#Maia Toll

[lgoods]

[honeybubbledivination]

It’s My Birthday! 🐰 🎂

Hey, busy bees! I’m so sorry I haven’t posted lately! My life has been a little hectic! I’ll be getting my schedule smoothed out in the coming weeks, but until then…

I’ll show you a new deck I got for my birthday today from my aunt!

I’m OBSESSED with it!!

My first comeback post after my mini hiatus will be with this deck so!!! Keep an eye out, patient bees!

Thank you so much for buzzing by and sticking around! I’ll be back soon!

Love + Light! 💛

- Bunny

[inkisadream]

(Maia Toll, Letting Magic In)

[critical-quoter]

[yourhearthboundfairygodkin]

A message from Spirit this Lughnasadh . . .

The Virgo card advises us not to make decisions based on our fears. This is a time to be aware of our criticism of ourselves and others. Green Fluorite promotes logical thinking about incoming energies. Keep what serves the highest good, release anything that does not. Zincite encourages us to pay attention to the physical body, especially after any kind of interaction or activity. Remember, the body stores energy.

Onyx brings strength when it is needed. Clear quartz neutralizes background radiation and electromagnetic smog. Aventurine balances the nervous system and fosters well-being. Jasmine invites blessings, peace, and harmony, and raises vibrations.

Deck credits: Spirit de la Lune, Crystallary by Maia Toll, Eternal Crystals by Jade-Sky

[mariii1]

♡YOUR NEXT HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP♡

(These piles are hella long, a lot came thru, this is open to everyone including ace/aro peeps 🤗 got this idea from FairySagMother on yt <3)

☆ Piles start from top left with pile 1 ☆

YALL messages came throughh, I made a good choice buying this new oracle deck. ALSO the theme card of this reading is the waterfall card because it was in FIVE of the six piles 😭. The oracke deck is Herbiary by Maia Toll if you wanna buy it 😜. I definitely won't be super active in the next 6 months tbh because I'm incredibly stressed out and a lot is happening especially with my physical health, just a heads up...ALSO THANK YOU FOR 777 FOLLOWERS 😘 FREE PALESTINE 🇵🇸

1. If you felt like people in the past were very selfish in relationships including your parents, this person is the opposite. They don't have you around just cause they want your attention, they genuinely care about your feelings and interests. You'll actually be able to connect with this person without feeling like things need to be transactional. If you feel you struggle with this concept especially if you have a low self esteem, working it out will bring this relationship in much faster. There's also no rush, no lovebombing and then ghosting, or trying to get you to commit quickly. This person seems very reassured within themselves and they expect you to not abruptly ghost/leave them without communicating why. I'm listening to Sociopathic Dance Queen and Feel Complete (by Pink Panthress); this person is the opposite of the antagonists in these songs. I hate being really woo woo but everything will happen as it should within this relationship. Your lives might be a mess but this relationship might be the only stable/secure thing when you get into it. I'm mostly getting romantic vibes but this could be platonic as well, although it will most likely start as a friendship and progress.

2. The cards were flying out so you either have a lot happening in your life rn and I'm getting for most of you, several healthy relationships will come in at the same time. If you're monogamous, you'll have several healthy options to choose from; if not, get ready to be to busy. You'll at least have a really good friend. I'm getting that with all of these people you are able to be vulnerable and specifically you're able to share interests especially if they're niche. Many or most of these relationships will last for a long time even if you do walk away from them at some point. If you're spiritual or religious your either going to meet someone who challenges your religious beliefs, particularly those that are restrictive or oppressive. They are not an atheist, they could actually be in the same religion as you but the are more self-assured and self-sufficient. If you're someone who often relies on the universe or a higher power to do things for you or to make them come your way, this person is going to force you out of that mindset. I'm specifically getting this will happen because you don't want to lose them and you'll see this mindset isn't actually working for you. They let you know it's ok to chase sometimes, especially when it comes to your own personal goals. This is specifically coming from that longterm friend I was getting at the beginning. I'm not really getting romance still, so love might be on the backburner for awhile.

3. I'm strongly getting this is a healthy s€xua1 relationship. It's not even a situationship tbh; you could be learning from a dominatrix or shibari master or maybe you pay to have that experience one day. I'm getting this might sound outlandish for some of you but a few of you are from pile 2 and this might come randomly or you might decide to do it on a whim. This person is very attractive and they take their job or interest seriously. They genuinely want you to feel comfortable and enjoy yourself. Especially if you are a s£x worker, this is someone you go out of your way to see orrr it's a new romantic partner. The emphasis may still be on s€x especially if you do OF, they'll probably help out, but they actually still have a personality and you can get along with them. I'm specifically getting a femme woman, or someone just who's afab but not super masculine. They are very sweet and attentive during play and have good aftercare. If this person does something you don't like, they'll listen to you without complaint. Even if this is a man, they are genuinely experienced and not weirdly misogynistic or abusive in any way. Boundaries are realllyy important to this person. They're just really good at creating a safe space.

