#Prophetic Counsel

[mindfulldsliving]

Samuel the Lamanite: Catalyst for Change in Helaman 13

In Helaman 13, the Gospel of Jesus Christ shines through a profound narrative of transformation and warning. Samuel the Lamanite, a figure often overlooked, emerges to present an extraordinary message.

Exegetical Insights: Helaman 13 How the Gospel of Jesus ChristInvites Change In the chapters of Helaman 13, we find a powerful narrative that reveals hope and transformation through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This section is a compelling appeal for change, delivered by Samuel the Lamanite, who boldly challenges the people of Zarahemla to turn away from their iniquities. He fervently warns them…

[wordofprophet]

Self Care Tips in Islam 🧕

How do we as Muslims set ourselves up for well-rounded success in this life and the next by practising self-care?

The secret lies in looking into the Sunnah of the Prophet (PBUH) to implement tiny self-care habits into our daily lives.

Here are a few tips to ensure proper care of ourselves:

1) Prayer 2) Eat in Moderation 3) Gratitude 4) Spend Time Outside 5) Read Quran 6) Have "Me Time"

. . Follow Word of Prophet for daily Islamic Reminders . .

#allah#quran#islam#selfcare#selfcareroutine#repent#prophetmuhammad#islamicquotes#allahisthemostmerciful#allahakbar#islamicpost#islamicpage#islamdaily#muslimah#muslimquotes#muslimreminder#islamposts#islamicworld#jannah#islamic#muslimreminders#faithinallah#trustallah#islamicreminders#alhamdulilah#islamicposts#selfcarematters

[demigodofhoolemere]

25 And now when ye talk, ye say: If our days had been in the days of our fathers of old, we would not have slain the prophets; we would not have stoned them, and cast them out. 26 Behold ye are worse than they; for as the Lord liveth, if a prophet come among you and declareth unto you the word of the Lord, which testifieth of your sins and iniquities, ye are angry with him, and cast him out and seek all manner of ways to destroy him; yea, you will say that he is a false prophet, and that he is a sinner, and of the devil, because he testifieth that your deeds are evil. 27 But behold, if a man shall come among you and shall say: Do this, and there is no iniquity; do that and ye shall not suffer; yea, he will say: Walk after the pride of your own hearts; yea, walk after the pride of your eyes, and do whatsoever your heart desireth — and if a man shall come among you and say this, ye will receive him, and say that he is a prophet. 28 Yea, ye will lift him up, and ye will give unto him of your substance; ye will give unto him of your gold, and of your silver, and ye will clothe him with costly apparel; and because he speaketh flattering words unto you, and he saith that all is well, then ye will not find fault with him. 29 O ye wicked and ye perverse generation; ye hardened and ye stiffnecked people, how long will ye suppose that the Lord will suffer you? Yea, how long will ye suffer yourselves to be led by foolish and blind guides? Yea, how long will ye choose darkness rather than light?

Helaman 13: 25-29

[thewordfortheday]

“Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits.” Matthew 7:15-16

It is so easy to be deceived by false prophets who sound good, and promote good, when they are ultimately destructive. You can tell them by what they omit rather than what they include, omitting from the whole counsel of God. They come as wolves dressed as sheep. The most ravenous of animals disguised as the most harmless of animals. This is the deceitfulness of the false prophets. You will know them by their fruit- their behavior, and their deeds. But the greatest test is their teaching. Does it line up with the Word of God? If not, it is false. This means we must know our Bibles ourselves. The best defense against a counterfeit is to know the original. Let's read the scriptures and be well-versed in it, and be rooted in the truth, so that, when we hear a false teacher, we will be able to discern instantly and flee from them. 

[sitp-recs]

🎶 Sitp Recs - Wireless 2024

I’m so happy I found some time to check Wireless over my summer hols. There’s still a lot to read but I decided to post my favorites as I go because it’s always more fun to rec before reveals come up. Has anyone read these yet? Make sure to check the full collection HERE and feel free to jump in and share your own favourites! Next up: long fics!

Fic:

🗞️ crawlin' helpless on the floor by @stationintern (M, 1.5k)

It doesn't take much to torment a man when he's three broken contracts away from being out of a job and down a newspaper.

📱 How to Begin by @wolfpants (E, 8k)

Harry is completely, pathetically besotted with his flatmate, Draco. Fuelled by liquid courage, he finally makes his move when he's absolutely sozzled. What could possibly go wrong?

⚖️ When the Flood Comes by @academicdisasterfic (E, 10k)

Nine years on from the war, Auror Potter is upholding the Ministry of Magic's rule of law. Senior legal counsel Draco Malfoy is challenging it. And absolutely nothing is as it seems.

🏠 Two Houses by @tackytigerfic (E, 11k)

Two households, both alike in... meddling Floo connections, apparently? Draco Malfoy is a highly professional and well-respected Ministry official, with a demanding schedule, a loving son, and—through no fault of his own—a faulty Floo connection that keeps regurgitating the Minister for Magic through his fireplace.

🇫🇷 The most he’s ever said by @fastbrother (E, 16k)

It takes them twenty years.

🪩 Closing Time by @sweet-s0rr0w (E, 18k)

Draco’s been invited to Neville’s stag party in Bristol, and he's confident he knows what to expect. There’ll be too many Gryffindors, for starters, plus a few humiliating team-building activities, some dodgy clubs, and a truly preposterous level of alcohol consumption. But… a drunken Harry Potter climbing into Draco's bed when he’s having a wank? No, he definitely didn't see that coming...

🔬Heartbeat by @saxamophone (E, 23k)

Harry hates Draco. Draco hates Harry. Only it's not hate, not even a little bit. Featuring: a cooperative independent study, golden hour on wrecked sheets, water from fountains of dubious origin, purple Mardi Gras beads, and a bird with silly legs.

Art:

🌅 ghost (might as well be gone) by @dragontamerdame (G)

Draco Malfoy retired from the Auror force and left England a decade ago, but he still receives the Daily Prophet. Today’s issue provides closure on the one case he was never able to officially solve.

