#Hidden Biblical Truths

[reality-detective]

Scientists found the desert is not what they thought it was.

[christisilluminati]

Revealing The Truth: The Light Behind The Veil

The Shining Face of Moses

According to the book of Exodus, when Moses descended from the mountain bearing the tablets of the covenant, his face glowed with a Glorious Light. The people trembled before this celestial radiance, for it was a reflection of God’s presence. Moses then veiled his face to shield them from the overwhelming glory - a representation of his fellowship with "THE WORD OF GOD" (Exodus 34:29-35). 

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What we need to take notice of in this story is the location of the Glorious Light. - BEHIND THE VEIL.

The Holy of Holies 

In the book of Exodus, we see God give a very descriptive blueprint for building the Tabernacle. Inside of the Tabernacle was a room called the Holy of Holies or The Most Holy Place. It was a room representing the presence of God. Inside the room was The Ark of The Covenant, God told Moses He would speak to Him from on top of The Ark between the two cherubims. This room was separated from the rest of the tent by a curtain also known as a veil. (Exodus 26:33-34. Exodus 25:22)

In this story what needs to be noticed is that God did not really have to speak to Moses inside that room on top of The Ark, but rather He chose to do so that we could recognize His presence inside of The room of The Holy of Holies. - BEHIND THE VEIL.

The Glorious Light Was Captured

In 1 Samuel we are told that The Spirit of God was enthroned between the two cherubim (1 Samuel 4:4) similar to His location described to us inside the room of The Holy of Holies. (Exodus 25:22) The Philistines once they realized The Ark had been brough to the Israelite camp, called The Ark: God. They knew that this God, that was sitting on top of The Ark was the same God that sent the 10 plaques on the Egyptians. (1 Samuel 4:7-8) However in the time of the Israelites being freed from Egypt, The Ark was not in existence and God still spoke to Moses, without sitting on top of The Ark. These Philistines when they saw The Ark were afraid. They were afraid of God, and they still captured HIM. They captured The Ark. (1 Samuel 4:10-11) At the very end of chapter 4 we are told that THE GLORY OF GOD had been captured: The Glorious light. (1 Samuel 4:22) And in chapter 5 we see the heavy hand of God upon the Philistines with a plague, (1 Samule 5:6) understood to be the Bubonic Plague in order to free The Ark/God from the Philistines. "Let My Son Go!" (COVID-19?)

So, we can conclude with this story, The Ark that resided within the Holy of Holies inside the Tabernacle with the Glorius Light between the two cherubim was BEHIND THE VEIL.

The Mount of Transfiguration

On The Mount of Transfiguration, we see something spectacular. Something that is not fully understood within our religious organizations today. It is here that we are told WHO this Glorious Light is and gain a full understanding of the exact location of The Kingdom of God.

When Jesus takes Pater, James and John up to the top of a high mountain, we see Jesus' transfigure into a Glorious Light.  The bible describes this Glorious light by stating that Jesus' face shone like the sun. (Matthew 17:1-2) This is the same thing we see happen to Moses when he came down from the top of Mount Sinai. (Exodus 34:29)

We need pay attention here, because this is where The Father ties all of His subliminal/symbolic tokens together. He uses Jesus as our last clue. When Jesus transfigured, we see Moses and Elijah appear, holding a conversation with Jesus. (Matthew 17:3-4) These men had been dead a long time. There was no way for Jesus disciples to know who these two men were other than the words that they spoke giving them away. They were dead men, who had died and passed on into another realm. Still very much conscious men in a place that is not in the realm of the flesh. They have joined a Kingdom. A Kingdom not of this world. 

What really happened when Jesus transfigured into the Glorious light that we recognize to be Christ is: the curtain/veil was rolled back and we get a glimpse of The Kingdom of God. And inside of this Kingdom we see two of THE MANY MEMBERS (1 Corinthians 12:12) that make up Christ's body. Again, this is not something we are discussing in our religious organizations today with all of their FALSE DOCTORINES. 

So how do we know these two men make up the body of Christ? Well, it was not before the Veil of Jesus' flesh was rolled back, nor after the Veil of His flesh was rolled back that The Father tells us, "This is my Son." But it was during the moments that the Veil of Jesus flesh was rolled back that He tells us, "This is my Son." - THIS BODY OF MEMBERS found BEHIND THE VEIL of Jesus face. (Matthew 17:5) Just as the Glorious Light was found BEHIND THE VEIL of Moses flesh. (Exodus 34:29)

Luke 17:21 neither they shall say, Lo! here, or lo there; for lo! the realm of God is within you.

John 1:9 There was a very light,which lighteneth each man that cometh into this world(AS YOU ARE BORN) WYC 1382

John 1:9 has been altered to say "WAS COMING" so that our understanding of scripture would not be TRUE.

When Jesus died on the cross the earth quaked and the Temple split in two tearing the VEIL separating the room of The Holy of Holies. (Matthew 27:50-51) We are the Temple of God, and that room dwells inside of our Flesh. (1 Corinthians 3:16) The Tabernacle, The Temple, and that room, as well as all the tokens He left us are subliminal messages/Illuminati. When the Veil split in two He was telling us that we now have access to the TRUTH through what Jesus showed us. And if we can grasp it, we may enter in. Enter into His Kingdom. - SUBLIMINAL MESSAGE

Jesus showed us where The Kingdom of God is. - HE LIVES INSIDE OUR FLESH. He showed us His fellowship with THE WORD - Who is Christ. This Glorious Light behind the Veil of His human flesh. The Glorious Light behind the Veil of Moses flesh. Fellowship with the light. A TRUE LIGHT. He is the ember light that Ezekiel saw inside the wheel, the Spirit of life. We are the wheels. 

Ezekiel 1:15-21 As I looked at the living creatures, I saw a wheel on the ground beside each creature with its four faces.  This was the appearance and structure of the wheels: They sparkled like topaz, and all four looked alike. Each appeared to be made like a wheel intersecting a wheel.  As they moved, they would go in any one of the four directions the creatures faced; the wheels did not change direction as the creatures went.  Their rims were high and awesome, and all four rims were full of eyes all around. When the living creatures moved, the wheels beside them moved; and when the living creatures rose from the ground, the wheels also rose.  Wherever the spirit would go, they would go, and the wheels would rise along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.  When the creatures moved, they also moved; when the creatures stood still, they also stood still; and when the creatures rose from the ground, the wheels rose along with them, because the spirit of the living creatures was in the wheels.

Who Is The Light? - Illuminati!

Many will have a hard time grasping this TRUTH. - Christ who is the TRUE LIGHT, that lives in every single human and animal: IS ILLUMINATI. He illuminates us with a light and should be the one to enlighten our minds.

The 17th century first Illuminati members believed they were in communication with A LIGHT. According to adherents, the source of the “light” was viewed as being directly communicated from a higher source or due to a clarified and exalted condition of the human intelligence.

They spoke to the LIGHT. The True Light, who is THE WORD. He is the audible WORD of GOD. He is CHRIST!

CHRIST IS ILLUMINATI! - A LIGHT THAT LIGHTETH EACH MAN THAT COMES INTO THIS WORLD John 1:9 

Isaiah 5: 20Woe to you who say that evil is good, and that good is evil; and turn darkness into light, and light into darkness; and make a bitter thing sweet, and a sweet thing bitter.

Satan is not a LIGHT at all. He is DARKNESS! Satan is not Illuminati. STOP GIVING HIM THE TITLE THAT BELONGS TO OUR KING. 

Luke 11:35 Therefore see thou, lest the light which is in thee, be darknesses.

2 Corinthians 3:18 And all we that with unveiled face see the glory of the Lord, be transformed into the same image, from clearness into clearness, as of the Spirit of the Lord.

Hebrews 6:4-6 But it is impossible, that them that once be illumined, and have tasted also an heavenly gift, and be made partners of the Holy Ghost, and nevertheless have tasted the good word of God, and the virtues of the world to coming, and be slid far away, that they be renewed again to penance. Which again crucify to themselves the Son of God, and have him to scorn.

Learn more at:

www.christthetruelight.com

[cherryswisherz]

secrets and failed plans

paige x azzi

warnings: sexual innuendos, suggestive, narrarated by lemony snicket himself

based on this req

"you're my little secret, and thats how we should keep it. we should never let them know, never let it show. if you know, like i know, we should never let it go"

your my little secret (xscape, 1998)

-

if you asked azzi fudd about her relationship with paige bueckers, she would tell you that they'd known each other since high school. that they'd started as rivals and became frenemies and later, in college, best friends. she'd say that she loves playing basketball with paige because she knows her game like the back of her hand. azzi would tell you that paige is her oldest and closest friend. 

if you asked paige bueckers about her relationship with azzi fudd, she wouldn't tell you that they'd known each other in the most biblical of terms. that a simple game of 2 truths and a lie had changed the trajectory of their lives. she wouldn't say that she sleeps the best in  azzi's arms. paige wouldn't tell you that azzi is her girlfriend and had been for seven years. 

paige and azzi were basketballs best kept secret. 

they didn't have the novelty of soft or hard launches. instead, they kept the photographic evidence of their love safe in the confines of their 'my eyes only' folder. 

they didn't get to make possessive gestures, like necklaces with eachother intials, or hidden tattoos. instead they wore rings that the other had gotten them, and when asked about it, they simply said 'i forgot where i got this from.' 

they didn't own the privilege of PDA. for them, there was no making out in bars, or holding hands as they walked down the street. instead, they made do with a subtle lean in the others direction or the occasional risky level of eye contact. 

was this an ideal situation for two young women in love? of course not. paige and azzi would love to suck face in front of the world, or tattoo each others initials on their ribcage, or something equally cheesy and romantic and vile to single people. 

but it was just too complicated and messy. the questions and politics that came with dating another college basketball player, let alone you teammate, wasn't something that the couple was willing to go through. they realized this as soon as paige had graduated high school and had a surprisingly mature conversation about the terms of their relationship. they knew they wanted to be together, but they didn't want the sanctity of their bond to be tarnished by the media.

so they made a deal. keep it a secret until azzi graduated college and when they'd both gotten drafted, they would announce their relationship and get engaged and live happily ever after. 

that was the plan. 

and they'd done a damn good job at following the plan if you asked me. no one knew about them, except their immediate families. no teammates, no coaches, no friends, no media team members, no anything. everyone thought the pair were merely close friends.

of course this wasn't an easy thing to facade to keep up with. there were plenty of incidents where the true nature of their relationship was revealed. 

