#there are living cultural practices that take astrology very seriously

[elodieunderglass]

I’m glad to be included in gender, and it’s an honor to trans your gender, but gender is astrology to me. “Girl sun boy moon.” You don’t agree, but now you get me better. Send post

[bearbotany5]

The Smart Trick Of Chiron Conjunct Jupiter That Nobody Is Discussing

If this isn’t the case, it's possible you'll as an alternative change your look substantially to attempt to fight your Chironic wound, but this does not finally heal it. Each events are more likely to feel their own limits in each other’s existence. Chiron may perhaps make Saturn feel insufficient, although Chiron may perhaps feel their interior therapeutic is blocked or limited from the Saturn human being. Chiron may well want to recover the Saturn person’s wounds and go to to his requirements, but Saturn doesn't let that transpire. Jamie was born inside the turbulent 1960's to some set of aging East Coastline hippie mom and dad. On a food plan of myths, folklore and fairy tales, she grew similar to a weed. As you increase, you might have the obscure sensation that you choose to don’t have the ideal to exist. You're feeling just like a social outcast, whether or not This is certainly with relatives, good friends, or Culture as a whole. You’re far more curious than normal, and much more keen to learn new points and improve your abilities. Jupiter in Aries is also a good time to transform your interaction abilities, begin a website, or write a guide. You could possibly return to a overlooked ability or piece of coaching and revive it and become exhilarated by Anything you achieve. Jupiter Conjunct Chiron will be unforeseen and unprecedented and it will occur with each other very quickly; if you really feel fired up you're going to be on the correct observe. Your marriage might be examined in 2022 and outside of but you understand that. Which is why it's so important to have a plan that works in your case and the kids, and to try and preserve steadiness and regularity, whether or not it’s only a wander at the conclusion of the working day, or regardless of what. You may be questioned to perform far more effort emotionally upcoming calendar year, and especially from 2023, where both you and your lover have to pick. Are you likely to become an influence couple or do you think you're going to Enable questions on who's got the ability, have an affect on the marriage? Your mom-in-law must be taken very seriously, Incidentally. She feels relegated or sidelined. She also has to figure out how to share, as does one. That’s what Ceres suggests in Cancer. This brings us back again to schedule and the need for some sort of timetable so the children and her son might be available to her. It may get time for any procedure to arise which you'll equally/all follow, inside of a functional way, nonetheless it can be achieved. From May well 2022 (Ceres Return in Cancer) it gets to be truly essential plus a new deal might be finished. To obtain the whole story yourself Chiron, get your have Chiron Natal Report. It begins with in-depth information on the myth And the way we live the archetype, as well as the astrology within your Chiron: household and signal placements, natal facets with planets and angles, transits and progressions for your natal Chiron, and transits of Chiron to other placements inside your natal chart. You have got to consider the household and indication Neptune conjunct Chiron sits in to find out particularly how this wound manfiests. This Site takes advantage of cookies to improve your practical experience Whilst you navigate by way of the web site. Out of such, the cookies that happen to be categorized as vital are stored on your own browser as These are essential for the Performing of primary functionalities of the web site. Your emotional wounds are exceptionally gradual to heal. Moon opposition Chiron means that your Chironic wound is emotional in a way, however it’s possibly incredibly murky to you. This is a wound of shadows. Probably the greatest characteristics about the Saturn conjunct Chiron placement is that these people are easily equipped to discover from their particular errors. They may be rather effective in everyday life In the event the chart is properly-aspected and set up for achievement. It is simply impossible to hide from the shadow self endlessly. Though it’s more distressing, The easiest way to mend should be to go If this wound did stem from a romance along with your father, or although he basically re-induced the wound from the past daily life, you may have to know that he won't ever take you in the best way you would like. You'll be able to nevertheless heal your wound by Discovering to understand your father and forgive him. This might be a thrust-pull. You’re usually wanting to live as many as what you think that your father figure would want from you, however , you concurrently force in opposition to it. Chiron's position is to signify our weaknesses and "sore places" that stick with us throughout our lives, together with our purely natural "awkwardness" in relation to a certain archetypal purpose. If Jupiter and Chiron are shut with each other inside our birth chart, it could mean that our basic philosophy of existence is presently infused with Chironic themes, such as "wounds" and the way to heal them, "weirdness" And the way to handle its several effects, or becoming "outside of sync" Using the group And exactly how to handle remaining shunned or laughed at. Based upon which Indication this conjunction takes location in, Jupiter's expansive energy will grow to be extra focused all-around Chiron's "complex." In Fireplace Signals, this could mean that the individual features a deep-seated belief that asserting oneself, slipping in enjoy, or becoming sexually Energetic can hurt them. In Air Signs, the individual may believe her capability to Assume, connect, or relate is restricted or challenged in some way. In H2o Indications, the individual may well believe the b. When Chiron and Jupiter are to some degree very well-built-in in an individual's intellect, they might be able to access intuitive or mystical information. Lots of individuals can truly feel archetypal energies and make use of them as Portion of their own individual beliefs or ways of lifestyle. If this conjunction is tense in an individual's delivery chart, they may feel like daily life does not have any point and struggle to maintain some self-assurance in everyday life by striving to figure out what it'd imply. If you embrace the absurdity of everyday living and Allow it's found in all of its awkwardness, brokenness, or dissolution, You will find there's number of place for creativeness. Picasso's paintings are The obvious way to present this sort of energy by artwork. It's a combined blessing in each and every way. Jupiter presents blessings, great luck, and an excellent Frame of mind. You hurt and sense weak when you're in Chiron, and you retain obtaining kicked. When both of these satisfy, fantastic points can transpire or poor points may lead to excellent items, depending upon the situation (in disguise). The ups and downs of life is often equally unpleasant and fascinating. Individuals who have a great deal of poor luck and also get some "lucky breaks" usually have each of these items materialize to them.

But The truth that Chiron is often referred to as a "teacher" (simply because you can train Some others by floating through discomfort!) is often helpful. There are occasions when all you'd like is satisfaction without the pain that comes along with it. You only care about what is ideal yourself. No, I don't believe that. Of course, you happen to be proper. When Chiron and Jupiter are in factor, the silver lining will likely be shot through with guide. Can it be by doing this close to, or could it be another way all-around? It truly is a mixture of The 2. When some thing hurts, Furthermore, it makes you stronger. Regardless if issues are at their worst, there is always a way out or a guardian angel to assist. You are able to ensure that Jupiter is on your own facet. When Jupiter is close to Chiron, our desire for know-how, wisdom, and insight grows, and so does our interest in holistic health and fitness and alternate drugs. For this reason, it might be a good time to think about what we feel. We've a superb probability of obtaining rid in the adverse feelings which were holding us again from reaching our full prospective.

[ariesjupiter]

Mitski Birth Chart Reading

This is just my interpretation based on Mitski’s birth chart and what I know of her music. Let me know if you have any suggestions of someone I should make a post on next! If you’re interested, I offer natal chart readings, just check my pinned post!

Libra sun: In terms of basic personality and ego, Mitski is focused on creating balanced, harmonic relationships. Intimate, one-on-one relationships are a major part of her identity. Libra is ruled by venus which represents love and beauty. After all, she is known for her lyrics relating to her romantic relationships. The lyric “I love everybody because I love you” is so profoundly Libra to me. She is friendly and charming. She sees herself reflected and other people and people see themselves reflected in her (for better or worse). Venus also rules the arts and Mitski is a natural artist in every sense of the word. Her music sonically is very unique, inventive, and creative as she experiments with mixing different genres. This is influenced by her sun in the 11th house. Sun in the 11th house also indicates an emphasis on friendships and memberships of certain groups and communities. It also indicates an importance of her hopes and dreams. Her sun in 3° explains why she is such a talented writer, communicator, and lyricist. Peak libra sun culture: “Young adult romance is the shit” (a real quote from the queen herself). And let’s not forget her iconic quote from 2016: “I’m a libra so my sexuality is essentially “you can really be any gender as long as you treat me like a princes.” Truer words have never been spoken.

Capricorn moon: Despite how personal her music is, Mitski is a rather private and reserved person, particularly when it comes to expressing her emotions. Also, Capricorn is associated with the father and she has been known to be especially private regarding her dad’s career. She is serious and intense with emotions but can sometimes get detached. The emphasis is on having control over her feelings. She is ambitious and a practical person. Her emotions are connected to her career. Those who do not know her well may see her as cold. In temperament she tends to be melancholic. Emotionally mature and wise beyond her years. Straightforward and honest with her expression. She is dependable, loyal, hard working, & realistic. Emotional fulfillment is often tied to achievement and success. Her moon in the 2nd house and 2° suggests material comforts make her feel safe. With the 2nd house being associated with venus, she is able to express her emotions in an artistic way. Could be protective over material objects. Sentimental. Music has a big impact on her emotions and mood. Peak capricorn moon culture: “I didn’t really feel anything. I’ve stopped feeling things for a long time” - Mitski, The Fader Interview, 2017. In all seriousness, I hope my capricorn moons are doing good.

Virgo mercury: Mitski is practical and detail oriented when it comes to communication and matters of learning. She takes the time to choose the right words to convey her thoughts. She is clear and concise. Mercury is in its sign of rulership here. Her mercury in the 10th house suggests that she will be known for her communication style. Has a lot of thoughts but is also organized. Analytical. Mitski likes making lists. Loves to give advice. Mercury is in 16° (cancer degree) and she has a soft spoken voice. Talks about the past and her roots (cancerian themes).

Virgo venus: In love, Mitski will assume a caretaking role and will gladly help her partner finish mundane tasks and chores. A devoted and faithful lover. Love is about the mundane and routine details of life. Love is about service. Acts of service tend to be virgo venus’ main love language. She wants to help improve her partner’s life. She is patient and observant. Values love that is simple and authentic. Appreciates a partner with whom she can have intellectual conversations. May have a tendency to be too critical on herself when it comes to love. Venus rules aesthetics & style and she tends to have a modest fashion sense. Mitski has voiced her interest in astrology and how she has asked people she’s interested for their birth times lmao. Her venus is in the 11th house, she treats a lover like she would treat a friend. In fact, romantic love probably equates to platonic love in her book. She has her venus in 24° which is a pisces degree, which explains this natural interest in astrology.

Gemini mars: Could be impatient because she moves quickly. Efficient. Has a lot of goals and likes to keep busy. She thrives when she talks to others and exchanged ideas. Likes to multitask. Very versatile. Probably has a flirty, bubbly energy when she’s attracted to someone. Attracted to intellect. Desire to see things from multiple perspectives. Gemini rules the hands so she’s skilled with playing instruments and writing. Likes to try new things. Witty and humorous. Could have nervous energy or fidget often.

Leo jupiter: The planet of luck and expansion in Leo is a big indicator of fame. Her jupiter is also in the 9th house and in 7°. Jupiter in the 9th indicates being born in a different country from where you reside now. Mitski is biracial and has lived in multiple countries growing up. She loves to learn, particularly about other cultures and ways of life. She is open minded, philosophical and values freedom and being independent. She attracts good fortune when she travels (touring!) and also when she focuses on partnerships/intimate relationships (7°). Combining this energy, Mitski attracts luck when she acts dramatically, demonstrates/teaches her knowledge, expresses herself artistically, shows her warm hearted and sometimes stubborn side, & takes chances, shows her bravery, and takes the lead. Be the Cowboy is big leo energy 🤠

Capricorn saturn: Mitski is responsible, practical, goal-oriented, and cautious. With saturn in the 3rd house, she probably had to grow up quickly and become mature at a young age. Capricorn saturn people tend to be very successful people. Strong willed. Tendency to be quiet and is a good listener. Could also be outspoken. With saturn in 18° (virgo degree), she’s very hard working but she may need to learn how to take a break and let herself rest and recharge.

Capricorn uranus: This placement also indicates that she goes after her goals and is efficient and practical in achieving them. Uranus being in the 2nd house shows that she could make money from being unique and groundbreaking. 2nd house also rules the voice! Her values are unique and she could be resistant to change them. Her self esteem could be in a constant state of flux and be tied to money. Her income could rapidly change, like maybe she did not get paid much but then suddenly she starts making a lot of money. Uranus is in 5° which is a fame degree. She’s famous for being authentically herself and very much an individual in the industry that can’t be compared.

Capricorn neptune: Capricorn neptunes are most likely realists. She is skilled at going after her dreams. Her dreams are practical and connected to themes of wealth, power, and control. Neptune in 3rd house shows a dreamy, poetic way of communicating. A very creative placement. Dreamy vibes. Could be elusive in communication, open for interpretation. Neptune is in 11° so this gives aquarian energy. Idealistic with friends and always searching for ways to achieve her dreams.

Scorpio pluto: Her power lies in her ability to analayze human interactions and be introspective with herself since it’s in the 1st house. She is very self aware. Mitski understands that life is about going through changes and she welcomes the ability to grow and rebuild. She has intense, deep emotions but has control over them and how she expresses them. Pluto in 16° adds a cancerian energy. Her strength lies in her ability to nurture and be empathetic.

Scorpio rising: First impressions of Mitski can be that she’s mysterious and secretive. A powerful and intimidating presence. This explains to me why she loves dressing in black. She probably has a strong dislike for anything superficial. She likes to get to know people on a deeper level and connect with them. She likes honesty and is probably very perceptive and intuitive. Privacy is so important to her! She has a lot of layers and wants people to unpack them, but it may take her a while to open up. She is powerful and has endurance. Her presence leaves an impact on people. Loyalty and intimacy is important. She’s not afraid to talk about taboo topics or scary, heavier emotions. Passionate and even a tendency to get fixed on or obsessed with something or someone. Her rising is in 15° (gemini degree) so she’s clever, curious, and thinks quickly. a little more flexible than a regular Scorpio rising would be.

Leo midheaven: People might see her as dramatic or arrogant. In the public eye, she was meant to be a performer. At her concerts she’s known for putting on a good show & includes interpretive dance and choreography. She becomes herself more when she’s on stage. The stage is where she shines. Has a lot of pride connected to her career. Reputation for creatively expressing herself and being brave and taking risks. Wants to be admired, especially regarding her career. Her purpose is to become a leader. Mc in 22° (capricorn degree) shows that she is a very hard worker when it comes to her career. She won’t let anyone stop her when it comes to achievement and success in her field. Another indicator of being at the top of her career and being publicly recognized for it!

TLDR: Mitski is a natural born singer, performer and artist. She is unique, talented, and an introspective writer. Being earth and water dominant, she balances practicality & stability with sentimentality & raw emotion. With all of her Capricorn placements, she is grounded and doesn’t let fame get to her head. Her chart ruler is Scorpio pluto in the 1st which means that major transformations will be a big theme in her life, especially regarding herself & her identity. She is always reflecting and looking at herself on a deep level.