4. Money, Money, Money by ABBA came up; this person will most definitely take care of you financially even if they are just a friend. I'm actually getting for some you, your get to get someone from a species that almost extinct: a man who treats you and is perfectly fine with just being friends NO S£X OR NUN in return🤯 this might make you attracted romantically to this person but I'm getting they could actually be married (they could be gay or queer in some way too) or they're just not interested in your romantically/sexually and just want to be besties. If you have anyyy health issues including paying medical bills they will help you out without a second thought. Some of you might unfortunately be in a situation where you get very hurt, like a car accident or sum, and this person is the first to visit you. They view as someone self-sufficient and extremely independent so they never get scared that you'll start to rely on them or leech off of them. Both of your goals and morals align especially if you have alternative politics (not conservative but extreme left, marxism, socialism, anarchism, etc.) and you'll be able to talk and debate without feeling like your friendship will fall apart. If this is someone that is romantically attracted to your gender, I really don't think they'll entertain the idea of dating you and even dating in general until much later in your friendship.

5. Right off the bat your most probably going tobget married if not, you'll be roommates for a very long time. This could honestly be a QPP for few of you, the rest I'll think you'll have a family with this person if you're interested. Even if you know for sure you don't want to get married, you will treat this person as if they are your spouse. You might've felt drained at the idea of a family or maybe yours and other ppl's was very chaotic to be in, but you'll genuinely feel like you can do it with this person without it being a risk for getting retraumatized. You might travel a lot with this person or live in a very nature filled area. I'm not getting much so I guess you don't really need to know more and I'm really getting this will be a surprise anyway, even at each stage of the relationship, you never expected to feel so emotionally secure with someone else constantly on your mind.

6. You might be connected to pile 4 or drawn to it. This is someone very new, as in you've never met anyone like them before. They either have a very unique appearance they put effort in or they really surpsie you with how deep they're personality and thoughts are. I'm getting for a lot of you, you might think this person is probably just annoying middle-aged person (😭) specifically man but then your talk and you're like woahh I was not expecting that. Their voice might not fit they're appearance either; they could have an extremely deep voice but be average height in whichever country they're from or their voices are quite animated even though their appearance might make them look gloomly or uninteresting (damn you guys are flaming this person during your first impression of them 😭😭) They point out a lot of things you don't notice or just know random facts that are helpful. They could even be a polyglot and travel a lot. However, this person is very stable in they're life, they feel ok at they're job or have a very specific idea of what they want to do with their career. If you end up working together, they are much more helpful than you anticipated. I'm getting for a lot you they aren't nice or super polite but they are very kind and generous. Like they don't smile much but ask them a question and you'll get a succinct answer. (Ughh this is my type 😩) They're very real and I love people like this cause they are genuine in wanting to help you and you don't have to constantly decipher they're words especially in a corporate context. There will definitely be an age gap and possible height gap. They could be almost 10 yrs older than you but you somehow have a lot in common although they are definitely not immature. I don't think they dated a lot or they had one really long relationship that they got out of when they met you.

[helenvader]

You mentioned on a post about Sauron inventing Black Speech that you're a linguist - are you comfortable elaborating?

I'd love to know more, as an informal but dedicated linguist myself. Always curious about how people get into languages.

@oroniel So, here we go. It's going to be long!

I love languages. I'm fascinated by all their aspects - the development over time, the way they influence each other, how they often reflect the speakers as a group at a certain point in time, and the system of a language as such.

At the university I studied English and German, but not pure linguistics, I majored in translation and interpreting (loved the first, hated the other, because those two require differently wired brains, and my brain is definitely a translator's brain).

While at university, I also learned French, Latin, Swedish, Old English and ivrit (these days I am in awe, I barely manage ONE language course now), and sometimes just read grammar of others just out of curiousity - Gothic and Breton, maybe others, can't remember now! These days I sometimes read on Old Norse and and look up words in Proto-Germanic, not really learning, just having fun.

I also started translating Sir Gawain and the Green Knight into Slovak, a project that I abandoned once I started working, but at that time I was very good at that particular dialect of Middle English and it was a great exercise in translating poetry (and translating in general).

Of course I have forgotten most of the above as it happens when you don't practice. When I came to Luxembourg I had to start learning French again, and took Italian later on, but my Mum had Alzheimer's, and it took its toll on my brain, so I ended up not being able to do that at one point. This year I'm not working (unpaid leave), so I FINALLY started learning Luxembourgish. I was a bit afraid, but my brain cooperates, I'm just rather tired after each class.

I also have to mention that when I was watching my favourite Chinese drama (The Story of Yanxi Palace), I started recognising words and even deduced some very basic grammar rules (confirmed by a colleague who studied Chinese), which made me immensely proud. I love deciphering a system, that's for sure.