aubrey griffin had once heard them through the wall separating her and paige's bedrooms and then next day, when she inquired about the moans and groans she'd heard coming from her teammates room, paige only shrugged and said she couldn't remember her one night stands name. 

one night, nika muhl, being the observant woman she is, notice paige's earrings in ahotel room that she and azzi shared and when she'd asked azzi about it, azzi lied through her teeth and explained that paige had let her borrow the earrings the night prior. 

through all of the trials and tribulations of maintaining the confidentiality of their relationship, paige and azzi had always maintained true to each other. they never got frustrated with each other when a slip up occurred, never placed blame or made the other feel bad. they simply focused on damage control and went about their lives. 

with all this being said, even the most careful people can't hide forever. 

as the twosome stared in paiges bathroom mirror, a pit formed in both of their stomachs. splayed across paige's collarbone was a bruise. 

well... 

not so much a bruise as it was a hickey. 

you see, the night before was the couples anniversary and apparently, ms. fudd had gotten carried away while expressing her undying affection for her lover. 

paige and azzi spent the next 30 minutes perfecting the color correcting/concealer routine needed to hide the mark. they'd done well, except they hadn't thought of the technicalities. 

today was uconn women's basketball teams exhibition game against fort hays, and of course the face of uconn wbb bound to play at 150%. leaving her sweaty and gross. 

in all honesty, paige thought nothing of it when she threw the towel around her neck and began aimlessly wiping her chest in an attempt to rid herself of that swampy feeling. no one really did. they knew this was routine for players after leaving their souls on the floor. 

it wasn't until after the team had returned to the locker room and celebrated their win that a certain curious sophomore noticed the blemish on paiges pale skin. 

"oooouuu p boogers, who's been freakin on you?" kamorea teased, smacking the blonde with her towel. all eyes were now on #5

paiges willed her eyes to refrain from finding azzis, knowing that would be a dead giveaway. 

"man kk, chill!" she'd tried to laugh it off, play into the teams preconceived notion that paige was a player. "you know i don't kiss and tell." 

it was no use though, because kamorea was going to keep up her antics until she'd gotten the truth. 

but paige and azzi had worked to hard to protect their secret and paige wasn't about to let seven years go down the drain so easily. 

so she answered all of her younger teammates questions as vaguely as possible. simple yes/no replies and whatnot. 

finally, kamorea had gotten tired of paige's games and went to her next best source:

paiges oldest and closest friend.

"azzi poo! you have to tell me who was sucking on paige last night." in the process of asking her question, kamorea grabbed azzis bicep, eliciting a wince. 

of course, young kamorea noticed the reaction and looked down, only to see azzi had aqquired a few bruises of her own. two angry purple marks had formed on the girls bicep and shoulder. 

azzi didn't play in the game, so she couldn't have been fouled.... azzi and paige slept in the same room...

the gears began turning in kamoreas head and as the newfound detective put two and two together, paige's eyes had finally met azzis, knowing that they'd been found out. 

"OH MY GOSHHHH" kamorea began jumping around like a lunatic. "PAZZI IS REAL!" 

and just like that, five years of careful sneaking around had been undone by a nosy nineteen year old. 

the locker room erupted into cheers and the couple was swarmed with questions about how long this had been going on, why didn't they say anything, and so on, so forth. azzi followed paiges lead on being honest about the whole thing, but still being as vague as possible. 

after the chaos had settled, paige explained to her team that they had to keep it under wraps for the sake of their relationship. she broke down the plan they'd formed so many years ago and begged for their understanding, which of course, she received without the blink of an eye.

and at the end of that day, azzi and paige fell asleep in each others arms, like they'd done so many times. only this time, they were on the couch of the home they shared with their teammates. 

this time, they weren't worried about who would see what, they weren't worried about pictures being posted in an attempt to embarrass them. 

this time, they knew they were safe, and not alone in each others company. 

niyah speaks i hate this lol

taglist: @patscorner @riyahtheballer @mattslolita @thaatdigitaldiary @janaelalfysblunt

@mrsengstler @kmoneymartini @sageworld @darkskinchristiandiorpostergirl @justliketoreadsowhat @authentic-girl03 @pb524830

[queerfables]

I'm still working out what the significance of this is, but I'm now surer than ever:

In season 2, Aziraphale's bookshop is the Garden of Eden.

What first tipped me off was the end of 2x01, when Gabriel asks about Outside, and Crowley urgently warns him that he needs to stay inside the bookshop. It reverberated against the themes of season 1, where choosing freedom over safety is symbolised by Leaving the Garden. Supporting this connection, one of the songs on the season 2 soundtrack is called Leaving the Bookshop; it plays in 2x06 when Crowley escorts Nina and Maggie outside.

There's an even clearer indicator of the symbolism, though, and I am so fascinated by the implications. When Gabriel first arrives at the bookshop in a state of undress, one of the things he says to Aziraphale is:

"Who told you I was naked?"

It's a funny line but it's also surprisingly biblically significant. In Genesis, Adam and Eve's loss of innocence after eating the fruit of knowledge is shown by their realisation they are naked. In this scene, Gabriel is like them before this transgression, innocent and unconscious of his own nakedness.

But it's even more on the nose than that, because in Genesis, when God appears to Adam after he eats the fruit, Adam hides, and then admits he's afraid because he's naked. And I quote directly, Genesis 3:11 (New International Version):

And [God] said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

I'm sure this reference is intended. It's too similar to be a coincidence. So Gabriel's memory loss is comparable to the innocence that preceded the Fall of Man, and that's fascinating in its own right. This also makes the bookshop, where he is protected so long as he stays inside its walls, a clear parallel to Eden.

In relation to Gabriel, I think Beelzebub is Eve, offering Adam the knowledge of good and evil in the form of a fly holding his hidden memories. An argument could be made that they are the serpent to his Eve, but I think the partnered dynamic makes this a more fitting interpretation.

I'm still thinking on the roles that Crowley and Aziraphale play in this analogy. I keep coming back to Gabriel's line, "I don't go outside, and now I have two friends." If this is Eden, who are his friends? Are Crowley and Aziraphale reprising their roles as the serpent and the guardian? Are they God and Satan playing games with their own little universe, perhaps? Or are they Adam and Eve?

Obviously, if the bookshop is Eden, this has major implications for Crowley and Aziraphale too in the context of their break up. With this framing, Crowley telling Aziraphale, "You can't leave this bookshop" becomes a fascinating twist on his traditional role. He's asking Aziraphale to stay with him in blissful ignorance, rather than confront the truth of their world. I'm not arguing that this is the only level at which this line should be read, but it's one that's worth considering.

You may also notice that in light of this biblical reference, "Who told you I was naked" becomes the first time amnesiac Gabriel echoes the words of God. I'm really not sure what these echoes mean, but they sure do intrigue me.

[thefawnfallacy]

The way that Hannibal and Will are never referred to as being queer is interesting. It’s not like sexuality never comes up, it does, predominantly with Margot who openly admits to being lesbian and talks about it often as a part of her character but I think that the way sexuality is framed is another mask.

Margot openly wants to kill her brother, so her sexuality is on display, she is a character that the viewer can “see”. The audience knows that Hannibal is queer — he doesn’t say it but it is shown through numerous other characters, predominantly through Will. Will is the filter in which the viewer “sees” Hannibal and so we know and acknowledge that he is a queer character.

Will is the blurriest and this is interesting in a variety of ways to me. Why does the viewer never have a clear sense of sexuality from Will? To start, Will is an unreliable narrator, we cannot explicitly trust the truth of what Will tells us about anything because it’s always just slightly shifted. He doesn’t victimise himself but he does elevate himself, just slightly, based on his current concept of morality. He was guilty when he killed Hobbes so we see him as guilty and unsteady, he was righteous when he killed Tier, so we see him through a lens of righteousness. No-one else can see him clearly and therefore, neither can we. He is not hidden in plain sight the same way as Hannibal and in doing so, makes himself very confusing to properly understand while also being exceedingly easy to pick apart.

Will is multifaceted and shifts the way he’s perceived a number of times throughout the series, while always giving the impression that he is completely unaware of it.

(side note: this doesn’t properly fit but I think it’s worth mentioning the “Will Graham is not a lesbian” line because there’s an undertone of stubborn curiosity there — is Will Graham a lesbian? Hannibal doesn’t know and Margot is quite smug about it, but that’s more gender based than anything).

Because of the ability to “chameleon” himself for any situation, he leaves a lot open to interpretation. Will Graham could be queer, he could be straight, he could a lot of things. It’s also worth noting that Will Graham experiences attraction in very different ways when it comes to men vs women based on the characters we see. With Matthew (and I’m using the definition of attraction very loosely here) as well as Hannibal, he is incredibly manipulative, like he can’t imagine being genuine with these men in the biblical sense but with Alana he is more open to being perceived and received a certain way. Molly is a more hollow imitation of Alana — he acts the way he thinks love should be but it’s hollow.

Hannibal, of course, is a curious show of attraction. He expresses a wide range of emotions towards him but never stereotypical feelings, if anything, he seems to take a sharp left when it comes to Hannibal but at the same time, he is very obviously more gentle and honest with him, like he’s trying to “show”the viewer what’s underneath. (meaning he does carry about Hannibal, we know he does, he simply shows a wrestling with these emotions that often come across as more violent or unrefined).

*this is just my interpretation, please don’t take it as gospel 🙂.

[thirdsaltyhunter]

Fight for Love

Dean Winchester x fem!Reader

Summary: a fight between you and Dean leads to some unintended truth slipping out, maybe that's not a bad thing

Warning: flangst, arguing, self hate, implied smut, set in season 9(spoilers)

A/N: Not proofread all mistakes are my own.

You and Dean had been screaming at each other for a good 10 minutes now. It had gotten to the point where Sam had given up trying to be the mediator and snuck away to the library to let you fight it out in the map room.

This argument had started when you found out Dean had taken on the Mark of Cain and to make it worse, he had hidden it from you for over a week. After you saw it on his arm and started asking questions, he tried to brush you off like it wasn't a big deal. Your anger had flared, but what you wouldn't admit, was that that anger, was fueled by fear and concern for your friend.

You had been friends with the boys for years and fought by their side. It wasn't long after getting to know them, that you started to develop feelings for the older Winchester, despite your best efforts at keeping your heart in check. At this point, those feeling had developed into being hopelessly in love with him. You wouldn't say anything though; you knew your feelings were unrequited.

