mucky-puddler

[mucky-puddler]

ALL-IN-ONE NOTION: “TRANSCRIPTS”

a highly customizable, simplistic but fancy notion template for writers. perfect for organizing notes while keeping it aesthetically-pleasing to look at. guaranteed higher muse and motivation to finish works-in-progress.  to download / copy, click “duplicate” top-right to copy it to your notion.

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overview / introductory section (including a detailed synopsis section)

visual and simple overview of chapters

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[mucky-puddler]

Getting to Know a Plant Ally

The first step is Identification. There are hundreds and thousands of plants so carefully curating your arsenal of plant allies is crucial. Consider local and abundant species first, ones with cultural significance, and those you find personally called to. A good collection of 10-13 plants could fulfill all the needs you could ever desire, but as someone who loves knowledge, knowing more is always nice.

Once you have chosen your subject(s) so begins the research and one should highly consider creating a Materia Medica/Herbal Grimoire.

It is important to realize that even if you don’t intend to use herbs medicinaly, they are by nature medicine. It is important to understand how herbs interact with our body and environment (ie. pets and children) before working with them. Making tea and burning incense are common forms of working with herbs casually that could have ill effects for some people. So take some time to gather some facts from reputable sources (note you’re sources in your notes! Trust me it helps) and put together a little (or elaborate) reference book. Hard facts and dedicating time to learning the phyical knowledge of a plant I believe is necessary for understanding its spirit and metaphysical nature as well.

Things to include in a detailed entry:

Botanical and other names, and etymology

Physical description

Origins and role in the ecosystem

Growing habits and Community: where to find

When and how to harvest / parts used

Energetics and Observations: taste, smell, feel and other notes

Chemical constituents (essential oils)

Actions: how it interacts with the human body, what it does and where it shows effects

Contraindications and safety

History: folklore-current use, cultural significance, and scientific studies

Magical workings and spiritual teachings: depending on your path include correspondences, planetary associations, relations to spirits and deities, and other esoteric knowledge.

Recipes

References

*I may have missed something so the above list may be expanded

Herbal Intensives

It is important to do the research described above to determine which of the following exercises are safe to perform with your subject. Not all plant allies should be used in the following so please take proper precautions before performing exercises.

When introducing yourself to a plant ally it is important to start with gentle interactions and work your way up to ones more intense. The following exercises are written in an order that will reflect this.

Sight Exercise: carefully examine your subject for five minutes, study every aspect carefully. Really hold your gaze for the full time. When the five minutes of observation is up: turn away from your subject and close your eyes for a full thirty seconds. Hold the image of your subject in your mind’s eye. After thirty seconds of visualization, without looking back at your subject, draw what you see. This drawing is Not to be of fine detail (unless that’s totally your thing and you can do it without effort) it can be deconstructed or messy, it could be just a blur of color or even a symbol if that’s what you see. The point is to catch a glimpse of the plant spirit, or to find what most sticks out to you. After completling this exersice a more detailed diagram of the subject can be drawn for your notes.

Smell exercise: jot down your notes inbetween each different sample. Without disturbing the subject, notice any latent smells. Next, crush material in between your fingers, waking up aroma. Notice the difference between fresh and dry samples (if you have them). Boil sample in a pot of water and experience the aroma released through steam. Grind dry material and burn over hot charcoal and experience the aroma through smoke. Some thoughts to consider: does the aroma evoke emotions, bring up memories, or conjure images? Does it linger or dissipate quickly? Where on the spectrum of odor is the aroma; we can sense ten different odors [x]. As part of your Herbal Grimoire research why plants produce the odors they do. Inquire about terpenes and how they help plants build a relationship with the world around them and how they also effect humans. Taking these facts into consideration what can you deduce about the plant spirit as a being and what energy it holds?

Touch exercise: start by simply feeling the subject: notice it’s texture, is it robust or delicate? What do these observations tell you about the plant, how does it's form relate to it's function? For a deeper touch exercise create an herbal hand bath. Gather subject material and place in a heat proof bowl (a good handful maybe 1/4-1/2 cup), cover material with boiling water and let steep for 15 minuets. Pour off steaped water into a basin big enough to submerge your hands. When water is safe to touch soak your hands in the warm herbal bath for 8-10 minutes. Record your experience: was it astringent or conditioning, warming or cooling, etc etc. Repeat exercise but let bath cool completely and soak in cold water. Note any differences.

Taste exercise: take a small amount of the subject material and let it rest on the tongue for a moment. After noting any immediate sensation, chew and savor the flavor. Is it sweet or bitter? Describe it's taste? Does it evoke any feelings or cause any physical response? Let the material linger in your mouth to appreciate all levels of flavor. Now make an herbal tea. Take one to two table spoons of material and let steep in six ounces water 210 degrees for 6-8 minutes but drink with material still in cup. Sip slowly, take each moment to notice the development of flavor as it brews longer. Once completed consider interpreting signs in material, note any other feelings/experiences. Try exercise with both dry and fresh material if available, repeat with cold infusion instead, note any difference.

