no one but you achieved.

Yandere Maegor still felt as if you were the one after learning of his third wife's betrayal. She cursed his potential heirs! He doubts she could have cursed you. You are incredibly unique. Someone who is one of a kind.

So he uses his dead wife's book on sorcery and potions to interact with you bit by bit. He's astonished that he is in written text but is also thankful, as that is incredibly advantageous for him. He flips pages and changes the text. He dares to reach out to you through the pages and gently caress whatever part of you he is able to get ahold of. 

It's pure bliss for him, pure horror for you.

Yandere Maegor will find a way into your world. He will bring you into his. He will find a way to concoct a potion of vitality for you both. Although you seemingly do not age by much in his eyes. You are just as stunning as the first time he saw you. There's so much lost time to make up for.

[goddessxeffect]

《 MASTERPOST: Let go and let God 》

Quotes from blog post and answers from other bloggers regarding certain topics based in the teachings of law of consciousness and non duality. This is a summary of everything I think is incredibly useful and has been for me in understanding and applying this lifestyle. Long post ahead.

Basics & Teaching

"I contain all, nothing contains me." - Nisargadatta Maharaj

This subject cannot be learned intellectually, it cannot be learned through the mind [ego] because it's perceived just behind the mind. We can use the mind to gradually undo the limitations enough so that we can get behind the mind by getting it quieter. @4dbarbie-backup

What you can point out as 'this' or 'that' cannot be yourself. Surely, you can not be 'something' else. You are nothing perceivable, or imaginable. Yet, without you there can be neither perception nor imagination. Identity or Ego is merely a pattern of events in time and space, which are also just concepts belonging to the world of ego.@4dbarbie-backup YOU are life. you are life itself. you are all. you are how this all works. "me? this body? this mind?" not the body, mind, ego or thoughts. not even the feeling, beliefs & emotions. i'm talking about Self. Infinity. God. I AM. the awareness. the one that observes all. the life force is you. you animate all of what you see. @lains-reality

Realize you are never not IT. We are actually fully realized all the time. We are fully realized Beings saying that we are not. @4dbarbie-backup There is no becoming "aware". You can't become something you already are! You keep forgetting you are not the body-mind (ego). The body-mind lacks things, the body-mind takes it's surroundings to be real. The body-mind has a very limited viewpoint, it knows what it knows, it only sees what it sees. @iamthat-iam The [body-]mind cannot intimidate the Pure Self, it can only intimidate the idea you have of who you are, your self image. what the mistake is, is that we are taking the idea of who we are as the fact of who we are.@lains-reality

Everything you see and experience is only a mental condition, a dream-like state, easy to dispel by questioning its reality. Both sleep and waking are imagined.@4dbarbie-backup Dreams are just "materializations" of whatever our consciousness is aware of while the body rests. You can touch it, you can interact with it, your senses become active when you're dreaming at times. there's even a phenomenon where people actually thought their dreams were memories or something they legitimately experienced.@piercedblunt "But I am not conscious of myself when sleeping?!" You are aware of something though, being unconscious, which manifests instantly, you are sleeping. Being unconscious is an experience, and you're doing the same thing in the waking state.@4dbarbie-backup

Let's now take a look at this so-called physical world. The apparent solid outer world is just an illusory world. We created it mentally, which is also backed up by human science. But, and that's the catch, it is not external and so the only way to control the outside world is to step out of the world. The ego IS IN the world, and not you. Both the ego and the world are IN YOU.@4dbarbie-backup

When 'you' desire something, you [Consciousness] already have it. How do you already have it? Your true self is everything, it can't desire anything if it's already being anything. Everything that your ego desires already exists within consciousness. Remember that whenever your ego tries to bring up a desire. @iamthat-iam After all, when 'you' desired in your mind, wasn't there a moment where you had it? Where you imagined what it'd be like to have it, what it'd look like or how it'd make you feel? @cheryawa It is not instantly visible to you because you identify with the body and not your pure being. No matter how much you use your mind/imagination, you are who you are regardless of the imagines playing in the head. I could think of a panda a million times, imagine what it's like being a panda a thousand more, that doesn't make me into a panda when I still know myself to be a person.@4dbarbie-backup

Here's a scale of emotions you'll go through in your journey, from bottom to top: apathy, grief, fear, hostility, anger, indifference, acceptance, freedom finally - and then unlimited, independent joy. @4dbarbie-backup It’s not an euphoric feeling either but a real feeling of knowing and with that - indifference and power. It is very calm and serene, as if nothing can disturb you. @adadisciple

I've been looking at the things I want as existing for me to experience them. When I have a desire, I experience it as something that already belongs to me because everything is coming from (within) me. @4dbarbie-backup

NON-DUALISM

"It is the Self that believes there is a person and is conscious of being IT." - Ada B.

Let's break the word down first. “Non” of course means “no” or “not.” And “dual” means “two.” So, non-dual means not two. It says there is only one. This is referring to you, awareness [or consciousness], that there is only you, [...] the only thing that exists. You are the true reality. The only purpose for awareness is to observe, to oversee, to be. Nothing more, nothing less. For example, awareness is human, it can take on a human form, but human is not awareness or defines awareness as a whole. A human is simply a temporary form, but awareness is always free to be aware of any other form @itzalizeyyy

Whatever you imagine is the same as seeing it in the physical world, because both are still being an observed experience by the awareness, and therefore both are the same, as one (imagination). @itzalizeyyy

Helpful metaphors: When you watch a movie, you know it is a movie bc you are outside of it. you are observing it. now what about the characters in the movie? they dont know its a movie bc they are not outside of it. they think they are just regular ppl and they dont see the truth, their true selfs: which is just characters in a movie. @msperfect777 The ego is like your character in the game (of life), it's already a "manifestation" so it can't manifest (just like a book can't write itself or another book). You are aware of a character you go through life with. @consciousnessbaddie

Ego Death is then the disappearance of the egoistic sense of Self. You feel that your are no longer that.You don't disappear; you don't lose anything. There's no reason to fear losing your body, or losing anything. Yet, most of us are fearful that we're going to lose our body and be nothing. That's a serious error. You could be a hundred bodies! When the idea 'I am this body' dies, the witness does not. Death is merely the idea 'I have lost my body'. What you think yourself to be before death continues to be after death. Your sense of Self survives. @4dbarbie-backup

In Non Dualism, the goal is to stop identifying with ego and realize who you are.You see there's no seperation between you and anything so that means everything you once "desired" is already who you are. You never feel the sense of desire again because of this. Any "physical materialization" that happens after will not seem like such a big deal, since it was already who they were to begin with. @iamthat-iam

"I am that, I have always been that. All is well. There are no mistakes. I am in my right place." All you have to do is realize/ know your are not the mind (= identitiy, character, ego). Robert Adams

Self-Inquiry

" To know the source as source and appearance as appearance, and oneself as the source only is self-realization " - Ada B.

The mind is doing a good job actually, because it bites you and kicks you and teases you, because if it doesnt do that, then you'll want to make this limited feel your home.@lains-reality

Every thought is a thing of limitation. Therefore when we quiet the mind, we still these limiting thoughts and this infinite Being that we are becomes self obvious to us. We have convinced ourselves over the millenniums that we are these limited bodies, and we think it takes time to let go of these concepts of limitation. But time is a thing of the ego, it's a thought. @4dbarbie-backup

Learn the art of being aware of you (awareness). [...] You must not become what you already are, as the detached witness of every thought or sensation that comes and goes. [...] The practice of self-inquiry is returning to the fact of who and what you are. @anon-i-mus

It's a kind of surrendering but to me, truthfully and honestly, it felt more like a giving up. Even if it makes you miserable, accept the person you're identified with until you no more fear it or care if you stay the same. @4dbarbie-backup

-> Questions to ask yourself

Detachment

"Transcend your desires and your fears and you will have everything." - Ada B.

As Buddha taught, the root of suffering is attachment. It is not having the emotions and thoughts [...] but resisting or supressing them, and resisting the transitory nature of life and all things. Emotions and thoughts pass. No big deal. It is holding on to them when they are just coming up to leave or pass through that causes suffering. @lains-reality You need not stop thinking. Just cease being interested. It is disinterestedness that liberates. If you say, “There's no problem,” they won't vanish because you're saying, “There's no problem.” You're mentally holding onto the problem and therefore sustaining it. Erase the problem from your mind means to know (be aware) that everything is perfect and then the problem is necessarily non-existent. Basically, let go of it, because the problem is just an illusion. @4dbarbie-backup

You then ask how to stop being "Vanessa" ? - the reason you can't stop is because it's ALL YOU THINK YOU ARE. For example: You're driving a car. "I AM" is the car. You know how to drive it because you're already driving it by being Vanessa. Vanessa is something you add to the "I AM" and not you. You can't stop being Vanessa while being Vanessa! I think that's what everyone keeps asking: Vanessa wants to be Lara, not awareness [first]. @4dbarbie-backup

To talk of re-uniting the person with the self is also not right, because there is no person, only a mental picture given a false reality by conviction. Nothing was divided and there is nothing to unite. You are That. @4dbarbie-backup Nothing can remove your being. Nothing has ever stained your being.@lains-reality You think you have to do this and that because you think you're it, and you should act from it. That is not the case. There's nothing to do except disbelieve. But disbelieving and denial are not the same thing. Denial is when you deny reality to something you're already giving reality to. @4dbarbie-backup

Detachment is not lonely. It's freedom and it's real love. Needing is selfish, it's self-centered. The self has no preference and it's because of that that it can be everything. @4dbarbie-backup

Some of you are on this path for a while but to some extent still are identified with ego and that's OK. Don't get caught up in "your" expectations of what self-realization is supposed to be like. The expectations are making you turn this into a task, when it is supposed to be effortless. Yes, we have talked about feeling peaceful once you've realized yourself, but you're going to need to drop the expectations. It's okay if ego isn't completely grasping it, ego isn't real and it isn't who you are. @iamthat-iam

Fear is an invitation to remember who you truly are. Acknowledging fear doesn't make you any less worthy of or further away from what you truly desire. Similarly, acknowledging your shadows does not dim the Light that you are. The shadows you battle against are simply the seeming absence of you. Becoming entangled in the world of shadows is simply the forgetting of your Self; and Light casts shadows that come and go only to remember itself. The truth is that Light knows no opposition or enemy. Shadows have no separate existence from Light. Your fears are made of you. @lains-reality

The more I detached from ego, the freer I was to imagine what ego wanted without interference from conflicting thoughts/thoughts that "oppose" the desire. @iamthat-iam In fact, abandon all imaginings and know yourself as you are. Self-knowledge is detachment. All craving is due to a sense of insufficiency. @4dbarbie

To anyone who also wonders "how am I still picking this ego?": how many times have you thought about tomorrow? next week? future plans? there's your answer. and the worries about "life" come from them too. "if I don't prepare for/worry about this event that'll happen, I'll have to deal with the consequences of this action" you're telling yourself you will keep waking up as this exact same ego over and over. @glitterdoll888

If you come straight from Law of Assumption or Law of Attraction please keep on reading this last section!

“The simplest answer is usually the right one!.” - Occam’s razor

I think, that what we call 'manifestation' is life itself. i do not mean life in the way that you live A life, like its happening outside of you. i mean it as: it is natural & normal to manifest, its existance itself. it is not something you have, it just is. 'manifestation' is just life itself. it's how all works & is.@lains-reality

The similarity between ND and LOA is in the fact that What you’re aware of, is. LOA’s inner self is still ego. To talk about fulfilling self means fulfilling ego. There is nothing to fulfill if you are the Self and the only one that needs to be fulfilled is an ego, you’re still catering to an ego. @adadisciple

Please, please, understand that you don't have to DO anything! You are always awareness,you will never lack anything. Please stop worrying about the "physical" world and stop trying to materialize things within it! Non Dualism isn't a "new manifestation method" to "get what you want," you are realizing you never lacked anything this whole time. @iamthat-iam

The way the sun rises up in the morning, in the same way Vanessa happens to awareness. It is natural. Do you try to make it happen? It comes by itself (because you choose it as you).@adadisciple For example "I am a body" is a thought that runs automatically ("subconscious), because we do not look at it/know it, we have just accepted we are bodies and that's why we "see" a body. @4dbarbie-backup

You just need to allow something else to happen, not try to make it so!! You cannot help being what you are: Vanessa is the absolute to you now. But if she can be TO YOU, if she happens TO YOU, who is YOU? Your Vanessa "I" runs on autopilot, she is a symbol. She has no free will. To the Self, she is only an idea. She has been conditioned and programmed to think the way she does, it’s the only way she knows how to function. And that’s fine, let her be. Just don’t pick her as you.If she were a random stranger on the street, you would have no concern about her life. If you were Lara now, where would Vanessa be in your thoughts? That is the behavior you should strive for in your thinking, dispassion, disinterest, detachment. Let the thought of being her go. Just let them BE. The way you let Vanessa be. And you let Vanessa be by thinking that’s all you are, that’s what is true. @adadisciple

If you want a "method", then the very best method of all methods is to quiet the mind to see the Being that you are. Pose the question: “Who am I?” and if other thoughts come in, ask, “To whom are these thoughts?” The answer is “To me.” “Well, who am I?” and you're back on the track, seeking to see your Self. @4dbarbie-backup I sit in the feeling while focusing on something else in the present moment, and it usually goes away. @iamthat-iam

Non Dualism does not believe in “affirming” or “persisting” because if awareness is already everything, then it does not need to affirm or persist for its desire if it already has [or IS] its own desire. @itzalizeyyy Like repetition, it keeps you in lack. Do you need to remind yourself that you are a man or a woman? That experience, that form, is already being observed, is already being aware of. You know 'your' gender. @4dbarbie-backup

The truth is, there was no "3D" or "4D" in the first place. there is no imagination VS reality. nothing is real, it has always been illusion VS illusion. If anytime you get thoughts like "why is it not here" "why don't i see it" "why hasn't it manifested yet" you are immediately identifying with your human self. [...] Relying on the human senses will always be our downfall. @iamthat-iam

If you don't have the discipline to at least cut off all this excess of knowledge of information, you'll only be making it tougher on yourself. After you do that, stick to it until you're ready to let go and rely on yourself. Until you start behaving like the teacher and one is needed no more. You create the teacher because you think someone is more knowledgeable than you. That's fine for now, but trust the teacher, listen and apply.@4dbarbie-backup

I have Psychiatrist & doctors appointments, work, still need to eat, want to commit suicide? Psychiatrist appointment. What is that for? To correct your thinking, isn't that right? Reconditioning, changing, or even eliminating patterns of the mind. Now, I'm not telling you to stop going/stop working and or eating. That would be irresponsible of me. Leave your mind alone, that is all. @4dbarbie-backup

DO NOT ACTIVELY INTERFERE in ego's life or try to stop living that life while still being very attached to it, i.e. still identifying with that ego. Let the person continue to live it's life and fulfill it's obligations like studying, but maintain the knowing that it's not who you are. @iamthat-iam

But what about random things that I wasn't even aware of before they came? It's very simple, really. You are aware of being Vanessa and with Vanessa come specific beliefs. Characters have their own beliefs like certain weather can give you a cold, certain environments have insects etc. Thoughts dominate you only because you are interested in them. By resisting evil, you merely strengthen it. If you are "I AM", it means you are not the person experiencing the 3D world/thoughts/circumstances, you never were. The problem is excessive interest, leading to self-identification. Whatever you are engrossed in you take to be real. @4dbarbie-backup

[myriadeyed]

Humans only sometimes think they aren't animals because they don't realize they have instincts; their instincts make sense to them so they believe they're examples of higher consciousness instead. So from an outside observer, here are some examples of human instincts I've noticed:

Chatting. Humans love to chat and it will completely engross them. No matter what they're doing, if another human starts casually interacting with them, they'll abandon their task as if they've forgotten it. You can charm basically any human if you engage with their chatting.

Laughing. If they find something funny they seem completely incapable of preventing this reflex.

