#and your understanding of how the world works in reality can help contribute to the discussion

[falesten-iw]

To Those Who Still Hold Onto a Shred of Morality and Humanity - Stand with Us and Don’t Forget Us.

Over 40,000 lives have been lost, with 70% of them being children and women. Among these numbers are my own family members—many of whom I’ve already lost.

My family, my cousin, aunt, their children, and grandchildren were all directly targeted by Israeli airstrikes. I’m sharing a video of my aunt and cousin to reveal the harsh reality we are facing in Gaza. In this video, my aunt bravely shares her story about how the Israeli army airstruck them along with their children and grandchildren. Even if you don’t understand Arabic, just watching her speak will help you grasp the immense suffering we are enduring in Gaza. You can see the vedeo in this post.

The few family members who remain are in grave danger, and I’m terrified of losing them too. We have a chance to make a real difference and give my 24 surviving family members a chance to live.

In Gaza, jobs are non-existent, and nonprofit organizations like the UN have drastically reduced their work on the ground. Basic necessities such as milk, food, and medicine are almost as expensive as gold. My family is struggling to afford even the essentials, and my mother urgently needs medication that we simply cannot afford.

I’m also sharing another video that shows the daily struggle people face just to get clean water. The suffering here extends far beyond my family; it’s a genocide affecting every aspect of life in Gaza.

Thanks to the generosity of those who have already donated, we’ve raised $535 toward our goal of $190,363- august 17th. I’m deeply grateful to each of you, but we still have a long way to go, and I need your help more than ever. Imagine if it were your family—how would you feel if they were in this situation?

For those who have created special posts or reblogged to amplify my voice, thank you from the bottom of my heart. Your support means everything to me and to my family. If you haven’t yet shared our story, please take just one minute to do so. Your voice could be the lifeline my family desperately needs.

You cannot continue to treat human lives as mere numbers. This is a genocide that demands immediate action. How many more should be killed before you all wake up? Will 40,000 lives be enough to stir us to action? 50,000? 100,000? 150,000?

Asking for donations and charity is something we never imagined having to do in Gaza before the war, and it’s heartbreaking that it has come to this. But if everyone who saw my last post donated just $10 or $20, we could reach our goal in no time. If you’re looking for a way to contribute, consider giving up your coffee, tea, or other “cup” for one day, one week, one month, or anything in between. Then, donate what you would have spent to help me. Please help us and donate now!

This is about more than just donations—it’s about preserving human lives and upholding our shared moral values. Your contribution can make a world of difference in our survival and ensure I don’t lose more of the people I love.

Demanding an end to this suffering is a matter of basic humanity. You cannot remain neutral in the face of such genocide. Please, let’s stand together. Enough is enough.

Every donation, no matter how small, brings us closer to hope and healing. Thank you again for your kindness and support. I will never forget it.

Vetted and shared by @90-ghost: Link.

Verified and shared by @el-shab-hussein: Link

Listed even as number 282 in "The Vetted Gaza Evacuation Fundraiser Spreadsheet" compiled by @el-shab-hussein and @nabulsi : Link

Additionally, Al Jazeera News has documented apart of my family's case: Link

Important note: ** 105 Swedish kr is just 10$ ** 1050 Swedish kr is just 100$ ** 10500 Swedish kr is just 1000$

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[corevibeself]

𝓦𝓱𝓸 𝓲𝓼 𝔂𝓸𝓾𝓻 𝓕𝓾𝓽𝓾𝓻𝓮 𝓢𝓹𝓸𝓾𝓼𝓮?

The energy of love that I have been feeling around me for the past month has been as intense as swallowing sugar by the buckets. I feel like my insides are turning pink. I'm now realizing my insides are already pink as I'm writing this. Anywho loved doing this reading xxxx

ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 1 ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 2 ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 3

ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 1

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙈𝙮 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙚 𝘼𝙡𝙡 𝙈𝙞𝙣𝙚 - 𝙈𝙞𝙩𝙨𝙠𝙞

Your future spouse is going to be such a best friend! The energy I’m getting from this reading is that you two might be mirroring each other. I like to say same vibe tribe because you’re vibrating at the same frequency—so if this sounds like you, that may be why.

Your future spouse is the kind of person who gets along with anyone as long as they’re kind and respectful. They steer way clear of drama-seekers and can’t stand judgmental people. They’re deeply empathetic, and I feel like they’ve had experiences that made them someone who stands up for others.

One specific scenario I saw (which may not apply to everyone, but still serves as an example) is that they might have a sibling with a disability who was made fun of, and that experience shaped them into this sensitive, socially aware person who cannot tolerate hate. They know judgment brings nothing but misery, and they refuse to contribute to it.

They’re incredibly compassionate and understanding. You never have to be afraid of making mistakes with this person because they don’t see mistakes as something to hold over you. To them, as long as you’re honest and open about where you’re coming from, that’s all they need. They believe real relationships are built on mutual understanding and vulnerability—and trust me, they walk the talk.

Emotionally mature? Check. Emotionally intelligent? Double check.

They’re also very opinionated, but not in a bad way. I’m seeing a situation where someone says something rude, and this person immediately shuts it down, defending you without hesitation. Or, let’s say you’re watching a reality show together, like Love Island—if they see something unfair, they will speak up about it. They’re passionate about fairness, kindness, and doing what’s right.

I also get the sense that they can be selfless to the point of giving more than they should. They know they have a tendency to take on too much, but at the same time, they don’t mind if it drains them—especially if it means helping someone they care about. Noble souls, they are.

This might also be why they spend a lot of time indoors. Not because they’re antisocial—more like their energy gets scattered easily. Honestly? Big neurodivergent vibes, possibly ADHD. They’ve got this huge heart, a million interests, and a natural tendency to care for others.

They’re what I’d call an introverted extrovert. They’re not shy, but people can drain them quickly. I wouldn’t be surprised if they work in the mental health field, something related to justice, or are super passionate about social justice in general.

And let me tell you—this person has your back in every sense of the word. If you’ve ever craved a connection where you’re fully understood, where you can be 100% yourself without fear of judgment—this is it. They’re exactly what you’ve been needing.

They just have this gift for making people open up. They see the beauty in others, in the world, and they bring so much balance. I wouldn’t be shocked if they have Libra in their chart—Libra rising, maybe?

Their energy is so sweet. I can see them genuinely asking how your day was, really listening because they truly care.

And honestly? If I could tell this person one thing, it would be to see how beautiful of a soul they truly are.

They feel like a modern-day knight. Hehehe.

ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 2

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙚 𝙡𝙞𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 -𝙇𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙈𝙞𝙭

This person’s been through some tough shit, but I see them bippity-bopping their way out of it like the fairy godmother. They might’ve been through foster homes—I also had a vision of couch-hopping—so it could be that they’ve got lots of connections and friends who support them because their family may not. I just get the feeling they dealt with a lot of challenges in their childhood or teen years, and it sparked this change in them. Instead of turning to darkness and letting it define their whole life, they became a doer.

They just know how to grind, how to better themselves, and how to be a good person—which they are. They’re willing to do what it takes to heal. I don’t want to get graphic, but this person may have developed coping mechanisms in the past but has grown out of them.

They’re the type to drop anything they’re doing to help you if you needed it. And they have this way of surprising you. I literally just saw a vision of a guy in a store, minding his business, buying groceries or whatever, and then he just randomly sees something that reminds him of you. It’s a funny energy—like, he’s impulsive like that. He’ll just grab it and bring it back to you, and it’s something completely stupid. You’ll be like, “Why did you buy this stuffed penguin?” and he’ll just shrug and say, “It reminded me of you.” It’s cute, but like... what?! Hahahaha.

This person tends to suppress their emotions, unsure whether to communicate them or not, because they might have some fears around vulnerability. But trust that when they feel safe, they’ll open up to you.

I also kind of saw that this person might be loud (relatable AF). Not in a bad way—just very expressive. I feel like they were the class clown, secretly depressed because shit was bad at home, and teachers were like, “Why are you so loud?” No, but seriously—they’re hilarious. I felt very giggly during this reading.

This person has charm—like, their humour is their superpower. You really wouldn’t guess what they’ve been through because they’re such a ray of sunshine.

And kids? This person is hilarious with them. It’s like they can fully be themselves around children, or they just have this youthful energy no matter their age. If you’re into someone who brings the fun, is goofy but surprisingly deep—this is your person. Genuine. Authentic. I love ittttt.

ℙ𝕚𝕝𝕖 3

𝘾𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙚𝙡𝙡𝙚𝙙 𝙨𝙤𝙣𝙜: 𝙎𝙩𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙞𝙣𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪 - 𝙋𝙖𝙧𝙖𝙢𝙤𝙧𝙚

Daddy Vibes, HA! This person has a great drive—like, a very determined person. I see them getting up constantly, even if they keep falling. This has made them into someone that gives off major "They can do anything" vibes.

Need to kill a spider? Done. Craving something from the store late at night? They’ll do it so nonchalantly, like, I see them just going, "So what do you need?"—face blank AF.

Okay, if anyone is a K-pop fan, Yoongi from BTS totally gives these vibes. He’ll do things for you even if he doesn’t look happy doing it, but it’s not that he’s unhappy. It’s just that taking care of people comes so naturally to him that he doesn’t even see it as a big deal. That’s this person. It’s their role—to take care of you.

They have lots of goals. Like I said, they’ve got this drive. I see backup plan after backup plan after backup plan. Like, "This job isn’t for me? That’s fine. I also really like this. And if that doesn’t work, I have connections. I can travel. I know how to charm and talk to people. I have ways." That’s the energy they give.

Scattered AF, though, but they’re working on it. This person just always has money. You don’t gotta worry about them ever being a lazy bum. It’s not that they’re a millionaire—they’ve just healed their wound around security. They don’t see work as a passion; they see it as "I get this done so I can do my passions." And that’s awesome. Some people need to work in a field they’re passionate about, but this person? They just trust that the universe has their back so they can enjoy their passions, because their passions have nothing to do with work—and they’re fine with that.

If you’re the type of person that doesn’t wanna work your whole life, this person doesn’t mind working for you, honestly. Like, they love you.

They might come off a bit intimidating at first when y’all meet. They just have a good head on their shoulders because of past experiences. Don’t be afraid. I’m getting very mature vibes—like I said earlier... DAAAADDDYYYY.

Some of y’all may have daddy issues, like... that’s okay. So does 90% of the population—we’re on a healing journey here, HAHAHA.

This person looks ahead. They don’t get stuck in the past, so they won’t ever hold shit over your head. The past is the past. We grow as human beings. They’re open-minded and see things from other perspectives, which is so refreshing. Don’t be afraid to express your opinions or feelings—this person wants to help.

If you want a family, they’ll be an amazing father. Also, they might look like a working person. I’m seeing that if their job is physical, you can see it on them—like, maybe they smell like oil because they’re a mechanic. A job where you can literally see the results on them physically.

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<3<3<3

AHHHH my first reading on here. To whoever reads this, I enjoyed doing this. I love everything about this. I'm so passionate, and I'm so grateful to whoever this reaches. XXXX

[fishnapple]

Your successful qualities

Let's find out what qualities do you possess that can make you successful on your chosen path ✨️

This is a general reading meant for multiple people. Take only what resonates and leave out the rest.