"Do you know how bad of an idea that was Dean, we know literally nothing about what that mark could do to you, but I know it's really not good", you yelled as he paced back and forth on the other side of the map table. All the terrible things you had heard about the Mark in biblical literature, flashed through your head.

"We had no other option Y/N, what was I supposed to do?"

"We could've figured out a plan that didn't involve you getting a murderous tramp-stamp and then lying to me about it." Honestly you felt betrayed. You were supposed to trust each other.

"I didn't lie to you and it's too late now isn't it.", he was practically fuming now.

"Ok, then we'll get it off!", your yelling was elevated by the frustration and anxiety that was coursing through your veins.

"And why the fuck do you even care?", he yelled, leaning forward. He seemed so close to you despite still being across the table.

At his question, it was like something snapped inside you at his audacity, after all. the things youve been through, to even ask you that. All rational thinking and control went out of your mind.

"Because I love you!", you yelled, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Your voice was louder than it had been throughout your whole argument. However your screamed admission of the words you had tried so hard to keep to yourself for years, was followed by a deafening silence. All of your anger and fire drained out of you and was replaced by pure, icy dread and regret.

You wondered for a brief moment, if you had in fact said those words aloud, but one look at Dean's face, at his shocked expression, confirmed that you had. You had just brought your walls of emotional repression crashing down around you.

You glanced to your right to see that Sam had reemerged from the library, clearly he had heard you and wanted to see how this scene would play out. Sam, being your best friend, had always encouraged you to admit your feelings to Dean, but you had always thought that was a terrible idea. There was no way someone like him could want you. You didn't deserve him anyway. All of the terrible outcomes ran through your head, Dean rejecting you, or getting mad at you and kicking you out of the Bunker, or things becoming awkward and you losing your closest friends. Some of the only people you had.

You were waiting for one of these possibilities to happen as you stared at the floor while Dean still stared at you in stunned silence. In reality, it had only been a few seconds, but it felt like time had stopped and you couldn't stand waiting anymore. So you ran.

"Y/N wait!", Sam called after you, but your feet were already carrying you to the garage. You grabbed your keys and got in your car as fast as you could, you wanted to be far away from this situation, somewhere you wouldn't have to face Dean. His silence made it clear he wanted nothing to do with you and you didn't think your heart could handle his rejection... or worse.

After about 20 minutes of driving, your thoughts had spiraled to the point that your hands were shaking, so you pulled off the road into a field. You got out of your car to go sit on the hood and think, try to come up with a plan on what to do next, but it was like your mind wasn't working. You hadn't even realized it, but you were crying. You just wished you could go back in time and take back those words.

Dean's POV

Dean didn't break out of his trance of disbelief until he heard the garage door slam behind you. His mind couldn't wrap around the fact that you had just admitted you loved him, he thought there was no way someone like you could want someone like him.

"What the hell man!", Sam said, exasperated. "Why did you just stand there?" He looked ready to smack him.

"I don't know Sam!". He felt like an idiot. Why did he just stand there? Why didn't he say anything? And now you were gone. "What do I do?", he asked his brother.

"Well, it's too late to follow her, so we'll have to find her."

"How?"

The younger Winchester thought for a moment. "We can try to track her phone and hope she didn't turn it off."

Your POV

You couldn't have been sitting on your hood, drowning in stress, for more than 30 minutes before you heard the distinct rumbling of the impala. You forgot to turn the location off on your phone. Fuck. Your heart sunk to your stomach and you prayed to any god listening, that it was Sam in the car and not Dean. But you knew better. You knew just from the sound of his footsteps who it was.

Dean came and sat next to you in the hood of your car. You couldn't look at him, you didn't want to see the look of pity in his eyes when he saw you were crying.

"Sweetheart, please look at me", he said after a moment of silence. He placed a hand on your knee and you immediately jerked away.

"You don't need to say anything Dean, I get it." You still weren't looking at him. You really didn't want to hear some "it's not you it's me" speech.

"Get what?", he asked, genuinely confused at how you were reacting.

"I'm so sorry", you said, completely ignoring his question; your eyes welling with a new wave of tears.

"Whoa whoa, hey", he said softly, moving off the hood to kneel in front of you. Your hands went up to hide your face. "C'mon look me Sweetheart. Please.", he pulled your hands away from your face to hold them.

"Please don't kick me out." You knew that was an irrational fear to have and Dean would probably never do that to you, but the weight of your insecurity was heavy on your mind.

He was taken aback by your words but his heart broke at how upset you looked and the tear stains on your cheeks. He realized then, what was going through your mind; you thought he was going to reject you.

"Hey, no one's kicking you out." He gently squeezed your hands. "Look at me."

His voice sounded so gentle, but you could pick up on the hint of what sounded like nervousness. You finally met his eyes.

"I love you too." Your eyes widened in disbelief at his words, but you knew how monumental Dean Winchester, saying those words to anyone, was. "I should have told you that a long time ago, but I never thought you'd feel the same."

"Y-you love me?" you were still shocked, you wanted to cry for a whole other reason now. Relief. Happiness. Gratitude.

"Have for a long time sweetheart, how could I not." He could still tell you didn't believe him so he leaned up slowly giving you plenty of time to pull away, before planting a gentle kiss to your lips. It felt like you were going to combust and he was the only thing keeping you tethered to earth.

Once your brain had caught up and he pulled away, you decided the kiss was entirely to short for your liking. You wrapped your arms around his neck and pulled him back into a kiss, that tried to make up for all the years of waiting. Laying back on the hood of your car you pulled him to stand between you legs as he continued to kiss you. This was a rare moment in your life where you were allowing yourself to have what you wanted.

Things were getting pretty heated before Dean pulled back to look down at you. "We don't have to take this any farther if you don't want to," he said, eyes laced with softness and concern.

"Dean if you don't want to go any farther because you want to take things slow, that's fine with me, but if you're saying that because you're worried about me... I've been waiting for nine years, don't make me wait any longer."

A smile, that you hadn't seen in a long time, lit up his face. "Then why don't we move to the car," he motioned to the sky. It apparently had started lightly raining at some point and was about to start coming down harder.

You nodded in agreement, before taking his offered hand so you could climb off your hood. He opened the back door of the impala for you and let you get in before joining you and shutting the door. You were going to wait out the rain and try to make up for all the lost time.

Laying in his arms, completely blissed out, you listened to his breathing and the rain hitting the roof of the car. You ran your hand down his arm until you got to his forearm. You stopped to run your thumb over the mark. "Does it hurt?" you asked.

"Not really. It did at first." he took a breath before continuing. "I'm sorry... I know it was a stupid move, and I should have told you."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you. I just worry about you."

Before he could respond, you heard his phone ring from the floorboard. You groaned, not wanting to move from his hold.

He chuckled at your annoyance. "It's probably Sam. It's been hours, we should at least let him know you didn't wind up in a ditch somewhere."

"Fine," you said with a playful eyeroll and reached down to grab his phone. You read Sam's name on the caller ID and answered it. "Hey Sammy," you greeted.

"Oh h-hey!" he said clearly surprised to hear your voice instead of Dean's. "So I guess Dean found you."

"Yeah everything's good. We're ok."

"Ok good," he said with a hint of relief.

"We'll be home soon, I promise." You said your goodbyes to Sam, before hanging up and putting Dean's phone back in his pocket.

"I guess we should head back."he said.

A flash of worry went through you. You didn't want to break this moment, almost fearing that what had happened between you two would disappear when you left the safety of the car.

You nodded with a sigh and began gathering your clothes.

Once you were both redressed, you went to reach for the door handle and head back to your car. Dean's hand on your arm stopped you.

"We'll get your car tomorrow, just ride home with me tonight," he pleaded.

"Ok," you breathed, relieved that the moment still wasn't ending.

You had settled into the front seat with him and began the drive back to the bunker, when you had an idea. Rummaging through his box of cassettes you found the one you were looking for.

"What are you doing, Sweetheart?" he asked with a hint of amusement.

"Don't worry about it, you just keep driving." You smiled at him and slipped the tape into the cassette player.

Dean started to laugh as soon as he recognized what song you had played. "Did you just 'Night Moves' me ?"

You nodded and started singing along with Seger's voice with a huge smile on your face.

[trashcanlore]

Kabbalah in the Worldbuilding of Genshin Impact; Part 1: The Tree of Life, the Universe, and Everything

Edited for clarity, 12/6/23

Written by Schwan (@abyssalschwan on twitter) and Sabre (trashcanlore, @paimoff on twitter)

During the Sumeru Archon Quests, we learned that the Irminsul is a (real! (ish)) tree that grows upside down, seemingly underground, and that the roots of the tree are the Ley Lines, which extend throughout Teyvat and the Abyss. Irminsul stores all knowledge and memories in the world, and the Ley Lines are the mechanism by which the tree acquires this information. Ley Lines move elemental energy through Teyvat, and this energy acts as both a storage medium for information but also a resource that can be utilized for combat, alchemy, an energy source (Azosite), etc. 

The origin of the name Irminsul (unique to the Western localizations) in combination with the many names from Norse mythology associated with Khaenri'ah, suggest that the inspiration for Irminsul is Yggdrasil, the world tree and central axis of the cosmos in Norse mythology. Here we propose an additional inspiration for Irminsul and the associated worldbuilding and elemental system of Teyvat: The Kabbalistic Tree of Life. In this model, Teyvat’s elemental energy is comparable to the creative energy described by Kabbalah as the foundation for the creation of reality and the spiritual world. Specific attributes of elemental energy can be channeled by unique individuals in Teyvat and these attributes manifest as distinct elements, which can be directly compared to the 10 sefirot, or emanations, described in Kabbalistic literature.

What is Kabbalah?

Kabbalah (lit. received, tradition) is a school of thought originating in Jewish mysticism. In general, Kabbalah focuses on the relationship between the infinite (God) and the finite universe and how it was created. The goal of studying this mysticism can vary depending on the school of thought and their motivations. Many of the esoteric and religious influences on Genshin lore and worldbuilding were influenced by Kabbalah, or vice versa. These include Gnosticism, Hermeticism, alchemy, Freemasonry, the occultist branches of Theosophy and Thelema (Golden Dawn), astrology, symbolic interpretation of the tarot (also specific to the Golden Dawn) and more [2]. In short, Kabbalah is everywhere. Additionally, its concepts are used as symbolism in several pieces of media that directly or indirectly inspired Genshin and other games in the Hoyoverse.