🛋️ A Quiet Life by @getawayfox (T)

After their relationship becomes public knowledge; after being hounded by the paparazzi; after Draco says enough is enough and leaves London; Harry’s more than happy to follow. After all, a quiet life is all he’s ever wanted.

🛏️ MY FRIENDS SAY I SHOULDN'T SEE YOU ANYMORE by @bichol (T)

Both Draco's and Harry's friends don't approve of their little... dalliance. But it's so hard to stay away from each other! Could this be a bit more than just casual?

[schrijverr]

I strongly believe that everyone came to say hi to Ashes in UDAD when they realized they were Hades. So I can fully picture this fic where every chapter you follow one of the other mechs trying to get into Hades’s throne room, all in their own little way.

Like Brian gets in pretty easy as the Oracle of Delphi, just says he has a prophetic vision that has to do with Hades and claims he has to have an audience with them and gets escorted in. They have a bitch/gossip session, because Brian lies that it’s a private thing. Ashes uses it to annoy all the other Olympians by alluding to things just to cause shit.

Marius is counseling Zeus and the more he listens to this man complain about Hades, the more he starts to realize who Hades is. So, he starts to insist they should have a family therapy session with Hades. Ashes at first hates Zeus trying to convince them until they realize who is counseling him, then they agree and Ashes and Marius psychologically torture Zeus for an entire session.

Jonny tries to murder spree himself in, but gets stopped by Ashes’s traps. They know it’s him trying to get in, but think it’s funny and actively up their defenses to make him fail, waiting to see if he gives up. He doesn’t and at some point Ashes takes pity on him and lets him get carted off to the Acheron where they get him out off.

Tim has been getting himself a sugar baby role as Persephone and working his way into high society with the Olympians. He actually runs in the same circles as Ashes and complains how boring it is and he wants some violence, so Ashes whisks him off for a trip of fun, which gets wildly out of hand. But hey, at least they get to hang out regularly, right?

And I don’t have a plan for the others yet, but that will come (input is welcome and if someone has other ideas for the others, please do share)

[mythologyolympics]

Mythology Olympics tournament round 1

Propaganda!

In Greek mythology, Orpheus was a Thracian bard, legendary musician and prophet. He was also a renowned poet and, according to the legend, travelled with Jason and the Argonauts in search of the Golden Fleece, and even descended into the underworld of Hades, to recover his lost wife Eurydice. The major stories about him are centered on his ability to charm all living things and even stones with his music (the usual scene in Orpheus mosaics), his attempt to retrieve his wife Eurydice from the underworld, and his death at the hands of the maenads of Dionysus, who got tired of his mourning for his late wife Eurydice. As an archetype of the inspired singer, Orpheus is one of the most significant figures in the reception of classical mythology in Western culture, portrayed or alluded to in countless forms of art and popular culture including poetry, film, opera, music, and painting.

Krishna is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love, and is widely revered among Hindu divinities. Texts portray him in various perspectives: as a god-child, a prankster, a model lover, a divine hero, and the universal supreme being. His iconography reflects these legends and shows him in different stages of his life, such as an infant eating butter, a young boy playing a flute, a young boy with Radha or surrounded by female devotees, or a friendly charioteer giving counsel to Arjuna. The name "Krishna" originates from the Sanskrit word Kṛṣṇa, which is primarily an adjective meaning "black", "dark", "dark blue" or "All-Attractive". The waning moon is called Krishna Paksha, relating to the adjective meaning "darkening".

[queenlucythevaliant]

So

They finally let me rearrange the religion section at The Bookstore after I spent several months complaining about it. By and large, I'm content with the job I did, but I still have some quibbles with the titles we stock.

Here is a selection of books that we apparently have:

Book about how to understand and love your child who smokes pot

Book about how to get a woman to trust you again after you cheat on her, written by the same author as the one about children smoking pot (what is this guy's life???)

A book called "Raising Prophetic Kids" that I was sorely tempted to buy as a gag for my parents

Prosperity Gospel book that claims to teach you how to become an ultra-rich CEO by following the example of King Solomon

Several dozen fringe eschatology books that are categorized by the publisher as "theology and Christian history" (I did not put them there)

"Inspirational" romance novel about Potiphar's wife

I Am Second book that catapulted me straight back to 2013

Book about spiritual lessons you can share with your horse

Amish harlequins

And two books written by my grandma's prayer partner's husband, a man who gave my parents terrible pre-marital counseling and was generally a pretty big hypocrite. That one was kind of a jump scare lol

[ghaniblue]

HD Wireless recs: weeks 1 & 2

All creations I enjoyed from @hd-wireless weeks 1 & 2. ❤️ denotes favourites. -- creators added after reveals.

🕺 Fly Away with Me Tonight? (G, digital art) by @quail-in-red

A chance meeting, an invitation to dance

Love the colours. So cheerful.

❤️ 🌅 ghost (might as well be gone) (G, digital art) by @dragontamerdame

Draco Malfoy retired from the Auror force and left England a decade ago, but he still receives the Daily Prophet. Today’s issue provides closure on the one case he was never able to officially solve.

I love this character design for older Drarry. This made me happy.

🔎He Did IT! (not rated, digital art) by @legendrarry

Or, it's sixth year and Malfoy is definitely up to something! Why else would Harry's heart beat so fast every time the stupid git so much as looks at him!?!

Harry on a rampage is adorable.

✨️Move, move (M, 50min, podfic) read by @sweatersinthesummer

She grabbed Harry’s hand, slipping something small into it and pressing his fingers around it. “Dilectio. It’ll cheer you up. Make you feel like dancing.” Harry gaped at her. Drugs. Ginny’s fucking giving me drugs?

At Stasis nightclub Ginny does indeed give Harry drugs. But it's all good: Malfoy looks after Harry, and Harry grapples with newfound enlightenments, not to mention a newfound fascination with all things Malfoy—one which persists even when he finds out what Malfoy's up to.

