#Was it really necessary and important to the plot to bring in the new zodiac kwamis?

[corvidcrafts273]

things i dont actually like about miraculous:

Marinettes identity being reduced to "oh woe is me im in love with adrien", like she is so much more than how she is portrayed, shes creative, shes resourceful, shes smart, neither of these have to be mutually exclusive, why cant she be both?

[lesbian-kyoru]

I know it's very immature but tbh when Tohru's most important person changed from Kyoko to Kyo to the point she even didn't notice she dropped the wallet with her mother's photo inside, it felt to me like you can't really trust people when they say they love you the most because it's gonna change anways and someone else will replace you

i understand what you’re saying for sure, and i’m sorry that that plot point made you feel that way :(( i actually think that’s kind of a fear that tohru deals with as well throughout her arc. if she loves kyo and “chooses” him over the memory of her mother, then she is replacing her mother. she struggles with a lot of guilt and feels like it makes her an awful person.

while it’s not addressed quite as explicitly in the text, i think a lot of her guilt over replacing her mother is almost a redirection of her own abandonment issues. if she can “replace” her mother with loving someone else, then there’s nothing stopping others from replacing and abandoning her. but tohru represses her feelings so deeply that, rather than confronting that fear of being left behind or replaced, she only knows how to feel it through redirecting it into judging her own actions.

however, the scene in kyoto with the dropped wallet is actually one of my favorites and so incredibly pivotal to tohru’s arc, so i’m glad you brought it up! that’s one of the first scenes where tohru, in her own repressed way, starts to realize that oh. she might have some feelings for kyo. and with that, the central conflict which drives act III is prominently introduced for the first time: tohru falling in love with kyo and letting go of her mother.

the detail of the dropped wallet representing kyoko is a bit more subtle, but i think it speaks volumes that tohru drops her wallet and doesn’t notice because she’s so preoccupied with her feelings for kyo. i think this is something that tohru demonizes herself for in the moment—not keeping her priorities straight, betraying her mother, etc.—but it’s actually a positive sign of growth for her. tohru is chained to her past, and i think there’s something profound about the school trip—where she is living so fully in the present, and is so consumed with how she feels about kyo (whether it’s happy, sad, or any other emotion), that she isn’t quite so weighed down by clinging to her mother’s memory and therefore never forming new important bonds in the present.

i think, as a whole, the central conflict of kyo becoming tohru’s most important person is never meant to mean that she loves her mother any less, or that she didn’t actually love her or that being abandoned by people who love you is inevitable. rather, i think it’s supposed to portray someone’s very messy and long process of grieving, overcoming grief, and moving forward with her life in a healthier way. i also don’t think it’s supposed to in any way diminish the love that tohru had for her mother, which will always be important and special to her. but just as there’s the central theme of the zodiacs breaking the bonds have the curse which have grown toxic and harmful—tohru breaks a bond, her once pure and unchanging love for her mother, that has also become toxic and harmful because it has kept tohru living in permanent, stagnant grief.

in allowing herself to fall in love with kyo, tohru is empowered in her battle with grief. she lets herself choose to be selfish, choose to put her own happiness first, choose to accept new love in her life. letting go of someone you love is a painful process, and it brings up a lot of complicated, ugly emotions. but it was absolutely necessary for tohru to work through that to reach a better place in her life moving forward. the school trip is one of the first small steps in that journey for tohru, and it’s why it’s remained one of my favorite scenes.

[oblivionlotus]

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

(PEN)NAME  :  Max

PRONOUNS  :  they / them / their

ZODIAC  SIGN  :  Pisces

TAKEN  OR  SINGLE  :  Taken

———  THREE  FACTS  ! ♡

I’m somewhat of a lucid dreamer & hate when people go "oh I wish I was one!". No, you don't. Nightmares still happen & if you're not quick enough to escape (I create doors in my dreams), you wake up feeling like whatever happened was real (seriously, I've woken up knowing I was asleep but my body believes it really was just injured horribly).

I'm also slightly psychic (runs in the family). I mostly sense spirits, especially aggressive ones cuz they target me cuz they know I feel them. I've had psychic attacks like this in the past, so I don't like going to places that are supposedly haunted. Sometimes I have prophetic dreams, but they're always tied to my family / friends. Example: I knew my cousin in England was admitted for an emergency surgery before my family received the call from her mother.

An even weirder fact about me: I have a couple of friends who hate throwing up, even when they need to (like if they're drunk or really sick & want to purge their guts for relief)... so they turn to me in such cases. Yep, I'm the friend that will carefully tickle the back of your throat with my fingers until you vomit & feel better. Then I make you tea & give you a blanket.

———  EXPERIENCE  !  ♡

I can't even remember when I started rping. All I do remember is I officially began on bebo. Then moved on to MSN messenger, FB, & eventually here. I was initially terrified of rping here. Back then, the reblogging of threads was more messy & less organised with notifications. You also had to insert urls from host sites in order to add icons (which weren't even a dirty thought back then, it was just bad pics), etc. It was basically very ugly & more complicated to rp... but when FB began shutting down all rp profiles with their new T&C, I had little choice. This site quickly became the mecca for rping & mostly everything was allowed at the time, so this place was popping. I adapted & fell in love with this site (I don't have as much love now though). I've always been a writer, since I was a kid. I have shit tons of notebooks of stories, lyrics, & poems from before I was allowed use a computer to write. Rp was just a natural progression for me I suppose. I've never actually written fanfic before though. I've never had an interest in that. But all in all, I've got about 11+ years of rping. I honestly believe the fact that since I was always encouraged to read, I've managed to hone my writing skill from a "theory" perspective as well as a "practical" one.

———  MUSE  PREFERENCE  !  ♡

The main preference I have is that writing males garners more interest & thus means more writing / character exploration. So even though I don't actually have a gender preference, I often write male muses just so I have more things to write with people. It's a sad fact of not just our community, but rp as a whole. The only other preference I have is villain or morally ambiguous muses, because I feel there's more to explore on a psychological scale with them.

———  FLUFF  /  ANGST  /  SMUT  !  ♡    

FLUFF  : I enjoy fluff as much as anyone. I'm a sucker for slow burn stuff to build up character relationships. Too much fluff though isn't something I want or do. Gotta have a balance.

ANGST  : Totally love it because angst can bring realistic touches to a thread or relationship. Not everything has to be angsty but I simply cannot write only fluff. Its unrealistic, it can get boring, it doesn't provide a challenge. Angst & ic drama is one of my favourite things to write.

SMUT  : It isn't very important to me. I'll do it if & when my character, myself & my writing partner are comfortable to do so, of course. Sometimes my character may get into a horny mood so I must find ways to appease them. But I don't go actively looking for smut. I don't thrive on it. I'm totally fine with avoiding it or just having a "blackout" to say our characters did the dirty. I'm one of those writers that feel some pressure whenever I do write smut, because I overthink what I'm writing & how I describe stuff.

PLOT  /  MEMES  : I'm fine with plotting & sometimes I really do need to hash out at least a vague plot. Sometimes it's more fun to just see where the thread goes. Here's a confession - sometimes I purposely ask new followers if they have any particular plot ideas just so I can get a glimpse of their interests. I've had bad experiences with people wanting to write just so they can pressure me into shipping / smut, or just "collect" my muse because of their faceclaim or whatever. So sometimes I feel its necessary for me to upfront ask about ideas so I feel more comfortable writing with someone new. Memes are brilliant fun. I love them because they're multipurpose. You can do character development with them, drabbles, threads, anything! If someone wants to write with me but doesn't know how to approach me, just send in a meme.