[briarrosescurse]

Heyo, hope you're having a wonderful day today 🙃. If it's not too much to ask, how about some lore for Shudain and/or the boys?🙂

SHUNDAIN

shundain in itself is known to be a very grounded dorm. the regular student, while looking like your typical meathead, is expected to show observational and headstrong traits. it’s essential to know a few wits here and there. here in shundain, you are expected to be able to take care of yourself, to be able to handle things on your own. if you fall behind, that’s on you.

as a dorm leader, you must show throughout a year long process that you are worthy of that title. while not perfection is expected, the dorm needs a capable and dedicated leader. the statement of “you’re on your own” and “brotherhood is essential” coexist here - both implying that you shouldn’t drag the dorm down. the dorm depends on their leader to show top leadership skills, but also to serve as an ideal role model that rightfully honors the conqueror, that the dorm has been inspired by.

within the dorm in itself, everyone is on equal ground! status, wealth, background and the like are forgotten - all that matters is that you show the qualities that are expected of you. there isn’t an ‘official’ ranking within shundain, however, it’s not unknown that xiang and occasionally chunying and sheng are trusted and consulted for decision making by chanyu.

shundain’s dorm terrain is much more rough and a tough one - opposed to, let’s say savanaclaw and scarabia, it’s a lot colder. this is one of the reasons why visitors of the dorm are usually guided to wherever their destination may lie.

common activities include morning practice around 5 am, usually split into two groups lead by chanyu and xiang, as well as falconry.

if you ask me, i think demons/the devil as shundain’s halloween costume would be preeeetty dope. i also considered the qilin for them, but i was worried it might be too similar with the jiangshi costume for diasomnia.

the dorm color would be this one (for now)

CHANYU

as of right now, chanyu is 20 years old, making him a tad older than most of his peers. his birthday is on the 16th of january, thus making him a capricorn.

his homeland is the vale of the solar deity (which is also where xiang and sheng reside in) - it’s a fairly big country but rather rural. it is said to be protected and guided by a holy deity known as the solar deity - as a result, you find plenty of temples dedicated to that deity throughout the lands.

he is the leader and founder of the falconry club ! he appears to be extremely fond of falcons and treats them very much with respect

his best subject is defense magic whereas his worst would be astrology - even then though, he has fairly great grades

he seems to be rather fond of cooked mutton and steamed dumplings, but very much dislikes gazpacho

he grew up in a rather ‘normal’  household - with a prideful father and a strict as well as a few younger siblings, chanyu had responsibilities to shoulder from a young age on, but he dealt with it quite well. he grew into a very responsible man, but truthfully, deep empathy and a knack for emotions hadn’t been on the list of his duties, thus making him appear to the majority of his surroundings as cold and cruel - which, admittedly, he kind of is.

he doesn’t smile often, but appears rather pleased and smirks here and there whenever things go according to his plans or he gets to have the upper hand. he enjoys using his wits in his favor.

his voice actor would be morikawa toshiyuki

XIANG

the vice dorm leader is 18 years old! his birthday is on the 20th of february, so he is an aquarius

as mentioned before, his homeland is the vale of the solar deity. he lives in a small community, quite close knit with his family and extended relatives.

his club is the basketball club, as he wanted to do something more different this school year! he gets along with ace and jamil quite well, although, funnily enough, he is rather wary of floyd... which is kind of funny to see

his best subject is stamina training whereas his worst is art and music; artsy things have never been his thing, but for that, he is one of vargas’ favorite students

favorite food is sichuan hot pot and least favorite is potato stew ! (he had too much of the latter in his life time...)

xiang’s household was a bit... difficult, to put it lightly. he rarely mentions what had been going on and only sheng seems to have a rough idea. but to summarize: from a young age on, xiang had been trained to be a child soldier by his merciless father, effectively taking his freedom as a child and his childhood away. he had been training from morning to night, almost without any breaks. (thus explaining all the battle scars on his body) around middle school to high school age, his father had died on a mission during battle, with only his arm being brought back to them. due to the shaken hierarchy of his family, xiang’s older brother was forced to break off his studies at nrc and take the position as the new head of the family - which allowed xiang to continue in his brother’s place instead.

his carefree and lax, but also painfully arrogant attitude is what causes many students of shundain to not take xiang seriously at first; however, that soon will turn out to be a mistake on their part, as xiang is quite relentless when it comes to training

his voice actor is junji majima

CHUNYING

this guy here is around 17 years old ! his birthday is on the 18th of november, making chunying a scorpio.

his homeland used to be the vale of the solar deity, but soon enough, his family decided to move into the more northern area of the land of pyroxene.

he is part of the loving mountains club. he never really takes it seriously and just joined so he can have a bonus on his resume.

his best subject is flying skills (not surprising) and his worst is summoning... he never got the point of that.

his top favorite food? salted milk tea! his least favorite? roast turkey... i think you can roughly guess why

chunying grew up in a relatively regular household as well. he has a few siblings as well. back in the vale of the solar deity, his family had a bit of a higher standing than most families in their villages, as one of the rare families of falcons. considering how treasured falcons are to their culture, chunying often had been perceived with awe for his elegant wings and his heritage. he was treated with a lot of respect and never has been reprimanded for his wrongdoings - thus making him a bit painfully narcisstic. that was one of the things that really boosted his ego. not being the oldest and one of the middle children, he sort of got often let off the hook by his parents and tended to goof off with his shenanigans. a brat to this day...

he is very well aware of the size of his wings, so him accidentally slapping you in the face with them is quite unlikely - so if he does it, it’s on purpose.

his voice actor is soma saito!

SHENG

sheng is the youngest of the four with 17 years young! he was born on the 13th of december, thus being a sagittarius.

his homeland is as well the vale of the solar deity! he lives in the same village as xiang and chanyu. he appears to be rather popular with the elderly and the wild dogs and cats.

sheng is a proud member of the falconry club! he sort of just followed chanyu into the club in his first year.

his best subject is magic practice and his worst would be alchemy.

his absolute favorite meal is khorkhog and is fairly well at cooking that himself ! however, he doesn’t seem to be fond of ice cream...

having grown up in the same village as xiang and chanyu, sheng is familiar with the two and their families. sheng himself is the oldest of five siblings and always looked out for his siblings on his own will. he also takes care of his grandparents frequently. his family was rather loving and coddling, but sheng was a hardworking kid either way. he has been often dubbed as too soft hearted by many of the men in his village, so he has been trying to “toughen up” and conceal that part of him. if they can’t view him as a respectable future head of his family, how will his family be affected by that? he sure doesn’t wanna find out.

despite the initial first impression, sheng is surprisingly dense and a bit of a himbo, honestly. romantical advances and the like are blocked by an invisible wall of giant, dense himbo

his voice actor would be minamoto satoru

[thegallicwitch]

Hello, wild ones! I’m Mako, a druid and home witch (which is what I call my blend of green and kitchen witchcraft) and a follower of the Gaulish pantheon and culture. I’m French, I identify as agender (they/them) and I have a physical disability that severely impacts my walking. I frequently use crutches, as well as a wheelchair, I take strong painkillers and medical morphine to manage the chronic pain that comes with the territory and I’m bedridden several times a month. All of that has an impact on my practice and that’s why I’m well-versed in pain spells and rituals, as well as studying herbalism and beginning to work as a natural healer, because I know debilitating pain all too well.

I follow the traditions and knowledge of my country and the witches of my community. I have so much to learn still, and I want to share French witchcraft practices with the rest of the world and bring a piece of the world back into my practice. I hope you’ll follow along with me. I thought, to start things out, I’d fill a few questions from the Witchy Tag and tag a few of my favorite tumblr witches so you can get to know me and hopefully I can meet a few of you this way! 

If you’d like to find me elsewhere, I’m The Gallic Witch everywhere. I have an Instagram for daily practices, rituals and the like, a TikTok for more specific magickal projects and herbalism, and a youtube channel where I share in depth rituals and spells, talk about the Gaulish culture and deities, discuss the community here in France and what I’ve been taught, etc. I also have an Instagram for the Gaulish-inspired tarot deck I’m creating, the Tarot of Belisama, which you can find here as I share sneak-peeks and cards as I draw them. I hope to see you there soon! BELISAMA BLESS YOU ✨

1. what kind of witch are you?

I am a home witch, mainly, which is what I call being both a green witch and a kitchen witch. In a way, I suppose I’m mostly a French witch, given that my craft and practice is heavily influenced by local tradition and knowledge.

But in my daily practice, I follow the Druidic Path and I’m working with the Gaulish way of life and beliefs.

2. how did you discover your path?

My grandmother was a botanist, so when I was little, she would take my sister and me on long hikes and show us all the plants, one by one, teaching us the latin names and their medical properties. I took to it instantly, but distanced myself when she passed away in a misguided attempt at healing. I grew up around women in my community who would brew herbal remedies, cook you a cream or a poultrice for your break outs or your sprained ankle, people who could take away the fire from a burn or long day in the sun just with a hovering of the hand. Little by little, I learned from them, learned the way of the French witches who work for the community and not for themselves. I admired them, still do, but never thought I could be one of them, as what I was being initiated in was much closer to herbalism and being a Druid than a witch. Then I found Annie’s youtube channel, THE GREEN WITCH, and I just watched and watched, without being able to stop. I felt such a connection with her videos and her path, so I did my research, and finally started seriously studying magic, for about a year, before I even dared calling myself a witch. I wanted to have the knowledge to back that up, you know? And two years after, here I am, with knowledge and some more confident, branching out from my Druidic path and adding witchcraft to my practice for a year now!

3. how long have you been practicing?

If you count the Druidic/herbalism stuff, for roughly half of my life, so like then years, but witchcraft proper, two years.

4. what path/tradition do you follow?

Druidic teachings and Gaulish tradition/deities & French witchcraft, mainly herbalism. I consider myself a healer and a Druid even before being a witch. I want to make a living out of healing people. I follow the tradition of rural France, somewhere between the communities of the Black Mountain, the land Corbières-Minervois and Burgundy.

5. are you solitary or do you have a coven?

Currently solitary but I hope to find and join a Druidic circle one day.

7. do/would you teach and practice witchcraft to your children?

I don’t want children, but on principle, yes, absolutely. I think it’s an essential part of teaching them about the world and giving them the tools to be self-sufficient and healers too.

8. do you have a patron/matron deity?

I don’t use the words patron and matron because they don’t represent or apply to my believes, but purely from their meaning, they would be Belisama, Epona and Brig (or Brigid, she has different names depending on the Celtic nation you’re a part of).

9. favorite pantheon?

Egyptian. All the way. But it’s more of a remnant of childhood than what my faith aligns with today.

10. favorite goddess?

Hard one. Either Epona or Damona from the Gaulish pantheon or 嫦娥.

11. favorite god?

Thot, the scribe from the Egyptian.

12 and 13 are skipped since I don’t believe in astrology.

15. thoughts on the afterlife?

I believe in reincarnation like all Gauls but I don’t believe in Heaven or an afterlife as in, a place you end up after your life.

17. are you out of the broom closet? if so, how do your friends/family feel about your path?

I hate that expression with a passion. I’m LGBTQ+, and I find it incredibly offensive. In regards to the question itself, my family and friends do know I practice witchcraft, and no one cares. My sister and friends are very supportive, they actively want my opinion or my help depending on the circumstances. My mom finds it interesting, but she’s more into me being a healer, since my grandmother was her mom. She helps a lot with the herbalism side, and teaches me things and we do our mixes together. Even my dad who’s not interested, drinks my herbal teas and doesn’t mind me putting talismans and protection charms all over our home, smudging and doing spells and rituals.

19. do you have an altar?

I do, yes. Not just one, in fact. I have a main one for spells and rituals and just, general practice. I have one for my Ancestors and deities. And I have a portable one that I use to mix my herbal teas and make my remedies, as well as do divination.

20. what’s a spell that you’ve done?

Lately? A money spell for my mom.

22. favorite pagan holiday that you celebrate?

I love Chandeleur, the French version of Imbolc. And because spring is my favorite season and the best time of the year for me mentally and physically, I also adore Beltane.

26. favorite witch websites?

Absolutely WITCH UNIVERSITY. I learned a lot of things there. Also Wildera, a fellow French pagan. And I follow a lot of witches and celtic pagans on tumblr and tiktok, learning a lot from them.

29. favorite season?

Spring and Winter, in equal parts.

30. favorite herb?

Lavender. Or maybe rosemary.

31. favorite gem?

Amethyst. And lapis-lazuli.

38. your grimoire.

The original question was about a book of shadow but I’m not a wiccan and I don’t use that term, so here’s my grimoire. I handmade it, from stitching the pages to crafting the cover, bookmark and decorations. I love it, I put so much intention and love into it.

39. your tarot deck(s) (or one you want).

The first picture is of my first tarot deck and still my favourite, the Dishonored deck. It’s the one I use the most, still.

The second is the Prism Tarot, which is the last deck I bought (now four decks in total) and has been a project I’ve followed since it was still being drawn, up to supporting the kickstarter and becoming good friends with the creator, Liz, as I started making my own tarot deck. I highly recommend it, it’s an amazing piece of a art and an amazing magickal tool.

And I’m gonna tag some of my favourite tumblr witches in case they haven’t done this before:  @heatherwitch @grandmaveitch @gardenfoxywitch @herbwicc @greenwitchofwonderland @a-green-witch @boiledwheatblog  @thatsunflowerwitch @kitchenwitchtingss @queerkitchenwitch​ @coffeewitchcafe​ @servantofthefates​

[seuzz]

Nonfiction: Atlantis/Lemuria

William Scott-Elliot was a nineteenth-century theosophist, and one of the popularizers of the theosophical account of the history of Atlantis. His 1896 book The Story of Atlantis used arguments from archaeology, geology, paleontology, botany, and linguistics to argue for the existence of a great continent that linked and overlapped with Europe, Africa, and the Americas. He relied upon the "astral clairvoyance" of Charles Webster Leadbeater to describe its history. In 1904 he followed up that book with the shorter Lost Lemuria, describing the continent and civilization that preceded Atlantis. Both are available in a single volume online in a variety of formats.

Scott-Elliot's history is a wild mishmash of sober scientific argumentation (referencing real botanical and geological facts, even if the explanation he gives is wrong), outrageous metaphysical mumbo-jumbo, and a splash of late nineteenth-century race theory. The content is wildly entertaining, and it's easy to imagine authors from H. P. Lovecraft to Robert E. Howard drawing, if not on it, at least from the same wellspring of serious-minded hokum to craft their own, avowedly literary universes. Scott-Elliot, alas, meant his history seriously, and he is a pompous and humorless writer. Though the book implies much that would be gloriously entertaining, it reads like the imaginative but unliterary background notes for a D&D campaign, as compiled by a dungeon master the weekend before the first meeting.

Nonetheless, as source material for pulp fantasy-historical adventure, it is of possible interest. An outline and summary of the high points is provided below.

The Story of Atlantis (1896) by William Scott-Elliot

Preface: Clairvoyance is a real faculty, and by it one can learn facts about places distant in time and space that cannot be otherwise accessed. Memory is a non-materialistic faculty, and it is a universal faculty, not one particular to individuals; however, most individuals are only able to access that part of "Nature's memory" which they are individually in contact with. However, the shared natured of memory explains how clairvoyance, "thought transference," etc., are possible. It is by the use of this "astral clairvoyance" that a history of Atlantis has been painstakingly written

The Aryan Race (composed so far of five sub-races, of which the Teutonic sub-race is the fifth historical race to arise) is the successor to the Atlantean Race, whose history stretched over thousands of years and encompassed the history of many nations and civilizations. Atlantis suffered four great catastrophes, in approximately 800,000 B.C.; 200,000 B.C.; 80,000 B.C.; and 9564 B.C. The third was the greatest, and it destroyed all the continent but the island of Poseidonis, which was the land whose destruction Plato recorded.