I do not expect to learn anything beyond Luxembourgish at a level of being able to hold a basic conversation, and maybe come back to Italian one day. I'm not getting younger, and my brain is chronically tired.

I have always admired Tolkien, the natural linguist, not only for the sheer amount of languages he knew, but for the amazing job he did on his conlangs. That's just. WOW.

Oh, and I love Black Speech, I know it's supposed to be ugly, but it doesn't sound ugly to me. My HC is that Mairon based it partially on Valarin (his first language, and one that sounded unpleasant to the Elvish ears, and thus Quenya was born), just making it simpler. Imagine my JOY when I found out that the word for ring in Valarin is... naškad. Not dissimilar to nazg, is it? :)

And of course Black Speech is a language that has no exceptions, because our darling Maia is such a perfectionist. It's a pity we only have but a few words and sentences. And I NEED to know what Halbrand said to that warg! Hopefully we will learn in time.

[acesofspadess]

Live {2}

summary: after a silly little comment on Niall's live, who would've thought it bring you...well here....

a/n: so the drama begins.....

64.media.tumblr.com

“I choose Kelly.”

6 March, 2023

“Hi my name is Maia Quinn, i am 22 years old, and i'm from Dublin Ireland, but am currently living in LA”

Throughout the next 3 years, you released an EP titled ‘Live’ . It was an homage to the thing that really kicked off your career, the live with Niall. Niall had followed you and liked a few of your posts for the months after that, joining some of your lives and having small banter. But in reality, you hadn't had any interaction with him since. You texted him back and it was never answered for almost 3 years. It seemed it had all been forgotten, which you knew would probably happen. 

“I was born in Dublin, and later on moved when I was 5 to a small town. Coming from a well known small town doesn't really do much for you in the long run. I was constantly told I would never be a singer. That just because I was from where I was from didn't mean that I would go ‘hollywood’. That really does quite a toll on a young kid just finding out what her dreams are.”

The clip showed you walking down a hallway to the stage.

“Being here on The Voice today is to prove to me and all the young little girls that are told they can't do it, that they can if they want to. And that's what really matters.”

Next artist is walking on stage

“I can feel this one. They're gonna be good.” Niall whispered to his co-judges. 

You raised the mic to your lips and made yourself get lost in the music.

Summer after high school when we first met We make out in your Mustang to Radiohead And on my 18th birthday we got matching tattoos

The audience cheered slightly and you let the nerves dissipate

Used to steal your parents' liquor and climb to the roof

You opened your eyes as you heard the turn of a chair and saw Kelly looking at you

Talk about our future like we had a clue Never planned that one day, I'd be losing you In another life

You watched Kelly stand up and you felt all the nerves come back

I would be your girl We keep all our promises Be us against the world In another life I would make you stay So I don't have to say You were the one that got away The one that got away

You waited for your next part and saw the next chair turn…

Niall

You closed your eyes and continued.

Cause i now i pay the price

You held that note letting it merge into the next

In another life I would make you stay

You opened your eyes to see Niall singing softly with you and you quickly looked away

So I don't have to say You were the one that got away The one that got away

When you finished you turned around to let yourself not freak out and turned back around to face the judges. “I know you.” Niall spoke when the audience died down and you knew the look of shock and betrayal flashed over your features before you smiled and laughed awkwardly. “Wait what? How?” Kelly questioned from her chair. “I sang a cover of one of his songs on live once.” the audience cheered and you looked down. 

“Wow, that's crazy!” Kelly gasped. “Well tell us who you are.” Chance spoke up. “Im Maia Quinn, I'm 22 and I'm from Dublin, Ireland, but now live here in LA” the audience cheered and you saw Nialls smile falter. 

“Wait you have this small speaking voice and this giant singing voi- what just happened?” you laughed and apoligised before Niall spoke up. “I love voices with so much, like, character like you've got. It was incredible to see you up there after all this time, what 3 years?” you nodded softly trying not to let any feelings from the past show. “Watching you hit these powerful notes and seeing how much improvement you've gotten in 3 years, and still being so young is incredible.”

You thanked him as he kept going. “I can see you're nervous, gripping with two hands. But I've been there before, shaking on a stage. But you are gonna grow so much in this competition and I can't wait to see it first hand.”

You thanked him again and turned to Kelly as she spoke. “Hi Maia!” 

“Hi Kelly!” 

“Okay your beautiful eyes were closed, but i turned around like way before him.” she pointed to Niall and you laughed “and I was like okay, I don't know if that's nerves or if it's her just really loving this message and wanting to be the vessel for it. You had me in the beginning, when it was a beautiful whisper as for how you were sounding, and then it, like, exploded in the chorus. And i am great at teaching vocalist, like breath control, bubbling before you get out there, like really making sure that you are solid with your vocal ability, that by the time you get out, your not nervous. But I'm just a really big fan of your voice.”