Harry is cute when high.

❤️ 🇫🇷 The most he’s ever said (E, 16k) by @fastbrother

It takes them twenty years.

Here's your heartache.

🌊 When the Flood Comes (E, 10k) by @academicdisasterfic

Nine years on from the war, Auror Potter is upholding the Ministry of Magic's rule of law. Senior legal counsel Draco Malfoy is challenging it. And absolutely nothing is as it seems.

Your daily dose of politics and shady politicians.

❤️ ♾️ Us, infinite (unfortunately) (E, 77k) by @thecouchsofa

It fitting for how Harry’s life has gone thus far that he gets trapped in a time loop without rhyme, reason, or warning. To make matters infinitely worse, the one other person stuck on the same hellish chronological ride is Draco Malfoy, git extraordinaire.

I never enjoy time loop fics. This story is an exception.

>> recs weeks 3, 4, 5 <<

[nottskyler]

Dear President Russell M Nelson,

Congratulations on making it to 100. I know it was a significant goal for you and you worked hard both physically and spiritually to make it this far. I know there are a lot of things outside our control to having a long life, but it also takes work.

Thank you for the challenge to read the Book of Mormon before the year was out back in 2018. My life has been irrevocably changed for the better for following that counsel. I learned much about myself and the world and Gd’s plan for me and began a path of repentance that has brought me closer to Christ and brought joy into a life that was characterized by despair before.

And that is simply a personal way that I know you are called of Gd to be our prophet. It is very clear how you were prepared to lead the Church at this time, especially with how your responses to revelation prepared the Church for the pandemic. A pandemic following a change in policy that barred me from sharing the joy that I found by following your counsel. It is sometimes hard to reconcile the exclusionary policy that you have permitted to be put in place under your leadership with my testimony that you are a prophet of Gd because following your counsel led me to Christ and the good things that come from repentance.

It is the same juxtaposition of you having a medical degree and then claiming that life (when the spirit enters the body) begins at conception because a unique genetic code was created. Conception comes before the medical definition of pregnancy which is before the latest point identical twins can be formed. Identical twins are clearly two different spirits with the same genetic code. The truth we learn from science is giving a different truth than the one that you claimed in your press conference on the reversal of roe v wade.

Not to harp on something you said one time not even during General Conference, but I was finally pregnant after years of infertility and it seemed to mock my pain of late periods and failed fertility treatments. I came to the conclusion that you were wrong and speaking your personal opinion and not the thoughts and feelings of Heavenly Father or our Savior Jesus Christ. A conclusion that many would think contradicts my previous statement about believing that you are a prophet of Gd.

But to believe that the prophets can do no wrong is idolatry. To claim that the truth is only what prophets have confirmed first is priestcraft. This is not the Lord’s way who said: ��If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.” (John 7:17); “Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.” (Matthew 7:20). Or even Moroni closing his addition to the Book of Mormon “And by the power of the Holy Ghost ye may know the truth of all things.” (Moroni 10:5) and “For behold, my brethren, it is given unto you to judge, that ye may know good from evil; and the way to judge is as plain, that ye may know with a perfect knowledge, as the daylight is from the dark night.” (Moroni 7:15).

Besides, how can we be fit for the Celestial Kingdom if we, as individuals of the Church, are to surrender our agency to you and never learn how to discern truth for ourselves. You set yourself up as the king of the Church when you say you are the only source of truth. Then all the sins of those who follow you without question become stains on your garments.

It is a difficult task to reconcile these types of mistakes with someone upholding a high calling that presumably has direct access to Gd, but then I realized that the traditions of our fathers was what made me ignore Gd telling me to repent much earlier than the 2018 Book of Mormon reading challenge. False traditions drain true intent and curiosity when you ask Gd because you feel confident that you know the answer and so you study with bias to confirm your worldview and you don’t have intent to do anything different if the answer isn’t what you expect. False traditions frame revelation so that you ignore key pieces because your mind fills in the default expectation instead of what actually exists in the revelation. In the end, I’m glad that I’m a nobody who only has to deal with the consequences of my own actions instead of being in your shoes where my same mistakes would’ve cause much more damage and would’ve been much harder to change direction when I learned I was wrong.

So I pray that your mind will be open to look past the false traditions of our fathers, to be open to the testimony of those othered by the Church organization. I pray that you realize that what you are doing is priestcraft so that you will swiftly repent and put effort into making sure you aren’t standing between us and Christ. I pray that you will repent in this life so you can share our joy.

Sincerely,

nottskyler

[cowboymater]

controversial opinion maybe:

I KNOW. i know. hear me out

i saw a couple edits on tiktok of mcspirk to soldier poet king and like. i’m not putting anyone on blast but good lord some of those choices made my head hurt. it’s taken me a couple days to synthesize my reasoning for the superior choice (as pictured above), but here goes:

the problem with assigning characters to soldier poet king comes when you take it at face value, flattening the paradigm to angry-sad-tired or violent-artsy-authoritative. if we want to get down to the root of it, the song is based on the threefold office of christ as priest (soldier), prophet (poet), and king. like i’m not christian, but on a textual level it gives us context: the concept that as prophet jesus gave us counsel and words of wisdom, as priest he sacrificed himself to redeem us, and as king he provides for, defends, and forgives us

maybe the most famous priest/prophet/king (& thus soldier/poet/king) allegory in all of literature is frodo, gandalf, and aragorn. frodo bears the burden, though he wishes he did not need to; gandalf offers words of wisdom and mercy; aragorn is a born leader, on the front lines with sword in hand, ready to die with his men if he must

KING: capt. james t. kirk is the easiest one to place. it is a burden and a privilege, an honor and a horror to have the lives of so many depend upon you to make the right call under fire. he makes the call. he leads the landing parties, he puts himself at the head of the charge because by god he is not about to send his men into a battle he wouldn’t fight himself. he leads—with heart when he can, steel when he must—and people follow him. bones and spock are always right behind because they believe in what he believes in, and more than that they believe in him