Evidence of Atlantis's existence comes from deep-sea soundings; the distribution of flora and fauna; linguistic similarities; cultural similarities; and the testimony of ancient writers, folklore, etc. Taking these in turn:

1. There is a great ridge in the midst of the Atlantic, and the seabed all the way to the Americas is covered in volcanic debris.

2. The similarity of flora and fauna in lands separated by wide oceans can only be explained by the existence of long-since-drowned land bridges.

3. There are great similarities of language and alphabet in ancient Asia and central America, and the diversity of complexions and features in the Old World is mirrored in the new, suggesting that all races stem from a single, original location.

4. There are similarities of cultural practice and symbolism across the continents.

5. Peoples on both sides of the Atlantic have flood traditions, and traditions of having originated on an island in the Atlantic.

The Atlantean Race was divided into seven sub-races:

a. Rmoahal: The first race, which rose 4 million years ago. These were dark-skinned giants (10 to 12 feet) that eventually dwindled in size, and the northern branches lightened in color.

b. Tlavatli: The second race, a mountain-loving people of reddish-brown, not as tall as the Rmoahal. They were ruled by chiefs and kings who received authority by acclamation. They eventually achieved an imperial state with a nominal king over them all, but his authority was nominal.

c. Toltec: The third race, dominant for thousands of years of power and glory. Copper-colored and tall (8 feet average). Theirs was the most powerful empire of the Atlantean peoples, and they established the principle of hereditary succession. They were divided into independent kingdoms at first, at war with the Rmoahal, but eventually united into a federation with an emperor over it all. The races still at that time possessed psychic attributes, and the dynasty was divine and ruled by adepts, submitting to the Occult Hierarchy. These took Atlantean civilization to its heights. But decay set in after 100K years, and the connection to the OH was broken, and their occult powers were turned to selfish and malevolent purposes—sorcery. [**] The followers of the "black arts" rebelled against the Initiate rulers, and the "white" emperor fled and a pretender dynasty took the throne. The empire was engulfed by civil wars. The capital ("The City of the Golden Gates") and the evil dynasty were finally destroyed in a cataclysm that left whole provinces desolate. But sorcery continued to be practiced, and "white" kings vied with "black" until the very last and the destruction of Poseidonis.

[**] On "sorcery": Thanks to scientific advance and their psychic faculties, men attained more and more control and control over the hidden forces of Nature. The awful effects of corruption meant that its practice spread, increasing lust, brutality, and ferocity.

d. First Turanian: Colonial-minded people who migrated to eastern lands. Turbulent and cruel, their government structure was feudal. A kind of socialism evolved, centered on state adoption and control of children, but it ultimately failed.

e. Original Semite: Turbulent race hemmed into mountainous districts. Patriarchical government, nomadic lifestyle.

f. Akkadian: Rose after 800K BC catastrophe and ultimately dominated. Lived in settled communities and adopted oligarchic forms of government. Invented dual-kingships, and made great advances in astrology and astronomy.

g. Mongolian: Only Atlantean race to arise with no connection with Atlantis, having arisen in Tartary. More psychic and religious than their immediate predecessors, and gravitated to a theocratic style of government.

Colonization tended to increase over time as subsistence levels decreased. But some colonization efforts were spear-headed by the "good" kings and priests, who were aware of impending catastrophes. The effects of these migrations can be seen in latter-day peoples, such as the Lapps and North and South Americans.

Egypt began not as a colony but as the center for a White Lodge of Initiates after the Toltec cataclysm. After 200K years, a great body of colonists was brought from Atlantis and the first "Divine Empire" established in Egypt. The pyramids were Halls of Initiation and also treasure-houses and shrines for talismans of power. The land was briefly underwater and the rulers in exile in Abyssinia, but its reemergence led to its reoccupation. An Akkadian influx modified the Egyptian "type." The final submergence of Poseidonis briefly submerged Egypt again (a third submergence) and ended the Divine Dynasties, and the White Lodge moved.

The Turanians founded the Aztec Empire, which was of pure Turanian blood.

The original Semites spread widely, even into Egypt, but the Jews are the only unmixed remnants of the race. The Aryan race arose from the original Semites who congregated on the southern shore of the central Asian sea.

The Mongolian race spread over Asia and the Americas and is still in a rising race with a history in front of it.

Arts and Sciences The Aryan race exceeds greatly in its artistic achievements those of the Atlantean, but architecture, sculpture, painting and music were practiced. Music and painting were primitive, but sculpture attained some subtlety, and architecture was gargantuan and decorated with bright colors. Temples were giant halls of Egyptian style, with square pillars, and filled with statues of great men which they paid to have ceremonially worshipped. The precious metals were plentiful thanks to alchemical transmutation.

Education Most children received a rudimentary education before being shunted into agriculture and mechanical arts. Those with superior ability received training in botany, chemistry, math, and astronomy, but with a goal of developing the student's psychic faculties and the occult aspects of the subjects.

Description of the City of the Golden Gates.

Atlanteans had flying ships, but only for the rich. They were boat-like in shape, but built of wood or metal. The propulsive force is still a mystery. They flew at 100 mph, never more than a few hundred feet in the air.

Manners and Customs Atlantean manners and customs naturally fluctuated throughout the ages, but in the main:

Polygamy was practiced, though in most cases only one wife was ever had. Women were treated as the equals of men, and co-ed education was also practiced. Women also had a part in government.

Atlantean cuisine made great use of animal blood and other parts not consumed by us, while the flesh was discarded. They also ate decomposed fish. But milk, grains, and vegetables were eaten. The upper castes, though, tended to be vegetarians. Liquor was forbidden.

Atlantean explosives killed by the release of poison gas, not by concussive force.

State coinage made a late appearance; previously, men manufactured tokens that worked as promissory notes.

Agriculture was centralized and food distributed by the government.

Religion The Rmoahals originally worshipped the memory of Manu, the divine founder of the race. This practice eventually turned into a kind of ancestor worship. The Tlavatli developed a sun worship, the sun being the symbol of the Supreme Being, and erected monoliths on hilltops. Under the Toltecs, massive temples to the sun and to fire were erected. In some of these, the image of a man as the highest representation of the divine was installed. Eventually, this passed into self-worship, with each person worshipping himself as a god. (Wealthy men even employed priests to themselves.)

Under the Turanians, the Unity of the divine became a Trinity—creator, preserver, destroyer—that under the Semites became a trinity of father, mother, and child. Also under the Turanians evolved the worship of elementals—beings created out of malevolent will to serve their creator—involving blood sacrifices to preserve and strengthen them. The human sacrifices of the Aztecs was a reversion to this sort of practice.

Lost Lemuria (1904) Science has shown that shape of the continents and ocean is in constant flux. During the Triassic through Eocene eras, the equatorial regions were dominated first by a single continent, then by a pair of continents when the original land mass broke up. This continent was Lemuria. The inhabitants thus co-existed with the dinosaurs.

The Lemurians were not truly human, not having the Divine Spark that endows mind and individuality and were closer to animals. They showed rapid evolution during their time, developing from an etheric form (the form of the Second Race) into a gelatinous body and then into a solid, skeletal body. In its early form it had three eyes (the third in the back of its head, which evolved into the pineal gland and the focus of psychic vision). In its developed form, the Lemurian stood between 12 and 15 feet in height with dark skin, a long jaw, a flattened face, eyes set far apart like a bird’s, and no forehead. The arms and legs were proportionately longer than ours and could not be fully straightened, and thanks to the third eye and a protruding heel, the Lemurian could walk backward as easily as forward. The skin was loose and scaly.

Early Lemurians reproduced by self-division and by budding, then by being birthed from eggs. Eventually they evolved to give live birth.

Early, mindless Lemurians bred with animals, yielding ape-like creatures that became fully human.

Life and arts were primitive, so that by the time of the fifth sub-race the Lemurians were living only in huts, and agriculture and fire were unknown. It was at this point that the Lhas entered.

The Lhas were a race of supremely evolved humans from Venus who, having returned to the spirit world, took human bodies in order to become teachers of the Lemurians. Thanks to their guidance, the Lemurians acquired the Divine Spark. The Lhas taught them fire, smelting, agriculture, weaving, and brought with them from Venus wheat and the bee.

During the time of the sixth and seventh sub-races the Lemurians built great cities. (The statues of Easter Island are representative of these sub-races and erected by them.)

Lemuria perished in volcanic action, covering the land with ash over a long period of time, ending gradually with the full subsidence of

[tiergan-vashir]

Character Astrology

Filling out that meme before reminded me of that time I chatted with @huntspeak​ and figured out what the Sun, Rising, and Moon signs of Tiergan and Lurial were.  Now I’m dropping them here so I can tag them and easily find them later!

Tiergan Vashir

Sagittarius Sun | Cancer Moon | Capricorn Rising

Lurial Vashir

Capricorn Sun | Aquarius Moon | Scorpio Rising

Full details under the cut.

Tiergan Vashir

Sagittarius Sun (Who You Are)

Strengths: Generous, idealistic, great sense of humor Weaknesses: Promises more than can deliver, very impatient, will say anything no matter how undiplomatic Sagittarius likes: Freedom, travel, philosophy, being outdoors Sagittarius dislikes: Clingy people, being constrained, off-the-wall theories, details

Curious and energetic, Sagittarius is one of the biggest travelers among all zodiac signs. Their open mind and philosophical view motivates them to wander around the world in search of the meaning of life.

Sagittarius is extrovert, optimistic and enthusiastic, and likes changes. Sagittarius-born are able to transform their thoughts into concrete actions and they will do anything to achieve their goals.

Like the other fire signs, Sagittarius needs to be constantly in touch with the world to experience as much as possible. The ruling planet of Sagittarius is Jupiter, the largest planet of the zodiac. Their enthusiasm has no bounds, and therefore people born under the Sagittarius sign possess a great sense of humor and an intense curiosity.

Freedom is their greatest treasure, because only then they can freely travel and explore different cultures and philosophies. Because of their honesty, Sagittarius-born are often impatient and tactless when they need to say or do something, so it's important to learn to express themselves in a tolerant and socially acceptable way.

Cancer Moon (Your Inner Self. Your base Reactions, Instincts, and Emotions.)

Strengths: Tenacious, highly imaginative, loyal, emotional, sympathetic, persuasive Weaknesses: Moody, pessimistic, suspicious, manipulative, insecure Cancer likes: Art, home-based hobbies, relaxing near or in water, helping loved ones, a good meal with friends Cancer dislikes: Strangers, any criticism of Mom, revealing of personal life

This is the most subjective position of the Moon. The Moon is “at home” in the sign of Cancer, as the Moon is the natural ruler of the sign.Moon in Cancer natives have a large potential to be able to get in touch with the feelings and moods of others. Often, they are quite wrapped up in themselves. Their memories of the past are outstanding, especially for all things emotional. Moon in Cancer people are rarely detached—;they cling to things, their home, and people they care for. They seek out security and familiarity in all they do. They look for peace and quiet. Their attachment to all that is safe means they are a little leery of change.

These peace-loving souls dislike superficiality in all of its forms. They are devoted and accommodating. The insecure ones accumulate things in an attempt to feel secure.  Because of their strong attachment to, and memory of, the past, others may complain that Moon in Cancer natives tend to whip a dead horse. They may dwell on hurts long after everyone else has moved on. When they feel they have been taken for granted (which may be often!), they don’t always confront others directly. This is when they can use roundabout ways to get your attention. In fact, these natives, when they are insecure, can become quite manipulative. They can also be victims of habit.

These people can have a hard time compartmentalizing their lives, simply because their watery Moon tends to know no boundaries. Sometimes, as a result, they may act irrationally.One of the most delightful characteristics of Moon in Cancer people is their loony sense of humor. These people can be extraordinarily funny. Their moodiness can baffle others, but their unique outlook on life is something most people can appreciate.

When treated with tenderness and understanding, Moon in Cancer natives return the favor with warmth and protection. Give them security, and you’ll take the crabbiness out of the Crab, at least for awhile.  These people are wonderfully dependable overall, despite their occasional mood swings. Make a friend of Moon in Cancer, and you will be taken care of for life.

Capricorn Rising (How You Are to the World. Natural defenses and how you cope with day-to-day issues)

Strengths: Responsible, disciplined, self-control, good managers Weaknesses: Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst Capricorn likes: Family, tradition, music, understated status, quality craftsmanship Capricorn dislikes: Almost everything at some point

There’s a seriousness to Capricorn rising people that is unmistakable. Even when they’re joking around, it’s of the deadpan variety. In fact, plenty of very humorous people have Capricorn Ascendants. It’s all in the timing…and the fact that they don’t giggle before the joke is over.

Capricorn rising people are generally big on family, and forever worry about security–for themselves and their dependents. They come across to others as hard-working, competent, and dependable people. What others may not see under that cool, even suave, exterior, is an inner struggle: they often ask themselves, “Am I doing enough?”, “Do I deserve all of this?”, “How can I make things better?” They worry a lot about the future.

If success seemed to have come easy to these folks, it hasn’t. They just made it look that way with a patient, hard-working, driven personality. Some Capricorn rising people practice some form of self-denial. They know how to do away with the frivolous. Still, they’ll spend money on the clothes they really want (the ones with the right labels, that is), and other status symbols. Although they’re rarely showy, their quiet air of success is often a result of conscious effort.

More often than not, Capricorn rising individuals are success stories. Their childhoods may have been difficult, but they slowly but surely turn their lives around. Saturn rules this Ascendant, and this generally means a kind of backwards way of living–as children, they are serious and bear a lot of responsibility; and as they grow up, they age beautifully, learning how to loosen up.

Lurial Vashir

Capricorn Sun (Who You Are) 

Strengths: Responsible, disciplined, self-control, good managers Weaknesses: Know-it-all, unforgiving, condescending, expecting the worst Capricorn likes: Family, tradition, music, understated status, quality craftsmanship Capricorn dislikes: Almost everything at some point

Capricorn is a sign that represents time and responsibility, and its representatives are traditional and often very serious by nature. These individuals possess an inner state of independence that enables significant progress both in their personal and professional lives. They are masters of self-control and have the ability to lead the way, make solid and realistic plans, and manage many people who work for them at any time. They will learn from their mistakes and get to the top based solely on their experience and expertise.

Belonging to the element of Earth, like Taurus and Virgo, this is the last sign in the trio of practicality and grounding. Not only do they focus on the material world, but they have the ability to use the most out of it. Unfortunately, this element also makes them stiff and sometimes too stubborn to move from one perspective or point in a relationship. They have a hard time accepting differences of other people that are too far from their character, and out of fear might try to impose their traditional values aggressively.

Saturn is the ruling planet of Capricorn, and this planet represents restrictions of all kinds. Its influence makes these people practical and responsible, but also cold, distant and unforgiving, prone to the feeling of guilt and turned to the past. They need to learn to forgive in order to make their own life lighter and more positive.

Aquarius Moon (Your Inner Self. Your base Reactions, Instincts, and Emotions.) 