You and Kelly both saw Blake pass papers to Niall and Kelly scolded them. “Kelly can't coach nerves. She admits it.” Niall read and everyone laughed as she confirmed it. Niall talked to you and praised you a little more, “truly has been a battle to death here.” Blake spoke up sarcastically as Niall and Kelly had gone back and forth praising each other. “Maia, who do you pick to be your coach?”

You were confused to say the least. You head was screaming Niall, but your heart was feeling heartbreak. You knew Niall would lead you down the right path, but you didn't want to be left at a fork in the road alone again.

“I choose Kelly.”

@youcan-nolonger-run @luxiorchive @maeflowers653 @ravenclawdirectioner

[wandering-free-and-queer]

Any resources/advice for someone hoping to approach worship to Nyx?

She recently made a strong emergence in a reading I did for my Hellenic friend, and my friend is feeling very intimidated and overwhelmed. I was wondering if you have anything you’d suggest for reading, listening, etc. (I am asking with their permission btw.)

The way I see my deities is they are the personification of their respective realms. They aren't 100% corporeal, but they aren't 100% spiritual essence either. Nyx, in my UPG, is the literal personification of the Night. When the sun goes down, and the first stars come out, that's when She is there. When the sun comes up, She takes her reprieve and rests.

The easiest way I have found to connect with her is simply sitting outside during that shift from sunset to twilight to dusk to night. To stargaze and watch the sky darken and count the first stars and listen to nature (and the unfortunate highway street racers that plague the major highway I live near lol). She is hardly an intimidating goddess. Night is liminal, especially when you're not doing the traditional "night time" things like resting or sleeping. When the world is quiet, Nyx is there. It's a transitional time where, in the right circumstances, you can feel like the only one that matters in any given moment.

I have always had a personal connection with the nighttime, for reasons I won't get into here, but it's been my favorite time since I was young, we're talking elementary school age. It seemed natural for me to resonate with the Goddess that was the personification of the time of day where I found the most comfort.

I unfortunately don't have a lot of "canon" material on Nyx, because she doesn't appear in much of mythology. As far as I'm aware in terms of literature, she's mentioned briefly in The Theogony (Hesiod). I definitely think something that would be a good read to go along with Nyx would be The Night School by Maia Toll. It's intended to be a work-along book that takes you through lessons and exercises specifically to be done at night.

I will say my UPGs of Nyx are heavily based on a fictional book series I read as a kid, so take what I say with a grain of salt. But seriously, the best beginning to working with Nyx is just... experiencing the nighttime. You don't even have to meditate or be mindful (I'm not that type of person, too "unmedicated ADHD" for that lol). Sit outside, cozy up, listen to your favorite music, and just get to know what the nighttime is like under your expanse of sky.

My inbox and DMs are both open if you or your friend have anymore questions.

~Wander 🖤

[witchyfashion]

Maia Toll's Wild Wisdom Wall Calendar 2025: Connect to the Mystical Rhythms of the Natural World 

https://amzn.to/4giKeeT

[khaire-traveler]

My Deity Poems, Prayers, & Stories

Hermes

"Brush Of The Wind" poem

"Joy-Bringer" prayer

"Dream-Walker" prayer

"He Smiles As He Runs" poem

"Heed His Call" poem

"Hermes Is..." poem???

"Deliverer" poem-ish

"Fleet-footed" travel prayer

"Giver of Good" prayer

Apollon

"You Heal Me" poem

"Worship" poem

"Music Gives Life" poem

"The Song Of Our Hearts" poem

"The Light Returns" poem

"The Future" story??? Poem???

"The Blessed Twins" healing prayer

Aphrodite

"Aphrodite Is..." poem

Artemis

"Lady Of The Crescent Moon" poem

"Keep My Pet Safe And Well" prayer

"The Blessed Twins" healing prayer

Dionysus

"Merry-Maker" prayer

"Drink With Me!" poem

"Of Madness And Men" poem

"Savage & Free" poem

"Dionysus Is Imperfect" poem

Eros

"Piercing Arrows" poem

General

"Beauty Of Domains" poem

"Hail To The Blessed Gods!" hymn

"Sometimes The Gods Are Loud" poem

"Guide Me" poem

"The Gods Are Beautiful" poem

Hestia

"Lady Of Hearth" poem

Hypnos

"Sleep Well" prayer

Maia

"Mother Maia" poem

Zeus

"Noumenia Prayer To Zeus" prayer

"King Zeus" poem

Thanatos

"Toll the Dead" poem

"Death is a Friend" poem

- Norse Pantheon -

Loki

"Within The Flames" poem - Lokean sideblog

- Etc. -

Stories

"A Little Bunny" Ares

"A Little Goat" Dionysus

"A Little Cat" Hermes

"The Man" Apollo

"The Club" Dionysus

"A Little Crow" Apollo

-

Art

"You Will Not Take This From Me" Dionysus & Ariadne - chain-breaking/liberation

"Thrice-born" Dionysus

[ukrainenews]

Daily Wrap Up January 18-19, 2023

Under the cut:

A helicopter carrying the leadership team of Ukraine’s interior ministry crashed near a kindergarten and residential block in the Kyiv region on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people, including all nine people on board, according to officials. A further 25 people were injured following the incident in the city of Brovary Wednesday, including 11 children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday.