Your feedback is much appreciated. If you find the reading resonated with you, leave a comment, I’d love to know 🎐

About me | Masterpost Book a reading with me - KO-FI (→ personal reading)

YELLOW

You have qualities that would make you a person of the people. You have a high level of emotional intelligence and charm that make it easy for you to dive into people's hearts. The chief element that will contribute to your success is how you connect with people. You know how to express your feelings in a calm and soothing way, people feel accepted and nurtured through the interactions with you and your presence. You care a lot about other's comfort. You intuitively understand what the other person wants without them having to voice it out. This is especially helpful when you are assigned a task or when you assign a task to other people. You know how to complete the task in the way that the other person wants and you also know what the other person is capable of, what is their working style, so you can give them suitable task and instruction. You also have the ability to pacify and harmonise difficult situations. Which are qualities that are very much needed when dealing with customers or working in employee relations. But if you're not careful, people's dependency and over demanding could be a problem. Dealing constantly with people's problems can drain your energy really fast. Also, when there are many people expecting something from you, a desire to please, to be helpful and perfect in your job, can become a burden for you. The downside of being in tune with others is that you're entangled with them, it would be hard to act independently.

What makes you popular with people is not just your aura or your caring and pleasant nature. It's also your communication skills. You have the gift of the gab, striking a balance between being funny and wise. Your humour can diffuse tense situations and your knowledge and wisdom can guide you through the intricate system of socialising, never appearing too jesting nor too serious. You can grasp abstract concepts easily and then explain them back in a simple to understand way, this ability will make you a great teacher or a supervisor or someone who needs to present their ideas to a mass. You also can turn those ideas into reality, ideas don't just stay in your head, you pull them out and mould them into solid existences. When you encounter new information or foreign topics, you don't shy away from them but revel in the process of analysing, understanding and absorbing that information. So new job, new position, new opportunities don't faze you, your adaptability is one of your biggest talents.

What can make you successful is your drive for success, it's very simple. As long as you have the desire to succeed in anything you do, you can achieve it, with patience, diligence but also a flash of genius. You are an innovative pioneer, you follow your own rules, and this will attract people and opportunities to you.

BLACK

This may sound corny but it's your heart and passion. As you can see in the picture above, the "heart" bead landed right next to the "sun" bead at the centre. It's just that simple. Your heart shines so brightly that it can attract success. The more you're in alignment with yourself, the better the chance for you to shine and soar. Self alignment can mean various things, self awareness, self compassion, self expansion, all the things that make you become clearer about yourself. In doing so, you can understand your strengths and weaknesses with an objective lens, develop a healthy ego to navigate the world and stand up for yourself, utilise your potentials fully and have a better vision of what you want out of your life (this sounds like an ad for self improvement program)

You being you, truthfully, unapologetically, without any shadow nor hiding, will make everything you strive for easier to grasp. Right now, you might have some fears about expressing yourself fully, showing your creative side, which is precious and a huge treasure. You don't want to be an outcast, being labelled as weird or individualistic. You might have a perfectionist living inside you, constantly criticising and questioning your every move and attempt at doing something creative. Maybe you don't feel confident enough, still thinking that you lack skills or you look at other people and see them getting busy and successful, you begin to doubt your resolution and your ability, no amount of practice is enough in your eyes. This line of thinking is really detrimental to your growth. Looking at other people for inspiration is fine but it can become an obsession, taking other's success as goals to achieve, while ignoring your own brilliance. There's something you need to know, that you don't have to be applauded by a crowd to prove that you're talented and worthy. You will find that, by being yourself and sharing your creativity, slowly and surely, there will be people who appreciate your work, even if they are not the mainstream crowd.

On the subject of the crowd, this group has a bit of similarity with the first group, in the ability to connect with people. But unlike group one, who uses their charm and verbal ability to harmonise and attract people, yours is more about your ability to get into the hearts of other people, through your sensitivity and kindness. This group's soul is like one of the artists. Beauty moves your heart, you see beauty in everything, down to their core, this kind of ardent appreciation will spread to your surroundings, the people around you. It's like you have a subconscious ability to beautify everything, making things softer, more tender, more kind. Don't hide this part of yours, the more you're willing to be transparent and spiritually "naked", the more joy and success will come into your life, for you will be the pure vessel that the universe will pour into endlessly.

GREEN

The quality that stands out the most is your ability to accept and commit to changes, whether those changes are about yourself, your environment, or other outside factors. It's not that you actively seek chaos or transformation just for the sake of shaking things up, but when changes come to you, you don't cower and complain, you accept them and try to find the best possible solution to deal with them, no matter how scared and uncomfortable you feel inside. It's this kind of courage that will help you sail through the ups and downs in life without being sunken and defeated by them.

When you feel afraid or anxious, uneasy in your mind, you actively try to find a solution, a different route of thinking to get out of that unproductive thinking mode. Sometimes you would even seek the very things that make you afraid, to learn more about them, to gain an understanding and to broaden your perspective. When your heart feels weak, you still believe in a better future. In doing so, you attract luck to your side. You would find that whenever you're in a difficult situation, if you keep your faith and your mind open, new understanding and support will come your way, helping you regain stability and inner peace again. Your heart is resilient, even though it might have suffered painful wounds in the past, it still remains optimistic and tries to break away from the clutch of the past. So you don't easily give up when there are hardship and setbacks in your endeavour. Your mind also can think up really out of the box ideas, great innovative ideas that can bring changes to the community, and the society you're in, as long as you give your mind total freedom.

With your resilient heart, your outward aura is very stable and solid, very sure of yourself. You have good self-control, from your body to your mind and your heart. Dark thoughts won't be able to stay in your mind for long, you exercise firm authority on them, not allowing them to sabotage you. Sometimes you can be in a melancholic mood, feeling hopeless or too weary, but you know how to get out of it, centering yourself to the physical reality around you, taking care of yourself and reaffirming your core values. You know how to offset the dark with light, the cold with warmth. When you're stressed, you might choose to do something physical or appreciate the beauty around you, bringing you back to simple happiness. This again points to the sturdiness of your core. You don't seek external validations or nourishment from others, you nourish yourself and shine your own light, you're not the moon waiting for other light to illuminate you and reflecting back that light, you are the sun that give out your light and illuminate others. This self containment, or independence will make you a great leader, or someone who can work independently, actually, any positive won't be daunting to you at all. You can take on lots of stress, not to say that you should, but when working or doing something under pressure, you can still manage the load and work efficiently.

BLUE

Life seems like a never-ending adventure to you. You're not meant to stay in one place, be contented with "normal" life, "normal" means what everyone thinks how life should be, not for you, you're a traveller, a seafarer, constantly following the flow of life. The fluidity of your energy enables you to navigate life situations with grace and ease, not that you're trouble-free or everything is smooth sailing all the time, but you don't get stuck. If you ever find yourself in a predicament, you don't sit and complain, asking why misfortune befell you, you try to find all the information you can get, the lesson you can learn, the most positive outcome and the most opportune moment to turn misfortune into your advantage, rising again, stronger and wiser. You have keen eyes that can notice opportunities from miles away and an open heart that can welcome those opportunities, which makes you seem like a very lucky person to the onlookers.

Your mind is your greatest asset that can make you rise in this world. You don't let valuable information slip through your mind, you examine it with curiosity and intense focus, extract from it the essence that can be used for the future. Your mind is not just geared with sheer laser focus, but also an ability for intuitive abstract thinking, it reminds me of genius, how it can weave all the bits of information into a fantastical picture. If something captured your attention, you would dive deeply into it, try to understand its core. This makes you an excellent researcher or someone who can do works that require focus and resilience. You can also read people accurately right from the first few exchanges and can adjust your approach accordingly. It's not about people pleasing, charming people to get your way, it's tact and understanding, thesr traits will make you greatly attractive, not just on one on one level but also on a bigger scale, in a professional environment or when you need to address a crowd.

Your energy is very balanced between masculine and feminine energy. It's both nurturing and authoritative. Drive and intuition, active and passive, strong yet soft. You shine but you also let others shine too, you don't steal other's light, if anything, you help them shine even brighter. Being with you makes people feel safe, at ease. You allow people to be themselves without ridicule or judgement. But you can also firmly lead people, giving them guidance and security. You can be serious but not rigid and cold, you can be chatty without being superficial, charming without hidden motives. These traits would develop gradually over the years, you will find that as you get older, you'll be more sure of yourself and more confident in front of people, stepping into your authority more, like growing a tree for many years and finally you can enjoy the sweet fruits.

WHITE

Right of the bat, the word "refreshing" came to my mind. You have a unique take on everything, from the most trivial matters to the worldly philosophical thoughts that you have, everything is different from the usual way many people are used to. People would definitely want to come to you when they're stuck in a problem and uninspired, they know that you will always have something unique to say to them, making them more aware of hidden aspects at play and a fresh solution. Problem solving could be one of your greatest skills. But it's not the logical, factual thinking that is usually associated with problem solving, it's highly intuitive. Your mind hovers between the collective thinking and the individual paths each person can have, you can synthesise those two worlds into an abstract thinking system that can get hold of information seemingly out of thin air and mix and match them together flexibly. You instinctively understand what people want and you deliver it, with a new twist. Your ideas are the road to manifest whatever your wishes are.

Not just mentally, but emotionally, you also express yourself truthfully, without trivialise other's emotions or making them feel ignored. You respect emotions, both of yourself and of others, creating an emotionally safe space that can foster trust. Commerce and sales might be the areas where you can express that strong point. Your emotional intelligence also adds charm to your physical appeal. You know how people always praise the eyes that are full of emotions and light? When you're in touch with emotions, your eyes show, and they beckon people to them. Your manner, your aura shows a charm that is real and earthy, nothing elusive or deceptive about it, like walking in an actual orchard instead of looking at it from a picture. You can see, touch, smell, hear all the things happening around you.

You also rarely judge people, if you do, it's not harsh or too triggering. You adopt the mentality of going with the flow, live and let live. You don't demand from people, other than respect for your boundaries and privacy, which you value above all else. Other than those, you let people live their way without imposing your beliefs on them. This open-minded attitude is very important when you're working in a team, you provide ideas, but you likely don't want to control and lead people. Though you could find yourself in the leader position often simply because the one with the good ideas usually is nominated to be the leader. You're fine working for others. But if you're in a leadership, you lead with leniency, allowing enough rooms for individuality to shine.

This might be a bit random, but you can be a good cook or a good decorator. If you're tasked with decorating an event or a living space, or just making anything aesthetically pleasing, you'll be surprised how positive people's receptions are. If this is not something you're aware of about yourself, you should pay more attention to it and develop it, it can open new career opportunities for you.

RED

There's a method to your madness, not that I'm saying you're mad or crazy, but you can think up some outlandish and original ideas, a little bit "out there". What people don't understand is that behind all those seemingly random and genius ideas is a very disciplined spirit. There's logic and sound reasons behind your every action. What people perceived were just the puppets playing on the stage, they didn't see the puppeteer controlling the puppets. Every action and word require fine skill, but you have the ability to make them seem effortless. Your mind is like the sky during a thunderstorm, thoughts and ideas zigzagging, making flashes that blind the eyes. What you say can be very spontaneous or somewhat irrelevant at first glance, but thinking deeper, people can't help but marvel. You might also have a knack of predicting the trends, always one step ahead. Creative careers of course would be very suitable for you, but you can also find success in predictive analytics or education. Your words need to be delivered to the world, they're your greatest contributions.

You have an air of feeling at ease with wherever places you're. You might be someone doing an independent freelance job, but then if suddenly, you're to be placed in the position of leadership or a completely different job, you wouldn't be fazed by it, you go into it as if it's the most natural thing to do, as if you've done this a million times. This air of confidence and ease makes people want to give you opportunities, to trust you with important tasks and jobs.