POET: bones serves as kirk’s emotional sounding board, his moral peer review. he lends an ear, and the word of an old country doctor who’s seen much and understands more. man has ascended to the heavens, to hurtling through the void in a glorified tin can, and it would be no great hardship to forget that our place in the universe is not that of higher life—we are not as quasi-gods, moving pieces on the great three-dimensional chessboard, but flesh and blood, and we must attend to each other. bones tempers the pure logos and rationality offered by spock; he offers grounding in this age of technology that wrinkles the fabric of reality, offers the kind of emotional intellect that cannot be taught, and has always been sorely needed

SOLDIER: this is the one where you really get tripped up by surface-level analysis. yes, spock is reserved and collected. yes, vulcans are pacifists (as you may recall, so are hobbits, and yet frodo remains the soldier in allegory)

the thing about vulcans, though, is that despite the vegan pacifism, they are warriors. it’s tangled up in their history and their DNA. the koon-ut-kal-if-fee survived through centuries of analytical dogma for a reason; even now, they cannot wholly escape their inheritance of violence. their forefathers ran the sands of vulcan green with blood. they venerate logic and condemn emotionality so that they will not

your average high-achieving vulcan, probably on the path to kolinahr, commits their lifetime to the pursuit of knowledge at the vulcan science academy. it’s a measured, rational decision. a controlled environment, where there will never be any logical reason to resort to violence

spock joins starfleet

he joins starfleet, and pursues knowledge in the vast unknowable universe. there is reason for violence, frequently. and sure, the purpose of their mission is peaceful. it’s true that spock would rather resolution be reached without force. but a soldier needs not want to be a soldier. he only needs go to war

when it comes down to blows, he will match them. he makes the sacrifice play, jumps on the grenade, goes into the radiation-soaked engineering room alone. it’s only logical, after all

spock is there to pick apart the universe, unravel the threads of logic until it all makes sense. bones is there to stitch it up. kirk is the hand that holds it all steady, the gravitational field that binds the people of the enterprise to their purpose. soldier-poet-king, commander-doctor-captain. it’s a story old as dirt, and we’ll keep telling it, i think

edit: my bad vulcans have. green blood

[hd-wireless]

📻🎶 H/D WIRELESS 2024 - WEEKLY WRAP-UP #2

Welcome to our second wrap up of 2024!

Two weeks of posting have passed, and we have already revealed 19 absolute bangers for you, and there are plenty more hits still to come! Today we're not only thanking our creators but the readers as well!   🎉  Thank you all for being amazing!

As always you can listen to the prompted songs for the works we post on two playlists:

Click here for Spotify (many thanks to @evaeleanor for helping us out there) ❤️ And here for the YouTube playlist.

Please enjoy this week’s entries below the cut:

🎶 H/D Wireless Art 🎶

📻 MY FRIENDS SAY I SHOULDN'T SEE YOU ANYMORE [T, Digital Art ]

🎵 Song Prompt: bad idea right? by Olivia Rodrigo  🎵 Summary: Both Draco's and Harry's friends don't approve of their little... dalliance. But it's so hard to stay away from each other! Could this be a bit more than just casual?

📻 He Did IT! [Not Rated, Digital Art]

🎵 Song Prompt: No Body, No Crime by Taylor Swift  🎵 Summary: Harry: I think he did it but I just can't prove it, 'Mione!!  Hermione: And, what exactly did he do, Harry?  Harry: I-, I don't know! Something! He has to! It feels weird every time I look at him!!  Hermione: .....  Ron: ......  Ron: Mate...  Or, it's sixth year and Malfoy is definitely up to something! Why else would Harry's heart beat so fast every time the stupid git so much as looks at him!?!

🎶 H/D Wireless Fic 🎶

📻 Draco Malfoy’s Guide to Seduction (DISCLAIMER: not guaranteed to work on one HJ Potter) [M, 11,107 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'Push the button' by 'Sugababes'  🎵 Summary: Harry's gorgeous. Draco wants him.  Draco's exasperatedly trying to get him to get. the. message.

📻 karma is a (cat) [E, 8,714 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Karma by Taylor Swift  🎵 Summary: Draco knew that his karma would come one to him one day and make him pay for all the mistakes he made during the war.  But he didn’t expect for it to have four legs, white whiskers, and a soft bushy tail.

📻 Kiss and Tell [E, 27,786 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Kiss and Tell by Bryan Ferry  🎵 Summary: Sometimes, Harry really fucking hated being himself. All he wanted was to be left alone. That, and someone to share his life with. Was that too much to ask? Apparently so.  When Harry’s sex-life was plastered across the front page of the Daily fucking Prophet, he decided to get away until it all died down. Unfortunately, trouble had always known how to find him.  Would it be possible to forgive the unforgivable?

📻 When the Flood Comes [E, 10,340]

🎵 Song Prompt: Eat Your Young by Hozier  🎵 Summary: Nine years on from the war, Auror Potter is upholding the Ministry of Magic's rule of law.  Senior legal counsel Draco Malfoy is challenging it.  And absolutely nothing is as it seems.

📻 Never Getting Over You [E, 4,396]

🎵 Prompt: Attention by Charlie Puth  🎵 Summary: Harry finally gets the push he needs to fight for what he's lost after a breakup that no one wanted.

📻 Mermaid [E, 3,000]

🎵 Song Prompt: 'Mermaids' by Florence and The Machine  🎵 Summary: “Your magic,” Harry says. “It’s gone.”  “It’s a curse,” Draco says, sounding wry. “Courtesy of Aunt Bellatrix. Disown a Black, and you’ll take their magic away, too. Even if their family name is Malfoy.” “What could bring your magic back?” Draco laughs in his ear. “True love’s kiss," he murmurs. And then he turns in Harry’s arms.

📻 Us, infinite (unfortunately) [E, 77,287 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: All Things End by Hozier  🎵 Summary: It’s very fitting for how Harry’s life has gone thus far that he gets trapped in a time loop without rhyme, reason, or warning.  To make matters infinitely worse, the one other person stuck on the same hellish chronological ride is Draco Malfoy, git extraordinaire.