Create: while the previous exercises offer more immediate preparation, this is the next step in forming an intimate relationship with a plant ally. Now is the time for more intense creations. Using your subject alone (not in an herbal blend) create something that requires more time and effort: make an infused oil, tincture, salve, cook with it, distill essential oil and hydrosol, use it in a spell, etc. Once your creation is completed: record results, note successes and failures, write down how much you use and experiences with each application.

Meditate / Hearing exercise: all of the previous exercises are indeed meditations in themselves. But dedicating the time to a more simple meditation builds support with a plant ally. One may use a tincture, perhaps smoke some subject material, anoint themselves with infused oil, or just bask in the presence of the physical plant ally. The point to is to notice the subtle and the unseen and invite the subject into your existence with full attention. Afterwards make note of any experiences. Did you hear (learn) anything from your plant ally? This exercise can range from gentle to intense. *a note that hearing is not necessarily literal in this case*

It is important to consider time. There should be no rush when acquainting oneself with plant allies. Introductions can take days to months and relationships will be built over years. The learning with never cease.

*as always consult with a professional before using herbs medicinally, if you are pregnant, or on any medication. This is for education and curios only not for the treatment of illness or disease.*

[mucky-puddler]

Litha - commencing on the eve of the Summer Solstice, celebrates the midsummer, and the power of the sun god

[mucky-puddler]

Correspondences of: Carrier & Essential Oils

This is a long post, the correspondences are under the cut.

Carrier Oils: Carrier oils, known also as base oils, are used to dilute essential oils before they are applied topically. They serve as the base for oil blends. 

Essential Oils: Essential oils are concentrated liquids that contain the volatile (”the tendency of a substance to vaporize") aromatic compounds of plants. They are obtained via distillation and the oil alone should never be applied to the skin directly as some a reactive to heat, and light, and some will give you chemical burns. You are likely to have a reaction to essential oils.

Carrier Oils:

ALMOND OIL, SWEET (Prunus Dulcis) Ruled by Mercury and the Element of Air. Sweet Almond Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with prosperity, money and wisdom.

APRICOT KERNEL OIL (Prunus Armeniaca) Ruled by Venus and the Element of Water. This makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with love or emotions.

AVOCADO OIL (Persea Americana) Ruled by Venus and the Element of Water. This makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with love, lust or beauty.

CASTOR OIL (Ricinus communis) Ruled by Mars and the Element of Fire. Castor oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with protection and absorbing negativity.

COCONUT OIL (Cocos Nucifera) Ruled by the Moon and the Element of Water. Fractionated Coconut Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with purification and protection.

GRAPESEED OIL (Vinis Vinifera) Ruled by the Moon and the Element of Water. Grapeseed Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with fertility money and strengthening mental abilities.

HEMP SEED OIL (Cannabis Sativa) Ruled by the Moon and Saturn and the Element of Water. Hemp Seed Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with healing, love, psychic ability and meditation.

JOJOBA OIL (Simmondsia Chinensis) Ruled by the Moon and the element of Water. Jojoba Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with healing and love.

OLIVE OIL (Olea Europaea) Ruled by the Sun and the Element of Fire. Olive Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with healing, peace, fertility and protection. In many traditions Olive Oil is an all purpose oil.

SUNFLOWER OIL (Helianthus Annus) Ruled by the Sun and the Element of Fire. Sunflower Oil makes a great carrier oil for blends that deal with protection, fertility, health and wisdom.

Essential Oils:

AMYRIS (Amyris balsamifera) Anointing, astral projection, attraction, blessing, consecration, exorcism, healing, love, meditation, protection, purification, sacral chakra, spirituality.

ANGELICA ROOT (Angelica archangelica) Exorcism, protection, healing, visions.

BASIL (Ocimum basilicum) Business success, conscious mind (stimulates), happiness, lust, money, peace, prosperity, protection.

BAY LAUREL (Laurus nobilis) Banishing, exorcism, luck, psychic ability.

BENZOIN (Styrax benzoin) Purification, prosperity, attracts customers.

BERGAMONT (Citrus bergamia) Business success, happiness, money, peace, physical energy, prosperity, protection, sleep.

BIRCH SWEET (Betula lenta) Protection, purification, exorcism.

BLACK PEPPER (Piper nigrum) Courage, physical energy, and protection.

BLUE TANSY (Tanacetum annuum) Water, Venus, immortality, youth, longevity.

CAJEPUT (Melaleuca cajeputi) Purification, protection, dispel negative thoughts and energies, break habits.

CAMPHOR (Cinnamomum camphora) Celibacy, crown chakra, physical energy, psychic energy, purification.

CARDAMOM (Elettaria cardamomum) Love, lust.