When you're faced with an unfamiliar subject, you would patiently deconstruct it into an understandable structure. There's an intense focus being put on it, not just to understand it but to master it. To be the object of your focus would akin to being scrutinised and studied by a scientist. You can be a quite obsessive and hyper focused when you're interested in something. Especially when you want to achieve a goal or possess something, you go with all your might, there's no fear, no hang-up involved, because you're not afraid to be judged. Your inner drive roots in the ideal vision you seek, not in simple egotistical desires like wanting to be recognised or praised. You might actually shun publicity or attention, because attention can curb your freedom, which is what you seek and value the most. So you're fine with working behind the screen, as long as you can achieve your goals, and those goals are usually about advancement and improvement of something that can benefit the collective.

[shycloudkitty]

Just one more minute...

Summary: Your husband has to leave for yet another mission but he's not quite ready to let you go yet… So he just savors…each… moment… 

Pairing: Death Island! Leon × Fem reader

Tags: a bit angsty but lots of comfort, Leon sleeping peacefully for once in his life, fluff, established relationship. Just overall a short comfy read <3

WC: 1.3K

Masterlist | Ao3 account

Small droplets of rain splatter on the windows of your bedroom. The soft sound created a soothing lullaby for the ears for those who were sleeping to it. The cloudy weather and the chill air contributed in making it the most serene environment while you stay snuggled up peacefully in your husband's arms with a warm blanket over you. 

His arms stayed around your waist holding you gently in a warm embrace, face nuzzling your hair, gentle breathing warming your neck. This was always his favorite position to fall asleep to. Your smell, your soft touch, your weight beneath him, telling him that you were really here… You were real. 

Your arms were wrapped around his bare torso and face buried in his chest. Feeling his body warmth seep into your skin. Limbs trained to take life, now just protecting you from the chill air and comforting you in your sleep. 

It was such a simple moment, just a couple sleeping and relaxing in each other's comfort. But at the same time it was so rare between you two. Just having these simple moments with him felt like a blessing. It was heaven.

And why wasn't it normal for both of you? Right. He had a job of saving the world, do or die, special agent... You get the idea. Except his job wasn't exactly a James Bond one. That only happened in movies. No, this was more grim than what they show in the movies. But what can you do when these are the cards life dealt you with? 

But he always felt inspired by you, how you handled every situation thrown at you with grace. Obviously, he wasn't a fool, he could see it was tough but still tried your best. Even in this relationship, you handle everything with so much love and care…he never had someone who sticked with him more than a few months let alone actually get married to. 

He didn’t hold anything against his exes, like his life was basically swamped with work so he understood why they left. What was actually confusing? You staying in his life, despite everything. You stayed even when he missed some of the important moments of your life. Sadly, that was the reality of his job. You win some, you lose some.

He was obviously happy that you stayed with him despite everything but he never quite understood why? He couldn't help but ask you this question. He remembers seeing your cheeks get red, avoiding his gaze and softly saying ‘I love you’. He also recalls saying ‘thank you’ in response because of how flustered he got from the confession. 

That memory always makes him facepalm himself.

After the day of your confession it was like his world flipped. And even though he didn't understand it fully at the time he wanted to do everything in his power to keep you in his life, even if it meant catering to your every whim. He listened to everything you said, trying to remember the best he could. 

He actually has a secret folder on his phone containing everything about your likes and dislikes just in case he needs a refresher. 

He didn’t even realize when it happened but he fell in love with you and wanted to keep you in his life forever. Thankfully, you felt the same way when he got down on one knee and asked if you wanted to marry him. He almost lost the ring with how nervous he was, fidgeting with the ring box in his pocket every 5 minutes.

It's been a few years since he tied down the knot with you and it was the best decision of his life. Sure, being married presents its own set of problems, sometimes things get rocky between you two, but there was nothing you both couldn't solve. Sometimes the problems needed talking, other times he could tell without you saying a word. But each time he makes it known that he loves you. Always. 

The soft rain slowly stirs Leon awake, he glances at his surroundings and then looks down at your sleeping face with his bleary eyes. He yawns and rubs his eyes, the digital clock on his nightstand read 6:30am. 

It was still half an hour early before he had to go to work today for some missing person assignment Hunnigan gave out. He didn’t wanna go but apparently it was top priority and needs his immediate attention. He told you about it last night, you weren't exactly happy since it was last minute but at this point you had grown used to it.

He tilts his head and looks at your serene face, caressing your cheek and sighing. His lips press a soft kiss on your forehead and gently threads his fingers through your hair. His voice comes as a soft whisper. “I don't wanna go either… you know that, right?” You probably knew how he felt about going too. You could read him like a book at this point. 

His eyes flit through your soft features, taking note of your breathing, slow and deep, fully relaxed. He smiles to himself and whispers in the same soft voice. “God, you’re so beautiful. You always are.” he lovingly brushes some hair out of your face. “I'm really lucky I get to see you like this, feels like I'm in heaven even if I probably won't ever go there. You do so much for us, I wish I could just stop this moment for us and never let go.”

He sighs softly and slowly pulls you closer to the warmth of his chest, trying not to jostle you too much. He closes his eyes briefly, focusing on your warmth. And starts mumbling to himself. “Honestly, if I was a poet I would have written dozens of poems about you. They probably would have been corny but you would have liked it.”

He gently starts brushing your hair again and continues. “But since I'm not… I don't have enough words to fully express how much you mean to me. The fact that we’re still together, makes me the luckiest fool ever lived. My heart hurts sometimes because of how happy I get cause of you.”

He sighs and mumbles. “I'm not normal…never have been. But with you…I feel that I finally became the man that I was supposed to be. And that I finally have a place called home."

He scoffs to himself, shaking his head. He didn't know what had possessed to become so sentimental this early. “I'm really cheesy aren't I?”

He felt soft teardrops on his chest where your face was resting. You had woken up from his rambling. 

His heart clenches from realization. He gulps, feeling the sudden lump rise up in his throat. He hugs you tighter and rubs your bare back. “I will come back, I promise.” Softly pressing a kiss on your shoulder. 

He glances at the time again. It was nearly 6:55am. He had to start getting ready for work. 

He slowly tilts your face, wiping away the tears from your shining eyes. His expression softens, cupping your face in his hands and softly kisses you. He feels you kiss him back, your grip on his arm tight. 

After a few moments you both slowly pull back from the kiss, eyes closed, foreheads resting against one another, soft breathing filling the quiet room. He softly mumbles. “I have to get ready now sweetheart.”

He feels you shake your head in response. Your soft voice fills the room. “No…wait for few more minutes. Just stay.”

He gulps and nods. He wasn't strong enough to deny that request. He pulls you close, covering both of you in the blanket. “Of course, darling.” And press soft kisses on your shoulder. 

Enjoying these quiet moments of solace with you. Even if he couldn't make this moment last forever, he knew he would come back to relish it again... 

Usually I wouldn't say this but I would very much appreciate it if you left comments, obviously if you want to. It helps me improve and encourages me to write more. 😊❤

-Bella

[rasha-ahmed2002]

On the morning of October 7th

Gaza woke up to the sound of bombings and explosions, as if the sky had opened to rain fire that would never stop. In a small neighborhood filled with simple dreams, lived Ahmed, a hardworking man trying to provide for his family, his loving and patient wife Rasha, their one-year-old daughter Mariam, and their newborn baby Suleiman, just a month old. 🏠💔

As the bombings intensified and houses collapsed around them, Ahmed realized their home, the place where they built their memories, was no longer safe. In a moment of panic, he grabbed his two children—Mariam, who clung to him crying, and baby Suleiman, too small to understand the chaos. Rasha, her hands trembling, tried to pack whatever she could—diapers, a milk bottle, and some warm clothes. Everything happened so fast, as if they were racing against death itself. 🏃‍♂️👩‍🍼

They fled south, where they were told there might be temporary safety. But the journey was a nightmare. Ahmed walked with a heavy heart, every step feeling like a piece of his soul was being torn away. 💔 Mariam sobbed in fear and hunger, while Suleiman whimpered weakly in his arms. Rasha followed closely, carrying a small bag, her eyes filled with tears, terrified of losing everything.

After hours of walking, they arrived at what was described as a "safe place." It was nothing more than an open field crowded with families who had also lost their homes. They found shelter under a tree 🌳, feeling like their world had collapsed. With only a thin blanket to protect them from the cold, Mariam fell asleep in her mother's arms, while Suleiman cried out of hunger—there was no more milk left. 🍼❌

Ahmed sat at a distance, staring at his family with helplessness. He remembered his small shop, the place where he worked every day, and how Mariam used to run to greet him with a smile when he came home. Now, he had nothing left—no home, no job, not even hope. 😔

Rasha, despite her pain, tried to stay strong. But every night, she cried silently as she looked at her two children, wondering how she would feed them or keep them safe. The days dragged on, each one heavier than the last, bringing more despair with it.

One day, Ahmed received news that the shop where he worked had been completely destroyed. It felt like another knife had pierced his heart. He didn’t know how he could start over again or rebuild his life in a world shattered by war. 🏚️💔

As time passed, all they had left were memories. Memories of their small home that once held them together, Mariam’s first laughter, and the sweet scent of newborn Suleiman. These memories became their only treasure as they faced an uncertain future.💔💔

The war had stolen everything from them, but it couldn’t steal their love for one another. ❤️ Every night, Ahmed would tell Rasha, “We will rebuild everything one day. Not just for us, but for Mariam and Suleiman. They are our only hope.”

But even that hope seemed like a distant mirage, a glimmer of light in a desert of pain. ✨

Amidst this suffering, we need your support, whether through donations or by sharing this message to reach as many people as possible who can help.

Every contribution, no matter how small, helps make this hope a tangible reality.

Even with just a 5€ contribution, you can help build hope for a family in desperate need.

Let’s work together to ease the pain and light the way for those who need it. Share, donate, and be part of this change.

Please help my family🙏🏻🥺🥺

vetted by

[transandrobroism]

an observation from several posts/conversations that could really help in avoiding a lot of misunderstandings: often when people talk about 'transmisogyny', they are using the term 'transmisogyny' to mean at least three different things simultaneously and conflating different meanings of the term in discussions. in general usage i've seen 'transmisogyny' used to mean:

transmisogyny-as-phenomena - i.e. 'transmisogyny' as a term for the intersection of transphobia and misogyny, a common feature of transfems' experiences;

transmisogyny-as-framework - in which transmisogyny is elevated to the level of a conceptual framework for understanding all transphobia. under this meaning everyone is encouraged/expected to conceptualise their experiences of transphobia through the lens of transmisogyny and run it through a filter of "how does this relate back to transmisogyny as the primary driving force for all transphobia"

on top of this both uses of the term are also conflated with the TMA/TME framework that divides people into two neat categories of those affected or primarily targeted by transmisogyny (transmisogyny affected, or TMA) and those exempt from transmisogyny and only accidentally impacted by it (transmisogyny exempt, or TME).

conflating all these meanings with each other is how you end up with soggy takes like "rejecting the label of TME is denying transfems the right to define and discuss their own oppression" which is a real thing that someone (transmasc) said to me. treating these concepts as all interchangeable meanings of the term transmisogyny contributes to a lot of the discourse and (frankly) animosity about discussions of transandrophobia, because when someone says something like "idk i just don't think transmisogyny is adequate as a robust framework for understanding how all transphobia works" or "dividing the world into TMA/TME is a flawed way of viewing transphobia and replicates the gender binary we're all trying to dismantle", that's a critique of transmisogyny-as-framework, but is read as a rejection of transmisogyny-as-phenomena, and thus is viewed as invalidating transfems' experiences.