Tagged by: @autometanoia (ty sweetie!)

Tagging: not sure who's already done this do feel free to ignore @rosefromdeath @villainmade @dogxfiend @count-v-dracula @justacomedy & anyone else!

[mattyfm]

new york’s very own matthew oliver was spotted on broadway street in converse . your resemblance to luke hemmings is unreal . according to tmz , you just had your twenty-fourth birthday bash . while living in nyc ,  you’ve been labeled as being temperamental , but also benevolent . i guess being a gemini explains that . 3 things that would paint a better picture of you would be bubbly laughter, the smell of fresh coffee, & long drives to watch the sunset  .  ( cis male & he/him  )  +  ( monique , 20 , she/her , pst . )

my name is monique i’m both the baddest and saddest bitch you’ll ever meet and i have NEVER written a concise intro in my life, so be prepared for a lot of jumping around, incomplete thoughts, and information you didn’t ask for. without further ado let me introduce you to my angel boy matthew oliver.

𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐬

full name. samuel matthew oliver.

nicknames. sam, sammy, matt, & matty (preferred name and most commonly refereed to as).

age. twenty-four.

date of birth. june 17th.

occupation. actor. (i might give him another job eventually but don’t hold me to that)

sexual / romantic orientation. bisexual & biromantic.

birthplace. asbury park, new jersey.

zodiac. gemini.

spoken languages. english.

𝐛𝐢𝐨𝐠𝐫𝐚𝐩𝐡𝐲

samuel mattew oliver was born to two extremely loving parents jeremy and elizabeth marie oliver, arguably one of the most influential celebrity couples known to man, at least that’s what it felt like growing up in the household, everyone was talking about the oliver’s and when they weren’t...well that never happened

as a middle child, preceded by his older brother mason, and succeeded by his younger sister cassandra, naturally he was born with a crave for validation, anything that separated him for his siblings

but naturally in his need to be different he found his closest allies, more so mason than cassie, but eventually she grew on him, and was most certainly not forced upon the dynamic duo of brother by their parents, but believe me he grew to adore her!

childhood was seemingly normal minus the bombarding questions from nosy students who wanted to know what it was like to have celebrity parents or be rich or live in a house with more bedrooms than necessary 

unlike his siblings however matty reveled in the attention way more than he let on, it was nice to be noticed for something, even if it wasn’t quite what he’d been hoping to be noticed for

but by no means was he stupid! he wouldn’t allow anyone to take advantage of him and had an unusual talent for knowing when people only wanted to use his friendship as some sort of gain for himself, and extended this talent to his sister cass, because boy oh boy did she need it

their dad who i forgot to mention was a professor at juiliard, his alma matter, caused a constant bouncing back and forth between their coastal home in new jersey and their urban townhouse in new york

both places felt like home to the trio! they made so many good memories, however matty was extremely preferential to the coast, and to this day maintains a beach boy vibe, swears everything is just better by the beach

going back to his upbringing for a minute high school rolled around for him and mason and he just became even more extremely protective of cassie, he went through things extremely unknown to his family

on the outside he was the model person and student, honor roll, a long glowing list of extracurriculars including sports, even holding down a normal job like everyone else at his high school, and not a single blemish in his criminal record, the squeaky clean olivers remained squeaky cleans

HOWEVER there was some shady stuff going on behind the scenes my guy, nothing too terrible, just the usual teenager with loving parents who raise a troubled teen, not because of any past trauma but a need to feel seen

DRUGS & ALCOHOL TW got into a lot of fight but always told them they had to fight after school, he got into drugs, nothing too hardcore, just weed (is that a weed i’m calling the police vibes).....at first.....but that’s a different story so moving on! he of course drank with his buddies at high school parties, honestly just vibing my guys, just straight vibes always

secret!!!!

CAR ACCIDENT TW & ALCOHOL TW & DEATH TW one day he’s vibing, it’s the summer they’re celebrating another school year complete, and by the end of the night nearly black out drunk at this point, he knows he can’t go home so he decides to get a ride home with a buddy he worked with, tell his parents that said buddy took him home after work, they worked on homework and fell asleep. and honestly had he had a little less to drink, he would’ve realized that his friend was just as drunk as he was, but they drove anyways. this lead to a drunken car accident, that ended in the death of a pedestrian. thankfully his friend’s dad was a lawyer, and they covered that shit up immediately.

after this whole ordeal choose an accelerated course of study to pursue his acting career, finally something people would talk about that would be solely his, like not really, but let him have his moment alright, he was desperate 

lowkey feels guilty about being a hypocrite towards cassie because he’s telling her not to do any of the thing 

ADDICTION TW he almost kicked his habit but getting back into acting and the guilt of having blood on his hands, was too much for matty, and he developed a drug / alcohol dependency, which he recognized was extremely harmful! he went to rehab! and has been very vocal about his struggle with addiction ever since

had an on set romance with a costar that crashed and burned, quite publicly, and was just not good for his mental health one bit! def didn’t help with his constantly teetering sobriety but he managed to get through it with the help of his family and his friends

acting wise he’s starred in a bunch of movies but his baby is the netflix show that he’s been working on, i would like to think it’s kind of a sitcom esque show mixed with the same comedic timing of the office, parks n rec, those kinda self-aware humor vibes

ADDICTION TW he plays one of the main character, and his dipped his toes into directing and writing a couple of episodes, the show truly gives me one day at a time vibes, just brings light to mental health, addiction, important issues you don’t normally see portrayed on tv, and he def plays schneider, the bumbling rich boy who does and says what he’s told, struggles with addiction, has a super childish nature, and just a hint of self-awareness but just a hint as a little treat

this is so ooc but i’m realizing he’s quite literally schneider from one day at a time

MENTAL HEALTH TW & ANXIETY TW has receded from that cool kid persona he once held back in what i refer to as his ‘glory days’ and is now extremely vulnerable to everything and everyone, will literally cry if you even look at him the wrong way. struggles with really bad anxiety, among other mental health issues (which is why his netflix show and he advocate so heavily for mental health!) but is quite literally one of the nicest people you’ll ever meet, softness runs in the oliver family ig.

IS LITERALLY SO CHILDISH....where was once extremely mature for his age....he now copes with his trauma by just acting like a toddler, literally mixes chocolate milk IN HIS MOUTH like a heathen, but that still doesn’t stop him from being fiercely protective of cassie, and will fight anyone for her

currently vibing! filming, being his best(?) self, and making trips to the nj coast

𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐭𝐲

positive traits. accommodating, adaptable, affable, affectionate, agreeable, altruistic, amiable, attentive, caring, cheerful, communicative, compassionate, considerate, courteous, creative, dependable, easy-going, empathetic, exuberant, friendly, fun-loving, generous, gentle, genuine, gregarious, helpful, honest, humane, humble, joyful, kind, lively, loyal, loving, optimistic, outgoing, passionate, playful, reliable, resilient, romantic, sincere, sociable, tender, trustworthy, thoughtful, understanding, and warm-hearted.

negative traits. anxious, amenable, avoidant, awkward, critical, defensive, disorganized, dogmatic, (over)emotional, evasive, foolish, forgetful, forgiving, gullible, headstrong, hopeless, idealistic, impatient, impulsive, irrational, messy, moody, oblivious, (over)protective, sensitive, shy, thoughtless, and weak-willed.

𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬

here’s some basic plot ideas but we can always brainstorm smth! friends, frenemies, enemies, friends to lovers, childhood friends, ex best friend, costars, unrequited crush, bad influence, exes, one night stand, roommates! i have

[f4liveblogarchives]

Fantastic Four Vol 1 #223

Tues Apr 27 2020 [09:18 PM] Wack'd: And so the Four, plus Agatha and Gabriel, are off in the Pogo Plane to New Salem, in order to undo Nicholas Scratch's possession of Franklin. [09:19 PM] Wack'd: Who?! Who calls you that?!

[09:19 PM] Bocaj: His barber [09:19 PM] Umbramatic: the narrator apparently [09:20 PM] Wack'd: There are other "here's how the crew is doing" panels but they're all roughly what you'd expect. Ben angry, Sue determined, Reed thinking, Agatha contemplating fate [09:21 PM] Bocaj: Shake it up, the fantastic four [09:21 PM] Wack'd: Johnny musing on how he's never seen Reed and Sue this intense before besides the thirteen other times he's never seen them this intense before [09:21 PM] Bocaj: Pfft [09:22 PM] Wack'd: Reed and Sue have a moment where Sue gets kinda weepy and Reed reassures her that he'll do everything he can [09:23 PM] Bocaj: Shake it up, the fantastic four book [09:24 PM] Wack'd: How have these fuckers not been consigned to the dustbin of history already

[09:24 PM] maxwellelvis: Because Scratch hasn't yet. [09:25 PM] Wack'd: Even if I concede there are some cool designs, which...eh?... this is the first sign of personality they've exhibited in like three storylines [09:25 PM] Umbramatic: i'm a sucker for nagas but i dunno how to feel about the snake arms

[09:25 PM] maxwellelvis: Gazelle looks a little less Marge Simpson-y this time. [09:26 PM] Wack'd: The lack of yellow skin helps [09:26 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Nick possesses the lion dude and recruits them back into his dark army [09:27 PM] Wack'd: And reveals his master plan, which is to bring back the...essence???...of the Dark Realm to torment humanity [09:27 PM] maxwellelvis: I too am puzzled at how many reappearances these glorified minibosses are getting. [09:27 PM] Bocaj: That’s how I feel about zodiac [09:27 PM] Bocaj: In avengers [09:28 PM] Wack'd: I think seven is too many distinct henchpeople for a villain to have, also, especially in a team book and especially if they're always gonna be a group [09:28 PM] Wack'd: Like there's so much wacky happening here but it just kind of cancels out back to boring [09:28 PM] maxwellelvis: And I do mean glorified because the law of conservation of ninjutsu means they should not have handled the Four as easily as they have in the past. [09:29 PM] Aleph Null: @Wack'd the seven deadly sins? [09:29 PM] Wack'd: The Salem Seven [09:29 PM] maxwellelvis: I could understand that if they had to fight them all one at a time in a series of progressing battles up a tower, but [09:29 PM] Wack'd: Anyway Nick possesses the folks guarding the Seven's cell and lets them out [09:30 PM] Bocaj: I could get behind a shonen style tower climb mini boss squad fight [09:30 PM] Wack'd: Dude seems to be getting a lot of mileage out of possession and it's making me wonder why he even needs a physical form? Though I guess that's not really his goal since he's doing the whole "release the essence of the Dark Realm" thing [09:30 PM] Wack'd: Still though he doesn't seem particularly weaker in this form than he did on earth. He might as well have never been banished at all [09:31 PM] Bocaj: You had one job with several distinct tasks under it, Agatha! [09:31 PM] Wack'd: The Seven, now free, decide they have some free time before the plot kicks in and decide to torture some civilians for shits and giggles [09:32 PM] Wack'd: Really just Nick used to establish what everybody's shtick is with some actual breathing room, which, y'know, finally, but one row of panels each is not a lot [09:33 PM] Wack'd: Vakume (the solid grey one) makes a tornado that sucks air out of everyone's lungs [09:33 PM] Aleph Null: that doesn't sound right but i don't know enough about wind physics to say otherwise [09:33 PM] Wack'd: It's magic, they don't have to explain it [09:33 PM] Aleph Null: ...then why is the tornado necessary? why not just cast a fuck you no breathing spell? [09:33 PM] maxwellelvis: STYLE [09:33 PM] Wack'd: Looks cool [09:33 PM] Wack'd: But not cool enough to screencap [09:33 PM] Wack'd: Vertigo (the Pam Grier one) uh...gives everyone vertigo [09:34 PM] Bocaj: Ah like Zaheer [09:34 PM] Wack'd: Actually I guess that's it because we cut back to the Four [09:36 PM] Wack'd: This is a perfectly prefunctionary, even good, "Ben knows what it's like to be othered" speech, but I'm losing it at it being deployed in defense of Baby's First Dungeons & Dragons Character

[09:38 PM] Wack'd: And I can make that joke because my first Dungeons & Dragons character, before orc vampire and dragonborn stage magician, was in fact a mysterious loner with strange powers who keeps to the shadows. I know from whence I speak [09:38 PM] Umbramatic: pffft [09:38 PM] Umbramatic: i don't think mine was that weird [09:38 PM] Wack'd: I am deliberately and specifically not saying it's weird [09:38 PM] Wack'd: It is super boring [09:39 PM] Bocaj: I’ve been thinking the whole time [09:39 PM] Bocaj: Is this just nick fury doing Dresden larp? [09:39 PM] Wack'd: It is, I assume, everyone's first Dungeons & Dragons character [09:41 PM] Wack'd: Anyway I looked up Gabriel--sorry, *Devil Hunter*--to see if I should bother caring about him. Turns out he's not a new character, but the lead in a short-lived magazine-format book from the mid-70s called *Haunt of Horror*. [09:41 PM] maxwellelvis: I went with Eberk, because clerics were busted as shit in 3.5e [09:41 PM] Wack'd: Written by--and you might wanna sit down for this--Doug Moench. [09:42 PM] Bocaj: Ha [09:42 PM] maxwellelvis: No. Say it ain't so. [09:42 PM] Mousa The 14: Of course [09:43 PM] Wack'd: These two Fantastic Four issues are his first appearances since then, and his last for twelve years before he briefly resurfaces as a recurring Hellstorm supporting character in the early 90s. [09:44 PM] Umbramatic: wow [09:44 PM] Mousa The 14: “I mean, we have the IP, we may as well use him!” “Yeah, but why tho?” [09:44 PM] Wack'd: He has since the only been seen in Marvel encyclopedias. [09:44 PM] Umbramatic: welp [09:45 PM] Bocaj: I still think he’s larp Nick Fury [09:45 PM] Wack'd: Fair [09:46 PM] Wack'd: Anyway, the team arrives in New Salem, where Scratch reappears inside Franklin to say more mean stuff. [09:46 PM] Wack'd: I would assume he's been quiet because he's been busy possessing loads of other people, but no, Gabriel is important

[09:47 PM] Wack'd: Johnny then feels bad for writing him off as a moody loner cliché since he was actually doing shit apparently [09:47 PM] Mousa The 14: Good grief, what a joke [09:48 PM] maxwellelvis: Why's he EMOTING so hard in that second panel? [09:50 PM] Wack'd: (Oh if anyone cares the red haired lady who placed the cryptic phone call is also from Haunt of Horrors and also appears in Hellstorm's 90s book. She dies) [09:50 PM] Mousa The 14: As women do apparently [09:50 PM] Wack'd: Back to the story at hand. It is time for a fight scene [09:51 PM] Wack'd: And then a capture scene [09:51 PM] Wack'd: It's a good thing this book has so much dumb minutia in it or I woulda been done half an hour ago [09:52 PM] Wack'd: So the team is placed on an alter and Franklin's powers are used to bring forth the Dark Realm [09:53 PM] Aleph Null: this is a fantastic four comic right? [09:53 PM] Aleph Null: just checking [09:53 PM] Wack'd: Yeah but this is not terribly off spec for them [09:53 PM] maxwellelvis: Yes [09:54 PM] maxwellelvis: Also we were still in the middle of the Satanic Panic at the time. [09:54 PM] Wack'd: Fantastic Four doesn't really have a consistent tone or manner of threat. They're from the 60s, they'll do whatever [09:55 PM] Wack'd: Gabriel and Agatha use their combined power to turn the Four into a literal love bomb to defeat Nick Scratch's hate

[09:56 PM] Aleph Null: My Little Superheroes: Friendship Is Magic [09:57 PM] Wack'd: This is a nice scene but I'd be a lot more convinced if Nick Scratch didn't try to murder Agatha gruesomely every previous time he appeared

[09:58 PM] Wack'd:

Ben: That wuz the easiest fight we ever had...and it wuz the best weapon we coulda used.

