#LETS MAKE DIFFERENT THINGS FOR DIFFERENT ZODIACS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES

[rico-tyrell]

All my stuff came to make candles and I got my Palo Santo sticks to make fancy smudge sticks and!!!!!!!!

I don't feel like it :3

[xiatarot]

pick a pile: your next relationship

< choose an image >

take what resonates, leave what doesn’t.

for entertainment purposes only.

♡

I.

significant signs: big trees, snoopy, rabbits, spider webs, pictures of your grandparents, angel wings, 777, 8, 16, 1717.

zodiac signs: sagittarius, libra, virgo, cancer, aquarius, leo, gemini.

dear pile 1, it seems like the universe here has a different message for you but it's definitely one that you'll need to hear. your next relationship is essentially with yourself. spirit is urging you to look within, and find the love you seek in yourself. love and affection don't necessarily always have to come from a romantic partner; look around you and you'll find many different sources. you have a strong support system, wether in the 3D or spiritually, or both. there's a need for you to retreat and keep yourself in that hermit energy. there's some things you'll need to let go of in order to close a particularly difficult chapter of your life, and as the end of the year approaches, now it's the perfect time to let go of all those negative energies pulling you back from being who you dream of being, so that 2025 can feel like a fresh new beginning. some of you might struggle with addictions or, generically speaking, things that distract you on a daily basis and take you away from spending time doing other more fulfilling things that could benefit you long-term. now it's the time to reconsider your priorities and make amends with the past. what's behind you shouldn't keep you from moving forward. it would be beneficial to open up to one of multiple friends, don't be afraid to ask for help. to-do lists and physical self-care could also help a lot. remember that whatever you're going through it's temporary and it will pass. don't go back to unhealthy situations and toxic behaviors for temporary comfort, act out of love for your future self. take care.

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channeled song:

♡

II.

significant signs: singing, white candles, rainstorms, black guitar picks, silver scissors, anxiety meds, journaling, 12, 444, 1010, 6,333.

zodiac signs: leo, aquarius, capricorn, gemini, libra, virgo, aries.

you will meet your next partner at work or this person will offer you a job opportunity. i'm seeing someone receiving bouquets of flowers at their office. this person could be very conventionally attractive, so much that you wouldn't believe they'd be into you, but they will. this will boost your confidence on the long run. you will meet this person at a time in your life where you feel lost or trapped in some kind of situation that might have to do with finances or unemployment. this person will take it in their interests to do the best they can to help you and take you out of your misery. i think they'll be very financially abundant. beware of jealousy that could arise around you, they could have many eyes on them, for some of you they could even be a public figure or someone that's just relatively known on social media. your person will spend a lot of time observing you and trying to read you from afar, they could've been hurt in the past so they'll take a slow and careful approach for fear that you might turn out to be another lesson for them. this relationship will force you to face insecurities and you might have a hard time in terms of self-esteem and confidence initially. communication and honesty are essential here, as lots of misunderstandments could arise out of it. they will definitely be the one to make the first move. this relationship will be filled with passion and could even lead to marriage if that's something you both want. finances won't be a problem for either of you. brace yourself cause it seems like your person is right around the corner! very happy for you :)

find out more here: ♡

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channeled song:

♡

III.

significant signs: the beatles, monkeys, palm trees, fur boots, cocktails, germany, hummingbirds, golden necklace, december, 1212, 222, 888, 555.

zodiac signs: leo, libra, cancer, sagittarius, capricorn, taurus.

your next relationship will be all about healing. whoever this person is, they will almost surprise you with how much love they'll hold for you. it's like finally feeling warmth after spending a whole life out in the cold. i'm seeing someone deeply stuck in their insecurities and self sabotaging tendencies, your mind might tell you you're not deserving of love and this person will take it as their mission to make you believe you are. it's a gentle and caring type of love, one that speaks through actions rather than words. this person will be your anchor and just overall someone you can count on at all times. they're very caring and sweet, they'll treat you as if you were glass. there'll be a lot of deep conversations and opening up to each other. this relationship will be based on trust. it could be someone you already know or already know of. you might have mutual friends and meet at a party or a special occasion that will require you to dress a bit fancier than usual. this person will immediately want to strike a conversation with you and they'll be endeared by your shyness and modesty. it's a relationship that will heal your relationship with yourself and help you see you're much more deserving and worthy than you were raised to believe. you'll definitely have a family together in the future :).

find out more here: ♡

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channeled song:

[eamour]

method · alter ego

many people which are now known as famous and popular celebrities have created their alter egos long ago. jennifer lopez' alter ego called lola, eminem's alter ego slim shady or mariah carey's alter ego mimi — they all serve one purpose: to extend one's self-image. in other words, becoming someone, which is exactly what we do when we manifest!

definition

an alter ego — latin for "other i" — can be referred to as a secondary self, a hidden or even opposite side of one's self. it’s an alternative personality which is believed to be different from a person's actual or original personality. some even say it’s a better or enhanced version of oneself, possessing all characteristics which your first self desires or aspires to have. your alter ego is defined by everything you wish and intend it to be defined by. in manifestation terms, an alter ago is simply a different concept of self or state of mind which you can embody or identify with at all times.

suggestion

creating an alter ego for yourself can be quite beneficial if you find it exhausting to embody your desired version of self all the time or experience difficulties representing or relating to a fixed state of self continuously or repeatedly. inventing and alter ego helps to be able to identify with a made up side of yourself without feeling the pressure or the need to show up as them every minute of the day, especially if they are inherently or drastically divergent than how you are normally.

on the other hand, it serves as a means to express yourself in a way that’s in contrast to how you usually are, reducing anxiety and inducing confidence instead. it guides you into thinking and expecting more of yourself naturally and get over your mental limitations and restrictions. your alter ego is an extension from who you are to who you could be. what you can’t do, your alter ego can!

invention

let's create your alter ego together!

biography. give them a name. it does not have to be your exact first and last name. your alter ego's name could be your actual first name and a different last time, a nickname or variety of your first name or an entirely new name. you can continue by choosing their age, their sex, their birthday, their zodiac sign or even birth chart, deciding on their nationality, their political, sexual, spiritual or religious orientation,…

personality. define their personality. who are they? what do they know? what are they interested in? what do they like? what do they dislike? how do they talk? how do they walk? how do they look like? how do they dress? how do they behave? how do they treat others? what do they know? how do they think of themselves? how do they act? what do they think? what do they own? how does their home look like? what’s their social life like? do they have a routine? do they have a signature smell? do they own a motto they live by? or do they have a catch phrase they always use? who is in love with them? do they have a partner? do they have several lovers? who do they know? what is their family relationship like? do they have a best friend? are they in a friendgroup?…

expression

now, we need to get to action. our next step is all about embodying and expressing. having an alter ego is one thing but showing up as them is another.

whenever you intend to become your alter ego and let them "take over yourself", your job is to get into the mindset of that specific alter ego. you need to let them live through you. let them be who they are while using your body as a "vessel". think about it, what would they do? how would they act? if you were to make a decision, how would they choose? what would they say? make it your aim to BE them.

with love, ella.

[cleapallea]

master list + More

𐙚 𝗘𝗠𝗣𝗧𝗬 𝗣𝗟𝗔𝗡𝗘𝗧𝗦𐙚

& how you can make income! 🤑

Is empty house means empty wallet?

There are 12 sectors (zodiac sign + house) in astrology that reflect different aspects of your life. At this point, if you have planets in 12 houses, a planet being in that house as well as the rulers means you should have more focus in that area. For example, too many planets (2) in a tenth house with Venus aspects or rulers (Taurus and Libra) signifies that your career might be related to Venus qualities such as modeling, rebranding, or makeup (products, tutorials, etc.). Hence, I know some of you might ask: So what to do if none?

Empty Planet in 1st house

Aries: self image, rebranding and investing

Empty Planet in 2nd house

Taurus: depends on your own efforts. Kinda Similiar to 1st.

Empty Planet in 3rd House

Gemini: Person's activity, and investment (education, training and self development -professional)

Example: Graphic Designer, Artworks related, Freelance writer and etc

Empty Planet in 4th house

Cancer: Anything related to fostering homes, and building connections (social network)

Example: adopting a dog (female), and let them grow after that you can sell her puppies. Or you can build a pets/ poultry suppliers.

Empty Planet in 5th house

Leo: Anything related to pleasure, wholesome stuff, makes you happy and alive, self-expression, recreation, and innovation.

Example: Build a program (school, playground, or be a Yaya for a day) and alike

Empty Planet in 6th house

Virgo: anything related to health, wellness, and daily routines

Example: Be secretary, write a blog about health and wellness, Be a Yoga instructor, or Drugs Cashier in some malls, teacher and more.

Empty Planet in 7th house

Libra: anything related to partnership, business and interest in society as a whole.

Example: Be an event planner, teacher, or social media influencer starts to sell your self in social media.

Empty Planet in 8th house

Scorpio: money houses, long term success or growth career, real state investments and financial portfolios

Example: rentals of your personal collection like shoes, etc.

Empty Planet in 9th house

Sagittarius: Travel, higher learning, personal philosophy, exploration and intellect

Example: You may consider writing a story or list of quotes on a known website and look for a small publisher until you get recognized. You can also Teach foreign ppl in diff countries to use other languages.

Empty Planet in 10th house

Capricorn: public image, career aspiration and achievement, and more on ppl oriented.

Example: vlogger, streamer, content creator, YouTuber and alike

Empty Planet in 11th house

Aquarius: humanitarian and personal networks. Anything that may show your passion and interest in specific content.

Example: musician, or be friends with famous people (they can help you a lot), then let them see your talents. I've known a lot of Aquarius placements tend to be very talented. You just have to precise and be stick with good purpose cause double karma occurs if you're not.

Empty Planet in 12th house

Pisces: Mysterious side of humanity, mind, and life

Example: be a tarot reader, practice gambling, or any creative outlets.

✎ There are no such things as empty planets. The empty planets are ruled by the "lord" or "zodiac signs" inside them. Although I don't really believe it's not your main focus but more in IT'S YOUR HIDDEN GOAL AND SUCCESS, I've heard a lot of women who have their second house empty, but years later become rich due to partnerships, investments in education, and such. We have this called "transitting of each sign."

✎ take note that this is not a dynamic and astrology is about multifaceted interpretation. The question of where and what you can do to make money can vary depending on the whole system of your chart (aside from your energy). For me, I need to see the whole birth chart before I give the exact meaning of it. Every chart is different, so I can't provide full, detailed information about it.

✎You have to look for your MC (signs), Jupiter house +signs (power), Saturn (warnings/challenges occur) and Moon placed (for reminder why you started, why you need to work something like that) if you don't like your moon, then look for your south code. Or if you dont know how to start, look for the (Pluto). Find inspiration in everything :) God bless!

Plagiarism is A crime.

[thesensteawitch]

WHAT CAREER SUITS YOUR SPIRIT?🧚🏻‍♀️✨

Pick A Pile Reading

Left to Right (Pile 1, Pile 2, Pile 3)

Hello, SENSTEA Souls!💕

Aah! Such a long time!!!!!!!! How have you all been? Missed me?🥹🫶🏻

I have been healing and purging and focusing on other things so I couldn't make time to write for you. But I will be trying to make one post in a week. 🌜

Now without any delay let's get into your reading. You know the drill right? Just pick one pile intuitively and scroll down to read your pile!🫶🏻

Also, if you wish to book a PERSONAL READING with me you can message me directly. And if not, then I am sharing the links to my rate card and booking form.

BOOKING FORM 🌸 RATE CARD

Tip the blog to keep it going! (It's not mandatory but appreciated!🐈‍⬛✨)

...