add to that the fact that i've seen some people insist that transmisogyny is not just an umbrella term for the ways transfems experience transphobia but just means the intersection of transphobia and misogyny - but at the same time people insist that AFAB (trans) people are all exempt from transmisogyny by default and that our experiences should be discussed as 'misdirected transmisogyny'. which renders the de facto meaning of the term 'transmisogyny' an umbrella term for transfem experiences from which anyone not transfem is exempt.

the conflation of terms and definitions means any critique of transmisogyny or TMA/TME is taken as a denial of transfems' experiences. it also means that when transmascs propose a term like 'transandrophobia' - meaning the intersection of the identity positions of 'trans' and 'man', or more broadly a term for commonly-shared experiences of transmascs - that's read as an argument that all men are systemically oppressed for being men (it's not) and/or that transmascs are proposing transandrophobia-as-framework (again, not the case). but because 'transmisogyny' can refer interchangeably to both transphobic phenomena and experiences and a proposed conceptual framework for transphobia in general, the term 'transandrophobia' is misconstrued as a conceptual framework. we say "we've come up with a term to describe our experiences as transmascs" and people hear "you need to conceptualise all your experiences with transphobia in terms of the oppression of transmascs and centre our experiences in your discussions about your own marginalisation".

the reality is that most people discussing transandrophobia are not denying that transfems experience transphobia or denying that transmisogynistic phenomena happen. objections to the TMA/TME distinction are objections to a conceptual framework that treats all transphobia as just transmisogyny in a trenchcoat, and not a denial that transfems experience transmisogyny or are 'not oppressed' or whatever else.

for the record, i have no beef with transmisogyny either as a term for the intersection of transphobia and misogyny or as a term for shared transfem experiences. my critiques of transfeminst thinking are theoretical, namely:

transmisogyny-as-framework presupposes that the major driving force of all transphobia is a desire to target/punish trans women and that everyone else is caught in the crossfire. i don't think that's adequate as a conceptual framework because transphobia is better understood as a result of a gender-essentialist society punishing all non-normative performance of gender. it also relies on a lot of faulty assumptions about the transphobia that transmascs experience. transphobia experienced by transmascs is treated as a category-typical experience of transphobia (i.e. trans men get the 'just transphobia' version, whilst transfems get the 'transphobia plus' version)... but also transmasc oppression must be framed in terms of 'misdirected (trans)misogyny'. you can't treat trans men as having the most typical, 'basic' experience of transphobia whilst also insisting all transphobia is actually a form of transmisogyny misdirected at other trans people. those two positions are mutually contradictory. if all transphobia is actually about transmisogyny then transfems are getting the default transphobia experience and transmascs/trans nonbinary people/etc are all getting variations of that, not the other way around.

if you want to use transmisogyny as a framework for understanding all of transphobia, you cannot label anyone as exempt from transmisogyny. if transmisogyny is the proposed framework for understanding all transphobic discrimination of any trans person of any gender, then you are saying we all exist in a system of transmisogyny. therefore none of us are exempt from it. and if you're proposing transmisogyny-as-framework for all trans experiences, then all trans people get to weigh in on it, because you're applying it to all of us. i get to disagree with the framework being coercively applied to my experiences and i should be able to do that without being called transmisogynistic, because critiquing a framework you're asking every trans person to submit to is not synonymous with hating on trans women or denying their lived experiences or saying they're not oppressed. you can't insist that transmascs are TME by default whilst also insisting we only ever discuss our experiences as 'misdirected transmisogyny'. and you definitely can't label all transmascs as exempt from transmisogyny whilst simultaneously insisting we use transmisogyny as the conceptual framework within which we understand our oppression. that's trying to have your cake and eat it.

the TMA/TME framework is just reinventing binary gender but with extra steps. especially since in practice determining whether someone is TMA or TME seems to involve an awful lot of focus on people's assigned gender and what genitals they were born with.

a lot of this theorising follows a very radfem pattern of dividing everyone into two gendered categories, labelling one of those categories to Privileged Oppressor Class, and then heavily policing who gets to belong to the Oppressed Victims Class based on their genitals and socialisation. at which point you're just doing TERFism from the other direction. any framework that proposes we can understand gendered experiences in terms of a strict binary is automatically throwing intersex and nonbinary people under the bus. a comprehensive theory of trans experiences must have space for nonbinary identities and intersex experiences otherwise it is incomplete.

i'm making this post in good faith and i'm not denying the impact of transmisogyny on transfems. but i do think theorising around transmisogyny and TMA/TME as a framework have a number of flaws and i'm not going to use those frameworks to talk about my own experiences because they are theoretically inadequate. a robust theory of transphobia and trans experiences must have room for all trans experiences within it, as well as overlapping experiences of gendered oppression such as intersexism, misogyny, butchphobia etc. TMA/TME ain't it.

[the-cosmic-cauldron]

☹︎𝒫𝒾𝒸𝓀 𝒜 𝒫𝒾𝓁ℯ: 𝒴ℴ𝓊𝓇 𝒮𝒽𝒶𝒹ℴ𝓌 𝒮𝒾𝒹ℯ ☹︎

Welcome to 10 Days, 10 Posts from The Cosmic Cauldron! Over the next ten days, I’ll be sharing a blend of astrology and tarot posts, each designed to spark your curiosity and guide your journey. If you find my content interesting, fascinating, or engaging, be sure to click the follow button for more! Ready to dive deeper into your personal journey? Head to my homepage and book a reading — you won’t regret it.

ᑭIᒪᗴ 1

For pile 1, I see that your shadow side often manifests as emotional manipulation. When you don’t get what you want, you tend to go into your head, overthinking, and find ways to subtly manipulate others to get what you desire. You have a tendency to self-isolate, spending too much time in your head, overthinking situations. You’re not always the best at integrating yourself into the world around you. You quickly retreat, pulling away from others and going into isolation. This behavior is part of the manipulation, too. When you don’t get your way, you ghost, walk away, or avoid confrontation. You make it clear that you’re not going to engage, choosing instead to retreat into yourself.

However, this self-isolation leads to stagnation. You spend too much time in your head, ruminating and trying to manipulate situations, which doesn’t help you grow. You’re not opening yourself up to new opportunities when you withdraw. By staying in this cycle of isolation, overthinking, and emotional manipulation, you prevent yourself from experiencing new things and finding healthier ways to channel your emotions. You shut yourself off from the world and miss out on potential opportunities to explore or shift your mindset. You’re not giving yourself the chance to move forward because you’re trapped in this repetitive cycle.

During these periods of isolation, you may also cut off contact with people, ghosting them and becoming distant. If someone does try to engage with you, you may respond in a snappy, petty, or immature way. You could say something hurtful or fail to resolve an issue, only making things worse by not addressing the problem. Holding on to grudges and not letting go of past issues is another challenge for you. When you feel like you possess something, you struggle to release it, even if it’s no longer serving you. You often hold on to things, even dead weight, out of fear of instability. This attachment can be detrimental, keeping you stuck in unhealthy situations.

You tend to deal with a lot of instability, particularly in your relationships. This might stem from an immature way of thinking or communicating with others, where emotional manipulation and withdrawal lead to hot-and-cold dynamics. Your inability to be genuine and authentic creates instability in your connections. You try to gloss over problems by maintaining a positive outlook, holding on to hope that things will improve without addressing the underlying issues. This leads to gaslighting yourself, believing that your actions won’t have consequences, or that things will magically work out. In reality, holding on to things that no longer serve you keeps you stagnant, and when you do let go, it’s often too quickly, without giving situations the time they need to improve.

The themes of instability in your relationships are clear, and I believe you struggle with emotional intelligence and balancing your own energy with that of others. You may have difficulty understanding your emotions and how they impact your relationships. This imbalance further contributes to the challenges you face in connecting with others in a healthy, sustainable way.

ᑭIᒪᗴ 2

For this pile, I sense that you experience a lot of emotional overwhelm and struggle with managing your emotions. There’s also a sense of manipulation involved. You come across as someone who can be very much a “my way or the highway” type of person. You easily feel attacked, and you have a lot of pride issues. You take things way too personally and can’t find a balance between allowing someone to express themselves without feeling like you’re being attacked. You take everything to heart, which makes you feel the need to fight and defend yourself. This leads to a lot of clashes with people because you can’t let things just be. You have a hard time accepting that some people will simply be the way they are, and you feel the need to assert your opinion and your will. You know that certain people are not going to agree with you, yet you still engage with them, even if they’re problematic.

You also have a passive-aggressive side. Instead of directly expressing how you feel, you try to play it cool and act like everything is fine. But when you can’t take it anymore, you have emotional outbursts where you say a bunch of things you regret. You sometimes underestimate your ability to handle certain conversations or situations. You think you can handle them, but then they end up blowing up in your face. You are a very sensitive person, and you tend to absorb and internalize what others say emotionally, which leads to overthinking. This overthinking is part of why you can be passive-aggressive—you try to avoid conflict, but your emotions, at times, make you conflict-driven.

At the same time, you have a conflict-avoidant side, where you shut down, isolate yourself, and ghost people. You retreat into your own head, overthinking things while shutting everyone else out. This combination of being conflict-driven and conflict-avoidant makes you unpredictable. People don’t always know what to expect from you. You can be emotionally volatile, with mood swings that make it hard for others to know how to deal with you. You might not have strong boundaries because you struggle with controlling your moods. Some days, you show up as a cool, happy, engaging person, and other days, you’re crabby, distant, and don’t want to be bothered.

This unpredictability can drive people away. The sudden shift in your behavior can be jarring, and some people might find it too much to handle. You also have periods where you completely withdraw from others, not wanting to talk or interact with anyone. These inconsistencies in your behavior make it challenging for others to know how to approach or relate to you.

ᑭIᒪᗴ 3

For pile three, I feel like you often get stuck in life. There’s a lot of fear holding you back from broadening your horizons. You tend to be very secretive, and this secrecy deceives others, but it also holds you back. Instead of putting yourself out into the world, you hide in the shadows. By doing so, you miss opportunities. Even though you might want to start things, you don’t allow them to grow beyond the initial stage. You don’t give yourself enough time or patience to nurture the seeds, goals, and ideas you have because you quickly lose interest. You become apathetic too fast, and it seems like things no longer matter to you. You often tap out emotionally—getting fully invested one moment, then pulling away and acting distant the next. You tend to either isolate yourself too much or keep things too reserved.

You need to put yourself out into the world more, but you struggle to maintain your energy. You have moments of enthusiasm where you start goals or projects, but that energy fades quickly. As a result, you never reach the maturity needed to complete things, and you withdraw. You remain reserved, acting shy or indifferent, but deep down, you struggle with low confidence. You’re afraid of change, afraid of movement, and afraid of doing something different. You prefer the mundane, the routine, and you don’t know how to break out of it. There’s a fear of something going wrong, and you’re trying to protect yourself from what you perceive as potential upheaval, hurt, or pain. But in trying to protect yourself, you’re only protecting your ego, which means you’re not flourishing in the way you desire.

Your confidence is low, and you don’t believe in yourself enough. You don’t give yourself the stamina or time to endure the process and stages required to achieve your goals. You give up too easily and withdraw quickly. You don’t give yourself the patience to continue, and this keeps you stuck. By keeping yourself behind closed doors and withdrawing, you miss out on opportunities. It often takes dramatic situations to force you to face the truth because you’ve built up so many unresolved issues. You don’t feel confident in how you look, act, or what you do, and that’s holding you back.

You struggle with follow-through, which leads to abandoning things before completing them. This prevents you from reaching a point where you can truly put yourself out there and try new things. Instead, it’s the same monotonous routine, and your passion fizzles out quickly. You don’t have a strong grasp on sustaining things, and maintaining consistency seems to be a difficult aspect of your life. You need to adopt a more positive mindset, as it seems you struggle with confidence and with maintaining progress in your endeavors.