Strengths: Progressive, original, independent, humanitarian Weaknesses: Runs from emotional expression, temperamental, uncompromising, aloof Aquarius likes: Fun with friends, helping others, fighting for causes, intellectual conversation, a good listener Aquarius dislikes: Limitations, broken promises, being lonely, dull or boring situations, people who disagree with them

Moon in Aquarius people are extremely observant. They are lifetime students of human nature, loving to analyze why people do what they do. This often stems from a detached–even shy–personality, especially in youth. Whether due to character or conditioning, Moon in Aquarius people often grow up feeling “different”. Although rather sociable, they are often loners at heart. Many have strong egos, or at least powerful defense mechanisms, and most Lunar Aquarians will do their best to be the most unique and unusual person they can be. Their inner feeling of loneliness that they don’t quite fit in puts them on the outside, looking in.

There is a very idealistic and progressive streak in Lunar Aquarians that is admirable indeed. However, when the Moon is in Aquarius, natives often will deny the more irrational qualities of emotions such as jealousy, possessiveness, and fear in an effort to be “above” what they consider “pettiness”. When this goes too far, Lunar Aquarians can be emotionally blocked, distant, and detached.

Although given to temper tantrums and willful behavior in youth, Moon in Aquarius people often grow up feeling that messy emotions are unappealing. They often pride themselves for being cool-headed, detached, and “above” what they consider the baser emotions. In the process, they can end up alienating others and themselves. Although Lunar Aquarians can be especially adept at understanding others’ behavior and motivations, they can lose touch with their own simply because they have identified too strongly with what they aspire to be (and these aspirations are often super-human).

The Aquarian tendency to be humanitarian shows up powerfully in Moon in Aquarius. However, their kindness and concern for others is generally more a broad philosophy of life. With people close to them, Moon in Aquarius natives can seemingly lack compassion, as they often fully expect others to be as independent and detached as they are! In close, personal relationships, however, Lunar Aquarians generally give others a lot of personal freedom, and they will tolerate and enjoy all kinds of idiosyncrasies in people around them. 

Scorpio Rising (How You Are to the World. Natural defenses and how you cope with day-to-day issues)

Strengths: Resourceful, brave, passionate, stubborn, a true friend Weaknesses: Distrusting, jealous, secretive, violent Scorpio likes: Truth, facts, being right, longtime friends, teasing, a grand passion Scorpio dislikes: Dishonesty, revealing secrets, passive people

Scorpio Ascendant people have a lot of presence. There is something about them that tells the world that they are not to be pushed around. Their manner commands respect, and in some cases, fear. Scorpio rising people can be quiet or loud, but they always seem powerful and determined.

You either love or hate Scorpio rising people –they are rarely people who go through life unnoticed. In fact, some of them are confused when faced with the fact that they get such strong reactions from others. They seem to look right through people, seeing through superficiality. This can be quite intimidating to some, and intriguing to others. Scorpio rising people, in their dealings with others, look for answers by reading between the lines. Surface details are discarded when they are getting a feel for people and situations around them.

Scorpio rising people value their privacy so much, it can border on paranoia. They have a strong need to control their environment and are experts at strategy. Rarely people who will blow their chances with impatience, they plan out their moves carefully and deliberately, relying on their awesome ability to feel out others and situations.

Scorpio rising natives are drawn to down-to-earth, natural partners. Reliability in their partner is very important. They generally look for complete commitment and have little patience with flighty partners.

[ethelynjapaneseblog]

B # 4

Blood Type & Kakuri: The Origins of the Japanese Passion for Robots

Blog Entry - Chapter #4

Blood Type

According to the author, it all began with a Japanese Psychological Professor, publishing an article, called “The Study of Temperament Through Blood Types.” The study’s theory became extremely popular amongst the Japanese since it was published in 1916. Today, Japanese people have form opinions and understand each other’s behavior through blood type characteristic. This goes as far as being asked at job interviews and even in match-making situations. Blood type category have been published and commonly recognize as way to tell fortune and compatibility.

“The Japanese believe your blood type determines your character to a great extent. People are very superstitious, and religions are based on superstition.”                                                      - H. Garcia, “Superstitious Japan?”

Image: Blood Type Personality Comic: Study Group

✹ In the Western world, namely the United States, there are a few who believe in something that could tell your fortune, compatibility and advice, and it normally originates in a different country. Few believe in Astrology, where they believe the movements in the celestial sky indicates your fate and fortune. For example, a person who is born on March 29th is an Aries, and horoscope originates in the Middle East, tracing its history all the way to the 2000 BCE (1). United States have borrowed the concept of Twelve Zodiac animals as well from China. All these have a few things in common, such as they also believe that your personality, fortune, etc. is something you are born into. The concept of doing so play on psychological analysis on the people. For instance, humans are socially creatures, where we, as an individual, would like to belong to a group. Horoscope, zodiacs and blood types categories most certainly categorize people into groups. However, unlike Japan, the United States, for the most part, does not develop many of their superstitions into a culture-wide, practiced tradition.

❇ Personally, I do not believe in superstitions, from horoscope to blood type, but it is actually quite fun and interesting to indulge and assess what horoscope or blood type category you belong to. It was most certainly a fascinating to read and discuss with friends what your fortune is for the day or whom you are compatible with without taking it seriously. As a group sometimes, friends amongst friends can boast to be the same horoscope or the same blood type. It propel a sense of belonging to some people. From my experience, some people know their horoscope, zodiac and even their blood type, but only few truly believe in them religiously. I have known people as well that cite their blood type, horoscope or zodiac as a reason for their particular behavior. When comes to online, there are few people that obsessed over their celebrity’s horoscope and feels connected to their celebrity if they share the same category as them. There is most certainly a wide range of people. Having grown up in a household that is not superstitious, we never have traditions that we follow outside the ones that has been declared as a national tradition or that is based on our religion

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Karakuri: The Origins of the Japanese Passion for Robots

Karakuri are the famous and iconic mechanized puppets, and its automating mechanics have fascinated Japan since its introduction in the 16th century (2). The Karakuri puppets is based on its simple mechanics and perform various task depending on the creator. There is a tale of Prince Kaya, son of Emperor Kanmu, creating a mechanical doll whose hands hold an empty bucket. When the people pour enough water on the bucket, the doll will automatically empty the bucket of water onto its own face, and it eventually soaked the ground. The doll fascinated the locals as they continuously played with it, leading to the nearby farms to be watered. Prior to the placement of the doll, the farms were becoming barren since the recent drought had dried up the Kamo River that was used to irrigate the farms (3). This contributes to the Japanese’s perspective and opinions towards robotics. Japanese people are generally very receptive of automation and articificial intelligence (AI). Evidently, Japanese have also produces arts, manga and animation that portrays robots with AI as heroes in the stories. Some of these media have gained popularity internationality, and Japan is also well known for its electronics and technological innovations.

“It is thought they are one of the reasons the Japanese have come to accept robots as friends and not enemies. Notice how in American movies robots always end up rebelling and trying to destroy the worlds, whereas in anime series and manga robots are very often superheroes.”                                                                   - H. Garcia, Karakuri in Society

Image: Real life-size Gundam

✹ As the author indicated, there is most certainly a difference between the Western view, namely the United States’ view when comes to robots, automation and artificial intelligence. The United States are generally receptive of our technological advancement to automate many procedures. As technology progresses, westerners beg the question of what are the possibilities and long-term effects of these changes. Over here, many people call into question of automation replacing human work skills, affecting employment in the long term, while praising its use to make our quality of living better. Artificial intelligence or AI is among the main focus of the United States’ many technological innovations. Movies and other animation raised the concern of what are the possibilities of AI overtaking human intelligence and even as far as existence all together. Thus, media have portrayed robots being an antagonist to humans, and public opinion generally echoes it as well. 

❇ I personally love technological innovations. Technology have changed how we live and interact with each other tremendously. I love how technologies can be integrated to our everyday life, enhancing our effectiveness, quality of life and the pace of how we progress. The science, mechanics and configuration behind technologies are equally fascinating. I agree, however, that it is a concern how these technology can be use against us. Therefore, I believe in addressing the changes early and not resist it because technology development is inevitable. As society and as an individual we must find a balance on how we incorporate technologies and ensure its regulation moving forward. I believe in a balance of how we view technologies, such as robots. As a society, we should be encouraging when it comes to the changes but also take precautions as we progress forward.

—————————————————————————————— Quotes from Chapter 4: Curiosities & Symbols - Garcia, H. (2012). Geek in Japan: Discovering the Land of Manga, Anime, Zen, and the Tea Ceremony. Tuttle Publishing. Kindle Edition.

(3) Boyle, K. (2008, January 14). Karakuri Origins. Retrieved from Karakuri Info: http://karakuri.info/origins/index.html

(2) Editorial Committee, & Foley, K. (2018, 12 July). Karakuri Ningyō - からくり人形 . Retrieved from World Encyclopedia of Puppetry Arts: https://wepa.unima.org/en/karakuri-ningyo/

(1) Karasavvas, T. (2017, April 9). The 4,000 Year History of Horoscopes: How Astrology Has Been Shaped Throughout the the Millennia . Retrieved from Ancient Origins: https://www.ancient-origins.net/history-ancient-traditions/4000-year-history-horoscopes-how-astrology-has-been-shaped-throughout-021321

[imakethecard]

Avarelle World Guide, part 1

Avarelle is a patchwork world. It’s not round and not flat; it has no consistent shape at all. Its geography does not conform to the geometry that we all know; the same road may lead to different places on different days, for different people, or under different circumstances.

Fortunately for the people who live there, large pieces of Avarelle are consistently shaped. Within each Domain, the world is more or less sane. Each kingdom, barony, or nation is like a world in itself, separated from the rest of Avarelle by a frightening wilderness full of wolves and witches.

Even within the Domains, the world is somewhat mutable. The boundaries of Domains tend coincide with their political borders, and their natures are shaped by their inhabitants. When the wilderness is settled by humans, it gradually grows sane by human standards; any land walked by demons becomes hostile and dangerous. Kings and queens have particularly strong influences; those knowledgeable in the ways of Avarelle can judge the character of a king by the flowers that grow by the roadside in his kingdom.

Setting aside the influence of its inhabitants, each Domain has its own unique nature. One might have two-day seasons and hundred-hour days, while another might wither and die unless ruled by a queen of the correct bloodline. Very little is consistent across the plane; even the flow of time varies.

Still, the world is much more unified than it was two thousand years ago.

Sixteen centuries ago, a great king named Ulrek arose. With the assistance of his advisor, the great wizard Azor, Ulrek forged a great empire that stretched across the plane. With the empire came a religion built around Azor’s teachings, which would come to be called the Azorian Church. The empire was founded in blood and built upon bones, but it brought a golden age to the common people of Avarelle. In its heyday, the madness of the world was brought to heel and men imagined themselves the masters of creation.

The empire stood for a thousand years; long after Ulrek died, the seemingly-immortal Azor would return in times of need and strengthen the forces of order. But eventually Azor disappeared for the last time, and six hundred years ago the empire split into a thousand kingdoms. 

Despite the collapse of the empire, its influence is inescapable. Its language, its religion, and its culture form the foundation beneath the manifold ways of the thousand kingdoms. The Azorian Church remains in place, and serves as the only truly global institution on Avarelle. It advises leaders, preaches sermons, and performs ceremonies, but its chief duty is the keeping of records. The Azorian Church keeps track of historical events, marriages, royal bloodlines, knighthoods, and so on. They see this as a sacred duty, and take it very seriously even when it clearly has no practical value.

The Church holds speech holy: any being capable of speaking and understanding speech is considered to have a soul and certain inherent rights. Any being not capable of speaking and understanding speech is not; a talking cow is a person, while a deaf-mute human is not. The rights of the ensouled are fairly broad, and as a result the Church often acts to protect the common people from greedy, tyrannical, or simply incompetent rulers.

The institution of marriage carries enormous magical weight on Avarelle. It blends the souls of the parties involved, giving each some of the traits of the other. Any two ensouled beings may marry in the eyes of the Church, regardless of gender or species, but divorce and polygamy are strictly forbidden. Although the magic in marriage can sometimes be annulled or shared among a group, the Church is completely prepared to kill over the sanctity of monogamous marriage.

Most of Avarelle’s citizens never leave their home Domain. The risk of getting lost, and being unable ever to return home, is terrifying to almost everyone. But there are five types of person that travel widely, knowing that they may well be forsaking their homelands forever:heroes, wizards, merchants, pilgrims, and refugees. 

Some brave souls, often knights, travel in search of adventures to have and wrongs to right; they reject the safety of living in a single Domain in favour of the opportunity to accomplish great things.

Witches, wizards, and those who wish they were witches and wizards travel as well; there is knowledge and power to be had in the far corners of the world that the common people can only dream of. Nobody ever became a sorcerer by sitting at home and reading.

Merchants take advantage of the near-isolation of most Domains to make their fortunes. What is cheap and common in one Domain may well be deeply desired in another, and anyone brave enough to bring a cart of goods from Domain to Domain can earn gratitude and admiration alongside enormous wealth. The greatest prestige is accorded to those few merchants who have travelled to Perdition and returned with their souls intact, having convinced demonkind that working with them is more profitable than simply consuming their soul and turning their body into a puppet. Such merchants often deal in strange intangible goods, and it is said that they can arrange just about any imaginable miracle...for the right price.

The Azorian Church maintains the routes to certain holy sites so that the common people can touch the divine or plead for the assistance of holy paladins. When the Empire stood, most people took a pilgrimage; since then it’s grown rarer and more dangerous, but even now it’s by far the safest way to travel far.

And of course, there are those unfortunate souls who are driven from their homes. Exiled, sometimes, or fleeing from a ruined land. When a Domain is abused terribly, when it is misruled for decades on end, the land withers and gives birth to vermin. Famine takes hold. Eventually, when the Domain is rotten to the core, the terrible Nameless God of Crawling Things emerges to consume the foulness. The Church keeps an eye on the health of each Domain, or tries to, and regularly acts to heal a land if possible or evacuate its residents if not.

The people of Avarelle come in countless shapes. Humans are the most common, since the human species is the most reliably ensouled, but just about every species found on Avarelle has ensouled members. It’s not at all strange for a woman to marry a giant spider, or for the local butcher to be a bear.

Humans and other ensouled animals lack magical abilities of their own. Inborn magical abilities of the sort common on other planes are unheard of on Avarelle. Magic is found by invoking the power of other beings; making a contract with the faeries, taking in part of the soul of another animal, invoking the demons of Perdition, or otherwise reaching beyond your own mundane nature. This magic often works through the power of names, and so even the common people of Avarelle generally keep their true names secret. People often choose new names for themselves, or simply go by their titles. Rulers traditionally go by the names of their Domains.

There are, of course, beings on Avarelle with their own inherent magic. Faeries, dragons, demons, giants, mitlings, and the like need no pacts or invocations to work magic. But such beings are rare, at least outside of their own lands.

It should be noted that the above summary centres humans and other ensouled animals. In some ways this is appropriate, since most of the world is dominated by the mundane races, but it is likely unfair to the elves.

The elves claim to rule the world, and while they may be arrogant they aren’t bluffing.

The elves of Avarelle are not like most of the Multiverse’s elves. They are more akin to spirits than to humans, immortal and powerfully magical. They have ancient laws flowing through their veins, giving them endless strength but little freedom. Animals find elvish law bizarre and incomprehensible, but it is nonetheless absolute; to break it will reduce an elf to goblin-hood. As a result goblins tend to pity elves, seeing them as slaves to a bodiless master. Everyone else respects and fears them.