If you have frequented Genshin lore topics, you might have heard that one of the main sources of inspiration for its worldbuilding is Gnosticism. The problem is, Gnosticism is a bit vague or contradictory when it comes to how the world was created and how the whole existence thing works. At this current moment in the storyline of Genshin, we have very little information on the very beginning of existence in Teyvat. This information seems to be a crucial part of the “truth of the world” and appears to be purposefully hidden by powerful factions like Celestia. This entire theory was born out of trying to make sense of what little we know about the creation of Teyvat and comparing it to esoteric commentaries on the well known creation myth of the Torah (Old Testament). The “Biblical world structure” interpretation of Teyvat has been around since the early days of Genshin lore and with good reason; there are frequent mentions of the firmament, as well as the name Teyvat sounding very similar to the Biblical Hebrew word for ‘ark’ (although the grammar is a bit mangled). There are also several references to stories from the Bible in in-game texts, including Before Sun and Moon.  

Kabbalah literature spends a lot of time trying to understand and describe the process of how the world was created and the underlying principles of reality, as well as how spiritual practice can change that reality (either metaphorically or literally). Kabbalah intends to describe the “true nature of God,” which is equal to the entirety of existence, as something very vast and completely impossible to grasp. This incomprehensible infinity emits an “limitless light” that is the origin of all creation. Elemental energy (the ubiquitous source of everything in Teyvat) is often found compared to light, something we’ll discuss in more detail later. The “limitless light” of Kabbalah is way too powerful for existence to bear, much like how elemental energy is to normal, non-Vision having humans. That’s why this light needed to be “filtered” down. This happens through the process of creation, which passes the light through the spiritual attributes that form the Tree of Life, which is like a sort of diagram for how the universe came into being [3].

The Tree of Life

The tree of life and its 10+ nodes, known as sefirot, is one of the most well-known concepts from Kabbalah to make its way into popular culture. As mentioned previously, the tree has been used as rule-of-cool symbolism in anime such as Neon Genesis Evangelion and Fullmetal Alchemist, two pieces of media that likely are significant influences on Genshin (If you doubt that HYV loves NGE, play some Honkai). The sefirot are also depicted on the floor of the Schicksal HQ map in Honkai Impact 3rd, for some reason.

The sefirot and their organization and interactions with each other can be found depicted in many ways, such as the tree format that is the most popular, or a spiraling nested scheme that is really cool, or even very stylized, like the work of Robert Fludd.

Sefirot

Sefirot comes from the root word in Hebrew meaning “to count,” but you can also find it translated as “sphere” in some texts. The term originated in a book on Jewish mysticism called the Sefer Yetzirah, or “Book of Formation/Creation.” which describes the combination of the “sefirot of nothingness” and the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet as the foundation of reality (remember the hypostasis codenames?). 

The Sefer HaBahir (lit. the book of brightness, 13th century France) introduces the idea that the sefirot are emanations of the divine. Interestingly, this book refers to the sefirot as ma’amarot (sayings), which builds on an important concept in classical Jewish philosophy – the idea that God spoke the world into existence. [We’ll get back to the Sefer Yetzirah and the role of language in creating the world in a subsequent part of this theory]. Fontaine 4.2 era edit: HELL YEAH stay tuned for more about Oceanids!!

Historically, Kabbalah might have taken this rough concept from a very different school of thought: Pythagoreans or neo-Platonists. Briefly, the connection between the Pythagoreans and the Kabbalistic sefirot is that both groups considered the world as being made of numbers. This ties back into Genshin worldbuilding because of how much Platonism is related to Gnosticism. Something else to keep in mind is that Pythagoreans (who had a cool history that connected Egypt and Greece to the magic of ✨math✨ but also hey Genshin lore hello Deshret) were known to use lyres as their instrument of choice while making mathematical studies of music. More sus Venti lore for the collection? This is also interesting to consider in the context of Nahida, who is deeply connected to the Irminsul, and has animations that are reminiscent of computers.

Later in the 13th century, the Kabbalist Isaac the Blind would 'canonize' the list of sefirot (there’s still some variation to this day) and organize them into a sequence that would become the basis for the famous Tree of Life structure. His writings described the sefirot as attributes of the divine and their role in the creation of the world. In his model, the sefirot originated from lights that emerged from a primordial soup of potential, and these sefirot/lights would then ‘flow’ and emanate into each other. His student, Azriel of Gerona, expanded on this with a neo-Platonic lens and introduced the concept of the Ein Sof, the infinite nothingness that cannot be comprehended and is the origin of everything. In this model, being flows from an infinite resource of potential, which the divine can utilize through the framework of the sefirot, eventually creating the world [4]. In simple terms, the Ein Sof, which contains everything, emits a primordial light that then differentiates into the sefirot. In our Genshin analogy, this primordial light would be like extremely pure elemental energy that differentiates into elements, like light passing through a prism.

Moses Cordovero, an important figure in the development of Kabbalah, described the process of the sefirot differentiating with the analogy of light shining through a stained glass window: 

Imagine a ray of sunlight shining through a stained-glass window of ten different colors. The sunlight possesses no color at all but appears to change hue as it passes through the window. The light has not essentially changed though it seems so to the viewer. Just so with the sephirot. The light that clothes itself in the vessels of the sephirot is the essence, like the ray of sunlight. That essence does not change color at all, neither judgment nor compassion, neither right nor left. Yet by emanating through the sephirot -- the variegated stained glass -- judgment or compassion prevails. (Pardes Rimmonim by Moses Cordovero, translated in Essential Kabbalah by Daniel Matt)

Cordovero considered the sefirot to be completely independent of each other, but the later Lurianic school of Kabbalah (we’ll get into them more in later parts) considered the sefirot to be constantly dynamically interacting with each other and also assigned them personas. 

Achievement grinders amongst us may recall the descriptions of the namecards you get upon completing the Elemental Specialist achievement series:

Achievement: Colors of the Rainbow: Light can refract into countless colors, but people stop at seven because they're too lazy to count. Perhaps the elements are like that, too. Achievement: Seven Lights: Anyone can play a tune that belongs just to them, and like the dew under grass, can reflect the seven lights of heaven. 

Another example of the elements being compared to light is the Latin text found on the magic circles on the door of Mona’s future house in Mondstadt and generated by the hypostases during their missile attacks. The text reads:

Ex culmine lucis in magno elementorum, which translates to "From the peak of light, to greatness of the elements."

It’s interesting to see this text appearing in association with the hypostases since they are described as “life forms which have completely abandoned their former appearance and biological structure, making them able to reach the highest level of elemental purity. They are ultra-compact structures with a high mass, and are the highest forms of elemental structures.” The hypostasis code names are also all Hebrew letters, as mentioned earlier.

Mona’s astrolabe during the Unreconciled Stars event features a similar text:

Ex culmine locis in magno elementorum; Lux se effundat in mentes dei, which translates to "From the peak of light, to the greatness of the elements; May light pour out, into the minds of god."

The Abyss Lector catalysts contain a text that mirrors these two examples:

Ex culmine lucis in mango obscuritas. Lux se effundat in mentes abysso, or “From the peak of light, to the greatness of darkness. May light pour out into the minds of the abyss.”  

The Genshin elements are also described as flowing. For example, a loading screen tip specifically describes the Ley Lines as “A mysterious network that links the whole world together, within which flow the elements.”  The Silver Twig description states: "All knowledge, memory, and experience flow through this giant tree, just like a stream flows into a river, the river joins a sea, the sea turns into clouds, and the clouds rain onto the ground — just like life itself."

Sefirot and the Genshin Elemental System

The 10 (sometimes 11) sefirot are: 

Keter: Crown (this one is even more symbolic that the rest, is described as “the most hidden of all hidden things" in the Zohar, represent things that are above the mind’s comprehension and the very beginning of the process of turning potential into reality)

Chokhmah: Wisdom

Binah: Understanding/Reasoning

(Da’at: Knowledge, as a fusion of Chokhmah and Binah)

Chesed: Loving Kindness or Mercy

Gevurah: Strength/Severity, (sometimes Din, Judgement, or Pachad, Fear)

Tiferet: Beauty/Harmony, is associated with balance of the Tree of Life

Netzach: Eternity/Endurance

Hod: Splendor/Glory

Yesod: Foundation (as in, foundation of reality)

Malkhut: Kingdom/Sovereignty

You’ve probably noticed by now that while we are claiming that the concept of the sefirot applies to the elemental system in Genshin, there are 10 sefirot and only 7 elements (for now). Fortunately for us, the Kabbalists love metaphors and categories. In addition to the sefirot representing the procedure used to ‘emanate’ and create the world, there are other methods of interpretation that further subdivide and rank the sefirot. For example, one metaphorical interpretation of the Tree of Life assigns each of the sefirot to a part of the human body.

In some Kabbalistic traditions of interpreting the tree, the 10 sefirot are divided into two categories: Intellect (Keter, Binah, Chokhmah) and Emotions (they’re actually more like character traits), which contains the remaining seven. These categories are meant to parallel how the soul is also divided into the intellect and emotional components. The first three sefirot are also referred to as the “three mothers,” because they are the source of the lower seven [5].

Having a group of seven sefirot is very convenient for comparing their traits to the elements and their ideals, but what about the role of the higher three in Genshin worldbuilding? This next section requires a bit more conjecture than some other comparisons here.

The source of all elemental energy in Teyvat, whatever that actually is, could be compared to Keter (crown), the most hidden and incomprehensible of the sefirot. (Big stretch, but think of the crowns over the Irminsul trees in domains.)

Next, we have the Ley Lines, which contain dreams and memories (these are basically the same in Teyvat, see Dream Solvent description), and these can be compared to Binah (understanding/reasoning) and Chokhmah (wisdom). During the Sumeru Archon Quest, Rukkhadevata says that dreams are the source of the wisdom she upheld as her ideal. Memories play an important role in discerning the truth of the world, as the traveler has now found themselves to be the only person to remember certain people/events, and has been told to trust their memories rather than what they can see.

Comparison of the 'Lower' Sefirot to the Genshin Elements and Their Ideals

Chesed (loving-kindness); Cryo (unknown, theorized to be love)

The Cryo Archon’s ideal is theorized to be love, as it’s the only characteristic mentioned in relation to her in the Travail trailer. Wanderer’s voiceline about her directly mentions love and describes her as being kind and benevolent, while Childe describes her as extremely gentle. These are the characteristics of Chesed, which represents the trait of completely selfless love: the all forgiving, all giving love of a god towards their creations. When it comes to the Cryo element itself, two things are worth mentioning: one is the way that all of Snezhnaya is perpetually covered in snow, as if this were the (ironic) physical expression of the Tsaritsa’s love blanketing them. The second is the promise of a world-encompassing snowstorm that will envelop everything as the Fatui advance on their war against Celestia. Although it’s hard to find one absolute constant in Vision granting stories, it’s notable that most Cryo users got their Vision at a moment when they had to selflessly be there for others (Diona, Chongyun, Mika), or after a decisive moment where they put aside their personal comfort for an ideal that would result in benefit for others (Kaeya, Eula, Layla).