ᑭIᒪᗴ 4

For Pile 4, I feel like you hold on to the past too much, and that’s the main issue here. You have such an emotional attachment to the past that it’s hard for you to stay in the present moment and remain grounded. Instead, you often drift off into thoughts about past events. While it’s normal to feel nostalgic, you sometimes hold on to past attachments, seeing things through rose-colored glasses. This causes you to become overly emotionally attached, making it difficult to see things clearly.

Another thing I sense about you is that you overexert yourself. You tend to be very self-sacrificial and care about people deeply, but to your own detriment. Your emotional intensity when it comes to giving to others can be overwhelming because you might lack boundaries. You don’t know how to say no, take time for yourself, or stop when you’ve reached your limit. You don’t fully understand your limitations or know enough about yourself to set healthy boundaries, which leads to you taking on too much. You say yes too often and end up overburdened. Like Pile 3, you may start many things, and you have a lot of good ideas and goals, but following through is difficult. There’s a lack of drive to finish what you’ve started, and you struggle with patience and stamina when it comes to completing tasks.

It seems like you’re always going through something—facing conflict or challenges in your life that cause you to burn yourself out. You then have to dig yourself out of difficult situations, repeating this cycle. You might find yourself saying, “Now I’m finally in a good place,” only to burn out again and have to rebuild. This cyclical pattern can keep you stuck.

I also feel like it’s very hard for you to let go of the past and release people from your life, even if they’re toxic or unhealthy for you. It’s difficult for you to accept endings, and you often push your will too hard. Forcing yourself to endure struggles just to get what you want isn’t healthy, yet sometimes you’re willing to put yourself through instability because you believe you can come out of it. Even though you do manage to recover, you still hold on to emotional pain, which can lead to resentment. So, many of you are dealing with a deep well of resentment, which is not healthy. It’s hard for you to move past things and embrace change, even when it’s necessary. You tend to hoard emotions internally, and while you may not show it to others, you’re really going through a lot.

Speaking to others and freeing yourself from your attachment to the past could help you move forward, but letting go of things and dealing with change is challenging for you. This is a shadow aspect of yourself. When you avoid change, you end up stuck in a loop that you can’t escape. You need to take time for yourself, but it’s difficult for you to do so. You focus so much on others and external things that it’s hard for you to turn inward and focus on your true self.

[ashraffamilynew]

Yamen: A Light of Hope in the Darkness"

Meet Yamen, our beautiful nine-month-old son, born into a world of chaos and conflict. His arrival during this war is a bittersweet reminder of both our struggles and our unwavering hope. Each day, he brings a glimmer of light into our lives, and with every smile, he inspires us to dream of a future that feels almost unattainable.

Yamen doesn’t understand the fear that envelops us or the shadows of uncertainty that loom large. To him, the world is still a place of wonder. He giggles and reaches for me with his tiny hands, each laughing a fragile melody that cuts through the noise of destruction. In his eyes, I see the innocence that we desperately want to protect.

But I often find myself asking: How long can we shield him from the harsh realities of this war? How long can we maintain his innocence in a world that threatens to steal it away? As parents, the weight of these questions is heavy. The thought of him growing up in fear is a pain I can not bear.

This is why I am reaching out to you. We are embarking on a campaign to create a future for Yamen that transcends our own difficult experiences. We believe that with the support of a compassionate community, we can turn our dreams into reality. By contributing, you are not merely donating; you are actively participating in the shaping of his world—a world filled with love, security, and opportunity.

Imagine a life where Yamen can play freely, learn joyfully, and grow without the shadow of conflict hanging over him. Your support can help us build that life for him, ensuring he experiences the joy and potential that every child deserves.

Yamen may be just a baby, but in his laughter lies the power to inspire change. Let us work together to create a brighter future, where his innocence is cherished and nurtured. Join us in this fight for hope and resilience so that one day, when he looks back, he sees a life full of love and possibility—a life untainted by war.

Together, we can make a profound impact. Let’s give Yamen and all children like him a chance to grow up in a world where hope triumphs over despair.

DONATION LINK ‼️

Vetted by @gaza-evacuation-funds Number (#328)

Vetted by /@90-ghost

Vetted by @gazavetters, my number verified on their list ( #74 )

Vetted on X platform on this spreadsheet (#391)

[literaryvein-reblogs]

Writing Notes: Scientific Literacy

Scientific Literacy - the ability to parse through scientific information and understand it. Furthermore, it can entail the knowledge necessary to conduct experiments, hypothesize about new data, and think critically about the wider world.

How to Improve Scientific Literacy

The more science literate a society becomes, the better equipped it is to meet the challenges of the contemporary world. Consider these ways to improve the public understanding of science:

Combat misinformation. Science education is essential to combating misinformation. Unless people know how to vet sources of information, they’re more prone to take untrue or science illiterate alternatives at face value. This has led to people outright denying the reality of climate change and global warming, as well as refusing to take life-saving vaccines.

Demonstrate the real-world value. People are more likely to achieve scientific literacy when they see it has pragmatic value. Show students how an increased understanding of science can boost economic productivity, increase personal well-being, improve professional development, and have a positive general impact on their everyday lives.

Specify needed skills. There are many different important science literacy skills, so help people break them down into manageable chunks. Walk students through how to form a hypothesis, conduct an experiment using the scientific method, or read through a science paper and evaluate its veracity.

Take a wide-angle view. Encourage people to study all sorts of different scientific fields. For example, someone may have a hard time understanding the scientific processes underlying a life science (like chemistry) but also take to a more physical branch of the field (like earth science). You could then use their enthusiasm for the latter to inspire them to work harder to understand the former. Utilize different science teaching strategies to encourage a love of the field in general.

How to Evaluate Scientific Literacy

There are various approaches you can take to test for scientific understanding. Here are a few key ways to evaluate literacy in the science classroom:

Follow an established science curriculum. You can find plenty of curricula to guide your own personalized science education goals. For example, institutions like the American Association for the Advancement of Science and the National Academy of Science provide general wisdom about how to teach students to become science literate throughout their time in school.

Start a dialogue. Constant conversation and experimentation are part of the very nature of science. As such, scientific inquiry requires a group approach to problem-solving. Ask your students to help each other deepen their understanding of scientific concepts and step in to assist them along the way. See if they’re grasping these concepts as you talk to them.

Test for knowledge. Try to test for knowledge of science concepts in multiple different ways. Ask your students to conceive of and conduct an experiment from start to finish. Encourage them to write a scientific research paper with the appropriate citation format, utilizing peer-reviewed resources. Provide traditional multiple-choice tests to evaluate general scientific knowledge as well.

The Importance of Scientific Literacy

Scientific literacy enables you to understand why things are the way they are. Becoming a science-literate person can lead to or contribute to:

A greater impetus to act on important issues: Scientifically literate citizens are more likely to act when science indicates a crisis is on the horizon. Scientific issues often become political and ethical issues, drifting out of the lab or classroom into the real world. Science teachers help their students identify issues like these as well as propose ways they can act to solve them.

A greater understanding of the world: From elementary to high school science and beyond, teachers do their best to explain the wonders of the natural world to their students. Scientific knowledge expands your ability to grasp mysteries you previously thought of as inscrutable and unsolvable.

Improved critical thinking skills: Science learning allows you to hone your critical thinking skills in a way that can apply to a vast array of other arenas in your life. As you comb through scientific evidence and assess data, you train yourself to think objectively. Core competencies like these have far-reaching benefits on your general decision-making capabilities.

At a very early age, even elementary school students receive exposure to scientific concepts in the interest of building this sort of literacy.

Schools follow national science education standards to bring the next generation up to speed on everything from physics and chemistry to the broader life and social sciences.

Certain scientific authorities lament what they see as the low standards of scientific literacy throughout contemporary society.

They insist we need education reform to ensure the general public can better learn to see the world through a science-oriented lens.

Source ⚜ More: Notes & References ⚜ Writing Resources PDFs

[mavyunivrse]

| Pile 3

Imbalance is a big theme here. Maybe between your current reality vs your desired reality. It’s showing that you have turned away from some people or completely cut them off. Disharmony seems to be quite present for you. Have you felt any resentment or bitterness towards anyone? Is it towards shifting creators or friends you’ve made in the community? Or maybe people around you that seem to have everything together in this reality and that’s hard to be around.

We all need isolation once in a while, but perhaps your relationships have suffered while you’ve kept to yourself and you might have some explaining to do or have been in the middle of it.

This collective seems to constantly have little to no energy with any amount of rest they get, and finishing tasks may feel like an obstacle. You’ve also probably faced creative blocks, inspiration hard to come by. Or you get lots of ideas but aren’t sure how to execute them. When was the last time you’ve felt pure passion for something, shifting related or not. I know this is a shifting reading but it feels like you should focus on your current reality just for a moment, see what comes out of it. You’re likely to regain your creativity with patience. You’ve been too hesitant to make any real decisions to get the ball rolling, take some time for figure out your wants vs needs. This imbalance is causing you a lot of anxiety, continuing down this route can lead to turbulence. Relect on what you need to change and remind yourself that all things are only good in moderation.

You may not know it but a strength you have is your relationships and groups. They’re ready to give you the compassion and support you need if you stop turning away from them. Problems you have been having in your social life are coming to an end, you’ll be able to resolve differences. I urge you to reconnect with people in and out of the shifting community, both are here to help you in this reality.

You guys are very adventurous and energetic—in your head. Something within you yearns to constantly learn. You have a curiousity for the world that you feel only shifting can fulfill with the amount of things you want to experience. But the inexperience you have in this reality could have stumped yourself as you may have a fear of the unknown and have you remain dormant. You may be the type to have a cool exterior but your mind is running incredibly fast, idea after idea, making you easily distracted. You have a lot of inner battles that a lot of people around you may not realise, this could contribute to the friction in your relationships. Communication needs to be done once you understand yourself currently and hurdle yourself over your mental obstacles. You’re gifted with so much intelligence that is being boarded down by your lack of movement. Gathering your resources and boldly moving forward sounds appetising to you, but actually doing it is a different story. You have so much inner strength, bring it to your body and the surface.

You fear stagnation and uncertainty but this is what you’ve been in for quite some time. What’s being pictured in your head is not accurately depicting your life. You’re likely aware of this and that there is something for you to conquer. I wouldn’t say you’ve been aimless in your goals, but you’ve definitely just been waiting to see where life takes you. But you’re not meant for that, you want control and are smart enough to know how to achieve things. But constantly putting your energy into your mental has left you immobile.

You could fear losing this reality and it’s comforts, you might be planning to shift to more intense realities. And you suppress this fear by masking it with the excitement you have for experiences to come, and it’s leaving you torn between two. A lot of your excitement has died down while being in limbo for a shift that you’re not necessarily working towards. For this collective I recommend looking into waiting rooms, detachment subliminals, adhd methods, prioritising your current reality for a bit and reconnect with grounded people.

Hidden knowledge card: learning to love yourself and have gratitude for the things you already have will bring in immense success and rejuvenation. That is long lasting too, as long as you keep being active. Self work never just ends. You’re going to feel at home very soon. There is a seeming large hurdle to go over but you should start it’s journey now rather than later, maybe it’s feeling bigger than it really is cause you’ve put it off for so long. You are being promised so much emotional stability, contentment, fulfilment and domestic harmony! This is extremely positive, it’s talking about paradise and wishes being granted. Take advantage of that right now and reach your happily ever after.