[sadcatbug]

v i v a r i u m

Have you ever happened upon a magical place?

This piece is perhaps the first time I started to unpack my identity in my artwork. I am constantly reflecting and internalizing my perception of myself as a young female with Chinese heritage and Southern American culture.

I was adopted by my amazing mother, the late Traci Presley, when I was 1 year old. And ever since then, I’ve lived in the American South. I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas and the only time I ever went back to China was when we adopted my younger sister when I was 4 years old.

I believe the prompt for this project was a ‘terrarium inside and aquarium.’ Inspired by this Youtube video (https://youtu.be/h9rKepQaCXE), the assignment was to build a space within a space. I became very interested in spiritual spaces and shrines. There’s a scene in the Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli animated film, Spirited Away, where a cluster of abandoned shrines are shown for a brief moment in the beginning of the movie. Chihiro, the main character, is a young girl forced to leave her friends and move to a new house. She notices the shrines along the back road they’re taking which leads them to eventually become spirited away to the magical spirit realm.

I particularly became interested in the fact that this was the first Asian movie I ever saw as a child. It has been a family favorite ever since and I have deep connections with this coming of age film. More interestingly, however, is perhaps the fact that American audiences would not really know the significance of this brief scene: these are discarded shrines long forgotten by believers and abnormally clustered together, letting us know they are entering a place of high spiritual energy. Recognizing this tiny detail made me realize how fine a line cultures can connect/disconnect and this led me to focus on how we notice things around us.

There are 157 shrines, each with their own fortune from a fortune cookie I have physically collected. I started collecting them during the summer of 2014 at Arkansas Governor’s School because every Saturday my friends and I would order Chinese takeout and I would keep everyone’s fortunes afterwards. I don’t know if that’s creepy, but I like to think of it as sweet and perhaps overly sentimental.

In the midst of the production of these shrines, my professor came up to me and said, “Isn’t it funny how you’re trying to make these precious shrines and yet you are mass producing them like a machine?” I realized then how hilariously perfect my art making was echoing my own identity and experience: the only way I have had access to my Chinese heritage is through imported/mass produced items like Chinese takeout, translated foreign films, mass produced ‘authentic’ Asian items (cups, bowls, prints, etc.). I loved this realization and found a real synergy with this project.

The shrines are in 12 locations making up a dodecagon in Fayetteville. 12 sided shapes have strong significance in my work because that was the first shape I built in my freshman engineering class as a balsa wood tower to support a specified amount of weight. The number 12 is also significant for many other reasons: https://numerologysecrets.net/numerology-12-meaning/

Over the course of making these shrines, my compulsive interest in numbers and numerology couldn’t help but make its way into the work. Because I was making these spiritual and religious objects from the Japanese Shinto indigenous religion, I started to think about how to combine meaning and symbols from long established religions with more hokey kinds of believing like lucky numbers, astrology, numerology, etc. Because for me, my own religion and spirituality is a combination of religious practices and believing in things like lucky numbers and horoscopes. I like to think I have a whimsical worldview; that everyone can believe in whatever they want and if you’re wrong, or I’m wrong, or everyone’s wrong about the inner workings of the universe and what happens after you die then that’s just how it is and that’s okay.

Here are some of the fortunes you can find in the shrines:

A bold & dashing adventure is in your future within the year. 24 25 29 32 37 40

Fortune is on your side - play it for all it’s worth Panda Express Panda Inn

Your skills are needed by others at this time. 3 10 15 23 29 32

Don’t get so caught up in the daily grind that you never find any time to enjoy yourself. Learn Chinese - Dishwasher 洗碗機 Xǐ wǎn jī

All that we are is the result of what we have thought. How about another Fortune? SecondFortune.com Lucky Numbers 38, 44, 41, 23, 28, 33

I think the fortunes speak for themselves... so many of them are hard to take seriously yet every now and then one can really change the way you feel.

Long story short, I decided to make these shrines and put them in overlooked and under-used places within our spaces. I placed them along baseboards and along stairways under the railings where people don’t walk. My ultimate intention is bring the realms of spirituality and physicality closer together. I believe something really special can happen when you overlap the energies of the spirits of the shrines with our daily places of work and production.

[itsmonika]

chinese bad luck numbers

You have probably heard that there are Chinese, bad luck numbers. These are called the Lo Shu Lo and they are very astrological in nature. They can come about as a direct result of a person's good or bad fortune. This can be rather frustrating to many people who are looking for some kind of explanation as to what is going on in their lives.

The Lo Shu Lo is one of the most important things to watch out for when it comes to the Chinese culture. These people believe that every aspect of their lives is connected to the five elements and the Feng Shui practice. In order to build and maintain the wealth and prosperity that people are used to, these people take it all very seriously. One of the most important aspects of this Lo Shu Lo is that it will protect the people from bad luck. They believe that if the Feng Shui is not well-maintained, then the wealth and prosperity that people are used to will not be able to be protected.

The Lo Shu Lo numbers for the Chinese, bad luck numbers are very interesting. They are called the Bagua, which means that they were first known as the Bagua Wheel and were created by a Chinese monk in the seventh century. It was discovered by a scholar from Kyoto and was brought back to China where it was used for many years to help determine the correct direction and placement of buildings and other items.

The Chinese bad luck numbers also have very deep meanings. They relate to the seasons in Chinese astrology. Each of the fifty elements is assigned a particular color according to its position in the wheel. In order to determine where a person is in the heavens, it is important to read the associated colors and their corresponding numbers.

Some people are born in the Chinese zodiac sign corresponding to the Chinese bad luck numbers. These people have certain traits in them that usually turn them into a great person. However, if these traits do not change, their luck will not either. These people may become very successful, but this will only be because luck has no part in their lives. On the other hand, there are those who suffer from these numbers and as a result, they become miserable people with low self esteem.

The Chinese bad luck numbers for luck are very interesting because they provide the basis for people to develop the characteristics that they need to be successful. For example, the dragon is one of the main bad luck numbers. If you are born on a Friday, you are then lucky dragon. If you turn into a dragon, you will become very lucky in life.

Another very interesting Chinese bad luck numbers relate to the lunar cycle. These numbers have cycles depending on the moon and the Chinese believe that bad luck can be caused by the influence of the moon. This is why it is believed that most millionaires are very lucky on the Friday and during the weekend because the moon is full and they feel lucky. However, this does not always hold true and sometimes, people will find that they are really unlucky on that day of the week.

One of the main bad luck numbers in Chinese culture is the five-seven. This is another group of Chinese numbers that relates to the lunar cycle and the amount of good fortune that people are surrounded by. For example, if someone is lucky five times in a week, this is considered extremely lucky for that person. Therefore, if your birthday is on the five-seven-day, you are considered very lucky to live on that day and this can help you get whatever you want.

[dirtywrat]

Transition scenes ftw

.X.

Eriibeus’ personal research log, 442.89AU

The people of Rolveon IV are currently undergoing what could be considered an equivalent to an early middle ages, characterized by petty king and queendoms or small city-states, as well as a general lack of record-keeping or cultural output. Their current timeline is marked as following the invasion and subsequent defeat of the Obrox armies around 230-sum years prior. They are primarily a feudal society, separated into those who work, those who fight, and those who pray, and their overall worldview is highly theistic.

They have yet to conceptualize most scientific studies; their observations of the natural world are explained via religious texts, and those within the clergy are often the most highly educated. They do have words for several basic sciences—anatomy being the first—and some simple protosciences such as astrology or alchemy, but they appear to think of these subjects as completely dissimilar to one another, totally uncorrelated. Sadly, the majority of advancements made by Rolveon ancients seem to have been lost to time. Scientific documents kept by the Obroxian Empire were either lost during the invasions or destroyed afterwards by the remaining populace under the belief that they were ‘Obrox heresy’.

They seem to be rather petulant people, waging wars of aggression against neighboring domains or initiating conflict with their fellow Rolveon with little rational consideration placed before their impulse. Despite this, or perhaps because of it, they take the practice of medicine and study of anatomy extremely seriously, as evident by their notably low mortality rates and individual cases of surgical success, all despite the constant infighting. Physicians are typically clergy members, and are often among the local monarch’s head advisors. An increased need for medical knowledge seemed to have developed around the time of the Obrox invasions and has since been on a steady incline of progress. It is this medical prowess which is my reason for being here.

Word of their intrigue has spread quickly among some of the biology forums I subscribe to online, and I have found myself enthralled enough to spend mine and Kathria’s downtime interacting with their people and studying them directly, rather than from a standard orbital observation post. Their practices are not perfect and they still have much to learn. They are often far from accurate as well, considering they still place much of their reliance on their gods or unseen forces which they cannot control. But regardless, they work with surprisingly sophisticated models for surgery and treatment of illness. I’ve done my research and no documentation of any known galactic civilization having visited the grounds of Rolveon IV in the past exists, so I am left to believe that these are their own unassisted discoveries.

I have been accepted to serve as an apprentice under the personal physician of King Acruxum of Okuil, a relatively poor and unknown kingdom which mostly serves as a stopping point between the nearest higher-profile domains. I figured this would be helpful in my attempt to remain off the Rolveon radar. In order to be accepted for this apprenticeship, I was required to undergo an exam, which was very similar to an exam I may have taken in early primary school. There were many inquiries about basic medical and anatomical subjects where the answers would be true to most forms of life, as well as a literacy evaluation. Needless to say, I passed. I was also required to swear an oath that I would devote my practices to serve their gods solely, but I have no intention of holding true to that pledge.

I have disguised myself as one of their people using basic hologram software I downloaded off of some Earth website since it was free, so I did not anticipate the highest quality of computer programming. I made alterations to it myself to ensure a more natural look and higher stability. It would surely be an embarrassing slip should the program fail while I am surrounded by Rolveons. I claim that I am from a made-up city-state very far south of Okuil, a place I declared ‘The Council of Troverdon’, where the status of a scholar is held above that of a king.

Kathria has expressed to me her concern with this mission of mine, claiming that it has potential to interfere with the natural development of these people, and is thus ‘unethical’ for whichever reason she has chosen this time. I disagree, as my intention is not to interfere, but to strictly observe as they go about their daily lives. The idea is really no different than the purpose of the observation posts themselves. My apprenticeship begins tomorrow, and I am eager to bear witness to their fascinating practices first-hand.

  .X.

  “Should I waste my breath a final time by telling you not to do this, or will you simply disregard my words again?” Kathria asked sarcastically as Eriibeus made some final adjustments at the teleporter control panel. Accuracy was always a necessity when utilizing this device, but for these purposes it was of even greater importance to ensure that he be transported far from civilization, lest the religiously-minded people of Rolveon IV witness his sudden manifestation.

He flattened his antennae, thoughtful. Not in rethinking his mission, of course, but rather searching his mushroom bodies for a new response to this argument they had already had countless times since their arrival into orbit. “Kathria, please, believe me when I say that it will be alright. I’ve already told you that I will be there to observe, nothing more. I’ve taken the precautions necessary to secure an unsuspecting infiltration. They will be none the wiser of an alien presence.”

He briefly paused from his tapping on the dashboard. “And even if things should go poorly and they discover I am not one of them, the Rolveons wouldn’t understand the things I could show them, anyways. It would all be boiled down to mere religious superstitions,” he went on.

She scoffed, folding her arms in a display of contempt. “And that is any better? Feeding their beliefs in imaginary forces?” Her frustration was reaching its hilt. As someone who had dedicated her life thus far to upholding philanthropic principles across the Milky Way, the idea of tampering with a defenseless group of people for intellectual gain left a sour taste in her mouth. “Eriibeus, this mission of yours reeks of carelessness. These people are only in their infancy, no different than either of us could have been but a few millennia ago. They are young, not stupid. They could very easily be taught the significance of our knowledge if given the time.”

“Well, then I will not give them the time. I will leave immediately should any issue arise.”

Kathria shook her head. How could a member of the species dubbed the most brilliant minds of the modern galaxy be so oblivious to what she thought obvious? There was far too much potential for error, which may even cost lives, and affecting the natives now would have a huge impact on their development later. “I worry over this. Any amount of influence that you instill onto these people, no matter how trivial it may seem to you, is completely unethical. Being in such close proximity to powerful people is surely not an aid to your case.”

Ethics. Eriibeus could have laughed, but he did not dare make Kathria aware of his amusement. It was generally believed amongst his people that subjective things such as ‘ethics’ had no place in research, as they merely slackened the accruement of valuable data. Humans and their moral qualms...

He had heard plenty of this. With a few final tunings, the teleporter was ready for transport, coordinates set for several miles outside of Okuil in the sparsely populated countryside. He would have to walk the main path some distance before reaching the kingdom, but patrolling forces traveled the road frequently and ensured security even outside of civilization.

He touched the screen one final time to power up the clear tube stationed across from him. Its design was minimalist: a chamber large enough for a single target, and a thin pad lining its base where the dematerialization would take place. These domestic models were much smaller than the massive commercial-use teleporters which could transport many targets at once. It was constructed from a transparent aluminum, giving the structure the appearance of being crafted out of glass. Once activated, its door glided open in a circular motion conforming to the device’s frame, any seams between the individual components of the machine completely unrecognizable. These were the designs of his people, the Phosnoi of Zorian Prime.

Eriibeus stepped inside and Kathria followed him as he positioned himself on the center of the pad.

“I realize that no laws exist which prohibit independent researchers from interfering with primitive peoples, but even if the blatant disregard for their cultural integrity doesn’t bother you, you are putting your own safety and the safety of the citizens of Okuil at risk. What should happen if you find yourself in a situation you cannot merely walk out of?”

Eriibeus’ antennae twitched and he sighed. This was annoying. “Again, and for the last time, I am not interfering. And do you truly believe that the Rolveons are capable of harming me, Kathria?”

“Of course I do, as anyone would be well-suited to overpower you, Eriibeus.”

He knew this to be true, but he glared anyway.                                                                               

“Do not underestimate these people. You’ve stated in your notes that while very clever, they are also naturally inclined towards hostility with one another.”

He seemed to consider this for a moment, but soon after shook his head and the door glided shut before him. The built-in decontamination system activated instantly and misted him with disinfectant. It was an automatic process for these machines to do so.

“It will be fine, I assure you.” If Phosnoi physiology allowed them the ability to smirk, Eriibeus likely would’ve. “No risk is too great in the pursuit of knowledge.” And with his final word, a ball of teal lightning sparked within the glass bottle and died in a single blink of the eye. Eriibeus had vanished, and would arrive on the surface of Rolveon IV in several seconds.

She let out a single laugh. The Phosnoi were renowned across the galaxy for their insatiable thirst for knowledge, which in turn often translated into recklessness to most outsiders. After all the time they’d spent together, what Kathria once found endearing, she now found very aggravating at times like these. “The irony is not lost on me, Eriibeus. Foolishness in the pursuit of knowledge is still foolishness the same.”

  .X.

  Following a loud crack of what could be mistaken for thunder, a teal laser beam broke the stormy Rolveon clouds and touched the ground below, serving as the very first artificial link between heaven and earth the planet had ever seen. It lingered for a moment while emitting a high-pitched, almost-inaudible whine, and after it dissipated, a perfect copy of Eriibeus’ cells materialized in its place. He was now off Kathria's ship—the SSE Pax Concordia—and on the surface of the planet, approximately five miles from Okuil.