Here is your reading:

Pile 1

Tarot Cards- The Moon, 8 of Pentacles, The Hanged Man, Knight of Pentacles, Knight of Wands, 7 of Cups

This pile is intense. I heard, “If you dance, I'll dance. If you don't, I'll dance anyway.” You do not care if people do not believe your truth as long as you know that what you know is made known to you by the divine. Your spirit is magical, and hence it's called to explore mystical subjects. If you are someone who is not interested in mysteries or the intensity of your purpose, then I would suggest you choose a different pile because this group follows the calling of their spirit naturally. You're rebellious when it comes to your career. You are supposed to combine your purpose with your career. Anything related to digging deep, mystical, esoteric subjects, tarot, astrology, metaphysics, science, astronomy, diving, writing, art, detective, law, or surgeon is where you fit the best. You may have strong Scorpio placements. Check if you have Scorpio in your 11th house or if your Mars is in Scorpio because I am picking that strongly. Zodiac signs that are coming off strongly are Aries, Scorpio, Sagittarius, and Capricorn.

You require a lot of silence while working. Your path isn't easy; there are immense transformations in your journey. Your spirit continuously seeks to ascend through what you do. There may be times when your finances come to a halt and you need to do a perspective shift to do better. I can see that your body, mind, and spirit must be aligned with your purpose so that you rise to the top. What you're called to do is so powerful that illusions can easily take over. You are a truth seeker, and truth cannot be multiple, so finding it cannot be a race in your case. You need to move at a pace that is neither too fast nor too slow. Your spirit is like that of a magician walking on Earth. To the world, you may seem alluring, but you know what it costs you to follow your purpose. Every loss, death, and transformation that you come across drastically shifts your life. Speak more. Speak the truth. Your words will shock the public in a good way. You're here to open people's eyes to the truth through your work. Express often. Your power and your purpose are not scary; it's divine! You may also hold multiple degrees.

Pile 2

Tarot Cards- Justice, 3 of Pentacles, Queen of Swords, The Chariot, The Emperor

This pile is really intelligent. Anything that allows you to make use of your mind the most is something that will suit your spirit the best. A career where you'll be continuously learning and enhancing your skills. Teaching, medical (dentist I heard in my mind), law, business, accountant, marine officer/captain, and research are what I can think of looking at your cards. Your spirit demands and deserves to be the leader in your field. There will be challenges in your journey, which you will have the courage to overcome if you keep your emotions in balance. Your spirit will make you start from the basics. You are supposed to study a lot to be able to reach the top. You seem to be a multitasker or interested in multiple subjects, but that can bring a lot of chaos into your life. So your spirit is encouraging you to master one subject. If you throw yourself in multiple concepts, you will waver from the truth. Don't let your intellect go against you.

You're supposed to continuously research in your particular field and stand firm on your beliefs, so choose wisely and make sure you enjoy it for the rest of your life. Zodiac signs that I can sense are Gemini, Aquarius, Cancer, Aries, Capricorn, and Libra. In your particular field, you need to find a perfect teacher or organization that suits you and can help you achieve your goals. Learning through all the sources again will not be good for you. Pick one source and commit to it for at least a good amount of time. Your spirit feels at peace when you speak your truth without fearing what others may think of you. It's very important for you to have strong boundaries to do good in your career. Not having boundaries and sharing your business with everyone can do more harm than good to your career. Your brain is like a sponge. It absorbs everything without filtering the information. Rather than stimulating yourself with so much information, pick one path and find your truth. Talk to yourself more than you talk to others. You'll find your answer.

Pile 3

Tarot Cards- Page of Swords, The Star, Nine of Wands, 6 of Swords, 7 of Wands

Oh my God, pile 3, your cards were just not coming out. What are you so afraid of? There are two opposing thoughts going on in your mind when it comes to your career. You want to do something but you're doing something else. Your heart is at another place while your mind is at another. Your spirit wants you to get over this fear of the worst. There's no room for instant gratification when it comes to following your dreams. Believe me, you're not late when it comes to pursuing your dreams. You've definitely struggled in your career or are still struggling. Every day feels like another battle. Stop living like that. A new beginning lies on the other side of closing the door behind you. Be willing to let go of the old ways. So you're afraid of the challenges and the mountains you are supposed to climb to catch your dream? Well, aren't there struggles in what you are currently doing? Believe me, from where I see these challenges will refine your spirit and will take you closer and closer to your dream life.

Follow your heart, sweet soul. Believe me, it's all in your head. You have it in you to pass the tests that will come your way to achieve your dreams. Don't keep drinking poison just because you've gotten accustomed to the taste of it. Your taste buds can compromise, but your body will remember the damage that the poison is doing. Zodiac signs that I am picking up are Gemini, Aquarius, Leo, and Sagittarius. Either you can lead with courage or with fear. The choice is yours! Honestly, nothing is strongly coming off as to what career will suit you the best because right now your energy is guiding you to first free yourself of your own limitations. After that, you can think of what you want to do. But one thing I can say is that you're being called to do something that frees your spirit. There's such a deep desire in you to be someone else and do something else, but somewhere there's a thought that you won't ever reach there, so why even try? My goodness, you really need to talk to someone regarding this or just have a day of silence and be brutally honest to yourself. You are literally going opposite of your destiny, and that's why you don't feel the sense of accomplishment. I hear, “Old friend, why are you so shy? Ain't like you to hold back or hide from the light.”

[pubbamoon]

Nakshatras Observation

Hey! How you're doing? I'm doing good. You know I make posts everyday, but yesterday I needed to rest and to take a pause of writing and making observations a little bit. This post for today is going to be fully about Vedic astrology and theme of this post are fixed stars, constellations or the nakshatras. You can all it however you want to, but I mostly call it nakshatras, 'cause it's more common term. Anyway, let's just begin!

First of all, what are nakshatras? Nakshatras are the fixed stars from the Universe which are divided from each other by degrees of the zodiac signs. Every zodiac sign has three nakshatras in it and each nakshatra means something else. For example, two nakshatras in Cancer mean different things, so two Cancer Moon natives with two different nakshatras may be different from each other. I forgot to mention in my previous post about Vedic astrology that it can be named as 'Jyotish' astrology and it's from India, so keep that in mind.

But nonetheless, let's continue. Each nakshatra has its own planetary ruler and these planets can be the Sun, the Moon, Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Rahu (North Node of The Moon) and Ketu (South Node of The Moon). Also, each nakshatra has its own deity, mythology, yoni (sexual animal), symbol and its association with each fixed star (Antares, Regulus, Aldebaran, Betelgeuse, Spica etc.). There's overall 27 nakshatras and in the next picture, you can see the name of nakshatras, their order, in which sign they start at, in which sign they end at, their planetary ruler (lord) and their ruling deity.

Each nakshatra lasts 13 degrees and 20 minutes in every sign. To make things clearer, I'm going to make the order of nakshatras by its planetary rulers (lords).

Ketu (South Node of The Moon):

Ashwini: 0° 00' Aries - 13°20' Aries

Magha: 0° 00' Leo - 13° 20' Leo

Mula: 0° 00' Sagittarius - 13° 20' Sagittarius

Ketu is a shadow planet which represents the past life, spirituality and seeking the truth. Its nakshatras are placed at the very beginning of the fire signs, because they represent the end of the karma from previous life (water signs) and the activation of karma from this lifetime (fire signs).

Venus:

Bharani: 13° 20' Aries - 26° 40' Aries

Purva Phalguni: 13° 20' Leo - 26° 40' Leo

Purva Ashadha: 13° 20' Sagittarius - 26° 40' Sagittarius

Venus does represent love, raw femininity, sensuality, romance and pleasures. Its nakshatras are located at the center of the fire signs, which represent individuality. We have to learn to love ourself first, because seeking the love to others isn't real love and is more likely people pleasing.

The Sun:

Krittika: 26° 40' Aries - 10° 00' Taurus

Uttara Phalguni: 26° 40' Leo - 10° 00' Virgo

Uttara Ashadha: 26° 40' Sagittarius - 10° 00' Capricorn

The Sun represents our vitality, father, king, royalty, refined masculinity, purpose, self-expression etc. Its nakshatras are placed between the fire signs and the earth sign, making a balance between individuality and confidence with practicality and being down to earth.

The Moon:

Rohini: 10° 00' Taurus - 23° 20' Taurus

Hasta: 10° 00' Virgo - 23° 20' Virgo

Shravana: 10° 00' Capricorn - 23° 20' Capricorn

The Moon represents home, public, mind, refined femininity, mother, emotions, nurturing, nostalgia etc. and its nakshatras are located completely in earth signs. In order to become emotionally secure, we need to build up the stability in our home environment.

Mars:

Mrigashira: 23° 20' Taurus - 6° 40' Gemini

Chitra: 23° 20' Virgo - 6° 40' Libra

Dhanishta: 23° 20' Capricorn - 6° 40' Aquarius

Mars represents raw masculinity, courage, strength, having a muscular body and sex. Its nakshatras are located between the earth signs and the air signs, making a balance between the hard-working energy (earth signs) with having a time for hanging out with other people (air signs). People with the prominent Mars-ruled nakshatras are prone to have a mental health issues.

Rahu (North Node of The Moon):

Ardra: 6° 40' Gemini - 20° 00' Gemini

Swati: 6° 40' Libra - 20° 00' Libra

Shatabhisha: 6° 40' Aquarius - 20° 00' Aquarius

Rahu is also a shadow planet as Ketu and it represents future, internet, social medias, illusions, obsessions and overnight success. Its nakshatras are placed completely in the air signs which represents collectivity and masses of people. You have to be relatable and likeable to others if you want to succeed on the internet.

Jupiter:

Punarvasu: 20° 00' Gemini - 3° 20' Cancer

Vishakha: 20° 00' Libra - 3° 20' Scorpio

Purva Bhadrapada: 20° 00' Aquarius - 3° 20' Pisces

Jupiter does represent expansion, higher education, luck, sharing knowledge to others and its nakshatras are placed in the air signs and at the beginning stage of the water signs. People with the prominent Jupiter-ruled nakshatras may likely spread their knowledge to the group of people (air signs) and show their genuine side (water signs).

Saturn:

Pushya: 3° 20' Cancer - 16° 40' Cancer

Anuradha: 3° 20' Scorpio - 16° 40' Scorpio

Uttara Bhadrapada: 3° 20' Pisces - 16° 40' Pisces

Saturn represents discipline, karma, struggles, restrictions, career, longevity, masses of people and its nakshatras are located completely in water signs. This planet teaches us to become emotionally stable and to control our emotions.

Mercury:

Ashlesha: 16° 40' Cancer - 0° 00' Leo

Jyeshta: 16° 40' Scorpio - 0° 00' Sagittarius

Revati - 16° 40 Pisces - 0° 00' Aries

Mercury does represent our communication style, writing style, mental stimulation etc. Its nakshatras begin at the center of the water signs and end at the very end of the water signs. This can mean that communication might be transformative, even manipulative. It can also show the death and the end of our karma from this current lifetime.

P.S. Pubba is an abbreviation of Purva Phalguni word. Since I have the Moon in Purva Phalguni nakshatra in Leo, I chose to call my username as @pubbamoon.

So, that could be everything for today. It was pretty interesting to make this kind of post, haha. Hope you enjoyed it and learned something new. See you!

Best regards,

Paky McGee

[writingwithcolor]

Running Commentary: What is “ok to do” in Mixed-Culture Supernatural Fiction?

Dear readers: 

Today we are trying something new. To give you some insight into our process in the Japanese moderator section, we are presenting our response in the form of running commentary to show you how we dissect and answer long asks. We hope this makes clear what points are useful and not useful when sending us a query. As always, this is for learning purposes, not callouts. Be prepared: this is a long one. 

To summarize: the asker is looking to create a comic drawn in Japanese manga style, and has provided a long summary of the story and worldbuilding which involves a mix of “reimagined” Japanese yokai mythos and cultural symbols from many other sources. They have questions with respect to cultural appropriation, coding etiquette, and “what is and isn’t ok.” 

Opening Comments

I know a common advice when it comes to the thing I am about to ask is to talk to people involved in __, but I struggle with opening up to strangers for reasons I'm uncomfortable explaining. 

Marika (M): This is already a red flag. If you want to engage with another culture without talking to people from that culture, then research is going to be very challenging. You won’t have members of that culture to guide you towards sources and perspectives they feel most accurately represents public opinion. If I were in your shoes, I might start with tackling my discomfort when engaging with other people, if only to improve my work. If you aren’t ready to engage with a culture and its people directly, then I think you should wait until you are. 