Gevurah (Severity); Hydro (Justice)

Gevurah is associated with divine judgment, the kind that punishes humanity and causes world-altering catastrophes like the flood or the expulsion of Adam and Eve from the Garden of Eden. The Hydro Archon organizing her nation around a Court that attempts to judge both deities and humans parallels this. In a more positive sense, Gevurah is also related to moral judgment that allows one to tell good from evil. Likewise, Hydro in-game is often associated with purity and separation of clean and unclean matter. When it comes to Hydro Vision wielders, one common characteristic is that they all live by a personal ethical code, and their commitment to it is what granted them their Vision.

Tiferet (Beauty/Harmony); Anemo (Freedom)

Tiferet balances the other sefirot on the tree and has direct connections to almost all of them (except for Malkut). Similarly, Anemo can facilitate many elemental reactions via its Swirl reaction. In our opinion, something almost all the Anemo characters share is that their moment of receiving a Vision coincides with a moment of balance and harmony with themselves or their environment. See Jean and Kazuha’s Vision stories and the cutscene where Scaramouche/Wanderer gets his Vision. As an aside, comparing harmony to Anemo is funny because Venti is a bard and harmony is also a musical term: in music theory, harmony is the way we analyze the interactions between different voices that can be heard at the same time.  

Netzach (Eternity); Electro (Eternity)

The quality of “Eternity” in Netzach is related to victory against enemies, referring to eternity as being the most powerful combatant remaining among defeated adversaries. Likewise, in Genshin the story of the Electro Archon features many battles during the Archon War where Ei and Makoto ended up victorious. As for Electro users tend to have their Vision granted at a moment when their ambition “defeated” the obstacles of reality, as was the case with Fischl, Kuki and Lisa. Cyno’s Vision story makes sense when you compare it to the illumination of Buddha during meditation, and how this was victory over the temptation of the demon Mara.

Hod (Glory); Pyro (War)

Natlan and its Pyro Archon are possibly the most mysterious of all the regions, so we can only speculate. We know that the Pyro Archon is called the God of War, and that the Pyro Gemstone mentions battles, pilgrimages and truth. The sefira of Hod, translated as Glory or Splendor, is linked to being able to connect with God and therefore also associated with prophecy (as in the way a human can carry a message from God). In the Travail trailer, the Pyro Archon tells the traveler that “the rules of war are woven in the womb.” It's also theorized Natlan will be based on Mexica culture (where sacrifice of both enemies and self sacrifice was a way to connect with the gods) and via Iansan's name, the Caribbean diaspora version of Yoruba religion (where many rites involve the gods making themselves present in the material world). 

Yesod (Foundation); Dendro (Wisdom)

Back when we started to think about this theory during version 2.8, we decided on Yesod largely via process of elimination. One piece of our rationale was that in the Jewish tradition, each of the lower seven sefirot are used to represent a primary personality trait of seven archetypal figures in the Torah. The person related to Yesod is Joseph, who is well known for his prophetic dreams, and because of the events of the Golden Apple Archipelago, we decided that was close enough. However, the 3.x version confirmed that a) Irminsul did actually exist, b) Dendro as an element has a deep relationship with the tree, with the Dendro Archon acting as its avatar, c) the ideal of wisdom as both Dendro Archons interpreted it has a lot to do with dreams, and d) Irminsul and the Ley Lines act as the foundation for how reality is perceived in Teyvat. Yesod is also associated with biological life, as it represents the reproductive organs in the human body scheme of the sefirot.

Malkut (Kingship); Geo (Contracts)

Malkut is associated with the connection between the spiritual "above" of the Tree of Life and the concepts it contains, and the "below" of the material world, where these concepts manifest into material reality. For this reason, Malkut is associated with the earth [6]. In many Geo item descriptions, like the Geo Hypostasis drop or Albedo's elemental skill, the motif of geo trying to reach the sky is a constant. From a religious POV, the relationship between the divine and humans living in the material world has also been one of "covenants," or "pacts", in a similar way to how the Geo Archon is the God of Contracts. Furthermore, contracts are the basis to have a working state (government), and a kingdom is one of the first forms of a state. Malkut also being related to earth and everything material parallels how Geo is an element that works in making constructs. Geo Vision users are likewise involved in making or maintaining structures, like the Knights of Favonius is for Noelle, or the tradition of alchemy is to Albedo, as well as opera to Yunjin and in a way, even the Oni identity for Itto.

The Origin of Evil and Why Irminsul is Upside Down

Tighnari tells us that Irminsul is a tree that “grows downward rather than upwards,” or in other words, it’s upside down. This isn’t the only time that we’ve encountered things in Teyvat being described as upside-down or mirrored, and as it turns out, there is a similar scenario described in Kabbalah. Throughout Kabbalistic discussions on the origin of evil in the world (both material and spiritual), a central idea developed is the existence of a mirrored or inverse Tree of Life that forms the demonic realm of evil. The Zohar, a foundational work of Kabbalistic literature, spends a considerable time discussing the origins of evil - there are more than 5 creation myths for the concept of evil! Two of these myths describe the formation of an inverse Tree of Life, called the Sitra Achra (literally “other side”). This tree is constructed out of corrupted fragments of divinity that did not make it through the creation process, and therefore became evil forces [7]. Evil is typically represented as either a shard (like of broken pottery) or as a husk/shell (Qlippoth in Hebrew). Sound familiar? We actually have an enemy with this name in-game; the "shadowy husks" (the CN name for these enemies literally translates to "empty shell"). 

Unlike the very well defined 10 sefirot of the Tree of Life, Kabbalists don't agree about the identities or number of the demons that form the Sitra Achra. Some names for these demons are consistent; such as  Lilith, Samael, and Asmodeus, who make a sort of "mother, father, son" trio. As for the rest, scholars generally agree that Kabbalists blended traditions from nearby cultures depending on where they lived, leading to Arabic, Spanish and Germanic legends mixing into the Jewish tradition [8]. There's a strong possibility Hoyoverse did something similar and filled in the missing names with the names of the demons of the Ars Goetia, creating a system where the mirrored sefirot are “ruled” by demon gods, aka, the Archons. This implies that the reason Teyvat is upside down is because it is actually on the “other side.”

Neuvillette, About Us: Witness: Since you hail from beyond the stars, I invite you to be my witness as I judge this upended world��”Though we live in a world of disarray, I shall undertake to restore all that has been broken”. 

[Fun Fact: The Zohar describes the construction of the Sitra Achra as a series of knots that arrange the demonic equivalent of sefirot, called either crowns or “breaths,” into a mirrored Tree of Life configuration [7]. ]

The primary goal of the Sitra Achra is to steal and absorb the divine energy of the Tree of Life to maintain its existence, in the hopes of gaining enough energy to destabilize the system [9]. The way Genshin's Archons use their Gnoses is similar to this system. In the Flower of Paradise Lost artifact lore, the Goddess of Flowers explains to Deshret and Rukkhadevata that when the Seelie race was disgraced, they lost their connection to Heaven and their power of "enlightenment". Later, Celestia would facilitate the Archon War with the promise that each winning god would be granted a Gnosis that would give them exceptional power. Both Nahida and Venti have described the Gnoses as being a very advanced tool that concentrates elemental energy. So far, Archons have had inherent elemental powers related to their nature, but when it comes to using large amounts of elemental energy through their Gnoses, they aren't creators but channelers of it, just at a much larger scale than humans who have Visions. Edit: and yes, there is the most recent revelation about the origin of the Gnoses that is extremely relevant to this comparison, but deserves its own space to be properly expanded on.

However, this doesn't mean Teyvat is condemned. Just as the Traveler has slowly been setting the chaos of elemental energy back into order (by, for example, returning the elemental Oculi to the Statue of the Seven, among many other things), so too is there a concept in Kabbalah describing the importance of righting the wrongs of the universe so that the sefirot are stable and creation is in harmony with the divine. This is called Tikkun Olam, or the repairing of the world.

Stay tuned for part 2 where we go into wayyyyy more detail about what this means for the Traveler's journey through Teyvat! 4.2 Edit: and of course will we will be talking about the most recent Gnosis revelation, as well as the Narzissenkreuz Ordo antics :D

References:

https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/170308/jewish/What-is-Kabbalah.htm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hermetic_Qabalah

Kabbalah - Origins of the Sefirot and Tree of Life - Isaac the Blind Saggi Nehor & Azriel of Gerona

Mystical Concepts in Chassidism - Schochct, Jacob Immanuel, chapter 2

  Mystical Concepts in Chassidism - Schochct, Jacob Immanuel pg 66-67, Tanya ch. 3

Rebbe Nachman of Breslov, Likutey Moharan I, 12:1 via Wikipedia

The Origins of the Klippot / Qliphoth & Sitra Achra in the Zohar - Kabbalah on the Problem of Evil

https://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/demons-and-demonology

9. Evil in Early Kabbalah - Emanations of the Left Hand Side - Origins of the Qliphoth / Klippot

[jacksprostate]

The truth is, after blowing my brains out and going to Heaven, the CIA used me to jumpstart the domestic anti-terrorism program and turn the country into an authoritarian petrostate. And as the little posterchild of their loving touch, Congress let me loose five years later, wobbling and feeble and a testament to their reformative powers. They're going worldwide now. Fixing and freedom for all.

Here, even the antichrist can be redeemed. Recycled.

I'm a dishwasher now. Everything I've aspired to be. There's an industrial sterilization between me and the public. When I get home, I'm pruned out like a geriatric population bomb.

After everything, I'm not left alone. I've got guys showing me tattoos on their hands of my lips. I've got invites to every fight club ever. I've got all these garish things. Selling out has a new explosive flavor these days.

My face was kept redacted, but not my birthmark. Men with red sharpies try to pick up girls with their own manufactured faux cancer. It's amazing, how deep this goes. They're coming up with names for me. I've had strangers tell me they've come up with something better.

Jack, like the ripper. It's in this season. I'm fashionable. Try Sebastian. It's biblical.

The many new Tyler Durdens, they've got it all. The fashion, the funding, the government approved fatalities. Terror cells born and bred to die.