Generosity. Humans love to see other humans succeed. They will share a small portion of almost anything they possess. Some individuals may seem to be an exception to this but I've found that to be a trained behavior which can be unlearned by basically any individual.

Human communication is notably lacking in body language, especially in the way of subtlety, and what they do express can be quite esoteric and confusing. Luckily for all those of us living among humans, there is only one very frequent theme to be aware of: physical touch. They are extremely prone to it. Surprisingly this is not unique to Homo sapiens; many other mammalians share this. Humans, though, are uniquely poor at telling that you are not a human too, and can sometimes enact this physical touch without sensing your discomfort. Don't fault them for this; due to their unfortunate lack of body language communication, this is one of the few ways they have to express affection.

Due to their limited communication, humans will frequently engage in art in order to express complicated ideas. A work of art can take many forms depending on the area of the brain it was designed to stimulate, from auditory to tactile to cognitive analytical, and can even be targeted at emotions such as fear and sorrow. I'm personally impressed by the creativity exhibited by the auditory forms.

Humans often engage in an act known as dancing, a trait which they share with certain birds. This usually occurs alongside music. It is frequently a method of self-expression, similar to art.

Humans tend to find familiarity even in the wildly unfamiliar. A good example of this phenomenon is the human concept of constellations.

[grey-sorcery]

[Title]: Spellcasting At an Intermediate Level

Related Reading (*Highly recommended)

Basics of Spellcasting Intermediate Gnosis* Energy Work Fundamentals Intermediate Energy Work Advanced Energy Work Energetic Constructs Anchors Basics of Astral Projection Non-Sympathetic Magic (Patreon Exclusive) Threshold Theory Correspondences* Visualization: Effective Implementation* Spell Logs* Taglocks Bias in Witchcraft Magical Potency*

Introduction

So you’ve mastered the basics, Congratulations! Intermediate witchcraft represents a transformative phase in a practitioner's journey, where foundational knowledge is expanded and refined through deeper engagement with esoteric principles. Here, practitioners gain an enhanced understanding of gnosis—the direct, experiential knowledge of magical and spiritual truths—and learn to navigate the intricacies of circumstance, aligning their practices with environmental, social, astrological, and energetic influences. Daily rituals become more nuanced, incorporating diverse components such as consistent mindfulness and complex energy work. New methods of spellcasting emerge, emphasizing the importance of precise spell dictation and meticulous record keeping to track efficacy and refine techniques. Continuous learning is vital, as practitioners explore new magical theories and methods while actively participating in their community. This dynamic interplay of personal development and communal exchange fosters a richer, more sophisticated approach to witchcraft, facilitating both individual growth and collective wisdom.

Gnosis & Circumstance

Gnosis

Gnosis, in the context of magical practice, refers to a profound state of experiential knowledge that transcends ordinary cognition. It is not merely intellectual understanding but a deep, intuitive grasp of the underlying currents that shape reality. Gnosis allows the practitioner to perceive and interact with the subtle energies that permeate the world, enabling the manipulation of these energies for specific outcomes. This state is often achieved through altered states of consciousness, wherein the mind operates differently than the mundane, everyday awareness.

Altered states of consciousness are essential for the acquisition and application of gnosis. These states can be described as a spectrum of mental conditions where normal cognitive processes are suspended, allowing access to layers of reality that are usually obscured by ordinary perception. These states can range from light trances to deep, immersive experiences where the boundaries between the self and the environment dissolve. Such states are not merely a psychological phenomenon but are understood as a means of attuning the practitioner's mind to the frequencies that govern the subtle aspects of existence. The deeper the state of consciousness, the more profound the level of gnosis achieved, and thus, the more potent the magical workings can become. 

However, a state of gnosis can be aimed and corralled into a more specific subset of conceptualizations. This technique involves the deliberate construction of intricate thought patterns and networks of ideas that are imbued with the practitioner’s will. These mental networks function as a framework upon which the energies of the spell can be organized and directed.

This practice requires a high level of mental discipline and clarity, as the constructs must be maintained with precision. Any lapse in focus can disrupt the integrity of the mental network, weakening the spell's effectiveness. The process of conceptualization is, therefore, both a mental and energetic act, where the practitioner not only organizes their thoughts but also aligns their energies with the desired outcome. 

Circumstance

Circumstance refers to the external factors and conditions that can influence the effectiveness of magical workings. While gnosis is an internal state, circumstance encompasses the external environment, the emotional and energetic states of those involved, and the alignment of time and space. A deep understanding of circumstance allows the practitioner to harmonize their workings with the natural flow of the natural world, enhancing the potency of their magic.

External factors serve as amplifiers or dampeners of the energy that the practitioner seeks to manipulate. When the circumstances align favorably, the energies flow more smoothly, and the desired outcome is more likely to manifest. Conversely, if the circumstances are in opposition to the desired outcome, the practitioner may encounter resistance, making the working less effective or even entirely ineffectual. Several elements constitute the circumstantial factors that can influence magical workings. These include environmental conditions, the emotional and energetic states of those involved, and temporal and celestial alignments.

The environment in which a spell is cast can have a profound impact on its success. Factors such as weather, temperature, and the presence of natural elements can either support or hinder the flow of energy. For instance, a spell cast during a storm may harness the chaotic and powerful energies of the weather, amplifying its effect. On the other hand, trying to cast a spell in a stifling, oppressive environment may drain the practitioner’s energy, reducing the spell’s potency.

The emotional and energetic states of both the practitioner and those nearby are critical components of circumstance. Emotions can generate powerful energetic fields that may influence the outcome of a spell, either positively or negatively. A practitioner in a state of calm, focused determination is more likely to channel energy effectively than one who is distracted or agitated. Similarly, the emotional states of others in the vicinity can also impact the spell. If those nearby are supportive and aligned with the spell’s purpose, their energies can contribute to its success. Conversely, if they are skeptical, fearful, or antagonistic, their negative energies can interfere with the spell, weakening its effect.

Timing is a crucial element in determining the efficacy of spellwork, with astrological alignments and aspects playing a significant role. The positions and interactions of celestial bodies such as the sun, moon, planets, and stars are believed to influence the energies available at any given moment, thereby impacting the success of a spell. 

For instance, a conjunction of Venus and Jupiter might be seen as particularly auspicious for rituals involving love and prosperity, as the energies of these planets synergize to amplify such intentions. In contrast, a square aspect between Mars and Saturn might introduce obstacles or resistance, making it an inopportune time for initiating new ventures. Similarly, certain planetary transits, like Mercury retrograde, are often viewed as periods for reflection and review rather than action.

Combining Gnosis and Circumstance for Effective Spellcasting

Combining gnosis and circumstance is essential for effective spellcasting. While gnosis provides the practitioner with the internal focus and control needed to direct subtle energies, circumstance ensures that these energies are aligned with the natural flow of the world. The integration of these two aspects allows the practitioner to cast spells that are both powerful and harmonious with the surrounding environment. The most effective spells are those where gnosis and circumstance are perfectly aligned. In such workings, the practitioner’s internal state is in harmony with the external environment, creating a synergistic effect that amplifies the power of the spell.

To achieve this, the practitioner must carefully prepare both internally and externally. Internally, they must reach a state of gnosis through techniques such as meditation, breathwork, and mental networking. Externally, they must assess and, if necessary, modify the circumstances to align with the desired outcome. This might involve choosing the right time and place for the spell, ensuring that the emotional and energetic states of all involved are aligned, and selecting an environment that supports the working.

The integration of gnosis and circumstance is not a passive process but requires active engagement and awareness. The practitioner must be attuned to both their internal state and the external environment, constantly assessing and adjusting as necessary to ensure optimal alignment. This might involve making small adjustments, such as altering the timing of the spell or choosing a different location, or more significant changes, such as working to shift the emotional or energetic states of those involved in the working. The difficulty lies in the potential to disrupt the state of gnosis by becoming too rigid, or by allowing the mind to wander too far. Oftentimes, gnosis is broken for simple reasons such as: not having incantations memorized, not knowing exactly where tools or objects are located at the time they are to be used, and being interrupted by another person in person or through cell phone notification(s).

In more complex workings, where multiple practitioners are involved, the importance of aligning gnosis and circumstance becomes even more pronounced. Each practitioner must not only achieve their own state of gnosis but must also harmonize their energies with those of the other participants. This requires a high degree of coordination and communication, ensuring that all involved are in a similar state of awareness and that the external circumstances are conducive to the collective working. The coordination of group magic might involve shared meditative practices, synchronized breathwork, or collective rituals that align the energies of all participants. The external circumstances must also be carefully managed, ensuring that the timing, location, and emotional environment are supportive of the collective intention. When all these elements are in alignment, the combined energies of the group can create a powerful and unified force, greatly enhancing the effectiveness of the spell.

Daily Practices

Integrating spellcraft and spellcasting into daily life is a practice that not only elevates mundane routines but also deepens the practitioner's connection with the underlying forces that shape their existence. By weaving magical practices into everyday activities, one can cultivate a continuous awareness of the subtle currents of energy that permeate all aspects of life. This approach to spellcraft emphasizes the importance of consistent engagement and intentional living, enabling practitioners to harness and direct these energies with precision and purpose.

Incorporating simple rituals and spells into daily life does not require elaborate preparations or rarefied tools; instead, it hinges on the practitioner's ability to imbue routine actions with deeper significance. These daily rituals can be as simple as lighting a candle in the morning, stirring a cup of tea, or walking barefoot on the earth. Each of these actions can be transformed into a magical practice through conscious focus, gnosis, and an understanding of the symbolic and energetic dimensions of the act.

Mindfulness & Energy Work

Magical mindfulness involves cultivating a heightened awareness of the present moment, with an emphasis on the subtle energies that surround and influence us. By integrating this awareness into daily activities, practitioners can transform routine tasks into opportunities for magical work.

One way to incorporate magical mindfulness into daily life is through breathwork. Breath is the most immediate and accessible form of life force, and by consciously controlling the breath, practitioners can influence their own energetic state. A simple practice is to take a few moments each day to focus on the breath, breathing deeply and evenly. This can be done during any mundane activity—such as washing dishes, commuting, or walking. By synchronizing the breath with the rhythm of the activity, the practitioner creates a harmonic resonance between their internal and external environments. This practice not only calms the mind and body but also enhances the practitioner’s ability to channel and direct energy.

Another practice that embodies magical mindfulness is the art of visualization through sensory engagement. As the practitioner goes about their day, they can focus on the sensory experiences of their surroundings—textures, colors, sounds, and scents—using these as focal points for meditation and magical work. For example, while washing hands, the practitioner might focus on the sensation of the water flowing over their skin, envisioning it as a cleansing force that washes away negativity. By engaging the senses in this way, the practitioner deepens their connection to the present moment and harnesses the power of sensory perception in their magical practice.

Energy work, too, can be seamlessly integrated into daily life. Practices such as grounding, centering, and warding can be performed at any time, allowing the practitioner to maintain a balanced and protected energy field. But of all the ways to implement energy work into your daily routine, is by practicing each aspect of basic energy work. Below, I’ve listed each of the basic 7 aspects of energy work. This practice is detailed, multi-layered, and sequential in its approach, suggesting that each aspect builds upon the mastery of the previous one. Let us explore each aspect in detail, considering practical implications. It is recommended that each step is done daily, up to what is feasible.

[These practices are further detailed in my Energy Work Fundamentals and Intermediate Energy Work articles.] (See: Related Reading)

1st Aspect: The Act of Resealing

Concept and Practice:

The first aspect involves a technique of energy reclamation and reintegration. When one experiences intense emotions or sensations (such as joy, awe, fear, anger, or beauty), there is a natural release of energy, often physically felt as "goosebumps" or a tingling sensation. This practice instructs the practitioner to become aware of this released energy and to gather it back into their body. The process described involves feeling for external energies, which should feel similar to smoke or fog, which is then drawn back into the body and stored in the Wellsource. 

Significance:

The act of resealing is significant because it emphasizes the importance of energy conservation and control. By reclaiming and reintegrating energy, one ensures that their energy is not dissipated into the environment but rather retained for personal use. This practice could be seen as foundational, ensuring that the practitioner maintains a stable and contained energetic field.

Mastery:

Able to absorb energy from any given location on the body.

Able to absorb through an area of any possible given size.

Able to absorb at any given rate of flow

2nd Aspect: The Act of Expansion

Concept and Practice:

This aspect focuses on the expansion of one's energy field beyond the physical body. The practitioner is instructed to first become acutely aware of their skin and the sensations across it. Then, by breathing into their wellsource, they are to expand this energy field outward, extending their awareness beyond their physical form. The exercise is essentially an act of growing one's energetic influence and awareness to encompass the space around them. 

Significance:

The release and expansion of energy is crucial for those who wish to interact with the external world on an energetic level. By releasing energy, you can consciously feed projections and constructs into spells or spells into constructs. By expanding one's energy, the practitioner can project their awareness and influence into their surroundings, potentially affecting and interacting with external energies and entities. This practice lays the groundwork for more advanced forms of energetic manipulation.

Mastery:

Able to release energy from any given location on the body.

Able to release through an area of any possible given size.

Able to release at any given rate of flow

Able to expand energetic field and energetic awareness by extension

3rd Aspect: The Act of Form

Concept and Practice:

The third aspect introduces the concept of shaping energy into specific forms. The practitioner is instructed to draw energy from their wellsource into their hands and shape it into a sphere through minute manipulations of their energetic field in tandem with energy being released from their palms, and then into a more complex geometric shape like an octahedron. This exercise involves not just the visualization of the shape as a mould but also the tangible feeling of the energy as it takes form and becomes a distinct entity separate from the practitioner's body or field.

Significance:

Forming energy into shapes is a method of giving structure to one's energetic output. It is a step towards more precise and intentional energy work, where the practitioner can create and manipulate energetic constructs. The ability to give energy form implies control over its properties and purpose, which is vital in any advanced magical practice. Without being able to form energy, a practitioner would be unable to generate energetic constructs.

Mastery:

Able to create and maintain a sphere, octahedron, dodecahedron, tetrahedron, cube, and torus for any given amount of time.

Able to modify the form, but not size, of an object without losing or gaining energy.

4th Aspect: The Act of Density

Concept and Practice:

Here, the practitioner learns to condense their energy into a smaller, denser form. The exercise begins with a sphere of energy, which is then filled with more energy without increasing its size. Eventually, the sphere is condensed to the smallest possible point, concentrating its energy to an extreme degree.

Significance:

Density in energy work is akin to intensity or potency. By mastering this aspect, the practitioner gains the ability to concentrate vast amounts of energy into a small, powerful form. This could have numerous applications, from creating more effective energetic tools or shields to enhancing the impact of energetic or magical work. It also teaches the practitioner the importance of not just quantity of energy, but quality and concentration.

Mastery:

Able to create a form and manipulate its energetic density to any given degree without altering its size or form.

Able to generate hyper-dense energetic constructs at an infinitesimally small size.

5th Aspect: The Act of Precision

Concept and Practice:

Precision involves directing one's energy with pinpoint accuracy. The practitioner starts with their dense, microscopic sphere of energy and transforms it into a sliver, which is then directed toward a specific target. The sliver can be expanded or contracted as needed, but the focus is on the ability to direct this energy with extreme precision.

Significance:

Precision is vital in energy work, especially in applications that require targeted effects, such as healing, protective wards, or the manipulation of specific aspects of reality. By mastering precision, the practitioner ensures that their energy reaches exactly where it is intended, without waste or unintended side effects. This also involves a heightened level of control over one’s energy.

Mastery:

Able to control minute but hyper dense quanta of energy with precision without losing concentration

6th Aspect: The Act of Mitosis

Concept and Practice:

The act of mitosis involves the division of one's energy into multiple identical forms. The practitioner begins with a single sphere of energy, which is then divided into two, and then these two are divided again, continuing until the forms are innumerable. The challenge here is to maintain the energy in each form without losing any of its potency or control.