I should note, reaching out to the Japanese mod team at WWC does count as engagement, but WWC should not and cannot be the only point of contact because there is no single, legitimate cultural perspective. 

Rina (R): Also, you don’t need to “open up” to strangers or talk to them in person to get perspectives. Asking specific research questions anonymously to a forum or on social media requires very little vulnerability. You managed to do it here on WWC. So give it a try! 

Anyway, my question basically amounts to the what is and isn't ok [sic] in terms of depicting fantasy creatures and concepts outside of their respective culture.

R: So, the reason why we turn away rubber stamp questions by that ask “is XYZ okay?” is because “okay” & “not okay” 1) is vague and 2) creates a dichotomy where there isn’t one. 

When we say something is “not okay,” do we mean:

It’s offensive to the general majority of XYZ group? 

It’s contentious among people who ID in the group? 

It has a potential to be interpreted in a certain negative way, but may not be a red flag to everyone?

Insetad try asking:

What are the reasons this subject is offensive? 

What makes cultural appropriation bad? 

When might it be “okay” to intentionally discuss a difficult or controversial topic?

What is your reason for including something that may be interpreted as offensive and can it be sufficiently justified? 

What stereotypes or tropes might it be consistently identified as or associated with, and why? 

When might it be justified to bring up these tropes?

With That In Mind...

Let’s get into the rest of the ask below. 

…a story I've been working on in recent times is largely inspired off the Japanese yokai, and the setting is basically Earth in the far future, as far as when the next supercontinent may form. These yokai, although portrayed differently here, do retain their main characteristics [...] Included in this world are two goddesses of my own creation, primarily representing the sun and the moon. [...] There will be thirteen nations, named and based after the Chinese Zodiac, and the life force found in the living things in this world, called qi, comes in two forms that are always opposing each other but can never fully overpower the other, this being based off yin and yang. They're even directly named this; yin qi and yang qi.

M: This reads more like using Japanese and Chinese culture for the “aesthetics”, not the cultures themselves, which I personally feel falls under cultural appropriation. From a world-building/ coding standpoint, the actual use of concepts is workable, and, dare I say, typical, given how Chinese cosmology influences Japanese culture. However, naming a concept ��yin qi” or “yang qi” is the equivalent of naming something “- charge” or “+ charge”, respectively. That you don’t seem aware of this tells me you are pretty early in your research phase. In that vein, we’ve covered translating terms and names from foreign languages in fantasy before. See the following article linked here for our recommendation against using RL terms outright but instead encouraging people to create their own conlangs. 

R: Worldbuilding-wise, I think you would have to figure out the chicken-or-egg of the zodiac nations. Did the nations come first, and the zodiac later as an origin folk story (which you would have to rewrite to serve the nation-building narrative)? Did the zodiac come first, and the nations named (most likely re-named) by a political entity? What is the justification? Otherwise, again, it’s a shoehorning of aesthetics. 

There is also a third, lesser known god based off of fox spirits and trickery and I imagined he's the patron deity of a family that honors and worships him, but his influence on them has transformed them into Kitsune-tsuki, which I depict as fox-like anthros. 

M: Not related to this ask directly, but I have jokingly ranted about how often non-Japanese people prefer using imagery related to kitsune-tsuki in Japanese coded world-building (link). This makes me feel the same level of petty irritation. See my troll answer below for a similar experience.

R: Same. It’s boring tbh. 

M: Troll Answer: I get that kitsune-tsuki are very sexy furries, but Japanese folklore has other sexy furries too! These underrepresented demographics also deserve recognition and appreciation!!

The plot of the story is this; modernization has left the goddesses neglected of their worship and forgotten, something that is necessary in this world to stop them from fighting each other. The Moon Goddess awakens first, punishing the humans by unleashing the yokai. Then the Sun Goddess wakes up to fight in humanity's defense…

M: This could feel rather like Shinto-like coding (Ex. the myth of Amaterasu and the Cave, or Tsukuyomi slaying Ukemochi), but something about this scenario feels a bit too binary in terms of themes of good v. evil, light v. dark to be Shinto. The plot also feels more Gaelic/ Nordic in influence for me as a person raised in a Japanese Buddhist and Hindu household. I imagine this dissonance could have been fixed with better guided research. 

…but their fighting has caused a perma-eclipse and this world is in danger of ending. The yokai have run rampant; some are loyal to the Moon Goddess, and some aren't, and it lies to the main characters to bring balance back to Midgard. Yeah... the name of this future Earth is Midgard. I debate changing it since it and some other things I will mention sorta feel out of place.

R: Marika, looks like you were right on the Gaelic/Nordic influence /j 

Also, worldbuilding question: if the Earth is in the far geologic future, how long has it been since modernization (19th-20th century)? Centuries? Millennia? How long has this fighting gone on for? What triggered the perma-eclipse, and why now? Why is this time depth necessary? 

One of the main characters in question is a humanoid woman with wolf features named Ling, and she is a descendant of the dynasty that had first ruled the one of the nations, particularly the one based off the dragon zodiac. She accidentally summons the other main character to this world as she's praying at a shrine, a humanoid with dragon features--I call them drakon--named Angelynn.

[on the names of characters] is it appropriating by not having the world entirely based on [Chinese, Japanese, and Indian] influence? it's a little weird to me how worldwide the creatures are referred to as yokai, implying a strong Japanese influence not unlike how it is today with Western culture being so dominant, yet there are still names like Keith and Kiara.

M: I will give you credit for recognizing you have unconsciously veered towards white-washing/ race-bending: either presenting European cultural influences (drakons, Angelynn, Keith, Kiara, Midgard) as default or utilizing general E. Asian cultural influences and aesthetics for a Western-style story (Ling, qi, Chinese zodiac, yokai). I agree with you that this creates a sense of cultural dissonance. At this point, I’d say you have a clear choice: write a Western-style high fantasy using a background with which you have more familiarity, or get some better guidance on research with East Asian cultures so you can code the story more effectively. 

The focus of this story is centered around meeting all these yokai and showing that there's more nuance to them than Ling believes, all while saving the world. But I worry if I'm appropriating these concepts and creatures by 1, drawing from more than one culture--I initially imagined that there would be a mix of Chinese, Japanese and Indian influence because according to a website I am getting the info on yokai from, the yokai in question already draw inspiration from or have been based on something in Chinese mythology or Hinduism [...]

R: Sure, some yokai have Chinese or Hindu parallels as that tends to happen with folk tales. But not all–some are unique to Japan, and some are more modern. Sometimes it’s very political–some people consider the Ainu Korpokkur as being a “Yokai of Japan” despite it belonging to the indigenous culture. It’s up to you to research, untangle, and understand these influences. 

The fact that you bring up that the Asian continent has seen a lot of cultural exchange is not a sufficient reason to randomly combine influences for the sake of visual appeal or “coolness.” That is appropriation. These influences must be understood in their historical context so that you know how/why certain things combined or morphed into another, and what makes sense to combine/morph. 

M: This also indicates that the character views the yokai as evil/inherently bad, which I would argue is not a typical stance for much Japanese folklore. Again, this shows a deficit in research. 

2, reimagining these yokai in a new context even though I have done the research on them, because one thing I kept seeing in regards to cultural appropriation is that it's bad to do that […]

R: Refer above to my note on “okay” and “not okay.” The thing with folklore and fairy tales is that every–and I mean every–folk tale is reinterpreted with every new iteration of it. Reimagining in a new context is what people do every time they pass on a story or tell a story with the same plot or characters. Do not think of folklore as an “original” that is altered and rebooted, but rather a living document that gets added to. Reimagining is not the inherent issue. HOW you reimagine something matters. 

So I suppose my question is...if someone were to do research upon the creature they want to use, given they are allowed to use it, and gained an understanding of what the creature or concept stood for, are they allowed to pick it apart and reimagine it? Alternatively, is it ok if it's explicitly pointed out that it is derivative of the original?

It has actually become my biggest fear that I may have internalized something that could both continue to do harm long after the fact and attract the wrong people to me work. I don't wanna let people down!

M: As Rina has noted several times, I think the problem is in trying to ID a set of specific variables and circumstances that make a thing “okay” or “not okay.” I want to recommend that you read my joking response about writing in secret rooms while wearing a disguise (Linked here). Who can you hurt if no one knows what you are doing? There’s a difference between creating for oneself and creating to share. 

You have internalized a message incorrectly, but not the one you cite. The goal of many recommendations against cultural appropriation is to avoid causing direct harm to people who have seen their cultures demeaned, discredited and devalued, especially in shared spaces. Assessing cultural engagement, whether we are talking about appropriation, appreciation or exchange is not a measure of personal virtue or a collection of commandment style do’s and don’t’s. Rather, I believe engaging with other cultures is the state of mind of acknowledging that when using these cultures’ in one’s own work, there is value in consulting members of that culture and giving credit where credit is due. This will be challenging if you are only comfortable engaging with all of these cultures in a distanced, minimal capacity. 

FWIW, I’ve written stories that probably will offend people from other cultures and backgrounds, but I don’t show them off. I don’t think writing these makes me a bad person, but I also don’t see the need to give unnecessary offense, so those stories are just for me, to be written and read in my own secret room. However, I’m not ashamed of having written them, and I’m also comfortable to “let people down” provided that my own shared work reflects my personal principles of what I consider to be sufficient research and engagement with other cultures,  As a creator, my work wouldn’t be mine if I didn’t first please myself. I think the trick to the creator role is deciding what to keep private, what to share and what constitutes sufficient engagement. 

P.S. 

We’ve referenced the need for research multiple times in this ask, and in some of the other asks that have gone up this week, so we thought this would be a good place to plug a beginner’s guide to academic research created by the mod team.. Look for it soon under WWC’s pinned posts!

[thatsherastro]

Fixed Signs/placements :

Aquarius, Leo, Taurus , Scorpio

This is a long post. If you are uncomfortable with honesty this page and post is not for you

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Todays Message/ Advice:

There is power in knowing when to pivot.

Do you know why mutables have an advantage over fixed signs? Because they know when to give up and move on. Mutable signs excel in their ability to pivot and adapt, while fixed signs are known for their consistency and commitment, which can lead to great success. However, fixed signs often stay committed to the wrong people or situations, holding on due to the time invested, even when it’s harmful. They can benefit from learning flexibility and adaptability from mutable signs, understanding that not everything can or should be held onto forever. Here is why each sign find it hard:

Taurus - ♉️ unwillingness to expand their mindset can really hinder them from learning and experiencing true intimacy and happiness. ♉️ treats everything and everyone like a POSSESSION rather than an experience. At times, ♉️ doesn’t even know the true value of the things that they are holding on to . It’s a perceived value. They only value it because they are familiar with it. Walk with me for a minute , so ♉️ is the 2nd sign of the zodiac which can make them “ The toddler” of the zodiac. Think about a toddler picking up a red ball from the toy store. The ♉️ child swiftly becomes attached to it B/C it is theirs. They won’t share. The thing is there are more balls/ toys to play with in the world but the ♉️ child isn’t open to that because they want to hold on tight to what they like.While there is beauty in that, it has to be used in a healthy way. If the ♉️ native has gone through it , they feel that it is theirs to keep. People, materials, & even pain. Their unwillingness to expand their mindset is what holds them back in the end. The beauty in ♉️ is that it is dedicated. So , dedicate yourself to opening your mind to different points of views and life experiences. They say “ Closed mouths don’t get fed”well Closed minds don’t either ♉️. Be more like a gemini, allow yourself to view things from multiple perspectives but unlike gemini, still remain grounded in your moral compass.

Scorpio - Boy, oh Boy, can a Scorpio hold on. Much like their sister, Taurus, they have a hard time letting go. Specifically, when they invest emotionally into something, on a subconscious level, Scorpios have this thing where they feel that the things worth having are things that they must suffer for, and that is not always the case. These people have been exposed to some dark stuff. It is so essential for scorpions to sit with their dark nature and explore their psyche ( I’d recommend doing this with a licensed professional ) because if not, Scorpio can go between extremes a lot. Many times, unevolved Scorpios transform into exactly what and who hurt them ( R.K3lly) You don’t have to go through extreme pain to learn, you’re choosing to. Suffering is not your birthright. You have the potential to spot a bad situation from a mile away. Spot it , examine it, and learn from a distance. What I will say is that Scorpio is the sign of transformation, so they do have the ability to let go. However, this is only after they have no choice and have a dark night of the soul moment. Scorpios are better at transforming their pain into purpose, which is actually really beautiful. Be more like Sagittarius Scorpio, the moment a situation isn’t adding joy to your life , walk away but unlike Sagittarius try to remain grounded and don’t become too pleasure-seeking.