It's amazing, what you think you're getting away with when you've not realized you have full cabinet support.

Reporters love me, too. They track me down. They want to make the next counter culture. Homemade soap is all the rage. The silhouette of Tyler at the murder mystery is a best selling shirt.

They're making a movie, and Brad Pitt is going to be Tyler. Attractive, dead, charismatic, useless. Hypocritical.

I was Tyler's prophet, and no one is listening. No one actually wants to know.

The most marketable aspect of my life, I've found, is my apathy and failure. It's all hopeless. We're all shit. We're all the crap and trash of the world.

I say no, you don't get it, and no one listens.

The reason I know I'm still useful, is I haven't shot myself in the head twice yet. Actually, that's the one thing they probably hope I don't try to do. Everything I say, it all helps.

Radicalizing, fragmenting, commercializing.

They're all fighting over me like wolves. I'm a t-bone steak raw and juiced with the full might of the american pharmaceutical industry. Ripe like a fig. Rotting inside.

It's a custody battle.

All my franchises have undergone imminent domain. The rare times I'm let out of the kitchen, I see children in purposefully weathered red jackets and makeup bruises. They love me. They understand me. They know me. They would hate me.

I might be the only man in America who can't buy a gun. Can't buy anything that'd let me off myself. The whole line has been told to watch me and make sure I can't use one of those soap-hidden knives to give myself a roman bath.

I've got those lipstick red Seconals. They're used to kill people. Maybe one day, that will be my exit, and everything I longed for will finally be allowed to kill me the way God intended.

Eventually, this cash cow will grow old and I will get to die, fenced in on all sides.

[therealspill]

Welcome back, truth seekers, to Hidden History and Biblical Mystery. Today, we’re diving deep into something that might surprise you—the recent Planet of the Apes trilogy. These movies aren’t just about apes; they’re a powerful allegory for the black experience in America, wrapped up in a sci-fi package. From the Watts Riots to biblical prophecies, these films reflect our struggle, history, and identity. Join us as we uncover the mind-blowing connections between these movies and our true heritage.

Hashtags: #HiddenHistory #BiblicalMystery #BlackHistory #PlanetOfTheApes #Allegory #SciFi #WattsRiots #CivilRights #BiblicalProphecy #CulturalIdentity #IndigenousVoices #HistoricalTruth #ArtAndCulture #VisualHistory #RejectingMyths #Unity #Awakening #TrueIdentity #Oppression #Freedom #NewSociety #Revelation #ProphecyFulfilled #StayWoke #SeekTheTruth

[tortelette]

It is god awful 4 am in the Philippines (insomnia growing worse due to worry) and I have one fucking theory on what fucking Demian said in the epilogue of Chapter 4.

Demian fucking returns to the presence of Dante as the Sinners took a feast for themselves at some restaurant and talks to them about the meaning and true purpose of technology and the morality behind it along with the concept of greed. One line took a fucking slap on me whenever I kept reading his dialogue.

This is...

A "The Little Prince (TLP)" by Saint Exupéry reference said by the Little Prince himself when he met the stranded pilot in the desert.

Back then when I was still studying religious literature and our main topic is TLP, there are many biblical references here and there from the snake who bit him down to the desert where the pilot has been stranded upon for some time. The sheep has many symbolisms back in my lessons, the common ones that I get to see are the spiritual transcendence of the prince, the representation of the truth, and the beauty hidden from reality. Mind you all that the story of TLP is quite imaginative and a sad one that gives the hopeful yet real life lessons of friendship, value, love, and loss. Hence many symbolisms are interpreted here.

Now that I mention those things... what does it have to do with Demian telling Dante to draw him a sheep like they promised to him? Judging from the structure of his tone, it appears that Demian knew Dante before Dante took their clock prosthetic.

Well my theory is that the sheep is the symbolism of "realization" or more likely "seeing the truth of humanity." Dante is a blurry yet blank slate when they saw that they lost their memories yet retained a sense of a trail of their true goal. Dante wants answers (an obvious reflection of decision for a person who knows nothing of the world) in everything around them and they are the ones who let's out the final decision to handle in everything with the Sinner's help. Hence, they take semi-control in seeing EVERYTHING and witness it along with them. So far Dante has saw the lives of four of their sinners (Gregor, Rodion, Sinclair, and Yi Sang) and see how cruel and unfair of the life they went through. Dante sees them all since they resonated as well with the golden boughs and sees a portion of their troubled lives. A normal happening of humanity in The City.

Dante has to draw a "sheep" to Demian, more likely... Dante has to share to Demian the "truth of humanity that they have witnessed through resonance with the Sinners in a refreshed look." In this chapter, it appears that Dante has to share their side of the truth to Demian about Yi Sang's life yet they appear to be at a lost as always. Just like a sheep that strays away from the shepherd's guidance.

Remember Faust's remarks when she stated on what would be Dante's reaction about their decision to suppress the bronze bull when they get their memories back? It is implying for me at least that Dante is a dislikable or negative character. I mean... look at them when we first started the entire game. Demian must have known this too and probably wants to get Dante to draw a sheep for him now that he can have a more "innocent" or understandable outlook about humanity.

In TLP, the sheep (if removing the more complex representations of various literary analysis) is a literal representation of one's ability to appreciate the beauty of all things through the heart despite the appearance. All of the sinner's lives are miserable in some way yet they are still "beautiful" for us because they manage to strive through their problems, they seek on the right of their belief, they live on to face their traumas, and to accept help from others in order to get back up. The disgusting experiences of humanity in The City is a facade that people always see, but the actions they have done that either support or combat those experiences is what makes it beautiful.

The truth of humanity, is the suffering that they have been through.

It would be interesting that Demian has the title of "The Little Prince" as a nod to it.

EDIT: How does my unhealthy insomnia theory get a lot of interactions- I... I am scared.

[wynought]

since i haven't seen it being pointed out before

all of the first stoats' names essentially mean "light"

kiran is of sanskrit origin meaning "ray of light" (and, according to wikipedia, an explicitly unisex name), uri is a hebrew name meaning "my light", hester is a variant of the name esther (of biblical/jewish origin) which comes from the same old persian root as the word "star", and, while i didn't find any particularly reliable source, various babyname websites at least seem to agree that jomei is a japanese name meaning "spread light"

additionally, their names seem to correlate with their purpose/position in last bast:

jomei is the speaker, they are in charge of propaganda - quite literally spreading the belief system and worldview of the first stoats aka the Light. it feels like this name is extremely straightforward in its meaning, but i was also unable to find much else on it, so there may be some additional hidden truth that i'm missing so far.

hester is the silence (the one with the gas mask missing their lower jaw and tongue) and their sphere of influence is secrets. now, i'm no religious scholar, and i have all of my information from quite literally the introductory paragraphs of the wikipedia article on the name esther. however, it seems that queen esther only took this name after ascending to the throne of persia to hide her true identity. this is reflected in the hebrew root of the name esther translating into "hide"/"conceal". (i am unable to provide more info on this, but anybody with a working understanding of how hebrew works and/or with more insight on the book of esther, feel free to interject/correct/add on to this)

uri is our beloved stoat pope. apparently, the name uri comes from the verb for "to shine" (to either be or to give light) and the mark of possession, resulting in the first connotation i mentioned earlier - "my light". this possessive marker, however, can also be interpreted as the name Yah which would be an abbreviation of YHWH - a marker of the divine, if you will. Therefore, Uri can also mean "Yah is my light", a very fitting name for the stoat whose department we only see called "faith".

i was unable to find a deeper meaning behind kiran's name, although to me "beam of light" feels very much like a name befitting the first stoats' leader. considering the way they commanded the wolf of theseus, it also seems to reflect the way their magic/their brand of control worked (their line of sight was part of how they controlled the wolf, indicating that was a key part of either their magic or the conditioning inflicted on the wolf - i'm partial towards the latter, considering how the wolf reacted to tula after she healed it). if anybody has anything more concrete to offer, though, i am all ears!

anyways, the first stoats' names are really cool, and we as a fandom don't talk enough about them because they died so fast. huge props to aabria for this fun bit of world building!

(disclaimer: as mentioned above, i have no background in theology or judaism, nor do i have any deeper knowledge of sanskrit, hindi, and indian mythology/folklore, nor japanese, and japanese mythology which would give me a deeper understanding of these names. my information comes from google and while i did try my best to verify the claims, i am fallible and happen to currently be very tired, so please correct me, if i made any mistakes!)

[awideplace]

Songs in the Night

When believers enter “the dark night of the soul,” those times when God’s mysterious will, worked out through difficult providence, makes the Lord appear veiled and unapproachable, what should they do? As we look at Scripture, one conclusion is apparent. They should sing. For the biblical testimony is that God provides “songs in the night”—lyrics to bring to Him in times of great heart distress.

We would not, at first thought, naturally reason that a time of struggle, suffering, or pain is also a time for singing, especially when God seems absent and hidden. It can almost seem cruel to suggest that a hurting, disillusioned soul should sing. Crying, wondering, and groaning seem more fitting. But singing? Is not lifting our voice in song for happy times? Certainly, but singing is also for trying times. Indeed, perhaps especially so.

Christian songwriter Michael Card has noted that in the book of Psalms, sixty-five of the 150 songs found there, or more than 40 percent, contain lamentations. As His people live in this sin-cursed world, God knew that they would need help pouring out their souls to Him in distress. So, He provided them with songs to sing at those times—songs in the night. 

Job’s younger friend Elihu testifies to this truth when he acknowledges that God “gives songs in the night” to those in distress (Job 35:10). Likewise, the psalmist, so troubled in soul that he says he moans when he remembers God, stirs himself with the words, “Let me remember my song in the night” (Ps. 77:3, 6). He then goes on to sing five agonizing lines of a song that, stated in questions, describe how spiritual midnight truly feels. “Will the Lord spurn forever, and never again be favorable? Has his steadfast love forever ceased? Are his promises at an end for all time? Has God forgotten to be gracious? Has he in anger shut up his compassion?” (vv. 7–9). 

One such song in the night is Psalm 42. The psalmist, far from God and His people, taunted by his foes, says he longs for God like a hunted deer pants for water (v. 1). He describes his experience as having the breaking waves of God’s sea washing over him (v. 7). He gives expression to dismay, as seen in the twice-repeated question of the psalm: “Why are you cast down, O my soul, and why are you in turmoil within me?” (vv. 5, 11). 