Moldova has requested air defence systems from its allies with the aim of strengthening its capabilities as the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues, its president, Maia Sandu, said.

Lithuania’s defence minister, Arvydas Anušauskas, has said several countries will announce sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine at tomorrow’s meeting of defence ministers at the Ramstein airbase in Germany.

Nine European countries have pledged further militarily support to Ukraine, which will help forces move from “resisting to expelling Russian forces,” according to a joint statement published by the British government following a meeting in Tallinn, Estonia.

A group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine's war with Russia on Thursday ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kyiv scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday.

(The above two stories overlap, but I included them both because they both have good information.)

The United States is set to finalize a huge military aid package for Ukraine totaling approximately $2.5 billion worth of weaponry, including — for the first time — Stryker combat vehicles, two sources briefed on the next tranche of aid told CNN. The package is not yet finalized, one of the sources said, but could come before the end of the week.

The death toll from Russia’s attack Saturday on an apartment building in Dnipro, Ukraine, has risen to 46, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk region military administration said Thursday.

Wallace says Britain has “unlocked” a number of military aid packages in the last year, and will be “going further” by sending a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine. The UK will also send at least three batteries of AS-90 155 long-range deep dire artillery, a number of armoured vehicles, including the Bulldog, he said.

“A helicopter carrying the leadership team of Ukraine’s interior ministry crashed near a kindergarten and residential block in the Kyiv region on Wednesday, killing at least 14 people, including all nine people on board, according to officials.

A further 25 people were injured following the incident in the city of Brovary Wednesday, including 11 children, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said Wednesday.

Fourteen bodies were found at the crash site, including one child and all nine people who were on board the helicopter – six ministry officials and three crew members, according to the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES).

Ukrainian National Police confirmed that Interior Minister Denis Monastyrsky, First Deputy Minister Yevheniy Yenin and State Secretary Yuriy Lubkovychis were among the dead.

The official cause for the crash has yet to be announced, and there has been no suggestion from any Ukrainian officials about Russian involvement.

“Ukraine lost the whole generation of young politicians…it’s a huge grief for everyone,” Anton Gerashchenko, an adviser to the Ukrainian government, told CNN on Wednesday.

When asked why the entire leadership of the interior ministry was traveling together, Gerashchenko replied: “I think this bloody lesson will be a clear example for us that such high politicians and ministers cannot travel altogether. But this tragedy brought the death of children which is amazingly horrible – and obviously everyone who died – every life of every Ukrainian is priceless.”

The crash has stunned the country at a critical moment in the war: Ukraine has been imploring Western allies for more weaponry as Russian strikes hit its critical infrastructure and civilian populations with abandon.”-via CNN

~

“Moldova has requested air defence systems from its allies with the aim of strengthening its capabilities as the war in neighbouring Ukraine continues, its president, Maia Sandu, said.

Moldova’s spy chief, Alexandru Musteata, warned last month of a “very high” risk of a new Russian offensive towards his country’s east and said Moscow still aimed to secure a land corridor through Ukraine to the breakaway Moldovan region of Transnistria.

Moldova has long had Russian troops based in Transnistria, a predominantly Russian-speaking region in eastern Moldova. The area has been controlled by pro-Russia separatists since 1992, after a short war when Moscow intervened on the side of the rebels.

Russian efforts to destabilise Moldova have so far failed, Sandu told Reuters in an interview on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos.”-via The Guardian

~

“Lithuania’s defence minister, Arvydas Anušauskas, has said several countries will announce sending Leopard 2 tanks to Ukraine at tomorrow’s meeting of defence ministers at the Ramstein airbase in Germany.

Anušauskas told Reuters:

Some of the countries will definitely send Leopard tanks to Ukraine, that is for sure.

The total number of armoured vehicles pledged at tomorrow’s meeting would go into hundreds, Anušauskas said.”-via The Guardian

~

“Nine European countries have pledged further militarily support to Ukraine, which will help forces move from “resisting to expelling Russian forces,” according to a joint statement published by the British government following a meeting in Tallinn, Estonia.

“We recognize that equipping Ukraine to push Russia out of its territory is as important as equipping them to defend what they already have,” they said in the statement. This latest pledge comes ahead of a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Group in Ramstein, Germany, on Friday, chaired by US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin. Beyond continued support for Ukraine, here's what the countries pledged:

Denmark: Train Ukrainian forces. The country has donated or financed military aid worth close to 600 million euros (about $649 million).

Czech Republic: Increase production capacities for large caliber ammunition, howitzers and armored personnel carriers; increase maintenance, repair and operations capacity.