Leo - Leo I'm going to jump right out of the gate and say it. You hold on based on superficiality and ego. Listen, a leo will hold on to a person that is bad for them simply because the person in question makes them look good. Leo will stay at a job that means no good because the job provides some form of social status. Leo has an image to uphold and they will fight tooth and nail to do so. Leos can be very naive. They will allow people to give them shallow compliments and form emotional connections that are based on praise. At times it's almost like leos don’t even want companionship , they want fans. This is why it is important for Leo to work on having true self confidence. The kind of confidence that is healthy and not a coping mechanism for the insecurities you don't spend enough time nurturing. You are worth more than just a few “ You look good” moments. Leo is associated with the heart but they don’t fully know how to deal with the more unpleasant emotions that are associated with life. Leos hold on because their value is tied to things and people. They tend to detach like their sister Aquarius when the going gets tough, which isn’t always the best thing either. Life isn’t happy all the time. Be more like virgo , GET REAL. Value your mental health over the material world and naive emotions from time to time but do not be pessimistic like virgo .

Aquarius—Aquarius stays in situations due to convenience. They are the type to be unhappy for years, but because the person or place benefits them in some way, they will stay. The Aquarian archetype isn’t really built on emotions per se, so when they continue to maneuver life in an unemotional and opportunistic way, they stunt themselves emotionally and do more harm than good to their heart space. Aquarius underestimates their ability to really manifest at times. The things that you want will come to you if you truly allow it. Aquarius can move on, though, but they do it in a very stoic and impersonal way. You’re still human, Aquarius, and you have to deal with human matters. Listen, Aquarius, when Pluto moves back into your sign, you will be forced to let go of it all and really deal with things that you have been avoiding. How can you truly move on if you haven’t explored the emotions connected to a situation? You’re not moving on , you’re getting by in survival mode. Aquarius, be more like pisces allow yourself to experience your emotional and your empathetic side but don’t be delusional.

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[makingspiritualityreal]

Hi, what has been your experience with Sun conjunct Pluto?

Sun Conjunct Pluto

I have this aspect Nataly so it's easy to explain.

Before any questions related to Pluto, you need to read my general post about outer planets because it will make you understand, that if you have any outer planet in a close conjunction with a personal planet, particularly a luminary, you will realise its karma largely unconsciously. It falls completely under the spectrum of destiny. Technically, out whole chart does, but because of human unconsciousness, we have zero control and usually zero awareness about outer planets.

The next thing you need to think of is that Sun conjunct Pluto is not as uncommon as you may think. Pluto takes up to 30 years to move through just ONE zodiac sign, even though the time varies because it has an uneven orbit. That means Pluto is going to be conjunct Sun to a varying degree every year for around a month, producing people of a similar influence for potentially up to 30 years. Of course, degrees matter, and those born with natal degrees particularly close to the degree of transit Pluto (mine is less than 1 degree fe, that's pretty close) will be embodying this influence more than others, born with Pluto in the same sign as their Sun but let's say 20 degrees apart.

Still, hundreds of thousands of children are born every day. Millions are born every month. Even if Pluto can aspect the Sun only one month a year by sign, and if we narrow down its closest influence to a week, that is still around a million people being born with Sun conjunct Pluto every year.

Does all of this makes this aspect meaningless? No.

The problem with us humans is that, like my outer planet post indicates, we're narrow and hasty. We like to think change always happens in an instant, our horizons rarely extend past tomorrow. Many instant changes, if not all, are results of a long term, giant buildup. With Pluto, we are talking about collective direction of all of humanity. So for such an enormous change to happen, we need to create an appropriately large power source for that change, to turn the tide, to form the wave so to speak. In practical terms, many individuals are needed for humanity to turn around as a collective. One person can only make a difference to an extent.

What does that mean in a day to day life of such a person? The Sun is our soul, our atma, our purpose for incarnating in a physical form on Earth. It means that whatever your soul came on Earth to do is related to a general direction humanity was meant to take. Whatever wave you participate in will carry humanity to its next phase, but you're a drop of water in that wave. Many others carry that wave with you. You will not be able to live a successful and fulfilling life without addressing this part of yourself, and life will naturally take you to it in one way or another.

You might think that it's not a big deal, and if you look at it in the context of millions of others participating in that change with you, perhaps it's not. But not all souls came to Earth to affect such a change. Some souls literally come here for an incarnation of just having some fun. Often they are young souls, discovering the pleasures and pains of being human. They have no desire or ambition to upset the status quo, and both in their diversions and duties they easily follow what society gives to them. That doesn't make them "inferior", it just makes them different, and every soul is allowed its divine purpose, as it's all part of the cosmic harmony.

To give you an even more tangible example, you have to go back in history and observe the Pluto wave you were born during. For example, I was born during the Pluto in Scorpio wave. If you ask your parents or watch any movies from that time, people were obsessed with these old style self help tapes. Astrology was celebrating its great rebirth. Psychological factors were very much the trend. A lot of breakthroughs happened in that area, going to a therapist became a thing for the first time in modern society. So with Sun conjunct that, your soul is here to ride that wave, and flood the Earth with it. You will keep pushing the boundaries of that wave and implementing it in your life in small steps, and so will millions of others with this placement, and that will gradually change humanity as we know it, until everything that was considered revolutionary and new when you were born becomes commonplace.

If I were to judge this aspect, it can go many ways. It can certainly present some difficulties in regards to being easily successful and accomplished early on in life, because you're pioneering something new, so society is not fully ready for it. That gives you less sources to be easily good at what you do. However, your soul literally wouldn't want do anything else, and the Sun starts maturing at 50 years old anyway, so life will guide you where you're meant to go. You can't avoid your destiny, and whatever you do in this life that's about your purpose is gonna end up being about all of mankind, long term.

[reunionatdawn]

My Analysis of the Best Paired Endings in 3H (Part 16: Mercedes/Dedue)

Mercedes: If I were someone else, perhaps a commoner without a Crest or stature, maybe things would be different. It's a bit sad, but…this is the way things have to be. After all, only the goddess can decide our fates.

Each character in the Blue Lions was a victim of Faerghus's patriarchal culture. Mercedes was adopted for the purpose of being married off for her Crest. The Crest of Lamine is associated with the arcana of Judgement. It represents an important decision that needs to be made regarding love and romance. It also symbolizes a solution to a protracted problem, and a feeling of freedom.

Mercedes was separated from her brother at a young age and had to make a new life for herself in the Kingdom. What got her through those hard times was the support of the church. That's why her dream was to work there to help people, just as they did for her. But doing so would be difficult if she married a nobleman.

Mercedes: Though, just because two people share a promise, that doesn't guarantee they'll be together forever. You've noticed many nobles at the academy, right? They very rarely have the freedom to choose their own partners.

Mercedes had a lot in common with Ingrid. She did not want to give up on her dream to be used as a broodmare for her Crest, like her mother was. However, she felt like she had no choice.

Byleth: You can't just give up on your dreams. Mercedes: That's a very good point! We're only given one life, so we must do all we can to pursue our happiness! OK! I think that may have been just the push I was looking for! I'll tell him the truth. That I've found a life worth pursuing and I must decline the proposal! Maybe I should tell him I've fallen for someone else?

Mercedes had difficulty standing up to her adoptive father. She was willing to lie to him by telling him that she had fallen for someone else. That might explain many of her pairing options.

Ferdinand: You baffle me. Do you not wish to be free? Mercedes: Of course I do. Let me try that again in a way you might understand. Ahem. A true noble cuts their own path, seizing freedom from the clutches of tyranny!

I suspect that the reason she rejected Ferdinand's help to sever ties with her adoptive father was because she wasn't sure if his gesture was an attempt to woo her. She wasn't sure if she would have the will to decline if he proposed. In their paired ending, she severs ties with her adoptive father and marries him immediately after the war. She lives the traditional life of a noble wife while her husband is recognized for his achievements.

Mercedes: I don't care to flaunt my noble past or my Crest. I have no desire to return to that status. Lorenz: Then, if I may speak hypothetically a moment… Does that mean that if a nobleman were to offer you his hand in marriage, you would decline? Mercedes: Not at all. That's a separate matter entirely. Even if I were to fall in love, regardless of their social status… I'm not looking to marry right now.

Even by the end of their A-Support, she still didn't seem to like Lorenz very much. She was unusually sarcastic with him. And she specifically said she wasn't ready to marry even if she was in love. But it is still possible that she will marry Lorenz immediately after the war. It shows how difficult it was for her to deviate from her path.

Mercedes: …No, I'm glad. I feel like I saw your true face for the first time. …Hey, Sylvain. Would you be able to save me from the curse of my Crest? Sylvain: I…I'll save you! With my heart and soul! I love you! Great! Let's get married!

Mercedes also had a lot in common with Sylvain, and the two actually became close friends. They are both Gemini, the zodiac sign which is thought to be two-faced because of their natural duality.

Mercedes: Don't be ashamed of crying. I'm here to protect you. Will you protect me in return? Sylvain: I will. I promise. You know, Mercedes, you really are a special lady.

Because Mercedes was able to empathize with his pain, he let the mask slip with her, and she saw his other face. Because of that, she was also the only character to see him cry. She wanted him to save her from her arranged marriage, and she had a genuine desire to save him from that fate, too. So, she is one of the very few women Sylvain is able to marry and have a paired ending with.

Mercedes: You're much the same, yes? People like us have to try to bloom as best we can. Sylvain: Never really thought of myself as a flower, but I get what you're saying. Flowers are stuck in the same spot for life, whether they like it or not. And if they happen to sprout in a bad area, they're out of luck. But we have legs, not roots. We can go wherever we want.

But Hopes does a good job of showing why that's not the ideal solution to their problems. Even if she did marry him, she would prefer to be doing charity work rather than living the life of a nobleman's wife. Sylvain was fine with that, but Mercedes did not want to stand in the way of him marrying the person he truly loved.

Sylvain: To be perfectly clear, I'm not making advances on your or anything. But I'm the heir of House Gautier. If I ask you, this other guy will have no choice but to bow out. Though I doubt he'd be happy about it. After that, you can do whatever you want. Go work at a church or ladle out soup or whatever makes you happy. I won't stop you. Mercedes: But that would prevent you from marrying the person you love.

She didn't realize that Sylvain didn't want to get married in the first place. He would be marrying her because she offered him a loophole to his own predicament. With her as his wife, he could fulfill his noble obligation, but still be able to live freely. They cared for each other and shared mutual respect, but neither of them seemed like they would have considered marrying the other without their fathers pushing them into an arranged marriage.

Mercedes: And before that, when I lived with my mother and my little brother. It also reminds me of the time I spent studying with friends at the school of sorcery in the capital. Things may not have been easy then, but I would give anything to return to those days.

The tagline for the game was, "Sweet memories twisted by time's cruel hand". The best option for Mercedes might seem like recruiting her into Crimson Flower and reuniting her with her brother.

Mercedes & Jeritza Once those who slither in the dark were finally defeated, Mercedes left home and opened a small orphanage in the Faerghus region with her mother. After many years of kind service raising children who had lost their families, she received a letter bearing familiar handwriting. Its author, a prisoner in Enbarr, expressed his sincerest well-wishes to Mercedes and her family. Still more time passed until, one day, the man who wrote the letter paid her a visit. With joyful tears in her eyes, Mercedes smiled, took Emile by the hand, and at last welcomed him home.

And their ending is certainly touching. I was never really a big fan of it, though, because Jeritza's condition is resolved without any explanation. In Mercedes' paralogue, the Death Knight said his soul had long departed. He was not fully in control of himself, which is why he continued to fight on the opposite side from his sister. Before this DLC update, it had been implied that Emile had probably been experimented on like the Remire villagers. He was barely human anymore and it was impossible for him to return to normal.