CARROT SEED (Daucus carota) Grounding, fertility.

CATNIP (Nepeta cataria) Cat magic, love, beauty, happiness.

CEDARWOOD (Cedrus atlantica) Blessing, health (maintain), heart chakra, meditation, money, protection, psychic energy, purification, self-control, spirituality, unhexing.

CHAMOMILE (Matricaria recutita & Anthemis nobilis) Meditation, peace, sleep.

CHILLI SEED (Capsicum annum) Protection, exorcism, fidelity, hex-breaking, love.

CINNAMON (Cinnamomum burmanii /cassia /zeylancium) Astral projection, base chakra, business success, health (maintain), luck, lust, magical energy, meditation, money, physical energy, prosperity, protection, psychic awareness, purification, spirituality.

CITRONELLA (Cymbopogon nardus / winterianus) Exorcism (exterior use), health (maintain), purification, unhexing.

CLARY SAGE (Salvia sclarea) Vivid dreams.

CLOVE BUD (Eugenia or syzgium aromaticum) Balances chakras, business success, courage, divination, exorcism, healing, heart chakra, love, money, prosperity, protection, psychic awareness.

COFFEE BEAN (Coffea arabica) Grounding, Earth magic, Mars, ritual stimulant.

CYPRESS (Cupressus sempervirens) Longevity, healing, comfort, protection.

ELEMI (Canarium luzonicum) Mental and psychic ability, spiritual balance, solar plexus chakra.

EUCALYPTUS (Eucalyptus globulus) Healing, health (maintain), protection, psychic energy, purification.

FIR NEEDLE (Abies sibirica) Mind clearing, memory, communication, purification before ritual, , protection, hex removal.

FRANKINCENSE (Boswellia serrata / carterii) Blessing, consecration, courage, exorcism, meditation, protection, purification, solar plexus chakra, spirituality.

GERANIUN (Pelargonium graveolens /x asperum) Happiness, protection.

GINGER ROOT (Zingiber officinale) Attraction, business success, courage, love, lust, magical energy, money, peace, physical energy, prosperity, purification, sex.

GRAPEFRUIT (Citrus paradisi) Purification.

HELICHRYSUM (Helichrysum italicum) Creativity, intuition, invoke spirits, scrying, channeling, awareness, calm, patience.

HO WOOD (Cinnamomum camphora) Cleaning, banishing, subdue sexual desire, celibacy, chastity, psychic power, dream work.

HYSSOP (Hyssopus officinalis) Purification, protection.

JUNIPER BERRY (Juniperus communis) Protection, anti-theft, love, exorcism, health.

LAVENDER (Lavandula stoechas/angustifolia/latifolia /hybrida) Balances chakras, business success, celibacy, conscious mind (stimulates), happiness, health (maintain), love, peace, protection, purification, sleep, third-eye chakra.

LEMON (Citrus limonum / limon) Balances chakras, health (maintain), love, physical energy, purification.

LEMONGRASS (Cymbopogon citratus /flexuosus /schoenanthus) Psychic awareness, psychic energy, purification, spirituality.

LIME (Citrus aurantifolia) Physical energy, protection, purification.

LITSEA (Litsea cubeba) Energy, rejuvenation, letting go.

MARJORAM (Origanum majorana) Celibacy, happiness, peace, sleep.

MUGWORT (Artemesia vulgaris) Moon, divination, lucid dreaming, prophetic dreams, protection.

MYRRH (Commiphora myrrha) Astral projection, attraction, balances chakras, blessing, consecration, crown chakra, exorcism, healing, meditation, protection, psychic energy, spirituality, unhexing.

MYRTLE (Myrtus communis) Love, good luck, fertility, and Venus, feminine and water aspects.

NIAOULI (Melaleuca quinquenervia) Purification, healing, protection, clearing negative energies, aura cleansing.

NUTMEG (Myristica fragrans) Luck, magical energy, meditation, money, physical energy, psychic awareness.

OPOPANAX (Commiphora guidotti) Death/resurrection, divination, Pluto, Scorpio, change.

OREGANO (Origanum vulgare) Happiness, tranquility.

PALMAROSA (Cymbopogon martini) Healing, love.

PALO SANTO (Bursera graveolens)

Luck, cleansing, air element.

PATCHOULI (Pogostemon cablin) Attraction, banishes negativity, growth, love, luck, mastery, money, peace, physical energy, prosperity, sex.

PEPPERMINT (Mentha arvensis / piperita) Conscious mind (stimulates), exorcism, health (maintain), protection, purification.

PETITGRAIN (Citrus aurantium) Conscious mind (stimulates), protection.

PINE (Pinus sylvestris) Exorcism, grounding, healing, health (maintain), magical energy, money, physical energy, protection, purification.

ROSEMARY (Rosmarinus officinalis) Conscious mind (stimulates), exorcism, health (maintain), heart chakra, longevity, love, protective, remembrance, third-eye chakra, vitality.