However, this song also provides proper heart redirection. For in the midst of his despair, the psalmist also recalls these truths: “By day the Lord commands his steadfast love, and at night his song is with me, a prayer to the God of my life” (v. 8). He answers his repeated question with the same refrain each time. “Hope in God; for I shall again praise him, my salvation and my God.” As Martyn Lloyd-Jones reminds us in his work Spiritual Depression, psalms like this one encourage us to “preach to ourselves” instead of just “listening to ourselves.” We can counter our feelings of defeat and discouragement by preaching to our souls sermons provided by God in His Word.

Truly He puts our tears in a bottle (56:8).

When Jesus entered the dark night of His soul on Calvary’s cross, He had these same songs on His heart. He quoted from the Psalms, expressing both His despair in the words, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Ps. 22:1), and His hope when He finally said, “Into your hand I commit my spirit” (Ps. 31:5). Friend, if your Lord needed these words at His blackest hour, so do you. When you do not know what to say or pray, when you have groaning too deep for words, when the darkness falls, then turn to the songs in the night the Lord Himself used, and that He still provides for you.

By Barry York, published May 2019

[hayatheauthor]

Tips To Consider When Writing A Fantasy Religious Story

This was requested by @saltykidcreation if you want to request something send me an ask!

A fantasy religious story is a fantasy story where, even if a God-like character does not exist, true biblical values are made obvious in the book's theme because of the author's worldview. I personally don’t write fantasy religious stories, however, since this was requested I decided to come up with some tips for this genre.

Establishing a Rich Mythology

At the heart of every captivating fantasy religious story lies a well-crafted mythology that breathes life into the beliefs, deities, and rituals of your fictional world. Just as our world's religions have intricate backstories, your fantasy realm's mythology provides the framework for understanding the spiritual landscape. Here's how to create a mythology that resonates:

Deities and Powers

Develop a pantheon of gods and goddesses, each with distinct personalities, domains, and motivations. Consider drawing inspiration from real-world mythologies or inventing entirely new divine beings. For instance, in Neil Gaiman's "American Gods," gods from various cultures manifest in modern-day America, reflecting changing beliefs.

Rituals and Traditions

Infuse your world with rituals, ceremonies, and festivals that reflect the beliefs of your fictional religion. Whether it's a solemn pilgrimage to a sacred site or a joyful celebration of a deity's favour, these rituals offer opportunities to reveal cultural norms and values. Take the example of "The Name of the Wind" by Patrick Rothfuss, where the University's Archives hold religious significance, connecting knowledge and faith.

Holy Texts and Prophecies

Craft ancient texts, prophecies, or scriptures that guide your characters' beliefs and actions. These texts can hold hidden truths, enigmatic predictions, or moral codes that shape the course of the story. In Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" trilogy, a mysterious device called the Alethiometer becomes a tool of divination, echoing themes of destiny and belief.

Cultural Impact

Consider how your fictional religion influences art, architecture, fashion, and daily life in your world. Are there specific symbols associated with the faith? Does the religion inspire grand cathedrals, tranquil monasteries, or vibrant marketplaces? J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter" series exemplifies this through the majestic Hogwarts Castle and its hidden rooms dedicated to various founders' beliefs.

A well-developed mythology adds depth and authenticity to your fantasy religious story, enriching readers' immersion and emotional engagement. As your characters interact with these elements, their beliefs will take centre stage, shaping their decisions and driving the narrative forward. 

Worldbuilding and Cultural Depth

Creating a compelling fantasy religious story extends beyond the spiritual realm—it involves crafting an immersive world where faith intertwines with culture, society, and daily life. As you build your fantastical universe, keep these worldbuilding aspects in mind to ensure a rich and authentic backdrop for your narrative:

Cultural Diversity:

Just as our world hosts a tapestry of cultures, your fantasy realm should embrace diversity. Explore how different regions or communities within your world interpret and practice the same religion. George R.R. Martin's "A Song of Ice and Fire" series masterfully showcases distinct religious beliefs held by various societies, adding layers of complexity to the narrative.

Social Impact:

Consider how religion shapes social hierarchies, class systems, and power dynamics. Does the priesthood hold political sway? Are certain religious groups marginalized or revered? In Ursula K. Le Guin's "The Left Hand of Darkness," the planet Gethen's religious beliefs are deeply tied to its unique genderless society.

Iconography and Architecture: 

Infuse religious symbolism into architecture, art, and everyday objects. Temples, sculptures, and artefacts can embody beliefs and tell stories within your world. The stained glass windows of Notre Dame Cathedral in Victor Hugo's "The Hunchback of Notre Dame" visually depict biblical narratives while reflecting the spiritual essence of the setting.

Language and Terminology: 

Develop specialized terminology, prayers, and phrases specific to your fantasy religion. This linguistic distinctiveness adds authenticity and depth to the faith. J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" features languages like Elvish that enrich the cultures and religions of Middle-earth.

Impact on Conflict and Plot: 

Explore how religious differences can drive conflict or cooperation within your story. Religious tensions can lead to political strife, wars, or alliances. In Frank Herbert's "Dune," the complex interplay between the Fremen's religious beliefs and the political landscape fuels the narrative's intrigue.

Remember, effective worldbuilding integrates religious aspects seamlessly into every facet of your fictional world. By intertwining faith with culture, you'll create a vivid and immersive environment that enriches your readers' experience and deepens their connection to your story.

Weaving Themes of Faith and Doubt

Central to any fantasy religious story are the themes of faith, doubt, and the profound quest for meaning. These themes can elevate your narrative, sparking introspection and emotional resonance. Here's how to skillfully weave these threads throughout your story:

Character Beliefs

Explore how characters' beliefs shape their worldviews, actions, and interactions. Does a protagonist's unwavering faith lead them on a heroic journey, while a sceptical character questions the mystical elements surrounding them? In C.S. Lewis's "The Chronicles of Narnia," characters' diverse beliefs guide their roles in the unfolding saga.

Spiritual Journeys

Craft character arcs that mirror spiritual journeys, complete with challenges and revelations. Allow characters to grapple with doubts, undergo transformative experiences, and emerge with a deeper connection to their faith. The character Eowyn in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" confronts her inner struggles and finds a newfound purpose.

Crisis of Faith

Introduce moments of crisis where characters' faith is tested to its limits. These moments can lead to internal turmoil, moral dilemmas, and choices that define their paths. In Philip K. Dick's "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" the protagonist questions the nature of humanity, blending themes of religion with questions of identity.

Divine Intervention

Explore the concept of divine intervention and its impact on characters' lives. This can be a source of guidance, trials, or even scepticism. In "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman, the gods' involvement in human affairs raises questions about their true motivations and the nature of belief.

Existential Quests

Delve into existential themes as characters search for meaning beyond the material world. Incorporate quests that transcend physical boundaries, encouraging characters to uncover truths about existence, mortality, and the afterlife. Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman's "Good Omens" humorously navigates themes of fate, destiny, and the cosmic battle between good and evil.

By exploring the intricate balance between faith and doubt, you'll create characters who resonate with readers on a deeply human level. These themes not only enrich your narrative but also invite readers to ponder their own beliefs and uncertainties

Utilizing Symbolism and Allegory

In the realm of fantasy religious storytelling, symbolism and allegory serve as potent tools to convey layers of meaning and depth. These literary devices can bridge the gap between the fantastical and the profound, enriching your narrative in powerful ways:

Symbolic Artifacts

Introduce artefacts or objects that hold symbolic significance within your world. A mystical amulet, an ancient tome, or a sacred tree could embody themes of faith, wisdom, or protection. Consider the One Ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings," representing the corrupting influence of power.

Allegorical Journeys

Craft allegorical quests that mirror spiritual journeys or moral dilemmas. Characters might embark on physical journeys that parallel inner transformations, mirroring the trials and growth inherent in belief systems. In John Bunyan's "The Pilgrim's Progress," the protagonist's journey to the Celestial City mirrors the Christian path.

Metaphorical Creatures

Introduce fantastical creatures that symbolize spiritual concepts. A mythical phoenix representing rebirth or a guardian dragon embodying both danger and enlightenment can add layers of meaning to your narrative. In "The Chronicles of Narnia," Aslan the lion is a symbolic representation of Christ.

Cosmic Forces

Use cosmic events or celestial phenomena as metaphors for divine influence or moral alignments. A comet's appearance could herald significant events, while an eclipse might signify moments of transformation or impending conflict. The Dark Tower series by Stephen King weaves cosmic forces into the fabric of its multiverse narrative.

Subtextual Commentary

Employ allegory to comment on real-world issues or philosophical concepts. By grounding your fantastical narrative in allegorical discussions, you invite readers to reflect on broader themes while engaging with your story. George Orwell's "Animal Farm" is an allegory for political corruption and societal manipulation.

By artfully integrating symbolism and allegory, you add depth and resonance to your narrative. These devices not only enhance the fantastical elements of your story but also invite readers to explore the layers of meaning hidden beneath the surface.

Crafting Moral Dilemmas and Choices

A hallmark of captivating storytelling is the inclusion of moral dilemmas that challenge characters' beliefs, forcing them to confront their convictions and make difficult choices. Within the realm of fantasy religious stories, these dilemmas become even more potent, as characters navigate the intersection of faith, ethics, and personal growth:

Clashes of Belief

Introduce conflicts where characters' divergent beliefs clash, sparking debates and raising questions about the nature of truth and morality. Such clashes can lead to both external conflicts and internal struggles. In "The Golden Compass" by Philip Pullman, characters' differing beliefs influence their actions in a world with soul-representing daemons.

Test of Principles

Develop scenarios where characters must make choices that challenge their faith or require them to compromise their values. These choices can lead to soul-searching moments that reveal the depths of their character. Guy Gavriel Kay's "Tigana" explores characters' moral choices amid political and religious conflicts.

Consequences of Devotion

Examine the consequences of extreme devotion to a religious cause. Characters who blindly follow their faith might be driven to commit ethically questionable acts, raising questions about the balance between devotion and ethics. In "The Sparrow" by Mary Doria Russell, the characters' missionary zeal leads to unforeseen moral dilemmas on an alien planet.

Doubt and Redemption

Narrate character arcs that involve doubt and eventual redemption. Characters who experience crises of faith might embark on journeys of self-discovery and growth, ultimately finding renewed purpose or understanding. In "The Magicians" by Lev Grossman, the protagonist's journey of doubt and rediscovery aligns with themes of magic and faith.

Personal Growth Through Struggle

Showcase characters who emerge stronger from moral challenges, reflecting personal growth as they navigate the complexities of their beliefs. These experiences can lead to a deeper understanding of faith and a more profound connection to the divine. Jacqueline Carey's "Kushiel's Dart" features a protagonist whose unique perspective challenges and evolves her understanding of religion.