🎶 H/D Wireless Podfic 🎶

📻 [Podfic] Move, move [T, 54:30 ]

🎵 Song Prompt: Bar Italia by Pulp 🎵 Summary: She grabbed Harry’s hand, slipping something small into it and pressing his fingers around it.  “Dilectio. It’ll cheer you up. Make you feel like dancing.”  Harry gaped at her. Drugs. Ginny’s fucking giving me drugs?  At Stasis nightclub Ginny does indeed give Harry drugs. But it's all good: Malfoy looks after Harry, and Harry grapples with newfound enlightenments, not to mention a newfound fascination with all things Malfoy—one which persists even when he finds out what Malfoy's up to.

[josphitia]

Josie's Cow HRT Journey, part 4 - The Endo

It has been a rough few weeks since my interaction with that “therapist.” I withdrew into myself, into reading stories of girls getting their bodily wishes fulfilled through magical means. If I couldn't achieve this in real life, I could at least live it vicariously. Jojer was comforting me best he could; and he bought me prosthetic horns to wear around the house. As nice a gesture as it was, any shifting in their positions just signaled to my brain in flashing neon what it was I lacked.

I found a group online, an old school IRC chat mostly for girls to commiserate on what they felt denied to them. I learned all sorts of new terms, a myriad of words to describe ourselves, that only had one real objective: To pick at our emotional scabs. To promote a bleeding of the heart, a pain that reminded us of what we longed for and convinced ourselves we would never be. We were a commune of depression.

I logged on one day to the sight of a well-trodden series of texts. The same handful of sentences each beginning with the same 3 letter word: Why. “Why can't my body be like hers?” “Why can't I have the right hormones?” “Why can't society let us be who we are?” Etc, etc. The only thing I didn't see was a person who was the closest thing to a friend I had there. I assumed it was just another particularly bad day for her and began to write my own melancholic diatribes to the chat.

But, another day went by. The space was lonelier without her, the one true connection I had made even in a corner of the internet as dour as this. And then another day, and a week. Another week. I began to fear the worst. That she had taken a journey so many of us considered or had even attempted. We had exchanged emails once, for plans that would fall through like so many others. I wanted, needed to know if she was safe. I opened my client and wrote three simple, impossible to misinterpret words: “Are you okay?”

Silence.

Silence.

Silence.

*Beep*

“RE: Hey” was the name of the email I received. She was okay! My heart felt the first pangs of relief in weeks. Her message had apologies sprawled throughout, but there was also a sense of contentment in her words. She was excited, she was hopeful, and she soon disclosed the reason why: She had found a new therapist. Not the man who had taken away my very hope for the future, but a woman who actually listened. Who offered genuine advice. A woman who was not a barrier to treatment but rather a guide TO that treatment.

In the final paragraph, as if answering my eager question prophetically, she wrote the therapist’s email. The last thing my friend wrote was yet another apology, but this one for something she was going to do, not a past infraction. She wanted to start her new life without the cumbersomes of her current. That she was performing a purge of her online identity, and that despite our camaraderie, I was being purged as well.

As much as the feeling of abandonment stung, I felt that I had gained something far greater: A second chance at the future I longed for. The future I desperately needed. The future that had already been snatched away from me once. I had hope again.

I emailed the therapist the next morning and stalked my email account for any activity. Finally, after a day at work of checking my phone every minute, I received her reply. While she was not in my state, she would be able to counsel me through a Telehealth appointment. She gave me her days of availability and I chose the soonest one, giving no regard to the fact I would have to leave work early. Like a stubborn bandaid, I needed this to be over quickly and with one decisive action. I would know tomorrow whether I had finally found my path towards happiness or if the waves of my future would crash violently against the shore.

The appointment had started off like so many of my online chats did: The unloading of emotions regarding men who wronged us. While these men had different names and faces, their profession was the same: Therapist, if in name only. My new doctor asked about my previous experiences trying to get onto AnimalHRT and like a flood the emotions rushed forth. When I stopped, she had but one thing to say: “Yeah, that guy sounds like a prick. He's woefully outdated on standards and practices. I'm so sorry you had to go through that.”

She understood. A medical professional not only understood the pain I was going through but was sympathetic. She wanted to help me. It was a foreign experience, but one I welcomed wholeheartedly.

“So, tell me about yourself. I need to assess you but I want to stress this is merely a formal process. There are no wrong answers. When did you first feel that you were a cow?”

“I don't know… I learned it was a possibility only recently, but it feels disingenuous to say I only wanted to be a cow a few months ago… I've known I was different from other girls… different from boys… ever since I was a child. I thought it was just because I'm trans. But I don't know if I ever had the thought ‘I’m a cow’ before this year. I can point to a number of habits and signs I've noticed. That I always want something on my head, such as sunglasses, where my horns should be. That shoes have never fit right. That I've been vegan for years… But it feels insulting to cows themselves to say these things make me a cow… I'm sorry, I'm wasting your time…”

“Hey, hey. It's okay. You're not wasting anything, let alone my time. I promise, there are no wrong answers. What you describe is very similar to many girls, and boys, and others, have confided in me. Especially the diet part, you'd be surprised how many Otherkin and/or Therian have diets similar to their species before they start their transition.”

I wiped the liquid growing at either sides of my eyes with my shirt sleeve: “Really?”

“Really. You're normal, Josie. You may not be a normal that people think about every day, but you are doing nothing wrong. You're feeling nothing wrong. You are who you are; and it's my duty, my privilege, to help you realize this and to help you along whatever path your transition takes. I want to help you.”

“Thank you… And, what were those names you used for people like me?”

“Oh, Otherkin and Therian?”

“Yeah”

“They're the umbrella terms used for people who are a nonhuman species either physically, mentally, or spiritually. In the broad strokes, Therian are people who are a species of nonhuman animal. Otherkin are people who are a species of nonhuman animal, or creature, which is usually more mythological. There's a lot of overlap between the two. While many people are one or the other, it's also very common for people to be a mix or blending of the two.”