[09:59 PM] maxwellelvis: "We contributed the bare minimum to our own story!" [09:59 PM] Wack'd:

Agatha: Nicholas, you must be punished...severely. I hav erred on the sign of leniency in the past.

[09:59 PM] Wack'd: agatha you banished him to a nightmare dimension but okay [09:59 PM] Mousa The 14: Yeah but she didn’t kill him [10:00 PM] Mousa The 14: They’re magic people, nightmare dimension is really more if a time out for ‘em [10:00 PM] Wack'd: Honestly the "Dark Realm" was originally called "the World Beyond Worlds" [10:00 PM] Wack'd: So I assumed it was a Yu-Gi-Oh "Shadow Realm" thing until this story [10:01 PM] Wack'd: And so Nicholas' punishment is to become like the humans he so despised [10:02 PM] Wack'd: And Agatha decides to stay behind to be an ambassador to her people on behalf of non-magic folks to maybe cut down on future genocide attempts [10:03 PM] Wack'd: 

[10:03 PM] Bocaj: Awwwww.....www?? [10:04 PM] Wack'd: Even as the modern age creeps closer, silent panels are still kind of a rarity [10:04 PM] Wack'd: It's smart to deploy one here [10:04 PM] maxwellelvis: "Hey, how 'bout a little sugar for Gabriel?" [10:04 PM] Umbramatic: awwww [10:05 PM] Wack'd: He just kinda...vanishes [10:05 PM] Wack'd: Reed assures us he probably has his own way home [10:05 PM] maxwellelvis: He doesn't need the company of people with no sugar for him. [10:05 PM] Bocaj: Pfft

[weaselandfriends]

Hymnstoke XIII

Have you heard the story of bladekindEyewear the Blind?

In infinite folly, this man strapped knives to his eyeballs, depriving himself of sight. Nonetheless he was known as the wisest man in Homestuck Tumblr, with a wicked pack of classpect analyses. As Homestuck progressed through its lengthy sixth act, he developed a wide sleight of theories as to how it would end and what it would mean when it ended that way, focused most famously on each character's SBURB class and aspect (classpect for portmanteau).

When Homestuck ended, and then ended a second time, he turned out to be wrong.

In a recent post, he made this comment about his wrongness:

BlastYoBoots  04/26/2019:  part of why all my theories were wrong is that they were arrogant and misguided and just all-around regrettable and I thought I "knew" what Andrew morally wanted out of a story when he wasn't after the same thing at all

I bring this tale to your attention not to drag our Sosostris through the mud. In fact, I'd say he's unduly harsh on himself here. He may indeed have had a decent grasp of Hussie's moral purposes regarding Homestuck—in 2013. It has been a long six years since then, during which Hussie followed in the footsteps of other noted New England authors J.D. Salinger and Thomas Pynchon and vanished off the face of the planet. It would be fair to theorize that what Hussie "wanted" out of Homestuck changed considerably in those years. And the truth is, because Hussie has disappeared so utterly, any illusion of knowing his "moral" goals has completely dissipated. It's not even clear at this point how much of the Epilogues he wrote. What statements can possibly be made about authorial intent outside of baseless conjecture?

Mr. Eyewear had the unfortunate position of writing critical analysis of a work that was not yet finished, a position not often imitated by critics throughout the ages. It's relatively easy to look at a work by a long-dead author and make some grand, sweeping statement that "this is what it means." Because the author is literally dead, Death of the Author becomes much less controversial to apply. Even now, after the dust has settled, a new installment of Homestuck may unexpectedly arrive that obliterates any previous critical insight on what Homestuck "meant." Homestuck is ostensibly over, but the Epilogues left plenty of room for continuation.

Someone who read the previous Hymnstoke installments came to me and said (paraphrased), "Do you really think Hussie knows anything about Gnosticism? It's far more likely he googled it and used a few names here and there to sound smart." Thinking about it, I wouldn't be surprised if this turned out to be his modus operandi for the Pale Fire and Waste Land quotes I wrote so lengthily on in previous Hymnstokes as well. Wouldn't it make so much sense if Hussie googled "Literary quotes about April" and put in the Waste Land quote without ever having read the poem, without understanding its historical or literary context?

Would it matter?

Hussie may or may not be ignorant of literary history, or his own literary moment. In that Stanford interview he flatly denied any knowledge of "post-irony." But the author's ignorance doesn't excuse the work from the world. Homestuck itself is rapidly becoming a historical work, fading from the immediate cultural consciousness. Yet it has left a mark. How many works will be created in the coming years that draw heavy inspiration from Undertale, which itself was heavily inspired by Homestuck? And if we take Homestuck's most explicit inspiration to be Earthbound, what works inspired Earthbound? What works inspired the works that inspired Earthbound?

Whether Hussie knows what DFW stands for or not is inconsequential. Homestuck is not a work in a vacuum, neither the beginning nor the end. Con Air, the Greek Zodiac, Insane Clown Posse—whether the reader knows what those things are doesn't matter within the space of Homestuck, because Homestuck invented new meaning out of them all. Whether Hussie, the author, knew what Gnosticism, post-postmodernism, or Dadaism were—I would argue that is similarly inconsequential. Homestuck repurposed all of those -isms, either knowingly or unknowingly, into something new. It is the act of repurposing that is the most important part, not whatever those things were before.

So bladekindEyewear observed Homestuck through the lenses of knives strapped to his eyes. From that perspective, he conceived of what the facts (the text of Homestuck) "meant." I'll also be looking at Homestuck through a certain lens. Neither lens is the same as Hussie's lens. No lens except Hussie's can be Hussie's lens: that is something the postmodernists realized, that "truth" was fragmentary and differed from person to person. Perhaps even different within each person; the Hussie of 2013 may have a different lens than the Hussie of 2019. Put succinctly: No absolute truth exists.

But Homestuck, I feel, moves beyond the problems proposed by postmodernism. In Homestuck, differing lenses, even completely opposite lenses like "irony" and "sincerity," "science" and "magic," "time" and "space," or "author" and "reader" (as seen in the Epilogues) become blurred, indistinguishable, ultimately reconciled as essentially the same thing. It's that reconciliation that I think is Homestuck's most meaty—or candiey—thematic component.

With that in mind, let's continue.

What is under the rug is much worse than any trap you can imagine.

It is a member of a species that you do not recognize, with a ghastly furred upper lip.

I don't even know who this is. Jeff Foxworthy? I guess I might not be a redneck.

Soon these lugs will learn to show you some respect. You made this town what it is after all. Wasn't nothin' but a bunch of dust and rocks before you got here.