ROSEWOOD (Aniba rosaeodora) Mars, Moon, Venus, spirit element, fire element, intuitive health, beauty, divination, scrying, healing rituals, maturity, wisdom, femininity.

SAGE, DALMATION (Salvia officinalis) Conscious mind (stimulates), exorcism, money, purification, wisdom.

SAGE, WHITE (Salvia apiana) Cleansing spaces and magical objects, banish negative energy.

SANDALWOOD (Santalum album) Anointing, astral projection, attraction, blessing, consecration, exorcism, healing, love, meditation, protection, purification, sacral chakra, spirituality.

SPEARMINT (Mentha spicata) Comfort, healing, sleep (for protection).

SPIKENARD “JATAMANSI” (Nardostachys jatamansi) Good luck, fidelity, and health.

STAR ANISE (Illicium verum) Psychic power, luck.

SWEET ORANGE (Citrus sinensis) Balances chakras, divination, happiness, joy, love, luck, magical energy, money, physical energy, psychic energy, purification, sacral chakra.

TANGERINE (Citrus reticulata) Magical energy, purification.

TEA TREE (Melaleuca alternifolia) Purification.

THYME (Thymus vulgaris) Conscious mind (stimulates), courage, health (maintain), purification.

TURMERIC (Curcuma longa) Purification, protection.

VALERIAN ROOT (Valeriana officinalis) Love, sleep, purification, protection.

VANILLA (Vanilla planifolia) Love, lust, mental power.

VETIVER (Vetiveria zizanoides) Divination, exorcism, love, money, peace, protection, unhexing.

WINTERGREEN (Gaultheria procumbens) Protection, healing, hex-breaking.

YLANG YLANG (Cananga odorata) Love, lust, peace, sex, throat chakra.

[Sources: [X] [X]

Photo Credit: [X]

[mucky-puddler]

As a black woman, I am furious. I have no words. I have no more patience. I am angry. I am tired. WE are tired. Oh and our president is a piece of shit racist and unfollow this account if it hurts your poor little feelings to hear me say that. I have spent my whole life watching and experiencing racism and white silence. No more being nice. No more staying silent. If this hurts your feelings and you feel personally attacked by the sentiment then you ain’t ready to hear the message yet. I don’t have any more time for white fragility. I’ve been tip-toeing around it my whole life and I am done. For those that are using their privilege to speak up and make a difference, thank you. You are on the right side of history. ✊🏽 Artwork By Me: @BrooklynnMusic on Instagram

[mucky-puddler]

black people, please take care of yourselves. please take care of your health. please take care of your mind. please take care of your spirit.

i understand if your soul is not at peace. i understand if you are exhausted. just, please take care of yourselves in these dark, hateful times and surround yourself with people who understand why.

[mucky-puddler]

I think the reason I enjoy Ghibli so much is it romanticizes the little things. It makes me want to bake, study, clean the house, garden, and more while listening to happy music and occasionally picking wildflowers and lying in the grass. It helps me find joy in day-to-day life and that’s honestly sooo important for my mental health.

[mucky-puddler]

Questions to Ask When the Major Arcana Appears

the fool - am I jumping into this too quickly? can I trust my gut? what do i hope to gain from this? is this in my best judgement to proceed? 

the magician - am I balancing parts of my life? am I focusing too much on the material world before me? am I properly utilizing the tools I have at my disposal?

the high priestess - am I trusting my intuition? am I allowing my imagination to roam free? have I grown out of touch with my spirituality? how may I further enhance my spirituality? 

the empress - how do I nurture others? do I, in turn, properly nurture myself? how do I express my feminine power? am I expressing myself creatively? 

the emperor - how am I handling authority in my life? how can I become a leader? am I taking strides to ensure material success? how do I express my masculine power?

the heirophant - am I honouring traditions? what can I teach others? what can I learn? how may I go about finding groups of likeminded people? where am I deriving my sense of security?

the lovers - are parts of me at war within myself? how can I unite very different parts of my life? what can I do to help build cooperation within my relationships? 

the chariot - how can I take control of my situation? how can I resolve my conflict? how can I tackles the challenges coming my way? which direction should I choose?

strength - how can I overcome my weakness? what makes me courageous in my situation? from where do I draw my inner power? how can I best work with my instinct? 

the hermit - what is driving me forward in life right now? where can I be truly alone? what do I need to reflect on? what wisdom can I draw from past experiences? 

wheel of fortune - what changes am I willing to except? how much of my life is left to fate? how do my every day actions influence the bigger picture of my life? 

justice - how can I make the best decision? how do I find balance in my life? what can I do to rectify my past mistakes? am I weighing all the pros and cons or am I overlooking something?

the hanged man - what should I hold onto and what should I let go of? how can I look at this with a new perspective? what am I willing to sacrifice? how do I let go of old habits and step out of my comfort zone? 