And again, realization. Like a strike of lightning in the back of my mind: There's words for people like me. Not a derogative or a slur, but actual, genuine medical terms.

“I think I have enough to write your official diagnosis and letter for hormones, Josie.”

“Wait, really?? I don't need to do anything else? I don't need to… prepare for my future…?”

“We are preparing for your future. You've clearly thought about this and like I said, there were no wrong answers. It's not my job to gatekeep but to guide you. I practice informed consent, and you're informed and consenting. I'll begin writing your letter and you should receive it in your email by tomorrow, with a physical copy arriving in about a week’s time. Now, do you have an Endocrinologist lined up?”

“No… I thought it would be premature to do so before knowing how this appointment would go…”

“I understand, I'll send you the information of Endocrinologists that handle AnimalHRT.”

“Thank you so much, I don't know what to say other than thank you… This appointment went so much better than I ever dreamed it could! Thank you!”

“You're welcome, Josie. Now, when would you like to schedule your next appointment?”

_________________________________

“Josie? The doctor will see you now. Right this way.”

I walked through the sterile hallway of the endocrinologist’s office. I was guided into a private room when, before I could sit, a tall woman in a lab coat opened the door. “Hi Miss Josie, it's a pleasure to meet you. We have the letter that your therapist faxed us. It says here you're interested in AnimalHRT? That's no problem. And by the looks of it you've already been on Bovinesterone. How can I help, are you looking into Dragon, or Wolf, or-”

“Uhm! I'm actually not on any AnimalHRT yet… I was hoping to get on Bovinesterone.”

“...Oh! My apologies.”

“No, no, I think you've actually given me the best compliment I've ever received…”

“Heh, okay. Bovinesterone it is. Now I just need to list off the possible effects of this medication. I'm sure you already know, but it's law. Here goes:

Creation and increase of keratin deposits on the top of the skull.

Fusing of the toes and increased keratin production of the feet, as well as realignment of the Fibula, Tibia, and Calcaneus.

Increase in keratin production of the fingernails.

Increase in growth of the tailbone.

Increase in mammary tissue.

Elongation and stretching of the skull, as well as realignment and blunting of the patient’s teeth.

Increase in hair production over the entirety of the body.”

It was as if she was reading off a list of everything I wished was different about my body.

“Do you understand and accept the risks inherent with this medication?”

“Yes, I do!” I said too eagerly.

“Okay. I'll send it into your pharmacy. I'll walk you out.”

_________________________________

I kept a hand on the bag I acquired from the pharmacy, holding it in my lap. I wanted, needed, to safeguard it's trip to my home. I was almost there, to the future that I was awaiting with bated breath.

I ran up the stairs to my apartment and filled a glass of water. In my hands were two small, light blue pills. As I swallowed them eagerly, a single thought repeated in my head: “It's happening!”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Josie's Cow HRT Journey

First|Previous|Next

[periwinkle8ball]

The Sun.

The one who builds, it is the Leader.

The Sun is the Greater Luminary, the planetary body that creates the foundation of Western Astrology. The center of the Chaldean Order, the one who determines whether a given chart is Night or Day. The Moon’s masculine counterpart and ruler of the Diurnal Sect, leading Jupiter, Saturn, and a diurnal Mercury.

The Sun is associated with the element of Fire, insinuating a willful, self-expressive, and passionate nature.

The Sun only rules over the sign of Leo and exalts in Mars’ masculine domicile of Aries. Therefore, the Sun finds challenge in the opposing signs of Aquarius (detriment) and Libra (fall).

The Sun joys in the 9th House, which is what gave that house meaning in the Hellenistic tradition. Keep that in mind when considering the Sun and 9th House’s significations.

knowledge, the intellect and the mind that houses it, the soul or spirit as the divine part of the human mind, brightness, light and its movement, action, judgement, authority, the leadership of crowds, the father and the providing parent, ruling people, especially ruling men, those of nobility and notable figures, engagement in public affairs, one’s public reputation, high reputation, honor, wealth and riches, good fortune, dealings with gods, divination and oaths. Of the body, the head, right eye, and heart.

Traditional 9th House Significations, the Sun’s House of Joy

religion and spirituality, higher knowledge, education, philosophy, long journeys, distant places and foreign places, multicultural interests, international affairs, worldwide contacts, visions, divination and diviners, and dreams and those who interpret them, prophets and oracles, astrologers, pilgrimages, the law and lawyers as counsel and advisors.

Significations primarily sourced from Demetra George’s Ancient Astrology in Theory and Practice Volumes 1 and 2 and planet significations spoken of on the Chris Brennan’s The Astrology Podcast.

Disclaimer: Please do not copy, redistribute, alter, or claim this text as your own...

[sexy-stable-diffusion]

The tragic story of Queen Seraphina

Once upon a time, in a realm where the sun kissed the earth with a golden warmth, there existed a kingdom unlike any other. This was the land of Elaria, ruled by the wise and noble Queen Seraphina. Seraphina was renowned not only for her unparalleled beauty but for her unmatched wisdom and strength.

Her kingdom thrived under her rule, its people living in harmony and prosperity. The heart of her reign was her elite guard, the Valkyries of Elaria, fierce female warriors who were as skilled with diplomacy as they were with the blade.

Seraphina’s life was the epitome of perfection, a tapestry woven with threads of triumph and peace. Her days were filled with the laughter of her people and the counsel of her closest allies. 

Yet, the queen harbored a secret burden; a prophetic dream that spoke of a shadow that would one day engulf her bright kingdom. She dismissed it as a mere figment of her imagination, focusing instead on the present splendor of her reign.

One fateful day, as the sun hung high, Elaria’s tranquility was shattered. From the depths of the Forbidden Forest, a creature of unspeakable horror emerged with a massive demonic army. It was known as the Malgore, an organic monstrosity born from the darkest nightmares. With sinews of twisted flesh and eyes that gleamed with malevolence, it descended upon the kingdom, leaving ruin in its wake.