Okay. I was right. I knew it, all along when I was reading the Epilogues I knew something was off. I felt certain, and now it's been confirmed for me.

Homestuck does not use smart apostrophes, while the Epilogues did.

For those not in the know, a smart apostrophe is curved based on the text that comes around it, like so: ’

A regular apostrophe, by comparison, is not curved: '

As you can see in the quoted text, Homestuck proper uses your regular dumb apostrophes. Which is good, because smart apostrophes are the devil. They frequently get slanted the wrong direction and conflict aesthetically with Homestuck's monospaced, geometric Courier font. Yet all throughout the Epilogues, smart apostrophes are used. It drove me insane. I hate those things.

Can't overthink this time stuff.

I guess I should actually talk about the Intermission. Internally, it's pretty straightforward, borrowing liberally from Problem Sleuth. But what exactly is its purpose? Yes, on a purely plot level, elements of the Intermission return in Act 5. Spades Slick remains a character who exists all the way until Collide, although he is one of the unfortunate casualties of Act 6's awful ending and is too dead to get any kind of relevancy redemption in the Epilogues, unlike similarly extraneous Act 6 characters Jane and Jake.

Fundamentally, then, the relevance of the Intermission extends only as far as Cascade, with elements malingering longer but never amounting to anything new. Many things will extend only as far as Cascade, which eventually becomes Homestuck's midpoint. In earlier Hymnstokes, I mentioned a few times that I didn't think I had much to say about Act 5. I said that because, while Act 5 is impressive from a technical standpoint, it's a lot less dense in meaning compared to early Homestuck or Act 6. It functions a lot like a machine with many perfectly-placed parts (or rather, parts that were retroactively made to look perfectly placed, depending on how improvisational you think Hussie wrote) that slot together like a machine, rifle, or clock to create a flawless cascade of storytelling. I'll talk more about this kind of "clockwork storytelling" when I actually get to Act 5, but for now one might consider the entire Intermission to be one of those perfectly-placed pieces, and the Spades Slick storyline culminates in Cascade to slot alongside the other pieces in a satisfying way.

One might also interpret the Intermission as a primer for certain elements that will become important in Homestuck proper, such as the aforementioned "time stuff" that gets its first real exploration here before becoming a convoluted but finely-wrought entanglement in Acts 4 and 5. Toss in vague foreshadowing to Lord English and the Intermission's existence is at least purposeful, regardless of whether one considers it necessary.

But what about structurally? I mentioned in the previous Hymnstoke that the Intermission is similar to Act 5 Act 1 and Act 6 Act 1 in that it dramatically downscales the tension, introduces a slew of new characters, and shakes up the tone of the story. Each of these three parts are nostalgic for "Old Homestuck," the Homestuck that is more like Problem Sleuth, and they feature many text commands and faffery like what you see in Act 1. By juxtaposition, then, each emphasizes how far Homestuck has developed across its run, and the differences only become more striking each successive iteration.

The Intermission is probably the fragmenting point. In Homestuck proper, there are no more kids to introduce. John, Rose, Dave, Jade, for each of them we've cycled through the database-structured INTERESTS and INSTRUMENTS and WEIRD PARENTAL FIGURES. Bit by bit that kind of content will vanish in favor of a new sort of storytelling, and the Intermission is where it becomes obvious that this is happening. Jade's introduction already subverted most of the established tropes, and the Intermission reads like a parody of them, with the Midnight Crew's set of traits being plaintively ridiculous (each keeping a different kind of candy in their backup hat, each having a different kind of smutty material, et cetera). Act 5 Act 1 will also be parodic in its approach to these database traits, but I think in a less effective way, as the differences between the kids and the trolls are less extreme than the differences between the kids and the Midnight Crew. Furthermore, the Intermission really drives the nail into the coffin of Problem Sleuth, severing Homestuck finally from its predecessor. Act 6 Act 1, by comparison, is more of a wistful yearning for Act 1 than any kind of new take—which might itself be meaningful in the grand scheme of things.

Still, it might come in handy down the road. Lord English is supposedly indestructible. He's rumored to be killable only through a number of glitches and exploits in spacetime. The doll may ultimately help you work the system if it comes to that.

This line, along with the way Problem Sleuth ended, was probably the primary driver that led to people expecting a final boss fight with Lord English on par with the one with Mobster Kingpin. Although the Epilogues were a fantastic ending, it's still underwhelming to think about just how poorly-conceived Collide and Act 7 turned out to be. Of course, the Problem Sleuth sort of ending is definitely more of a "clockwork" storytelling style, and Act 6, as has become clear by now, has a much different style.

Dirk, the ultimate inheritor of the clockwork style—he specifically describes storytelling in terms of machines—has as one of his INTERESTS robotics and technology. Lord English, likewise, is surrounded by a clockwork motif. Of course, these characters will eventually become explicitly linked via the method of Lord English's creation. But unlike many other INTERESTS, which turn out to be irrelevant, this machinery fascination ties in to Homestuck's final thematic dichotomy. But more on that when we reach the Epilogues.

29/1000 CLOCKS DESTROYED

I guess we know what side of the dichotomy Spades is on.

This is the same calendar Dirk has in his apartment in Act 6. I remember I once had this theory that the Midnight Crew would be reunited at the end of Homestuck even though the B2 Hegemonic Brute was dead because it would be revealed that Hearts Boxcars was still in Dirk's calendar and would come out riding Dirk's mini Maplehoof.

I don't know why I had this oddly specific theory, and it was probably obvious it wouldn't happen.

And thus ends the intermission, with an eye toward the next bizarre deviation in the storyline (Act 5 Act 1).

It's been awhile since I last read Homestuck. My memory of Act 4 is dodgy, so I might actually stumble upon something new. But as I mentioned earlier, the Intermission is the big, obvious breakpoint between the old, Problem Sleuth style of Homestuck and the new, clockwork style. The database-driven character creation will gradually fall away (minus a parodic revival in Act 5 Act 1) and narrative elements will become more consistently introduced with an eye specifically toward Cascade. For many people, this is when Homestuck starts to "get good," and I think it's because there's something innately satisfying about a finely-crafted machine slotting into place. There is a kind of intrinsic beauty about it, art for art's sake if you will, and that is also what seems to draw Dirk toward it.

But more next time.

[lovehaswonangelnumbers]

New Post has been published on https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/astrology-of-december-2019-the-grand-finale/

Astrology Of December 2019 – The Grand Finale

Astrology Of December 2019 – The Grand Finale

By Astrobutterfly

2019 couldn’t have ended in a more grandiose manner. It’s like all the important transits of the year have been waiting for December.

When I write the monthly reports, I usually put the most important transit in the title, for example, “Uranus enters Taurus” or “Venus goes retrograde” but I just couldn’t pick just one asto event for the month of December, because there are simply too many things going on. 

There was a lot of build-up in 2019. 2019 was like a suspense movie, we’ve been given clues here and there, we’ve been left wondering, but things didn’t quite make sense. In December the plot will finally be revealed. This is the Grand Finale. 

Just have a look. In December 2019:

Jupiter enters Capricorn (this alone is the planetary ingress of the year)

We have a 5-planet Capricorn stellium + the Solstice

We have a Total Solar Eclipse in Capricorn (the last one… and it’s a South Node eclipse)

… and a dramatic Full Moon in Gemini (with Venus exactly conjunct Saturn and Pluto)

And of course, Saturn and Pluto are now less than 1 degree apart

Talking about Saturn conjunct Pluto. To say this is an important transit is an understatement.