Estonia: Tens of 155mm FH-70 and 122 mm D-30 howitzers; thousands of rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition; support vehicles for artillery units; hundreds of Carl-Gustaf M2 anti-tank grenade launchers with ammunition with the total replacement values of approximately 113 million euros (about $122 million) and training for hundreds of Ukrainian soldiers.

Latvia: Tens of man-portable Stinger air-defense systems; two M-17 helicopters; tens of machine guns with ammunition; several tens of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs); spare parts for M109 howitzers and training of about 2,000 Ukrainian soldiers in various programs.

Lithuania: Support package worth 125 million euros (about $135 million) consisting of dozens of L-70 anti-aircraft guns with tens of thousands of ammunition; two Mi-8 helicopters with the total replacement value of approximately 85 million euros (about $92 million); 40 million euros (about $43.3 million) for procurements like anti-drones, optics, thermo-visual devices and drones and 2 million euros (about $2.1 million) to the UK International Fund for financing heavy weaponry acquisitions projects.

Poland: S-60 anti-aircraft guns with 70,000 pieces of ammunition; already donated 42 infantry fighting vehicles; training packages for two mechanized battalions; more 155mm Krab howitzers and various types of ammunition.

Slovakia: Increase production of howitzers, de-mining equipment and ammunition; train Ukrainian soldiers and expand the training as required by Ukraine.

UK: Challenger 2 tanks with armored recovery and repair vehicles; AS90 self-propelled 155mm guns; hundreds more armored and protected vehicles; minefield breaching and bridging capabilities; dozens more un-crewed aerial systems; 100,000 artillery rounds; guided multiple launch rocket system (GMLRS) rockets; Starstreak air defense missiles; medium-range air defense missiles; 600 Brimstone anti-tank munitions; spares to refurbish up to a hundred Ukrainian tanks and infantry fighting vehicles; continued training of soldiers and coordinate the International Fund for Ukraine which has raised almost 600 million pounds (about $742.7 million) with partners.”

-via CNN

~

“A group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine's war with Russia on Thursday ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kyiv scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday.

"The West must stay united and continue to support Ukraine with military aid," Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told a news conference in his home country, held jointly with his British counterpart and other officials.

"What Ukraine needs most is heavy weaponry ... The hardest battles are still ahead," Pevkur said.

Gathering at a military base, the officials pledged missiles, stinger air defence systems, anti-aircraft guns, machine guns, training, and other equipment and services.

Britain, which has already announced plans to send tanks to Ukraine, will also send 600 Brimstone missiles, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said as he outlined details.

Poland was sending S-60 anti-aircraft guns with 70,000 rounds of ammunition and was ready to donate a company of German-made Leopard 2 tanks, "pending (a) wider coalition" of Leopard donors, according to a joint statement from the meeting.

The potential supply of Leopard tanks is expected to be high on the agenda when a broader group of nation, including the United States, meets on Friday at Germany's Ramstein Air Base.

The United States and Germany tried on Thursday to resolve a stand-off over the Leopard, which the German government has so far resisted supplying to Ukraine, but no conclusion has so far been communicated.

Kyiv has pleaded for the tank, which it believes would help it to turn the tide against Russian forces.

Hours after the meeting the Danish government announced it would donate 19 French-made Caesar howitzer artillery systems to Ukraine, fulfilling the wish of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy but stunting the Nordic country's military build-up.”-via Reuters

~

“The United States is set to finalize a huge military aid package for Ukraine totaling approximately $2.5 billion worth of weaponry, including — for the first time — Stryker combat vehicles, two sources briefed on the next tranche of aid told CNN. The package is not yet finalized, one of the sources said, but could come before the end of the week.

The new package is one of the largest to be announced since the war started last February, according to one source. It would include more armored Bradley Fighting Vehicles that, combined with the Strykers, is a significant escalation in the armored vehicles the US has committed to Ukraine for its fight against Russia. Mine-resistant ambush protected vehicles, known as MRAPs, are also on the list, the source said.

The announcement is not expected to include tanks or the long-range missiles that has been repeatedly asked for by Ukraine. The US is expected to send Ukraine more ammunition for its artillery systems and HIMARS rocket systems that have been consistent in recent aid packages.

Ukrainian officials have been fiercely lobbying Washington for longer-range missiles known as Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS), which have a range of around 200 miles (300 kilometers). The Biden administration has resisted sending them out of fear of escalating the conflict with Russia. The administration has also pushed back on sending M1 Abrams tanks because of logistical and maintenance complications.”-via CNN

~

“The death toll from Russia’s attack Saturday on an apartment building in Dnipro, Ukraine, has risen to 46, the head of the Dnipropetrovsk region military administration said Thursday.

According to Valentyn Reznichenko, 11 people remain missing. Of those killed, 11 are still yet to be identified, he said.  