The Valkyries fought valiantly, their courage unwavering, but the Malgore was a force unlike any they had ever encountered. Seraphina herself donned her armor and led her warriors into battle. The clash was fierce, but the creature's power and his strong army were overwhelming. In a moment of desperation, the Malgore seized Seraphina, binding her with sinewy tendrils that pulsed with a sickly, purple light. The queen’s struggles were in vain, and with a final, triumphant roar, the beast carried her off to its lair deep within the Forbidden Forest.

Imprisoned in the dark, cavernous kingdom of the Malgore, Seraphina was held captive in a cell of living obscurity. The air was thick with the stench of decay, and the walls seemed to pulse with a sinister life of their own. Days stretched into weeks, and weeks blurred into what felt like endless months. Time lost all meaning in the stifling darkness of her prison, each moment stretching into an eternity. Strangely, she felt no hunger or thirst; a malevolent presence seemed to sustain her, its dark energy seeping into her very being. This unnatural existence was a torment in itself, and yet, the true horror had yet to unfold. 

As time dragged on in the Malgore's lair, Seraphina became acutely aware of unsettling changes occurring within her body. She felt a surge in her hormones, an intensity that was impossible to ignore. Her primary instincts and physical needs grew more pronounced, overwhelming her with raw, primal urges. Her senses heightened, her skin prickling with a newfound sensitivity that made her hyper-aware of every movement, every breath in the stifling air around her.

Her thoughts, once clear and strategic, began to blur, invaded by an undercurrent of sensual desires and a fierce will to dominate. Seraphina's transformation took on a grotesque reality. Her once radiant skin began to slowly merge with the fine fabric of her clothes. The delicate lace of her underwear fused with her flesh, morphing into an unnerving, sinewy texture that pulsed with a life of its own. Each thread and seam intertwined with her body, becoming a grotesque, organic armor that seemed to breathe and move with her every gesture. The sensation was both alien and intimate, a constant reminder of the monster she was becoming. The fusion of her clothing with her body seemed to mirror the internal transformation, as her very essence was reshaped by the dark energy that kept her alive.

The organic armor could sculpt her form into any vision she desired—sleek and seductive, fierce and intimidating, or grotesquely beautiful. It accentuated her curves, highlighted her strength, and responded to her slightest touch. With each transformation, Seraphina felt a deep, sensual thrill, her new form a constant source of both power and pleasure. This living, breathing armor became a symbol of her new identity, a queen reborn in darkness, her appearance as fluid and dynamic as the desires that now drove her.

Each passing moment, she felt herself slipping further away from the noble queen she had once been, becoming something far more elemental and powerful, driven by needs she had never known before.

One day, as she lay in the stifling darkness, a single drop of water from the damp cave ceiling found its way onto her body. It slid down her shoulder, tracing a slow, deliberate path along her skin. The sensation was electric, sending a shiver of pleasure through her that made her gasp and arch involuntarily.

Every nerve in her body seemed to come alive, her heightened senses amplifying the simple touch into a moment of exquisite intensity. Her breath quickened, and she felt a deep, pulsing desire awaken within her, overpowering her thoughts with waves of sensual longing. In that dark, oppressive cave, a single drop of water became a catalyst, making her crave the forbidden pleasures her new form promised, igniting a flame of passion that consumed her utterly.

Slowly, insidiously, Seraphina’s body began to change. It started with her skin, once smooth and radiant, now becoming rough to the touch. Her fingers elongated into claws, her teeth sharpened into fangs, and her eyes, once the color of the clear sky, became red. She was becoming an abomination, a twisted reflection of the monster that had imprisoned her.

As her transformation progressed, Seraphina found her mind clouding with dark thoughts. The Malgore's influence seeped into her very soul, corrupting her memories and warping her sense of self. She could feel her humanity slipping away, replaced by a primal, feral instinct. Yet, amidst the encroaching darkness, a spark of her former self remained. It was this spark that kept her from succumbing completely to the Malgore's will.

One night, as she lay in her living prison, Seraphina heard a voice echoing through the darkness. It was faint, almost imperceptible, but it called to her. Following the sound, she discovered a hidden chamber within the cave, its walls covered in ancient runes that glowed with a soft, blue light. At the center of the chamber was a pool of crystal-clear water. As she approached, the water shimmered, and a vision appeared before her.

It was the spirit of Elaria’s first queen, a legendary figure who had defeated the Malgore centuries ago. The spirit spoke to Seraphina, telling her that the Malgore could be defeated once more, but it would require great sacrifice. She revealed that the pool was imbued with the essence of purity and could cleanse the darkness from Seraphina’s soul. However, to defeat the Malgore, Seraphina would have to fully embrace her monstrous form, using the creature’s own power against it.

Torn between her desire to reclaim her humanity and the need to save her kingdom, Seraphina made her decision. Instead of immersing herself in the pool, she devised a daring plan. Using her monstrous strength, she shattered the crystal-clear water pool, gathering the shimmering liquid into a vessel of living flesh. She focused her will, channeling the water’s purifying essence into a single, concentrated form. The water glowed with an intense light, slowly crystallizing into a radiant pink gem that pulsed with a powerful energy.

With the pink crystal in hand, Seraphina felt a surge of strength like never before. She marched back to the heart of the Malgore’s lair, her monstrous form now exuding an aura of both light and darkness. As she approached the creature, her mind began to cloud, invaded by seductive whispers and dark desires. The power of the crystal was immense, but it came at a cost. Sensual urges and a will for destruction and domination began to grip her thoughts.

Days later, in the titanic battle that followed, Seraphina wielded the crystal’s power with ruthless efficiency. Each strike was infused with the dual forces of purification and corruption, weakening the Malgore with pure light force while feeding off its dark essence. The clash shook the very foundations of the cavern, a tempest of light and shadow.