Oracle words: bittersweet, anchor, lazy, transformation, forward, overwhelmed, fatigue

Channeled songs:

Malibu | Hole

Paradise City | Guns N’ Roses

Monster | Paramore

Shout | Tears For Fears

Nightmares By The Sea | Jeff Buckley

IFHY | Tyler, The Creator

Alright | Kendrick Lamar

Thanks for reading! <3

My Masterlist.

– ℳ

[sejdkvinna]

beginning deity worship and work

I've seen many beginner pagans ask how to begin deity worship and work over the years, and this is my contribution of advice to anyone confused how to start. I will say that a good chunk of this comes from personal opinions and experience, and if you find that my advice doesn't resonate with you, there's many ways to approach deity work/worship!

Discern the Magical from the Mundane

I can't begin to count how many posts I've seen that ask if seeing a crow means X deity is reaching out, or if a large flame from a candle means Y deity wants to work with them. In my personal experience, I've found that callings are much more rare than online experiences portray them to be. Many things that are attributed to being a "sign" are really just normal and natural parts of the world around us. There's so many mundane reasons why your candle flame might be large, erratic, etc. Crows are incredibly common birds in many regions. Before jumping to say that something is a sign, take a step back to analyze if there could be any mundane explanations for something. The way deity work/worship is portrayed online often makes beginners feel like their connection to a deity is less special if it doesn't come from a calling, but the reality is that the need for a calling is often ego-driven. Before getting into deity work/worship, take some time to recognize when your ego is getting in your way, as well as to understand what is mundane v. magical.

Deity Work v. Worship

Just like a deity relationship that stems from a calling is no more special than a relationship you choose to initiate, working with a deity does not make you more special or chosen than someone who chooses to primarily/entirely worship that deity. The two relationships are different, but one is not better than the other. Before diving into deity work/worship, consider what it is you want from the relationship. Do you want to learn from a deity? Do you feel inspired to honor a deity without a working relationship? What is it that calls you to deity work/worship? Understanding what you want will help you to decide who to work with or worship, as well as how to build that connection.

Pantheons

A pantheon is a collection of gods that belong to a specific culture/people or religion.  Just about every culture that exists has a pantheon to go along with it, but some of the more common pantheons among pagans and Wiccans are the Greek, Celtic, and Norse (don't let this restrict you though!).  Some pantheons belong to closed cultures, which means that unless you are native to the culture or initiated into it by a spiritual leader, that pantheon is off limits to you.

While you can absolutely work with deities from different pantheons, my advice to beginners is to start by finding a pantheon you personally connect with. Deities don't exist in a vacuum - they are deeply tied to their cosmology. Starting with one pantheon can help you narrow down which deity you would like to start honoring or working with, as well as prevent you from stretching yourself thin as you research the context/mythology that deities exist within. Remember, you can always branch out in the future!

Deities

Once you have an idea of which pantheon you want to work with, start researching various deities within that pantheon.  See if any names stick out to you or if certain mythological stories connect with you.  If a deity wants to work with you, chances are that they will send signs that are persistent and impossible to ignore. If a deity wants to work with you, you'll know from signs they send you and a feeling of being drawn to them that's difficult to explain. Please remember though, you can absolutely initiate contact!  Also, I warn against picking a deity because of what they are associated with (for example, just because Hekate is the goddess of witches doesn't necessarily mean you need to work with her to be a strong witch). 

In addition, you can try doing guided (or unguided) meditations to send a call into the universe and see which deity will respond to your call.  Meditation is also a great way to contact and have clear communication with deities, so it wouldn't be a bad idea to learn how to meditate to reach out to deities now.  If you can astral project, you can also use this to connect to a deity similarly to the way someone would in meditation.

Once you have found a deity that calls out to you that you are interested in working with, research as much as you can about them!  Learn about their mythology, what is associated with/ruled by them, appropriate offerings, devotional acts, epithets, etc.  Reflect based on this information whether or not the deity is one that you actually want to establish a relationship with, as you should feel excited or generally positive going into this (and not guilty or any other negative emotion).  The more you know about this deity, the more effective it will be working with them.

Physical Offerings

Now that you have an idea of what deity you want to work with, it is time to formally establish contact with that deity.  Of course, the best way to start off a relationship on the right foot is with a gift.  If you are able to set up an altar to put offerings on, that is ideal, but you can also leave offerings outside, eat/drink them yourself, leave them in an untouched area, etc. Be sure that however you choose to dispose of or give the offering is environmentally friendly.  If for whatever reason you are unable to give a physical offering, you can also use prayers and devotional acts as an offering.

First off, there is no universal offering or way to give an offering.  It all depends on the deity.  Research your deity of choice, and find out what food and drink are associated with them (other offerings can be flowers, crystals, etc.).  Different traditions may require different ways to give offerings (such as some require you to not waste food and eat it after a bit, while food offerings for some chthonic deities should be left to rot).  Long story short, do your research!  Once you have your offering, simply say something simple (or elaborate if that's your thing) to communicate your intent to the deity.  Then, present it however is appropriate.

Non-Physical Offerings

Praying (if you are comfortable with it) is a great way to establish regular connection and offerings with a deity.  My suggestion is to either find or create a daily prayer (it does not need to be super long or complex) for your deity.  I've found that reciting something daily will help you build a habit of connecting to the deity you work with/honor, as I need some structure and routine.  You could also get creative and use prayer beads, or get more personal by talking to your deity about your day, fears, hopes and dreams, etc.

Similarly to offerings, devotional acts are specific to each deity, so there are very few universal devotional acts.  Essentially, they are actions you can do in order to honor your deity of choice.  Research your deity of choice to come up with different devotional acts you can do (for example, to honor Aphrodite, you could focus on loving yourself and others).  Like I mentioned earlier, devotional acts can also be offered to a deity the same way as an offering.

Working Relationship

Now that the relationship has been formally established for a bit, this is a good time to establish it as a working relationship (just as with any relationship, there is a give and take system).  Deities are incredibly helpful when it comes to giving advice, guidance, and even information, and when you have been polite and giving gifts for a while, they become much more willing to give you guidance and information.  All that's left is figuring out how to communicate with a deity, and fortunately there is a variety of ways to do so.

If you have the tools, divination is one way to do so.  Divination is also great for those who struggle to communicate with the spirit world and may have more trouble with other methods of communication.  For more black and white answers, I recommend using a pendulum.  However, tarot cards, runes, oracle cards, etc. can be used for the deity to communicate through to give you advice as well.  If you scry, you may not get the most direct or clear answers, but that's another way to receive messages.

Meditation, lucid dreams, evocative, and astral projection can be used for a more direct line of communication where you can actually have a conversation with a deity.  Performing any of these methods could have their own posts, so I will not be going into much detail, but I will say that essentially you just call and ask the deity to appear to you.  With meditations especially (although you may find some for astral projection), you can find a guided meditation to communicate with a deity.

While working with deities in rituals is varied and often depends on what the ritual is, deities can be invoked during a ritual to help carry out your intent.  However, it is important to note that it is unwise (and dare I say rude) to invoke a deity you have not previously worked with simply because of their associations.  Deities are not ingredients, so if you are going to call upon one for assistance during a ritual, please make sure it's a deity you already have an established relationship with.

[inside-black-moon]

I can't...Get out your handkerchiefs...

This is me. 695 days ago I was like this - a small scared girl hiding inside a huge necramech. Now I have become like a necramech myself and I do not hide, but go straight ahead. At that time, I tried to join some clan. I strove for socialization, movement, the flow of cyber-ninja energy. It was all useless. Even here I felt separated from everyone. My condition was aggravated by the terrible events in my real life, which maximally increased the feeling of isolation.

But the world of warframe absorbed me so much that I didn't need help. I understood and understand that this is my special path both in the game and in understanding myself. Isolation helped me open my eyes to many things. And as a reward, I received something priceless.

He and She. I am inclined to deep self-analysis - it helps me survive in society. It turned out thanks to nature that I have a very non-standard perception of the world literally at the cellular level. Of course, with experience and age I have learned many social techniques, but some things remain behind the scenes. But this manifests itself in creativity and photography, including. Using a lot of techniques from ordinary coloristics to physiognomy, I reflect my worldview and attitude, emotions. This is, in fact, the only language of communication that I know perfectly. And this is a great way to "say" something to the audience.

Isolation leads to self-flagellation and searching for flaws in yourself. It took me a long time to get out of this very dangerous borderline state. And yes, self-analysis helped me with this and...Umbra. At some point, I started creating photo comics. There was a lot of text and these were even, rather, illustrated stories. The uncomplaining faithful Umbra was my partner and a kind of assistant in the game for creating illustrations. Self-analysis turned into stories, screenshots - into illustrations. And all this helped me more than once to cope with depression and inner demons. Do I feel gratitude to the character who can technically only repeat animations in the game? Yes, definitely. Without him, there would be no illustrations, without him, there would be no stories. Without him, I would not have gotten out of hell. I needed a strong hand, support, to survive. When you don't understand what depression can lead to and you take it lightly, it can be a fatal mistake. I was on the edge. One step away from very bad things. And he pulled me out.

I understand perfectly well that I pulled myself out, but through the work of my brain, mind, consciousness and subconscious. And Umbra was only an interlocutor. The silent one. But sometimes there are very dangerous situations when, in order to save your own life and mind, you need to fall out of reality and come back. And when you fall out of reality, then yes, the game characters become alive in a sense. I'm not talking about tangibility. But about their perception, the perception of the contribution of their existence to your real life. When you return to reality, the connection remains. Admiration and respect. Trepidation... I don't know how to describe these emotions. This is something special. Truly intimate, deep and valuable. Despite the fact that these are mind games.

And Arthur. How much... no, that's not the right word... I didn't know that the appearance of a talking character with whom you can interact would kick in a tightly sealed door deep in my subconscious. A lot came out, both things I would like to remember and things I would like to bury. Where are developers? I need to kiss their minds urgently. This won't make it to prime time, but if suddenly one of the developers actually sees this, then hear me - you have no idea what your game does to people. Your brainchild touches other people's minds and changes their lives. From me - thank you. You saved my life. More than once.

I kept this inside for too long.

[thegambitgazette]

Fear: Using Stoicism to Shape Characters

WC: 2,730

Introduction

Like many people, I suffer from severe panic and anxiety attacks. My heart races at what feels like a thousand beats per minute, I get a cold sweat, and my thoughts do not have a filter. The latter of which, I find the most dangerous and disturbing, especially when said attacks get triggered by something so small or nothing at all.

A lot of the time, they boil down to not feeling safe. I feel like I’m vulnerable, that the worst things that happened to me will happen again tenfold, or I’ve become the worst person in existence. Fear, as a lot of us know, can have us assume the worst.

I’m still working on managing my fear, if it can be managed at all, but a lot of what I’ve been practicing is essentially Stoicism. Epictetus, a Greek Stoic philosopher, often highlighted that it is not events themselves that disturb people, but rather their judgments about those events. One famous quote attributed to Epictetus that reflects this idea is: “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.”

This sentiment suggests that fear and other negative emotions stem not from objective reality but from our interpretations and perceptions of reality.

I thought, “What a wonderful way to get to know our characters!” Not only do we have to have a grasp on the world around them, we have to understand the extent of how they perceive said reality and how it leads to their own fears as well as their ambitions, passions, hate, love, etc.

Amor Fati

One of my favorite phrases is “amor fati.” It’s what helped me most in navigating my own fears and, as a result, writing some ways in which my characters handle theirs.

The idea of “amor fati” is closely associated with philosophers like Epictetus and Marcus Aurelius, even though they didn't use those exact words. However, it was Nietzsche who made it a key part of his philosophy. He believed that true greatness comes from embracing fate and wanting nothing to change, not in the past, present, or future. In simple terms, it means loving and accepting everything that happens, rather than just enduring it.