Mercedes: It's sad, but the truth is that people forget. You may be afraid to forget your past, but you'll never be able to revisit it. Living in the present is the best we can do. We owe it to those who can't come back. Dimitri: If someone had said those words to me five years ago, I would be a different man today.

As sad as it is, Mercedes had a stronger character arc in AM where she had to accept that she's unable to return to the past.

Annette: You know, I've always loved you more than anything in the world! Mercedes: My, is that…a confession of love? Hehe, I'm so happy~. Annette: Uh, um, I wanted to say I love the sweets you bake more than anything in the world! Mercedes: Oh, is that so... Well, I love you, Annie.

Other than Emile, Annette was the most important person to Mercedes. In their A-Support they both confessed their love for each other. While it did seem like the bisexual Mercedes may have loved her beyond friendship (particularly in the Japanese), Annette seemed insistent on emphasizing her platonic love.

Annette & Mercedes After the war, Annette and Mercedes lived separate lives: the former as a teacher at the school of sorcery in Fhirdiad, the latter as a cleric at Garreg Mach. Though they lived apart, they exchanged letters so frequently and shared their lives with one another in such detail that it was as though they were side by side. After many decades, they resigned their respective positions and reunited at Garreg Mach. In their final years, they relocated to a modest house in the Fortress City. It is said that they were happy together to the very end.

They will not be life partners even if you go for their paired ending. While they do keep in touch, they'll live completely separate lives until retirement age. It's a slightly bittersweet ending, showing how, as we get older and pursue different life paths, things don't always stay the same. I don't consider it to be the most satisfying ending for either of them. Still, the fact that Mercedes will move away from her best friend shows how important it was to her to pursue her dream.

Mercedes: I just don't want to let go of the life that I've made for myself. I know it's not what my heart wants, but I don't have the strength to say no.

After Garreg Mach fell, Mercedes returned home to the Kingdom capital and joined the merchant business. She told Byleth that she didn't want to give up the life she made for herself in Fhirdiad.

Annette: Since our time in the capital, so much has happened. We've had to make new lives for ourselves, and we've seen at least as many hard times as good. If things keep changing like this, I wonder if we'll be able to stay the same people we are now…

And Annette also didn't want things between them to change by starting completely new lives again, which is what happens in their paired ending.

Dimitri: My own dreams… I have never given it any thought. What about you? What do you want, Mercedes? Mercedes: I want to keep sewing and training with you, even after you've become king. I want to be your friend.

Mercedes even wanted to stay friends with Dimitri after the war, which would only be possible if she kept her old life in the capital.

Mercedes: I'm going to Fhirdiad to meet with my adoptive father, and I'd like you to accompany me. Byleth: What for? Mercedes: I feel the need to set things straight with him in my own way. I've already decided exactly what I'm going to say. I'm choosing to live my life how I want, in pursuit of my own happiness. I need you to accept that. I'm in charge of my own destiny. Not you, not anyone else. Just me. Ah… I've waited so long to say all that.

The best thing for her would be to sever ties with her adoptive father, without the excuse of already having a fiancé. She always left her fate in the hands of the goddess or people above her. But her character arc was about acting of her own free will.

Dimitri: Do you remember the child who cursed me after my father's funeral? Dedue: Ah, yes. I believe he was the son of a knight who fell in Duscur. Dimitri: He was furious that I would not take revenge on your people, and even more enraged to see you serving as my vassal. He berated me without mercy, demanding I kill you then and there. All I could do was walk away. Everyone desires revenge for that day. Survivors and the dead alike cry out for retribution.

Dimitri was also a victim of Faerghus's violent patriarchal culture. He was expected to carry out vengeance for the Tragedy of Duscur. His violent urges were encouraged and rewarded by the society he grew up in. At times, he was chilled to the bone by the depravity of his own actions, such as suppressing a rebellion.

Dedue: When I stood before those soldiers and their swords that day, I was prepared to die. But then you suddenly appeared, and you shielded me. I knew then that a savior's hand could reach into even the deepest darkness.

Dedue was the biggest victim of Farghus's retaliatory violence. His moniker is "Taciturn Devotee". A devotee is a person who strongly admires a particular person. But it can also mean a strong believer in a particular religion or god. It probably would not be an exaggeration to state that Dedue saw Dimitri as the Fódlan goddess.

Dedue: And I would cast it aside in an instant if my death were to your benefit. For that reason, I cannot consider myself your friend. There are still many in the Kingdom who despise the people of Duscur. It would be selfish of me to stand by your side as an equal.

Many people interpreted his feelings for Dimitri as having a romantic aspect to them. I certainly wouldn't reject that interpretation. After all, by reaching out his hand, Dimitri served the same role that Byleth did for him.

Dedue: You promised me you would build a Kingdom that is proud to boast of Duscur blood. In this Kingdom, where there is no distinction between the people of Duscur and the people of Fódlan… Will I finally, without reservation, be able to call you my friend? Will I…Dimitri? Dimitri: Dedue… Yes, you will call me your friend, again and again. No matter how many hardships I must endure… Dedue: I will do all I can to bring about that world as well. To be your friend…is what I have always wanted.

During their A-Support, we learned that Dimitri made a promise to Dedue before they attended the Officer's Academy.

Dimitri & Dedue After his coronation, Dimitri assumed the throne of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus, and his loyal vassal, Dedue, remained ever at his side. Among Dimitri's achievements was the reconciliation with Duscur: an extraordinary effort that required extensive negotiations to get past a history of betrayal and oppression. It was a trying task, but Dimitri never once considered giving up. While they behaved as lord and vassal in public, it is said that Dimitri and Dedue were more like family in private. When Dimitri finally fell to illness, Dedue tended to his liege's deathbed, and then took up a post at his grave for the rest of his days. When the time came, they were buried beside each other.

Their paired ending emphasizes Dimitri's efforts reconciling with Duscur and how he never gave up. But it does not specify whether the Duscur people were able to proudly live alongside people from Fódlan without distinction. In fact, because Dedue had to behave as a vassal in public, it implies that there was still hostility between Duscur and the Kingdom for the majority of Dimitri's reign. Dedue only gets to stand by Dimitri's side as an equal in death.

Also, there was no mention of Dedue's efforts bringing about the world he wanted to see. It only mentions him serving Dimitri for his entire life as a subordinate, then guarding his grave for the rest of his days. It is not that different from his solo ending, and I don't think it's a particularly satisfying ending for Dedue.

Dedue: I would regretfully decline. I cannot know happiness without you by my side. I would still seek vengeance. Just… for my own sake, not yours. Dimitri: Interesting. And nothing I say to the contrary will change your mind? Dedue: Your Majesty, can you not live for your own sake? Dimitri: My life is not my own. It belongs to my kingdom, my people, and the dead.

Neither Dimitri or Dedue knew how to live for themselves, and neither could live without the other.

Dedue: I…can still fight, Your Highness. Dimitri: Shut up and retreat. You must live, Dedue.

During his boar phase, Dimitri was willing to mow down any of his old classmates, even if they were not his enemies. And he was willing to send all of his friends and allies to their deaths, too. The single exception was Dedue. He is the only person Dimitri tells to retreat at Gronder Field. And Dedue will live only to seek vengeance.

Dedue: Ngh… I'm not finished yet! Dimitri: Fall back, Dedue! Please! I cannot afford to lose you!

In Scarlet Blaze, Dimitri also begs him to retreat in the Valley of Torment. Dedue would have gladly fought to the death, but Dimitri personally made sure he didn't. It was because he cherished Dedue so much that he wanted him to live for his own happiness.

Dedue: Someday, I hope to show you a whole landscape of these flowers in full bloom. Byleth: You mean Duscur? Dedue: Yes. Once this conflict is over, and His Highness ascends the throne, I believe it can be done. You must live at least until then. Understood? Byleth: Same to you. Dedue: That's true enough. I had not thought much of my own life, until now. Except that I would gladly cast it aside for His Highness. That is still true, but now I desire to see the end of this war. Until I can show you the fields of Duscur in bloom… I will go on living.

Other than Dimitri, the only other thing that gave Dedue a reason to live was showing Byleth the flowers of Duscur in bloom.

Dedue: When I left the capital, I told His Majesty that I would be leaving his service. Byleth: What?! Dedue: He accepted my decision with a smile.

If you go for Dedue's paired ending with Byleth, you learn that if Dedue were to leave Dimitri's service, he would accept with a smile. And I think Dedue has a better character arc if he is able to grow past his codependence on Dimitri and find his own reason to live.

Dedue: To Duscur? There is nothing of interest left there. Mercedes: Isn't it where you were born? And isn't it where your wonderful food and stories come from? I think those are reason enough to visit at least once! Dedue: Mercedes… If you will allow it, I would like to accompany you. His Highness would surely grant me leave to go.

When Mercedes asked Dedue what his plans were after the war, he said it was to serve Dimitri for the rest of his days. And in most of his endings, that's exactly what he does, even if he's married. Going with her to Duscur and praying to the gods (and goddesses) of his own culture changed his entire fate. That's probably why his ending with Mercedes is so different compared to all of his others.

Mercedes: I think a place is only truly destroyed when there's no one left to remember it. You should tell more people about Duscur to keep it alive.

The whole relationship between Mercedes and Dedue revolved around the idea that they could keep their loved ones alive through their memories. He taught her many things about his culture, and she taught him a family recipe that would have otherwise been forgotten.

Dedue: I understand how you feel. I had a younger sister. Sylvain: Had? Oh. Tell me about her. What was she like? Dedue: Hm. She loved flowers, and often made crowns out of them. And once she set her mind to something, nothing in the world could change it.

I really loved their Support in Hopes. It felt exactly like a post-Houses version of their relationship after they had travelled to Duscur and fallen in love. There are rarely any times where Dedue seems happier than when teaching her and the kids to make flower crowns, in memory of his sister. They seem like a married teacher couple, too.

Dedue & Mercedes Two years after the war, Dedue and his wife, Mercedes, opened a school in the Duscur residential district in Fhirdiad. The school educated Duscur children, who had never been given structured learning before, in reading, writing, arithmetic, and even Duscur history. Many years later, when the Duscur people reclaimed their homeland, the people who attended this school were able to resettle there and revive their old culture. Because of this, Dedue and Mercedes were forever renowned by the Duscur.

This is the only ending where Dimitri's promise to Dedue is actually fulfilled, as it mentions the Duscur people having their own district in Fhirdiad. And it just so happens that this is the only paired ending (besides the one with Byleth) where Dedue isn't described as a vassal. He is still living in the capital, so we can assume that he and Dimitri are close friends. But they live as equals. Dedue has his own life now and his own achievements are renowned.

In Hopes, Mercedes said she wanted to go back to Fhirdiad, but not live with her adoptive father. This is the only ending (other than with Dimitri) where she can live her dream, help those in need, and stay in Fhirdiad with her other friends. With Dedue, they get married two years after the war. So, she clearly didn't marry him just to escape her arranged marriage. Dedue and Mercedes bonded over their sense of loss, but they used that pain to keep Duscur alive, so I think it's the absolute best conclusion to their character arcs.

[gloryundimmed]

Get to know the mun ! repost, don’t reblog .

——— BASICS.

NICK NAME : Gray/Grayson

PRONOUNS : He/him

ZODIAC SIGN : Aquarius— fits me, right?

TAKEN OR SINGLE : Single, but a flirt and I'm sorry

ANYTHING ELSE ? : Nah I'm just chillin'

——— THREE SERIOUS FACTS.

I currently make money off of freelancing in web design and graphic design. I've worked for four literary journals now in some capacity, and I usually take the roll of web editor/graphic designer plus a reader. I'm also the web editor for my school's newspaper. My hands are always full, but that's the way I like it. I like commotion and stimulation.

I tend to keep people at an arms length even if I don't mean to, so if I ever feel distant, I apologize. I can just get weird when I'm too attached to someone, and I hate that feeling. Though it comes back to bite me in the ass because sometimes I feel like I have a ton of friends and I'm very social and love people, but I've got no "best friends."