By infusing your narrative with moral dilemmas, you encourage readers to grapple with complex questions, fostering empathy and introspection. These dilemmas illuminate the nuances of faith and the intricate choices that define the paths characters undertake.

I hope this blog on Tips To Consider When Writing A Fantasy Religious Story will help you in your writing journey. Be sure to comment any tips of your own to help your fellow authors prosper, and follow my blog for new blog updates every Monday and Thursday.  

Looking For More Writing Tips And Tricks? 

Are you an author looking for writing tips and tricks to better your manuscript? Or do you want to learn about how to get a literary agent, get published and properly market your book? Consider checking out the rest of Haya’s book blog where I post writing and publishing tips for authors every Monday and Thursday! And don’t forget to head over to my TikTok and Instagram profiles @hayatheauthor to learn more about my WIP and writing journey! 

[marabarl-and-marlbara]

it:s a foolish and inconsiderate question--inconsiderate because couched behind the question (statement) is what could have been easily just put-forth within the question instead of trying to lure me in with a mystery: I have an answer for you, but you must wait to hear it; surely in the time to write me there is just-as much time to not write, and provide in detail at a later time your full admission; and, the hidden aspect is: it is all just excuse with which to connect with me, and it is an excuse that uses my belief as a foot-in-door to do so, without bothering to understand my belief, as-if a more honest rewriting of the question could just be "be my friend?";

to me: it is as foolish and simple as left-handedness being "i am left-handed, i write with my left-hand," there is no philosophical depth to it as a being and associating it with there being a right-handed version can-be nothing more than 'yes, I have two hands, as most people do' -- to associate it with something ala "there is a right-handed version of me" removes it from the belief, and self-destructs within the belief; example: if every person has a right-handed (or left-handed) version of themselves, then there would not be a population disparity between left and right handed persons, as the ratio is ~1:9 left:right;

to the esoteric aspect of the belief, though it need not go much deeper than "i am left handed," the source of handedness stems from material of a spirit, broken from a whole root material that forms the greater right-hand; imagine a factory-line of ten clay vessels designed to hold a liquid, and in production one of the ten vessels shatters--the nine remaining are the right-hand, the splinters of the discarded are the left-hand--there is still no need to consider translations of a self between handedness here as there is the only esoteric distinction: versions of a production line; it is an exclusivist doctrine;

to the paranoid aspect: should you believe then in the esoteric, of the pots and splinters that make-up the versions of people within this world: the other people within this world are but ghostly images caught in the sparkling soul dimly seen on the inside walls of each clay vessel--and the people, themselves, are but illusory, and but exist to do naught yet confuse and drive a Godly desire for each person to 'connect'--which is the only truth to the original question; to connect;

why make art and post it for others? connect; why to talk to another person? to connect; why to learn about a belief? connect; etcetera and all invisible 'games' with which nerve-points are drawn to the skulls of people and fed, and circulated, back to a Heavenly impulse and body;

to God, and to the Heavenly impulse; a great and otherly vertice with which all following form is drawn from (using 3d modeling software terminology): from 2 is spline, from 3 is trinity/trigon, in shadow of 4 is quad, and then the righteous images are constructs of 3 as sets of 6, the sinister 4 as sets of 8; from underneath all of that is a chaos as-is the blankness of a fresh Blender instance without even the cube to greet you; from accordance of all the output are the language and input and programming cast-out from that Heavenly impulse though it were a server transmitting signals to its clients, and it together wants the clients connected and as diseased left disconnected; in Biblical reading: the Righteous spirit is the vessel with which had been stuck up-on this earth with a contamination of material upon the abstract spirit; the Sinister spirit is the vessel with which had been stuck here with contamination of spirit upon basic material; the fate of the latter is an annihilatory disconnection and for the former, a full subsumation into connection, and into the invisible host for eternity;

i write about it in my substack each week, on the sabbath, for the same dumb healthy purpose that drives anything outward: to connect, because more than want for friends i want that belief to grow.

[museofthepyre]

Did a fun Q&A thing on insta about my ocs, here are the highlights, lore and shit! For context I am writing this into a horror-ish book as we speak. Brewing my dastardly schemes (gay tragedy).

Q: Is Eden also a cannibal?

A: Eden isn't a cannibal in the way Harlow is. I mean he eats people but only because Harlow's cooking is too good to turn down /hj. Eden's thing is... kinda the opposite.

He's slowly being consumed by the rot that's festering within him, a manifestation of hatred and shame. To him love is consumption, and he is inedible. Insert vulture metaphor here w Harlow. For every rotting corpse there is a very greatful vulture who will look past the decay, and see your worth. Eden is ultimately finished off by something that loves him, a consumptive love, unconditional and indiscriminate.

Q: ABOUT THE ROT, HOW DOES IT WORK? HOW IS IT AFFECTING HIM??

A: This rot is really the only story element that isn't totally grounded in reality. It's an illness that's a manifestation of his self hatred/ repression/ internalized shame- not an actual condition.

It appears at first like it just affects his chest- but it’s been slowly burrowing deep into his body. Its spreading like roots/ mycillium through his flesh and will finish him off in one foul swoop once it's finished spreading.

In the meantime, it manifests like a chronic illness- his muscles are all atrophied and he feels constantly drained of life. It's taking small pieces of flesh to sustain itself while it spreads (the chest cavity is the result of that-though the REAL damage is invisible. It's the ticking time bomb roots beneath the seemingly unaffected surface). It functions like a slow acting Chronic Wasting Disease (aka zombie deer disease, humans can't get it in reality, but it was the inspiration)

Q: What happened when Harlow discovered Eden was a guy

A: Eden is trans, and closeted in his life. Harlow is the first person he ever discusses his truth with.

At first, Harlow was just kinda... confused? Transness is not a concept he was familiar with. At ALL. The idea alone was completely unheard of to him. Again this is the Bible Belt in the 8os, the area so rarely encountered visible transness- trans people existed of course, but so many stayed hidden to survive. The roaring tre of bigotry did not have much tuel in that regard... no trans people to propagandize against. It was not on the public's vitriolic radar. In that way, Harlow hadn't developed the knee-jerk reaction of hatred... he was more fascinated than anything, but it did challenge him to understand at first.

Unlike his journey with accepting homosexuality this was not so much a task of unlearning as it was just... learning.

Also Eden's whole rotting thing adds another layer to this Harlow is stupid and takes everything VERY literally- he thought Eden's condition must be divinely brought.

Harlow saw a gift from God, a rare flower planted in inhospitable soil, wilting before it ever got the chance to bloom. Like the angels sent to Sodom and Gamorrah in human disguises, to test the townspeople's virtue. To present them with something foreign yet beautiful, to judge their inherent goodness based on how they treat it. Like in the biblical story, the townspeople were so vile and inhospitable that it endangered the angels and forced them to leave, burning down the town behind them. Harlow saw this as prophecy. He was eager to get to the “burning down the town” part.

Part of my motivation for incorporating that specific biblical story is SPITE btw since so many people use it to justify homophobia. Reverse uno idiots. I'm putting you in my GAY BOOK as a metaphor for hateful queerphobic societies.HA!

Q: Describe the rot in Eden's chest in sensory detail (texture smell “cause" etc) I want rot details!!

A: I used CWD and necrotizing fasciitis as building blocks for this thing... starts in the brain, spreads like roots through the body, eating away at muscle and skin as it does. Once it's fully spread, it'd rapidly worsten and bring death within a matter of hours.

In the meantime it sustains itself off of non-fatal bits of flesh (his chest here, since it's a manifestation of self hatred and all, and dysphoria is a bitch). It is an open wound so it'd feel scabby and it is perpetually weeping... which is how Harlow finds out about it so quickly (seeps through white nightgown after being left unbandaged for a few nights). He would also have to take care to hide the smell of decay

It advances throughout the story and by the end there's barely any soft tissue left on his chest, nothing alive anyways. The final overtake begins, and his organs enter the early stages of consumption (which happens very rapidly in one foul swoop). That's when they decide it's time for boy dinner!

Q: How smart are they

A: GREAT QUESTION! HARLOW IS FUCKING STUPID. LIKE not only does he lack emotional intelligence entirely, but he's also very impulsive and reckless. The ONLY reason he's getting away with his murders is because the society around him has shot itself in the foot with its homophobia. Noooobody is suspicious of him for the string of missing attractive dudes. They're looking for a "vengeful woman" profile, or possibly a "debt collector with many social connections" or something. Not some solitary redneck who barely shows his face in town and is very polite and quiet when he does. He appears, in all respects, like a normal guy in public.

Once they have mutual blackmail (and also start caring about each other)... Eden realizes that if Harlow gets caught, he's fucked too. So partially for the sake of self-preservation, and... partially out of pity for this stupid stupid man... Eden starts to help him cover up.

Harlow is pretty disillusioned as to how society functions as a whole, since he grew up pretty far from it. Eden is the opposite, he was suffocated by it and learned how to be sneaky as a result. Eden is very good at getting people to trust him, he's good at lying, he's good at acting. Thing is, he's overly trusting to his own detriment. He's desperate for genuine connection and easily deceived himself. He's bad at reading people.

Q: What happened to Harlow's mom?

A: Harlow's mother died due to complications during childbirth. He never had a maternal figure in his life, he was raised as an only child by his father, who had become calloused and would never remarry. Harlow dropped out of high school and kept to himself at his house/ in nature after that very isolated from society. Considering all this... he not only lacked a maternal figure, but any female influence... at all. Which manifested as this warped and idolized understanding of women as a whole

He thought of women in a very high and almost mystified regard- like how a child would imagine a mythical creature. One massive blank filled in by a clueless imagination. He respected them greatly, he feared them like gods, and he felt a need to repent to them as such. He never properly processed the guilt he felt over his mothers death-largely thanks to his father's handling of it. This guilt left him feeling indebted, like he owed the world for what he “took", like if he ever so much as inconvenienced another woman it would be an irredeemable sin.

This all sounds like it comes from a good place, but it's really all just deluded naivety this is not a positive trait of Harlow's. It contributed a lot to his toxic masculinity, the pressure he put on himself to "be a man", etc.

He's not a white knight, he's a cowardly dog.

This is why he didn't just kill Eden on the spot after being caught, he needed to make sure...)

MORE TO COME IM SURE I LOVE GETTING QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE FREAKS IF ANYONE HERE HAS ANY