The two have met last time in 1982, and since then, the world has changed dramatically. I wanted to say this is an explosive transit, but ‘explosive’ isn’t quite accurate. 

Saturn conjunct Pluto will feel more like an implosion, rather than an explosion. An ‘explosive’ transit would be a Mars transit. When we have a Mars transit, there’s a lot of inner tension that has to be played out. But Saturn and Pluto are the forces of nature themselves.

When they are in transit, there is a lot of pressure from the outside pushing in, causing everything around it to collapse. This doesn’t mean you will collapse, or that ‘collapse’ has to be something negative.

Everyone seems to be afraid of Saturn conjunct Pluto, but this transit is not as negative as it may seem. It is much deeper and complex and deserves a special report which I will send you in the coming weeks. I am also working on a brand new program on how to deal with Saturn, Pluto, and their new cycle, so keep this in the back of your mind, until I send you more details. 

But let’s have a look at the most important transits of the month:

December 2nd, 2019 – Jupiter Enters Capricorn

On December 2nd, 2019 Jupiter enters Capricorn. This is one of the most important transits of the year, because Jupiter only changes signs once a year, and when it does, it ALWAYS brings changes in your life.

Capricorn is a very hierarchical sign, dividing everything into classes and ranks, order and structure. Jupiter is pretty much the opposite – Jupiter loves coherence, and it’s monotheistic at its core.

Jupiter and Capricorn are pretty much antithetic, but this doesn’t mean Jupiter in Capricorn is not an absolutely magnificent transit. I already wrote a piece about Jupiter in Capricorn (there’s just so much to talk about) so keep an eye on your email on Monday to read more about this incredibly important transit. 

December 3rd, 2019 – Venus Conjunct The South Node

On December 3rd, 2019 Venus is conjunct the South Node of the Moon at 8° Capricorn. This is the second (and last) time the Goddess of love meets up with the Lord of Karma (we had the first conjunction in February 2019 at 25° Capricorn).

The South Node distills the quality of the planet it gets in contact with. Venus conjunct the South Node in Capricorn is like an expensive perfume that never gets out of fashion. Perhaps with a tint of musk.

Venus, the evening star, conjunct the South Node in Capricorn is in the essence of love: honest, wise, mature, enduring, everlasting. If you “want to know what love is” Venus conjunct the South Node is a good time to find out. 

December 8th, 2019 – Sun Square Neptune

On December 8th, 2019 Sun (at 16° Sagittarius) is square Neptune (at 16° Pisces). Sun is our identity, and Neptune is the planet of transcendence.

To grow, to evolve, we have to continuously reinvent ourselves. Sun square Neptune is one of those transits that will help us see beyond the limitations of our ego, beyond the limitations of what we’ve been told to believe it’s possible.

In reality (even if ‘reality’ is a world Neptune is not keen of) you can be whoever you want to be. Even if in the process you’ll have to lose yourself. 

December 9th – Mercury Enters Sagittarius

On December 9th, 2019 Mercury enters Sagittarius, the sign of its detriment. Mercury is in up for a fast ride in Sagittarius, because Mercury has caught quite a bit of speed now and will only spend 20 days in this sign.

When in Sagittarius, Mercury is blindfolded. Sagittarius is the sign of big-picture thinking, and big-picture thinking is not Mercury’s area of competence. He will have to rely on his intuition, and he’s not used to that (Mercury loves facts, what he can see, touch, or hear).

What does that mean for you? For the next 3 weeks, things will just fly by, leaving you bewildered. “What the hell just happened? “How could I not see it coming?”. There’s just too much to process this month, and Mercury will not be very helpful.

This month you want to follow your intuition, even if it comes difficult to you, even if you’re the logical/scientific, “I only believe in what I can see” type of person. 

December 12th, 2019 – Full Moon In Gemini

What a Full Moon! Venus is completely sandwiched between Saturn and Pluto (Saturn is at 19° Capricorn, Venus and 20° Capricorn, and Pluto at 21° Capricorn.) And the Full Moon (at 19° Gemini) is quincunx all of that.

AND, if that was not enough, on the same day, Chiron changes direction. The primal identity wound (Chiron direct at 1° Aries) can no longer be ignored. This time, we have to get to the heart of the matter (Venus conjunct Saturn and Pluto). No matter how.

Because the quincunx will ask you to find a creative solution. Pay special attention to this Full Moon, because it will reveal what the monumental Saturn-Pluto conjunction in January 2020 is really about. 

December 12th, 2019 – Chiron Goes Direct 

Chiron stations direct on December 12th at 1° Aries. As with any slow-moving ‘planet’, changes in direction are more important than the retrogrades per se, and even more important than mosts transits.

So when Chiron goes stationary retrograde (once a year) and stationary direct (also just once a year, i.e. now) we feel its energy more strongly than when Mercury, Venus or Mars are square Chiron, for example.

So if you’re Chiron-sensitive (and if you’re into astrology, you probably are) Chiron stationary direct will reveal something very personal and vulnerable about yourself. Something you don’t feel easy about. But something that if you choose to explore and embrace, will eventually heal you. 

December 20th, 2019 – Mercury Square Neptune 

On December 20th, 2019 Mercury (at 16° Sagittarius) is square Neptune (at 16° Pisces). Mercury is the planet of perception, of how we make sense of the world.

Neptune blurs everything, showing us that beyond our perception (stimulus decoding and all of that) there is a higher truth, a truth that cannot be understood if we go with how our mind is designed to work.

The result? We get confused. We doubt everything. We even doubt ourselves. But this process is absolutely necessary, if we want to upgrade our understanding of reality and of ourselves.

Everything will start to make sense again, when Mercury will enter Capricorn and conjunct Saturn and Pluto, in January 2020.  

December 22nd, 2019 – Sun Enters Capricorn

Sun is now at 0° Capricorn, one of the 4 cardinal degrees of initiation, one of the 4 most potent degrees of the zodiac. 0° Capricorn is the southernmost circle of latitude, which means that the Sun is finally resuming its downward spiral and starts moving up again.

The Sun will eventually cross the celestial equator 4 months later, on March 21st, when the day will be equal to the night. Until then, let’s celebrate the “birth” of the Sun and wish all the Capricorns out there a happy birthday! 

December 25th/26th – Total Solar Eclipse In Capricorn

On December 25th or December 26th (depending on where you live) we have a Total Solar Eclipse at 4° in Capricorn. This is a South Node Eclipse, so it’s about completing a chapter.

This is a very important eclipse, and I can’t wait to write more about it. For now, I just want to mention that this is not a “bad” eclipse even if it’s connected with endings and even if we have that heavy Capricorn stellium. The Eclipse is conjunct Jupiter and trine Uranus, which are positive, supporting aspects. 

December 27th, 2019 – Sun Conjunct Jupiter  

On December 27th, 2019, Sun is conjunct Jupiter at 4° Capricorn. 

A new Sun-Jupiter synodic cycle begins, in the aftermath of the Solar Eclipse. Sun is our personal identity and Jupiter is the higher truth. This is a good time to examine our beliefs. Are they still valid? Do they still reflect the person we’ve become?

Today is a good time to start something that is connected to the role Jupiter plays in your chart (the house Jupiter rules, and the house where you have 4° Capricorn). 

December 29th, 2019 – Mercury Enters Capricorn

Mercury joins the Capricorn club (as if we didn’t have enough Capricorn ‘action’ already with the Sun, Jupiter, Saturn, Pluto and the South Node). So we now have a record of 6 planets in Capricorn and a lot of build-up for the Saturn-Pluto conjunction in January 2020.