death - how can I use recent events to transform myself? what do I need to accept the end of? what will be born from the ashes? how can I mourn the ending of one thing and celebrate the beginning of another?

temperance - what led to the feeling of harmony? what can I do to hold onto it, grow from it, and become harmoniously whole? how do I remain patient through these experiences?

the devil - am I allowing myself to fixate unhealthy on something? what do I fear? am I too tied to the material world? how do I free myself from the bondage I have allowed myself to fall into? 

the tower - what have I been ignoring? why did I refuse to take action, what can I do to avoid this again? how do I free myself from my own ruin? how do I grow from this disaster?

the star - how am I using my gifts? what is inspiring me? what makes me happy and how can I embrace that? how can I continue on the right track to making my wishes come true? 

the moon - am I listening to my dreams, my feelings, my instincts? am I trusting them? how am I connecting to the invisible workings of the world? how am I using my creativity? 

the sun - am I approaching my problem with a positive attitude? how are my efforts being appreciated by others? how do I step into the spotlight to showcase my talents? 

judgment - how self-aware am I, truly? what actions have I taken that are wise? unwise? am I being honest with myself? what can I learn from my past and how can I grow? 

the world - how have my efforts payed off? how am I progressing in life, does it feel right? what in my life is coming to an end? what is beginning? what are my next steps? in what ways do I feel fulfilled? 

Major Arcana | Wands | Cups | Swords | Pentacles

[mucky-puddler]

why is “olde vampires in high school” the big thing and not “olde vampires in college”

everyone in college is eccentric. everyone

you wanna wear full on Victorian suit? the girl in pajamas who clearly hasn’t slept in three days supports you

everyone is too preoccupied to care as long as you’re polite and follow class etiquette

multiple high school diplomas? eh. same stuff. multiple BAs? Enjoy learning chemistry AND art history! All in detail!

wandering around campus at 3am? that’s just the lifestyle tm

no matter how old or young you look it’s not really that weird, there’s sixteen year olds and sixty year olds doing BAs somewhere

big schools are very anonymous so nobody’s gonna bother to hassle you

[mucky-puddler]

I recently started journaling and for some reason I feel a lot less anxious and I get things done?

[mucky-puddler]

when girls like horses we call them ‘horse girls’ and mock them for their bond with giant nightmare leg-finger creatures

but if boys like horses we call them ‘future cowboys’ and ‘rugged outdoors men’

I’m just saying, I’ve met a lot more horse girls than horse boys so when the dystopic breakdown of society hits us, it’s not going to be roving bands of young men on horseback (they don’t know how to ride, they haven’t B O N D ED)

it will be Kelly from elementary school and her band of fifty midwest girls in pink cowgirl boots who have come for your resources

[mucky-puddler]

Here, have some fake tweets

For one of my modules, we got given a scenario in which we needed to create some fake tweets. The scenario is as follows;

You are in a crowded airport alone. Your flight is delayed. You notice everyone gradually weighs less and less, to the point where after about an hour the first becomes completely weightless. You notice that the process affects the youngest people first, then the middle aged, and finally the old.

@bougybirds-People need to stop throwing their children around

@bougybirds-Breaking news: children and young adults are now attached to invisible strings that hoist them into the air

@bougybirds-I can now say that I have touched the ceiling of an airport

@bougybirds-Is this happening to everyone in an airport or am I just in the special one?

@bougybirds-Normally when one goes to an airport, we expect them to get on a plane to go to wherever they need to go, not for the airport to make them a plane…

@bougybirds-Is anyone looking outside? #TheSnowmanSong

@bougybirds -All the old people are ascending to heaven – the youth will conquer

@bougybirds -I told one of them to do a flip and I got a mint thrown at me... #OKBoomer

@bougybirds -The police have shown up...They’re getting ropes...to pull people down...and then the police started floating

@bougybirds -If I stop live tweeting its because I dropped my phone because I’m starting to float now

@bougybirds -SEE YOU LATER BITCHES!

@bougybirds -I am a god among men and you are all peasants

@bougybirds -That previous tweet would have more impact if not litereally everyone else was in the air with me

@bougybirds -HOLY SHIT PEOPLE OUTSIDE ARE FLOATING TOO OMGT THEYRE NOT STOPPING WHAT DO WE DO

@bougybirds   - this is brexit lol

@bougybirds  -is this what Thomas Cook got liquidated for?

@bougybirds  - why is there a baby on twitter?

@bougybirds  - I’m too tired for this shit, I got a flight to catch...or will the flight catch me...

[mucky-puddler]

Postfeminism in “The Long Kiss Goodnight”

This week we watched “The Long Kiss Goodnight” in relation to postfeminism, which is different to post-feminism; the former is a cultural sensibility and all about personal choice, and the latter is a historic period after feminism. As always, I have been given question that I will attempt to answer.