It was all crops and fields within a ten mile radius around the kingdom’s limits, with rustic farmhouses and holds dotted sparsely across the land. Beyond the farmlands were dense forests nearly untouched by the influences of man, aside for some miles of road disappearing into the trees. From where he landed, he could see the highest peaks of the kingdom’s architecture protruding from its defensive walls, but it was still to be a significant trek for his weak Phosnoi physique. His people were scientists, or mathematicians, or doctors, or engineers. They were not warriors, nor were they particularly impressive athletes even.

Eriibeus groaned at the thought. Kathria would have been quick to call him lazy just then, but he was usually content to place the blame on his frail alien body. He laid his three-fingered hand out flat, and in his palm materialized a thin remote with only three controls, sleek and arcane in its design as were the technological signatures of his people. It was such a simple device, comparable to a cell phone, but the people of this planet would fail to understand these things. He took note of this prospect. The technology his people were known for were marvels of physics and engineering, but far from the realm of impossibilities.

He input a specific pattern among the remote buttons to activate the hologram, and in a digital flash, he appeared as one of the Rolveon people. As a child, he would toy with these cloaking hologram programs to play make-believe games with others his age. It was an interesting invention, but hardly anything impressive. A member of his or any other equal galactic-scale community would see right through the seams of this clunky disguise, but to a primitive mind any ideas of ‘holograms’ were as of yet unthought-of.

The hologram left Eriibeus feeling no different, for it altered his outward appearance only. No changes were made to his actual physiology, no internal components removed or added in the process. Prior, he stood at roughly 220 centimeters, but he now appeared to have shrunk to an unimpressive 170, as was typical for the modern adult male Rolveon. A combination of Rolveon IV being a higher-gravity planet and a lack of substantial nutrients in local diets meant for a short-statured populace. He remained bilateral with two arms and legs and now four fingers on each hand, two eyes and two nostrils in the center of his face above the mouth. His form was much stockier and now mammalian, a direct contrast to his true insectoid frame. He had dark hair atop his head in place of antennae, and ears and lips on his face where there once were none. While the large Phosnoi eyes did indeed possess an iris, it was obscured underneath a compound lens. In his disguise, both iris and sclera were now distinct.

Eriibeus looked down at himself. He felt as though the ground were now so close that he could touch it without bending his spine. Once clothed in a standard lab coat and black pants, he now wore a tunic tucked into leggings with various laces holding the adornments together. It was precisely what he had worn when he arrived to take his entrance exam, but the Rolveons would not notice this. It was simply a limitation of the programming which dictated he could not change, but frivolous things such as a wide selection of clothing were a luxury for common folk here.

On the ground beside him sat a hide bag of his luggage: technology of a future era and a spiral-bound notebook for his writings. In his pocket was a document signed by Acruxum confirming he hailed from ‘the city-state of Troverdon’, and he was merely here to learn. He brought nothing more because he did not intend on sleeping here. He would return to The Pax Concordia upon nightfall.

Well, he figured. I suppose I should be on my way... Even within the confines of his own mind he could not feign enthusiasm for the long walk ahead. Having to leave his residence for these field missions was the aspect of this which made him reconsider his hobby. He picked up his luggage by the straps and slung it over his holographic shoulder, and then he began down the road towards Okuil.

The walk alone would probably have one believe that Rolveon IV was an abandoned planet, not a single sign of sapience to be found. Eriibeus found this peaceful. Not quite as peaceful as the low hum of deep space he had grown so fond of, but local wildlife sang their songs and insects buzzed in the foliage as he went and there were no people around to disturb him. The fresh scent of ozone before the rain was one of his favorite aromas, and out here it filled the pheromone proteins of his concealed antennae like a liquid.

It wasn’t until Eriibeus was roughly one mile from town that he saw anyone at all. It was two guards riding down the path atop their domesticated transportation, a man and a woman. The man wore pants and the woman a long skirt which almost covered the toes of her leather boots, but both wore metal hauberks and coarse surcoats to cover their chests and shoulders, and matching coifs which shielded their heads to the bases of their throats. As the invention of gunpowder had yet to be conceived here, they were armed with tempered blades and small daggers, and were likely the only ones around to be equipped as such. No one was supposed to carry a weapon.

He waved as he passed them and between the two he did not receive a wave in return, but what he did receive was a pair of scowls and a snort of disdain from the animals they rode. The forum posts he had read online nearly all agreed upon the seemingly natural inclination towards social aggression the natives displayed. However, all of these observations were results from orbital research posts, none from any sort of active study. He anticipated being looked at strangely for being an outsider, but figured it wouldn’t be a challenge to ignore. Already, he felt ostracized here. Not as though it mattered to him if these people accepted him or not, but this would make his efforts to remain inconspicuous slightly more difficult.

He felt a surge of ice shoot down his spine and he lowered his hand and faced forward, instead. Hopefully the rest of his encounters would not be as awkward.

Eriibeus internally rejoiced once the path finally gave way to an incline of stone steps leading to the massive gate, locking the dangers of the outside world away from civilization. The climb was not particularly demanding, even for him, as the steps were not too steep at all, and as he ascended to the top, he was met with two more guards posted at either side of the entrance.

Before taking notice of him, the two were idling along the wall, chatting and laughing between themselves. Not quite the pinnacle of diligence, but Okuil was a kingdom which seldom saw visitors. One put their hand to the air, demanding Eriibeus not move any further. “Traveler, halt!”

Eriibeus did as he was ordered.

The guard paced forward with slow strides, a humorous show of arrogant authority. “From whence do you hail, sir? We haven’t supply boy nor messenger due for several cycles of the suns.”

Eriibeus hesitated, greatly wishing he had brushed up on the speech patterns of these people before he made landing. “Er... I come from the south. I am here to see the Cleric.” Short, concise sentences typically transcended language with the help of the universal translator.

Eriibeus produced the document from his pocket and extended his arm to show the guard, who in turn lifted his hand again, this time with dismissal. “Your efforts are for naught, traveler. I do not read.” He raised a brow. “What affairs could a wretched southern man have with the king’s Holy Cleric?”

“I am his new apprentice.”

He scratched at his chin. “A scholar, eh?”

Eriibeus slid the page back into his pocket. “Uh, yes. We hold scholars in very great regard from, uh, ‘whence I hail.’”

“Is that so?” The guard cracked a mocking grin. “And you have yet to speak the name of such a wondrous place.”

“The Council of Troverdon. We have a small population. Perhaps less than Okuil. Scholarly pursuits are where we prevail.”

The guard narrowed his eyes, resting his hand atop the handle of his sheathed sword as if giving Eriibeus a warning. “I traveled long ways with strides uncounted for many years before retiring to Okuil, and I have never heard of such a place in the south before now.”

“We are new.”

Neither man said anything. Rather, the two held eye contact for what Eriibeus thought was a very uncomfortable amount of time, but he did not shift. The guard looked back to his fellow, who merely shrugged.

“Very well, but rest under tonight’s twin moons knowing that I will ask of this place to any merchant or caravanner who may happen across our bounds, and should I find telling of your dishonesty, we will have you put to the stocks.”

Eriibeus was hardly shaking. “You will find nothing against me.”

With a final disgruntled sound, the guard pried the great gates open and gestured for Eriibeus to step inside, and immediately upon entry, he felt a sense of security within the enclosure of the ancient stone walls. He had come here several days earlier to take his exam, but did not venture far into the community. It was small and cramped for personal space, hardly two feet apart between individuals. If anyone were to get sick here, the entire population would likely feel the effects, he mused. That was a frightening thought to him.

Some residents lifted their heads as he entered the town, but most kept to their busy ways, brushing past him where they could and almost causing him to drop his luggage at several instances. He did attempt to stand for a moment to take in the scenery, but a barrage of Watch-It!’s and Move!’s came at him from every angle as the demanding villagers attempted to get around. It was best to keep moving in these streets, which he did. The road from the entrance led straight to Acruxum’s castle at the very back of the city.

Okuil had a population of less than seventy, but the roads were narrow and the village itself was very small, about 2 miles in diameter, thus giving the illusion of being much more congested than it actually was. It was built upon the ruins of an ancient Obroxian stronghold as were most settlements of the era, and it was easy to identify where the Obrox architecture ended and modern Rolveon construction began. The dark stone structures covered in varying vegetation and mosses were of Obroxian origins; the round wood huts with thatched roofs held together by dried mud were erected by the modern Rolveons.

It was very quaint being here among the citizens, he found. Although Eriibeus had been to primitive planets such as this one before, he had never directly interacted with the natives or been inside their dwellings.

He walked just as he had been moments sooner, and his real thighs were beginning to burn from all of it. Market stalls were situated on the sides of the already-too-narrow roads, manned by shouting attendants that gave him a headache, and the ancient multi-story structures towering over the wooden huts funneled him down a specific route. Playing children weaved around him and domesticated animals kept pace with traffic. It was overwhelming how busy this place was for its size.

The road then opened into the courtyard, which appeared to be the main gathering point for the community, and after the courtyard was the castle. The castle itself was not very grand; it was the tallest building of the village but only barely. The monarchs of this village were not a wealthy line. Its ground was level with the rest of the town, the courtyard directly outside of its large doors. There was no moat, no defenses, not even a single guard to be found. People were playing and working and tending to their stalls as though they were not on the doorstep of royalty, and he saw that the castle doors were left wide open. Peasants were coming to and from the king’s residence as they pleased it seemed, but Eriibeus still wondered if he should ask to go inside.

He glanced around for someone who wasn’t occupied, finally laying eyes on a girl sitting by her lonesome under a tree in the courtyard lawns. He approached her. “Excuse me,” he began.

She looked up at him. She was not dressed as the rest of the peasantry. Her linen dress was loose and simple much like everyone else, but she wore a shawl of fur across her shoulders and a scratched gold ring on her middle finger, clearly worth more in sentiments than in monetary value. She cocked her head upon seeing a new face. “Yes?”

“Uh... I am Erii of Troverdon. I am here for an apprenticeship under Cleric Hal.”

She jumped to her feet which were garbed by worn leather boots, made for manual tasks such as working in the fields. “I am Yvaanell. The king is my father. I am heir to the throne here.” An honest smile happened across her face and she folded her hands over her lap.

Eriibeus was taken aback by her casual demeanor. The status of royalty meant nothing to him here, but he did expect someone like the princess herself to be a bit coarser about these things. “Oh, well, should I bow?” He was only half joking.

Yvaanell snorted a laugh. “Absolutely not! My father tells us all that such formalities are better suited for kings with portraits upon their walls.” She grinned, stepping closer to him. “You may come and go as you please. Our home is open to the public. I will show you inside and introduce you to my father.”

  .X.

  Orbital observation posts were always open for anyone to connect to. Those with niche interests in sociological subjects such as Eriibeus spent some of their free time tapping into these surveillance streams and simply watched as primitive peoples lived their lives. Kathria always questioned the ethics of these practices. She felt it all seemed rather exploitative, allowing citizens of space-faring civilizations like the Galactic Nation of Earth or the Phosnoi Technocracy to essentially spy on unwitting people, but the intention of these posts was ultimately to educate the public. Supposedly.

From the moment Eriibeus left the ship, Kathria was plagued with urges to keep watch of him by taking reins of one of the post’s cameras, just as he or his ilk may have watched a native under usual circumstances. The two of them had worked alongside each other for some time now, and she would trust the man with her life. However, there were still bits of her that struggled to fully accept his methods of approaching delicate situations, such as this mission he created for himself.

Two hours had finally passed since his departure, and with every second more, she acknowledged her apprehension was increasing in weight. Various scenarios of what could possibly go wrong played on a loop inside her head.

Anxiety eventually took over her judgement. She extended her left arm outwards at an acute angle, and the thin, flexible band worn around her wrist pulsed with two dull vibrations. Her HUD blinked to life: a hologram the size of a large textbook emanating from a square component of the band, detachable for charging and mounting to other devices. Modern personal HUD’s were ancestored by smart phones and tablets of the past millennia. Perhaps humankind’s most prolific invention, aside from the internet, of course.

Modern orbital surveillance satellites that were available to the public delivered imagery with resolutions by the millimeter, allowing for intense enhancement capabilities. Although it wasn’t possible to zoom in close enough from space to read someone’s lips on the surface of the planet, it was possible to see inside of windows or identify heads from top-down perspective. Military and state satellites were much more powerful than these ones. After a series of swipes and taps upon the hologram display, she did connect to one of the cameras and input the coordinates left behind by Eriibeus in the ‘Custom Coordinates’ application field.

“Forgive my lack of confidence in you, Eriibeus, but I know by now that your superior Phosnoi intellect is often hindered by your own ego.”

Passive observation posts of these sorts were mostly established by the xenophilic Thu’Xii State, the modern galaxy’s undisputed superpower. Once she connected, their country flag flickered fuschia-red over a black backdrop on her HUD before displaying a bird’s eye image of where Eriibeus began his trek, 5 miles outside of Okuil.

Kathria touched the screen and slowly pulled her fingers across to pan the camera’s image to the left. Upon the ground were digital tile quadrants and Thu’Xii numbers to label each one. The footage was clear and fluid aside from the occasional tearing. She followed the route he most likely did, along the only road, until she reached Okuil from five hundred feet overhead. She panned around, scoping out the village for someone who may tip her off as her associate and even exploring a bit for herself. It was impossible to determine which one of the moving scalps was Eriibeus, and perhaps that was good. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Not now, at least.

After several minutes of searching for anything and finding nothing, she forced herself to disconnect from the stream and lowered her arm which deactivated her HUD. She wished she could assure herself that her worries were not needed, but unfortunately for her she was not very naive. She truly did admire his passion for learning. His entire reason for offering to be her ship’s science officer was simply because he wished to be closer to the fronts of scientific discovery out here in space. Some days she chastised herself for not realizing what she had enlisted for when she accepted him aboard.

In an effort to take her mind off of matters, she elected to leave the control room finally and head to her quarters instead. Downtime between missions was meant to be used as a time of recuperation for the crew, and the captain should deserve some peace, as well. She was told by Eriibeus that he would return upon village curfew as he did not wish to sleep there, so he should never be in a condition where his guard has been compromised.

[jonjost]

Cara Clarinha

The days now pass in a dense fog, one of mis- and dys-information, a tidal wave of news from around the world, of how many infected, how many dead.  Each day the numbers leap, each day the social responses become harsher.  Now it seems half the world is ordered to stay at home (if you have one).  Highways are empty, hospitals are full.  In Italy corpses line the corridors of some places.  A plague is upon us.  Not only that of this virus, but of our own ill behavior.  One feels the sense of dread thickening in the air, the fear of change, drastic change, casting across the sky like a leaden cloud.  While some suffocate literally, which is how one dies from the coronavirus, metaphorically we are all suffocating, choking on a blunt reminder of what we have actually done to our globe and ourselves.  The skies clear.  And somewhere deep inside some clarity begins to come into focus, and those suddenly not working 8 to 14 hours a day, frantically going to and from, buying things of habit, find time to think a moment.  And other things become clear: that the frantic world in which your job, your life, your imagined future were all invested may just vanish.  And it may.