Significance:

This aspect symbolizes the ability to replicate and distribute one's energy without loss of power or coherence. It could be seen as a metaphor for creating multiple points of influence or for multitasking on an energetic level. The ability to maintain many identical forms of energy suggests a mastery of control and a deep understanding of the nature of energy itself. This skill could be essential in complex rituals, where multiple energetic tasks must be performed simultaneously.

Mastery:

Able to create a simple form and then split it into a minimum of 32 individual units, each with unique paths through space with unique velocities while maintaining size, form, and density of each form. 

7th Aspect: The Act of Frequency

Concept and Practice:

The final aspect involves the alteration of the vibrational frequency of one's own energy. The practitioner first creates a spherical form of energy and observes its natural color and vibration. Then, through intent and breath, the practitioner alters this form, changing its color and vibrational quality. The practitioner is encouraged to notice the effects of these changes on their own body and surroundings.

Significance:

Frequency in this context relates to the vibrational quality of energy, which can influence how it interacts with other energies and matter. By mastering frequency, the practitioner can fine-tune their energy to resonate with or counteract other frequencies. This skill is crucial for advanced energy work, where the practitioner needs to align their energy with specific outcomes or harmonize with external forces. This final aspect suggests a culmination of all previous skills, where the practitioner not only controls and shapes their energy but also tunes it to the desired frequency for precise and effective results.

Mastery:

Able to manipulate the qualities of any given quanta of energy to any other desired qualities, without using outside interference to accomplish it.

Integrating the Seven Aspects

The Seven Aspects together form a comprehensive system of energy mastery. Each aspect builds upon the last, leading the practitioner from basic energy reclamation to advanced manipulation of frequency. The journey through the aspects is one of increasing control, precision, and understanding of one's energy and its interaction with the world.

This system emphasizes not just the technical aspects of energy work but also the importance of awareness and intent. Each exercise requires the practitioner to be fully present and conscious of their actions, reinforcing the idea that energy work is not just about power but about mindfulness and deliberate action.

In a broader spiritual or esoteric context, mastering the Seven Aspects could be seen as a path to self-mastery, where control over one's energy equates to control over one's life force, emotions, and interactions with the universe. This path could lead to a heightened state of being, where the practitioner is in harmony with their own energy and the energies of the world around them.

Exploring New Casting Methods

Understanding the Flow and Manipulation of Energy

Energetic magic represents one of the most fundamental aspects of magical practice, revolving around the ability to perceive, harness, and manipulate the subtle currents of energy that permeate all things. At its core, this practice demands sensitivity to these energies, allowing the practitioner to tap into these forces and mold them according to their will. Doing so expands the means through which practitioners can cast spells.

To cast purely energetic magic, one must first recognize that energy is not confined to physical forms or measurable quantities. It exists in a spectrum that ranges from the dense, tangible energies found in material objects to the more elusive, subtle forces that underlie space. This energy can be found in the natural world, within the human body, and even in the abstract connections between entities and ideas. Practitioners of energetic magic learn to perceive these flows, sensing the way energy moves, accumulates, and disperses. This heightened awareness is crucial, as the manipulation of these forces requires a delicate balance of precision and strength.

Astral Magic

Astral magic involves the exploration and manipulation of spatial and non-physical dimensions of existence. Central to this practice is the concept of astral projection, wherein the practitioner consciously separates their awareness from their physical body, enabling them to navigate these unseen realms.

In this state, the practitioner navigates expansive realms of consciousness and environments that elude the physical senses. These experiences are often characterized as intensely vivid and beyond the scope of ordinary reality, with perceptions that surpass conventional sensory limitations. Importantly, such experiences are independent of physical senses, and relying on practices like visualization can actually obstruct the practitioner's efforts. The sensory experience of these non-physical planes defies easy description, leading many practitioners to resort to analogies. While vision might serve as a metaphor for certain energetic perceptions, it falls short in capturing essential elements like dimensionality and scale. Moreover, though spirits may traverse planes accessible to the practitioner, they do not reside within these realms. A key marker of a genuine non-physical experience is the absence of interaction with spirits, particularly the lack of any structured spirit society. The presence of such a concept should immediately raise suspicion, as it suggests personal narrative rather than authentic experience.

During astral projection, a practitioner retains the ability to cast spells with full efficacy. This approach is particularly effective for performing non-sympathetic magic, which does not depend on the use of a taglock or the principles of sympathetic magic. Unlike sympathetic magic, which often requires a physical link to the target, non-sympathetic magic operates independently of such connections. However, it is important to note that this form of spellcasting is most efficiently conducted within our standard spatial dimension, rather than in any extradimensional spaces. The reason for this is that the practitioner needs direct access to their intended target, something that is best achieved within the confines of the physical world. 

Attempting to cast in an extradimensional context can introduce complexities that may diminish the spell's effectiveness, as the practitioner's connection to the target becomes less direct and more abstract. While astral projection offers a unique vantage point and can provide valuable insights, the mechanics of casting often require the practitioner to be firmly anchored in their native spatial reality. This ensures that the magical energy is channeled precisely and reaches its intended target without unnecessary distortion or delay. Thus, while astral projection can complement and enhance spellwork, it is most effective when combined with the physical presence required for non-sympathetic magic. 

[This practice is further detailed in my Non-Sympathetic Magic article on Patreon.] (See: Related Reading)

Fate Magic

Fate magic, a branch of occult practice that deals with the manipulation of destiny, operates on the belief that the threads of one's life are not entirely fixed, but can be influenced or redirected through magical means. This concept is rooted in the idea that fate is not a singular, unchangeable force, but rather a complex web of possibilities and probabilities, each interconnected and subject to change. This type of working becomes easier to conceptualize if these strings of fate are thought of as having an energetic make up. 

In fate magic, the practitioner seeks to understand the underlying patterns and forces that shape their own life and the lives of others. This involves a deep exploration of the concept of destiny, recognizing that while some aspects of life may be predestined or inevitable, others remain fluid and open to influence. The practitioner learns to identify the key moments or decisions that hold the greatest potential for altering the course of fate, and through their magical work, they seek to nudge these moments in the desired direction.

Fate magic opens an interesting discussion of the philosophy of self-determination vs. predetermination, or free-will vs. predetermined action. In my personal experience working with fate in magical practice, I have found that some arguments of both stances resonate true. Especially when multiverse theory is considered. 

Techniques for Influencing and Altering Fate

The practitioner must first gain a clear understanding of the current trajectory of events, often through direct experience, visions derived from dreams, and divinatory practices such as cartomancy, cleromancy, or scrying. These methods provide glimpses into the possible futures that lie ahead, allowing the practitioner to identify the points of greatest influence as well as potential paths of least resistance.

Once the practitioner has identified the target, they can employ a variety of techniques to influence fate. One common method involves the use of sympathetic magic, where the practitioner creates a symbolic representation of the desired outcome and then enacts a series of ritual actions designed to bring it into reality. This may involve the use of candles, herbs, or other ritual tools, each chosen for their specific correspondences to the desired outcome.

Another technique involves the direct manipulation of fate strings. In this practice, the practitioner seeks to alter the flow of energy through these strings, either consciously or by severing them through a cord-cutting ritual. The energies within fate strings are complex and difficult to transmute as a whole, but can be gradually adjusted by introducing various energetic compounds. The rate of flow through fate strings is easier to accomplish, however. These practices can be done using visualization as a tool, but not as the practice. Rather, the practitioner needs to affect the string through its connecting point at the Wellsource.

Common examples of Fate-Altering Spells and Rituals

Fate-altering spells and rituals can take many forms, depending on the specific goals and circumstances of the practitioner. Here are a few examples that illustrate the diversity and complexity of fate magic:

- The Web of Fate Ritual (European Paganism): This sympathetic ritual involves creating a physical representation of the interconnectedness of events and choices. The practitioner constructs a web-like structure using threads or cords, each strand symbolizing a different aspect of fate. At the center of the web lies the practitioner’s goal or desired outcome. As the ritual progresses, the practitioner methodically manipulates the strands, symbolically altering the connections between different aspects of fate to guide the overall outcome towards the center. This ritual is particularly useful for complex situations where multiple factors need to be influenced simultaneously.

The Crossroads Spell (African Diaspora): Drawing from traditions that associate crossroads as places of power, this spell seeks to influence a pivotal decision or moment in the practitioner's life. The crossroads are symbolically represented, and the practitioner must meditate on the different paths available to them. Offerings are made to the forces that govern fate, asking for guidance or intervention to ensure that the chosen path leads to the desired outcome. This spell emphasizes the importance of choice and the critical moments that can determine the course of one's life.

The Turning of the Wheel (Wiccan): This spell is designed to influence the cycles and phases of life, often used when the practitioner seeks to end a period of difficulty or initiate a new phase of growth. The "wheel" represents the cycles of time and fate, and the ritual involves the physical turning of a wheel-like object, such as a disk or stone. As the wheel turns, the practitioner focuses on the transition from one phase to another, directing energy to bring about the desired change. This spell is particularly potent during natural transitions, such as solstices, equinoxes, or significant personal milestones.

Evocation, Invocation, and Spirit Contracts

It should be noted that most easily accessible information regarding Invocations and Evocations are from Ceremonial Magick sources, such as Order of The Golden Dawn, Rosicrucianism, and Thelema (Crowley). While these practices exist across many diasporas, these sources are far more published in writing since most other traditions require initiation and/or are passed down orally. These readily available sources derive most of their practices through the gradual evolution of ideas taken from Jewish, Taoist, Arab diasporic, Kemetic, and Hindu traditions combined with interpretations of medieval texts and Gnosticism. 

Evocation is the practice of calling forth spirits, deities, or other non-physical entities into the presence of the practitioner. Unlike invocation, which involves inviting an entity to enter the practitioner’s body or consciousness, evocation keeps the entity external, allowing for interaction without direct possession. This distinction is crucial, as it delineates the boundaries of influence and control in the ritual.

The purpose of evocation varies widely, ranging from seeking knowledge or guidance to requesting assistance in magical workings. The practitioner must possess a thorough understanding of the nature of the entity they intend to summon, including its attributes, strengths, weaknesses, and any historical or mythological context that might influence its behavior. This knowledge is essential not only for successful evocation but also for ensuring the safety and efficacy of the ritual.

Preparing for and Conducting Evocation

Preparation for evocation involves several key steps, each designed to create the optimal conditions for summoning the entity and ensuring a controlled interaction. The first step is the purification of the ritual space, which may involve cleansing with incense, salt, or other purifying substances. This process serves to clear any unwanted energies or influences, creating a neutral environment where the entity can manifest without interference.

Next, the practitioner must construct a protective barrier, often in the form of a circle or triangle, to contain the summoned entity and prevent it from acting beyond the confines of the ritual. This barrier is typically created using a combination of symbols, words of power, and energetic techniques, each chosen for their effectiveness in controlling the specific type of entity being evoked. The practitioner must also prepare offerings or sacrifices, depending on the nature of the entity, as a sign of respect and as a means of appeasement.

The actual process of evocation begins with the recitation of a summoning incantation, which may be drawn from traditional grimoires or composed by the practitioner. The incantation serves as a focal point for the practitioner’s will, calling the entity forth from its domain into the physical or mental plane. During this process, the practitioner must maintain a state of heightened awareness and control, as the entity may resist or challenge the summoning. Once the entity has been successfully evoked, the practitioner must engage in dialogue or negotiation, clearly stating their purpose and intentions while being mindful of the entity’s nature and potential responses.

Building Relationships with Entities

While evocation isn't necessary to interact with spirits, successful evocation often leads to ongoing relationships with the summoned entities, particularly if the practitioner intends to work with them regularly. Building a strong relationship with an entity involves mutual respect, trust, and a deep understanding of each other’s needs and capabilities.

One of the primary ways to build such a relationship is through regular offerings and rituals that honor the entity. These acts of devotion demonstrate the practitioner’s commitment and respect, fostering goodwill and cooperation. The practitioner may also seek to learn more about the entity’s preferences, attributes, and history, using this knowledge to tailor their rituals and interactions in ways that are pleasing to the entity.

In some cases, the relationship may evolve into a form of mentorship, where the entity provides the practitioner with guidance, knowledge, or power in exchange for continued offerings or services. These relationships can be highly beneficial, but they require careful management to ensure that the balance of power remains equitable and that the practitioner does not become overly reliant on the entity.

Contractual Considerations and Safety Measures

When working with powerful entities, particularly those of a more complex or dangerous nature, it is often common and necessary to establish formal agreements or contracts. These contracts outline the terms of the relationship, including what the entity will provide, what the practitioner will offer in return, and any limitations or boundaries that must be observed.

Crafting a spirit contract requires precision and clarity. The terms must be explicit and unambiguous, leaving no room for misinterpretation or exploitation. This often involves the use of traditional legalistic language or the incorporation of specific magical terms that bind the entity to the agreement. The contract may be inscribed on parchment, sealed with specific symbols or sigils, and consecrated through ritual actions to ensure its validity.

Safety measures are paramount when engaging in spirit contracts or any form of evocation. The practitioner must be aware of the potential risks, including the possibility of deception, coercion, or retaliation from the entity. Protective measures, such as the use of wards, protective talismans, or the invocation of higher powers for protection, are essential to safeguarding the practitioner and maintaining control over the ritual.

Additionally, the practitioner must be prepared for the possibility that the entity may not honor the terms of the contract or may attempt to renegotiate or alter the agreement. In such cases, the practitioner must remain firm and assertive, using the terms of the contract and their own magical authority to enforce compliance. If necessary, the practitioner should be prepared to banish the entity, using whatever means are appropriate to sever the connection and end the relationship.

Compounding Multiple Elements into a Single Spell

The principle of synergy in magical practices involves the interplay of various energetic elements to achieve a unified effect. This harmony arises when distinct components of a spell complement each other, creating a more potent and cohesive outcome. When diverse elements, such as symbols, actions, or materials, are combined, they interact in a manner that amplifies their collective influence. This can be likened to how a well-orchestrated symphony produces a richer auditory experience than individual instruments played in isolation.

The integration of various methodologies and components into a single spell demands a comprehensive understanding of their individual properties and how they interact. Multidisciplinary integration involves aligning disparate elements, each with its own specific energetic qualities and functions, into a singular operational framework. This process requires an adept grasp of how different magical practices, symbols, or rituals can be interwoven to create a cohesive spell structure. 

The psychological and emotional states of the practitioner play a significant role in the efficacy of compounded spells. Emotional resonance and mental clarity can greatly influence how well different components coalesce. For instance, a practitioner’s emotional state might affect how well they can focus and channel their energies. Emotional intensity and psychological readiness can either enhance or hinder the integration of multiple spell elements, making the practitioner’s internal state a crucial factor in the spell’s success.

While harmony is often emphasized, the strategic use of dissonance can also be valuable. Dissonance between components can create dynamic tensions that drive change or transformation. For example, contrasting elements may interact in a way that generates a powerful catalytic effect. This can be seen in situations where opposing energies or conflicting symbols are used deliberately to provoke a desired outcome or to facilitate a significant shift. The key lies in understanding how to manage and direct these tensions to achieve a productive result.

Streamlining Elements into a Unified Conceptualization

A coherent magical framework is essential for the successful execution of a spell involving multiple elements. This framework serves as a blueprint, guiding how each component fits into the overall design. It involves outlining the purpose of each element, determining how they will interact, and establishing a clear sequence of actions. The goal is to ensure that all components work together harmoniously, with each part contributing to the intended outcome without causing conflicts or redundancies. Balancing diverse energies involves ensuring that the various components of a spell do not overshadow each other or cause imbalances. This requires a careful assessment of each element’s energetic properties and how they align with one another. Techniques such as adjustment of proportions, sequencing of actions, and modulation of intensity can help achieve this balance. The aim is to create a spell where the combined energies enhance each other, rather than compete or interfere with one another.

Conflicts and inconsistencies between spell components can undermine the spell’s effectiveness. Identifying and resolving these issues involves analyzing the potential sources of discord, such as conflicting symbolic meanings or contradictory energies. Practitioners must be adept at making adjustments, whether through reconfiguration of components or through the implementation of harmonizing techniques, to ensure that all elements work towards a common goal without causing detrimental effects.