The attack injured an additional 80 people, 24 of whom remain hospitalized. Three of those are in serious condition, among them a 9-year-old girl.”-via CNNA group of 11 NATO countries, including Britain and Poland, pledged a raft of new military aid to support Ukraine's war with Russia on Thursday ahead of a crunch meeting on arms for Kyiv scheduled to take place in Germany on Friday."The West must stay united and continue to support Ukraine with military aid," Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur told a news conference in his home country, held jointly with his British counterpart and other officials.”-via CNN

~

“Wallace says Britain has “unlocked” a number of military aid packages in the last year, and will be “going further” by sending a squadron of Challenger 2 main battle tanks to Ukraine.

The UK will also send at least three batteries of AS-90 155 long-range deep dire artillery, a number of armoured vehicles, including the Bulldog, he said.

He continued:

Today I can say we’re also going to send another 600 Brimstone missiles into theatre which will be incredibly important in helping Ukraine dominate the battlefield.

He said the UK will be working with the US and others “to make sure that this package is put in Ukraine in the right way”.”-via The Guardian

[2bu]

I think you're one of the few tarot deck collectors I've followed for years, now, and I've always wondered: What do you look for in a deck? Do you just happen to collect any decks, or is there a certain criteria they have to meet in order for you to obtain it?

Howdy this is a real fun question!

I kinda did both in the past - but that was myself and my partner had far more money to spare and even then, I didn't go too crazy because we had very limited space in our old apartments. Nowadays, I do follow some sort of a rough criteria for any tarot or oracle deck purchases, which involves the following points I find most important in a deck:

Artwork - Does it look good? Is the art style unique? Does it appeal to my personal tastes/aesthetics? This is the most important to me with ANY deck, as it will make or break the vibes for me. Best example of decks I've connected really well with and am super fond of are the following right off the top of my head:

Tarot of the Divine

All of Maia Toll's Wild Wisdom decks (with companion books)

The Essential Tarot

Moonchild Tarot

The Sugar Skull Tarot

Theme / Aesthetic - Does this deck have a solid, recognizable theme that honours, yet freely interprets the meanings of the cards? Is it coherent, well-thought out, and does the aesthetic/theming of this deck match up all the way through? This is second most important to me because often times, there may be quite a lovely deck, but I may not like the 'theme' of it. Best example is the Zombie Tarot I own, which I'm not the biggest fan of as I have a fear of Zombies and Apocalyptic themes.

It has stellar artwork, the cards feel nice and it's visually very appealing, but due to the themes and apocalyptic references made I do not use this deck and will probably see about reselling it or gifting it to someone who would want it in the near future.

Representation - While I am not picky when it comes to decks, and will be a bit more forgiving of older decks that are well loved, beautiful, and recommended within the community, as an LGBT+ disabled person of colour, I tend to favour decks that will openly and unabashedly feature artwork of people of colour, disabled people, queer people, so on. Especially if they are made by said groups of people. Examples I've already given are Tarot of the Divine, The Essential Tarot, Moonchild Tarot, and another few recommendations I can give would be The Star Spinner Tarot, Queer Black Tarot, and Zeke's Arcana.

Lastly:

Quality - Does it come with a bag or box it can be stored in? How do the cards feel when I hold them or shuffle them? Can I even shuffle them? Does it have a guidebook of sorts? Is the artwork clear and overall visible with little to no flaws? Is it all collectively worth the price point?

As someone who is neurodivergent and can struggle with the feel of things against my hands/skin as a whole, this is definitely important to me, but I can deal with a deck that say, I really love, but may not feel the best in my hands, or can't be shuffled.

Personally, I dislike cards that are too glossy, and don't stack well/cannot stay stacked, or feel too slick in my hands. I also do not favour cards I cannot shuffle (then again I didn't learn how to properly cut the deck and shuffle until about a year or two ago).

So far, the decks that contain my favourite cardfeels and are of very high quality for the price points are Tarot of the Divine and Maia Toll's Wild Wisdom cards. They are very much worth the price paid for all of those decks respectively. Pretty much anything that feels like the playing card decks my grandmother owns is something I generally like and will seek out if possible, but only Tarot of the Divine has given me this!

As for pricing, well, tarot decks and oracle decks often range in price depending on where you buy, who you buy it from, their overall quality, what comes with it, etc. My most expensive and rarest deck that I got out of pure sheer luck was the Major Arcana Set for Sayonara Wild Hearts, and that ran me about maybe $120, as it is rare and hard to find at all, let alone in mint unopened condition. Mine was still in the packaging when I received it, and because I don't plan on selling it, this is fine, and I opened it to see the cards (which are simple but VERY beautiful).

OUGH this became longer than I was anticipating but I appreciate being asked stuff like this since I don't talk about my hobbies very often ^^;

[coinandcandle]

do you have any recommendations for non-tarot oracle decks?

This came right after the other ask but I'll put in my suggestions here as well!

Maia Toll's Herbiary, Bestiary, and Crystaliary decks.