Reading tea leaves is a nice mystical thing, like Tarot cards and astrology charts.  Some like to do these things and some take them seriously.  I instead read other things – hard, often unpleasant facts, social, political, and physical realities.  I do not come to conclusions because I like them, but because that is what I see, piecing one thing and another together.  For now many decades I saw this kind of conjunction of realities coming together to produce something like what is going on now; that at some point the stresses constructed into our society and our way of living – our “life-style” would become too great, and it would all quickly collapse.  Not long ago there was a period when catastrophe theory was academically popular.

While I was long ago familiar with this theory, though I had hardly “studied” it, I had an interesting experience which took the theory out of the sterile world of academia, and put it right in front of me.  Back in 1975 or so, I had driven all the way from Montana in a VW van, to San Diego and on all the way to the East Coast.  It was for my first screening at the Museum of Modern Art.  The van had no brakes, and it is a long, interesting story, but best told another time.  At all events I went for a screening in New England, meeting for the first time Peter Hutton (who died 4 years ago, come June), and saw his wonderful films the first time.  And he saw my Speaking Directly, which he liked and he wondered how I could like his films, so very different.  Some people seem to think one can only like work that is the same as one’s own.

From Speaking Directly

Where he lived there was a Porsche garage, and since they are VW’s underneath, I traded them a lid of the world’s worst grass I’d grown in Montana, to fix my brakes.  At the time the Tet offensive was going on in Vietnam – that was the last military action by the Vietcong against America – and they were moving into Saigon and American troops were fleeing, taking helicopters from the roof of the US Embassy.  That was on the radio while the mechanic was taking the wheels off my van to fix the brakes.  The wheel drums were rusted onto the spindle, and he explained rust was a crystalline structure and when the tool he was using applied enough pressure the structure would suddenly collapse, and the 30 kilo piece of steel would just pop off.  He advised me to step back as I wouldn’t like that landing on my foot.  A few days before the US government had assured the public that in Vietnam all was stable and not to be concerned.  Standing in that garage I put the two together, the rusted corroded matter of my van, and the corrupted, corroded social/political matter in Vietnam.  The same.

Peter Hutton and New York Portrait 1

And so today as the COVID-19 pandemic sweeps the world, it is quite similar.  The economic system which we have built under the rubric “globalism” under “neo- liberal” ideology, which is really just capitalism unrestrained from its own tendencies and unchecked by regional forces, has, in combination with modern medical practices – meaning from the last 100 years – and other factors, including our methods of agriculture and manufacturing, all come together to make this rupture.  It is an unsustainable system and finally the stresses on it have caused it to stumble, and fall, just as did the rusted structure on my van’s wheel, and Saigon, when there was enough stress to break the seemingly stable system.

Whether this virus will accomplish such a rupture or not in the long run, it has certainly in a very short period caused a great disruption in our “life as usual.”  While there are now, of course, various conspiracy theories as to just how, who, what, why all this has happened (that the US did it, China did it, etc. etc.), my sense is that while it was not deliberate, it is a consequence of our cumulative actions and abuse of the natural world in which we live.

Philip Guston

I would hope this great break in what we thought of as “normal” would give us pause about resuming things as usual once this has passed.  That we would, globally, and locally sit down and seriously think about what it is that we have done so terribly wrong – not just to produce this virus, but to produce the ultimately deeply damaging and unhappy world we have created.  For this to actually happen I think this current crisis must last into the summer or autumn, enough of a shock to our sense of “normal” to settle in deep enough for us to stop and consider everything.  So I hope.  The hard-nosed observer of our cultures, though, has his doubts.

Matilde, in Portrait

The other day, my “other” Italian family, with Tilde being the messenger, sent me word that so far they are all OK (the older of them are in their 80’s so this is very risky for them, and they live in Lombardia where the virus has hit hardest to now).  And she sent me photos of her grandchildren, writing she hope it would make me smile.  Which it did, though also it brought tears to my eyes, thinking of the possible world they may grow up in.  Unless, as I suggested above, we seriously and deeply change our societies, their values and behaviors.

Famiglia Rebosio

And as the world has indeed changed, so has the little modest and really not very important world of cinema.  Festivals are cancelled around the world, including Cannes.  Productions have come to a halt (a big animation feature my friend here in Portland, Mark, was working on has stopped for two weeks, for now, but I imagine it will be at least two months and perhaps more, or perhaps it will simply be stopped despite its Oscar winning director).

With the changed circumstances I have decided to post Pequenos Milagres on-line, for the moment for free.  Aside from the last minutes of it, it is a joyous and beautiful work, so perhaps in these hard times around the globe it might make some joy for people to see it. I hope so.  And for you.  Preferably see on a good screen and with a good sound system or headphones.   It is here.

From Pequenos Milagres

I assume you are, like many others, staying at home.  I hope things go well for you, Tiago, and your friends.  I am staying as best I can in, avoiding other people and trying as best I can to not contract the coronavirus.  And if I do I hope my body can deal with it.  I have no medical insurance so I don’t really know what would be done with me if I required hospitalization – though I would I think try to refuse it.  We shall see.

Amo-te, Clarinha.  Be safe and be well.

I love you

Teu pai,

jon

  Uma Lettera para Clara: O Contágio 3 Cara Clarinha The days now pass in a dense fog, one of mis- and dys-information, a tidal wave of news from around the world, of how many infected, how many dead. 

[twosidestarot]

5 Tarot Myths That Need Busting Like, Yesterday

I know many of my readers are keen tarot enthusiasts, and experienced and even professional readers. We have a whole lot to say to each other! Today's post, though, is for those of you lurking in the wings.

Maybe you stumbled upon my blog by accident, or while doing a little research into a subject you don't know too much about (yet!). Perhaps tarot has just appeared on your radar and you want to learn more, or you've been curious for a long time but haven't yet taken the first step on your tarot journey. 

Image via The Lioness Oracle Tarot

For the newly tarot-curious, the very word “tarot” is evocative, summoning up images of psychic priestesses in their temples, fortune tellers glimpsed through clouds of incense smoke, and secret ceremonies conducted by moonlight.

All of that is seductive and magical, but I know when you're just starting out, it can feel a little unapproachable. The arcane, occult trappings of tarot can be part of its appeal, but from the outside, all those rumours and rules can also feel like impenetrable obstacles!

Over the years, I’ve encountered so many people interested in the art of tarot, who felt that it wasn’t accessible to them because they weren’t psychic enough, or because they hadn’t been initiated into the Secret Psychic Tarot Readers’ Club (we have a secret handshake and everything!).

Sure, I’m the first to admit that one of the most alluring things about tarot is that it has its own mythology and mysticism. But popular culture and occult tradition alike tell a lot of stories about what it means to be a tarot reader, and way too many of those stories suggest that tarot is only available to a certain kind of person, for a particular kind of use.

I’m all for embracing arcane traditions if they make things a little more magical, but all that stuff that holds us back? Let's take a hard pass on that! The gates are open. Tarot is for everyone who chooses to make it their own.

Let's break down some barriers, shall we?

1. Your tarot deck must be a gift

We’ve all heard it said that in order to be a real tarot reader, you must be given your tarot deck as a gift. Over the years, so many aspiring tarot readers have said to me that they’d love to start reading tarot, if only someone would give them a tarot deck.

The origins of this myth are hard to pin down. Many of the occult aspects of tarot as we know it originated with the esoteric society, The Hermetic Order of the Golden Dawn, so it may be that this myth was cooked up to reinforce the idea that becoming a tarot reader required initiation and secrecy (the Golden Dawn were definitely big on ceremony!). It's possible, too, that secret initiations were necessary to keep occult practitioners safe at times in history that were less tolerant of alternative spiritual practices.

Fortunately for today's readers, though, this myth is just not true. Just think, if it were, how few tarot readers there would be in the world!

If you want to start reading tarot, I have good news. You don’t need permission. You don’t need initiation. You don’t need to be given your deck as a gift. And don’t let anyone tell you that your deck should be stolen, either – theft really sucks for bookshops, new age stores, and your bestie's carefully cultivated tarot collection, so please don’t do it!

All you need to get started on your tarot journey is an interest in tarot and willingness to get going. Treat yourself to the tarot deck of your choice, and get reading!

2. You can't start reading tarot until you've memorised all the cards

A standard tarot deck contains seventy-eight cards, which is a lot to take in, especially when you’re starting out. So many tarot-curious folks have expressed anxiety to me about how much there is to learn before you can get started, and I know there are plenty of people out there too daunted to even begin. What a pity!

Tarot is a rich, many-layered esoteric tradition, which pulls symbols, ideas, and beliefs from all corners of the Western occult and philosophical canon. From Hermetic philosophy to Kabbalah to numerology to astrology, there’s certainly plenty you can investigate to enrich your understanding of this beautiful discipline.

To begin with, though, all you need to do is shuffle, and pull a card.

Seriously, I mean it! Take out your tarot deck, and draw a card. Look at the image. What feelings does it provoke? What does it remind you of? Are there any colours or symbols that are significant to you? What would it be like to be in the situation on the card? What could you learn from this situation?

If you answered these questions, congratulations! You just read a tarot card. Well done!

When learning tarot, it is important to bury yourself in the books and drink up all you can about the symbolism in the cards. Theory is nothing without practice, though, and so it’s just as important that you give yourself time and space to play with your cards, to respond to them intuitively, through the lens of your own experience and subjectivity. In time, you’ll learn to draw your book learning and your intuitive reading together, thus transforming yourself into a tarot reader extraordinaire.

And as for memorisation, well, it’s a little overrated. Even the most seasoned tarot reader consults the books from time to time, because there’s always more to learn. Let memorising the cards be a natural side effect of your intuitive play with tarot, and not an overwhelming goal that stops you from ever getting started!

Image via the Spirit Speak Tarot Reversed

3. Tarot is only used for telling the future

This myth probably doesn’t need too much busting among the seasoned tarot readers, but if you’re new to tarot, this might be an assumption you’ve inherited. In the popular imagination, tarot readers are psychics, predicting when and where that tall, dark, and handsome stranger is going to come along and sweep you off your feet.

In practice, the turban-wearing, crystal ball-toting tarot fortune tellers are few and far between (although Two Sides Tarot has nothing against a good turban, don’t get me wrong!). There are great readers out there who offer predictive services, but this is certainly not the only way to use a deck of tarot cards.

Many readers – myself included – are more interested in the present than the future. When it comes to the questions and conundrums we all face, we want to know what’s going on under the surface. What extra information can we glean? What perspective should we take? What approach will help us make a good decision? What skills or tools should we use for this or that situation? How can we challenge our perceptions and ignite our creativity and move towards our goals, starting right now?

Sure, a good tarot reading equips us with tools for what’s to come, but I believe that the cards are most useful when we focus our attention on what’s happening now, in the present moment. Chances are, it’s more than you might think!

So, don’t be fooled. A tarot reading doesn’t have to be all about sitting back and waiting for a pre-destined future to come to you. A good tarot reading explores your inner and outer worlds as they are now, so that you can use that information to shape your own future. Knowledge is power, after all!

4. You have to be psychic to read tarot cards

This one is definitely intimidating for beginning tarot readers! Of course, in pop culture, tarot readers have long been associated with mediumship and psychic revelations and, well… a certain kind of spooky knowing. You could be forgiven for thinking you need to have prophetic dreams or communicate with the dead in order to read tarot cards.

Sure, there definitely are some folks out there who feel blessed with The Sight and who have no qualms identifying as psychic. Many of them make great tarot readers.

For a lot of us, though, “psychic” isn’t really a word we throw around. Personally, I don’t believe I’m psychic, but that’s ok, because I’ve found that there are other, even more valuable skills that make a great tarot reader.

For one, a willingness to practice. Tarot is a skill anyone can learn, and like any skill, it takes a little time to learn and a lot of time to master. Any person who picks up a deck of cards, psychic or not, will get the best from this art form if they’re dedicated to honing their craft. Practice, practice, practice!

The next thing that will help you on your tarot journey is intuition. Believe it or not, we’re all intuitive. Maybe some of us have spent more time honing that part of ourselves than others, but everyone has the ability to take information and experience and instinct and use it to make cognitive leaps in understanding about our situations or environments. And like any skill, practice only makes our intuition sharper!

Finally, it’s important to remember what we call ourselves. That is, tarot readers. Tarot is a language of symbols and associations that beginners simply need to learn to read through study and practice. Your tarot skills will grow and flourish if you focus on reading what you can see with your own eyes on the cards in front of you – no Second Sight required!

5. Tarot decks don’t reflect real people’s identities, backgrounds, and lives

This last one is really important!

A look at some of the most popular decks from the last hundred-odd years might lead you to believe that tarot is only representative of certain kinds of people. I.e., slim, able-bodied, gender-conforming, straight, white people.

Like so many types of media, tarot has been historically poor at giving a voice to the truly diverse and often marginalised types of people, relationships, and lived experiences that we actually embody and see in the world around us.

Tarot readers and creators, like people from all walks of life, come from many genders, cultures, sexualities, and ethnic groups, and in all shapes and sizes, and of course, we want to see our true selves represented in the decks we read with. For a long time, though, decks like that were few and far between.

The good news is, this paradigm is slowly changing. When second-wave feminism got hold of tarot in the 1970’s, woman-centered, and queer decks – like the Motherpeace Tarot and Thea’s Tarot – began to appear. Court cards were renamed to reflect family and social relationships, rather than feudal hierarchies, and figures on the cards were liberated from at least some of their traditional and gendered roles.

There was still a ways to go, though, and fortunately, in the last few years, this shift has really picked up in pace and scope! In the midst of tarot’s current renaissance, more artists than ever are creating tarot decks that better represent diverse lives and identities. 

They may not yet comprise the majority of decks on the market, but if you go looking, you can begin to find decks that give voice to people of colour, differently-abled people, gender-diverse and queer people, and roles and relationships that don’t conform to so-called traditional norms. And thank goodness for that! It’s so, so powerful to draw a card and see our own, true stories reflected back to us, whatever they may be.

For help on your quest for truly diverse and representative tarot decks, check out Asali Earthwork’s wonderful labour of love, the Tarot of the QTPOC list. Therein lies goodness! And for broad and inclusive tarot discourse, you really can’t miss Little Red Tarot.

We’ve come a long way, but the world of tarot publishing is by no means perfect, so let’s keep this conversation going! And if you value inclusive and expansive tarot decks and resources, vote with your dollar and support the artists doing this vital work. 

*

So, tarot novices, lurkers, and babes who got lost here via google search, take it from me: tarot is for you, if you want it to be! Forget about the rules and restrictions. If you want to embrace this beautiful, intuitive, dynamic, weird art form, you don't need permission. All you need is a deck of cards. Good luck out there! 

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Astrology For Dummies 2!

This week in our Astrology series we bring you Astrology for Dummies #2 and we go in depth with all the twelve signs of the zodiac; Aries – Taurus – Gemini – Cancer – Leo – Virgo – Libra – Scorpio – Sagittarius – Capricorn – Aquarius – Pisces. We believe the knowledge of our qualities and disadvantages will put us in a good road to positive interactions with each other. Astrology is one of the few studies we think can bring us to that very reachable dream of self consciousness and self realization.