I've got ADHD, which in my case means that I say yes to anything new and shiny despite how busy I may be. Sometimes I can be bad at gauging how much I can do at once, which leads to things slipping off my plate. Plus, the executive dysfunction is real af and I sometimes need a kick in the ass to get things done. Sorryyyy but you love me, right?

——— THREE RANDOM FACTS.

I have a dog named Romeo and I love him soooooo much

Death and knowing I'll die one day doesn't really scare me. Not that I want to die or anything, but letting people down scares me much, much more. It's my worst fear yet I feel like it happens all the time.

I love attending concerts, and music is a big inspiration for my writing. I'm always listening to something!

——— EXPERIENCE.

I've been into creative writing since I was at least 12, and at that age I began rp on a website called wetpaint.com with an elf OC because I was so into LOTR back then. Shortly after, I made an OC named Jake who I wrote with a lot. Wetpaint was like wordpress, a service where you could create little privately owned websites that could be made for any purpose with a forum/comment-like setup on most pages, and I would write with my in-person friends. I took a bit of a break from rp in my first three years of high school, but still wrote short stories. During my senior year, I got back into the rp scene, but that time here on tumblr. I've been writing here on and off ever since, with the creation of Kai in July 2014. Currently, I'm getting my bachelors in creative writing, so I guess that might count as experience, too. Sometimes I even write fanfiction lmao.

——— MUSE PREFERENCE.

Gosh, idk. I tend to go for a lot of different types of muses as long as they are written well and don't feel empty. I do lean toward more action/fantasy/romance than regular slice of life or platonic stuff, though. The muses I find most interesting have a lot of depth. I tend to find people with 20+ muses on their blog a little intimidating because I can't imagine having so many and it's hard to choose between them all. Also, it may not be true, but sometimes I can't help but think if they have so many, they can't possibly be at the depth that I'm looking for, but I'm probably just wrong on that. I barely have my 6 guys and write Kai the most of all, so it's hard for me to understand.

——— FLUFF / ANGST / SMUT.

FLUFF : I think I like cute stuff as much as the next guy. Sometimes I can find it a little boring, though. LMAO

ANGST : I LOVE angst. I love two characters who don't get along or have some sort of friction between them. It's my lifeblood, and that's probably obvious to see since I have a muse like Kai as my main. Conflict, heartbreak, violence, despair— I love it all.

SMUT : Can you guess? Again, with a muse like Kai, I think its clear that writing sex and sexuality is a big part of my journey as a writer. It's not a must-have for me in any rp, but it certainly spices things up and goes hand in hand with angst. Anything you catch me writing solo is bound to have smut in it somewhere, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Sex is such a huge part of life for a lot of people, and I think the Puritan guilt of society has caused many to shy away from it. I strive to be a sex-positive writer. If it's not your bag, though, I can certainly understand that as well.

——— PLOT / MEMES : They don't call me the idea guy for nothing! I love plotting, even if it doesn't always come to fruition or never comes to fruition. Plotting sustains me. It has the thrill of imagining scenes without having to go through the slog of writing them. Don't get me wrong, I really enjoy writing, but I don't always have the energy to roll up my sleeves and get to it. I also love memes! Any meme someone sends feels like a love letter to me and my muses. They're great because they can start things off with no plotting required. I send them in as often as I can, but sometimes I'm not around and don't see them.

TAGGED BY : @shishitoren-vc tyvm!! love u

TAGGING: @lured-into-wonderland @incandescentia @eraba-reta-unmei and anyone else who wants to. I chose some people I don't know as well but would like to!

[cursecuelebre]

Using Tarot within your Spellwork & Spellcasting

Purpose

Tarot was created for divination purposes however Tarot is a tool in our witchcraft or folk traditions, it can help advise and push you to do things that will make your life better and easier. There is a lot of divination tools like Runes which are magic themselves, Oracle which can also work really well, same with charm casting, etc. these tools can help manifest things into our lives. Simple as putting a card near a candle flame. I am focus on Tarot cards in this blog but play around and see if these methods can help you.

If you believe that Tarot is infused with energy which I believe, it’s more than just paper and ink. Yes can it be a regular deck of cards yes but we can infuse them with our energy drawing it from other energies that bring them almost like alive in a way. I do interviews with my decks and every single one has a different energy and purpose in my practice. This will definitely help with Spellwork.

I use the cards as a source of power, major and minor arcana, sometimes I’ll shuffle and let them pick the cards or go through the deck and pick out the cards that I think will really work in the spell. I recommend doing the latter since it’s more good on your intuition and more accurate. You can charge them using the moon or incense or even sound. You may have specific decks for specific spells for example if you are doing a love spell maybe using a romantic deck themed cards Sexual Magic (Only 18+), Romance Angels Tarot, the Lovers Path Tarot, if you are doing shadow work spells or darker forms of magic get a darker deck like Haunted House, The Black Tarot, Bianco Nero deck, etc. if you’re doing spells that involve a certain practice of paganism like Celtic magic in Welsh traditions the Llewellyn tarot or Italian Folk magic the traditional Visconti deck. I should mention if you’re working with animals or nature there’s is plenty of all animal decks like Woodland Wardens which is a really great deck. These specific themed decks can really help with symbolism, energies of certain entities, if you’re having a hard time finding certain decks oracle decks can really helpful in this sense.

But if you just want to keep it simple use any witchcraft or magic themed deck, heck any deck that you feel comfortable to be using in spellwork. A simple RWS deck is good enough!

You can also do a quick read on what type of spell and if you need to do one.

Methods of placement

1. Charging an Object

I like putting said cards in a circle or cross formation leaving the center blank. You can most definitely put a card in the center for a bit extra energy. You can add an oracle card to fill the center as well, I don’t have specific placements of the cards really if I’m creating a specific spread I’ll use the same cards each time but you can use directions, shapes like the seven pointed star and pentacle, elements, Zodiacs, etc. you can always be creative with it. But I do prefer putting the main card that is the main point of energy above the object.

Charging an object can multitude of physical things for this example I’ll use an amulet my Mjolnir which symbolises protection, strength, courage, and overall the spirit of Thor. So I can charge this during a Thursday if I really wanted to (but I’m impatient woman) so I’ll take any card that shall resonates with these attributes if you have a specific card for a deity like Thor it’s good to use in this sense. There are multiple cards for Thor I associate with the Tower, Emperor, Strength, but I’ll use Strength and Tower. Negative cards to me in this context doesn’t matter rather what it represents but use your intuition if you have a better understanding what energy fits right and most definitely can use more than one card. It might take awhile to find some cards to help during this step which perfectly okay, read the guidebook or traditional meaning of each card if you still unsure for beginner or advanced there is nothing wrong with that.

I got 7 cards for this spell and depending your space you can switch up the spreads, limit the cards even one card can be powerful, switch to a different surface.

Strength (main focal point) for courage and endurance and strength

Seven of Wands for protection and defense

Two of Swords for boundaries and protection

Ace Of Pentacles for wealth (possession which this case the amulet)

Moon for enchantment and magic to give the spell bit more energy and power.

Tower for Thor representative

Ace of Swords for defence and offense

It’s helpful to write down why you pick certain cards especially for the chant. You can light a candle and burn incense to get in the mood for the ritual. I use a bell and go into a circle calling out the cards names “Strength I waken thee!” I like to be dramatic lol over each one to essentially call upon them. Of course call upon the deity that I have represented in this spell of course, evoking Thor to help for this ritual. You can do it first or after awaken the cards. Then once you’ve completed that it’s time to draw that energy into the amulet, by using a wand really helps in this process but your finger or pen or anything pointy can work!

“Strength I call upon thee for blessing of this amulet of courage and fortitude!” Then imagine energy coming from the card as you slowly dip the wand’s tip into the soft energy then pulling it to the amulet I tap the amulet around three times or you can even blow on the amulet. Then do this for the number of cards you have. For Thor, I lift the amulet up from the table to the ceiling and praying for Thor’s blessing of protection.

Conclusion

Now you’ve done all that it’s time to wrap up the ritual, depending on your practice and preference you might want to leave the amulet and the cards as you have them for a time till the next day maybe have near crystals or charging beneath the moon. For me I thank the cards for their help and Lord Thor’s for his before by lifting the card close to my lips whispering “Thank you” it’s a mindful gesture and having complete trust and thanks. Placing them back into the deck all except the main focal point card of the spell which is Strength keep the main focal point card out, then take it to your altar placing it there with the amulet ontop of it. I set my mjolnir and the Strength card on my Norse altar next to Thor lighting his candle for awhile not too long nor too short. Again it might depend on what spell you might be doing.

This doesn’t just have to be an amulet of course but jars, crystals, spell tools, statues, talismans, Poppets etc.

You can also perform candle magic Just be mindful of wax make sure the candle wax can be caught in a dish or there is plentiful space from the card so wax won’t drip onto the card cause that wouldn’t be good. Just place the candle in the center of the ring of cards. I’ll probably make a specific blog about this method.

Even though I have my own method there is nothing wrong to mix it up and doing your own thing. There is plenty of ways to use Tarot not just for divination. I hope this blog gave some folks inspiration in their witchy works!! If any questions please feel free to ask on this blog or the ask me button! 💖

[zodiactalks]

Zodiac Signs and their DESTINY

Why are we in this world? What is our purpose?

Countless philosophers have spent endless lives trying to find an answer to these questions, and they're no closer to achieving it than they were the day they started.

Like them, the Zodiac can't tell you what your purpose in this life is, but it can tell you what you can naturally achieve with your natural skills.

Aries

As the first in the Zodiac, your destiny is to be a trailblazer, choosing your destination and setting your own pace to inspire others.

Though you often don't have the time or patience to bring everything you start to fruition, you do have the charisma needed to inspire others to follow your steps and take your ideas to a whole new level.

You're a creature of action, and your actions will set the stage for others.

Taurus

As a patient and constant person, your destiny is to bring things to fruition and help those without the ability to see things through.

Though you may not start new projects or ideas, you have a talent for identifying the ones that work, and an even greater skill for making things happen.

You can accomplish anything you set your mind to, so all you need to do is work with those full of amazing ideas.

Gemini

Your destiny is to ask the hard questions, and in the process, help others understand the world a little better.

You may not always find an answer to your questions, but in asking them you'll find all kinds of truth.

Not everyone is brave enough to question every aspect of their lives. But you are, and in the process, you'll acquire knowledge others lack.

Cancer

You live a life full of emotion, always in touch with your feelings, always aware of why you feel the way you feel.

Though this might seem normal to you, it's a skill some people lack, and they look at your understanding with awe.

Your destiny is to help others understand their emotions and encourage them to feel them in full, unafraid of what they might experience.

You'll do this even without meaning to, setting an example others will want to follow.

Leo

Your destiny is to showcase the wonders of the world, taking whatever it is that motivates you and elevating it to an art.

You enjoy creature comforts and admiration, and you show this by always making an effort to excel at what you do.

People will look at your skill with awe and envy, and as long as you don't let your ego get the best of you, you'll be able to inspire others to pursue the same kind of perfection.

Virgo

Criticism can be both positive and negative, but it is always needed. People only improve when they notice what they're doing wrong, yet few people wish to hear about their mistakes.

As an analytical person, you're in the perfect position to help others achieve greatness, but you need to learn how to temper your words.

Though it might be constructive, criticism isn't always easy to take, and if you're not careful with how, you'll discourage people rather than help them improve.

Libra

You strive to live a peaceful life where all things are balanced, and you don't have to deal with stress or drama unless you invite it into your life.

This has made you a natural mediator, someone who's capable of seeing things from all sides without having to choose one.

Your impartiality inspires people to put their differences aside and work together, which in turn allows them to achieve things they wouldn't have achieved on their own.

The world needs more Libras to smooth its rough edges out.

Scorpio

As an observant person, it's almost impossible for you to miss something important, particularly when it comes to the people you choose to surround yourself with.

This skill can reveal all kinds of truths and secrets to you, giving you the ability to understand people on a level few others can achieve.

Your destiny is to shed light on dishonesty and uncover secrets, and though it might feel like a curse at times, there's plenty you can do with a skill like this.

Sagittarius

With seemingly endless energy and even more charisma, it's clear that your destiny as a Sagittarius is to touch as many lives as possible, spreading your good humor to everyone you meet.