Seed and Sickle oracle

Season of the Witch decks

The Wild Unknown deck

These are all ones I've used that I like, if anyone has others they recommend please feel free to drop them in the replies or a reblog!

[yourhearthboundfairygodkin]

A message from Spirit this summer solstice . . .

This is a good time to remove toxic histories from our blood (DNA). Looking at the bigger picture from an internal perspective can help us. We should ask for support from our ancestors to help clear family trauma and leave it behind in order to raise our frequencies. This release is necessary for healing and moving toward peace and calm.

Bloodstone aids with adjusting to unaccustomed circumstances. Clear quartz not only brings clarity; it can be used to store positive energies, like the courage and motivation that carnelian encourages. Rosemary is a powerful herb ally to ward off negativity.

Deck credits: Crystallary by Maia Toll, Moonology by Yasmin Boland, Tarot by Juliet Sharman-Burke

[fungus-and-bone]

The Night School - Night 1

This is a personal journal, but you are encouraged to read and interact. 💙

Saturday, 8th of July, 2:00am

The Night School is a book written by Maia Toll and illustrated by Lucille Clerc that teaches "lessons in moonlight, magic, and the mysteries of being human" on a night-by-night basis. There are two semesters contained within the book, and I just started the first.

The first "class" teaches you how to discover your night-self. Who you are at night is a direct mirror of who you are during the day. Opposite, but the same, they balance each other. This class asked you to step outside during the dark hours of the night and observe using all of your senses, not only your surroundings, but yourself.

Even with only the light of a couple candles and the neighbor's fairy lights around their porch it seemed bright outside. There was no moon and no stars, as they were covered by clouds, and yet the sky, instead of being black as pitch, was a deep blue. Not the blue of the deep ocean, but a sort of mid-blue. Much too saturated for what I thought should be a dark sky. The canopies of the little trees in my yard were black in contrast, or maybe they, too were blue, just much darker than the backdrop. The very tops of the leaves were a slightly lighter shade. This surprised me again, as with no moon and no stars, I didn't know what was illuminating them. The fence was black, the yard was... green, perhaps? A very dark green? With the blue filter of night over everything, it was difficult to tell color. Everything was dark, but not as dark as I thought it should be. I know I'm repeating myself, but it's only because I was truly surprised by how bright everything seemed. The author explains in the beginning of the book that all humans have nightvision. Not to the extent of nocturnal animals, sure, but we do have it. "My eyes haven't adjusted to the dark." I say that sometimes. That's our nightvision, and perhaps that's what I was experiencing for the first time. Usually when I go out at night, I turn the porch light on, but this time, I only had a couple of candles, and when I was observing the night, I had my back to them. I felt like I was truly seeing the night for the first time.

In contrast to the surprise my eyes found, I heard exactly what I expected to hear; the same sound that I often hear out my window at night, even when it's closed tight. Crickets, or perhaps cicadas, sometimes right outside my bedroom and sometimes far away. Tonight, it seemed they were far away. In addition to that, there are the air conditioning units that almost all of the houses in my neighborhood have, including my own. You don't realize how truly deafening they are until they finally stop, and you're enveloped in blessed silence and the songs of crickets. There was no wind tonight, else I might've heard the rustling of the trees. I did hear the odd dog, as well, but luckily no fireworks. It's four days after the 4th of July, you'd think everyone would be done with fireworks by now, but they seem to have more, more, more, to annoy me with. But I digress. The hum of the AC and the crickets were pleasant, but it was when the AC units turned off that I found my peace.

The book also asks us to taste the night. I did try. I opened my mouth and stuck my tongue out, and I stood there like that for a good long while before I had to admit to myself that I didn't taste anything. There was a certain crispness to the air, perhaps, but that was all.

How I felt the night, though! It weighed on my arms and shoulders like a weighted blanket, heavy, but not uncomfortable, and it was so cool in contrast to the heat of my bedroom. I tend to run hot and am always complaining about the temperature. I opened my back door and stepped out, and the night draped me in a cloak of cool air, a blessed relief. Now that I'm back in my room, I'm hot and craving the cool kiss of the dark once more.

And it smelled like home. I didn't realize how truly stuffy and stale the air in my home is until I came back in from outside. The night air was crisp and clean, and it smelled of damp, and earth, and rain. It was truly a breath of fresh air, and now I'll never take that phrase for granted. As each breath filled my lungs, I felt as if life was being breathed back into my tired bones, as if the withered vines and flowers in my chest were once again beginning to sprout and bloom.

I met my night self, and he's so different from who I struggle to be during the day. He is awake and alive, he can think clearly, and he has hope. He-... I am connected to everything, from the earth beneath my feet to the stars above my head. It's both overwhelming and comforting, knowing that I am so small, but a part of something so big.

The homework for the first class was to write a couple of haikus using what I experienced my first night in the shadows. Here goes.

Breathless starlit sky Call me to your open wings Teach me how to fly.

I rest in silence Waiting for your whispered word I am your student.