This means that a particular area of your life gets special attention. Of course, that’s the house where you have Capricorn on the cusp. And that’s just the beginning. The Saturn-Pluto conjunction is less than 1° apart now, and will become exact on January 2020. 

December 30th, 2019 – Sun Conjunct South Node

This is the Grand finale, my friends. After being epically eclipsed just a few days earlier, the Sun is now dissolving under the South Node, to be completely released from its Capricorn karma.

What a December! It’s been a lot going on, but it was all necessary. You’re now ready for a New Year. 

******

LoveHasWon.org is a Non-Profit Charity, Heartfully Associated with the “World Blessing Church Trust” for the Benefit of Mother Earth

Share Our Messages with Love and Gratitude

LOVE US @ MeWe mewe.com/join/lovehaswon

Visit Our Online Store for Higher Consciousness Products and Tools: LoveHasWon Essentials

http://lovehaswonessentials.org/

Visit Our NEW Sister Site: LoveHasWon Angel Numbers

https://lovehaswonangelnumbers.org/

Commentary from The First Contact Ground Crew 5dSpiritual Healing Team:

Feel Blocked, Drained, Fatigued, Restless, Nausea, Achy, Ready to Give Up? We Can Help! We are preparing everyone for a Full Planetary Ascension, and provide you with the tools and techniques to assist you Home Into The Light. The First Contact Ground Crew Team, Will Help to Get You Ready For Ascension which is Underway. New Spiritual Sessions have now been created for an Entire Family, including the Crystal Children; Group Family Healing & Therapy. We have just began these and they are incredible. Highly recommend for any families struggling together in these times of intense changes. Email: motherofallcreation@lovehaswon.org for more information or to schedule an emergency spiritual session. We can Assist You into Awakening into 5d Reality, where your experience is one of Constant Joy, Wholeness of Being, Whole Health, Balanced, Happy and Abundant. Lets DO THIS! Schedule Your Session Below by following the Link! Visit:  http://www.lovehaswon.org/awaken-to-5d/

Introducing our New LoveHasWon Twin Flame Spiritual Intuitive Ascension Session. Visit the link below:

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-twin-flame-spiritual-intuitive-ascension-session/

Request an Astonishing Personal Ascension Assessment Report or Astrology Reading, visit the link below for more information:

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-ascension-assessment-report

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-astrology/

Experiencing DeAscension Symptoms, Energy Blockages, Disease and more? Book a Holistic Healing Session

https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-holistic-healing-session/

To read our Testimonials you can follow this link: http://www.lovehaswon.org/testimonials

Connect with MotherGod~Mother of All Creation on Skype @ mothergoddess8

Request a copy of our Book: The Tree of Life ~ Light of The Immortals Book

Order a copy of Our LoveHasWon Ascension Guide: https://lovehaswon.org/lovehaswon-ascension-guide/

**If you do not have a Paypal account, click on the button below:

If you wish to donate and receive a Tax Receipt, click the button below:

Donate with Paypal

Use Cash App with Our code and we’ll each get $5! FKMPGLH

Cash App Tag: $lovehaswon1111

Cash App

Donate with Venmo

VENMO

Support Our cause in the creation of the Crystal Schools for Children. Visit our fundraising link below:

LoveHasWon Charity for Crystal Schools

Support Our Charity in Co~Creating the New Earth Together by Helping Mother of All Creation. Visit our fundraising link below:

Support Mother Earth!

Support Us on PATREON

PATREON

Support Us Through Our LoveHasWon Wish List

LoveHasWon Wish List

We also accept Western Union and Moneygram. You may send an email to michaelsilver@lovehaswon.org for more information.

***If you wish to send Donations by mail or other methods, email us at motherofallcreation@lovehaswon.org  or  michaelsilver@lovehaswon.org***

**** We Do Not Refund Donations****

MeWe ~ Youtube ~ Facebook ~ Apple News ~ Linkedin ~ Twitter ~ Tumblr ~ GAB ~ Minds ~ Google+ ~ Medium ~ StumbleUpon ~ Reddit ~ Informed Planet ~ Steemit ~ SocialClub ~ BlogLovin ~ Flipboard ~ Pinterest ~ Instagram ~ Snapchat

[reneebeyer]

✨💙🌛🌝🌜💙✨

So far January has been a chaotic and highly challenging month for many of us. Fortunately, as this New Moon rises much of the highly charged intense energy that has been reverberating since the solar eclipse on December 26th will finally start to settle down.

The supercharged energy that generated between the December eclipse and the January 10th lunar eclipse is simmering and we are now entering the “eye of the storm” phase where all begins to feels calm and settled, and where major aspects of our lives click into place and begin to make sense.

This New Moon is in the sign of Aquarius and will impact all zodiac signs, but particularly those with Aquarius in their chart.

Aquarius is known as for being a game-changer, bringing regeneration, plot twists, transformation, breakthroughs and progress, so expect emotional, mental, spiritual or even physical shifts and changes over the next few days, and continuing on until the next New Moon on February 23rd.

Aquarius can come across as quite aloof and detached when it comes to emotions, feelings and connections, preferring independence, freedom and autonomy over their lives. This means we may notice we feel quite rebellious and find ourselves yearning for space, wanting to break free from outdated traditions or tear down dynamics that have felt confining, limiting or controlling. We may suddenly feel bored with normality and want to detangle from anything that feels too restricting or repressive, preferring to walk our own unique path, regardless how that looks to others.

Under Aquarius’ influence we will be seeing with clarity for the first time in weeks, seeing straight through illusions, masks and filters. This gives us the ability to disengage or distance ourselves from anyone or anything that creates pain, disharmony or disturbs our peace.

Instead of being triggered to irrationally and emotionally react, our mind will be crystal clear and we will feel grounded and in control, and we will either say nothing, very little or respond with calmness, courage and conviction.

The current of this New Moon calls on us to internalize love for a change and to find comfort, warmth and familiarity in romancing and loving ourselves. It is highly recommended to start new self-care rituals and to unapologetically take time for vital self-love, self-nourishment and self-care.

Aquarius is the “water bearer”, which means this New Moon will bring in a cleansing, renewing and recharging energy. The refreshing lunar energy will likely cause us to awaken on this New Moon feeling refreshed and rebirth, as though the New Year has only just begun, and the intensity of the past few weeks has suddenly dissipated.

Aquarius is associated with time, through Saturn, one of it’s rulers, so don’t be surprised if you suddenly feel as though you’ve entered a new age, started a new era or that time suddenly appears to be going far slower or quicker than normal.

It is also possible to be feeling highly nostalgic with wishful thinking about the future during this lunation, due to reoccurring thoughts about the past, future premonitions and vivid dreams about significant current issues, as the past, present and future blur into one.

We may feel impatient for our future dreams and desires to actualise, and that we want changes to happen instantly, and under this Aquarius moon absolutely anything is possible, so be certain that what you wish for is what you actually want and need. If we are being made to wait a little longer, perceive it as just a lesson in remaining present and enjoying every stage of the journey, especially if we are right at the start of planning stages.

Everything will fruition exactly when it is ready, and in the meantime there may be a lot of soul alignment that needs to occur to ensure we are fully prepared to receive the full blessings held within the intentions we are setting.

Connections from the past may reappear either so that healing and reunions can occur, or so a repeating lesson can finally be learned and closed.

Old energy, old lessons and old structures and patterns will all most definitely be clearing out, as the old lunar cycle closes, a new cycle starts and a brand new chapter begins.