The Benefits and Challenges of Complex Spellwork

Multi-element spells often exhibit enhanced effectiveness due to the combined potency of various components. Each element contributes its unique properties, potentially amplifying the overall impact. The precision of such spells can also be improved as different aspects address specific facets of the intended outcome, allowing for a more targeted approach. The use of multiple elements expands the scope of spellwork, allowing practitioners to address a wider range of issues or goals. This flexibility enables the adaptation of spells to different contexts or requirements, making them more versatile and applicable in diverse situations. By incorporating various techniques and materials, practitioners can tailor their spells to more precisely fit their needs.

One of the primary risks of complex spellwork is overcomplication, which can lead to energy dilution. When too many elements are incorporated without careful planning, the spell may become convoluted, with the energies becoming scattered rather than focused. This can result in diminished effectiveness or even failure of the spell.

The complexity of multi-element spells introduces a higher risk of unintended consequences. The interaction of various components can produce unexpected results, particularly if the energies are not properly balanced or if there are conflicts between elements. Practitioners must be vigilant in anticipating and managing these potential issues to avoid adverse outcomes.

Compounding multiple elements into a spell necessitates a high level of skill and knowledge. Practitioners must possess a deep understanding of each component’s properties and how they interact. This requires advanced training and experience, as well as the ability to manage complex energetic dynamics effectively.

Planning and Preparation

Each component of a spell possesses distinct properties and associations that influence its role within the spell. Assessing these properties involves understanding how each element contributes to the overall energetic structure. This includes evaluating the symbolic meanings, energetic qualities, and practical applications of each component.

Evaluating the purpose and alignment of spell components involves ensuring that each element serves the intended function and aligns with the overall goal. This includes assessing how components will interact with each other and how their properties contribute to the desired outcome. Consistency in purpose and alignment is crucial for achieving a coherent and effective spell.

Structuring a Multi-Faceted Spell

Developing a structured plan involves identifying and establishing the core components of the spell. These components form the foundation of the spell’s structure and include the primary elements that will drive its effectiveness. Each core component must be carefully selected based on its role and contribution to the overall goal.

The sequence and timing of spell components are critical to the spell’s success. Determining how and when each element will be introduced or activated ensures that the spell progresses in a coherent and orderly manner. Proper sequencing helps maintain focus and alignment, preventing disruptions or conflicts.

Integrating multiple techniques involves blending various magical systems or methodologies to create a unified approach. This may include combining different ritual practices, symbolic systems, or energetic techniques. The challenge lies in harmonizing these systems so that they complement rather than contradict each other.

Utilizing varied ritual actions involves incorporating diverse techniques and actions into the spell. This may include a combination of physical actions, verbal invocations, and mental focus. The goal is to create a dynamic and multi-faceted approach that enhances the spell’s effectiveness through diverse means.

Designing the ritual space and atmosphere involves creating an environment conducive to the spell’s success. This includes setting up physical space, arranging ritual tools, and establishing the desired ambiance. A well-designed ritual space supports the practitioner’s focus and facilitates the flow of energy.

Coordinating multiple ritual elements involves ensuring that all aspects of the ritual work together harmoniously. This includes synchronizing the timing, actions, and focus of each element to maintain a cohesive and effective ritual process. Coordination helps prevent disruptions and ensures that the spell’s components function in concert.

Execution and Follow-Up

Preparing the ritual space involves arranging the physical environment to support the spell’s execution. This includes setting up the ritual tools, creating a clean and organized space, and ensuring that the area is free from distractions or disruptions. The physical setup should reflect the nature of the spell and facilitate the practitioner’s focus and engagement.

Creating energetic boundaries involves establishing a protective and supportive field around the ritual space. This can be achieved through various methods, such as casting a circle, invoking protective forces, or using symbolic barriers. Energetic boundaries help contain the spell’s energies, prevent interference, and create a focused environment for the ritual.

Grounding and centering are preliminary rituals that prepare the practitioner for effective spellcasting. Grounding involves establishing a connection with the earth to draw stability and balance, while centering focuses on aligning the practitioner’s internal energies. These practices help the practitioner achieve a state of readiness, enhancing their ability to direct their energies and maintain focus during the spell.

Invoking protective and empowering forces involves calling upon energies or entities that support and safeguard the spell. This can include invoking deities, spirits, or elemental forces, depending on the practitioner’s tradition and preferences. The purpose is to create a supportive and secure environment that enhances the spell’s effectiveness and protects against potential negative influences.

Following the pre-defined sequence involves executing the spell according to the established plan and timing. This includes performing each action or step in the prescribed order to ensure that the energies and components interact as intended. Adhering to the sequence helps maintain the integrity of the spell and ensures that all elements contribute to the desired outcome.

Monitoring energy flow involves observing the dynamic interactions of the spell’s components and making any necessary adjustments. This may include adjusting the intensity, direction, or focus of the energies as needed. Being attuned to the flow of energy allows the practitioner to respond to any changes or issues that arise during the spellcasting process.

Observing immediate outcomes involves paying attention to any changes or reactions that occur as a result of the spell. This includes noting any shifts in energy, alterations in circumstances, or responses from individuals or entities involved. Recording these observations helps assess the initial impact of the spell and provides insights into its effectiveness.

Recording sensory and emotional responses involves documenting the practitioner’s experiences and feelings during and after the spell. This can provide valuable information about the spell’s impact and effectiveness. Sensory responses, such as changes in temperature or perception, as well as emotional reactions, can offer clues about the spell’s success and any adjustments that may be needed.

Analyzing Long-Term Effects

Analyzing long-term effects involves assessing the spell’s success in achieving its intended goals. This includes evaluating the overall impact, comparing the results with the desired outcomes, and determining whether the spell met its objectives. Long-term evaluation helps gauge the effectiveness of the spell and provides insights for future practices.

Identifying patterns and trends involves analyzing any recurring effects or outcomes that emerge over time. This can include observing consistent results, noting any trends in the spell’s effectiveness, or recognizing patterns in the response to different components. Identifying these patterns helps refine future spellwork and enhance overall efficacy.

Gathering feedback through self-reflection involves evaluating the practitioner’s own experiences and insights regarding the spell. This includes analyzing personal observations, feelings, and reactions to the spell’s outcomes. Self-reflection helps the practitioner understand their role in the spell’s success and identify areas for improvement.

Seeking external perspectives involves obtaining feedback from others who may have been involved in or observed the spell. This can include consulting with fellow practitioners, mentors, or individuals affected by the spell. External perspectives can provide additional insights and contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the spell’s impact.

Adjusting and Refining Techniques for Future Spells

Analyzing challenges and failures involves reviewing any difficulties or shortcomings encountered during the spell. Identifying areas of improvement requires assessing what went wrong, understanding the causes of any issues, and determining how to address these problems in future practices. This process helps enhance the practitioner’s skills and refine their techniques.

Learning from mistakes and successes involves reflecting on both positive and negative outcomes to gain insights and knowledge. Understanding what contributed to the spell’s success or failure provides valuable lessons that can be applied to future spellwork. This continuous learning process helps improve the effectiveness of magical practices over time.

Refining methods and approaches involves updating ritual techniques based on the insights gained from previous experiences. This may include adjusting specific actions, modifying the sequence of steps, or incorporating new practices to enhance effectiveness. Regular updates and refinements ensure that the practitioner’s techniques remain relevant and effective.

Enhancing elemental integration involves improving how different components and energies are combined within a spell. This includes optimizing the alignment of various elements, refining the balance between them, and ensuring that they work together harmoniously. Enhanced integration leads to more effective and cohesive spellwork.

Keeping a magical journal involves documenting detailed records of each spell, including the components used, the process followed, and the outcomes observed. A well-maintained journal serves as a valuable resource for tracking progress, identifying trends, and making informed adjustments to future practices.

Revising ritual frameworks and techniques involves periodically reviewing and updating the methods and approaches used in spellwork. This includes making adjustments based on documented experiences, feedback, and new insights. Regular revisions ensure that the practitioner’s practices remain effective and aligned with their goals.

Troubleshooting and Refining Your Practice

In the practice of magic, encountering instances where desired outcomes are not achieved is a common occurrence. Analyzing these failures is crucial to improving one's craft. Several factors may contribute to the ineffectiveness of magical operations, and understanding these can provide pathways to enhancement.

One prevalent reason for the failure of magical workings is a misalignment between the practitioner's energy and the specific nature of the spell. This misalignment may arise from insufficient preparation or a lack of synchronization between the practitioner's focus and the intended outcome. For instance, if a practitioner’s mental state is fragmented or their energy is dispersed, the spell's efficacy may be compromised.

Another common issue is the improper use or placement of symbolic elements. In magical practices, the symbolic representation of objects plays a significant role. If the chosen symbols or materials are not appropriately connected to the intended effect, the spell's potency can be diminished. This misalignment could be due to a misunderstanding of the properties or significance of the objects used. Inadequate ritual structure is another factor that may contribute to unsuccessful magical operations. Rituals often involve complex steps that must be meticulously followed. Omitting or inaccurately performing key elements of the ritual can lead to a lack of coherence and, consequently, a failure to manifest the desired result.

Environmental factors also play a crucial role in the success of magical workings. Factors such as ambient energy, environmental disturbances, or conflicting energies can impede the effectiveness of a spell. Practitioners must consider these elements and ensure that their environment is conducive to their magical efforts.

Techniques for Diagnosing and Correcting Issues

To address the issues causing spell failures, practitioners can employ several diagnostic and corrective techniques. One effective method is to perform a thorough post-operation analysis. This involves reviewing each step of the spell, from preparation through execution, to identify any deviations or discrepancies. Reflecting on the process helps pinpoint areas that may need adjustment.

Another technique is to engage in self-assessment and introspection. Practitioners should evaluate their mental and emotional states during the spellcasting process. Ensuring that one’s focus is unwavering and that emotional disturbances are minimized can significantly impact the outcome. Techniques such as meditation or grounding exercises may help stabilize one's energy and enhance concentration. Additionally, reviewing and refining the use of symbolic elements is essential. Practitioners should reassess the significance of the objects and symbols used in the spell. Ensuring that these elements are correctly aligned with the intended outcome can enhance their efficacy. Adjustments might involve selecting different symbols or materials that more accurately represent the desired effect.

Environmental considerations are also crucial. Practitioners should assess the surroundings for any factors that might interfere with the spell, such as external noise or disruptions. Creating a controlled and harmonious environment can help mitigate these issues and support the spell's success.

Adjusting Your Techniques

Experience is a valuable teacher in magical practices. As practitioners accumulate knowledge and insights from their experiences, they should continuously adapt and refine their techniques. This iterative process involves adjusting methods based on observed results and integrating new understanding into practice.

Adapting techniques requires flexibility and openness to change. Practitioners should be willing to experiment with different approaches and adjust their rituals and methods accordingly. This may involve altering the components of a spell, modifying the ritual structure, or employing new techniques for energy manipulation. By experimenting and observing the outcomes, practitioners can discover more effective methods tailored to their individual practices.

Refining techniques also involves incorporating lessons learned from both successful and unsuccessful spells. Analyzing what worked well and what did not provides valuable insights for future practices. Practitioners should document their experiences and outcomes to build a comprehensive understanding of their methods and refine their approach over time.

Learning from successes and failures is integral to the development of magical proficiency. Successes provide valuable feedback on what elements and techniques were effective. Practitioners should analyze successful spells to identify the factors that contributed to their efficacy. This includes evaluating the preparation, execution, and symbolic elements involved. Failures, while often discouraging, offer equally important lessons. Analyzing unsuccessful spells helps practitioners understand what went wrong and what changes need to be made. It is crucial to approach failures with a constructive mindset, viewing them as opportunities for growth rather than setbacks. By examining the causes of failure and making necessary adjustments, practitioners can enhance their skills and increase the likelihood of future successes.

Building a Knowledge Base

Building a knowledge base involves gathering and synthesizing information from a variety of sources. Practitioners should engage in continuous learning to expand their understanding of magical principles and techniques. This can include studying historical practices, exploring different cultural approaches, and learning from contemporary sources. Practitioners may also benefit from developing a personal compendium of insights gained from their experiences. This may involve keeping detailed records of spells, rituals, and their outcomes. By reviewing and analyzing this compendium, practitioners can track their progress, identify patterns, and refine their methods.

Finding trusted mentors and seeking peer support can greatly enhance a practitioner’s development. Mentors, with their experience and expertise, can provide valuable guidance and feedback. They can help practitioners navigate challenges, refine techniques, and broaden their understanding of magical practices. Internet mentorships within the witchcraft community can present significant dangers, particularly the potential for predatory power structures. The anonymity and lack of accountability inherent in online interactions can enable manipulative individuals to exploit newcomers' vulnerabilities. These so-called mentors may position themselves as gatekeepers of esoteric knowledge, using their perceived authority to control, coerce, or even abuse those seeking guidance. Without the safeguards of face-to-face interactions and established communal oversight, it becomes challenging to discern the intentions of such mentors. Additionally, the rapid spread of misinformation and dogma, often presented as ancient wisdom, can lead to harmful practices and unhealthy dynamics. The power imbalance between a mentor and a mentee can foster dependency, stifling personal growth and autonomy. Thus, it is crucial for practitioners to approach online mentorships with caution, seek multiple perspectives, and prioritize their own discernment and well-being over blind adherence to any one figure's teachings.

Peer support is also beneficial. Engaging with a community of practitioners allows for the exchange of ideas, experiences, and insights. This collaborative environment fosters learning and growth, as practitioners can share their successes, failures, and techniques. Participation in discussions, workshops, and group practices can provide additional perspectives and support.

Books, online forums, and workshops are valuable resources for practitioners seeking to deepen their knowledge and refine their practices. Books offer in-depth exploration of magical principles, techniques, and historical contexts. They can provide a comprehensive foundation for understanding and practice. Online forums and communities provide platforms for discussion, exchange of ideas, and feedback. Practitioners can connect with others, ask questions, and share experiences. Engaging in these forums can provide practical advice, support, and alternative perspectives. Workshops and seminars offer opportunities for hands-on learning and direct instruction. It must also be said that written media, regardless of source is guaranteed to have some bias, mostly found throughout the publisher. Be sure to bear biases in mind when using books or online media as a reference and take active notes on it. Attending workshops allows practitioners to learn from experienced teachers, engage in practical exercises, and gain new insights. Workshops also facilitate networking and collaboration with other practitioners.

Maintaining Efficacy Standards

As practitioners progress to more advanced levels of spellcasting, maintaining high efficacy standards becomes increasingly important. Advanced spellcasting involves complex techniques, nuanced understanding of energy dynamics, and precise execution. Practitioners must ensure that their methods are refined and that they adhere to rigorous standards of practice. Considerations for advanced spellcasting include a deep understanding of the interplay between different magical components. Practitioners must be adept at manipulating various forms of energy and integrating them effectively. This requires not only technical skill but also a heightened level of awareness and control. Ethical considerations also play a significant role in advanced spellcasting. Practitioners must be mindful of the potential consequences of their actions and ensure that their practices are aligned with responsible and ethical standards. This includes respecting the autonomy of others, avoiding harmful effects, and practicing with integrity. Responsible and effective practice is fundamental to the success and integrity of magical work. Practitioners should approach their work with a sense of responsibility, ensuring that their actions are well-considered and that they respect the broader implications of their practices.

Effective practice involves maintaining clarity of purpose, rigorous preparation, and precise execution. Practitioners should continuously refine their techniques and strive for excellence in their work. This includes regularly reviewing and updating their methods, seeking feedback, and remaining open to learning and growth. Responsible practice also entails maintaining a balanced perspective and avoiding over-reliance on magical techniques. Practitioners should integrate their magical work with practical actions and consider the broader context in which they operate. This holistic approach ensures that magical practices are grounded in a comprehensive and ethical framework.