Though not all of your relationships will be long-lasting and deep, know that even the short ones have the potential to improve someone else's day, which will make people remember you fondly.

Following your life's purpose comes naturally to you, so as long as you continue being true to yourself, you'll be able to fulfill your destiny without even trying to.

Capricorn

As a hard worker and a loner at heart, your destiny is to inspire others through your hard work and dedication.

Whether you make an effort to socialize or not, people notice your skill and devotion to your task, and it inspires them to be better at whatever it is they do.

This is often a thankless task, as people won't approach you to let you know you've inspired them, but know that your craft and commitment are always present in other people's minds.

Aquarius

The world needs dreamers, people who see past what's practical and realistic towards that which could be.

Dreams inspire people to improve themselves, dreams inspire people to make the world a better place.

As an Aquarius, your destiny is to show people that there's more to life than just living it, and though some might scoff at dreamers, most understand the value of an idea.

Pisces

You have the gift of empathy, the ability not only to understand what others feel but to feel it just as keenly.

Though you'll experience pain and sadness because of this gift, you'll also experience great joy, and in going through both positive and negative emotions, you'll develop the skill to understand others.

Seeing through other people's actions and beliefs so that you can see who they really are is a valuable skill, so use it wisely.

[sunkissedchld]

𝐒𝐨𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐟𝐞

message for booking if paying via cashapp or venmo or book via ko-fi.

also message if curious about natal chart readings.

i use a combination of tarot/oracle and shufflemancy with all readings. readings are for entertainment purposes only. they are not meant to stand in for medical or other professional advice. also, the cards (and i) can be wrong sometimes. do not take any readings as gospel.

𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒂𝒍  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ trying to let you know ⟢ $17.77

a channeled messages reading where you discover what you need to hear or do right now that you may be failing to decipher or enact. you can ask for messages from specific people, or it can be general advice from your guides/the universe.

𝒈𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒎𝒂'𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒔  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ if i get to heaven i’ll look for grandma’s hands ⟢ $44.44

curious about who your guides are or how to connect with them? this readings details your main guide(s) who are willing to make themselves known by revealing who they might be, their personality, how they’re trying to help you, how they want to communicate with you, what they want from you, what they think of you, and their view of how your life is currently going.

𝒗𝒊𝒗𝒊𝒅 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎𝒔  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ i’ve been having vivid dreams, but it feels like deja vu ⟢ $22.22

had a dream recently that’s left you with questions? in this reading you’ll detail as much of the dream as you remember, and in return you’ll receive a dream interpretation where symbolism and possible meaning is revealed through intuition and tarot.

𝒔𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒔  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ every sign has its own mode ⟢ $25.55

this is a traditional zodiac spread reading. a minimum pull of fourteen cards that details what’s currently happening in each “house” of your life and what you may need to change, reckon with, or be excited about. based on the houses of an astrological chart, this reading goes over your current approach to life and how people see you, incoming money and work expectations, the state of your mind, family, love life, possible projects or activities, and more.

𝒄𝒆𝒍𝒆𝒃𝒓𝒂𝒕𝒆 ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ congratulations for being born as you ⟢ $33.33

a kind of solar return tarot reading where you can discover what the next year holds in store for you. you can choose where the spread starts: new years’ or your birthday. 

𝒇𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒊𝒅𝒆 ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ the cards will tell the past, the present, and the future as well ⟢ $17.77

this is a predictive tarot reading describing possible people and/or things coming towards you. reading also details why things may happen and what you can do to combat things or to have a good or better experience with them. also details what you will learn as a result.

𝒊 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒂𝒍𝒍  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ the fame and the fortune and more ⟢ $77.77

a fame reading based on this pick a card. this reading details what you would be famous for, what kind of content you would make, how fans, the general public, and the industry would view you and includes a moodboard to help you visualize your life as a celebrity. this reading also includes a question of your choice relating to what it would be like if you were famous. 

𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆 ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ are we just friends? are we just lovers? tell me if it’s cool if you see me with another ⟢ $17.77

wondering how someone feels about you? this reading looks into that exact question by using tarot to determine what someone thinks of you and how they currently feel about you (i promise those are two different things!). 

𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒎𝒆 ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ there’s nothing like self-love ⟢ $22.22

feeling down on yourself? this reading dives into what about yourself you should be celebrating and appreciating that you may downplay or not notice. focusing on both physical and internal beauty, this is also a reading of advice on how you can better connect to yourself and feel more confident. 

𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆 𝒐𝒏 𝒕𝒐𝒑  ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ finally, you put my love on top ⟢ $88.88

a basic future spouse reading that details a description of your future spouse (personality, appearance), your first meeting, first impressions, why they choose to be in relationship with you, and relationship dynamics. this reading also includes a question of your choice relating to anything you’d want to know about your future spouse. 

𝒍𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒈𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒓𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒅 ☀︎⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ baby, let’s get married ⟢ $152.22

this is a deluxe future spouse reading that builds upon the general. this reading answers the same questions of the basic future spouse reading and also answers the proposal, wedding, honeymoon, relationship with in-laws, possible relationship struggles, and sex life. this reading also includes two questions of your choice relating to your future spouse. 

you must be 18+ to purchase this reading. 

message for booking if paying via cashapp or venmo or book via ko-fi.

also message if curious about natal chart readings.

[saturnsoups]

he alone the honored one : gojo satoru

a vedic astrology perspective

keep in mind that every system of knowledge serves some purpose so lets be respectful towards different schools of astrology. keep in mind I'm using

Vedic depictions ( with Hindu deities of nakshatras (constellations) with Vimshottri planetary rulers for each )

Sidereal measurements for planetary placements in the sky

Whole house system

previous post on his sun sign

let's begin

To understand our sorcerer’s natal moon placement and immense significance of this placement one must understand what I intend to bring forth and what I consider these planetary placements to represent.

The moon

The moon in vedic astrology is the key significator of a person, his intimate sense of emotion, his visceral body and nervous system, his emotional self, his mother, early childhood, body, eyes and to certain extent his aura. Other than this, the moon rules over women, children, magic, witchcraft, the subconscious mind, emotional body, the masses, psychology and other things.

In today’s topic of concern, we are brought forth to Gojo Satoru, a very famous, fan favorite, sorcerer, arguably the strongest in his field. Canonically according to this birth date, he has a uttarapradrabada moon in pisces. While his moon is squaring his mercury and trining his mars, today we will look into his moon placement and it’s significance only.

Pisces moon

According to vedic astrology, pisces is the last of the 12 zodiac signs, the end of the zodiacal wheel and the sign of spiritual actualization. Co- ruled by Jupiter and ketu, the pisces sign is the sign of moksha and giving – being an ultimate sign of spiritual abundance so much so that it fills up the cup of others with it’s knowledge because of its naturally fulfilled and whole state. Jupiter here signifies the guru, the teacher who is the overflowing goblet of spiritual knowledge and wisdom that it bestows upon his shishyas or disciples. Guru is generous and benefic in nature, never the miser and always giving the best and bringing the best to its true disciples. The ways of the guru are moral, ethics and devotion to what it learns. One who embodies the guru is charitable so much so that it is default to its nature as the person is spiritually abundant and thus energetically seeks to give and do charity. Materialistically this also signifies that the person might be of affluence in whatever manner it manifests; be it emotionally charitable, kindness, rich or being a very knowledgeable person.

The co-ruler ketu is the descending node of the moon, the body of the dragon, the spiritual residual of the past life and the karma and knowledge of it. Ketu is detached, ashen, very very dry in nature, and while it can make a person very detached and turn them lack luster towards the worldly pleasures, it often happens because it has no more desires or desires that can be fulfilled. Monks. Ascetics, healers, hospice nurses, cremation grounds, spirituality, wills, litigations, ancestors, etc.

Personally speaking when ketu transited over my personal placements I had a very big change self image, and I let go of what used to identity my own person to myself as. The nodes are extremely karmic and one should actually look into them to understand themselves better.

Pisces is the end sign, the conclusion if you believe in the illusion or maya of a single end and beginning of things. Reverting back to the snake imagery, the never ending snake to be exact we must remember that the thing that looks like the end of everything, the conclusion ( pisces ) is also the beginning of it all. To see what the beginning brings, as in the zodiacal wheel Aries, you have to see what is being gestated in the pisces realm, in the realm of the past, last birth, ethers,  spirit.

This brings us back to the two things we know till now – moon in pisces

The native embodies abundance of spiritual essence, a self fulfilling, nurturing, innate knowledge that brews on in itself. It is essentially a nurturing energy because even if it is the end of the cycle, it recreates and continues the cycle.

As I said before moon signifies magic and sorcery is the study, the academia you may say of magic, Gojo being a teacher in magic to put it plainly is easily seen through this. It’s his calling, his choice and something he saw coming (  ketu giving that “ I gotta be this” vibe to it ). Sharing his knowledge, his abundance of cursed energy and his knowledge of harnessing it to his students serves him emotionally as well, is his way of catering to his own personal emotional needs too. Ketu does bring that self sacrificial “ one day they ( students ) will be stronger than me” and that one pep talk he had with megumi reminding him that one big fight between their ancestors who shared their respective techniques.

Venus exalts in pisces, so that sense of being gifted is always subconsciously present in natives. The blessing of this venus comes from surrender to the trials of the karma and the hard tests of guru.

All of this, albeit vague, I hope provided some clarity to his personal nature and emotional makeup as a person. Now coming to the main part that shows not only his technique but his path leading to it with some other references too.

Uttarabhadrapada moon

Uttara Bhadra (Pada 1)

Gojo Satoru has his moon in Pisces, exact degree unknown because of non availability of real birth time well because Gege lol. But either way moon is predominantly in the uttarabhadrapada nakshatra throughout that day.

Nakshatra ruler – Saturn

Nakshatra deity – ahirbudhyana

Symbol – the hind legs of a cot, signifies both birth and death.

The trip I went through researching this nakshatra damn truly Saturn nakshatra indeed. But the bountiful knowledge and complexity. For real the fandom needs to stop putting Satoru’s personality in a box ( lol)  because if this doesn’t prove it I am not aware what will make them understand.

Uttarabhadrapada is the second last nakshatra in the 27 nakshatra cycle, and the last Saturn nakshatra. Every Saturn nakshatra is considered blessed and benefic in vedic astrology because in these Saturn nakshatras the native reaps the spiritual fruits of the trials and lessons it went through in its previous nakshatra ( Jupiter nakshatras). Pushya , anuradha and uttarabhadrapada are the Saturn nakshatras and are considered auspicious and blessed. It is also seen that these nakshatras are often linked with goddesses and are actually feminine in nature, giving it nurturing, enterprising, fertility and healing abilities, albeit creating energy. This abundance of creating force, accompanied with the culmination of spiritual fruits through the cosmic cycle deposits in this final Saturn nakshatra giving immense spiritual prowess and vast expansive energetic capacities to old and nurture to its natives. This ability is also supported by the fact that this nakshatra is in Pisces which is ruled by Jupiter, therefore there is abundance of knowledge and natives if not born with material blessings often accumulate material and knowledge wealth through out there lives. As Claire Nakti said, natives already possess the said capacity to attract and uphold abundance, it is just the matter of finding the said treasure.

But to correlate this with Satoru’s technique, the picture is incomplete. Abundance this, blessing that, we have already established the fact that he is very very strong quite early in the story. His sun in Jyestha already signifies that and now does his moon, but where is that click to it? The massive plot twists, the climaxes, the ascension to divinity, where is it and why is it news when he was blessed with it already since birth? And coming to think of it, his technique is generational. Satoru is born into luck. Why is yours  truly dragging this post? Well because yours truly has something.

To understand the true essence of Uttarabhadrapada you have to know its previous counterpart – purvabhadrapada.

Purvabhadrapada is the last Jupiter nakshatra, the last and ultimate trial of the guru, the hardest of the test, the fire that will either purify you and get rid of your sins and pollution or become your pyre. With the promise of finding the ultimate treasure in this world, the biggest strength and the divine fruit of the this long spiritual cycle, people jump into this fire, your sanctify themselves, to become the hero, you become the self. But the fire never existed, it was never ignited. It was never something to step into. The fire is not for the native, the native is the fire. This test is the ultimate test, the Dark Night of the soul.