It is imperative to work with this energy by clearing space for new possibilities and experiences, especially as during this Moon phase it is likely that significant soul-deep connections could arrive, that end up holding a prominent place in our future.

If we have been trying to manifest a new direction in life, starting a new career, moving house, quitting bad habits, or completely starting over, now is most definitely the time to put in the work, faith and dedication to make it happen. Particularly as Mercury Retrograde (notorious for not being a good time for new projects/new starts/major change) is only a few weeks away. Therefore, make use of this strong and revitalising energy by putting plans into action and committing to making those necessary, long-awaited and long-desired changes become a reality.

The energy we hold at this start of this New Moon sets the tone for the entire lunar month, so, if possible, attune with Aquarius’ mentally strong energy force and begin this cycle with optimistic high vibrational thoughts and feelings. If there have been challenges and set-backs recently, attempt to pull away from overanalzing, ruminating or overthinking. Try to alter perception and focus all attention on manifesting the intentions you are setting during this New Moon.

Moon phases always cause a shift in energy, however this is one that will cause a shake up on all levels, so we will feel emotionally, mentally, spiritually and physically altered as the days pass by.

We are ultimately responsible for the direction in which our energy shifts, whether up, down or sideways, so it is vital to remain consciously aware of who, what and where our thoughts are trailing off to.

New Moons are the beginning of a brand new cycle and chapter, so it is imperative to set the stage now for how we want the rest of the lunar month to play out. Keep the mind firmly fixed on the seeds you are planting, and hold the visualisation and feeling of exactly how you want them to bloom and grow.

This major reset and reboot may feel unsettling at times, but as soon as the New Moon has passed all discordant energies will recalibrate and inner and outer peace will reside and life will finally start falling into perfect place.

To integrate this powerful cleansing and rejuvenating energy and to ensure a harmonious New Moon, drink plenty of filtered water, rest where possible, take a saltwater bath, play soothing music (binaural beats) and light candles, incense or burn sage. Also, try to detach from technology, spend some time outdoors with nature, indulge in comforting pastimes or carry out a New Moon ritual alone or with your favourite person/people.

******

New Moon Ritual

******

New moons are all about new beginnings, and there is no better time to make drastic change than during this moon phase.

On a New Moon we are being taught vital lessons about letting go of the old to clear space for the new. This often happens through losing things we once felt were important to us. This could mean people may end relationships with us or we might cut ties, we may either temporarily or permanently misplace items that had sentimental or financial value, or we may lose data due to technology malfunctioning, such as laptops or phones breaking, being stolen, or the information just seemingly “disappearing.”

Much of this will feel highly frustrating and even emotionally difficult to accept, although it is a major sign that we need to work hard at letting go of our attachment to whatever doesn’t exist in the present moment.

Letting go is vital for soul growth, as when we attempt to hold on we remain stuck in old energy and struggle to move onward and create new experiences, relationships, and opportunities. Often, we don’t realise that we are holding on, as our emotions become trapped within our subconscious, so the universe sends us sharp lessons (like losing things!) to awaken us so we recognise we are not fully living in the present moment due to our attachment to the past.

The fastest and easiest way to spiritually awaken is not through learning various concepts, philosophies, and ancient practices—it is simply through the acceptance that all we really have is this present moment, and anything in the past or future is no longer or not yet part of our true reality here on Earth. So much of our pain and suffering is due to either anxiety over what’s already happened or fear of what we might encounter in the future, and we waste so much energy conjuring up scenarios and reminiscing about what isn’t actually here in the now.

We often don’t realise the amount of energy expended when we contain so much of our past and live in anticipation of what the future holds—or how disempowering it is. When we learn to let go with grace and gratitude, we instantly discover that we not only feel freer and lighter, but we also let go of pain and suffering, which gives us an incredible amount of energy to focus on manifesting a beautiful existence in the present moment.

To let anything go, we must surrender to what is. Surrendering is the most powerfully healing and transformational thing we can do—and sometimes it is our only option, as whether we like it or not, not everything or everyone is meant to be in our lives.

The most beneficial way to align with a new moon, is to spend plenty of time in solitude for much needed introspection, and to meditate as often as possible before, during, and after the new moon to connect with source energy and receive much needed insights, wisdom, and guidance from this transformational celestial event.

All we need is a bowl of water, a floating candle, and sage or incense to burn. Fill the bowl with water, if possible from the ocean or lake, or pink Himalayan salt or natural sea salt added to tap water.

If it is not possible to go outdoors this ritual can be performed indoors, just be cautious with the paper and floating candle 🙂

Find a spot outdoors—if possible by the lake, ocean, or in a forest —and sit cross-legged with a straight spine and head slightly lowered. (If this isn’t comfortable, choose any seated or supine position.) Hands can be placed in front of the chest, palms lightly together, and thumbs and little fingers touching one another. Breathe deeply to calm the mind.

Place the bowl on the ground and light the floating candle in the bowl. If you have healing crystals, these can also be placed in the water to enhance the effects of the ritual.

Write on a piece of paper anything you wish to release. It can be a word, a sentence, or entire paragraphs full of detail—whatever feels necessary to purge at the time.

Read aloud what has been written, and then immerse the piece of paper in the water to cleanse and transform the energy relating to the memories.

The flame from the floating candle is a purifier and neutralises any negativity emanating from the note; it also symbolises our intention to let go of any pain attached to it.

Next, inhale deeply through the nose, feeling the belly area expand; hold for approximately five seconds. On the inhale, notice the chest expanding slightly. This allows the heart chakra to open. While we are pausing, the energy stored in our lungs rejuvenates and recharges our circulatory system. We can then exhale slowly through the mouth before pausing for a few seconds and repeating the breathing exercise.

Deep breathing allows the flow of energy (prana) to move around the body and helps relieve tension surrounding the heart area. Each inhaled breath signifies the manifestation of new beginnings, and each exhaled breath signifies endings or releasing.

Continue to deeply inhale and exhale, and allow all thoughts in the mind to float around for a few moments. Notice which thought repeats continuously and focus attention briefly on it.

For a few moments, acknowledge the feelings attached to the thought and envisage gently blowing them away. Continue this process with other thoughts niggling at the mind. Allow them a few moments, and then release by taking focused attention away from them.

Next envisage your heart radiating with love, and repeat a powerful affirmation, such as: “With love, gratitude, and tenderness, I now let go of…” Or: “I release the past and have total acceptance for this moment.”

Meditation is about remaining as much in the present moment as possible. When we are present, there is little suffering. Whenever we feel our mind casting back or projecting forward, it is important to gently bring it back to the here and now.

As we continue meditating, we will release anxiety and any painful emotions accompanying our thoughts. We can meditate for a few minutes or longer depending on how we feel. The more often we meditate, the more effective the practice will be.

Burning sage at the end of the meditation cleanses any negative energy and positively charges the atmosphere with. We can ground our energy by drinking a glass of water with a few sprinkles of pink Himalayan salt in it, and keeping the awareness that we’re safely supported by the earth below.

Once we have completed the meditation, we can transfer our empowering thinking into our daily lives by remembering that thoughts can become repetitive. The more we think about something, the more that thought and the emotions attached to it linger. When we think positive thoughts, we experience “feel good” emotions. The opposite is also true. We have the power to change how we feel by remaining aware and in control of our thoughts.

Many of us may have felt emotionally depleted and challenged by the struggles we have endured during 2019 and at the beginning of 2020. With this Aquarius New Moon we are now ready to release them and walk into the next chapter wiser, lighter, freer, open and ready for incredible new possibilities, opportunities and experiences.