Expanding Your Magical Horizons

Expanding one's understanding of magic necessitates an examination of practices across a variety of cultures. To this end, conducting thorough research is essential. This involves immersing oneself in the historical and contemporary contexts of different traditions. Each culture offers a unique perspective on magical practices, reflecting its values, cosmology, and societal norms. Engaging with primary sources such as ancient texts, folklore, and anthropological studies provides a foundational understanding. Secondary sources, including academic papers and interpretations by contemporary scholars, further contextualize these practices.

Incorporating elements from diverse traditions involves more than superficial adoption. It requires a nuanced approach, respecting the integrity and origins of each practice. For instance, the integration of practices from Indigenous cultures necessitates an awareness of the cultural significance and historical context behind them. Misappropriation, where elements are taken out of context or used without understanding, can undermine the tradition and disrespect its practitioners. Effective integration involves adapting these practices in a manner that aligns with one's existing framework of magical practice. This means translating principles and techniques in ways that harmonize with one's own methodologies while honoring their original contexts. Practitioners must be attentive to the ethical dimensions of this integration, ensuring that their approach does not trivialize or commercialize sacred traditions.

Continuous Learning and Development

The field of magical practice is dynamic and constantly evolving. Staying informed about the latest developments is essential for maintaining a relevant and effective practice. This involves regularly reading recent publications, attending conferences, and participating in online forums or discussion groups. Keeping abreast of new research and discoveries allows practitioners to incorporate contemporary insights into their work. Innovations in magical theory, advancements in ritual techniques, and emerging cultural influences can all impact and enhance one’s practice. Engaging with current literature and scholarship ensures that one’s practice remains vibrant and responsive to new ideas. Additionally, staying updated involves critically evaluating new information and integrating it thoughtfully. Not every development will be applicable or beneficial, so discernment is necessary to determine which insights align with one's goals and methodologies. This ongoing evaluation helps in refining and evolving one's magical practice over time.

A commitment to lifelong learning is fundamental for continuous growth as a practitioner. This dedication involves embracing the idea that magical practice is an evolving journey rather than a static destination. Regularly setting aside time for study, reflection, and experimentation fosters ongoing development. Participating in advanced training, mentorship programs, or specialized courses can further enhance one's skills and knowledge. Seeking guidance from experienced practitioners and engaging in mentorship relationships provide opportunities for personalized growth and deeper understanding. Lifelong learning also entails cultivating an attitude of curiosity and openness. Exploring new areas of study, experimenting with unfamiliar techniques, and challenging one’s assumptions contribute to a richer and more nuanced practice. This proactive approach to learning ensures that one remains engaged and inspired throughout their magical journey.

Recording and Reflecting on Your Journey

Keeping a detailed journal is a valuable practice for documenting one's magical journey. A journal serves as a repository for insights, observations, and progress, providing a record of experiences and lessons learned. Regular entries can track the evolution of one’s practice, highlight successful techniques, and identify areas for improvement. Documenting rituals, spells, and magical work allows practitioners to analyze their effectiveness and make necessary adjustments. Notes on personal reactions, environmental factors, and outcomes contribute to a deeper understanding of how different elements influence magical practices. Over time, this accumulated knowledge can lead to more refined and effective approaches. Additionally, a magical journal can serve as a tool for reflection and growth. Reviewing past entries helps practitioners recognize patterns, assess their development, and set future goals. This reflective process enhances self-awareness and facilitates the ongoing refinement of one’s practice.

Reflection is a critical component of personal and professional growth in magical practice. Regularly assessing one’s experiences, successes, and challenges provides valuable insights into one’s progress and areas for development. This introspective process helps practitioners understand how their practices align with their goals and values. Evolving as a practitioner involves integrating these reflections into one’s ongoing work. This means adapting practices based on insights gained, experimenting with new techniques, and continually striving for improvement. Embracing change and flexibility ensures that one’s practice remains dynamic and responsive to personal growth.

Engaging in reflective practices also fosters a deeper connection with one’s magical work. By understanding the broader implications of their practices and their impact on personal development, practitioners can cultivate a more meaningful and purposeful approach to magic. This ongoing process of reflection and evolution is key to achieving long-term success and fulfillment in the magical arts.

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[alatismeni-theitsa]

https://x.com/CorenLaVolpe/status/1787971755027612092

As much as a Greek enjoyed the Hades game having people literally taking for granted the designs of the gods as legit is problematic.

No Hermes isn't Asian coded. He's Greek like every God. Literally what does the word Greek next to Greek gods mean to them? An accessory? Give me a break

I got a few asks like this, so I will try to answer them here. This is the post the asks are referring to, and this is the post that started the whole discussion afaik:

This is a whole phenomenon that has lasted for decades in the US, first with USians presenting the gods as North Europeans and now as "everything but" North Europeans to combat the previous racist trend. However, they are still completely tone-deaf, self-absorbed, and privileged because while they do this "correction" they're ignoring actual Greeks, and Greek depictions (and depictions of Greek gods in various areas in the past). Westerners might not be aware of this, because they don't know how badly the Greeks have been treated by powerful countries in the past (including their US, thank you for the Junta and our recent fighters' deaths, honey) but the protests about the gods' design are anti-colonialist.

I want you to imagine this trend with whatever pantheon you want from Africa, Asia, South America etc. Imagine that for centuries they are presented as super White North Europeans by certain powerful nations. Now the same nation who did this racist shit in the past comes around and does more racist shit, by NOT presenting these ancient gods as their people view/viewed them but they present them as everything BUT the appearance they had in all their depictions by the locals. All the while NEVER listening to what the people of this culture tell them, all the while comparing the locals to these gods and finding them uglier and savage. Why would this be acceptable? And why are people so comfortable to forget their cultural sensitivities when it comes to Greece?

(I am aware the US racism also expanded to other pantheons but it didn't happen in this exact way so all I'm asking is to walk in our shoes for a bit, to experience a different flavour of colonialism)

This blog stands for absolute equality and it's heavily anti-racist and anti-fascist, with various resources and support links for minorities in Greece. Everyone is welcome here. This blog believes that if you are of Chinese, Pakistani, Nigerian, Roma descent in Greece you must have the same rights as everybody else and the way you look is not "lesser" than anybody else. I just ask people to consider - especially if you are an immigrant - how you, your parents, your grandparents would feel when seeing your important cultural figures treated like this by the US.

As you have understood by now, changing the depiction is not suddenly okay when the Greek gods now have the palest skin with blue eyes and blond hair. No, that's still racist, and Greeks have been repeatedly told that they are lesser for not looking like the beauty ideals these northern countries projected onto our gods.

Asking for accurate god depictions is a matter of wanting your culture to be treated like.... not a prop, for once. Everyone is free to interact and relate with the Greek culture but when you take the Greek culture and its depictions out of the equation, then the whole thing becomes "playing with dolls", and a fandom (as is the case already for the US).

The Greek gods have been used by Westerners in the past to promote White supremacy, and today they are used by Westerners to combat it; but it still happens in the most divorced sense from the Greek culture. USians are still sooo hesitant to REALLY look at another culture that they'd rather lose common sense (aka, depict gods as the locals see them for millennia) than not white-knight for their fellow Westerners. It's actually infuriating that progressives in the US still miss the mark when it comes to combating US neo-colonialism, and whatever elements left in their culture from colonizing European countries.

And how can we tell the Greek gods are used as props in this US political climate? Simple. They themselves will tell you "It's okay to depict those gods however you like because 1. They can transform 2. They have been worshipped by people of different appearances 3. Greeks can have more than one appearance 4. They are not real. " Then, you tell them "Then why don't you depict Chinese, Indian, Nigerian pantheons whoever you like today? These pantheons all have the above four conditions apply. (No. 4 depending on your beliefs)" And when you strip those first layers, they tell you the actual root cause: "But Chinese, Indian and Nigerian people are still oppressed. Plus, non-white people need to see themselves in media, so here is the chance!"

So, they admit that their only guide for how disrespectful they will be to one's heritage figures is actually the oppression status of that minority (just!) in the US. (Which shows they still don't give a shit about Greeks, cause otherwise they'd still know that Greeks still face bigotry in the US for how they look, how their names are, their customs) . To POC in the US: The moment your oppressors believe your oppression is gone, expect your pop culture to forget (again) all respect for your ancient gods and treat them like cool "new" products for their capitalist game.

And the above discussion paints the Greek culture and Greek figures as a culture-less empty slate, that can be made to represent every person in the whole world. It's US culture, even! But Greek culture is hideous actually, and the Greeks are racist brutes who get in our hair the whole time. Fuck the Greek people and their ancestors' depictions. Greek mythology is a product of no culture, actually, and we can treat the gods like self-inserts in our favorite fanfic. And this is totally not a colonialist mindset! Greeks are not robbed and genocided anymore, and we gave them "white" status in our country a few decades ago (but these ethnic hairy people are still not the same as us, obviously!), and the strings we pull to control Greece are not visible anymore to our own people, so we're good 😊

And, just to be clear: Greek gods are ethnically Greek, as every other [insert cultural descriptor] gods are from that certain culture. The Greek people consider themselves literal progeny of those gods. The first Greeks were born of the gods. Even today we call ourselves Hellenes because one of the first Greeks, the man Hellen, who was born of the gods. If the Greek gods don't express Greek cultural norms, and POVs, and ways of thinking about the world, and are not part of Greek history, what the hell are part of?? Cantonese culture? Do they represent Scandinavian ancient values perhaps....? Do they follow the philosophy of a First Nations tribe?? (This is more a matter of culture, not appearance since various people can be part of a culture. However, it needs to be said, because Westerners are willfully blind to common sense at this point.)

See this video from a Greek Canadian on Greek gods being ethnically Greek

To address one last thing: One person said "why didn't you say anything about how the gods were designed in the first game?" Well, I had made a post about it but some told me "noo they didn't change their race, they just have different colors like green, blue, pink, dark brown, and grey for an artistic touch". I was like "whatever, nobody knows, I have a life to live" so I deleted that post and didn't dwell too much on it. But the anti-colonialist message was the same as in this post, so that's another chance to highlight it.

[jasmi-n]

Neuroscience in Manifestation: Creating Reality

The human brain is a complex machine that interprets electrical and chemical signals to create our perception of the world. All stimuli we receive—visual, auditory, tactile—are processed by the brain, which converts them into a coherent experience. This process is so sophisticated that we often forget that we are not experiencing the world directly but rather an interpretation created by our brain.

EEGs: Mapping Brain Activity - Electroencephalography (EEG) is a tool that measures the brain's electrical activity through electrodes placed on the scalp. EEG reveals different brain wave patterns associated with various mental states. When we are focused, relaxed, or stressed, the patterns of brain waves change. These patterns can indicate how our thoughts and intentions are influencing our experience.

Alpha Waves: Associated with relaxation and creativity. When we are immersed in positive thoughts and visualizing our intentions, alpha waves may predominate, suggesting a productive mental state for manifestation.

Beta Waves: Linked to concentration and active thinking. When we are focused on our goals, increased beta waves can reflect a mental state geared toward achievement.

Associative Networks (ANs) - the brain are complex systems of neurons that work together to process and integrate sensory, cognitive, and emotional information. They are crucial for forming associations between different stimuli and experiences, allowing us to create memories, learn, and adapt our behavior. A critical aspect of ANs is the Reticular Activating System (RAS), which plays a central role in modulating our attention and perception of reality.

Reticular Activating System (RAS) - The RAS is a network of neurons located in the brainstem, responsible for filtering the sensory information we receive at every moment and determining which of it is relevant for our conscious attention. It acts as a "filter" that decides which stimuli we should focus on and which we can ignore, based on our expectations, interests, and past experiences.

How the RAS Influences Perception of Reality? When we focus our attention on a particular subject or goal, the RAS adjusts our perception to highlight information and stimuli related to that focus. This mechanism explains why, when we are interested in something specific, we start to notice more frequently related things in our environment. This phenomenon is known as "confirmation bias" and is a direct manifestation of how ANs function.

For example, if you are thinking about buying a new car and have a specific model in mind, you are likely to start noticing that car model everywhere. Your RAS is actively filtering sensory information to prioritize stimuli that match your current interest.

Neuroplasticity - One of the most fascinating aspects of the brain is its plasticity—the ability to reorganize and form new neural connections throughout life. Studies show that our thoughts and experiences can literally reshape the brain's structure. For example, regularly practicing meditation can increase the gray matter density in areas associated with self-awareness and emotional regulation.

This plasticity suggests that by changing our thought patterns, we can alter how our brain perceives and interacts with the world, thus influencing our subjective reality. When we intentionally focus on something, we are strengthening the neural connections associated with that focus, which in turn increases the likelihood of perceiving and remembering relevant information.

Effect of Attention on Manifesting Reality - Focused attention can, therefore, shape our experience of reality in several ways:

Information Filtering: The RAS filters sensory information to highlight relevant stimuli, making us more aware of opportunities and resources that support our goals.

Strengthening Neural Connections: Repetition of focused thoughts and visualizations strengthens neural connections, increasing the likelihood of perceiving and acting in alignment with our interests.

Confirmation Bias: Our brain seeks to confirm our expectations and beliefs, making it more likely that we notice and remember events that align with them.

Associative Networks (ANs), especially through the Reticular Activating System (RAS), play a fundamental role in how we perceive and interact with the world. By focusing our attention on specific goals and interests, we can train our brain to highlight relevant information and shape our reality according to our desires and intentions. By understanding and applying these neuroscientific principles, we can enhance our ability to manifest the reality we desire.

References:

Moruzzi, G., & Magoun, H. W. (1949). Brain stem reticular formation and activation of the EEG. Electroencephalography and Clinical Neurophysiology.

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist.

Lazar, S. W., et al. (2005). Meditation experience is associated with increased cortical thickness. NeuroReport.

[kitkatscabinet]

Keep you close

Prompt: Tugging at the other's clothes to keep them close

Pairing: Kelly Severide x reader

Genre: fluff

Word Count: 1.2k

You'd always had the awful habit of wandering off. As a kid you had been an absolute nightmare for your parents, silent footsteps trotting away at the smallest of things. A shirt you saw across the store, a street performer, or a cat in an alleyway. You were excitable with a short attention span and far too adept at unintentional escapes and as such had caused premature greying in your mother's hair.

As you grew older you'd managed to calm down some, you were still prone to wandering off with no warning, but you no longer straight up disappeared to chase a butterfly.

In fact, many of your now friends hadn't picked up on your habits due to how switched on you were at work. Paramedicine had no place for a lack of focus, and whenever you did wander it was for the job.

The habit had only really started to show its self when you frequented Molly’s. You fluttered between groups like a butterfly on crack, the overheard snippets of more interesting conversations sometime leading you to leave a conversation midway through. You didn’t intend to be rude but it was hard to keep talking to Cap when Otis was starting a debate on aliens.

Alcohol tended to only exacerbate your condition. Though the running away become purposeful instead of accidental. You had pulled a runner quite a few times before your friends learned to guard the door from your menacing ways. Apparently running away while drunk was a common enough phenomenon for many people so your actions weren’t overly questioned.

To almost everyone’s surprise, it is Severide that becomes your keeper 9 times out of 10. Always appearing just as you had stood to dash away and tugging at your clothes to force you back into a seat. He becomes so adept at the motion that most times you don’t even get to stand before one of his hands is lashing out to latch onto your shirt.

The first time it happens on shift you don’t think much of it, chalking it up to him protecting you from an aggressive patient. The second time it happens you are slightly mystified, glancing back at him for an explanation. All you get is a nod towards the encroaching crowd that is starting to crowd around your patients. You aren’t too happy, but still let it slide, a small part of you giddy that Kelly cared enough to stop you from being overwhelmed. The third time however, gives you pause, and even the squad members that had witnessed the interaction seemed shocked.

You had been walking past the table where squad 3 was engrossed in what seemed like a heated game of scrabble when Kelly’s hand had shot out to grab you. He had played it off as needing an objective judge to veto certain words. That would have been fine, except that his hand had remained clenched around your shirt well after he should have let go.