When considering the relationship between “amor fati” and fear, several key points emerge:

Acceptance of the Uncontrollable: Fear often arises from the unknown or from circumstances beyond our control. “Amor fati” encourages individuals to relinquish their resistance to such uncertainties and to accept that life is inherently unpredictable. By embracing fate, individuals can find solace in the realization that some things are simply beyond their power to change or influence.

Facing Adversity with Resilience: Rather than viewing challenges as threats to be avoided or overcome, individuals can approach them with a sense of equanimity and resilience. Instead of succumbing to fear or anxiety in the face of challenges, one can choose to see them as opportunities for growth and self-discovery. By embracing adversity as an integral part of life’s journey, individuals can cultivate the strength and fortitude necessary to navigate difficult times with grace and composure.

Gratitude for All Experiences: Fear often stems from a sense of insecurity or dissatisfaction with one’s circumstances. “Amor fati” cultivates gratitude for all experiences, both positive and negative, recognizing that each contributes to the richness and depth of life. By embracing fate with gratitude and appreciation, individuals can mitigate the fear of the unknown and find peace and contentment in the present moment.

This idea is what helps form a “baseline” for my way of thinking and perceiving fear, which is what many people, fictional characters included, tend to mix up.

You don’t need to adopt the same mantra, of course, but I believe that having this Ground 0 in your own personal philosophy will add further depth and characterization in writing. It provides a deeper perspective on why your characters think the same or why they may deviate.

Distinction Between Events and Perceptions

Let’s go back to what Epictetus said: “People are not disturbed by things, but by the view they take of them.” Stoicism teaches that events themselves are neutral; it is our interpretation of those events that shapes our emotional responses. This concept is often referred to as “cognitive appraisal” or “judgment” in Stoic philosophy.

In practical terms, this means that two individuals may encounter the same external circumstance, yet react to it in vastly different ways based on their subjective interpretations. For example, consider a person who loses their job unexpectedly. While one individual may perceive this event as a devastating blow to their self-worth and security, another may view it as an opportunity for growth and new possibilities. The event itself—the loss of a job—remains the same, but the emotional response varies depending on the individual's perception of the situation.

Epictetus’s insight invites us to reflect on the role of our perceptions in shaping our emotional experiences. It suggests that our judgments, beliefs, and attitudes about the events we encounter play a crucial role in determining how we feel and behave in response to those events. By recognizing this distinction between events and perceptions, individuals can gain greater agency over their emotional lives.

Moreover, understanding this distinction empowers individuals to practice what Epictetus called the “dichotomy of control”—the Stoic principle of focusing only on what is within our power to control, namely our thoughts, attitudes, and responses, rather than becoming consumed by external circumstances beyond our control. By directing our attention inward and cultivating a mindset of resilience and rationality, we can navigate life's challenges with greater equanimity and inner peace.

Applying this to character development, particularly in relation to crafting a character’s fears, can add depth and complexity to the character.

Understanding the Character’s Perception of Fearful Events:

Explore how the character interprets and perceives the events or situations that evoke fear. What underlying beliefs, past experiences, or personal values shape their perception of these events?

Consider whether the character’s fear is rooted in the objective reality of the situation or in their subjective interpretation of it. For example, is their fear based on genuine physical danger, or is it driven by irrational beliefs or past traumas?

Revealing Character Traits and Beliefs:

A character’s response to fear can provide insight into their personality, values, and beliefs. For instance, do they confront their fears head-on with courage and resilience, or do they succumb to anxiety and avoidance?

Consider how the character’s fear reflects broader themes or conflicts in the story. For example, does their fear stem from a desire for control, a fear of vulnerability, or a struggle with existential questions?

External Manifestations of Fear:

Consider how the character’s perception of fear manifests in their actions, behaviors, and interactions with others. Do they exhibit outward signs of fear, such as trembling or avoidance, or do they mask their fears behind a facade of bravado?

Pay attention to how the character’s response to fear influences their relationships with other characters. For example, do they push others away in an attempt to protect themselves, or do they seek support and connection during times of fear and uncertainty?

Symbolism and Subtext:

Use the character’s fears as a vehicle for exploring deeper themes and subtext within the story. What do their fears symbolize in terms of larger narrative themes or character arcs?

Consider how the character’s perception of fear parallels or contrasts with other characters in the story, providing opportunities for reflection and exploration of different perspectives.

“Personal Truths” Are Not Necessarily Lawful

No matter how much a character is afraid of something, there is a line to be drawn on how valid that fear is when justifying a character’s actions and self-proclaimed motives. A person can say that they are afraid of someone else and that they are acting to protect others, but does that truly evade them from the law? In other words, a Villain can be completely convinced that what they are doing is noble and right, or that it stems from their own trauma, but, at the end of the day, they’re a murderous liar.

For example, in George Orwell's allegorical novel Animal Farm, Napoleon is a Berkshire boar who emerges as one of the leaders of the animal revolution against the human farmer, Mr. Jones. Initially, Napoleon is portrayed as a strategic thinker and persuasive speaker, working alongside Snowball, another pig, to rally the other animals and establish the principles of Animalism, which advocate for equality and freedom from human oppression.

As the story progresses, Napoleon’s character undergoes a transformation fueled by his ambitions for power and control.

Napoleon’s fear of losing control over the farm drives many of his actions. He becomes increasingly paranoid about potential threats to his authority, particularly from Snowball, whom he views as a rival. This fear prompts him to manipulate and eliminate anyone who opposes him, including orchestrating the expulsion of Snowball from the farm and later falsely accusing him of being a traitor.

He also utilizes propaganda and manipulation to maintain his grip on power. He gradually assumes control over the farm’s decision-making processes, consolidating power in his own hands and using fear tactics to suppress dissent among the other animals. For example, he employs the threat of the mysterious “Jones” returning to instill fear and obedience among the animals.

Napoleon’s lust for power leads him to betray the principles of Animalism that he once espoused. He progressively becomes more authoritarian and exploitative, engaging in corrupt practices such as trading with humans and altering the Seven Commandments to justify his actions. Despite initially advocating for equality, Napoleon begins to live a life of luxury while the other animals toil and suffer.

As his regime becomes more entrenched, he resorts to violence and oppression to maintain control. He establishes a reign of terror, using his loyal enforcers, the ferocious dogs he raised since they were puppies, to suppress dissent and punish any animal perceived as disloyal. Under his rule, the farm descends into a state of fear and tyranny, with Napoleon ruling with an iron fist.

Napoleon’s character serves as a symbol of totalitarianism and the corrupting influence of power. His transformation from a revolutionary leader to a despotic dictator mirrors the rise of real-life totalitarian rulers who exploit fear and propaganda to consolidate power and suppress dissent. There is not one moment of self-reflection, of him questioning that, perhaps, his fears are unfounded or his “personal truths” are not true at all.

Playing With Reality

Now, how can you utilize fear in order to create a character with as much depth and reflection (or lack thereof) like Napoleon?

Exaggerating a character’s fear involves manipulating elements of reality within the narrative to heighten the character’s sense of paranoia, insecurity, and authoritarianism.

Distorted Perceptions: Employ literary devices such as unreliable narration or distorted perspectives to amplify the character’s fears. By presenting events through the lens of the character’s paranoia, the narrative can create a sense of heightened tension and uncertainty. For example, descriptions of seemingly innocuous occurrences may be exaggerated or imbued with sinister undertones to reflect the character’s heightened state of fear.

Symbolism and Imagery: Symbolic imagery can be used to represent the character’s fears in a heightened and exaggerated manner. For instance, recurring symbols of oppression, surveillance, or impending doom can serve as visual metaphors for the character’s anxieties and insecurities. These symbols can be woven throughout the narrative to reinforce the character’s sense of paranoia and isolation.

Surreal Elements: Introducing surreal or fantastical elements into the narrative can create a sense of disorientation and unease, effectively amplifying the character's fear. By blurring the boundaries between reality and fantasy, the author can evoke a sense of psychological instability and existential dread. Surreal imagery, dream sequences, or hallucinatory experiences can all contribute to the character’s sense of dislocation and terror.

Manipulation of Time and Space: Playing with the conventions of time and space can further exaggerate the character’s fear and disorientation. Flashbacks, flash-forwards, or nonlinear storytelling techniques can create a sense of temporal dislocation, mirroring the character’s fractured mental state. Similarly, disorienting shifts in perspective or setting can contribute to the character's sense of being trapped or pursued by unseen forces.

Atmospheric Detailing: Careful attention to atmospheric detail can help to create a sense of oppressive dread and foreboding. Descriptions of the environment—such as gloomy weather, claustrophobic settings, or unsettling ambient sounds—can evoke a palpable sense of unease, intensifying the character's fear and paranoia.

Character Interaction and Dialogue: Dialogue and interaction with other characters can be used to reinforce the character’s fears and insecurities. Conversations may be laced with veiled threats, double entendres, or gaslighting tactics, leaving the character uncertain of whom to trust. Manipulative or menacing exchanges can heighten the character's sense of isolation and vulnerability.

Did anyone else get a little uneasy imagining all of that? I’d go rather mad if I had all of that happening to me, too. Now, what about the good guys? They are afraid of things, too, right?

Of course they are, and you can utilize the above methods for your heroes, as well! There might just be a little bit of extra work involved in ensuring that they don’t spiral into the villain role.

Establish Strong Moral Compass: From the outset, establish the hero’s core values and moral compass. Make it clear what principles guide their actions and decisions. This foundation will serve as a guiding light, helping to anchor the character and prevent them from straying into villainous territory.

Empathy and Compassion: Ensure that the hero retains their empathy and compassion towards others, even in the face of fear and adversity. By prioritizing the well-being of others and demonstrating empathy towards those in need, the hero reaffirms their commitment to noble ideals and reinforces their heroic identity.

Positive Support Systems: Surround the hero with positive support systems, including allies, mentors, and friends who can offer guidance, encouragement, and moral support. These relationships serve as anchors, providing the hero with strength and stability during moments of doubt and fear.

Consequences of Actions: Highlight the consequences of the hero’s actions and choices, emphasizing the impact they have on others and the world around them. By holding the hero accountable for their decisions and their effects, the narrative reinforces the importance of ethical behavior and reinforces their heroic identity.

Redemption and Forgiveness: If the hero does succumb to fear or makes mistakes along the way, provide opportunities for redemption and forgiveness. Allow the hero to acknowledge their faults, learn from their experiences, and strive to make amends. This narrative arc reinforces the hero’s humanity and resilience, emphasizing the possibility of growth and redemption.

Thematic Resonance: Ensure that the hero’s journey is thematically consistent and resonant, emphasizing themes of hope, courage, and resilience. By grounding the narrative in these overarching themes, the hero’s actions remain aligned with their fundamental nature, reinforcing their heroic identity and preventing them from veering into villainous territory.

Conclusion

Fear is a powerful and universal human experience that can shape both individuals and characters in profound ways. Drawing upon Stoic philosophy, particularly the concepts of “amor fati” and the distinction between events and perceptions, can provide valuable insights into understanding and managing fear. By exploring how characters perceive and respond to fear, writers can create nuanced and compelling portrayals that add depth and complexity to their stories.

“Amor fati,” or love of fate, encourages individuals to embrace and accept all aspects of their lives, including the uncertainties and challenges that provoke fear. By adopting an attitude of gratitude and acceptance towards fate, characters can navigate fear with resilience and courage, transforming adversity into opportunities for growth and self-discovery.