When confronted with ones own short comings, devils and monsters, it is up to the native what he’ll do, stand in it or escape it. This internal battle is something the native must go through to break and open up their own world, sacrifice their ego and let go of their self that they thought were them. This very close call either burns you or births you anew.

Satoru’s purvabhadrapada stage is visible in various ways, firstly him killing one who was embodying it -  Toji Fushiguro. It was conquering that ordeal did he unlock his complete technique. Toji’s lack of will to embody his own prowess because of trauma reflects the dark night of soul that gojo had to physically get over.

Geto was his most personal counterpart that went into this dark night of soul very consciously and overcame it actually- by accepting this stand and lack of chances of winning his cause. Though ending later, the deflection of geto is actually a slow death, preceded by the initial death of Gojo’s ego with his first murder of non sorcerers.

Geto’s version of dark night is completed when under Gojo’s conscious guidance (  true actualized self projecting) another student fights against Geto – Yuuta. And while Gojo was already the strongest after physically ending this first dark night with Toji, this process births another powerhouse in the Jujutsu world – Yuuta Okkotsu who is a Purvabhadrapada Sun himself ( his introduction is his back story while Gojo’s was his strength ).

Through these emerges the strongest – uttarabhadrapada, the one with self restraint from his previous trials, innate ability to harness and channel the immense spiritual energy that one gets as the final fruits of this long trial.

Ahirbudhyana

The deity of this nakshatra is Ahirbudhyana, which has both connections to Shiva and Vishnu. Meaning the serpent of the deep it refers to the snake that is coiled in the depths of the earth and is a great devotee of Vishnu, the hindu god that to put it very simply because I don’t have words enough to describe him at all, the one supreme that nurtures this world. Ahir, therefore it refers to the thousand headed snake upon whom the deity rests with no stress. Ahir budhayna is  also the name of an avatara of Ruddra who is a great devotee of Vishnu and simply put signifies divinity in an immensely devotional form. Ahir budhayana therefore through symbolism itself represents the vast ocean of consciousness held by Vishnu himself that connects him through heaven and the mortal realms, as he alone nurtures life between the realms of Bhramha ( heaven ) and Shiva ( pretloka or realm of the spirits ).

Ahirbudhyana, through its manifestation represents the Limitless, expansive divinity, as expansive as the eternal etheric ocean from which is it said to have originated. Being a snake, its actions and true nature is said to be mysterious in nature. No one knows who an uttarabhadrapada native truly is.

Awakening and the Eye correlation

Ahir budhayan is therefore also sheeshnaga, the God of nagas also bring correlations to the kundalini which are the 7 energy chakras present within our bodies. The kundalini actuvation process is one the rarest spiritual instances, often either accidentally activated or through intense sadhana. The Kundalini activation is the activation of the pineal gland, physically coinciding with the etheric Third Eye chakra, the all seeing eye that leads to actualization. One with an activated 3rd eye is very spiritually aware, can see the unseen and is an enlightened person. Rings a bell?

It takes 1000s of incarnations and immense hardships for a soul to physically harness the kundalini, become a direct conduit of high vibrational perhaps higher dimensional energies so much so that they are spiritually less human more divine.

Said physical awakening of the Eye lets Gojo become an active conduit of limitless divine energy, making him almost always borderline between life and death, given also that Ahirbudhyana does traverse through the realms, with his tail in the nethers and head with the gods.

It is Saturn’s prowess of Piscean lordship of Jupiter, Gojo is an adept master of control over this knowledge that is born with -  this limitless that is constantly generates himself through his chakras, Eyes. Coupled with the fact that sheesh nag does actually is said to hold the world it’s head, Gojo is actually the one that is upholding the Jujutsu world. But again due to his jupiterian nature he still  hasn’t usurped the elders and taken control. But how long is the question.

Through all that use of my limited brain juice and it’s 1 am where I live, I think we can say Gojo Satoru really, even though I truly stand by the fact that he does not have a god complex but is regal like that truly

Through heaven and earth is the honored one

But though all of his trials and tribulations,

Bye for today muah.

[incognitobobcat]

♈️♉️♊️♋️♌️♍️ Who Am I and What Is My Sign? ♎️♏️♐️♑️♒️♓️

EDIT: ANSWERS ARE NOW POSTED!! Thank you to @puissantveil for being the first (and only one to give a thoughtful and analytical answer! You guessed the characters correctly and most of your zodiac matches were correct 👍 This was really fun to make 😀

Happy New Years, y’all!!

Here’s something fun for y’all!! As the title says, this is a guessing game on who is speaking in the following excerpts and what their zodiac signs are 😁 I think that who the speakers are is easy to guess, since many are fanatics of the Mortal Kombat verse ☺️

The zodiac signs that I feel that the characters are is purely subjective. If you’re an astrology buff and you have strong opinions, that’s fine. This is just for fun.

I will leave this for two weeks and post the answers afterwards.

Anyways, enjoy!

♈️♉️♊️♋️♌️♍️♎️♏️♐️♑️♒️♓️♈️♉️♊️♋️♌️

I. Reiko

I relish combat. I am unapologetic and proud of this.

I was adopted and raised in the art of war, to whom I am eternally grateful to my adopted father for.

I have a strong sense of pride in my accomplishments and accolades. I am a superior warrior compared to those of Outworld and Earthrealm.

A successful army requires structure and discipline.

Despite of how I am perceived, I have principles. I have no respect for Bi-Han for letting his father die, a crime which is unforgivable.

What is my sign? Aries ♈️

II. Ashrah

Transformation is my purpose.

My spiritual journey requires me to die to my old self in order to be reborn as a new being, one which i wholeheartedly take.

I was born of darkness and fire and have committed unforgivable deeds as my former self. But once enlightened of a different way to live, I strive to rise like the Phoenix from the ashes to achieve my absolution.

My power lies in my freewill to choose the path of light.

To others, I am frightening, to others I am mysterious and intriguing, yet to a few, I am an unwavering and loyal friend, an ally, and a protector.

What is my sign? Scorpio ♏️

III. Shang Tsung

In order to achieve my goals and get what I want. I have the ability to persuade and deceive you to accept my views.

I am a wordsmith and my intellect, shrewdness, resourcefulness, creativity, wit and charm are among a few of my assets to aid me survive.

When it serves me, I can be your ally. Oh, how gullible you are to give in to my lies, even though you claim that you don’t trust me.

I have many faces. I have many identities. You may know my by one name, But when I take on a different form, you will never see me coming until it is too late.

What is my sign? Gemini ♊️

IV. Johnny Cage

I am larger than life! I live by #YOLO! If I’ve got money, it slips through my fingers like water.

Fun and entertainment is my purpose and people are drawn in by my energy. My wit comes in the forms of sarcasm and pick-up lines. Hey! isn’t that a mark of intelligence?

Despite my love for women, I can’t seem to take relationships seriously because I am totally all about my pleasure.

Despite me seemingly rubbing off people the wrong way, I’m not a bad guy! In fact, I do have a big heart and I truly care about doing the right thing.

I love going to different places and learning about different cultures. After all, life’s an adventure!

What is my sign? Sagittarius ♐️

V. Raiden

I am patient and steady as the earth. I am content with the simple life if I wasn’t recruited to be one of Earthrealm’s protectors.

When you first meet me, there is nothing remarkable about myself.

I don’t have the great accomplishments and accolades that have graced some warriors, nor do I have any claim to glory or prestige. But what I have and all I have to give, I make up for by heart.

I am loyal to my friends, dedicated to Earthrealm’s cause, and resilient through the challenges and trials of my role.

I release immense power and have the potential to go down a dark path. Once I am set in doing so, I will stop at nothing until all threats are neutralized.

What is my sign? Taurus ♉️

VI. Scorpion (Kuai Liang)

Unlike my code name and mastered element, I am level-headed and diplomatic. As much as it is within my control, I will use words to diffuse a conflict.

When push comes to shove, I will use violence as a last resort. It takes a significant offence to provoke me and I have a fiery temper that burns.

My core value is integrity and I live by it. While I can submit to leadership, I will always stand up for what is just and in alignment with the values of my former clan, as held by my father.

What is my sign? Libra ♎️

VII. Smoke (Tomas Vrbada)

Despite my intimidating demeanour, I am kind and compassionate. If you need food and shelter, I will provide it for you. I feel deeply and am empathetic, as I am sensitive. Though many may perceive me as an open book, you may never fully know me.

My trust and respect aren’t easily earned, but when you do, I am loyal to the end.

I long for love and acceptance, and when denied these, it eats away at my soul, little by little.

I have been through much suffering in my life, which began with the loss of my family. My life was drastically changed after being taken in by the those who murdered my mother and sister. Despite this circumstance, I did my best to adapt and accept my adopted family. And despite being rejected, and then betrayed, by the one brother whom I idolized, I cling to the hope of reconciliation.

I believe in family, be it by blood or by choice, as in life, those who you have in your life as family will always be there through your troubled times.

What is my sign? Cancer ♋️

VIII. Kung Lao

I am larger than life. I have the biggest heart of gold and can easily make friends. Honestly, who can resist me?

I have been told by my friends, my enemies, and strangers that I have a large ego, which is the case even in all the known timelines. And why not? I am just that great! Don’t forget that they’re probably jealous of my charm, skills, and good looks that even the women die for!

Those I call my family and friends are dear to my heart and I will not hesitate to fight for and protect them. My loyalty is as fierce as the sun.

If being one of Earthrealm’s protectors can help others and bring me glory, why not kill two birds with one stone?

What is my sign? Leo ♌️

IX. Havik

I know the pain of slavery. I was once tortured and broken by the oppressive rule of my former realm. Having enough, I raised arms against the oppressors and triumphed!

Why would the realms choose to be enslaved to order when true liberation lies in anarchy? I will not stop until all being are brought to the light on what it means to live a life of true freedom! It is our birthright! Hundreds of thousands want this and we will continue to spread this message!

Rebellion. Liberation. Chaos.

What is my sign? Aquarius ♒️

X. Sub Zero (Bi Han)

Power is my destiny. Power is my birthright.

I walk alone. I lead alone. I trust no one, especially those who I deem inferior.

I am cold as ice. Emotional displays are frowned upon. If you try to thwart me, you will feel my anger, be it with a glare or with my fist.

My clan is not meant to serve. Because of my ambition, I have set my clan on the path of glory and domination. I will stop at nothing until I have achieve my goals, even if it means eliminating those who stand in my way, be it family, friend, or foe.

With power, I will amass wealth no one can even imagine. With wealth comes resources to launch my clan to the future. Our clan will pioneer a new race of cyberized warriors that will surpass even the strongest of all the realms.

Power is my destiny. Power is my birthright.

What is my sign? Capricorn ♑️

XI. Reptile (Syzoth)

I am a master of illusion. In this timeline, I am no leader by any means, and I have my share of toiling for others, only when it is necessary to save those I hold dear.

Though I have given of myself to a fault and served either willingly or by force, events seems to go against me, even at the cost of my family. Maybe the supernatural forces have aligned against me and my people to always be subjected to persecution.

It may be strange to some, but I fall in love quickly. Though my family has been taken before their time through deceit, it is time to let them go and move on with my life beside another to serve a higher purpose.

I value freedom and I long to no longer be bound by servitude.

What is my sign? Pisces ♓️

XII. Sindel

Balance. That is what i strive to achieve between my realm and others.

I possess great beauty and power; I also possess wisdom, courage and compassion. Because of my diplomacy, I have been viewed as weak and incapable of ruling my realm.

Though my closest advisors would urge me to conquer other reals through aggressive means because of a prophecy, I hold fast in my stance to maintain peaceful relations until enough proof and evidence of threat have been presented and all facts of Liu Kang’s betrayal have been looked at. Only then will a decision be made.

I never suspected that those who I have trusted as close allies would betray me. Now I will fight to restore peace and protect my people.

What is my sign? Libra ♎️

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Authors Note: I’m sorry for the lack of a Virgo ♍️! I couldn’t sense one among the characters!! I will eventually make a Part 2 for the rest of the characters 😁