The first question debates that violence in women encourages and endorses the status quo, and I do not understand how someone came to this conclusion. What is the status quo is relation to feminism? Is it becoming more violent and continuing with the feminist agenda? Or is it turning back to how things used to be, with women being passive and staying at home? If we are taking it as the former, then I would agree – women that are seeing women being violent and powerful are more likely to adopt the powerful demeanour shown and given to them. However, if it is the latter then I would have to disagree; even though the female characters return to their domestic lifestyle, that doesn’t mean that they don’t still empower the female audience to be better. In the film, Charly regains her memory yet still took up the role of mother and wife that was left by her amnesic self.

The second question brings up the discussion of whether action heroines are actually women; they have been described as “figurative males”, which is incredibly sexist – it suggests that a woman cannot have the same traits and features as a man without being considered a man. I have nothing more to say about it.

The third question asks about how the male fantasy is satisfied by the main female character, and as I’m not a male I can’t really comment, but Imma try my best. Maybe it’s a fantasy that a woman has another secret life? Or maybe they are attracted to the idea that a woman can murder them with little to no effort.

The penultimate point questions the stereotypes that are put on women in film e.g. the whore and the virgin, and how it relates to the film and I’m a bit confused by this one because I did not see any stereotypes throughout the film, especially for the main character – although she changes through the course of the film, she still does not fit into a set stereotype.

The final question is “Is violence gendered?” and if I think about it, then I think no. Both men and women get abused and raped, both men and women are in gangs, both men and women experience violence in a variety of ways. So no, violence is not gendered.

I’m very tired, so I’m sorry if this is a bit waffley or something.

[mucky-puddler]

The Crows

One for sorrow,

Two for joy,

 A crow sat at my window last week. I didn’t think anything of it until I got the phone call from mum. Dad had passed in his sleep, and all I could think about was that crow. It sat, watching me. When I went back to the window, it had flown away – I wonder if it new.

 Three for a girl,

Four for a boy.

 He didn’t want to know what the sex of our baby was before they were born – something about gender being fluid – and I respected that; neither of us asked to know, and that was that. Family and friends would ask, and we would tell them something sarcastic like “it’s a lizard!” or “It’s an ethereal being from the gods” or some shit like that. I barely noticed the murder of crows that seemed to follow us around – followed me around. They just kind of waited outside, like normal birds – but they were always there, and there were always three of them.

 Five for silver

Six for gold,

Seven for a secret,

Never to be told.

 Seven crows make a lot of noise, especially when they are outside your house at 10 pm. Why were they not roosting? Perhaps one of the local cats disturbed them, I hear you say, but every goddamn night for a week? Hell no.

On another note, Jen has been avoiding me; she’s always either in bed by the time I get home, or out so late that I don’t see her when I get up from work. She’s not the biggest bird fan, so maybe the seven crows are bothering her – don’t worry, I counted. Every single time.

She was awake when I got home today – she says she wants to talk about something…I’m worried.

[mucky-puddler]

Feminism and The Piano

So, this week we are talking about ‘feminine aesthetic’ in relation to the piano and, as is custom, there are some questions I have been given to answer in my seminar – and so, because of a need for content, I will be answering them here too. Hope y’all enjoy!

Additionally, I can’t find anywhere legal to rewatch the film, so I won’t be able to upload a film review per se – I’ll try to add as many of my thoughts as possible into this blog instead.

The first question is about whether or not there is a ‘feminine aesthetic’, as if there is a masculine one – the film world is run by men, whether they be directors or producers or DPs or actors; most of everyone’s favourite films are created by men. So naturally, the male gaze is something that we have all heard of and are familiar with (I would argue that we are also so used to it that we may not notice it unless we are really looking? Might be wrong, let me know your thoughts!) So, in essence, what would a film without the male gaze look like? And, would that equate to a film with a feminine aesthetic? The male gaze sexualises women, sometimes to an extent where they are no long people, but objects; an extreme example is the introduction of Tina Carlyle in The Mask (1994) – the camera pans up from her foot, meaning her face is the last part of her that the audience see. The camera, therefore, is inacting the male gaze and forcing it upon the audience. This puts the female audience in an awkward situation – without even beginning to touch on subjects like body confidence and positivity and female empowerment and all of that, but rather the fact that they have to view this film from a secondary perspective (saying that, is that because we are assuming those who see through the male gaze are straight? What about gay men? What about gay women? Or, instead, is it a biological brain thing, because men’s brains react to different stimuli in different ways to women’s brains? More research is needed – unless someone wants to just tell me to save my tired baby brain). But back to the point, I believe that I saw the opposite in The Piano, something I am going to call the ‘female gaze’, and I’m calling it that because its an actual thing and this is what it is; like the male gaze, but for females, essentially. I believe this is most evident is how the camera interacts with the intimate scenes between Ada, and Baines and Stewart – the shots seen appears to sexualise the men rather than Ada herself, but doesn’t take it too far, if that makes sense. Instead, the camera focuses on the romance of the intimacy, rather than making it sexually explicit, and I think having a female director certainly helps with this. I also noticed that a lot of the crew are also women which also assisted in creating and portraying the female gaze, which aids in creating the feminine aesthetic.