From there it becomes near constant, you always sit next to him for lunch now, his grabby hands not allowing you to wander far. Most times it doesn’t even seem like he realises what he’s doing, nor does he notice the perplexed looks the members of firehouse 51 shoot him at every confirmed instance. Eventually the tugged clothes evolves into, wrists and hands wherever possible and you can’t help but to feel you are dreaming everytime it happens.

It becomes somewhat of a game amongst you and your family, to see how long it takes upon you entering a room for Kelly to grab you. Or if you can ever manage to sneak past him without being thwarted. Nobody ever says anything directly to him though, your glares enough to warn them away. Because as much as you were confused, you found the whole thing incredibly cute. Especially when his hand moved like it had a mind of its own, reaching out to grab one of your own even if his eyes didn’t leave whatever he was focused on.

In a rare turn of events, it is a sober you escorting a slightly tipsy but still aware Kelly back home, fingers entwined from where he’d grabbed to pull you along. Looking down at how perfectly your hands seem to fit together you can’t stop yourself from asking anymore,

“Kelly, why are you always grabbing me? It’s not like I’m going to run away at work.” He stops at your words, turning to look at you with what you think is incredulity.

“I thought it was obvious” he replied, before leaning in with a flirty grin, “I just like having you close by, getting to hold your hand is just a bonus.”

Your heart stutters at the confession paired with the warmth that encompasses Kelly’s eyes when he looks at you. Your mouth moves before you can stop it,

“I’m going to kiss you now” your voice sounds foreign to your ears, as if you are underwater and you almost don’t realise you’ve said it. That is until Kelly positively beams in reply, leaning even closer to you as you throw caution to the wind and close the gap. The hand that isn’t wrapped in his comes up to the back of his neck, lightly hold him against you as you smile dumbly into the kiss.

Neither of you really discuss what the kids means for the future, but neither do you let go of each other. Not even when Kelly throws you the keys to his car, and not when he tugs your head down to lie against his chest, your hand clenched around his shirt as you sleep. The two of you continue like that as you find your groove, only Kelly is no longer the only one with a desire to keep someone close. Tugging against his short collar to demand kisses quickly becomes one of your favourite activities.

Otis and Cruz are the first to lay witness upon you tugging at the back of Kelly’s shirt as he tries to walk past where you are sat on the couch. The two stare with open mouths when the lieutenant actually does stop like nothing is wrong with the situation. Rushing over to demand an explanation when Kelly eventually takes his leave.

“I just like having him close” you shrug with an innocent smile, before standing and making your way to the chiefs office. A journey which you is quickly joined by said lieutenant, the slight tug on your shirt sleeve announcing his presence as the two of you enter the chief’s office. Boden took one look at the close proximity and matching grins and simply sighed, handing over what looked to be pre-prepared forms for HR.

The cat is very quickly let out of the bag to your friends when Kelly tugs you into his lap for all to see and you make no effort to escape, settling contently into him. An action that is almost immediately banned within the firehouse. Molly’s remains free game though, no matter how much Otis complains at the blatant affection.

[impish-ivy]

Could We Be In A Fairy Illusion?

The following post has spoilers up to S3 of OB and Lesson 32 of NB

This theory was heavily inspired by @jackalopesao3’s theory here and @misc-obeyme’s lesson summary here!

Both these posts are great reads and absolutely worth your time!

On to the theory!

This has happened before

In S3 of OM Simeon, Satan and MC are taken under an illusionary spell where they are in the Celestial Realm. Where Satan gets some much needed closure about what his family was like when they were angels.

Something important to note is that everyone acts very much in character for their angel selves. Which is kinda odd since these fairies would have no idea how they’d act. Perhaps taking the memories of Simeon and Satan to form this world.

Satan dubbed “Sully” and MC when interacting with the brothers are told they feel like they’ve know each other before.

…Feel familiar?

Lil D’s are fairies

Taking Jackalope’s theory and flipping it a bit, what if Nightbringer is Barbatos’s spiritual counterpart?

Any demon could have a Lil D but the phenomenon is incredibly rare. The Lil D’s seem to behave and like the same things as their demon counterparts; No. 4 likes to read and was very angry, No. 6 loves to eat, No. 3 is hardly ever seen, and No. 5 has tons of self confidence.

The only one who doesn’t act too much like their counterpart is No. 2 but I’m assuming it’s because his character was created before the “Lil Ds are spiritual counterparts to demons” plot point.

And although never mentioned, it’s a safe assumption that a spiritual counterpart of a demon would share those demon’s powers.

Is Nightbringer a fairy?

I genuinely believe Nightbringer is a fairy. Not only have we’ve received the most info about fairies in NB, we’ve also been told they’re important to the overall lore of ObeyMe. Being the people who originally ruled the Devildom, having direct ties to the lore of demon royalty, and are the open secret origins of the Lil D’s. Fairies are important. I don’t think it’s a coincidence we’re suddenly getting more fairy lore in the same game where Nightbringer makes his debut.

“Nightbringer calls himself a demon, so he can’t be a fairy!”

The Lil D’s call themselves demons but they’re actually fairies. Nightbringer also calls himself a demon, and is referred to as a demon. Barbatos describes the origin of Lil D’s as an “open secret”. If a being looks like a demon and refers to themselves as a demon, you’re going to call them a demon. Hence the “Father of demons” title Nightbringer has.

If Nightbringer is a fairy that would make what Solomon says here make sense.

Why would he tell a demon they sound like a demon? Why would a demon be offended by that?

Barbatos’s own fairy counterpart

In a video call Diavolo asks Barbatos if he has a fairy counterpart and gives a non answer. Diavolo has the ability to tell if someone is lying and Barbatos is very aware of this. Given Diavolo’s reaction, he’s under the impression that Barbatos does have a fairy counterpart.

Although Lucifer calls him out for dodging Diavolo’s question for his amusement, he doesn’t imply that Barbatos is being dishonest.

Barbatos is also the one who knows the most about fairies and their “opened secret” origins. He knows where they come from and how they came into being. He’s also upset at Solomon for being 8th on a list of demons he wanted to make a pact with. If Nightbringer is Barbatos’s spiritual counterpart, he’d be the eighth spiritual counterpart we’d know.

In fact Barbatos here has similar dialogue to No. 2, who says something along the lines of “just call me No. 2 instead of Lil D”

Not in our own world

There has been plenty of evidence of things not being as straightforward as just being in the past.

The constant déjà vu everyone is feeling about MC and their room, characters who shouldn’t be around (Thirteen, Simeon and “Raphael”) and characters who shouldn’t be alive at all (Luke)*.

Nightbringer calls the past “this world” which would be an odd thing to say if we were just in the past. It would still be our world, even if we were in the past.

Very often has the cast spoken about how familiar MC is and how their room feels so comforting. It’s happened so many times that if I tried to screenshot every instance it would go over the photo limit. In fact this feeling is growing stronger.

Conclusion

I truly believe in this theory. I believe that Nightbringer is a fairy who’s Barbatos’s spiritual counterpart.

Unfortunately I can’t go into his motives or his relationship with Solomon because the game hasn’t done that either LOL

*Let me justify my Luke take because I’ve seen people go back and forth. Luke has spoken several times about how he doesn’t know why Michael still cares about the brothers after everything they’ve done, which to me implies he never knew them personally when they were angels. He also has never brought up Lilith whom he’d be very aware of if he was originally alive during the time NB takes place.

[bibibbon]

Do you ever feel like majority of the MHA fandom is biased towards the more attractive characters?

Like I get they are attractive, but some of them aren't perfect amazing people.

Like for example, Aizawa isn't a really good friend, like shuting down his friend after he was expressing his grief when their other friend died. But none says anything, but if it was Mic that acyed like that, everyone would not let that slide.

I don't feel like people are biased. I KNOW people are biased based on how pretty a character is and overall pretty privilege of a character.

However, this is something that happens in every fandom or well every fandom I have interacted with. Take for example attack on titan there's plenty of people who defend Eren and his actions while also simping for him (I don't like using the word but I suppose it fits the best here) or take for example domua in kny I have seen plenty of domua apologists or take toji apologist that also simp for him in the jjk fandom or dazai from bungo stray dogs.

I can list more but I think you get the jist of it.

MHA itself isnt free from this and has a lot of characters that have their actions ignored because they're pretty. Yes aizawa is one of them but you also have hawks and bakugo.

Honestly, even if I do low-key hate that there are people who view them this way I also think it's fascinating that the phenomenon of "beauty privilege" seems to transcend human interaction and can be found with people expressing bias towards certain characters.

Heck in the end some are clearly self aware about this as there's many posts with this type of font

[yupuffin]

5 Interactions of Cosplay Performance with Schizoid Personality Disorder (SzPD)

I'm Yu, and I'm a cosplayer and performer from the Pacific Northwest region of the United States! I've participated in this hobby actively and consistently since around 2011 or 2012. I'm locally known for my participation in cosplay lip sync battles, which have gathered momentum as premiere events at conventions in my region in recent years.

For as long as I've spent discovering myself through cosplay, I've only recently gained awareness of a condition called schizoid personality disorder (SzPD) that seems to accurately encapsulate my intense introversion as well as other prominent experiences from throughout my adolescence and adulthood. I've come to understand that the prognosis for SzPD is generally very poor; individuals with SzPD, such as myself, often struggle to find genuine fulfillment and enjoyment, even in activities typically considered rewarding, leading to diminished happiness overall.

I don't talk about it much, just because education and awareness of personality disorders (PDs), especially scarcely-researched ones like SzPD, is still so limited, and there is still a strong social stigma against PDs in general, leading to the widespread misconception that individuals with PDs are, for example, inherently evil or abusive.

Interestingly, though, upon contemplating why it is that I specifically enjoy cosplay performance, I've found that several aspects correspond directly with and thus (in my experience) serve to combat certain SzPD symptoms; even though simple participation in a hobby doesn't comprise formal treatment, I think that it, nevertheless, significantly improves my personal quality of life!

(photo by incostumemedia with Kumoricon, 2022)

Formation of self-identity Schizoids experience a phenomenon called "splitting" consisting of a considerable discrepancy between their genuine, internal identity and the surface-level identity they exhibit externally, like a facade; in my experience, it's comparable to extreme form of code-switching or "masking." This leads to a nebulous and fragmented, sometimes almost nonexistent, sense of self-identity. Cosplay performance considerably strengthens my sense of self-identity as a multifaceted and extensive hobby providing individualized opportunities for creative expression.

Engagement with physical self SzPD involves pervasive dissociation and depersonalization (a sense of detachment from one's physical self or identity). Engaging in cosplay performance is an enjoyable and rewarding method of forging a connection with and paying attention and responding to my external, physical surroundings and my place in them.

Bridging the gap between external reality and the inner world A primary characteristic of SzPD is preoccupation with a rich internal fantasy world over reality -- effectively a form of maladaptive daydreaming that further inhibits cohesive self-identity. Cosplay performance is a creative tool I utilize to express aspects of my imaginary "inner world" in a physical, external reality, thereby making them feel more tangible and meaningful.

Facilitating genuine social interactions and relationships The aforementioned sense of detachment, lack of self-identity, and preoccupation with fantasy combine with a strong aversion to emotional vulnerability characteristic of SzPD to form a marked lack of interest in social activities and engagements. As a schizoid, I feel more like an "observer" of the external world rather than a true participant, and hence struggle greatly to form personal connections with others in most contexts, as I see little to no incentive in socializing. However, my participation in cosplay performance gives me access to a robust, supportive community I can interact with or disengage from at my leisure; designated performance events and opportunities facilitate such engagements at discrete and predictable intervals, reducing the spontaneous aspect of socialization that I find particularly challenging and overstimulating. Furthermore, the underlying fandoms and fictional media behind cosplay performance serve as basis of common understanding and shared interest, enabling me to conduct enjoyable social interactions and form fulfilling interpersonal relationships without necessitating the vulnerability I would experience from a deep emotional connection on a personal level.

Intrinsic fulfillment through creative self-expression Anhedonia, a strong characteristic of SzPD, is a diminished capacity to experience enjoyment or pleasure, which can result in a feeling of chronic boredom or persistent understimulation. In tandem with the previously mentioned factors, this leads to great difficulty in deriving fulfillment from activities many would typically consider fun or rewarding, such as social interactions or even common hobbies. Creative accomplishments, such as presenting a cosplay performance, provide a sense of intrinsic fulfillment and purpose that I don't necessarily get from other activities, which often rely on external validation from which schizoids feel a significant disconnect.

(photo by Brianna Shade with Kumoricon, 2023)

[empusium]

I posted in the tags below my latest post phrase “transgender-“coded” character (socialised as man)” referring to Yashiro. And the moment I wrote it I felt that something is off (and kept overthinking it) but I wasn’t able to grasp it cause we use this phrase, right? There “shouldn’t” be any problem with that, right? But I kept thinking about it and I asked myself a very obvious question - was Yashiro really socialised as a man? Was he really raised and socialised according to gender norms on men and masculinity? And similarly obvious answer to that was - no, he wasn’t. He has always been an observer even to gender.

His whole life was about being treated as unintelligible (according to Riggs and Treharne’s theory of minority stress) and he’s also a perfect example of being an abject in Kristeva’s understanding of this term. He’s a subject (he’s human and should belong to himself) but at the same time an object - object that can be watched, used, treated with repulsion and contempt but because of this in-between existence - subject and object - the he as an abject can be desired, treated with curiosity, but still as an interesting phenomenon, anomaly, a display unit rather than a full-fledged human-being. The examples of groups treated as abjects are women, homosexual people and in general other discriminated groups. When we look at Y he’s at the same time a homosexual man but also he’s “not enough of a man” even without his homosexuality (actually bisexuality which is even “worse”; I’m also aware that those aspects can’t be really separated but for the sake of argument let’s treat them as such) he’s gender is a whole other conversation but while analysing him as a transgender women, we see how this only amplifies everything stated before.

But let’s get back to gender roles. Starting from his childhood, well it’s hard to talk about gender roles while talking about sexual abuse, but comments from his stepfather says a lot about social understanding of violence and its victims. He was raped cause “he was a girl” suggesting that, according to his stepfather’s reasoning, it wouldn’t have happened if he was a boy. We know nothing about other aspects of his childhood but it seems highly unlikely that he was taught and treated “as a boy” (understood as a form of upbringing that strengthens your sense of self-agency, that you have the right to *insert anything* and everything else we taught boys in patriarchal cultures).

During his high school he made himself an observer. He wasn’t part of any group, he didn’t socialise with “other boys” and the only interaction we see between him and the boys is while they mock and insult him. The object of these insults is also very important cause it’s linked to his sexuality, to his body (which is what he sells in their opinion)and he’s reduced to that and defined through that. Also his reaction seems to be important. What he “should” have done according to gender roles was showing aggression, deny “accusations” or act according to any other form of “masculine reaction”. But he’s reaction is a very interesting one and can be analysed through many different lenses but for this post I’m gonna stick with gender roles and abjection. By kissing the boy and grabbing his genitalia he at the same time grabbed him and dragged him to the space others have seen Y in. At the same time he was a subject, active party of interaction - he dragged a person who has (probably) always been treated as a subject from a position of an observer of an abject to the position of being observed in an interaction with the abject, so it presents a question of who is who, who observes who, who is a subject, a full person, and who is not - but at the same time Yashiro stayed in the same position, he amplified others’ contempt towards him, he cemented his position as an abject. Of course he was doomed from the start in this interaction but the action and resilience matters. At the same time a question about the nature of his reaction remains. It was a form of protest, an attempt to be intelligible but it was a form of sexual harassment nevertheless. How does that plays with gender roles? Was he an oppressor, a victim who was just fighting for oneself, both? Was he a “man” in this interaction or a “woman”?