Finally, with a cry that echoed through the ages, she plunged the pink crystal into the heart of the beast. A torrent of light and darkness erupted, engulfing the Malgore and obliterating it completely. As the dust settled, Seraphina stood victorious, the pink crystal now glowing with a darker, more sinister hue.

The victory, however, came at a profound cost. The queen’s transformation was irreversible, her body forever altered into a monstrous form. Moreover, the crystal's corrupting influence began to take hold of her mind more fiercely. Sensual desires and a thirst for power and domination seeped into her thoughts, reshaping her very essence.

Returning to Elaria, Seraphina was met with a mixture of fear and awe. Her people, initially horrified by her appearance, soon recognized their queen, but they also sensed the change within her. The once benevolent ruler now exuded an aura of dark charisma, her eyes gleaming with a mixture of intelligence and seductive malevolence.

Some among her people, brave and defiant, attempted to resist her new reign. They gathered in secret, plotting to overthrow the queen they no longer recognized. Armed with courage and desperation, they confronted Seraphina, hoping to reclaim their beloved kingdom.

But Seraphina was too strong, her power and cunning far beyond their reckoning. The organic armor that encased her body shifted and adapted, effortlessly deflecting their attacks. Her movements were swift and precise, a deadly dance that left no room for error. She anticipated their strategies, countering each move with a ruthless efficiency.

One by one, the rebels fell before her, their efforts futile against her overwhelming might. As they lay defeated, Seraphina stood tall, her presence both mesmerizing and terrifying. She looked down upon them with a mix of pity and disdain, her dark charisma casting a spell over those who remained.

"You cannot hope to stand against me," she declared, her voice a seductive whisper that echoed through the silent streets. "I am your queen, reborn in power and desire. Embrace the new order, or be crushed beneath it."

With her words, the last flicker of rebellion was extinguished. Elaria's people, now fully subdued, could do nothing but bow to their queen, their spirits broken and their hearts captivated by her dark allure. Seraphina's reign of sensual dominance and unyielding strength had begun, and there was no force in Elaria strong enough to challenge her.

Under her rule, Elaria entered a new era, one marked by an iron fist and unyielding dominance. The tale of Queen Seraphina, the Monster Queen, became a dark legend, a story of both terrifying power and unrelenting desire. She led her kingdom with unmatched strength and cunning, her monstrous form and her constant desire to mentally and physically dominate her subordinates, a constant reminder of the darkness she had embraced and now drove her.

Seraphina enslaved all who opposed her, forcing them to fulfill her endless sensual and carnal needs. Her once noble court was transformed into a den of debauchery, where her subjects lived in constant fear and servitude. The Valkyries, once her loyal and noble guard, were now her enslaved warriors, bound to her will and compelled to carry out her every command.

Her kingdom, while thriving under the enforced order, was a twisted shadow of its former self. The sunlit days of Elaria now bore witness to the queen's dark reign, where her subjects' loyalty was ensured through the manipulation of their very wills. Using her dark magical powers, Seraphina cast enchantments that bent the minds of her people to her desires, ensuring unwavering obedience and adoration. These same dark powers were used to augment the strength of her new Valkyrie warriors, transforming them into formidable enforcers of her will. Their enhanced abilities made them nearly invincible, their loyalty to Seraphina absolute and unbreakable. The land prospered, but its people were broken, their spirits crushed under the weight of Seraphina's insidious rule.

Yet, her hunger for power and control was unquenchable. With Elaria firmly under her grasp, Seraphina turned her attention to the sacred kingdoms that had yet to fall before her armies of Valkyrie slaves. She envisioned an empire where her rule was absolute, where her sensual and constant needs were met by countless more subjects.

Her once benevolent gaze now gleamed with ambition and lust as she plotted her conquests. The sacred kingdoms, known for their ancient magic and unyielding resistance, became her next targets. She would send her enslaved Valkyries, now ruthless and efficient enforcers of her will, to lay siege to these lands.

Under her dark banner, the armies marched, spreading fear and domination across the realm. Each conquered kingdom added to her power, each fallen warrior another slave to her insatiable desires. Seraphina's reign of terror grew, her influence spreading like a shadow over the world…

...The end ?

I wanted to try a new exercise, writing a short story and using artificial intelligence to help me illustrate it. It took me a while, but I'm happy with the result… What do you think? Did you like it ?

[callipraxia]

What are your thoughts on the recent revelation of the Pines parents being in a major argument in The Book of Bill?

I hadn’t really had any. It was always a theory about why the parents were desperate enough to get their kids out from under their feet to send them to Stan, of all people, but we don’t have enough information (unless something has dropped on the website that I haven’t seen yet) to say that anything in particular is confirmed here. Maybe they wanted the kids out of the way for the summer so they could do marriage counseling, or reconnect/focus on their relationship, or maybe they’re getting divorced. Maybe they’re fighting about money - they could have planned to send the kids to summer camp and then had a financial crisis. Maybe they’re fighting about whether the kids need therapy for their more dramatically eccentric tendencies and decided to let the kids get some “fresh air” as a last resort before trying to put Mabel on Adderall and get Dipper tested for autism and/or examined about the nature and causes of the paranoia he apparently showed up with, and Dipper really, really does not wanna see a child psychologist when he gets home. Maybe Bill’s telling us the truth in a technical sense but not a useful one, using the old exact words trick again - Dipper has nightmares about overhearing a fight between his parents, but did it really happen? I…have a lot of really vivid, even realistic, nightmares; none of them are based in real events, though sometimes I can spend like a day or so worried that they were real. The use of tense (“he wasn’t supposed to hear”) kind of leans toward this fight having really happened, to my ear, but if you want to chalk it up to a combination of Dipper being a hopeless neurotic/blowing a real event completely out of proportion/possibly worrying that his dreams might be prophetic (since he did apparently believe in the paranormal before GF even) and Bill being manipulative toward the audience, then I’d say go for it, really. The limits of what can be considered canon-compliant are very…flexible…when the info is this vague and the source this unreliable.