Furthermore, understanding the distinction between events and perceptions allows writers to delve into the subjective nature of fear, exploring how characters’ interpretations and judgments shape their emotional experiences. By depicting characters’ fears as rooted in their perceptions of reality, writers can add layers of complexity to their motivations and behaviors, enhancing the depth and authenticity of their characterization.

While fear can drive characters to make choices that lead them down dark paths, it is ultimately their moral compass, empathy, and support systems that determine whether they remain heroes or succumb to villainy. By emphasizing themes of redemption, forgiveness, and growth, writers can ensure that even in the face of fear, their characters' journeys ultimately lead to strength, resilience, and self-discovery.

[honeyhotteoks]

I read your post about rigger yunho and just wanted to say I’m learning shibari now. If you have questions or need resources for the fic or just for your own exploration let me know here and I’ll DM you. There’s a lot of good resources but also a lot of people out there who don’t know what they’re doing, and it’s hard to figure out what’s what……… also for my own curiosity I have to ask what you’re working on that you think you won’t publish? I know a lot of us would be open to new stuff from you

oh!! that would be amazing and my DMs are absolutely open. i have some questions and some things to work through as i workshop that i’d love to run by someone with hands on experience.

as far as the fics…. honestly i have a lot of short work and long work that i write for myself usually to work through something through the lens of safe and comfortable characters.

click under the cut for more, but cw for SA and how and why i write this -

for rigger!yunho, i’ve been exploring the idea of assault and belief for victims in risk aware consensual kink spaces, and what it would mean to have boundaries pushed or completely ignored in ways that leave you grappling with your own relationship to consent, kink, sex, and the body.

i find writing these arcs out to be really helpful to me, seeing things ive personally struggled with or tried to understand through the lens of fiction and with characters i can write myself.

a little over two years ago i had a personal experience with attempted sa. it’s not something i talk about frequently, but i think i mentioned it on this blog before when discussing why i wrote the assault arc of tnt. i was cornered by a male coworker (who i thought was a friend) on a work trip after getting drinks together and it was an experience where he tried to use my own openness to talk about things against me. he was persistent, said things i wish i could unhear, and tried to get me into his hotel room. it was honestly pretty scary, and even though i made it back to my room safely, i then had another year of navigating a report that went poorly.

i quickly became labeled as a slut and had to leave a job i loved. it’s probably one of the worst experiences of my life, and i still have a feeling that it could have been so much worse. it’s taken me years to just stop hearing his voice whenever certain things happen or when im touched in certain ways.

writing that attempted assault in tnt was a safe way to explore this for me.

at the same time, i’ve spent the past two years thinking about how people who are open about sex or who have more “hard” kinks often have their boundaries ignored. not just in the concept of no limits, but of abusers who utilize the mask of kink to enact harm.

while the man who hurt me was a coworker, and completely removed from a kink context, there was something in the way he spoke to me about sex and boundary pushed that reminded me of things i’ve seen in kink spaces. a slow but unsafe push into deep waters, something selfish and dehumanizing.

this is all to say… i’ve been getting a lot of that out of my system via fic and with the idea of rigger!yunho because it’s a way to process those feelings and that complexity with someone safe.

the reason i don’t feel like i can publish it though…. is more complicated. it is personal, of course, but it’s more than i have complicated feelings about rape/recovery arcs. i enjoy them as a reader, and often seek them out in romance if im being honest, but they are also often problematic and im aware of that. i’ve never wanted to contribute to “tragedy porn” so to speak, or the idea of a white knight / wounded bird narrative….. but i also genuinely enjoy reading those and writing those when well done.

i’ve always tried my best to curate a space here that’s safe for my readers, particularly when it comes to SA. i don’t want to ignore the reality that SA exists and is something we have to navigate in the world (especially as women) but i also worry about perpetuating something negative even in fanfiction.

ultimately… i don’t know if it’s something my readers would want to engage with, and even if it’s something i could publish and feel confident in because it’s very hard, very messy, and very much like recovery.

i’ve always had complex feelings on rape/recovery arcs, but for me personally good ones have helped me navigate what happened to me, what’s happened to friends and loved ones in my life, and brought me comfort. but who i am as a reader and a writer feel different.

i know this might be a lengthy answer you didn’t really need… i just wanted to explain and to share a bit.

if anyone has thoughts, of course my ask box, dms, and replies here are open. if anyone’s reading this and you’ve been through an experience with SA, you’re not alone and i love you.

[loveemagicpeace]

🌙Astrology Weather🫧

🪴Mercury in Virgo -good communication, much more stable and serious. There’s an emphasis on detail and effectiveness, as well as efficiency, cleanliness, and streamlining. You will start to delve more into things that are practical and good for you. Dealing with details is natural and comfortable now. Maybe you can become more critical of others or things. And you become more analytical about what you really want.

🛁Mars in Virgo-wants you to take control of your day-to-day expenses. This transit could push you to learn more about saving, as you attend to your spending habits. Mars will remind you of your passions and desires. This is also good for getting more organized or starting a routine. Virgo is a sign about learning patience, and Mars wants us to work hard to achieve success. You can start doing healthier things or start taking care of your body more.

🪻Neptune in pisces retrograde- pushing you deeper into the waters of your subconscious. This meditative five-month cycle can be a profound blessing. It can open a window to deal with core wounds and addictions (from liquor to love to limiting beliefs). Meanwhile, it can let you tap into buried realms of creativity. Neptune retrograde is a great time to tend to unfinished creative projects.

🌊Saturn in pisces retrograde- Saturn is structured while Pisces flows freely. Listen to your intuition, but rely on empirical data too. State your boundaries up front and ask people about theirs. Take a project management workshop to learn how to turn your dreams into reality. Explore your spirituality. Delve deep into an esoteric subject like dream interpretation or tarot. Reflect on how you share yourself with the world around you.

⭐️Pluto in Capricorn retrograde- Looking toward the past will play an important role in understanding how the future can be improved upon. If you start to notice a pattern that’s contributing to stress, tension, or discomfort, now would be a good time to finally address those issues so that you may overcome them. Just try not to pressure others into seeing things as you do, remembering that you can only control your own thoughts and actions. Pluto is the planet of transformation and rebirth. It helps you regain the strength you have lost and become strong again and even better than you were. Capricorn is a sign that is stable and many times brings lessons and things related to karmic relationships. So that during this time you can get to know relationships and things related to them better and finish everything you started and leave behind everything that confused you. Capricorns will be able to breathe a sigh of relief.

🩷August 1st is the full moon in Aquarius- this moon is also associated with Leo. It's time to reach full expression. The full moon is the most powerful time of the entire moon cycle. Enjoy the full expression of life. Be fully engaged. Let the light of the moon energize you. Enjoy the life you are creating. Celebrate. This is a powerfully healing time. Send healing blessings to others. The full moon in Aquarius allows you to bring your blossoming self-expression to full flower. Inspire feelings of joy within yourself. Leo teaches us about our individuality, while the opposite sign, Aquarius, shows us how we can come together in community. The full moon is good for letting go of everything that doesn't serve you and limits you, burdens you and to make room for new things. Play, sing, dance, draw. Celebrate your accomplishments. Share what you've discovered about yourself. Light a candle & cleanse your crystals in the light of the moon. Bathe in the moonlight. Allow the healing light of the moon to nurture and invigorate you. Meditate on your affirmations.

-Rebekah🐚⭐️🫧

[youremyheaven]

Omg rahu-ketu post😳

I was actually discussing my struggles around having prominent swati in my chart and staying grounded in my own reality on a forum fairly recently.

I have a very rich inner world which I essentially live in most of the time, and sometimes I feel like I miss out of my own life because I’m so detached. Limerence is also a big struggle for me, I find it much easier to centre myself in the energy of someone else than to be responsible for my own reality, which I guess comes from the things you talked about like rahu being a shadow planet and the mythology of rahu and obsession.

I also spend a large amount of time on social media and playing games 😶‍🌫️ I’ve tried to make uses of the positives by channeling my imagination into something tangible like art, but I have a hard time actually putting in the work to develop skills since I’m so distracted all the time. I think I’ve spent too much time in my head and now I’ve forgotten how to be in my body lol (my ADHD isn’t helping either💀)

Swati I think is especially a difficult nak because the libra/venus influence is only enabling rahu’s indulgence, unlike saturn or to a lesser extent mercury.

Aside from my personal whinings- the thing you said about occult/astro kind of intrigued me. All of my close family (incl. grandparents, uncles, etc) have atleast one rahu or ketu nak in their big 3, usually being ardra, mula or swati.

My mother’s side has lots of psychics and we have a dream interpretation system that gets passed down the family, whilst my father’s side has many tarot readers. My dad himself is an occultist who is interested in Thelema, astral projection, etc. There’s some interest in astrology on both sides but not particularly in depth and my parents usually end asking me about the transits. Oh yeah and I guess I had that one psychic dream last November that came true the morning after.

In general, my family has a history of very eccentric characters who occasionally got exiled or imprisoned or some crazy shit 😭 I feel like that’s just average Eastern European family lore though. Do you think such isolation is nodal? I think it is but there might be other planetary influence.

That’s enough yapping for today though. Interested to see your post on the positives❤️

Your observation about Swati is spot on

I do think Nodal influence+ well placed/strong Rahu & Ketu are necessary for learning and immersing yourself in the occult. Someone who cannot channel it well will remain ignorant of it no matter how much they read or study it. In some ways the Nodes can be understood as layers of the subconscious and the unconscious. The nodes represent karma (Ketu does) and our unconscious mind is our accumulated karma, if we remain ignorant of it, we will let it guide all our actions and lead us to self destruction. Therefore to have strong/well placed Nodes means you're aware of the different layers of your mind as a result of which you can understand the different layers of reality. Nodal influence creates a fog/veil that cannot be lifted until we gain true gnosis. This is why Nodal people get lost in addictive substances/pass times/people/ interests because their own reality feels foggy/veiled to them so they can only access it from other things. Obviously this is another form of Maya or illusion and that's why even these natives struggle with it. You hate the thing even as you indulge in it because on some level you realise that you're losing yourself to it.

Immersing yourself in the occult requires a certain discipline and consistency that can be hard for Nodal natives (malefic influenced, badly placed etc) to master unless it's well aspected but those who do master it are able to perceive reality and understand the esoteric realm in a truly sublime way. It's rare and magnetic.

I do think Nodal influence can contribute to being exiled/imprisoned/being isolated. There is a reason why 5/6 Nodal nakshatras all belong to the Shudra caste which is the lowest. These natives live lives that are "unusual" or different from the norm. They are "detached" because their life experiences already set them apart from others. They don't belong to the mainstream because they've been put in circumstances where they've been deprived of what is "normal".

Like I said in my post, what is "unusual" can vary a lot and can mean sooo many different things. Majority of the "child star gone wild" type celebrities have heavy Nodal influence. Why? because it's "unusual" for a child to be working or attaining fame and wealth or for their family to use them for the same. When you're deprived of anything ordinary or real, you depend on substances/unhealthy relationships/habits etc to feel centred. This is why after a point these stars "go rogue or wild". They amass a lot of wealth/fame but ultimately they're unable to benefit from it or enjoy it. This is also unusual as these are things typically understood as blessings. Being in a position where you can't connect to or relate to others is a very Nodal experience. That's why a lot of people with these placements are so introverted and withdrawn. If you're a famous child actor, you can't quite go to school and connect to the experiences of other people your age so you feel "isolated". Being imprisoned/exiled is another such experience. It permanently alters you and you don't know how to connect to others who haven't been through it.

I do think isolation is a big theme in the lives of Nodal people. It can be literal or emotional. But it's also obviously influenced by the rest of the chart. Heavy 12h placements also make a native experience the same themes to some extent.