And there’s Kageyama and oooh boy. I would love to say that he was different but as many others have already said - he wasn’t. Their relationship was based on pity towards Yashiro as a victim and his body. Actually without his body Kage wouldn’t even cross the line of being just “slightly better than the rest” random boy from Y class. That was Yashiro’s body that changed everything and Kage’s reaction to that was just pure objectification. Y’s body was a true piece on display. They hadn’t even been talking. To some extent yeah Kage acknowledged that the lack of judgment from Y was something he appreciated but isn’t it interesting that through staying silent Y remained in the position of an abject, the interesting object, but at the same time he could keep the scraps of the relationship. But the moment he decided to start talking, decided to tell something about himself as a person, a subject, and about his life, Kage decided to stop touching him and “started acting as some kind of a friend”. And we could look at it as something morally upright, but let’s be honest - Kage knew. He knew Yashiro was a survivor of abuse. Many instances of abuse. But Y was supposed to stay silent to keep the status quo. But he didn’t. What was left was pity but the abjection hasn’t stopped. You to see what I’m trying to say about gender roles here, right?

And then we have yakuza and ooooh. Many people have already written great analyses on Y, yakuza and gender norms, this so I’m not gonna repeat them. I can just comment on the moment he caught Misumi’s attention. It was his foot. You understand me, right? And then the whole cycle of abuse, being forced to join, not having any real choice, lack of ambition as not-fitting-for-the-yakuza-trait and everything else. Doumeki also perceived him through his beauty. Yeah, he saw more, but at the same time he didn’t and Y, even as a boss, wasn’t really in control. And then everything what is going on after the time skip but @nanayashi-agenda has written amazing commentaries on that (and on gender roles, Y position in the yakuza and everything actually) so, once again, I don’t want to repeat others (even though I’m well aware that without his posts I wouldn’t have been able to write this, so thank you).

So yeah, it was supposed to be short. And I don’t even know how to sum this up. Maybe that you could technically see this only as a homophobia but - was it really only that? Cause Y, his gender, his expression, the way he was treated, seems much more complex. Also he doesn’t WANT to be part of male-centred patriarchal organisation (I would even say that in this kind of world). It’s not about the need to be “a man” in a society and surroundings which just don’t let him, that’s not the case. He had always wanted to just be a subject with the real freedom of choices In his life. And once again - you get what I mean, right?

Side note: I’m aware that the Kristeva’s theory is much more complex, but I decided to stay on a basic level of that. Also I’m aware that this kind of understanding of socialisation to specific gender is simplified too cause actually many instances of people’s reaction to Y is because he was perceived as a man so the standards were according to that. What I wanted to say is that the gender assigned at birth doesn’t have to carry over one’s treatment during their earlier life and that it’s much more complex issue.

[ventip]

It's been a while since i posted SAGAU content. I don't even know if anyone's going to see this but uhhh, here's something.

Synopsis: As a deaf traveler, you've always felt like an outsider, until the characters from a video game you're playing called Genshin Impact showed you the light.

You've been traveling through Teyvat for months now, exploring its vast landscapes and discovering its secrets. As a deaf person, you've always felt like an outsider in this world of sound and music. But you've learned to adapt, relying on your other senses and your ability to read people's expressions and body language.

One day, you stumbled upon a strange phenomenon - the characters of Genshin Impact, the very beings you had been interacting with all this time, were becoming self-aware. You watched as they broke the fourth wall, spoke directly to the player, and pondered their own existence.

It was a strange and surreal experience, and at first, you weren't sure what to make of it. But as you continued to observe them, you started to see something different in their eyes - a recognition, a connection, a sense of empathy.

Perhaps it was because they were finally able to see the world from your perspective, to understand what it was like to live in a world without sound. Or perhaps it was simply because they were becoming more human, more self-aware, more attuned to the subtleties of human interaction.

Whatever the reason, you found yourself drawn to them in a way you had never been before. You started to seek out their company more often, watching them as they went about their daily lives, listening to their conversations, and communicating with them in your own way.

At first, they were hesitant to approach you, unsure of how to communicate with someone who couldn't hear them. But over time, they began to develop their own sign language, using gestures and expressions to convey their thoughts and feelings. They even started to learn basic sign language, asking you to teach them new signs and phrases.

It was a slow and sometimes frustrating process, but it was also incredibly rewarding. You started to feel like you belonged, like you were part of something bigger than yourself. And as the Genshin characters continued to explore their own self-awareness, they began to see you as an integral part of their world - a bridge between their fictional existence and the real world beyond.

In the end, you realized that being deaf wasn't a limitation - it was a unique perspective, a way of seeing the world that others couldn't. And as you traveled through Teyvat with your new friends, you felt more connected and alive than ever before.

Enjoy, or not, your choice.

MASTERLIST

[littlekohai77]

Hi! If it's not a bother for you, can you please write boyfriend headcanons for Seongha Park,Vatore,Pluton and Amyeong? Tysm!!!

𝚂𝚎𝚎𝚖𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝙸'𝚋𝚎 𝚋𝚎𝚎𝚗 𝚞𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗𝚊𝚕𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚐𝚗𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚗𝚝 𝚘𝚏 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜. 𝙲𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝟸/𝟺 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝙸 𝚍𝚘 𝚊𝚍𝚘𝚛𝚎 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚢𝚎𝚝 𝚍𝚒𝚍𝚗'𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚗 𝚑𝚌 𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝.

⚠️Ⓦⓐⓡⓝⓘⓝⓖⓢ: pluton excluded because I haven't caught up yet and don't know him at all, also excluding vator too cause my note is out of space, considerable favouritism towards Amyeong, cannibalism in Amyeong's part, mention of getting children in seongha's part.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

🐈😱🆂🅴🅾🅽🅶🅷🅰 🅿🅰🆁🅺:

It's complicated.

Getting into a relationship with him is it's own feat. As the man is quite busy with his union duties and getting to have him all to yourself is rare.

But that's another discussion. This is about your already established relationship.

Dates with him mostly consist of homely, domestic stuff. His life and job are hectic as hell so he finds a solace in your activities. That's not to claim that fancy dates don't occur though. They do, especially in the beginning of the relationship but gradually decrease in frequency as time goes on. But that gradual decrease might not happen if you prefer fine dining, although he will fail sometimes but you must understand, the man's awfully busy.

He's a man of few words, so you must focus more on reading his actions if you want to understand him in the early makings of your relationship. Gradually though, he will fall into a common phenomenon among couples and partially adopt your habit of talkativeness.

Along with that, he might also adopt other things such as preferred choice of curse words, how you hold your cup, the patterns you draw on his skin when cuddling, spice tolerance etc.

He isn't necessarily trying to become a doppelganger in the behavioral way, he's just becoming more in tune with you.

Any hobby you might have, he'll also grow interested in it and try learning that as a form of bonding. It's his tactic for growing closer to you as he isn't quite skilled in the department of sweet talking. The man's quite self aware of his lack of communication expertise.

He has a deep respect for you. He values your opinion in almost every situation. Even when you are clearly wrong, he still tries to take it into consideration.

He feels a deep warmth blossom in the depths of his otherwise cold heart when he sees the way you interact with Subin and her friends. It makes him almost wonder what it would be like to see you talk with your very own milk mukbang. As much as his job is demanding, it's also risky, so he tosses away that idea for now, it always stays somewhere in the back of his head though. Even when you say that you don't want any breathing embryos, which he respects.

His love language consists of quality time, acts of service and words of affirmation. He prefers being on the receiving end of affirmation most of the time but he'll pucker up the courage always when necessary.

He has a way of being funny without even trying to, it's from his almost uncanny comically fake laugh to his nack for making inside jokes. A genuine laugh of his is the most breathtaking though.

He is most apologetic if you happen to be a fan of cats, because he is no way in hell allowing one at his home. He's very much sorry for depriving you of such simple pleasures but he simply cannot.

When asked why, he's hesitant to reveal.

He does it after almost 1year into the relationship on a random Sunday when you both are laying on the couch, limbs over each other with an awful romcom playing in the background that you've seen over 10 times already. Did I mention that he's a hopeless romantic too? And that he has a craving for cringy romcoms? And also that he's deeply embarrassed to letting you know that and was actively hiding it from you before you found out through his most watched list? He was utterly terrified.

Anyway, back to the subject on matter, he begins to unravel the story without invitation, it just starts, out of no where, like a blast of cold water in a dessert. He goes 'so one fateful day I was-' and slowly along the way you figure out that he's talking about the story behind his fear for cats.

It's notable that he talks akin to an old man when talking about incidents in his life. He sulks quite a bit when you tell him that though.

He's very adamant about keeping you out of harm's way, it doesn't matter to him if you're as strong as kayden, he would still fuss all over you like a mother hen.

He might not seem like the type but he's quite prone to jealousy. Especially when you seem to be getting along with a feline obsessed freak. This jealousy sometimes even extends to animals and objects too.

Like for example if you were to do a little excited dance when the food gets delivered, he'll be jealous of the food cause he wants you to get that excited when you see him too. Silly, so silly.

🌃🌙⚫🅰🅼🆈🅴🅾🅽🅶:

To be honest, this should be its own separate fic due to how many things that come up in my mind that I wish to discuss.

But anyhow, you have to be his colleague, work in a similar background as him, be an enemy, be close to kayden or be connected to his past in the experimention lab.

Otherwise I can't really see how both of you would come into contact with each other.

Anyway, since that's done, let's get to established relationship.

He's very considerate of you and cares about you a lot, though he never says it. You'd have to piece things together and read his actions to understand this aspect of him.

For example, if you tell him that you like something in passing, it'll magically appear in your living space. It won't happen immediately, at least 1-2 weeks later.

This odd delay happens due to two primary reasons,

1) {in the case of the item being a little rare} resources are hard to find when you're constantly on the go,

2) he kind of wants you to forget that you ever mentioned liking it to him and wants to pretend he just got it for you and it coincidentally happened to align with your likes. (He's shy and doesn't want to risk you mentioning it, which would cause him to fluster and talking gibberish in front of you is something he would like to avoid.)

(Little does he know you have the memory capacity of a spoon.)

This delay adjusts according to what type of item he is getting you. For example, food arrives faster, say you tell him 'I like cherries', it'll appear in 3-4 days. But if you say 'I'm hungry', you can rest assured expect food in the next 30-60 minutes.

He's very stiff and doesn't know how to communicate his feelings. And isn't really all that comfortable sharing them, so you shouldn't prob him too much or he'll raise his walls higher.

After a certain amount of time, a bit of builded up trust and some light probbing from you once in a while, he'll come to you on his own and tell you all that's troubling him. As by now, he has learned that you're clearly leagues better at emotions than him.

It's not that he necessarily wants you to solve everything for him, he just needs to talk it out with you, he has discovered that doing so makes the matter seem simpler to him. Especially when you so remark, 'that's just 2 things! '

After a bit of time, he would partially learn how to deal with it himself too, as he learned from watching you.

Although somethings he wouldn't tell you are when there's a possibility that you might sacrifice yourself or get harmed by participating.

His love language is mostly gift giving and quality time.

Not that he minds physical contact, he's just not used to it.

He falls last but when he falls, he falls deep.

When in a dire situation, if you happen to be suffering from hunger with no other safe food resources around, he might just cut up his own flesh and feed it to you.

He would probably do it without telling you as he knows your morals won't stand it. And he quite frankly doesn't care when in that desperate of a situation. He needs you alive, not dead. He also doesn't see the harm in it as his flesh gets regenerated anyway. He would feel remorse later, although not for deceiving you into committing literal cannibalism, but for lying to you.

Dates with him mostly consist of stargazing, cuddling in bed and domestic stuff. Your man is a borderline criminal, he probably won't be allowed in most restaurants. But you could dress him up in normal clothes and give it a try still. Be prepared to have your boyfriend be stared at like shark bait though.

He's fiercely loyal to you and is ready to just about give his life up for you. He might not be great with emotions but when you confide in him, he tries his utter best to come up with a solution.

*･ﾟﾟ･*:.｡..｡.:*ﾟ:*:✼✿　　✿✼:*ﾟ:.｡..｡.:*･ﾟﾟ･*

𝙸𝚏 𝚢𝚘𝚞'𝚛𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚖𝚢 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚐𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚘𝚗𝚎, 𝚒𝚝'𝚜 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎𝚕𝚢 𝚍𝚞𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐 𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚕𝚢 𝚋𝚎𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚊 𝚏𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚃𝚑𝚎 𝙰𝚙𝚘𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚌𝚊𝚛𝚢 𝙳𝚒𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚎𝚜. 𝙰𝚝 𝚕𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝'𝚜 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙸 𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚔 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚜𝚘𝚗𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎.

𝙸'𝚖 𝚒𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚎𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚒𝚗 𝚠𝚛𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚊𝚋𝚘𝚞𝚝 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚎𝚕𝚌𝚎𝚎𝚍 𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚛𝚊𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚜 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚒𝚗 𝚊 𝚏𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝. 𝙰𝚗𝚍 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚠𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚊𝚕𝚕 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚖 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚕𝚒𝚔𝚎 𝚊𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚜. 𝚂𝚘 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚌𝚊𝚗 𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚘 𝚜𝚎𝚎 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎 𝚘𝚏 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚒𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚞𝚝𝚞𝚛𝚎.

𝙸'𝚟𝚎 𝚊𝚕𝚜𝚘 𝚐𝚛𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚊 𝚋𝚒𝚝 𝚘𝚋𝚜𝚎𝚜𝚜𝚎𝚍 𝚠𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙲𝚑𝚊 𝙷𝚢𝚞𝚗 𝚏𝚛𝚘𝚖 𝚂𝚠𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝙷𝚘𝚖𝚎. 𝚂𝚘 𝙸 𝚖𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝 𝚗𝚎𝚐𝚕𝚎𝚌𝚝 𝚊𝚜𝚔𝚜 𝚒𝚗 𝚏𝚊𝚟𝚘𝚛 𝚘𝚏 𝚌𝚘𝚘𝚔𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚜𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚝𝚑𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚞𝚙 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚏𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚖𝚊𝚗. 𝚆𝚑𝚒𝚌𝚑 𝚢𝚘𝚞 𝚠𝚘𝚞𝚕𝚍 𝚑𝚊𝚟𝚎 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚐𝚒𝚟𝚎 𝚖𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛.

𝙰𝚕𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚑𝚝... 𝚃𝚑𝚊𝚗𝚔 𝚢𝚘𝚞. :)

[linkspooky]

Jujutsu Kaisen, Chapter 210 Thoughts Part Two.

Yuji goes out of his way to both antagonize Hana, and remind the audience of how much he mourns Nobara in this most recent chapter. Rather than being a ship tease moment (actually this post is neutral to any kind of ships) this moment establishes the foiling on a deeper level between Yuji and Nobara. The reason Yuji cannot stand the idea of Nobara being replaced to the point where he acts almost out of character from his usual behavior is because his bond with her is special (once again this is not about shipping) in a way I'll elaborate on under the cut. PART ONE OF THIS POST HERE. 

Anima and Animus Part Two

My entire last post elaborated on how Megumi and Hana might serve as a pair of Anima / Animus archetypes in Jujutsu Kaisen, a story that is rife with Jungian symbolism. The post is RIGHT HERE and serves as the first half of this meta, but if you want a TLDR version. The anima and animus are a syzgzy (pair of complentary opposites) of dualistic jungian archetype that make of the self. The anima is the unconscious feminine side of a man. The animus is the unconscious masculine side of a woman.

Warning, this is talking about gender in binary terms. The gender binary is invented, but also most cultures have things they would consider to be feminine or masculine traits. Also, everyone is a mix of those feminine or masculine traits no matter what gender they are. Jung's theory is often a Male's sensitivity is lesser or repressed and therefore for healthy psychological development there has to be a reconciliation in both a person's attitude towards masculinity and femininity, and also how they interact with femininity in other people.

Jung divides ego between conscious mind and shadow, but he further divides the traits of a person's attitudes between feminine and masculine as another part of the ego and just as key as accepting your shadow / unconscious. Just as a quick example if you're familiar with the concept of "Toxic Masculinity" Jung would consider that a person who overexpresses his masculine side, and represses his anima to much to the point where they develop an unhealthy relationship with that masculinity, and an underdeveloped ego. If a healthy balance with one's anima/animus is needed for a person's growth and development, then someone who is toxically masculine would show a stunted growth. Similiarly many toxically masculine individuals are considered to be immature.