The second questions relates to the subversion of the following quote; “within a sexist ideology and a male dominated cinema, woman is presented as what she represents for man”. The film doesn’t demonstrate what woman represents, but rather what woman and man can do for each other, e.g. the transaction prostitution between Baines and Ada. I guess that Stewart only sees what Ada represents, rather that who she is as a person. Someone who does get taken advantage of is Ada’s daughter – she needs to translate her mothers sign language to those who do not understand it and takes messages to various people throughout the film. However, I do believe that she deserves what she gets because she is such a whiney little bitch and snitches on her mother to a man whom she swore she would just stare at and not respond to. Maybe she’s just a badly written character.

The third question is as follows; how are conventional cinematic modes of ‘looking’ disrupted in The Piano? Who is the object of desire in the film? The quote related to it was too long to type out, but essentially said that Ada is independent because she refuses to become the stereotype of a woman in film, and links to voyeurism which applies to both characters in the film and the audience in the cinema. I would argue that Ada is still the object of desire during the film as she is lust after by Stewart and Baines. Alternatively, the piano is the object of desire because of how passionate Ada is about it, and how dedicated Stewart is to having rid of it, and how curious Baines is to hear it being played. The voyeurism is interrupted in the film by desire – Baines desire for Ada, and Stewarts desire to keep Ada for himself – and interrupted in the cinema by the lights that come on at the closing of the film, and by the other people sitting in the seats around them.

The fourth question is about how the sex scenes are portrayed in the film, which appear to be different to how men direct sex scenes – the director of The Piano (Jane Campion) is quoted to have said that men direct sex scenes in an athletic, soft porn way, whereas in the film there is a much more natural approach to it – there is no romantic music or ambient lighting, it’s a moment of passion between two people that have a connection. I’ll be completely honest, it didn’t seem particularly extraordinary, it was just two people being intimate.

The final question challenges how the film was received upon its release, and I think I can understand why – the film can be used as an example of adultery (even though Ada never loved Stewart) and shows spousal abuse when he removes her finger. Additionally, Ada and Baines’ relationship began as transactional, similar to that of prostitution. On first viewing, I found it very unsettling that Ada had to endure it to get her piano back, and the fact that she develops feelings for Baines by the end of the film does not negate that. Instead, I’m choosing to focus on her passion and dedication to this piano that was her voice for years.

[mucky-puddler]

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an emoji spell to draw luck & security your way

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[mucky-puddler]

dorm friendly magick for broom-closeted student witches

Got roommates that aren’t into witchcraft/magick? Can’t burn incense in your dorm room? Don’t have time for elaborate rituals between studying for exams and writing papers? I’ve been there. Here are some of my favorite undercover spells and rituals for witches living that college life. 

Journal Magick

Keep a manifestation journal! Find a journal that really speaks to you and makes you feel good every time you open it, whether it’s a bulky leatherbound tome or has a holographic cover and hot pink pages – what matters is that you feel a connection to it. 

Every morning, write down the things you want to manifest in your journal in the present tense, as if they had already happened. [Note: this works better if you are writing the same thing every day for at least a few weeks. Consistent intent is key!] 

For more information on this type of manifestation, just search “scripting” on YouTube and you’ll find approximately 642934 videos on the subject. 

This is a really great technique for closet witches, because no one is going to be suspicious of you writing in a notebook – plus, it’s normal for people to want to keep their journals private.

Work with correspondences just like you would for a normal spell! You can print out photos of herbs, crystals, tarot cards, astrological signs, or moon phases that correspond to your intention and glue them into your journal (or draw them, if you have artistic talent). You could even get an essential oil that matches your intention and dab a drop of it on the page. You’re essentially creating an altar dedicated to your intention, just on paper instead of in a physical altar space.

Tap into the magick of color by writing your intentions with a pen in a corresponding color (green = abundance/wealth, pink = love and friendship, yellow = academic success, etc.).

Tea and Coffee Magick

Tea and coffee are already essentially potions, and no one is going to think twice about a college student drinking a lot of coffee/tea. 

Coffee is associated with grounding and protection, and it adds energy to any spell it is added to. Black tea is associated with protection, courage, and abundance. Green and white tea have their own, slightly different magickal uses. Based on these correspondences, you can use coffee and tea as a base for undercover potions!

For mental clarity and memory retention, brew a mixture of black coffee, lion’s mane, chaga, and ginger. For a caffeine-free alternative, brew an herbal tea with rosemary and peppermint. 