Aries (March 21 - April 19)

This first sign of the zodiac is associated with new beginnings and creativity. The Aries individual strives for challenges and likes to find new adventures. Mars is the ruler of this sign and Aries people are likely to be leaders. They are always competitive, brave and confident. Aries individuals are excellent at starting up projects but will often fail in seeing these projects through. A lot of great leaders and pioneers were born under this sign. Aries individuals do need to work very hard at seeing another's point of view.  Like the true fire sign, their tempers are furious and they find it almost impossible to compromise on issues about which they feel strongly. They are helpless at dealing with the mundane and unpleasant tasks of life, whilst naturally undemanding and most often aggressive.

Taurus (April 20th - May 20th)

This sign appreciates and works at developing harmony and peace, as we might expect of a sign ruled by the planet Venus.  They enjoy the comforts of life, but of course, the comforts of life cost money and they understand this and plan to achieve financial security, to afford and they may be quite materialistic at times. They have a talent for creating a happy, comfortable, peaceful and luxurious home. They are affectionate and warm with children and friends. They must periodically examine themselves and their lives and avoid falling into an unchanging and sometimes boring way of life. They sometimes miss out on opportunities because they are unwilling to take risks and feel threatened by change.

Gemini   (May 21st - June 20th)

Ruled by Mercury, this is an intellectual, rational sign. In direct contrast with the previous sign of Taurus, Gemini finds it difficult to commit. They prefer fast changing circumstances, constant stimulation and ever new experiences for they are intimidated by responsibility. The wit and charm of these people makes them popular socially, though they can be cool and lacking in sympathy in more intimate situations.  In love, these people are flirtatious and excitable but they can quickly move on to someone who is more superficially attractive. They will not tolerate possessiveness in a long term partner. Gemini people are easily bored. Their minds are constantly on the go and looking for something new to order and analyze. They are ideally suited to journalism, the legal profession, the transport industry or any work in which their mind can be constantly stimulated and they can use their excellent communicative abilities. Gemini must beware of flitting constantly from one situation to another and avoiding commitment and its rewards forever. They must also resist the urge to deceive others - Mercury is also associated with thieving and lying! They also need to come to an acceptance that they cannot be young and irresponsible forever.  

Cancer (June 21st - July 22nd)

Those born under this sign are the most sensitive in the zodiac. Well aware of their vulnerability, they are most concerned to build around them a secure family and domestic life. Home life is sacred and the Cancer individual will be devoted, sympathetic and loyal to his or her loved ones. As they have so much invested in other people, they can be very clinging and possessive. These people are quite demanding of others and will resort to manipulation to get their own way. Ruled by the Moon, Cancer is a moody and changeable sign. They may find it difficult in facing up to the harsh realities of life, preferring to live in the world of their imagination. They also love reminiscing for they have wonderful memories and are very sentimental about them.  

Leo (July 23rd - August 23rd)

Leos have a natural ability to command respect and love from others. It is their generosity, warmth and heroism which is so attractive. Their integrity is absolute and because of this they lack the ability to manipulate. They are always open and frank, rather naïvely thinking that it is best to tell the truth. There is an innocence and playfulness in Leos which comes from their love of life and their zest for getting the most out of every experience.  Leos have huge hearts and can be easily hurt by rejection. They always feel that they have excellent advice to give others but this will often be misinterpreted as arrogance and can alienate people. The trust and respect that Leo can arouse in others makes them born leaders.  

Virgo (24th August - 23rd September)

Virgo people set themselves almost impossibly high standards. They will always do their best to achieve perfection and they expect the same level of commitment from family and colleagues. They have clear, rational minds which they apply to solve practical problems and success on this practical level brings them their greatest happiness. Virgos are not afraid to perform humble tasks and they are so careful and persistent that often they will succeed far beyond everybody's expectations. Virgos plan everything to the last detail as they have a genuine fear of disorder. Virgos may alienate others through their nit-picking criticisms of all around them who constantly fail to live up to their high standards. Many Virgo people  choose to  live  alone as  they  are not  good at surrendering  themselves to  passion.  They must remember not to drive their loved ones away from them with ruthless criticism.

Libra (23rd September - 22nd October)

Libra is the sign of marriage and partnership. Above all in life, they seek harmony. Their approach to life is essentially intellectual and they are capable of great mental detachment. Librans are always charming and popular socially. These people always want to please other people and be liked by them. It is quite easy for Librans to put their own opinions, needs and ambitions on hold in order to fit in with those around them. They are constantly trying to find a balance in life and do this by means of their associations with others. Their ability to see both sides of an issue and their strong sense of justice make it very difficult for Librans to actually make a decision or commit themselves. Their ability to be a friend to everyone can sometimes smack of hypocrisy. They value tact more than honesty. They can also be totally indecisive and their love of the good things in life can make them self-indulgent.  Librans may also be attracted to careers in the arts or selling luxury goods where they can use their strong sense of salesmanship.

Scorpio (23rd October – 23rd November)

This is a powerful sign which has a great ability to follow through on plans in a determined way. The intense passion and energy of these individuals makes it imperative that they act from the highest and purest motives as once set on a course, they will almost always succeed. But they will also be capable of influencing others enormously as their charisma and sense of commitment is overwhelming. They are more vulnerable than they immediately appear. They are extremely sensitive and quite easily hurt. And their hurts are remembered for a long time.  They are very good at behind the scenes work and in research. Some are attracted to detective work and healing professions and some to work in which they deal with financial resources. They are often concerned at some point in their lives in what is hidden - hence their association with sexuality, money, death and the occult. They are the most resentful sign of the zodiac and very easily jealous.

Sagittarius (24th November - 21st December)

Those born under this sign are extremely broad minded, optimistic and confident. They are generous and understanding and totally uninterested in petty jealousies. These people always have faith that things will turn out right in the end, no matter how bad things may be. Their positive thought patterns tend to attractive positive experiences to them. These people are honest to a fault but rarely talk about it. It is essential for them to be independent as freedom is the staff of life to them. They certainly value contact with foreign cultures as they consider this to be a valuable way of broadening the mind. They are often motivated to pass on their learning to others and can make very gifted teachers. Infidelity is often an issue in a Sagittarius marriage as, for these people, there is always a new adventure beckoning around the corner. Sagittarians need to develop some of the cool logic of the opposite sign of Gemini, to balance their lofty idealism.

Capricorn (22nd December - 19th January)

The sign of Capricorn is ruled by the stern planet Saturn and those born under this sign often find life laborious and demanding. They pit themselves against life, working in a determined, careful way until they reach the top of the mountain. Only then do they feel secure and fulfilled. The Capricorn path is often a very lonely one as they have no time, even when they long, for pleasure and relaxation. Capricorns can endure any hardship and deprivation if they feel they are nearing their goals. Often they achieve their greatest success later in life. These individuals are never afraid of responsibility, domestically or professionally. For whatever reason, they are likely to attract far greater responsibilities than other people. Family members may feel neglected as the Capricorn relentlessly requires possessions and status. Whichever professional arena they choose, and they can excel in any, they will undertake their duties with great seriousness. Capricorn individuals must beware that they do not miss out on life's joys because they always have their nose to the hustle of trying to work hard.  

Aquarius (20th January - 18th February)

Aquarians are gifted thinkers. Aquarians are humanitarian and motivated in all they do by the desire to make the world a better place. These individuals love to work in a group. They love their work if it gives them the opportunity to express original ideas. Sometimes, they are seen as rebellious - this occurs when they do not have an appropriate outlet for their original ideas. They are quite stubborn about having their own time and territory and for this reason they can be difficult to live with. They do need to remember that their loved ones want to be treated in a special way, rather than with the same tolerance and affection as anyone who comes into their orbit. They are likely to have friends from all walks of life and enjoy sharing their interests and ideas with them. They are often inclined to get involved in campaigns to alleviate suffering, inequality or pollution.

Pisces (19th February - 20th March)

People who are born under this sign are gentle, dreamy people who often prefer to avoid the realities of everyday life. It is sometimes not easy for them to be their own person. They are so sensitive to the moods and needs of other people that they will automatically adapt to fulfil those. They have limitless sympathy for the human condition. They are so changeable that they cannot always be relied on. They can be quite economical with the truth at times. These individuals are not robust and have little resistance to illness. They can quite often fall victim to addiction in an attempt to escape from reality.

Love and marriage is often the most important thing to them. They enjoy all aspects of domestic life and display their affections easily. They can succeed in the arts, in music or in the healing professions. They must avoid dishonesty and their tendency to become caught up in worry, even paranoia. Their almost ever present feeling of discontent can drain their energy and encourage them to dream away the time and miss valuable opportunities.

Next week we’ll bring you the third article on our Astrology for Dummies series. With any question with Astrology and or me Mordecai III, please send me a message. Thanx...

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Celtic Astrology Tree Signs

by Christopher Penczak | Jul 29, 2013

(Appearing Originally in Kaleidoscope Magazine)

In the ancient worlds, the study of astrology was as important as the study of astronomy. Magic and science were not separate disciplines, but part of the same coin. We know the Sumerians, Egyptians and Greeks of the western world all studied the movement of the heavens, along with Eastern and even ancient American scholars. It is upon the foundation of these western traditions that modern astrology is built. One culture that was renown for their knowledge of wisdom, including astrology, were the Celtic Tribes. The Celtic people eventually settled on the British Isles, but originally migrated westerly across Europe. The Druids, the priest caste of these people, held their lore in oral tradition, believing writing to profane sacred text. One must memorise all, including astrology. So unfortunately a complete system of Celtic astrology never survived in anything but a fragmentary form.

The first piece of the puzzle was retrieved by Robert Graves, the famous author of the White Goddess. He correlated the thirteen letter Celtic tree alphabet, the Ogham, with a Celtic lunar calendar of thirteen months. Ogham is a system of symbols, sounds and sign language used by druids. Each one represents a whole host of complex associations, based on the imagery of the sacred trees. Trees played an important function in Celtic myth and society. The word Druid comes from the word Duir, or oak, and is believed to mean “one who has knowledge of the oak. ” If you had knowledge of the trees, you had wisdom and magic. Some modern critics have disagreed with Graves interpretation, while others have built upon it. One such author, Helena Paterson from England, gives us an excellent resource, The Handbook of Celtic Astrology and the Celtic Lunar Zodiac. Her system uses the Celtic information in conjunction with traditional western astrology, giving us an even broader view.

Much like your traditional Sun sign can give you a lot of information, your tree sign can as well. Look to see what tree sign the Sun was in when you were born. I know a few people who relate much better to their Celtic Sign than the traditional zodiac.

Birch Dec 24 ­ Jan 20 Associated with the Sun, the Eagle, Stag and the bard Taliesin. Birch Tree people tend to shine like the Sun. They are very ambitious people. Work is taken very seriously and they are usually successful in business if they can find an area to excel in. Although stars with career, they tend to keep their private life private. As the family tree, Birch people also take family responsibilities very seriously and are often default heads of the household.

Rowan Jan 21 ­ Feb 17 Associated with Uranus, the dragon and the goddess Brigid. Rowan Tree people are futurists. Not necessarily in a technological way, but as visionaries for the future. They are humanitarians and take up worldly causes, but often in an unusual way. As the Rowan is said to magically break curses, Rowan people break control, authority and conformity. Although very kind and thoughtful, they can tactlessly express their controversial opinions.

Ash Feb 18 ­ March 17 Associated with Neptune, the trident and Lir, the sea god. Ash Tree people have two currents running through them. One side is very artistic and sensitive, while the other is quite down to earth. Compassion is the key word here, as they see the best and worst the world has to offer. Because of this dual nature, their motives are often misunderstood by those round them.

Alder March 18 ­ April 14 Associated with Mars, the pentacle and King Arthur. Alder Tree people are the warriors and adventurers, the heroes from myth. They are very physical and like a challenge. They take the lead with their competitive drive, but sometimes their actions are foolishly dangerous. Alder people may get impatient when action is low. They make great and loyal friends, but ego and need for praise can hide a deep sensitivity.

Willow April 15 ­ May 12 Associated with the Moon, serpent and Morgan Le Fay. Like the Moon, Willow Tree people have a hidden, mysterious nature. On the outside they appear as very sensible, practical people, but on the inside they are very psychic and mystical. Unusual experiences follow them. Although they are wise counsellors, their emotions and moods can change suddenly and negatively influence their usual reasoning ability.

Hawthorn May 13 ­ June 9 Associated with Vulcan, the chalice and the smith god Govannan. Those born under the Hawthorn Tree probably have a variety of talents aimed at communication. They are charismatic and well versed in many things, similar to the Celtic druids. They are great leaders and strategists, but at times their expressive nature is armed with the sword of anger. Verbal spars pepper their otherwise colourful life, as they experiment with life.

Oak June 10 ­ July 07 Associated with Jupiter, the wheel and the father god Dagda. Oak Tree people have a wide range of talents. They combine some of the best qualities, including vision, personal charm, optimism and a drive for success. Such individuals often find themselves in leadership positions. They enjoy their achievements and fulfilling their plans, but can be self sacrificing, risk taking, vain and naïve when executing their schemes. Later in life, they are drawn to spiritual and philosophical pursuits.

Holly July 8 ­ Aug 4 Associated with Earth, the flaming spear and the mother goddess Danu. This is the tree sign of honour and regalness. People under the Holly Tree hold to their values, backed by a strong will. They are trustworthy and loyal. In short they have a great sense of character. Unfortunately this regalness can manifests as through pretentious or patronising behaviour. History past holds sway over this sign, and their homes are often filled with historical collections.

Hazel Aug 5 ­ Sept 1 Associated with Mercury, the rainbow fish and the god Ogma. Hazel Tree people are not only wonderful communicators, but gatherers of knowledge and wisdom. They have incredible memories and ways of relating information. Many express themselves in writing, scholarly pursuits or as administrators. Such people have an excess of nervous energy and can hold to their tension or manifest it as an argument. Overall, they are highly interesting and challenging people.

Vine Sept 2 ­ Sept 29 Associated with Venus, the swan and Queen Guinevere. High emotions are a key aspect in the lives of Vine people. There is a restless quality in life. At times their gentleness and enthusiasm are on top. Other times they are excessively angry or sad. Even so, in the face of any opponent they are calm and collected, ever ready with a back up plan. They enjoy the finer things in life and like sharing with family in almost a motherly way.

Ivy

Sept 30 ­ Oct 27 Associated with Transpluto, the butterfly and the goddess Arianrhod. Even though technically not a tree, like Vine, Ivy is part of the Celtic calendar. Ivy is the sign of the strong will and power to persevere. They have a strong sense of justice and responsibility, are shrewd investors and generous providers for family. Unfortunately they can attract unstable elements to their life and can be manipulative. They are unusual people, learning skills for life and less from books.

Reed Oct 28 ­ Nov 24 Associated with Pluto, the stone and the underworld god Pwyll. Reed people are imbued with a strong sense of personal power, an almost magnetic quality that attracts others to them and aids in the overcoming of problems. They are imaginative yet enigmatic. Sometimes their powerful emotions turn into jealousy or obsessions.

Elder Nov 25 ­ Dec 23 Associated with Saturn, the raven and the god Pryderi. The last of the signs, Elder people go through a transformation over life. At a young age, they are extravagant and energetic, but as they grow older, their grow into their power and earn respect. They can very self disciplined and overcome hardship that would break others, but can appear to be emotionless. The personal lives of the Elder tree people are very open and public. They like to travel the world for adventure, fame and fortune.

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