Now to explain some broader terminology before going ahead and connecting these ideas to Jujutsu Kaisen, Jung's theory is the division of "self" or "personality" into distinct parts, the conscious ego, the shadow, and then animus and anima.

"Clearly, then, the personality as a total phenomenon does not coincide with the ego, that is, with the conscious personality, but forms an entity that has to be distinguished from the ego. Naturally the need to do this is incumbent only on a psychology that reckons with the fact of the unconscious, but for such a psychology the distinction is of paramount importance." The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Ego is a part of personality but not the whole of it, and makes up the conscious mind. The part of their personality they are aware of. The parts we are unaware of, and are out of our control, the unconscious mind Jung refers to as the shadow.

The shadow is a moral problem that challenges the whole ego-personality, for no one can become conscious of the shadow without considerable moral effort. To become conscious of It involves recognizing the dark aspects of the personality as present and real. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Yuji as the main character of the story more than anyone else, exhibits this divided self. His shadow is an entity entirely seperate from him with his own consciousness that he cannot control, Sukuna who is made up of baser instincts, a desire for power, and also mostly negative flaws. Things that would be repressed in the shining, boyscout, that is Yuji. Yuji is the only character we ever get a peak of their symbolic inner world, and in that world Yuji stands on water (a symbol of the subconscious, because the subconscious is something which lies underneath the surface of the water).

Yuji has an extremely unhealthy relationship with his shadow. They are literally at war with each other. Sukuna at moments can possess Yuji's body and make him do things he wold not normally do, be violent in a way he is not normally violent. Sukuna even refers to Yuji being unable to switch back during his possession happening because "he was too greedy."

Yuji of all characters is someone who tries to present himself as a savior with a higher moral imperative, and he carries around Sukuna in his whole someone who has no value for human life, and no regard for anyone except himself. Someone who seems at first brush to be the complete and total opposite of Yuji and yet is bonded to his soul.

Although, with insight and good will, the shadow can to some extent be assimilated into the conscious personality, experience shows that there are certain features which offer the most obstinate resistance to moral control and prove almost impossible to influence. These resistances are usually bound up with projections,, which are not recognized as such, and their recognition is a moral achievement beyond the ordinary. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Yuji's negative traits are not assimilated into his personality at all, nor is he aware of them, his relationship with his shadow is so distant that he quite literally goes into the supernatural equivalent of what would be dissociative fugue states where he loses all control of his body in a period he is not aware of.

With a little self-criticism one can see through the shadow so far as its nature is personal. But when it appears as an archetype, one encounters the same difficulties as with anima and animus. In other words, it is quite within the bounds of possibility for a man to recognize the relative evil of his nature, but it is a rare and shattering experience for him to gaze into the face of absolute evil. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Sukuna representing the absolute evil that Yuji cannot bear to look into the face of, or understand. Even though there are times where Yuji demonstrates the same kind of primal dominance that makes up Sukuna's entire personality. There are times where rather than the savior he is the predator.

If his relationship with Sukuna embodies the divide between conscious mind and Shadow, then Nobara serves as the symbol of his Anima. Anima appears in archetypes as well. Archetypes are often repeated characters and symbols in mythology, the hero, the mentor, the mother, etc. etc. Yuji's external relationship with Nobara, relates to his own internal relationship with his anima, the feminine side of his personality. Nobara is nothing if not feminity personified.

Why Nobara of all characters? It's because she is the woman with the most longstanding relationship with Yuji in the manga. In fact since I have too much free time, let's do summary of the many ways they parallel one another in their journey up until Shibuya. Yuji and Nobaraare also a pair of Anima / Animus in regards to one another. Women are also defined as having a "Animus" side that reflects their repressed masculinity.

The projection-making factor is the anima, or rather the unconscious as represented by the anima. Whenever she appears, in dreams, visions, and fantasies, she takes on personified form, thus demonstrating that the factor she embodies possesses all the outstanding characteristics of a feminine being. She is not an invention of the conscious, but a spontaneous product of the unconscios. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Nobara's introduction is called girl of Steel. Nobara's feminity is put right on dispaly first and foremost, the first thing she does is interrogate a man about recruiting her as a model because obviously she's such a pretty woman. She has also no regard for the men she meets up with seeing them as crude doodles.

Just like Sukuna and Yuji are at war with each other, Nobara and Yuji start out completely combative to one another. This is par the course for the first encounter of Anima / Animus. This is also once again not really a romantic connection.

This singular fact is due to the following circumstance: when animus and anima meet, the animus draws his sword of power and the anima ejects her poison of illusion and seduction.  In both its positive and its negative aspects the anima/animus relationship is always full of “animosity”, i.e., it is emotional, and hence collective. Affects lower the level of the relationship and bring it closer to the common instinctual basis, which no longer has anything individual about it.  The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

IE: Both start out in opposition to each other, but need to form a relationship and work together in order to slay the curse. Megumi is also left out of the mission, further solidifying Yuji and Nobara from introduction as a pair.

I would say rather Anima and Animus characters are not primed to understand each other especially with underdeveloped characters at the beginning of their arcs. That's essentially what Yuji remarks he can't read or understand Nobara at all, she's a mystery to him. Nobara also does not really want to accept Yuji's cooperation or coordinate with him at all.

Right away though, Gojo draws a parallel between the two of them. Gojo establishes that Yuji is crazy like many Jujutsu Sorcerers, and he's trying to test Nobara for that same craziness. (Needless to say Nobara passes).

I've already made reference to the fact that Yuji's whole sense of self is continually at war with himself, his unhealthy self-image first explodes in the fearsome womb arc. An arc where ironically Nobara and Yuji are separated from each other right away. (I mention this only because it's paralleled in the Origin of Obeidence arc, in this arc they work together and its a culmination of their long developed relationship).

Nobara even falls deep into a literal shadow. She is transported into a dark place where she cannot see. Rather than being aware of his anima, his anima is once again pushed to the deepest parts of Yuji's mind. This is also the first time he loses control of himself to Sukuna.

Nobara weeps over his first death and being left alone. Something that will be paralleled once again when it is Nobara's time to die and leave Yuji alone. I would argue they are both shown to be deeply affected by the loss, because they are essentially losing what is essentially the masculine / feminine halves of themselves. If they are a pair, then without one another they are symbolically incomplete.

I'm not underplaying Megumi's mourning, just that attention is drawn to Nobara's mourning, just like in this week's chapter Yuji moreso than Megumi fears that after Nobara's "death" she may lose that special place in his heart.

FLash forward to the Kyoto Battle arc, Nobara's reason for being angry at Mai is not only her insulting of Maki, but the way she dismisses Yuji as a curse, and tries to kill him with the rest of the Kyoto students without getting to know him. You could also say this is a point where Nobara overexpresses her feminine traits, and neglects her masculine ones. SHe basically yells at the top of her lungs she doesn't really care about the misogyny Mai faces under the Zenin Clan, she is compeltely unaware of her own harmful prejudices.

While not to the same extent as Yuji because she's not running around with a demon in her head, I'd argue that Nobara is also someone who is not in harmony with her feminine and masculine sides.

Nobara is, unconscious of her more amoral traits like her lack of guilt for killing Choso's brothers, she's someone who just like Yuji embraces the "might makes right" and "getting stronger solves everything" of the Jujutusu World. In fact since she's not out to save people you could say she embraces it more than Yuji. Violence is something typically considered a masculine trait. She also worships the stronger of the Zenin twins Maki, while despising Mai for her weakness.

Origin of Obedince which is basically the last big development arc of the relationships of the main character trio together, Nobara and Yuji's cooperation is shown to come full circle from their introduction and they are in near perfect harmony with one another. They even Black Flash together.

This may be an overreach but Yuji and Nobara are also fighting the Death Painting Sibs, their philosophy is "we three are one" but the fact that Yuji and Nobara triumps means at this moment their harmony with one another is stronger than that.

Nobara and Yuji go through an arc where they are essential to one another's growth, just as for Animus and Anima there are stages of development known as Eros and Logos.

Just as the anima becomes, through integration, the Eros of consciousness, so the animus becomes a Logos; and in the same way that the anima gives relationship and relatedness to a man's consciousness, the animus gives to woman's consciousness a capacity for reflection, deliberation, and self knowledge. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Eros and Logos are four stages of development where the respective Anima and Animus are developed as people become more conscious of their opposite sides. A man at the first stage with an underdeveloped Anima, does not only make an object of love or desire out of women they see both women and feminine traits as completely unintegrated and seperate from themselves. At the fourth stage a man's anima is fully integrated into their personality and they are able to be seen as particular individuals as both positive and negative qualities. As for Logos, ironically enough their first level is an animus that first appears as a personification of mere physical power, for instance an athletic champion a muscle man. And in its fourth manifestation an animus is the incarnation of meaning. At this stage there's mediation between the conscious and unconscious mind.

For example, Yuji learns cooperation with Nobara at the peak of his development where he didn't understand her at all to begin with. For example, Nobara is an extremely brutal and conflict oriented character to begin with, at the end of their relationship arc so far she is working in harmony with Yuji.

Further parallels between the two of them. They both have plant names. Translated by @kaibutsushidousha right here. That's not as strong as a character because a lot of characters have names associated with plants. However, Yuji's plant is named for a medicinal herb.

Japanese Knotweed: There are a lot of ways to tie this to Itadori’s two sides as himself and Sukuna, but in Akutami’s interview on Mandou Kobayashi, they explained that they simply picked the name of a medicinal herb because Itadori was a protagonist who saves people, so I’m not sure if any deeper meaning was intended on this one specifically. Japanese knotweeds are really nice as medicinal herbs, but on the flip side, the Japanese knotweed is one of the most invasive species in the world, so I think the plant choice also doubles as a nod to Itadori’s (or rather Sukuna’s) status as a plague to curser society. Nobara was named for a wild Rose, because "I wanted to make it thorny" this is from the databook.

Flower symbolism wise Nobara's also means recovery from a grave wound, just as Yuji's means medicine.

WILD ROSE In flower language, the wild rose means “unpretentious love” and “recovery from a grave wound”.

Unpretentious love refers to how Kugisaki very openly loves her friends, and how her love for people completely disregards social decorum, as her backstory is about her relationship with a person deemed an outcast, whose negative social status never made Kugisaki stop caring for her. Recovery from a grave wound refers to how Kugisaki absolutely survived having her face blasted by Mahito in the Shibuya Incident. I believe it. She’ll come back with the coolest eyepatch.

This is a bit of a stretch but I just found it neat.

Nobara is referred to as a natural enemy to Mahito, just like Yuji was.

Yuji and Nobara have parallel deaths in the cursed womb arc, and then Shibuya arc where the two of them are separated from each other. Yuji's resolve is even similiarly brought to tears.

They are both influenced by their same sex grandparents, Nobara's grandmother taught her in sorcery, Yuji's grandfather taught him some martial arts and was his only guardian. Yuji is the one who continually brings up Nobara's death, even to this chapter, and the same way Nobara gets angry at Mai for mocking Yuji's memory, Yuji unreasonably gets mad at Hana because he's afraid she might replace Nobara who is singularly important to him.

Which as I said once again for both of them goes a step above friendship (not necessarily romance) because they are essentially symbolic of each other's male/female sides. At this point, Yuji's personality becomes even more out of balance than it was before. He embraces his hypermasculine hunter side in his fight with Mahito. Nobara's death also comes just after Yuji's loss of control to Sukuna. Once again, his repressed side taking him completely over and making him go into the magical version of a fugue state.

From this point on, Yuji also begins to extremely loathe his own weakness. Weakness can be seen as a feminine trait for someone who has an unhealthy relationship with masculinity and overexpresses it. All people are equal parts strong and weak, and have many strenghs and weaknesses but Yuji believes now he must be continually punished for his weakness. Which again makes Yuji's personality even more disordered.

Which makes Yuji's personality as a whole even more disordered. Jung emphasizes that integration of all parts of the personality, requires healthy relationships with members of the opposite sex (which is you know true, men who loathe femininity aren't going to form healthy relationships with women).

Recapitulating, I should like to emphasize that the integration of the shadow, or the realization of the personal unconscious, marks the first stage in the analytic process, and that without it a recognition of anima and animus is impossible. The shadow can be realized only through a relation to a partner, and anima and animus only through a relation to the opposite sex, because only in such a relation do their projections become operative. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Yuji, deprived of his anima is therefore all out of whack.

Yuji's unhealthy relationship with his Anima can even be traced back to his complete lack of a mother figure. Typically developmental-wise, our first interaction with a feminine force in our life is our mothers. In Jungian logic, the definition of femininity is sourced with their mothers in boys, and their fathers in girls.

The enveloping, embracing, and devouring element points unmistakably to the mother, 2 that is, to the son's relation to the real mother, to her imago, and to the woman who is to become a mother for him. His Eros is passive like a child's; he hopes to be caught, sucked in, enveloped, and devoured. He seeks, as it were, the protecting, nourishing, charmed circle of the mother, the condition of the infant released from every care, in which the outside world bends over him and even forces happiness upon him. No wonder the real world vanishes from sight! The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Yuji is at war with his mother figure the same way he is at war with his shadow, considering that his biological mom is quite literally the main antagonist of the story Kenjaku, who possessed his mother's body in order to give birth to him.

Jung even notes that a person with an underdeveloped anima will become possessed by it, and therefore lose their agency over themselves and lose sight and control. Which mirrors in a way the fact Kenjaku considers Yuji nothing more than a pawn in his scheme, and endeavors to control his life.

If this situation is dramatized, as the unconscious usually dramatizes it, then there appears before you on the psychological stage a man living regressively, seeking his childhood and his mother, fleeing from a cold cruel world which denies him understanding. Often a mother appears beside him who apparently shows not the slightest concern that her little son should become a man, but who, with tireless and self-immolating effort, neglectsnothing that might hinder him from growing up and marrying. You behold the secret conspiracy between mother and son, and how each helps the other to betray life. The Syzygy: Anima and Animus, C. G. Jung, Aion: Researches into the Phenomenology of the Self,

Yuji posseses a mother figure which is completely hostile to him, and an anima which is currently either missing or dead to the story, so under such conditions no wonder Yuji's deviating from his normal personality and acting with no self awareness whatsoever to the point of becoming hostile to Hana. He is most likely insecure about his own feelings for Nobara whatever they may be if he thinks he a girl he's known for about five minutes could replace her so easily, which relates to all of Yuji's 9,000 other insecurities.

Basically, the end of this long diatribe is Nobara is someone who could help Yuji grow and find balance within himself were she to return to the story, and in her absence Yuji is psychologically speaking...a big mess.

[sepublic]

Coming off of Dune Part 2 and visiting the tag, of course a good portion of the fandom is dedicated solely to a gazillion fics about people shipping the two white guys who explicitly acknowledge one another as cousins on-screen and don’t interact all that much.

But I guess it makes sense! Frank Herbert was talking about how people will worship and obsess over the white guy in their many different ways; Even PoC will do that, because internalized racism exists!!! And people will do all of this while ignoring the actual perspective and wellbeing of the brown people who are shoved to the periphery of their famous white guys.

So of course the larger fandom will do exactly what he's criticizing because Herbert was making a current observation, not a prediction. In the end, this fandom phenomenon is coming from the same underlying sentiment that motivates guys who idolize Paul, or Patrick Bateman, or Walter White, without realizing what they're seeing is a satire. Either way, the audience lacks self-awareness in how they engage with a critique.

Even the fictional white women aren't exempt from this, because they're also white but they're also women; That's intersectionality and how it goes both ways. Characters like Jessica or Irulan are women who do navigate the roles that come from this, but they're also white colonizers wielding power over another culture. And conversely, they don't always share in the spoils of the white person being obsessed over, because they're still women too and fandom misogyny is a thing.