To cleanse negative energy and release stress, brew a mixture of black coffee, Ashwagandha, cinnamon, tulsi or basil, and Eleuthero. This is based on a Four Sigmatic blend, lmao.

For a sneaky prosperity spell, brew a mixture of black coffee, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and vanilla. Yes, that is essentially pumpkin pie spice, and yes, you can use a pre-mixed pumpkin pie blend instead of buying the individual spices.

I could go on, but you get the idea. You can customize your morning beverage to suit any magickal or spiritual need. 

Most plants have medicinal uses that are the same or similar to their magickal uses. So if anyone asks, tell them you’re adding these extra herbs for their nutritional and/or medicinal value. 

You can also charge your tea or coffee with crystals. Just set a small crystal associated with your intention (amethyst for mental clarity, black tourmaline for protection, citrine for prosperity, etc.) next to the mug for a few minutes, or place it on top of your coffee maker. Be sure to charge both the crystal and the drink with your intention!

Candle Magick

If your dorm lets you have candles then congrats, because candle spells are both super powerful and a super easy way to hide your magick in plain sight.

Find a candle in a scent and color that match your intention. For example, you could use a pink, rose-scented candle for a love spell. 

You can find custom spell candles made by witches for witches on Amazon and Etsy, and these have the added bonus of having been specifically created for magickal use. Some of the businesses I’ve personally had good experiences with are Art of the Root (available on Amazon), Esoteric Arts (available on Etsy), and Crystal Journey (Amazon). 

That being said, I’ve gotten good results with $1.99 scented candles from Walmart, so please don’t feel like you need to spend a fortune on special candles for your spell to be successful.

In a pinch, an unscented white candle can be used for any intention. You can get these at the dollar store, and it’s never a bad idea to have a few on hand.

Oil Magick

Your dorm has a no-open-flames rule, so candles and incense are out of the question. No problem – you can get similar results with essential oils. 

An essential oil literally contains the concentrated essence of a plant. Magickally speaking, this makes them a powerful way to add some oomph to your spells. They’re also commonly used for aromatherapy, so your roommate probably won’t be phased by you diffusing them in your dorm.

You can create custom EO blends the same way you would create an incense blend, by combining different plants based on their correspondences. You can also buy pre-mixed blends online if you’re feeling lazy or if you have a certain blend you know you’re going to use a lot like, say, a focus-enhancing blend for studying.

Another option, and one that’s more traditionally witchy, is to use magickal oils/ritual oils. A magickal oil is an oil that has been created for a specific magickal purpose – it’s like a spell in a bottle. A ritual oil is created for a specific use in magickal ritual. You can find tons of different ways to incorporate these oils into your daily life for some very subtle witchcraft.

You can create your own magickal oils by combining herbs, essential oils, and crystals that match your intention, or you can buy magickal oil blends from witch-owned businesses. Art of the Root has my absolute favorite oils – I have like six different blends, and they’re all ridiculously powerful.

Some ways you can use magickal oils: 1.) wear them as a body oil, 2.) diffuse them like you would an essential oil blend, 3.) use them to anoint and bless objects, like tests or study guides, 4.) add them to spiritual baths, and a million more. [Note: many magickal oils come with real herbs and resins in the bottle. These chunky bits could damage a diffuser, so do keep that in mind.]

Personally, I wear magickal oils on a daily basis in the place of perfume, since most of the ones I own smell really good. As I apply them, I say a small incantation to power them up. For example, if I’m wearing an attraction oil, when I put it on I’ll say something like, “I am powerfully attractive to the people and things that will improve my life.” Which oil I choose to wear depends on the day and the area of my life where I want some extra help. 

Tech Magick

The nice thing about being a witch in the 21st century is that, if all else fails, you can keep your entire magickal practice contained on your laptop and/or phone. And even if you’re not doing 100% of your witchcraft in a virtual space, you can still use your technology as a tool in your practice. 

Pinterest is the ultimate visualization tool. You can create a virtual altar to a deity or spirit guide by dedicating a Pinterest board to them, or create vision boards for the things you want to manifest, or create a brainstorming space to plan your full moon rituals… the possibilities are endless. 

Keep your Book of Shadows and/or manifestation journal in a Word document. If you’re really concerned about privacy, you can even password protect these documents. Another pro of an electronic Book of Shadows is that most word processors have a “search” function that lets you look things up more easily. 

Make a devotional playlist for a deity or spirit guide. Making Spotify playlists for my deities is one of my favorite devotional acts! I’ll put together all of the songs that remind me of that deity, and I can listen to it anytime, anywhere to instantly connect with them. And don’t be afraid to ask your deities what type of music they like – you may be surprised by the answer!

If any other witches have similar tips, feel free to add onto this! This is just stuff that I’ve found works for me, but magick is deeply personal and everyone will do things a little bit differently. 

And not to shove my content in everyone’s faces, but I did just post a spell to enchant your school notebooks on my YouTube channel, so check that out if you’re interested!